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The Journal of Spelean History OFFICIAL PUBIlCATION ofTheAMERlCAN SPELEAN HISTORY ASSOOATION
t COLOSSAL CAVERN
HORACE c HOVEY -- _ shy
AND W L MAlt
_-shy
I ClIi_ WaiL 2Em_IoN_ J Em_ 10 WilJ c- en- 0Ift
RIwrRqIon U1c Tom PooL S Liztml sm 6 T Piu 7 Rum of Car
It0llrt8 Rocle 1-1 9 StsnJIon T
10 Raw of MorlfIrqaamp II R4MrA_ 12 SI H_ - Mlilal W 13 s-I(In Rk 1f MOIIIfloitJ 15 HJ1 of tIte c-t W lfie 17 PviIM Roct 18 c-t PIt 19 p-t PooL 2OKonr-s-L
Fall 1971
treasurer at $1 00 per copy
West 43rd St
ABQUT THE A SSOCIATION
The American Spelean History Association is chartered as a non-profit corporation for the study dissemination and int erpretation of spelean
history and related purposes All persons of hi gh ethical and moral character who are interested in these goals are cordially invited to beshycome members Annual membership ismiddot$500 family membership $60Q Library subscriptions are $400
A BOUT THE QUARTERLY
The Association publishes- The- Journal of Spelean History on a quarterly basis Pertinent articles or reprints are welcomed As a photo -offset process is often used the editor should be contacted in advance concershyning the current type of manuscript preparation desired Submission of rough drafts for pre1iIninary editing is encouraged n1ustrations require special handling and arrangements must be made with the editor in advance
ABOUT BACK mSUES
A bout half the back issues of this Journal are available from the SecretaryshyAll back issues are available on microfiche
for further information contact 3M-International Microfilm Press 521 NeviYork NY 10036
ABOUT THE COVER nLUSTRA TION
A s a supplement to Stan Sides 1 artic1e on Colossal Cave appearing in this issue the cover map of Colossal Cave is an interesting addition The version reproduced here is from the 1912 Revised Edition of Hoveys ItMammoth- Cave of Kentucky (Hovey and Call) with an account of Colossal Cavern A different version lacking the River Route and a connection theref rom to Bedquilt Cave appeared in many editions of the- L ampN Railroads booklet Subterranean Wonders and in the Scientific A merican Supplement Unlike the Subterranean Wonderslf version thi s version gives proper credit to the L -ampr N engineers mentioned in the Sides article
- i
60
-December
THE J OUR N A L OF S PE L EA N HIST OR y
Off i ci a 1 qua r t e r 1 y pub 1 i c a t i o n 0f t h e Am e r i c a n S p el e a n H i s t o r y A s s o c i a t i o n
P r e s i d e nt Secretary-Treasurer E d i t o r
Dr John F Bridge Peter M Hauer 206 W 18th Ave
Dr William R Halliday 36th Avenue East
Seattle Wash
October
1506 Miller St 1117 Columbus) Ohio L ebanon Penna
Volume 4 no 4 1971
TABLE OF CO NTENTS
63 Early cave exploration in Flint Ridge Kentucky Colossal Cave and the Colossal Cavern Company - Stanley D Sides MD
71 Pennsylvanias only saltpetre c ave a background study - Peter M Hauer
75 Steven Crane youthful author-spelunker -Dave DeArmond
76 Book review The Hollow Earth
77 Colloquy
79 Book and memorabilia exchange
61
62
1971 MEMBERSEIPS EXPIRE WITH THIS ISSUE 0
EARLY CAVE ExJLORA TION IN FLINT RIDGE KENTUCKY COLOSSAL CAVE AND THE COLOSSAL CAVERN COMPAN Y
BYStanleyD Sides MD
Searching for new caves in the Mammoth Cave region was very popular in the late 18001s Gurles had shown the passages of Mammoth Cave to the public as early as 1815 By the 18601s Hidden River (Horse) Cave Diamond Caverns Proctor Cave Indian (Osceola) Cave Hundred Domes Cave and Grand Avenue Cavern were being frequented by visitors However no caves of commercia interest had been found on Flint Ridge one of the largest ridges in the region
About 1840 a settler named Bobby Lee moved into the Mammoth Cave region and headed a family destined to leave a heavy imprint on the history of cave exploration of the area One of his sons Thomas Edward (TE) Lee (852 -1909) recorded his name near the entrance of an obscure Flint Ridge cave named Bedquil in 1871 The cavels unusual name came from an Indian blanket supposedly found in its entrance Except for moonshining carried on within the cave it attracted little local attention In 1876 TE 0 Lee attained fame by discovering a passage in Grand Avenue Cavern On March 81875 the Lee brothers ToE and John Lute (b 1858) along with W D CutliH discovered the famous Indian I I mummy Little Alice or
Alfred in Salts Cave (1) The Lees explored the recesses of Bedquilt Cave and T E 0 Lee left his initials near a large pit complex far from the entrance
Jacob Locke was one of the earty settlers of Fli nt Ridge A pioneer farmer and Baptist minister in Kentucky he was barely able to eke out a living from the poor soil of Flint Ridge For $2500 he gave a mortgage on his property to a farmer from the Northtown area named Billie Adair With Locke1s death Adair and his daughter Mary Isenberg foreclosed on the farm and took possshyession of 100 acres Thereafter Adair parcelled out two tracts to two Neshygroes Robert Woodson and Gyp Brown (2)
In 1890 or shortly thereafter James Henry Lee (1864-l899a son of John Lute Lee was crossing StrawberryVaney and clirribed the road up Flint Ridge Near Robert Woodsons home he-rested beside a limestoneledge and felt cool air coming from between two rocks He enlarged the opening and discovered a pit extending down With the assistance of his brother Joseph Louis Lee (b l869) or Lute Henry was lowered to the oottom of the pit A small passage was i ound extending onward and the Lee brothers named it the Woodson-Adair Cave They began exploring and enlarging the passageways but the cave initially attracted little attention in a region where huge passageways existed in several of the caves (3)
Probably in the early 1890s a photographer named L W bull Hazen settled in the cave region Hazens wife apparently was from the area as she owned property near Salts Cave called the Old Geralds Place Bennett H Young writing on the Indians of Salts Cave was taken into a back entrance of Salts Cave which was opened by Hazen in 1893 (4) Henry Lee told Hazen about rhe cave he and Lute had discovered and Hazen expressed a desie to see the cave A windlass was made and Hazen was lowered into the entrance pit Thereafter he wanted to become partners with the Lees
63
in developing the cave They approached the supposed owner of the cave Robert Woodson but found that after living on the land five years he had not paid anything to Adair Hazen paid the Lee brothers $150 for their interest in the cave and approached Adair concerning commercialization of the cave (5)
NumerouS accounts appeared stating that Hazen discovered the cave on July 10 1895 Other accounts subsequently said that Woodson Hazen1s nephew Pike Chapman or William Garvin discovered the cave around July 15 1895 (6) bull However we do know that on August 28 1895 a deed
was filed in the Edmonson County Clerks office in which Mary Isenberg Adairs daughter gave a one-third interest in Adair-Woodson Cave to L W Hazen The deed continued
And in consideration of the labor and expenses of party of the second part in exploring and clearing out passageways in the different avenues Of Adair-Woodson Cave that party of the first part allows parties of the second part all of the cave fees until January 1 1896 (7)
Hazen was further allowed to get money from hotel and cottage fees until August 28 1898 He obtained his interest in the cave by promising to develop the cave for the public and advertise it No money changed hands between Hazen and Mrs Isenberg
Hazen hired the Lee brothers and probably Pike Chapman to help him develop the cave They blasted and dug out the passageway Several weeks after beginning work Jike and Henry arrived at the top of a large dome Pike Chapman was lovered 180 feet to the bottom of the dome later named Colossal Dome Climbing up out of the bottom of the shaft Pike found a huge passageway much larger than anything previously found in WoodsonAdair Cave (8)
During this period Mammoth Cave was owned by the Crogan estate Tourshyist trade was dwindling and the property falling into disrepair The Louisshyville and Nashville Railroad Company (L amp N) wanted to increase tourist trade on its main line and began buying property in the cave region The L amp N evidently wanted to prote t the original Mammoth Cave properties but also wanted to increase the value of the region as an attraction for tourists (9) Rumors circulated in the cave area that the railroad would reward people who could find another entrance t o Mammoth Cave
On January 13 1896 part of Hazen1s contract with the Isenbergs expired Two days later he went to Louisville to discuss Woodson-Adair Cave with Milton H Smith President of the L amp N On that day these two men drew up a contract which stated that a corporati on was to be formed II bull bull bull to do business of discovering owning developing and operating cave properties II Hazen was paid $550 cash and was to receive $4450 in stock of the corporation of $100000 capital stock For this conSideration Hazen was to transfer to Smith all his interest in Woodson-Adair Cave and other land he owned
64
be
As land could not be deeded directly to the railroad for non-railroad purposes Hazen was not to purchase cave property or rights for Smith directly Rathe r Hazen was to purchase them in his name and conshyvev them to a L amp j employe Daniel Breck who would hold title Hazen wa given eXcLltsive ph otographic right s in the WoodsonmiddotmiddotAdair Cave and cOliJd retnove specimens and cave fortnations for sale subshyject ody to limlts set by Smith These agreements resulted in the deed L W Hazen and Sophron ie J Hazen to M H Smith January 24 1896 The deed went on to st ate
If the first parties or either of them buy any tract of land for a residence or for any other purpose and said tract of land have on it any cave or caves that may be capable of being made profitshyable by being opened to vi sitors said cave or caves shall be held by then or either of them as the case may be in trust for the use and benetit of the said second party and his aSSigns
Hazen becanle nanager of the Woodson-Adair Cave and was deSignated an agent to buy land and cave rights in the area Lute Lee wrote that Hazer was pa id a total of $4500 and was to receive the remaining $500 when he proved the cave connected with Mammoth Cave a connection he told Smith he could establish (10)
middotOn January 29 189h the Louisville COURIER -JOURNAL printed an article emitled ItColossal Cave to be opened1 The article began
On file in the Edmonson County Clerk I s office is a deed transshymiddotferrirg a recently discovered colossal cavern inEdmonson CounrV to M FI bull Smith trustee of a corporation undermiddot the general laws of Kentu cky which will created with the capital stock at $100 000 divided into shares of$lOO each (11) - J
- _ - - 1 - -t -
The article sTaredtharthe cave n was discovered August 15 middot1895by L W Hazen of Bowling Green Ky Much to thedisrriay of the Isenshybergs who had no invotvement in the dealings between Hazen and Smith L amp N engineers led by Edgar Vaughn arrived and began mapping the cave Several davs later the COURtER-JOURNAL had another art i cle entitled Suit about
a ca e This article stated
Ii Mat and DBe Isenb rg filed suit today against M H Smith president of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad COIUpanymiddot and M H Smith individuaUy and as tru stee for $50 OOO charging the L amp Nand MHo Smith presiden of the road with conspi ring to defaud them of their i terests So M Payton and Isenberg also sued for $50middot 000 and ask that a receiver be appointed to take charge of the case until the matter is settled (12
65
I I -
- -
While the litigation was pending at Brownsville surveying the Woodson-Adair entrance carne to a halt
By this t ime the L amp N already had purchased the Tobie Holton place entrance of Bedqullt Cave was on this land Woodson-Adair entrance Lute Lee wrote Daniel Breck who was representing Smith he could have threed days he could connect Bed Quilt (sic) Cave with Colossal Cavern Breck agreed and in two days we made it connection (sic) and took hiT through (D) II
Unknown to the Isenbergs and their court-appointed receiver the L amp N engineers enlarged the passageway into Bedqullt Cave and surveyed a long low crawlway which intersected the main passage of Colossal Cave They continued their survey to a terminal breakdown of the main passage The survey revealed the main passage ended at the edge of Houchins Valley under William Garvins 30 acre tarm The L amp N bought the farm and one month later) was sinking an incline into the cave
The newspaper articles on the cave development and litigation were read by two grandsons of Jacob Locke who lived in Daviess County 0 They realshyized that it was their grandfathers land being contested and established to S oM Payton the Isenbergs lawyer that they were the rightful heirs to the land They sold their interest to Payton thuO invalidating Adairs mortgage and the Isenbergs I rights to the cave Payton promptly sold the land and cave rights to the L amp N
Smith and the railroad now owned Woodson -Adair Cave and nearly all lan d over Colossal Cave as the main passages were called Smith sought to publicize the cave and on March 28 1896 a feature article entitled IIColossal Cavernll appeared in the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL When written the Locke heirs had arrived but the litigation over ownership was still in the hands of the court-appointed receiver L amp N workmen were in the process of blasting the new entrance into the cave Pike Chapman served as guide for the COURIER-JOURNAL reporter and they entered the cave through a trap-door in the floor of a log cabin Hazen had built over the Woodson-Adair entrance The skeleton of a b uilding later desigshynated the dining room or dance floor had been built inside the main cave near the side passage which connected with Bedquilt Cave Chapman told the reporter that the headwaters of Mammoth Cavels Echo River were in Colossal Cave and that a water connection had been proven toFroctor1s Cae a cave in Joppa Ridge also run commercially by the L amp N (14)
Pike Chapman and the Lee brothers explored many passageways of the large cave system they had found beyond Colossal Dome In January and March 1896 they left their names in a large dome-complex far from the cave entrance In1960 members of Cave Research Foundation connected Colossal and Salts caves by squeezing through a canyon only a few yards
66
from where the old-timers had explored
in the cave via
The aboot one-half mile from the lIMy brother Henry told the L amp N president that if
aceeo to the cave
By the summer ofl89t the new entraDce to Colossal was opened A threeshy
house was builJ on the hiLLside near the cave entran oe and Lute Lee
lived rhere as the manag r Hazen had faUen into disfavor with Smith and
He be-gar m i ning Jarge quantities of fo rm at ions from the cave
room
the L amp N as alJowed bv his otlginaJ contract with Smith Hazen was told to stop
buYHg 13nd or SmJrh and Daniel Breck was designated the official L amp N lan d r-epreselllaUVf On FeiltlJ-1r-y 13 1897 Hazen and his wife apparently
deeded on part of tnejr and holdings 10 Breck despite their earlier conshy
tract WJth Srnilh Hazen houghand adjacerr lo L amp N land and tried to
force errranees ipto Colo3sa Cave H slccessfulJy opened Hazen1s
EntJarc tor (jPQ d1f 1 11 oad to lxv -liE ard to malntain (ontrol of aU
