The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-04-11
"CRATERS OF THE MOON" IN IDAHO
MAY BE MADE NATIONAL MONUMENT

stone.
The area is dotted with caverns
o. practically every size and shape
imaginable. Some are small at the
top and cone-shaped while others
are large enough to surround "a
building three hundred feet square
and hide 1t from view were 1t three
stories high. There are numbers OF
them which appear to have bottom
less pits which contain openings
thousands of feet below the surface
of the earth.
There are innumerable caves, va
rying in size and shape. Many of
them contain water practically
throughout the summer. Others
contain overhanging moss and stall
actite, the walls of which vary In
color, being evidence that during
the period of eruption, great guam
titles of mineralized rock melted
and seeking the lower levels, cooled,
leaving walls of beautiful colors.
One cave much larger than any of
the others yet discovered, is very
good specimen of the present-day
theatre. 1t S called the "Amphi-
theatre" he entrance to this cave
is a man-hole about eight feet in
diameter which opens to the audi
tcrium. 1t has an almost perfect
replica of the stage, orchestra pit
and even the box seats, and it does
not require great deal of imagina-
tion to form this picture in ones
mind. Under the orchestra pitt is
an underground cavern that extends
for about a quqarter of a mile,
where it forks, and continuing for
another 25 feet or so. ends abruptly
against mass OF lava rock.
There is another place in the re-
gion called the River of Molten
Lava" Biologists who have visited
the region say the river" was caus-
ed by two distinct flows of lava.
One appears to have cooled rapidly,
piling up the lava in mass of
jagged and twisted formations. A
short time later, it is presumed.
there appeared another flow, which
from all Indications seems to have
tricked and flowed down, seeking
the natural drainage, cooling slow
ly, and when cooled left the appear
ance of waves of taffy. The river
varies in width from about 20 feet
at its source to about SO feet, wild /
ening as it lengthens. The source
of the white-hot lava was a volcano, |
which now is only gaping cave.
Cinders cover the entire region. A
great mountain of them occupy a
place near the entrance to the park.
No crater appears in the immediate
An enterprising prospec-
tor has left mute evidence of his be-
lief that the mountain contained
ore, but his "diggings' only con-
vinced him that for the fifty or
more feet which he excavated, moth
ing but c;nders were encountered
rhe cinder area is almost devoid OF
rogetation except for few scatter
ID cedars and flowers which have
,.astered the unearthly surround
Dgs and have found enough life
giving ingredients to sustain theii
,Iowth. Sputter cones and volcanic
,ombs cover the ground in this par
icular spot. The sputter cones are
III the way from 2 feet to IL feet
II diameter, and an investigation
hows a slight opening resembling a
ave, but which evidently was only
as chamber, as the small opening
onvinces one that the eruption
rom these cones was not of great
compared to the volca-
oes. The volcanic bombs are in
very shape and size imaginable,
nd even the larger ones are sur
rising on account o. being so light.
n investigation discloses that they
re honeycombed on the inside and ;
asily broken.
During the past year or two tour
is from all parts of the United
Iates visited the Craters of the
oon The Chamber of Commerce
Arco has been active in bringing
Ie region to the attention of tour
Is. and in registration book plac-
! there for short period during
e past summer, 450 men, women
Id children, from practically every
ate In the union, viewed the many
onders which the region holds.
Congressman Addison T. Smith OF sc
aho, who visited the Craters of
c Moon last summer, was so inn
essed with its wonders that he has
ken steps to have a bill introduced
congress designating it a national
rk Maps are being prepared and
ia is being gathered with this end y,
view. All of southeastern Idaho
interested in the movement.
Autos can go within a quarter of