Ashland weekly tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1919-1924, 1922-03-15
THE JOSEPHINE CAVES
DELIGHTFUL SIDE TRIP
FOR MOTOR TOURISTS

. camping in Lithia Park will find thi
two-day trip nightly worth while
With the completion this spring o
the auto road from Grants Pass t,
the Caves, the entire distance of 81
miles may be made by car. The firs
!, "A miles Is on the Pacific highway
through the towns of Talent, Phoe
nix, Medford, Central Point, Cole
Hill and Grants Pass, in the Rogue
River valley fruit belt. The drive
from Gold Hill to Grants Pass, alone
the Rogue river, is one of the most
beautiful scenic drives on the high.
way. The 36 miles of auto road from
. Grants Pass to the Caves have been
lately improved so they are well.
graded and of easy pitch. This road
leads through one of the most beau
tiful timbered areas in the north
west. Great trees, tall ferns, wild
roses, sweet briar, masses OF lupine,
and score of other highway friends
are In abundance. You pass through
Murphy, on the Applegate river,
through the Applegate valley, to Pro-
volt, IA miles from Grants Pass,
from there up Williams creek eight
miles to Williams, and then to Cave
Camp five miles further. The re-
naming ten miles are made over the
newly constructed road. In the past
those taking this route were Obliged
to take horses or hike from this
point to the Caves.
Upon your arrival at the Caves,
you will find guide who is thor
oughly familiar with every detail of
the Josephine Caves, and who is
maintained there by Uncle Sam for
the convenience Of all who care to
see this natural wonder. You will
find "Dick" Rowley on the job at all
times and ready to conduct your
party through the entire length of
the Caves, though his regular daily
tour Is made at o'clock. His serv-
ices are free, being furnished you by
your government.
The Josephine Caves, sometimes
called the Marble Halls of Oregon,
are labyrinth of chambers, from
few feet in size to others of great di-
mensiOns, worn by the waters of 9TH
err ages, cut, carved and decorated
into all shapes and figures It is pos
sible for one to conceive The inter-
ior of the walls are not white, as
commonly supposed, but a soft gray
streaked with blue. At the triangular
mouth, wind rushes from the pass
age by day, but dies toward night,
and clear, sparkling stream comes
gurgling over the rocks as It finds
Its way from the internal darkness
and leaps and plunges down the rug 4
ged canyon.
These subterranean halls are
mainly on two levels and each level
has separate entrance The en-
trance to the lower cavern Is from
so to rs feet high, but at some places
on the inside 1t is as much as 800 II
feet from attic to cellar. This great
cavity in the mountain Is an intrl-
cate system of little rooms and cor
ridors, and wriggling passages; of
chaotic chambers of unbelievable d.
mensions; of strange statuary and
decorative design; full-sculptured
figures and bas-relief, and of lime
stone mimcry Of every form on Ma
ture's catalogue from the frosted
pane Of winter to the flowers OF the
summer. 1t is a great natural mu-
scum of wonders.
Near the entrance is ladder
to narrow shelf 12 or Is
feet above the stream, and then a
devious passage of some distance
through cracks and fissures, narrow.
crooked, with sharp turns, sometimes
opening into chambers of consider
able size, and on each side narrow
passages leading into the darkness.
The main passages are now lighted
by electricity.
The first room the visitor enters
is known as "Old Nick's Bedroom"
a low and rugged chamber. From
here you enter what has been called
Joaquin Miller's Room" in honor
of the famous poet. This room Is
decorated profusely with stalacites
and stalagmites. They are long,
slender tubes, clear as glass, and 80
fragile that care must be taken IN
handling them.
Next you enter an immense cav
ern, estimated to be $50 feet long.
$50 feet wide and 100 feet high. This
gorgeous chamber has been called
the Ghost Room" because when you
first enter the massive pillars of stall
acita and alta oa pmifa which hava