After beHlg she ou a Colossal Cave Ha zen made an attempt to commshyercia1ize Sals Cali e ThroJgh the enrance on his wife1s land previously visited by)om-g The hlstoric ertrance of Salts Cave one mile away was owned bv the Mammoth Cave ESfate and access to it was forbidden In JuJv 1897 Pike Chapmn was kilted while in the process of enlarging the b ack entrance to S alt s Cave for Hazen his unde On A ugust 15 1897 anothe r articte appear ed in the COURJ R middotJOURNAL It was written by BennetT Young ard el iled Rimiddota s the Mammoth in grandeur It disshycussed Igtriefy Coiossa Calern ald tbe fact that Hazen had discovered it but w went on to discuss Hazermiddotls C3e or Sa] C ave The a rt i cle lauded the br av erv armiddotd expLoits of H-ilzen and ris wife and announced that within a month Hazens Cave Vol d he opeD to the public 15)
Hazen sTar+ed b1didlng tralls hom the Pike Chapman entrance down the ITl a in passageway of Sals Covei but cave b e came a commercialbefore the sl(cess -he L amp N br ought suji against Ha zen Hazen lost all the land he h ad bought h EO turned oe W he L amp NJ irclLding his property at the Pik e C h apm ar en-raEce
The Colossal Cae n Compan y was finaLy hartered on March 3 1898 I On Apn1 27 JSQ8 D-lrie Bteck d eeded the Jand he bad been holding to the Co poIaJOn fOI Ue corside r atlon of $(00 A large part of the propshyertleS incLudlTg the or-iginal deed 19XWoodson-Adair Cave was transferred to the compaIyoI May 20 1898 in the deed ttMH Sniith and wife to Colossal Cavern Compa ny
OriginaHy c ave ]sifors left the Mammoth Cave Railroad at Proctor Cave and went ovettard by agoD to lhe W oodson-Adai r entrance After t he new blas ed entr-ance was opened patr ons continued OI the train to Mammoth Cave and wen by w agon s llP the vaLley to Colossal Ca ve However the cave never became the a tt gtetion that had been pl anned While Lee was the manager onJ bve OJ six persons v isited the cave weekly Stories persist of how w agon wheeJs repeatedly feU off the passenger wagons during the 1 12 milE dp to ColOSSal Cave requiring the visitors to walk ba ck to Maml Cave and tak e their cave trip there Frequently the horses erc Stltied b strange noises in t he bushes and woods supposedly from cave competitors
In 1896 the Reverend Horace C Hovey wrote an article about Colossal Cave from information given him by Ben Hains and John M Nelson He visited the cave in Jul v 1903 In November 1903 his second article on Colossal Cave was printed including a map of Colossal and Bedquilt Caves (16) Other articles appeared in magazines and L amp N brochures but by 1910 the cave was seldom visited Lute Lee served as manager for three years and was succeeded by J M and Morris Hunt As time passed declining revenues the discovery of new commercial caves on Flint Ridge and the advent of the automobile closed Colossal Cave to the public
In May 1921 the Coloss Cavern Company leased surface rights on 300 acres near the Pike Chapman entrance to A J Musselman of Chicago Tom Bendelow a famous golf course architect was hired to lay out an 18-hole course On May 19 1921 the Louisville TIMES featured an article Rich will sOOP- have links at Mammoth Caven Musselman
built 21 log huts and a large dining and recreation hall in the center of the gold course and was ready for golfers by the spring of 1922 (17) Initially the project prospered and stories are still told about how local men would sneak into the old entrance 6f Salts Cave to reach the Pike chapman entrance where golfers stored illegal ga1lon jugs of whiskey Another cave on the BlueGrass Country Club land Unknown Cave was later to prove the key to int grating Salts Cave Floyd Collins Crystal Cave Bedquilt Cave and Colossal Cave into the worlds longest cave system
In 1925 the Louisville Gas and Electric Company confirmed that streams inlossal Cave cOJlnected with Pike Spring near Floyd Collins Crystal Cave The dye tests attr acted little attention as cave explor ation was discouraged while Mammoth Cave National Park was being formed Alshythough they had promised to deed their land to the new park the L amp N and the Colossa Cavern Company continued to be beset with legal actions chiefly overt the definition of cave property rights The legal act ion culshyminated in the Kentucky Court of Appeals in COX v COLOSSAL CAVERN COMPANY 210 Ky 612 decided on October 16 1925
By 1928 the BlueGrass Country Club was closed George Cline the last guide and caretaker of ColOSSal Cave left the land in 1930 On May 23 1933 the remaining buildings on the country club grounds were first occushypied by Company 510 of the Civilian Conservation Corps On January 23 1935 Colossal Cavern Company holdings were transferred to the National Palk Association The ColOSSal Cavern Company was officially dissolved on July 31 1935 Colossal Cave was thereafter visited only by local rock collectors and National Park Service personnel Further mention of the Colossal Cavern Company existed only in newspaper notices of its dissolshyution which appeared in the Louisville TIMES i n August 1935 In a final deed dated April 25 1940 the L amp N conveyed all of its holdings to Mammoth Cave National Park thereby ending 45 years of profound influence on the history of caving in Flint tidge
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This article is issued as part of a Cave Research Foundation project on the history of cave exploration in Mammoth Cave National Park The
68
Antiq14ity - -- --------
0p_
Op Sit
8 Lee Lute Cit -gt
14 Lute
author wishes to thank Milton H Smith ill the L amp N Railroad Edwin L Rothfuss National Park Service Patty Jo Watson Cave Research Foundation and ERo Pohl Mamm oth Onyx Cavefor assistance in c ollectin g articles and inJormation used in this paper
BIBLIOGRAPHY
L Rohbins LOLise M A Woodl and Mummy from Salts Cave Kenshyt1ckv American Vol 36 No Z 1971 pp ZOO-206
2 bull Lee LLte ( roseph Louis) lMemories of the Past Undated mss original hand -wrItfen copy at the Filson Club Louisville Ky Reprinted in tllls Journa VoL 2 no t Jan -March 1969 pp 16-17
3 Ibid
4 Young Be nne 1t H THE PREHISTORIC MEN OF KENTUCKY Filson ClubPIblicationNo 25 J ohn P Morton amp Co Louisville Ky ) p 300
6 Lee Lute lLute Lee Tells of Colossal Cavern and of Early Life of Jacob Lock (sicI The Glasg ow TIMES Glasgow Ky May 22lt 1952 Lute Lee staed that he main pas s ag e was found before Hazen purchased an interest in the cav e ihe T-merous conflict ing dates around July 1895 for dis covery of Coloss a Cavern may reflect that it was about this
Lime that the main cave - Colossal - was discovered by reaching Colossal Dome from Woodson-Adair Cave For some time both caves were referred to se paratel y although each was part of one cave system
7 Nary M renberg to L W Hazen A gust 28 1895 Deed BookR Edmonson Couny Clerks Office Br owls ille Ky
-L_ _J
bull l
9 R eport on file Louisville and Nashville Railroad Louisville Ky
10 Deeds ard contracts on file L amp N Rail ro ad Real Estate Department Louisville Ky
-1l Anon ifltolossal Cave to be Open ed Louisville COURIER -jOURNAL bull January 91896 p 5 This article is the first reference fou nd in which
the worClflcolossal was used in reference to the cave
12 Anon IISuit about a Cae 1 Louisville COURIERJOURNAL February 4 l896 p 7
13 Anon Colossal Cavern Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL March 28 l896 p 6
Lee
15 Younll Bennett H Rivals the Mammoth in Grandeur Louisville COURIER--JOUR AL sect 3 August 15 1897 p1
(references concluded page )
19 1p 20
N lt---__ _
- - -- - --- --
connecting passages
FLOOR PLAN
Saltpetre Cave Penna CRG grade 4
crawl
B-n-B
Lowerbull
passage
scale in feet
Mapped -NoveInber 5 1967 Ennis Duling
Peter Hauer
70
0 _ _ _ _ __ -
PENNSYLVANIAS ONLY SALTPETRE CAVE
Saltpetre Cave Bedibrd County Pa is a small sandstone fissure which
A BACKGROUND STUDY Peter M Hauer
Abstract
was mined for saltpetre dirt during the 18th Century One of the very few natural soutces of the material in the state Sal tpetre Cave illustrates the needs and remoeness of the westetn counties in the state which became the leading gunpowder producer during the American Revolution bull
--
When the Amedcan Revolution began saltpetre procurement became an important cOIlsideration The colonists found themselves without any operable powder miHs Two years earlier in October 1774 the British Parliament had prohibited all export of black powder to America and when the war broke out the Americans had only 80000 pounds of powder total (Wilkinson 1966
The leadership of the newmiddot country was quick to respond to this need Its response on a smaller scale was similar to that of the Confederate leaders
During this periodlnumerous
In
85 years later On July 3 1775 the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia with Benjamin FrankJin presiding resolved
That Mes srs Robert Morris Robert White and Thomas Warton junr do with the vtmost expeditionprocure any quantity of Powder and SlaquoIt PetrI in their Power II (Anon n d)
In New York in January 1776 the Committe published the first American text on this subject a 38-page Essays upon the Making opound5alt-Petre and Gunshy
Powder bounties and premiUms for salt-petre were offered by the individual colonies Nitriaries using organic wastes were established in Jarg numbers in f ull knowledge of the two
ormoreJyemiddotars required before they would ltproduceanyquantit-y of saltpetre bull IrliL another parallel to later Confederate tact-ics smuggling of saltpetre
from the supplies of foreign aUies be ame the most important source bull
the first 2 12 years of the Revolutionary War the Americans were able to produce less than 10 per cent of their supply the rest being imported fr m French merchants (VanGelder dSchlatterl927) _
During this period of short munition supply Pennsylvania emerged as the leading gunpowder producer not ovly due to its centr l position but to its manv German farmers who knew the art as well as the old women knew how to make soft soap (Wilkinson 1966) Despite the slow start by 1781 Pennsylvania had 21 powder mills with an annual capacity oL625 tons (Clark 1929) Ten years later saltpetre was cheaper inPhiladelphia than in London (Geoghegan and Karnes 1968)
This post-war availabllity was particularly in contrast to the early scarcity inthe remote mountain regions of the state Bedford County was a frontier stronghold at the time of the American Revolution and even before that time
71
it had held particular strategic importance as a vanguard of Colonial expansion into the Western wildernes s and Indian lands In the summer of 1758 Fort Bedford was built as an aid to that expansionist des ire The violence of massacre war and rebellion governed the lives and needs of its people through the Ameri can Revolution and into the 10cally based Whiskey Insurrection of 1794
The early need for saltpetre in Bedford County is well documented The minutes of the Council of Safety for October 2 1775 state
II Upon application of Bernard Dougherty Esqr for some Gunpowder for the use of Bedford County Resolved That 100 Pounds of Powder be lent to said County for the pres ent and when Convenient this Board will spare them a larger Quantity An order was drawn on the Commis sary for the Same and delivered Mr Dougherty
14(Anon n d )
Later on January 3 1776 under the chairmanship of Benjamin Franklin
If Letters were wrote tot the Commissioners and assessors of each County respecting Arms etc J to be provided by them agreeable to a Resolve of Assembly of the June last and to the Committees of the different Counties (except those of Westmoreland Northumberland and Bedford) respecting the Manufacture of Saltpetre and the mode of procuring rid paying the Same (Anon nd)
Obviously the Bedford County supply was critical Along with Essex County Virginia Bedford County was notable in 1775 for offering premiums to enshycourage local saltpetre manufacture (Clark 1929)
This offer may have been a prime motive inthe establishment of what may have been the most northerly saltpetre cave mining operation in American history
Saltpetre Bedford County
mined for Saltpetre (John Friends Cave
Ca ve is located in Sweet Root State Park northwest of Chancysville Pennsylvani about 50 miles northeast of the nearest other
cave Garrett County Md) John FriendsC ave and Busheys Car-ern at Cavetown Md in WaShington County appear to be the northernmost limestone saltpet re caves while Bedford Countys saltpetre cave is believed to be the northernmost American cave of any type mined for saltpetre The only possi ble eXC eption known to the writer is similar in nature to Saltpetre Cave but cannot really be classified as a cave This consists of a series of sandstone cliffs 25 to 40 feet high located along the Susquehanna River in Wyoming County Penna In 1783 or 1784 Johann David Shoepf a German traveller was shown man-made holes in these cliffs where saltpetre had been mined from the very bedrock In 1788 he wrote that
at the beginning of the war various saltpetre -boileries were set up in themiddot Wyoming region but were given over on account of the Indians or for othe reasons Now this deposit and t he scraped -off sand are said to have been used in the preparation of saltpetre bull bull bull (Sc hoepf 1911)
l2
magister end
in local verbal tradition (Anon 1907 Stone 1953 Black 1963 Imler Sweet Wa ter Gap were expored very early
Thomas Powell
covery of the cave
War
the participants (the late Stella lames Beck) visited the cave for picnics by pine torch light Chaneysville Imler 1971
preserved for future generations
ere Ices to the historic traditions thereof S 1 pi reference
Because of their similar nature this account adds credence to the supposed usage of Saltpetre Cave Sandstone cliffs and shelters were extensively mined for saltpetre in Kentucky very early in the 19th Century (Maxon 1932 ) In all cases the bedrock itself would most likel y have been crushed and boiled to remove the nitrate content as described for the Kentucky operations
Saltpetre Cave is located along Little Sweet Root Creek in a beautiful hollow shaded by towering hemlocks The entrance is on the right side of the holshylow in the base of a sandstone cliff below a large boulder It is a jointshycontrolled fissure cavern in Devonian sandstone and parallels the hollow It It appears genetically related to the formation of the hollow and the breakdown oithe cliffs The upper entrance is halved by a large ceiling breakdown slab This passage slopes gently downward for about 40 feet gradually enqing in fill and breakdown Near the end a floor floor fiSSure connects by a short crawl to a parallel passage which is slightly shorter and smaller more easily entered through a second entrance ten feet from the first
The cave fill has an extensive organic content perhaps primarily due to Neotoma
found near the along with the
genershyations of habitation by the Allegheny cave rat Six intact rat nests neat and igloo shaped were inquisitive owner The lower passage contains a thin layer of charcoal in its fill The ceiling near the rat nests is coated with soot
The history of the cave area and the cave itself is obscured by inconsiste ciE This is reflected in various published references
1 964) Sweet Root Creek an when
son of Nathaniel Powell member of the Virginia Council organized a small expedition to explore in the summer of 1625 the northwest section of Virginia bull The march continued on North along Town Creek to the junction of S weet Root Creek thence
Hill II (Lutz 1946)
