Show tells of mammoth cave C av e I 1 A trip through mammoth gave cave the distance of 0 seventy five miles between west baden springs ind and louisville ky was covered by the paved highway auns funs through some very beautiful country rolling hills bills covered wah woods where now and then a village snuggles cozy avd and contented against the green background the carmst me ate large and prosperous looking la in some instances the tanners farmers were pl apLing their second crop of corn the first having bavine been ruined rained by a late frost what a country tor for lightning rods on one of 0 the farms nho counted altogether twenty two to ol of these instruments lvery gable ol of the dwelling house was thus adorned the barn machine and magon seeds the blab lehen house doghouse and milk house bouse were nere all fitted out in proper shape to catch as much electricity as possible we wondered to what use do they put the current alter after it Is thus thug harnessed but then we are on our way to mammoth cave and louisville the city lanaous tor for 1118 Us fast horses its fine whiskeys and its beautiful tul women we pass through new albany pay our toll fare are at the bridge and sue axe allowed i to cross the great ohio river we i enter the old town part of 0 the cl city ity ilow how typical it Is ot of the south wood block foundation under the houses windows all covered with shutters fancy the musty amell within the now new portion ot of the city flaunts sky scrapers hotels and bank buildings on a par with any city ot of equal size in III the united states stales Louis Louls villes new nob hill Is very very auti lul ful in add addition tIou to modern architect ture lure there is natural scenery the rolling roiling hills the t be woods and ravines which give a 2 so B 1 bewildering beautiful to pronounce this the most wonderful wonder lul ot of the baay wonderful wonder tul nob hills in ill our coun try wo we also v sited the louisville cotton cotten mills which are the largest of its kind in the city here silk and f cotton clotha ot of all varieties and descriptions script ions arem manufactured over the louisville and nashville railroad nhe arrived at glasgow junction irom from here we proceeded on our journey to the great cave via mammoth cave railroad Iler hercules cules truly one ot of the an elt clonts rits a angine with all his estrala centrals carefully covered tugged aad pulled heroically up through a wonderful forest ot of elm beach and sycamore thero there were few dwellings and tuch such as were seen all imbres impressed i one as a being the abode ot of those arbo in the sunny gunny south are termed poor white trash A more careless non ambitious class ot of people than these inguld be hard to conceive of however they have one great hand handicap leap to contend with 1 la tilling their soil sasa sa fras the sasa sa fras tree once it has gained a foothold on a celce ot of land spreads its roots by the millions so to speak sneah and as it Is nigh to impossible to clear the ground ot of the roots which like all weeds grow and multiply rapidly the sa sasa fras will rula ruin the best of land in a very short time everywhere around here are to be seen those ot of all cave terming forming areas nar namely sinkholes sink stalk holes they are actually basins into which the rainwater gathers and then slowly seeps through the earth forming toi ming domes pits and rivers underground well hercules after considerable chugging and snorting finally lets out a series of blasts from a shrill whistle so as to let birds squirrels and abe hotel porter know how pleased he is to have brocht to their final destination without running more than one section accident or loss of time one wee car and an equa equal number of 0 large passengers hercules strutted and exi expanded this chest as proud droud of 0 this last feat of 0 i his as ever were Chanti chanticleer cler when every morning his crowing made the sun rise better beware some day the giant might rise out oo OC the great cave and make a watch charm out of 0 you i it is evening but in caves it is ever thus so the party starts tor for the entrance at seven A sloping loping path leads down to the mouth of 0 the cave the entrance is finally reached by a long flight ot of steps through a chasm fitly fifty feet wide moss covered tern fern fringed and surrounded by tall trees from which owls call an iron door is unlocked by the guide and we enter wonderland A strong current ot of air greets the visitor the droning voice ol of the guide is heard mammoth cave was discovered tn in 1809 by a hunter folla following wring a wounded bear through a hole bole under a rock in this great IM limestone estone cave the temperature la is uniformly 54 degrees F tell aall the year the tha air is pure and fresh throughout the cave during the j war ot of 1912 the rich salt peter beds were mined for ammunition purposes the large farge vats wooden pipes an and oxcart tracks remain to remind 1 ti the visitor of the part the state of 0 kentucky played in helping to yin the revolutionary lemr war avenue so named after the famous naturalist is three quarters of a mile long and ends in a group of stalactites it used to be called big bat room here myriads of bats used to take up their winter quarters congregating from all regions gions around the bats have abandoned the cave as a winter resort the remains of ho bio stone cottages are next aisted vi sted these and ten frame ones now torn down were anere bulit built in tor fox tile the use of consumptive patients induced to do so by tile the uniformity of the temperature the experiment v as an utter failure as was also the fitful attempt on the pait of hese invalids to make ties s and shub bery grow around their dismal huts tibe open sunshine is as essential to rosy health as it Is tor for green leaves A strangely beautiful transformation scenes M exhibited exhibit ed in the star chamber a hall feet long 70 leet feet wide at the floor narrowing to 40 at the ceiling which is 60 feet above our heads the light gray walls are in strong contrast to the ceiling coated with black gypsum and this again is studded with thousands of spots caused by the of the sulphate of magnesia the guide bids us be seated sealed on the log benches blow on out OUT our lamps then he be disappears behind a rock where he throws shadows like fleeting clouds cloud over the starry vault A ai gaint glimmer like the first streak dawn the light increases till it tinges the ups tips of rocks like hills tar far away the hori zon zen is bathed in rosy hues bues we expect to see the sun rise when all at once the guide returns we applaud and he be repeats the transformation again starlight moonlight thunder clouds midnight and dawn the latter heralded by cock crowing and barking of dogs i next we come to martha washing tona statue which appears to be a white marble statue of the lady but is in reality the outline of two narrow