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Show SOUTHERN UTAH IS BIG ATTRACTION ELY, Nev., General road improvement improve-ment in southwestern Utah and eastern Nevada has now placed within easy access to motorists visit-ingg visit-ingg Zion park and the scenic attractions attrac-tions of southern Utah one of the most interesting outdoor wonders of the west. Offering something different, differ-ent, and equal in attraction to the wonders of Zion park, Lehmans Caves near Ely, Nevada., are well worth a visit. A short circle trip that can be rec-omended rec-omended is from Salt Lake, via the Arrowhead trail to Cedar Breaks, Zion park and Bryce canyon, returning return-ing via Beaver and Milford, to Lehman Leh-man Caves and Ely, thence by Delta and Eureka or via the Lincoln highway high-way route to the starting point. Lehman Caves are probably the most interesting and unique, of the scenic attractions of eastern Nevada and are rapidly becoming recognized as among the great natural caverns of the world, in size, shape and variety va-riety of chambers and formations. Many who have visited other famous caves in various parts of the world have stated that they are outrivaled by the beauties of this wonderland extending beneath Mt. Wheeler, the loftiest peak in Nevada. Within its chambers one may view the most remarkable re-markable stalactites and stalagmites ever seen in limestone formation. As many of the columns in the cave are over fifty feet in height, it is probably prob-ably 20,000 years since the softer portion of the formation sank to adjust ad-just some subterranean distrubance, and formed these spacious caverns, then as bare as the windswept peak of the mountains above. Since that time nature has been working slowly, but continuously, designing and building with such skill that one stands in amazement when viewing this fairyland. The natural entrance to the caves was discovered only by accident. One of the early pioneers was riding the range, when his horse broke through the crust of upper formation which then sealed the entrance to the cavern. cav-ern. Isolated as this district was at that time, with no reasonable road communications, it is only recently that this great natural wonder has received the attention it deserved, and it required much exploration and labor to construct a passageway over three miles in length which now enables en-ables visitors to view this wonder-world wonder-world in safety and comfort. The entrance to the cave is through the "Gothic Palace," where water, dripping through past ages, has built wonderful and massive columns in great variety. Pure white stalactites hang from the ceiling and beautiful stalagmites are built up from the floor, all combining in a marvel of natural beauty. Passing from chamber to chamber, new wonders greet the eye at every turn, rooms and passageways being filled with a fantasy of beautiful formations. for-mations. - Fairy statutes appear to sprout from he solid rock; there are plants with petrified buds and flowers flow-ers clustered over their surface; there are masses of' coral like the reefs of the southern seas; the walls and ceilings are covered with a formation for-mation of pure white that appears like masses of popcorn kernels or hangs in clusters like bunches of grapes. Massive columns reaching from floor to roof are reminiscent of the temples of ancient Greece while many of the miniature stalagmites stalag-mites and formations remind one of the delicate carvings done in' ivory by Janapese artists. Some of the most interesting formations for-mations are "The Madonna and Child," the "Leaning Tower," the "Angel's Wing," the "Crystal Hyacinth," Hya-cinth," the "Chamber of Needles," "Eden's Bower," and "Gabriel Hall." Hundreds of other points of interest are startling in their realism and the visitor does not have to draw on his imagination to see the resemblances of the things before him to the places or objects after which they have been named. There is the "Navajo Blanket," Blan-ket," which hangs in graceful folds, so thin that a light held behind it brings out the beautiful colors which nature's hand has laid; the great "Harp of the Fairy'." and tne music-producing music-producing stalagmites. One formation, probably the most interesting to visitors is the huge "Pipe Organ," with flutes of massive stalactites and stalagmites, that, when struck with a drumstick, give tones so pure and of such melodious volume vol-ume that one would think them echoes from the music of some cathedral. T.ehmans Caves have been designat ed as a national monument and they are under the direct supervision of the United States forest service, through the supervisor of the Nevada national forest. Camp ground or hotel accomodations are available near the cave entrance and competent guides through the cave show the visitor every courtesy and make the trip through the cave a most delightful delight-ful excursion. In this section are many other places of scientific and scenic interest glaciers, ancient Indian rock writings writ-ings and the remains of a prehistoric race. Near at hand, and possibly connected with Lehman Caves, although al-though not yet fully explored is another an-other cave of unusual interest. This cave contains pictograph rock writings writ-ings and signs which show, according accord-ing to authorities, that a Mongol civilization existed here before the Indians. |