Over a century later in 1747 Joseph Plty(ell established a t acingpost in the gap on1y a few hundred yards froInSaltpetre Cave The foundation of this bUilding are still visible His brother George is credited with the disshy
through Sweet Water Gap and on up the creek to its source on Martin
at an unrecorded cmte (Anon 1907) The mining activity itself was probably accomplished by Michaet-Huff during the Revolutionary
while the gunpowder was made from the saltpetre by Jacob R9wland
The cave has seen other use in more Inodern times According to one of 15 students and their teacher
from ail old log school near A school teacher naIned Sanford Fleet obtained
saltpetre from the cave during the 1920ts (Stone 1953) Today within the boundaries of Sweet Root State Park this historic spot has been deservedly
and a marked trail is maintained to the cave
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thalk Byron Black and Thomas C Imler of Bedford County for their generous aid in visiting the cave and supplying several repoundshy
WR Halliday supplied the 7-3
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
treasurer at $1 00 per copy
West 43rd St
ABQUT THE A SSOCIATION
The American Spelean History Association is chartered as a non-profit corporation for the study dissemination and int erpretation of spelean
history and related purposes All persons of hi gh ethical and moral character who are interested in these goals are cordially invited to beshycome members Annual membership ismiddot$500 family membership $60Q Library subscriptions are $400
A BOUT THE QUARTERLY
The Association publishes- The- Journal of Spelean History on a quarterly basis Pertinent articles or reprints are welcomed As a photo -offset process is often used the editor should be contacted in advance concershyning the current type of manuscript preparation desired Submission of rough drafts for pre1iIninary editing is encouraged n1ustrations require special handling and arrangements must be made with the editor in advance
ABOUT BACK mSUES
A bout half the back issues of this Journal are available from the SecretaryshyAll back issues are available on microfiche
for further information contact 3M-International Microfilm Press 521 NeviYork NY 10036
ABOUT THE COVER nLUSTRA TION
A s a supplement to Stan Sides 1 artic1e on Colossal Cave appearing in this issue the cover map of Colossal Cave is an interesting addition The version reproduced here is from the 1912 Revised Edition of Hoveys ItMammoth- Cave of Kentucky (Hovey and Call) with an account of Colossal Cavern A different version lacking the River Route and a connection theref rom to Bedquilt Cave appeared in many editions of the- L ampN Railroads booklet Subterranean Wonders and in the Scientific A merican Supplement Unlike the Subterranean Wonderslf version thi s version gives proper credit to the L -ampr N engineers mentioned in the Sides article
- i
60
-December
THE J OUR N A L OF S PE L EA N HIST OR y
Off i ci a 1 qua r t e r 1 y pub 1 i c a t i o n 0f t h e Am e r i c a n S p el e a n H i s t o r y A s s o c i a t i o n
P r e s i d e nt Secretary-Treasurer E d i t o r
Dr John F Bridge Peter M Hauer 206 W 18th Ave
Dr William R Halliday 36th Avenue East
Seattle Wash
October
1506 Miller St 1117 Columbus) Ohio L ebanon Penna
Volume 4 no 4 1971
TABLE OF CO NTENTS
63 Early cave exploration in Flint Ridge Kentucky Colossal Cave and the Colossal Cavern Company - Stanley D Sides MD
71 Pennsylvanias only saltpetre c ave a background study - Peter M Hauer
75 Steven Crane youthful author-spelunker -Dave DeArmond
76 Book review The Hollow Earth
77 Colloquy
79 Book and memorabilia exchange
61
62
1971 MEMBERSEIPS EXPIRE WITH THIS ISSUE 0
EARLY CAVE ExJLORA TION IN FLINT RIDGE KENTUCKY COLOSSAL CAVE AND THE COLOSSAL CAVERN COMPAN Y
BYStanleyD Sides MD
Searching for new caves in the Mammoth Cave region was very popular in the late 18001s Gurles had shown the passages of Mammoth Cave to the public as early as 1815 By the 18601s Hidden River (Horse) Cave Diamond Caverns Proctor Cave Indian (Osceola) Cave Hundred Domes Cave and Grand Avenue Cavern were being frequented by visitors However no caves of commercia interest had been found on Flint Ridge one of the largest ridges in the region
About 1840 a settler named Bobby Lee moved into the Mammoth Cave region and headed a family destined to leave a heavy imprint on the history of cave exploration of the area One of his sons Thomas Edward (TE) Lee (852 -1909) recorded his name near the entrance of an obscure Flint Ridge cave named Bedquil in 1871 The cavels unusual name came from an Indian blanket supposedly found in its entrance Except for moonshining carried on within the cave it attracted little local attention In 1876 TE 0 Lee attained fame by discovering a passage in Grand Avenue Cavern On March 81875 the Lee brothers ToE and John Lute (b 1858) along with W D CutliH discovered the famous Indian I I mummy Little Alice or
Alfred in Salts Cave (1) The Lees explored the recesses of Bedquilt Cave and T E 0 Lee left his initials near a large pit complex far from the entrance
Jacob Locke was one of the earty settlers of Fli nt Ridge A pioneer farmer and Baptist minister in Kentucky he was barely able to eke out a living from the poor soil of Flint Ridge For $2500 he gave a mortgage on his property to a farmer from the Northtown area named Billie Adair With Locke1s death Adair and his daughter Mary Isenberg foreclosed on the farm and took possshyession of 100 acres Thereafter Adair parcelled out two tracts to two Neshygroes Robert Woodson and Gyp Brown (2)
In 1890 or shortly thereafter James Henry Lee (1864-l899a son of John Lute Lee was crossing StrawberryVaney and clirribed the road up Flint Ridge Near Robert Woodsons home he-rested beside a limestoneledge and felt cool air coming from between two rocks He enlarged the opening and discovered a pit extending down With the assistance of his brother Joseph Louis Lee (b l869) or Lute Henry was lowered to the oottom of the pit A small passage was i ound extending onward and the Lee brothers named it the Woodson-Adair Cave They began exploring and enlarging the passageways but the cave initially attracted little attention in a region where huge passageways existed in several of the caves (3)
Probably in the early 1890s a photographer named L W bull Hazen settled in the cave region Hazens wife apparently was from the area as she owned property near Salts Cave called the Old Geralds Place Bennett H Young writing on the Indians of Salts Cave was taken into a back entrance of Salts Cave which was opened by Hazen in 1893 (4) Henry Lee told Hazen about rhe cave he and Lute had discovered and Hazen expressed a desie to see the cave A windlass was made and Hazen was lowered into the entrance pit Thereafter he wanted to become partners with the Lees
63
in developing the cave They approached the supposed owner of the cave Robert Woodson but found that after living on the land five years he had not paid anything to Adair Hazen paid the Lee brothers $150 for their interest in the cave and approached Adair concerning commercialization of the cave (5)
NumerouS accounts appeared stating that Hazen discovered the cave on July 10 1895 Other accounts subsequently said that Woodson Hazen1s nephew Pike Chapman or William Garvin discovered the cave around July 15 1895 (6) bull However we do know that on August 28 1895 a deed
was filed in the Edmonson County Clerks office in which Mary Isenberg Adairs daughter gave a one-third interest in Adair-Woodson Cave to L W Hazen The deed continued
And in consideration of the labor and expenses of party of the second part in exploring and clearing out passageways in the different avenues Of Adair-Woodson Cave that party of the first part allows parties of the second part all of the cave fees until January 1 1896 (7)
Hazen was further allowed to get money from hotel and cottage fees until August 28 1898 He obtained his interest in the cave by promising to develop the cave for the public and advertise it No money changed hands between Hazen and Mrs Isenberg
Hazen hired the Lee brothers and probably Pike Chapman to help him develop the cave They blasted and dug out the passageway Several weeks after beginning work Jike and Henry arrived at the top of a large dome Pike Chapman was lovered 180 feet to the bottom of the dome later named Colossal Dome Climbing up out of the bottom of the shaft Pike found a huge passageway much larger than anything previously found in WoodsonAdair Cave (8)
During this period Mammoth Cave was owned by the Crogan estate Tourshyist trade was dwindling and the property falling into disrepair The Louisshyville and Nashville Railroad Company (L amp N) wanted to increase tourist trade on its main line and began buying property in the cave region The L amp N evidently wanted to prote t the original Mammoth Cave properties but also wanted to increase the value of the region as an attraction for tourists (9) Rumors circulated in the cave area that the railroad would reward people who could find another entrance t o Mammoth Cave
On January 13 1896 part of Hazen1s contract with the Isenbergs expired Two days later he went to Louisville to discuss Woodson-Adair Cave with Milton H Smith President of the L amp N On that day these two men drew up a contract which stated that a corporati on was to be formed II bull bull bull to do business of discovering owning developing and operating cave properties II Hazen was paid $550 cash and was to receive $4450 in stock of the corporation of $100000 capital stock For this conSideration Hazen was to transfer to Smith all his interest in Woodson-Adair Cave and other land he owned
64
be
As land could not be deeded directly to the railroad for non-railroad purposes Hazen was not to purchase cave property or rights for Smith directly Rathe r Hazen was to purchase them in his name and conshyvev them to a L amp j employe Daniel Breck who would hold title Hazen wa given eXcLltsive ph otographic right s in the WoodsonmiddotmiddotAdair Cave and cOliJd retnove specimens and cave fortnations for sale subshyject ody to limlts set by Smith These agreements resulted in the deed L W Hazen and Sophron ie J Hazen to M H Smith January 24 1896 The deed went on to st ate
If the first parties or either of them buy any tract of land for a residence or for any other purpose and said tract of land have on it any cave or caves that may be capable of being made profitshyable by being opened to vi sitors said cave or caves shall be held by then or either of them as the case may be in trust for the use and benetit of the said second party and his aSSigns
Hazen becanle nanager of the Woodson-Adair Cave and was deSignated an agent to buy land and cave rights in the area Lute Lee wrote that Hazer was pa id a total of $4500 and was to receive the remaining $500 when he proved the cave connected with Mammoth Cave a connection he told Smith he could establish (10)
middotOn January 29 189h the Louisville COURIER -JOURNAL printed an article emitled ItColossal Cave to be opened1 The article began
On file in the Edmonson County Clerk I s office is a deed transshymiddotferrirg a recently discovered colossal cavern inEdmonson CounrV to M FI bull Smith trustee of a corporation undermiddot the general laws of Kentu cky which will created with the capital stock at $100 000 divided into shares of$lOO each (11) - J
- _ - - 1 - -t -
The article sTaredtharthe cave n was discovered August 15 middot1895by L W Hazen of Bowling Green Ky Much to thedisrriay of the Isenshybergs who had no invotvement in the dealings between Hazen and Smith L amp N engineers led by Edgar Vaughn arrived and began mapping the cave Several davs later the COURtER-JOURNAL had another art i cle entitled Suit about
a ca e This article stated
Ii Mat and DBe Isenb rg filed suit today against M H Smith president of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad COIUpanymiddot and M H Smith individuaUy and as tru stee for $50 OOO charging the L amp Nand MHo Smith presiden of the road with conspi ring to defaud them of their i terests So M Payton and Isenberg also sued for $50middot 000 and ask that a receiver be appointed to take charge of the case until the matter is settled (12
65
I I -
- -
While the litigation was pending at Brownsville surveying the Woodson-Adair entrance carne to a halt
By this t ime the L amp N already had purchased the Tobie Holton place entrance of Bedqullt Cave was on this land Woodson-Adair entrance Lute Lee wrote Daniel Breck who was representing Smith he could have threed days he could connect Bed Quilt (sic) Cave with Colossal Cavern Breck agreed and in two days we made it connection (sic) and took hiT through (D) II
Unknown to the Isenbergs and their court-appointed receiver the L amp N engineers enlarged the passageway into Bedqullt Cave and surveyed a long low crawlway which intersected the main passage of Colossal Cave They continued their survey to a terminal breakdown of the main passage The survey revealed the main passage ended at the edge of Houchins Valley under William Garvins 30 acre tarm The L amp N bought the farm and one month later) was sinking an incline into the cave
The newspaper articles on the cave development and litigation were read by two grandsons of Jacob Locke who lived in Daviess County 0 They realshyized that it was their grandfathers land being contested and established to S oM Payton the Isenbergs lawyer that they were the rightful heirs to the land They sold their interest to Payton thuO invalidating Adairs mortgage and the Isenbergs I rights to the cave Payton promptly sold the land and cave rights to the L amp N
Smith and the railroad now owned Woodson -Adair Cave and nearly all lan d over Colossal Cave as the main passages were called Smith sought to publicize the cave and on March 28 1896 a feature article entitled IIColossal Cavernll appeared in the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL When written the Locke heirs had arrived but the litigation over ownership was still in the hands of the court-appointed receiver L amp N workmen were in the process of blasting the new entrance into the cave Pike Chapman served as guide for the COURIER-JOURNAL reporter and they entered the cave through a trap-door in the floor of a log cabin Hazen had built over the Woodson-Adair entrance The skeleton of a b uilding later desigshynated the dining room or dance floor had been built inside the main cave near the side passage which connected with Bedquilt Cave Chapman told the reporter that the headwaters of Mammoth Cavels Echo River were in Colossal Cave and that a water connection had been proven toFroctor1s Cae a cave in Joppa Ridge also run commercially by the L amp N (14)
Pike Chapman and the Lee brothers explored many passageways of the large cave system they had found beyond Colossal Dome In January and March 1896 they left their names in a large dome-complex far from the cave entrance In1960 members of Cave Research Foundation connected Colossal and Salts caves by squeezing through a canyon only a few yards
66
from where the old-timers had explored
in the cave via
The aboot one-half mile from the lIMy brother Henry told the L amp N president that if
aceeo to the cave
By the summer ofl89t the new entraDce to Colossal was opened A threeshy
house was builJ on the hiLLside near the cave entran oe and Lute Lee
lived rhere as the manag r Hazen had faUen into disfavor with Smith and