rowcliffe 1 cliffs the effect being produced by lights in olives bower we behold a magnificent group of stalactites and all sort of animal shapes are seen in the rocks the next day Is sunday and a busy day in the cave bus business ineis at nine a m a party of fifty started on the be echo river trop we travel over part of the main cave before branching off the cave in exists in five successive tiers through which shafts have been cut one place of decent to obdier levels is fat mans misery A narrow crooked winding channel in places almost impassable runs be teen two low lov narrow walls that have literally been polished by the efforts of human flesh during the past one hundred years some loud groaning is heard now and then from members of the party not classed as undernourished on this trip we visit the great rotunda the wonderful pits and domes river styx with its blind fish lake lethe natural bridge bottomless pit and echo river three boats await us each has seats tor for twenty passengers while the guide stands in the bow and propels the primitive craft by a long paddle or by grasping projecting i rocks tho the width of 0 echo river la Is from 20 to feet its length about one mile there la Is hardly any perceptible current and the stream has not any shore A single aerial vibration given with energy rebounded from rock to rock the dim awakened by discordant sounds was frightful on the other hand when the voice gave tho the tones of a full chord they came back in a sweeping soft sound saxophone music produced charming reverberations and the cornet still finer et ef aerts it should be explained abati that this symmetrical passageway passage way does r not ot give back a distinct ds eho ebo e ho as the term Is commonly used but a harmonious prolongation of sound tor for from ten to thirty treonia niter fitter the Mig iaal impulse the return trip was waa through the corkscrew ahli as an intricate and hazardous ra rats rain ts where narrow ladder 4 lead beadi farm ledge to ledge leace wo un through ra F irea in the rocks for some time ine he kovei slowly and labora bously on then there Is a halt squeals and crys tor for help are beard same one says cullor pu llor up another pull er down a chorus or of push pull is heard at last we below receive the glad tidings t the e only exit Is g filled beyond capacity with two hundred and fifty pounds of female avoirdupois tissue right herel a s need tor for a now law in effect that children and ana thin person er be passed through the corkscrew first so that it if some find fina it necessary to stay by the bottomless pit to reduce others will not be inconvenienced it is two in the afternoon when the party emerges rom stygian darkness to an op oppressive presslye heat above ground tile the long trip was undertaken next day it requires mine hours the party was very exclusive namely one guide and one explorer much of 0 the scenery previously traveled is covered until echo river is crossed the most fascinating sight on this trip is Clev elands cabinet what words can picture f its ts beauty imagine arches of 0 50 feet span where the fancy is at once enlivened and bewildered by a mimicry of every flower that grows in the gardens forest or prairie A rose from a ce stem gracefully curl countless crystals each tiny crystal is in itself a study each leaf is wonder iwonder ful ul and the whole blossom a miracle of 0 beauty multiply this mimic flower irom from one to a thousand a myriad move down this dazzling avenue not tor for a tew rods but for one or two miles floral clusters bouquets wreaths garlands cover nearly every toot foot of the ceiling and walls walla clumps of lilies pansies tulips tulip asters the fancy finds every gem ot of the greenhouse green housa in this crys talene conservatory the path leads us now to one ot of the mose stalactites found anywhere seamless and aad of a beautiful color folds or i blades of 0 matter ban hang like ithe drapery around tho the sides reaching half way down to the floor and opposite a canopy of stone projects elegantly ornamented as if it were the nesting place tor for a fairy bride echo river more wonderful in the stillness the long vault when firmly struck excites harmonies harmonics including tones of incredible depth continued on page six tells of visit to mammoth gave cave continued from page three and sweetness an extraordinary result was obtained by the guides agitating the water vigorously with his paddle and then we waited in silence the first sound that broke the stillness was like the tinkling ot of silver bells larger and heavier bells then seemed to take up the belomy as the waves sought out the cavities in the rock and then it ft appeared as it if all chimes of 0 all cathedrals had conspired to raise a tempest pi int sweet sounds sound they then died away to utter silence we sat in expectation As it if from some deep recess came a tone tender and I 1 profound pro lound after which like genteel gentle memories em orles were reawakened awakened re all the soua ds that had gone before until hirer hall rang again those who he by their own voices are pleased to have the hollow wall I 1 give back shout and song but bat the nymphs reserve their choicest hari monies tor for those who are willing to alsten in silence to the voice ot of many waters it is with feelings mixed with joy and regret we leave mammoth cave i A movement Is under way way to secure c u re this wonderland tor for a N national park all hall hail to your extorts efforts three miles northeast ot of mammoth cave Is great onyx cave this was discovered in 1915 it is clean and pretty one extremely pleasant feature la Is stepping from the opening right into the most wonder ful ul onyx Tor formation mation beautifully colored this cave has an abundance ol of tile the gypsum stalactites act ites stalactites and heli clites onyx cave has three miles of explored caverns not very large compared with mammoth but exquisitely beautiful 1 sand cave where floyd colllns collins 10 lost 1 1 ills his life tour four amiles from broin mammoth m th and is true to its name a san dhole Chry chrystal stai cave owned by the collins family Is a very beautiful cave here floyd is buried near the beauties he admired so much crystal cave show the heli etite to giedt advantage there are also gyp som born flowers and a room ot of stalactites millions in number the size ot of a needle the time has arrived to depart efrom cave lore cave mystery and cave wonder and once more face the real realities ties of 0 life it has rained the night before the air is treah fresh arid and cool all along I 1 the ithe road to louisville we observe hundreds ot of child children trea busy transplanting tobacco plants from the hot beds to the freshly moistened soil this n ork Is easier on shorter backs thane longer ones Shor shorter backs are much less than longer ones here wo we have one leason e 0 why kentucky does not tavor favor the child labor |