He be-gar m i ning Jarge quantities of fo rm at ions from the cave
room
the L amp N as alJowed bv his otlginaJ contract with Smith Hazen was told to stop
buYHg 13nd or SmJrh and Daniel Breck was designated the official L amp N lan d r-epreselllaUVf On FeiltlJ-1r-y 13 1897 Hazen and his wife apparently
deeded on part of tnejr and holdings 10 Breck despite their earlier conshy
tract WJth Srnilh Hazen houghand adjacerr lo L amp N land and tried to
force errranees ipto Colo3sa Cave H slccessfulJy opened Hazen1s
EntJarc tor (jPQ d1f 1 11 oad to lxv -liE ard to malntain (ontrol of aU
After beHlg she ou a Colossal Cave Ha zen made an attempt to commshyercia1ize Sals Cali e ThroJgh the enrance on his wife1s land previously visited by)om-g The hlstoric ertrance of Salts Cave one mile away was owned bv the Mammoth Cave ESfate and access to it was forbidden In JuJv 1897 Pike Chapmn was kilted while in the process of enlarging the b ack entrance to S alt s Cave for Hazen his unde On A ugust 15 1897 anothe r articte appear ed in the COURJ R middotJOURNAL It was written by BennetT Young ard el iled Rimiddota s the Mammoth in grandeur It disshycussed Igtriefy Coiossa Calern ald tbe fact that Hazen had discovered it but w went on to discuss Hazermiddotls C3e or Sa] C ave The a rt i cle lauded the br av erv armiddotd expLoits of H-ilzen and ris wife and announced that within a month Hazens Cave Vol d he opeD to the public 15)
Hazen sTar+ed b1didlng tralls hom the Pike Chapman entrance down the ITl a in passageway of Sals Covei but cave b e came a commercialbefore the sl(cess -he L amp N br ought suji against Ha zen Hazen lost all the land he h ad bought h EO turned oe W he L amp NJ irclLding his property at the Pik e C h apm ar en-raEce
The Colossal Cae n Compan y was finaLy hartered on March 3 1898 I On Apn1 27 JSQ8 D-lrie Bteck d eeded the Jand he bad been holding to the Co poIaJOn fOI Ue corside r atlon of $(00 A large part of the propshyertleS incLudlTg the or-iginal deed 19XWoodson-Adair Cave was transferred to the compaIyoI May 20 1898 in the deed ttMH Sniith and wife to Colossal Cavern Compa ny
OriginaHy c ave ]sifors left the Mammoth Cave Railroad at Proctor Cave and went ovettard by agoD to lhe W oodson-Adai r entrance After t he new blas ed entr-ance was opened patr ons continued OI the train to Mammoth Cave and wen by w agon s llP the vaLley to Colossal Ca ve However the cave never became the a tt gtetion that had been pl anned While Lee was the manager onJ bve OJ six persons v isited the cave weekly Stories persist of how w agon wheeJs repeatedly feU off the passenger wagons during the 1 12 milE dp to ColOSSal Cave requiring the visitors to walk ba ck to Maml Cave and tak e their cave trip there Frequently the horses erc Stltied b strange noises in t he bushes and woods supposedly from cave competitors
In 1896 the Reverend Horace C Hovey wrote an article about Colossal Cave from information given him by Ben Hains and John M Nelson He visited the cave in Jul v 1903 In November 1903 his second article on Colossal Cave was printed including a map of Colossal and Bedquilt Caves (16) Other articles appeared in magazines and L amp N brochures but by 1910 the cave was seldom visited Lute Lee served as manager for three years and was succeeded by J M and Morris Hunt As time passed declining revenues the discovery of new commercial caves on Flint Ridge and the advent of the automobile closed Colossal Cave to the public
In May 1921 the Coloss Cavern Company leased surface rights on 300 acres near the Pike Chapman entrance to A J Musselman of Chicago Tom Bendelow a famous golf course architect was hired to lay out an 18-hole course On May 19 1921 the Louisville TIMES featured an article Rich will sOOP- have links at Mammoth Caven Musselman
built 21 log huts and a large dining and recreation hall in the center of the gold course and was ready for golfers by the spring of 1922 (17) Initially the project prospered and stories are still told about how local men would sneak into the old entrance 6f Salts Cave to reach the Pike chapman entrance where golfers stored illegal ga1lon jugs of whiskey Another cave on the BlueGrass Country Club land Unknown Cave was later to prove the key to int grating Salts Cave Floyd Collins Crystal Cave Bedquilt Cave and Colossal Cave into the worlds longest cave system
In 1925 the Louisville Gas and Electric Company confirmed that streams inlossal Cave cOJlnected with Pike Spring near Floyd Collins Crystal Cave The dye tests attr acted little attention as cave explor ation was discouraged while Mammoth Cave National Park was being formed Alshythough they had promised to deed their land to the new park the L amp N and the Colossa Cavern Company continued to be beset with legal actions chiefly overt the definition of cave property rights The legal act ion culshyminated in the Kentucky Court of Appeals in COX v COLOSSAL CAVERN COMPANY 210 Ky 612 decided on October 16 1925
By 1928 the BlueGrass Country Club was closed George Cline the last guide and caretaker of ColOSSal Cave left the land in 1930 On May 23 1933 the remaining buildings on the country club grounds were first occushypied by Company 510 of the Civilian Conservation Corps On January 23 1935 Colossal Cavern Company holdings were transferred to the National Palk Association The ColOSSal Cavern Company was officially dissolved on July 31 1935 Colossal Cave was thereafter visited only by local rock collectors and National Park Service personnel Further mention of the Colossal Cavern Company existed only in newspaper notices of its dissolshyution which appeared in the Louisville TIMES i n August 1935 In a final deed dated April 25 1940 the L amp N conveyed all of its holdings to Mammoth Cave National Park thereby ending 45 years of profound influence on the history of caving in Flint tidge
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This article is issued as part of a Cave Research Foundation project on the history of cave exploration in Mammoth Cave National Park The
68
Antiq14ity - -- --------
0p_
Op Sit
8 Lee Lute Cit -gt
14 Lute
author wishes to thank Milton H Smith ill the L amp N Railroad Edwin L Rothfuss National Park Service Patty Jo Watson Cave Research Foundation and ERo Pohl Mamm oth Onyx Cavefor assistance in c ollectin g articles and inJormation used in this paper
BIBLIOGRAPHY
L Rohbins LOLise M A Woodl and Mummy from Salts Cave Kenshyt1ckv American Vol 36 No Z 1971 pp ZOO-206
2 bull Lee LLte ( roseph Louis) lMemories of the Past Undated mss original hand -wrItfen copy at the Filson Club Louisville Ky Reprinted in tllls Journa VoL 2 no t Jan -March 1969 pp 16-17
3 Ibid
4 Young Be nne 1t H THE PREHISTORIC MEN OF KENTUCKY Filson ClubPIblicationNo 25 J ohn P Morton amp Co Louisville Ky ) p 300
6 Lee Lute lLute Lee Tells of Colossal Cavern and of Early Life of Jacob Lock (sicI The Glasg ow TIMES Glasgow Ky May 22lt 1952 Lute Lee staed that he main pas s ag e was found before Hazen purchased an interest in the cav e ihe T-merous conflict ing dates around July 1895 for dis covery of Coloss a Cavern may reflect that it was about this
Lime that the main cave - Colossal - was discovered by reaching Colossal Dome from Woodson-Adair Cave For some time both caves were referred to se paratel y although each was part of one cave system
7 Nary M renberg to L W Hazen A gust 28 1895 Deed BookR Edmonson Couny Clerks Office Br owls ille Ky
-L_ _J
bull l
9 R eport on file Louisville and Nashville Railroad Louisville Ky
10 Deeds ard contracts on file L amp N Rail ro ad Real Estate Department Louisville Ky
-1l Anon ifltolossal Cave to be Open ed Louisville COURIER -jOURNAL bull January 91896 p 5 This article is the first reference fou nd in which
the worClflcolossal was used in reference to the cave
12 Anon IISuit about a Cae 1 Louisville COURIERJOURNAL February 4 l896 p 7
13 Anon Colossal Cavern Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL March 28 l896 p 6
Lee
15 Younll Bennett H Rivals the Mammoth in Grandeur Louisville COURIER--JOUR AL sect 3 August 15 1897 p1
(references concluded page )
19 1p 20
N lt---__ _
- - -- - --- --
connecting passages
FLOOR PLAN
Saltpetre Cave Penna CRG grade 4
crawl
B-n-B
Lowerbull
passage
scale in feet
Mapped -NoveInber 5 1967 Ennis Duling
Peter Hauer
70
0 _ _ _ _ __ -
PENNSYLVANIAS ONLY SALTPETRE CAVE
Saltpetre Cave Bedibrd County Pa is a small sandstone fissure which
A BACKGROUND STUDY Peter M Hauer
Abstract
was mined for saltpetre dirt during the 18th Century One of the very few natural soutces of the material in the state Sal tpetre Cave illustrates the needs and remoeness of the westetn counties in the state which became the leading gunpowder producer during the American Revolution bull
--
When the Amedcan Revolution began saltpetre procurement became an important cOIlsideration The colonists found themselves without any operable powder miHs Two years earlier in October 1774 the British Parliament had prohibited all export of black powder to America and when the war broke out the Americans had only 80000 pounds of powder total (Wilkinson 1966
The leadership of the newmiddot country was quick to respond to this need Its response on a smaller scale was similar to that of the Confederate leaders
During this periodlnumerous
In
85 years later On July 3 1775 the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia with Benjamin FrankJin presiding resolved
That Mes srs Robert Morris Robert White and Thomas Warton junr do with the vtmost expeditionprocure any quantity of Powder and SlaquoIt PetrI in their Power II (Anon n d)
In New York in January 1776 the Committe published the first American text on this subject a 38-page Essays upon the Making opound5alt-Petre and Gunshy
Powder bounties and premiUms for salt-petre were offered by the individual colonies Nitriaries using organic wastes were established in Jarg numbers in f ull knowledge of the two
ormoreJyemiddotars required before they would ltproduceanyquantit-y of saltpetre bull IrliL another parallel to later Confederate tact-ics smuggling of saltpetre
from the supplies of foreign aUies be ame the most important source bull
the first 2 12 years of the Revolutionary War the Americans were able to produce less than 10 per cent of their supply the rest being imported fr m French merchants (VanGelder dSchlatterl927) _
During this period of short munition supply Pennsylvania emerged as the leading gunpowder producer not ovly due to its centr l position but to its manv German farmers who knew the art as well as the old women knew how to make soft soap (Wilkinson 1966) Despite the slow start by 1781 Pennsylvania had 21 powder mills with an annual capacity oL625 tons (Clark 1929) Ten years later saltpetre was cheaper inPhiladelphia than in London (Geoghegan and Karnes 1968)
This post-war availabllity was particularly in contrast to the early scarcity inthe remote mountain regions of the state Bedford County was a frontier stronghold at the time of the American Revolution and even before that time
71
it had held particular strategic importance as a vanguard of Colonial expansion into the Western wildernes s and Indian lands In the summer of 1758 Fort Bedford was built as an aid to that expansionist des ire The violence of massacre war and rebellion governed the lives and needs of its people through the Ameri can Revolution and into the 10cally based Whiskey Insurrection of 1794
The early need for saltpetre in Bedford County is well documented The minutes of the Council of Safety for October 2 1775 state
II Upon application of Bernard Dougherty Esqr for some Gunpowder for the use of Bedford County Resolved That 100 Pounds of Powder be lent to said County for the pres ent and when Convenient this Board will spare them a larger Quantity An order was drawn on the Commis sary for the Same and delivered Mr Dougherty
14(Anon n d )
Later on January 3 1776 under the chairmanship of Benjamin Franklin
If Letters were wrote tot the Commissioners and assessors of each County respecting Arms etc J to be provided by them agreeable to a Resolve of Assembly of the June last and to the Committees of the different Counties (except those of Westmoreland Northumberland and Bedford) respecting the Manufacture of Saltpetre and the mode of procuring rid paying the Same (Anon nd)
Obviously the Bedford County supply was critical Along with Essex County Virginia Bedford County was notable in 1775 for offering premiums to enshycourage local saltpetre manufacture (Clark 1929)
This offer may have been a prime motive inthe establishment of what may have been the most northerly saltpetre cave mining operation in American history
Saltpetre Bedford County
mined for Saltpetre (John Friends Cave
Ca ve is located in Sweet Root State Park northwest of Chancysville Pennsylvani about 50 miles northeast of the nearest other
cave Garrett County Md) John FriendsC ave and Busheys Car-ern at Cavetown Md in WaShington County appear to be the northernmost limestone saltpet re caves while Bedford Countys saltpetre cave is believed to be the northernmost American cave of any type mined for saltpetre The only possi ble eXC eption known to the writer is similar in nature to Saltpetre Cave but cannot really be classified as a cave This consists of a series of sandstone cliffs 25 to 40 feet high located along the Susquehanna River in Wyoming County Penna In 1783 or 1784 Johann David Shoepf a German traveller was shown man-made holes in these cliffs where saltpetre had been mined from the very bedrock In 1788 he wrote that
at the beginning of the war various saltpetre -boileries were set up in themiddot Wyoming region but were given over on account of the Indians or for othe reasons Now this deposit and t he scraped -off sand are said to have been used in the preparation of saltpetre bull bull bull (Sc hoepf 1911)
l2
magister end
in local verbal tradition (Anon 1907 Stone 1953 Black 1963 Imler Sweet Wa ter Gap were expored very early
Thomas Powell
covery of the cave
War
the participants (the late Stella lames Beck) visited the cave for picnics by pine torch light Chaneysville Imler 1971
preserved for future generations
ere Ices to the historic traditions thereof S 1 pi reference
Because of their similar nature this account adds credence to the supposed usage of Saltpetre Cave Sandstone cliffs and shelters were extensively mined for saltpetre in Kentucky very early in the 19th Century (Maxon 1932 ) In all cases the bedrock itself would most likel y have been crushed and boiled to remove the nitrate content as described for the Kentucky operations
Saltpetre Cave is located along Little Sweet Root Creek in a beautiful hollow shaded by towering hemlocks The entrance is on the right side of the holshylow in the base of a sandstone cliff below a large boulder It is a jointshycontrolled fissure cavern in Devonian sandstone and parallels the hollow It It appears genetically related to the formation of the hollow and the breakdown oithe cliffs The upper entrance is halved by a large ceiling breakdown slab This passage slopes gently downward for about 40 feet gradually enqing in fill and breakdown Near the end a floor floor fiSSure connects by a short crawl to a parallel passage which is slightly shorter and smaller more easily entered through a second entrance ten feet from the first
The cave fill has an extensive organic content perhaps primarily due to Neotoma
found near the along with the
genershyations of habitation by the Allegheny cave rat Six intact rat nests neat and igloo shaped were inquisitive owner The lower passage contains a thin layer of charcoal in its fill The ceiling near the rat nests is coated with soot
The history of the cave area and the cave itself is obscured by inconsiste ciE This is reflected in various published references
1 964) Sweet Root Creek an when
son of Nathaniel Powell member of the Virginia Council organized a small expedition to explore in the summer of 1625 the northwest section of Virginia bull The march continued on North along Town Creek to the junction of S weet Root Creek thence
Hill II (Lutz 1946)
Over a century later in 1747 Joseph Plty(ell established a t acingpost in the gap on1y a few hundred yards froInSaltpetre Cave The foundation of this bUilding are still visible His brother George is credited with the disshy
through Sweet Water Gap and on up the creek to its source on Martin
at an unrecorded cmte (Anon 1907) The mining activity itself was probably accomplished by Michaet-Huff during the Revolutionary
while the gunpowder was made from the saltpetre by Jacob R9wland
The cave has seen other use in more Inodern times According to one of 15 students and their teacher
from ail old log school near A school teacher naIned Sanford Fleet obtained
saltpetre from the cave during the 1920ts (Stone 1953) Today within the boundaries of Sweet Root State Park this historic spot has been deservedly
and a marked trail is maintained to the cave
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thalk Byron Black and Thomas C Imler of Bedford County for their generous aid in visiting the cave and supplying several repoundshy
WR Halliday supplied the 7-3
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
-December
THE J OUR N A L OF S PE L EA N HIST OR y
Off i ci a 1 qua r t e r 1 y pub 1 i c a t i o n 0f t h e Am e r i c a n S p el e a n H i s t o r y A s s o c i a t i o n
P r e s i d e nt Secretary-Treasurer E d i t o r
Dr John F Bridge Peter M Hauer 206 W 18th Ave
Dr William R Halliday 36th Avenue East
Seattle Wash
October
1506 Miller St 1117 Columbus) Ohio L ebanon Penna
Volume 4 no 4 1971
TABLE OF CO NTENTS
63 Early cave exploration in Flint Ridge Kentucky Colossal Cave and the Colossal Cavern Company - Stanley D Sides MD
71 Pennsylvanias only saltpetre c ave a background study - Peter M Hauer
75 Steven Crane youthful author-spelunker -Dave DeArmond
76 Book review The Hollow Earth
77 Colloquy
79 Book and memorabilia exchange
61
62
1971 MEMBERSEIPS EXPIRE WITH THIS ISSUE 0
EARLY CAVE ExJLORA TION IN FLINT RIDGE KENTUCKY COLOSSAL CAVE AND THE COLOSSAL CAVERN COMPAN Y
BYStanleyD Sides MD
Searching for new caves in the Mammoth Cave region was very popular in the late 18001s Gurles had shown the passages of Mammoth Cave to the public as early as 1815 By the 18601s Hidden River (Horse) Cave Diamond Caverns Proctor Cave Indian (Osceola) Cave Hundred Domes Cave and Grand Avenue Cavern were being frequented by visitors However no caves of commercia interest had been found on Flint Ridge one of the largest ridges in the region
About 1840 a settler named Bobby Lee moved into the Mammoth Cave region and headed a family destined to leave a heavy imprint on the history of cave exploration of the area One of his sons Thomas Edward (TE) Lee (852 -1909) recorded his name near the entrance of an obscure Flint Ridge cave named Bedquil in 1871 The cavels unusual name came from an Indian blanket supposedly found in its entrance Except for moonshining carried on within the cave it attracted little local attention In 1876 TE 0 Lee attained fame by discovering a passage in Grand Avenue Cavern On March 81875 the Lee brothers ToE and John Lute (b 1858) along with W D CutliH discovered the famous Indian I I mummy Little Alice or
Alfred in Salts Cave (1) The Lees explored the recesses of Bedquilt Cave and T E 0 Lee left his initials near a large pit complex far from the entrance
Jacob Locke was one of the earty settlers of Fli nt Ridge A pioneer farmer and Baptist minister in Kentucky he was barely able to eke out a living from the poor soil of Flint Ridge For $2500 he gave a mortgage on his property to a farmer from the Northtown area named Billie Adair With Locke1s death Adair and his daughter Mary Isenberg foreclosed on the farm and took possshyession of 100 acres Thereafter Adair parcelled out two tracts to two Neshygroes Robert Woodson and Gyp Brown (2)
In 1890 or shortly thereafter James Henry Lee (1864-l899a son of John Lute Lee was crossing StrawberryVaney and clirribed the road up Flint Ridge Near Robert Woodsons home he-rested beside a limestoneledge and felt cool air coming from between two rocks He enlarged the opening and discovered a pit extending down With the assistance of his brother Joseph Louis Lee (b l869) or Lute Henry was lowered to the oottom of the pit A small passage was i ound extending onward and the Lee brothers named it the Woodson-Adair Cave They began exploring and enlarging the passageways but the cave initially attracted little attention in a region where huge passageways existed in several of the caves (3)
Probably in the early 1890s a photographer named L W bull Hazen settled in the cave region Hazens wife apparently was from the area as she owned property near Salts Cave called the Old Geralds Place Bennett H Young writing on the Indians of Salts Cave was taken into a back entrance of Salts Cave which was opened by Hazen in 1893 (4) Henry Lee told Hazen about rhe cave he and Lute had discovered and Hazen expressed a desie to see the cave A windlass was made and Hazen was lowered into the entrance pit Thereafter he wanted to become partners with the Lees
63
in developing the cave They approached the supposed owner of the cave Robert Woodson but found that after living on the land five years he had not paid anything to Adair Hazen paid the Lee brothers $150 for their interest in the cave and approached Adair concerning commercialization of the cave (5)
NumerouS accounts appeared stating that Hazen discovered the cave on July 10 1895 Other accounts subsequently said that Woodson Hazen1s nephew Pike Chapman or William Garvin discovered the cave around July 15 1895 (6) bull However we do know that on August 28 1895 a deed
was filed in the Edmonson County Clerks office in which Mary Isenberg Adairs daughter gave a one-third interest in Adair-Woodson Cave to L W Hazen The deed continued
And in consideration of the labor and expenses of party of the second part in exploring and clearing out passageways in the different avenues Of Adair-Woodson Cave that party of the first part allows parties of the second part all of the cave fees until January 1 1896 (7)
Hazen was further allowed to get money from hotel and cottage fees until August 28 1898 He obtained his interest in the cave by promising to develop the cave for the public and advertise it No money changed hands between Hazen and Mrs Isenberg
Hazen hired the Lee brothers and probably Pike Chapman to help him develop the cave They blasted and dug out the passageway Several weeks after beginning work Jike and Henry arrived at the top of a large dome Pike Chapman was lovered 180 feet to the bottom of the dome later named Colossal Dome Climbing up out of the bottom of the shaft Pike found a huge passageway much larger than anything previously found in WoodsonAdair Cave (8)
During this period Mammoth Cave was owned by the Crogan estate Tourshyist trade was dwindling and the property falling into disrepair The Louisshyville and Nashville Railroad Company (L amp N) wanted to increase tourist trade on its main line and began buying property in the cave region The L amp N evidently wanted to prote t the original Mammoth Cave properties but also wanted to increase the value of the region as an attraction for tourists (9) Rumors circulated in the cave area that the railroad would reward people who could find another entrance t o Mammoth Cave
On January 13 1896 part of Hazen1s contract with the Isenbergs expired Two days later he went to Louisville to discuss Woodson-Adair Cave with Milton H Smith President of the L amp N On that day these two men drew up a contract which stated that a corporati on was to be formed II bull bull bull to do business of discovering owning developing and operating cave properties II Hazen was paid $550 cash and was to receive $4450 in stock of the corporation of $100000 capital stock For this conSideration Hazen was to transfer to Smith all his interest in Woodson-Adair Cave and other land he owned
64
be
As land could not be deeded directly to the railroad for non-railroad purposes Hazen was not to purchase cave property or rights for Smith directly Rathe r Hazen was to purchase them in his name and conshyvev them to a L amp j employe Daniel Breck who would hold title Hazen wa given eXcLltsive ph otographic right s in the WoodsonmiddotmiddotAdair Cave and cOliJd retnove specimens and cave fortnations for sale subshyject ody to limlts set by Smith These agreements resulted in the deed L W Hazen and Sophron ie J Hazen to M H Smith January 24 1896 The deed went on to st ate
If the first parties or either of them buy any tract of land for a residence or for any other purpose and said tract of land have on it any cave or caves that may be capable of being made profitshyable by being opened to vi sitors said cave or caves shall be held by then or either of them as the case may be in trust for the use and benetit of the said second party and his aSSigns
Hazen becanle nanager of the Woodson-Adair Cave and was deSignated an agent to buy land and cave rights in the area Lute Lee wrote that Hazer was pa id a total of $4500 and was to receive the remaining $500 when he proved the cave connected with Mammoth Cave a connection he told Smith he could establish (10)
middotOn January 29 189h the Louisville COURIER -JOURNAL printed an article emitled ItColossal Cave to be opened1 The article began
On file in the Edmonson County Clerk I s office is a deed transshymiddotferrirg a recently discovered colossal cavern inEdmonson CounrV to M FI bull Smith trustee of a corporation undermiddot the general laws of Kentu cky which will created with the capital stock at $100 000 divided into shares of$lOO each (11) - J
- _ - - 1 - -t -
The article sTaredtharthe cave n was discovered August 15 middot1895by L W Hazen of Bowling Green Ky Much to thedisrriay of the Isenshybergs who had no invotvement in the dealings between Hazen and Smith L amp N engineers led by Edgar Vaughn arrived and began mapping the cave Several davs later the COURtER-JOURNAL had another art i cle entitled Suit about
a ca e This article stated
Ii Mat and DBe Isenb rg filed suit today against M H Smith president of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad COIUpanymiddot and M H Smith individuaUy and as tru stee for $50 OOO charging the L amp Nand MHo Smith presiden of the road with conspi ring to defaud them of their i terests So M Payton and Isenberg also sued for $50middot 000 and ask that a receiver be appointed to take charge of the case until the matter is settled (12
65
I I -
- -
While the litigation was pending at Brownsville surveying the Woodson-Adair entrance carne to a halt
By this t ime the L amp N already had purchased the Tobie Holton place entrance of Bedqullt Cave was on this land Woodson-Adair entrance Lute Lee wrote Daniel Breck who was representing Smith he could have threed days he could connect Bed Quilt (sic) Cave with Colossal Cavern Breck agreed and in two days we made it connection (sic) and took hiT through (D) II
Unknown to the Isenbergs and their court-appointed receiver the L amp N engineers enlarged the passageway into Bedqullt Cave and surveyed a long low crawlway which intersected the main passage of Colossal Cave They continued their survey to a terminal breakdown of the main passage The survey revealed the main passage ended at the edge of Houchins Valley under William Garvins 30 acre tarm The L amp N bought the farm and one month later) was sinking an incline into the cave
The newspaper articles on the cave development and litigation were read by two grandsons of Jacob Locke who lived in Daviess County 0 They realshyized that it was their grandfathers land being contested and established to S oM Payton the Isenbergs lawyer that they were the rightful heirs to the land They sold their interest to Payton thuO invalidating Adairs mortgage and the Isenbergs I rights to the cave Payton promptly sold the land and cave rights to the L amp N
Smith and the railroad now owned Woodson -Adair Cave and nearly all lan d over Colossal Cave as the main passages were called Smith sought to publicize the cave and on March 28 1896 a feature article entitled IIColossal Cavernll appeared in the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL When written the Locke heirs had arrived but the litigation over ownership was still in the hands of the court-appointed receiver L amp N workmen were in the process of blasting the new entrance into the cave Pike Chapman served as guide for the COURIER-JOURNAL reporter and they entered the cave through a trap-door in the floor of a log cabin Hazen had built over the Woodson-Adair entrance The skeleton of a b uilding later desigshynated the dining room or dance floor had been built inside the main cave near the side passage which connected with Bedquilt Cave Chapman told the reporter that the headwaters of Mammoth Cavels Echo River were in Colossal Cave and that a water connection had been proven toFroctor1s Cae a cave in Joppa Ridge also run commercially by the L amp N (14)
Pike Chapman and the Lee brothers explored many passageways of the large cave system they had found beyond Colossal Dome In January and March 1896 they left their names in a large dome-complex far from the cave entrance In1960 members of Cave Research Foundation connected Colossal and Salts caves by squeezing through a canyon only a few yards
66
from where the old-timers had explored
in the cave via
The aboot one-half mile from the lIMy brother Henry told the L amp N president that if
aceeo to the cave
By the summer ofl89t the new entraDce to Colossal was opened A threeshy
house was builJ on the hiLLside near the cave entran oe and Lute Lee
lived rhere as the manag r Hazen had faUen into disfavor with Smith and
He be-gar m i ning Jarge quantities of fo rm at ions from the cave
room
the L amp N as alJowed bv his otlginaJ contract with Smith Hazen was told to stop
buYHg 13nd or SmJrh and Daniel Breck was designated the official L amp N lan d r-epreselllaUVf On FeiltlJ-1r-y 13 1897 Hazen and his wife apparently
deeded on part of tnejr and holdings 10 Breck despite their earlier conshy
tract WJth Srnilh Hazen houghand adjacerr lo L amp N land and tried to
force errranees ipto Colo3sa Cave H slccessfulJy opened Hazen1s
EntJarc tor (jPQ d1f 1 11 oad to lxv -liE ard to malntain (ontrol of aU
After beHlg she ou a Colossal Cave Ha zen made an attempt to commshyercia1ize Sals Cali e ThroJgh the enrance on his wife1s land previously visited by)om-g The hlstoric ertrance of Salts Cave one mile away was owned bv the Mammoth Cave ESfate and access to it was forbidden In JuJv 1897 Pike Chapmn was kilted while in the process of enlarging the b ack entrance to S alt s Cave for Hazen his unde On A ugust 15 1897 anothe r articte appear ed in the COURJ R middotJOURNAL It was written by BennetT Young ard el iled Rimiddota s the Mammoth in grandeur It disshycussed Igtriefy Coiossa Calern ald tbe fact that Hazen had discovered it but w went on to discuss Hazermiddotls C3e or Sa] C ave The a rt i cle lauded the br av erv armiddotd expLoits of H-ilzen and ris wife and announced that within a month Hazens Cave Vol d he opeD to the public 15)
Hazen sTar+ed b1didlng tralls hom the Pike Chapman entrance down the ITl a in passageway of Sals Covei but cave b e came a commercialbefore the sl(cess -he L amp N br ought suji against Ha zen Hazen lost all the land he h ad bought h EO turned oe W he L amp NJ irclLding his property at the Pik e C h apm ar en-raEce
The Colossal Cae n Compan y was finaLy hartered on March 3 1898 I On Apn1 27 JSQ8 D-lrie Bteck d eeded the Jand he bad been holding to the Co poIaJOn fOI Ue corside r atlon of $(00 A large part of the propshyertleS incLudlTg the or-iginal deed 19XWoodson-Adair Cave was transferred to the compaIyoI May 20 1898 in the deed ttMH Sniith and wife to Colossal Cavern Compa ny
OriginaHy c ave ]sifors left the Mammoth Cave Railroad at Proctor Cave and went ovettard by agoD to lhe W oodson-Adai r entrance After t he new blas ed entr-ance was opened patr ons continued OI the train to Mammoth Cave and wen by w agon s llP the vaLley to Colossal Ca ve However the cave never became the a tt gtetion that had been pl anned While Lee was the manager onJ bve OJ six persons v isited the cave weekly Stories persist of how w agon wheeJs repeatedly feU off the passenger wagons during the 1 12 milE dp to ColOSSal Cave requiring the visitors to walk ba ck to Maml Cave and tak e their cave trip there Frequently the horses erc Stltied b strange noises in t he bushes and woods supposedly from cave competitors
In 1896 the Reverend Horace C Hovey wrote an article about Colossal Cave from information given him by Ben Hains and John M Nelson He visited the cave in Jul v 1903 In November 1903 his second article on Colossal Cave was printed including a map of Colossal and Bedquilt Caves (16) Other articles appeared in magazines and L amp N brochures but by 1910 the cave was seldom visited Lute Lee served as manager for three years and was succeeded by J M and Morris Hunt As time passed declining revenues the discovery of new commercial caves on Flint Ridge and the advent of the automobile closed Colossal Cave to the public
In May 1921 the Coloss Cavern Company leased surface rights on 300 acres near the Pike Chapman entrance to A J Musselman of Chicago Tom Bendelow a famous golf course architect was hired to lay out an 18-hole course On May 19 1921 the Louisville TIMES featured an article Rich will sOOP- have links at Mammoth Caven Musselman
built 21 log huts and a large dining and recreation hall in the center of the gold course and was ready for golfers by the spring of 1922 (17) Initially the project prospered and stories are still told about how local men would sneak into the old entrance 6f Salts Cave to reach the Pike chapman entrance where golfers stored illegal ga1lon jugs of whiskey Another cave on the BlueGrass Country Club land Unknown Cave was later to prove the key to int grating Salts Cave Floyd Collins Crystal Cave Bedquilt Cave and Colossal Cave into the worlds longest cave system
In 1925 the Louisville Gas and Electric Company confirmed that streams inlossal Cave cOJlnected with Pike Spring near Floyd Collins Crystal Cave The dye tests attr acted little attention as cave explor ation was discouraged while Mammoth Cave National Park was being formed Alshythough they had promised to deed their land to the new park the L amp N and the Colossa Cavern Company continued to be beset with legal actions chiefly overt the definition of cave property rights The legal act ion culshyminated in the Kentucky Court of Appeals in COX v COLOSSAL CAVERN COMPANY 210 Ky 612 decided on October 16 1925
By 1928 the BlueGrass Country Club was closed George Cline the last guide and caretaker of ColOSSal Cave left the land in 1930 On May 23 1933 the remaining buildings on the country club grounds were first occushypied by Company 510 of the Civilian Conservation Corps On January 23 1935 Colossal Cavern Company holdings were transferred to the National Palk Association The ColOSSal Cavern Company was officially dissolved on July 31 1935 Colossal Cave was thereafter visited only by local rock collectors and National Park Service personnel Further mention of the Colossal Cavern Company existed only in newspaper notices of its dissolshyution which appeared in the Louisville TIMES i n August 1935 In a final deed dated April 25 1940 the L amp N conveyed all of its holdings to Mammoth Cave National Park thereby ending 45 years of profound influence on the history of caving in Flint tidge
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This article is issued as part of a Cave Research Foundation project on the history of cave exploration in Mammoth Cave National Park The
68
Antiq14ity - -- --------
0p_
Op Sit
8 Lee Lute Cit -gt
14 Lute
author wishes to thank Milton H Smith ill the L amp N Railroad Edwin L Rothfuss National Park Service Patty Jo Watson Cave Research Foundation and ERo Pohl Mamm oth Onyx Cavefor assistance in c ollectin g articles and inJormation used in this paper
BIBLIOGRAPHY
L Rohbins LOLise M A Woodl and Mummy from Salts Cave Kenshyt1ckv American Vol 36 No Z 1971 pp ZOO-206
2 bull Lee LLte ( roseph Louis) lMemories of the Past Undated mss original hand -wrItfen copy at the Filson Club Louisville Ky Reprinted in tllls Journa VoL 2 no t Jan -March 1969 pp 16-17
3 Ibid
4 Young Be nne 1t H THE PREHISTORIC MEN OF KENTUCKY Filson ClubPIblicationNo 25 J ohn P Morton amp Co Louisville Ky ) p 300
6 Lee Lute lLute Lee Tells of Colossal Cavern and of Early Life of Jacob Lock (sicI The Glasg ow TIMES Glasgow Ky May 22lt 1952 Lute Lee staed that he main pas s ag e was found before Hazen purchased an interest in the cav e ihe T-merous conflict ing dates around July 1895 for dis covery of Coloss a Cavern may reflect that it was about this
Lime that the main cave - Colossal - was discovered by reaching Colossal Dome from Woodson-Adair Cave For some time both caves were referred to se paratel y although each was part of one cave system
7 Nary M renberg to L W Hazen A gust 28 1895 Deed BookR Edmonson Couny Clerks Office Br owls ille Ky
-L_ _J
bull l
9 R eport on file Louisville and Nashville Railroad Louisville Ky
10 Deeds ard contracts on file L amp N Rail ro ad Real Estate Department Louisville Ky
-1l Anon ifltolossal Cave to be Open ed Louisville COURIER -jOURNAL bull January 91896 p 5 This article is the first reference fou nd in which
the worClflcolossal was used in reference to the cave
12 Anon IISuit about a Cae 1 Louisville COURIERJOURNAL February 4 l896 p 7
13 Anon Colossal Cavern Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL March 28 l896 p 6
Lee
15 Younll Bennett H Rivals the Mammoth in Grandeur Louisville COURIER--JOUR AL sect 3 August 15 1897 p1
(references concluded page )
19 1p 20
N lt---__ _
- - -- - --- --
connecting passages
FLOOR PLAN
Saltpetre Cave Penna CRG grade 4
crawl
B-n-B
Lowerbull
passage
scale in feet
Mapped -NoveInber 5 1967 Ennis Duling
Peter Hauer
70
0 _ _ _ _ __ -
PENNSYLVANIAS ONLY SALTPETRE CAVE
Saltpetre Cave Bedibrd County Pa is a small sandstone fissure which
A BACKGROUND STUDY Peter M Hauer
Abstract
was mined for saltpetre dirt during the 18th Century One of the very few natural soutces of the material in the state Sal tpetre Cave illustrates the needs and remoeness of the westetn counties in the state which became the leading gunpowder producer during the American Revolution bull
--
When the Amedcan Revolution began saltpetre procurement became an important cOIlsideration The colonists found themselves without any operable powder miHs Two years earlier in October 1774 the British Parliament had prohibited all export of black powder to America and when the war broke out the Americans had only 80000 pounds of powder total (Wilkinson 1966
The leadership of the newmiddot country was quick to respond to this need Its response on a smaller scale was similar to that of the Confederate leaders
During this periodlnumerous
In
85 years later On July 3 1775 the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia with Benjamin FrankJin presiding resolved
That Mes srs Robert Morris Robert White and Thomas Warton junr do with the vtmost expeditionprocure any quantity of Powder and SlaquoIt PetrI in their Power II (Anon n d)
In New York in January 1776 the Committe published the first American text on this subject a 38-page Essays upon the Making opound5alt-Petre and Gunshy
Powder bounties and premiUms for salt-petre were offered by the individual colonies Nitriaries using organic wastes were established in Jarg numbers in f ull knowledge of the two
ormoreJyemiddotars required before they would ltproduceanyquantit-y of saltpetre bull IrliL another parallel to later Confederate tact-ics smuggling of saltpetre
from the supplies of foreign aUies be ame the most important source bull
the first 2 12 years of the Revolutionary War the Americans were able to produce less than 10 per cent of their supply the rest being imported fr m French merchants (VanGelder dSchlatterl927) _
During this period of short munition supply Pennsylvania emerged as the leading gunpowder producer not ovly due to its centr l position but to its manv German farmers who knew the art as well as the old women knew how to make soft soap (Wilkinson 1966) Despite the slow start by 1781 Pennsylvania had 21 powder mills with an annual capacity oL625 tons (Clark 1929) Ten years later saltpetre was cheaper inPhiladelphia than in London (Geoghegan and Karnes 1968)
This post-war availabllity was particularly in contrast to the early scarcity inthe remote mountain regions of the state Bedford County was a frontier stronghold at the time of the American Revolution and even before that time
71
it had held particular strategic importance as a vanguard of Colonial expansion into the Western wildernes s and Indian lands In the summer of 1758 Fort Bedford was built as an aid to that expansionist des ire The violence of massacre war and rebellion governed the lives and needs of its people through the Ameri can Revolution and into the 10cally based Whiskey Insurrection of 1794
The early need for saltpetre in Bedford County is well documented The minutes of the Council of Safety for October 2 1775 state
II Upon application of Bernard Dougherty Esqr for some Gunpowder for the use of Bedford County Resolved That 100 Pounds of Powder be lent to said County for the pres ent and when Convenient this Board will spare them a larger Quantity An order was drawn on the Commis sary for the Same and delivered Mr Dougherty
14(Anon n d )
Later on January 3 1776 under the chairmanship of Benjamin Franklin
If Letters were wrote tot the Commissioners and assessors of each County respecting Arms etc J to be provided by them agreeable to a Resolve of Assembly of the June last and to the Committees of the different Counties (except those of Westmoreland Northumberland and Bedford) respecting the Manufacture of Saltpetre and the mode of procuring rid paying the Same (Anon nd)
Obviously the Bedford County supply was critical Along with Essex County Virginia Bedford County was notable in 1775 for offering premiums to enshycourage local saltpetre manufacture (Clark 1929)
This offer may have been a prime motive inthe establishment of what may have been the most northerly saltpetre cave mining operation in American history
Saltpetre Bedford County
mined for Saltpetre (John Friends Cave
Ca ve is located in Sweet Root State Park northwest of Chancysville Pennsylvani about 50 miles northeast of the nearest other
cave Garrett County Md) John FriendsC ave and Busheys Car-ern at Cavetown Md in WaShington County appear to be the northernmost limestone saltpet re caves while Bedford Countys saltpetre cave is believed to be the northernmost American cave of any type mined for saltpetre The only possi ble eXC eption known to the writer is similar in nature to Saltpetre Cave but cannot really be classified as a cave This consists of a series of sandstone cliffs 25 to 40 feet high located along the Susquehanna River in Wyoming County Penna In 1783 or 1784 Johann David Shoepf a German traveller was shown man-made holes in these cliffs where saltpetre had been mined from the very bedrock In 1788 he wrote that
at the beginning of the war various saltpetre -boileries were set up in themiddot Wyoming region but were given over on account of the Indians or for othe reasons Now this deposit and t he scraped -off sand are said to have been used in the preparation of saltpetre bull bull bull (Sc hoepf 1911)
l2
magister end
in local verbal tradition (Anon 1907 Stone 1953 Black 1963 Imler Sweet Wa ter Gap were expored very early
Thomas Powell
covery of the cave
War
the participants (the late Stella lames Beck) visited the cave for picnics by pine torch light Chaneysville Imler 1971
preserved for future generations
ere Ices to the historic traditions thereof S 1 pi reference
Because of their similar nature this account adds credence to the supposed usage of Saltpetre Cave Sandstone cliffs and shelters were extensively mined for saltpetre in Kentucky very early in the 19th Century (Maxon 1932 ) In all cases the bedrock itself would most likel y have been crushed and boiled to remove the nitrate content as described for the Kentucky operations
Saltpetre Cave is located along Little Sweet Root Creek in a beautiful hollow shaded by towering hemlocks The entrance is on the right side of the holshylow in the base of a sandstone cliff below a large boulder It is a jointshycontrolled fissure cavern in Devonian sandstone and parallels the hollow It It appears genetically related to the formation of the hollow and the breakdown oithe cliffs The upper entrance is halved by a large ceiling breakdown slab This passage slopes gently downward for about 40 feet gradually enqing in fill and breakdown Near the end a floor floor fiSSure connects by a short crawl to a parallel passage which is slightly shorter and smaller more easily entered through a second entrance ten feet from the first
The cave fill has an extensive organic content perhaps primarily due to Neotoma
found near the along with the
genershyations of habitation by the Allegheny cave rat Six intact rat nests neat and igloo shaped were inquisitive owner The lower passage contains a thin layer of charcoal in its fill The ceiling near the rat nests is coated with soot
The history of the cave area and the cave itself is obscured by inconsiste ciE This is reflected in various published references
1 964) Sweet Root Creek an when
son of Nathaniel Powell member of the Virginia Council organized a small expedition to explore in the summer of 1625 the northwest section of Virginia bull The march continued on North along Town Creek to the junction of S weet Root Creek thence
Hill II (Lutz 1946)
Over a century later in 1747 Joseph Plty(ell established a t acingpost in the gap on1y a few hundred yards froInSaltpetre Cave The foundation of this bUilding are still visible His brother George is credited with the disshy
through Sweet Water Gap and on up the creek to its source on Martin
at an unrecorded cmte (Anon 1907) The mining activity itself was probably accomplished by Michaet-Huff during the Revolutionary
while the gunpowder was made from the saltpetre by Jacob R9wland
The cave has seen other use in more Inodern times According to one of 15 students and their teacher
from ail old log school near A school teacher naIned Sanford Fleet obtained
saltpetre from the cave during the 1920ts (Stone 1953) Today within the boundaries of Sweet Root State Park this historic spot has been deservedly
and a marked trail is maintained to the cave
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thalk Byron Black and Thomas C Imler of Bedford County for their generous aid in visiting the cave and supplying several repoundshy
WR Halliday supplied the 7-3
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
62
1971 MEMBERSEIPS EXPIRE WITH THIS ISSUE 0
EARLY CAVE ExJLORA TION IN FLINT RIDGE KENTUCKY COLOSSAL CAVE AND THE COLOSSAL CAVERN COMPAN Y
BYStanleyD Sides MD
Searching for new caves in the Mammoth Cave region was very popular in the late 18001s Gurles had shown the passages of Mammoth Cave to the public as early as 1815 By the 18601s Hidden River (Horse) Cave Diamond Caverns Proctor Cave Indian (Osceola) Cave Hundred Domes Cave and Grand Avenue Cavern were being frequented by visitors However no caves of commercia interest had been found on Flint Ridge one of the largest ridges in the region
About 1840 a settler named Bobby Lee moved into the Mammoth Cave region and headed a family destined to leave a heavy imprint on the history of cave exploration of the area One of his sons Thomas Edward (TE) Lee (852 -1909) recorded his name near the entrance of an obscure Flint Ridge cave named Bedquil in 1871 The cavels unusual name came from an Indian blanket supposedly found in its entrance Except for moonshining carried on within the cave it attracted little local attention In 1876 TE 0 Lee attained fame by discovering a passage in Grand Avenue Cavern On March 81875 the Lee brothers ToE and John Lute (b 1858) along with W D CutliH discovered the famous Indian I I mummy Little Alice or
Alfred in Salts Cave (1) The Lees explored the recesses of Bedquilt Cave and T E 0 Lee left his initials near a large pit complex far from the entrance
Jacob Locke was one of the earty settlers of Fli nt Ridge A pioneer farmer and Baptist minister in Kentucky he was barely able to eke out a living from the poor soil of Flint Ridge For $2500 he gave a mortgage on his property to a farmer from the Northtown area named Billie Adair With Locke1s death Adair and his daughter Mary Isenberg foreclosed on the farm and took possshyession of 100 acres Thereafter Adair parcelled out two tracts to two Neshygroes Robert Woodson and Gyp Brown (2)
In 1890 or shortly thereafter James Henry Lee (1864-l899a son of John Lute Lee was crossing StrawberryVaney and clirribed the road up Flint Ridge Near Robert Woodsons home he-rested beside a limestoneledge and felt cool air coming from between two rocks He enlarged the opening and discovered a pit extending down With the assistance of his brother Joseph Louis Lee (b l869) or Lute Henry was lowered to the oottom of the pit A small passage was i ound extending onward and the Lee brothers named it the Woodson-Adair Cave They began exploring and enlarging the passageways but the cave initially attracted little attention in a region where huge passageways existed in several of the caves (3)
Probably in the early 1890s a photographer named L W bull Hazen settled in the cave region Hazens wife apparently was from the area as she owned property near Salts Cave called the Old Geralds Place Bennett H Young writing on the Indians of Salts Cave was taken into a back entrance of Salts Cave which was opened by Hazen in 1893 (4) Henry Lee told Hazen about rhe cave he and Lute had discovered and Hazen expressed a desie to see the cave A windlass was made and Hazen was lowered into the entrance pit Thereafter he wanted to become partners with the Lees
63
in developing the cave They approached the supposed owner of the cave Robert Woodson but found that after living on the land five years he had not paid anything to Adair Hazen paid the Lee brothers $150 for their interest in the cave and approached Adair concerning commercialization of the cave (5)
NumerouS accounts appeared stating that Hazen discovered the cave on July 10 1895 Other accounts subsequently said that Woodson Hazen1s nephew Pike Chapman or William Garvin discovered the cave around July 15 1895 (6) bull However we do know that on August 28 1895 a deed
was filed in the Edmonson County Clerks office in which Mary Isenberg Adairs daughter gave a one-third interest in Adair-Woodson Cave to L W Hazen The deed continued
And in consideration of the labor and expenses of party of the second part in exploring and clearing out passageways in the different avenues Of Adair-Woodson Cave that party of the first part allows parties of the second part all of the cave fees until January 1 1896 (7)
Hazen was further allowed to get money from hotel and cottage fees until August 28 1898 He obtained his interest in the cave by promising to develop the cave for the public and advertise it No money changed hands between Hazen and Mrs Isenberg
Hazen hired the Lee brothers and probably Pike Chapman to help him develop the cave They blasted and dug out the passageway Several weeks after beginning work Jike and Henry arrived at the top of a large dome Pike Chapman was lovered 180 feet to the bottom of the dome later named Colossal Dome Climbing up out of the bottom of the shaft Pike found a huge passageway much larger than anything previously found in WoodsonAdair Cave (8)
During this period Mammoth Cave was owned by the Crogan estate Tourshyist trade was dwindling and the property falling into disrepair The Louisshyville and Nashville Railroad Company (L amp N) wanted to increase tourist trade on its main line and began buying property in the cave region The L amp N evidently wanted to prote t the original Mammoth Cave properties but also wanted to increase the value of the region as an attraction for tourists (9) Rumors circulated in the cave area that the railroad would reward people who could find another entrance t o Mammoth Cave
On January 13 1896 part of Hazen1s contract with the Isenbergs expired Two days later he went to Louisville to discuss Woodson-Adair Cave with Milton H Smith President of the L amp N On that day these two men drew up a contract which stated that a corporati on was to be formed II bull bull bull to do business of discovering owning developing and operating cave properties II Hazen was paid $550 cash and was to receive $4450 in stock of the corporation of $100000 capital stock For this conSideration Hazen was to transfer to Smith all his interest in Woodson-Adair Cave and other land he owned
64
be
As land could not be deeded directly to the railroad for non-railroad purposes Hazen was not to purchase cave property or rights for Smith directly Rathe r Hazen was to purchase them in his name and conshyvev them to a L amp j employe Daniel Breck who would hold title Hazen wa given eXcLltsive ph otographic right s in the WoodsonmiddotmiddotAdair Cave and cOliJd retnove specimens and cave fortnations for sale subshyject ody to limlts set by Smith These agreements resulted in the deed L W Hazen and Sophron ie J Hazen to M H Smith January 24 1896 The deed went on to st ate
If the first parties or either of them buy any tract of land for a residence or for any other purpose and said tract of land have on it any cave or caves that may be capable of being made profitshyable by being opened to vi sitors said cave or caves shall be held by then or either of them as the case may be in trust for the use and benetit of the said second party and his aSSigns
Hazen becanle nanager of the Woodson-Adair Cave and was deSignated an agent to buy land and cave rights in the area Lute Lee wrote that Hazer was pa id a total of $4500 and was to receive the remaining $500 when he proved the cave connected with Mammoth Cave a connection he told Smith he could establish (10)
middotOn January 29 189h the Louisville COURIER -JOURNAL printed an article emitled ItColossal Cave to be opened1 The article began
On file in the Edmonson County Clerk I s office is a deed transshymiddotferrirg a recently discovered colossal cavern inEdmonson CounrV to M FI bull Smith trustee of a corporation undermiddot the general laws of Kentu cky which will created with the capital stock at $100 000 divided into shares of$lOO each (11) - J
- _ - - 1 - -t -
The article sTaredtharthe cave n was discovered August 15 middot1895by L W Hazen of Bowling Green Ky Much to thedisrriay of the Isenshybergs who had no invotvement in the dealings between Hazen and Smith L amp N engineers led by Edgar Vaughn arrived and began mapping the cave Several davs later the COURtER-JOURNAL had another art i cle entitled Suit about
a ca e This article stated
Ii Mat and DBe Isenb rg filed suit today against M H Smith president of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad COIUpanymiddot and M H Smith individuaUy and as tru stee for $50 OOO charging the L amp Nand MHo Smith presiden of the road with conspi ring to defaud them of their i terests So M Payton and Isenberg also sued for $50middot 000 and ask that a receiver be appointed to take charge of the case until the matter is settled (12
65
I I -
- -
While the litigation was pending at Brownsville surveying the Woodson-Adair entrance carne to a halt
By this t ime the L amp N already had purchased the Tobie Holton place entrance of Bedqullt Cave was on this land Woodson-Adair entrance Lute Lee wrote Daniel Breck who was representing Smith he could have threed days he could connect Bed Quilt (sic) Cave with Colossal Cavern Breck agreed and in two days we made it connection (sic) and took hiT through (D) II
Unknown to the Isenbergs and their court-appointed receiver the L amp N engineers enlarged the passageway into Bedqullt Cave and surveyed a long low crawlway which intersected the main passage of Colossal Cave They continued their survey to a terminal breakdown of the main passage The survey revealed the main passage ended at the edge of Houchins Valley under William Garvins 30 acre tarm The L amp N bought the farm and one month later) was sinking an incline into the cave
The newspaper articles on the cave development and litigation were read by two grandsons of Jacob Locke who lived in Daviess County 0 They realshyized that it was their grandfathers land being contested and established to S oM Payton the Isenbergs lawyer that they were the rightful heirs to the land They sold their interest to Payton thuO invalidating Adairs mortgage and the Isenbergs I rights to the cave Payton promptly sold the land and cave rights to the L amp N
Smith and the railroad now owned Woodson -Adair Cave and nearly all lan d over Colossal Cave as the main passages were called Smith sought to publicize the cave and on March 28 1896 a feature article entitled IIColossal Cavernll appeared in the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL When written the Locke heirs had arrived but the litigation over ownership was still in the hands of the court-appointed receiver L amp N workmen were in the process of blasting the new entrance into the cave Pike Chapman served as guide for the COURIER-JOURNAL reporter and they entered the cave through a trap-door in the floor of a log cabin Hazen had built over the Woodson-Adair entrance The skeleton of a b uilding later desigshynated the dining room or dance floor had been built inside the main cave near the side passage which connected with Bedquilt Cave Chapman told the reporter that the headwaters of Mammoth Cavels Echo River were in Colossal Cave and that a water connection had been proven toFroctor1s Cae a cave in Joppa Ridge also run commercially by the L amp N (14)
Pike Chapman and the Lee brothers explored many passageways of the large cave system they had found beyond Colossal Dome In January and March 1896 they left their names in a large dome-complex far from the cave entrance In1960 members of Cave Research Foundation connected Colossal and Salts caves by squeezing through a canyon only a few yards
66
from where the old-timers had explored
in the cave via
The aboot one-half mile from the lIMy brother Henry told the L amp N president that if
aceeo to the cave
By the summer ofl89t the new entraDce to Colossal was opened A threeshy
house was builJ on the hiLLside near the cave entran oe and Lute Lee
lived rhere as the manag r Hazen had faUen into disfavor with Smith and
He be-gar m i ning Jarge quantities of fo rm at ions from the cave
room
the L amp N as alJowed bv his otlginaJ contract with Smith Hazen was told to stop
buYHg 13nd or SmJrh and Daniel Breck was designated the official L amp N lan d r-epreselllaUVf On FeiltlJ-1r-y 13 1897 Hazen and his wife apparently
deeded on part of tnejr and holdings 10 Breck despite their earlier conshy
tract WJth Srnilh Hazen houghand adjacerr lo L amp N land and tried to
force errranees ipto Colo3sa Cave H slccessfulJy opened Hazen1s
EntJarc tor (jPQ d1f 1 11 oad to lxv -liE ard to malntain (ontrol of aU
After beHlg she ou a Colossal Cave Ha zen made an attempt to commshyercia1ize Sals Cali e ThroJgh the enrance on his wife1s land previously visited by)om-g The hlstoric ertrance of Salts Cave one mile away was owned bv the Mammoth Cave ESfate and access to it was forbidden In JuJv 1897 Pike Chapmn was kilted while in the process of enlarging the b ack entrance to S alt s Cave for Hazen his unde On A ugust 15 1897 anothe r articte appear ed in the COURJ R middotJOURNAL It was written by BennetT Young ard el iled Rimiddota s the Mammoth in grandeur It disshycussed Igtriefy Coiossa Calern ald tbe fact that Hazen had discovered it but w went on to discuss Hazermiddotls C3e or Sa] C ave The a rt i cle lauded the br av erv armiddotd expLoits of H-ilzen and ris wife and announced that within a month Hazens Cave Vol d he opeD to the public 15)
Hazen sTar+ed b1didlng tralls hom the Pike Chapman entrance down the ITl a in passageway of Sals Covei but cave b e came a commercialbefore the sl(cess -he L amp N br ought suji against Ha zen Hazen lost all the land he h ad bought h EO turned oe W he L amp NJ irclLding his property at the Pik e C h apm ar en-raEce
The Colossal Cae n Compan y was finaLy hartered on March 3 1898 I On Apn1 27 JSQ8 D-lrie Bteck d eeded the Jand he bad been holding to the Co poIaJOn fOI Ue corside r atlon of $(00 A large part of the propshyertleS incLudlTg the or-iginal deed 19XWoodson-Adair Cave was transferred to the compaIyoI May 20 1898 in the deed ttMH Sniith and wife to Colossal Cavern Compa ny
OriginaHy c ave ]sifors left the Mammoth Cave Railroad at Proctor Cave and went ovettard by agoD to lhe W oodson-Adai r entrance After t he new blas ed entr-ance was opened patr ons continued OI the train to Mammoth Cave and wen by w agon s llP the vaLley to Colossal Ca ve However the cave never became the a tt gtetion that had been pl anned While Lee was the manager onJ bve OJ six persons v isited the cave weekly Stories persist of how w agon wheeJs repeatedly feU off the passenger wagons during the 1 12 milE dp to ColOSSal Cave requiring the visitors to walk ba ck to Maml Cave and tak e their cave trip there Frequently the horses erc Stltied b strange noises in t he bushes and woods supposedly from cave competitors
In 1896 the Reverend Horace C Hovey wrote an article about Colossal Cave from information given him by Ben Hains and John M Nelson He visited the cave in Jul v 1903 In November 1903 his second article on Colossal Cave was printed including a map of Colossal and Bedquilt Caves (16) Other articles appeared in magazines and L amp N brochures but by 1910 the cave was seldom visited Lute Lee served as manager for three years and was succeeded by J M and Morris Hunt As time passed declining revenues the discovery of new commercial caves on Flint Ridge and the advent of the automobile closed Colossal Cave to the public
In May 1921 the Coloss Cavern Company leased surface rights on 300 acres near the Pike Chapman entrance to A J Musselman of Chicago Tom Bendelow a famous golf course architect was hired to lay out an 18-hole course On May 19 1921 the Louisville TIMES featured an article Rich will sOOP- have links at Mammoth Caven Musselman
built 21 log huts and a large dining and recreation hall in the center of the gold course and was ready for golfers by the spring of 1922 (17) Initially the project prospered and stories are still told about how local men would sneak into the old entrance 6f Salts Cave to reach the Pike chapman entrance where golfers stored illegal ga1lon jugs of whiskey Another cave on the BlueGrass Country Club land Unknown Cave was later to prove the key to int grating Salts Cave Floyd Collins Crystal Cave Bedquilt Cave and Colossal Cave into the worlds longest cave system
In 1925 the Louisville Gas and Electric Company confirmed that streams inlossal Cave cOJlnected with Pike Spring near Floyd Collins Crystal Cave The dye tests attr acted little attention as cave explor ation was discouraged while Mammoth Cave National Park was being formed Alshythough they had promised to deed their land to the new park the L amp N and the Colossa Cavern Company continued to be beset with legal actions chiefly overt the definition of cave property rights The legal act ion culshyminated in the Kentucky Court of Appeals in COX v COLOSSAL CAVERN COMPANY 210 Ky 612 decided on October 16 1925
By 1928 the BlueGrass Country Club was closed George Cline the last guide and caretaker of ColOSSal Cave left the land in 1930 On May 23 1933 the remaining buildings on the country club grounds were first occushypied by Company 510 of the Civilian Conservation Corps On January 23 1935 Colossal Cavern Company holdings were transferred to the National Palk Association The ColOSSal Cavern Company was officially dissolved on July 31 1935 Colossal Cave was thereafter visited only by local rock collectors and National Park Service personnel Further mention of the Colossal Cavern Company existed only in newspaper notices of its dissolshyution which appeared in the Louisville TIMES i n August 1935 In a final deed dated April 25 1940 the L amp N conveyed all of its holdings to Mammoth Cave National Park thereby ending 45 years of profound influence on the history of caving in Flint tidge
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This article is issued as part of a Cave Research Foundation project on the history of cave exploration in Mammoth Cave National Park The
68
Antiq14ity - -- --------
0p_
Op Sit
8 Lee Lute Cit -gt
14 Lute
author wishes to thank Milton H Smith ill the L amp N Railroad Edwin L Rothfuss National Park Service Patty Jo Watson Cave Research Foundation and ERo Pohl Mamm oth Onyx Cavefor assistance in c ollectin g articles and inJormation used in this paper
BIBLIOGRAPHY
L Rohbins LOLise M A Woodl and Mummy from Salts Cave Kenshyt1ckv American Vol 36 No Z 1971 pp ZOO-206
2 bull Lee LLte ( roseph Louis) lMemories of the Past Undated mss original hand -wrItfen copy at the Filson Club Louisville Ky Reprinted in tllls Journa VoL 2 no t Jan -March 1969 pp 16-17
3 Ibid
4 Young Be nne 1t H THE PREHISTORIC MEN OF KENTUCKY Filson ClubPIblicationNo 25 J ohn P Morton amp Co Louisville Ky ) p 300
6 Lee Lute lLute Lee Tells of Colossal Cavern and of Early Life of Jacob Lock (sicI The Glasg ow TIMES Glasgow Ky May 22lt 1952 Lute Lee staed that he main pas s ag e was found before Hazen purchased an interest in the cav e ihe T-merous conflict ing dates around July 1895 for dis covery of Coloss a Cavern may reflect that it was about this
Lime that the main cave - Colossal - was discovered by reaching Colossal Dome from Woodson-Adair Cave For some time both caves were referred to se paratel y although each was part of one cave system
7 Nary M renberg to L W Hazen A gust 28 1895 Deed BookR Edmonson Couny Clerks Office Br owls ille Ky
-L_ _J
bull l
9 R eport on file Louisville and Nashville Railroad Louisville Ky
10 Deeds ard contracts on file L amp N Rail ro ad Real Estate Department Louisville Ky
-1l Anon ifltolossal Cave to be Open ed Louisville COURIER -jOURNAL bull January 91896 p 5 This article is the first reference fou nd in which
the worClflcolossal was used in reference to the cave
12 Anon IISuit about a Cae 1 Louisville COURIERJOURNAL February 4 l896 p 7
13 Anon Colossal Cavern Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL March 28 l896 p 6
Lee
15 Younll Bennett H Rivals the Mammoth in Grandeur Louisville COURIER--JOUR AL sect 3 August 15 1897 p1
(references concluded page )
19 1p 20
N lt---__ _
- - -- - --- --
connecting passages
FLOOR PLAN
Saltpetre Cave Penna CRG grade 4
crawl
B-n-B
Lowerbull
passage
scale in feet
Mapped -NoveInber 5 1967 Ennis Duling
Peter Hauer
70
0 _ _ _ _ __ -
PENNSYLVANIAS ONLY SALTPETRE CAVE
Saltpetre Cave Bedibrd County Pa is a small sandstone fissure which
A BACKGROUND STUDY Peter M Hauer
Abstract
was mined for saltpetre dirt during the 18th Century One of the very few natural soutces of the material in the state Sal tpetre Cave illustrates the needs and remoeness of the westetn counties in the state which became the leading gunpowder producer during the American Revolution bull
--
When the Amedcan Revolution began saltpetre procurement became an important cOIlsideration The colonists found themselves without any operable powder miHs Two years earlier in October 1774 the British Parliament had prohibited all export of black powder to America and when the war broke out the Americans had only 80000 pounds of powder total (Wilkinson 1966
The leadership of the newmiddot country was quick to respond to this need Its response on a smaller scale was similar to that of the Confederate leaders
During this periodlnumerous
In
85 years later On July 3 1775 the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia with Benjamin FrankJin presiding resolved
That Mes srs Robert Morris Robert White and Thomas Warton junr do with the vtmost expeditionprocure any quantity of Powder and SlaquoIt PetrI in their Power II (Anon n d)
In New York in January 1776 the Committe published the first American text on this subject a 38-page Essays upon the Making opound5alt-Petre and Gunshy
Powder bounties and premiUms for salt-petre were offered by the individual colonies Nitriaries using organic wastes were established in Jarg numbers in f ull knowledge of the two
ormoreJyemiddotars required before they would ltproduceanyquantit-y of saltpetre bull IrliL another parallel to later Confederate tact-ics smuggling of saltpetre
from the supplies of foreign aUies be ame the most important source bull
the first 2 12 years of the Revolutionary War the Americans were able to produce less than 10 per cent of their supply the rest being imported fr m French merchants (VanGelder dSchlatterl927) _
During this period of short munition supply Pennsylvania emerged as the leading gunpowder producer not ovly due to its centr l position but to its manv German farmers who knew the art as well as the old women knew how to make soft soap (Wilkinson 1966) Despite the slow start by 1781 Pennsylvania had 21 powder mills with an annual capacity oL625 tons (Clark 1929) Ten years later saltpetre was cheaper inPhiladelphia than in London (Geoghegan and Karnes 1968)
This post-war availabllity was particularly in contrast to the early scarcity inthe remote mountain regions of the state Bedford County was a frontier stronghold at the time of the American Revolution and even before that time
71
it had held particular strategic importance as a vanguard of Colonial expansion into the Western wildernes s and Indian lands In the summer of 1758 Fort Bedford was built as an aid to that expansionist des ire The violence of massacre war and rebellion governed the lives and needs of its people through the Ameri can Revolution and into the 10cally based Whiskey Insurrection of 1794
The early need for saltpetre in Bedford County is well documented The minutes of the Council of Safety for October 2 1775 state
II Upon application of Bernard Dougherty Esqr for some Gunpowder for the use of Bedford County Resolved That 100 Pounds of Powder be lent to said County for the pres ent and when Convenient this Board will spare them a larger Quantity An order was drawn on the Commis sary for the Same and delivered Mr Dougherty
14(Anon n d )
Later on January 3 1776 under the chairmanship of Benjamin Franklin
If Letters were wrote tot the Commissioners and assessors of each County respecting Arms etc J to be provided by them agreeable to a Resolve of Assembly of the June last and to the Committees of the different Counties (except those of Westmoreland Northumberland and Bedford) respecting the Manufacture of Saltpetre and the mode of procuring rid paying the Same (Anon nd)
Obviously the Bedford County supply was critical Along with Essex County Virginia Bedford County was notable in 1775 for offering premiums to enshycourage local saltpetre manufacture (Clark 1929)
This offer may have been a prime motive inthe establishment of what may have been the most northerly saltpetre cave mining operation in American history
Saltpetre Bedford County
mined for Saltpetre (John Friends Cave
Ca ve is located in Sweet Root State Park northwest of Chancysville Pennsylvani about 50 miles northeast of the nearest other
cave Garrett County Md) John FriendsC ave and Busheys Car-ern at Cavetown Md in WaShington County appear to be the northernmost limestone saltpet re caves while Bedford Countys saltpetre cave is believed to be the northernmost American cave of any type mined for saltpetre The only possi ble eXC eption known to the writer is similar in nature to Saltpetre Cave but cannot really be classified as a cave This consists of a series of sandstone cliffs 25 to 40 feet high located along the Susquehanna River in Wyoming County Penna In 1783 or 1784 Johann David Shoepf a German traveller was shown man-made holes in these cliffs where saltpetre had been mined from the very bedrock In 1788 he wrote that
at the beginning of the war various saltpetre -boileries were set up in themiddot Wyoming region but were given over on account of the Indians or for othe reasons Now this deposit and t he scraped -off sand are said to have been used in the preparation of saltpetre bull bull bull (Sc hoepf 1911)
l2
magister end
in local verbal tradition (Anon 1907 Stone 1953 Black 1963 Imler Sweet Wa ter Gap were expored very early
Thomas Powell
covery of the cave
War
the participants (the late Stella lames Beck) visited the cave for picnics by pine torch light Chaneysville Imler 1971
preserved for future generations
ere Ices to the historic traditions thereof S 1 pi reference
Because of their similar nature this account adds credence to the supposed usage of Saltpetre Cave Sandstone cliffs and shelters were extensively mined for saltpetre in Kentucky very early in the 19th Century (Maxon 1932 ) In all cases the bedrock itself would most likel y have been crushed and boiled to remove the nitrate content as described for the Kentucky operations
Saltpetre Cave is located along Little Sweet Root Creek in a beautiful hollow shaded by towering hemlocks The entrance is on the right side of the holshylow in the base of a sandstone cliff below a large boulder It is a jointshycontrolled fissure cavern in Devonian sandstone and parallels the hollow It It appears genetically related to the formation of the hollow and the breakdown oithe cliffs The upper entrance is halved by a large ceiling breakdown slab This passage slopes gently downward for about 40 feet gradually enqing in fill and breakdown Near the end a floor floor fiSSure connects by a short crawl to a parallel passage which is slightly shorter and smaller more easily entered through a second entrance ten feet from the first
The cave fill has an extensive organic content perhaps primarily due to Neotoma
found near the along with the
genershyations of habitation by the Allegheny cave rat Six intact rat nests neat and igloo shaped were inquisitive owner The lower passage contains a thin layer of charcoal in its fill The ceiling near the rat nests is coated with soot
The history of the cave area and the cave itself is obscured by inconsiste ciE This is reflected in various published references
1 964) Sweet Root Creek an when
son of Nathaniel Powell member of the Virginia Council organized a small expedition to explore in the summer of 1625 the northwest section of Virginia bull The march continued on North along Town Creek to the junction of S weet Root Creek thence
Hill II (Lutz 1946)
Over a century later in 1747 Joseph Plty(ell established a t acingpost in the gap on1y a few hundred yards froInSaltpetre Cave The foundation of this bUilding are still visible His brother George is credited with the disshy
through Sweet Water Gap and on up the creek to its source on Martin
at an unrecorded cmte (Anon 1907) The mining activity itself was probably accomplished by Michaet-Huff during the Revolutionary
while the gunpowder was made from the saltpetre by Jacob R9wland
The cave has seen other use in more Inodern times According to one of 15 students and their teacher
from ail old log school near A school teacher naIned Sanford Fleet obtained
saltpetre from the cave during the 1920ts (Stone 1953) Today within the boundaries of Sweet Root State Park this historic spot has been deservedly
and a marked trail is maintained to the cave
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thalk Byron Black and Thomas C Imler of Bedford County for their generous aid in visiting the cave and supplying several repoundshy
WR Halliday supplied the 7-3
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
EARLY CAVE ExJLORA TION IN FLINT RIDGE KENTUCKY COLOSSAL CAVE AND THE COLOSSAL CAVERN COMPAN Y
BYStanleyD Sides MD
Searching for new caves in the Mammoth Cave region was very popular in the late 18001s Gurles had shown the passages of Mammoth Cave to the public as early as 1815 By the 18601s Hidden River (Horse) Cave Diamond Caverns Proctor Cave Indian (Osceola) Cave Hundred Domes Cave and Grand Avenue Cavern were being frequented by visitors However no caves of commercia interest had been found on Flint Ridge one of the largest ridges in the region
About 1840 a settler named Bobby Lee moved into the Mammoth Cave region and headed a family destined to leave a heavy imprint on the history of cave exploration of the area One of his sons Thomas Edward (TE) Lee (852 -1909) recorded his name near the entrance of an obscure Flint Ridge cave named Bedquil in 1871 The cavels unusual name came from an Indian blanket supposedly found in its entrance Except for moonshining carried on within the cave it attracted little local attention In 1876 TE 0 Lee attained fame by discovering a passage in Grand Avenue Cavern On March 81875 the Lee brothers ToE and John Lute (b 1858) along with W D CutliH discovered the famous Indian I I mummy Little Alice or
Alfred in Salts Cave (1) The Lees explored the recesses of Bedquilt Cave and T E 0 Lee left his initials near a large pit complex far from the entrance
Jacob Locke was one of the earty settlers of Fli nt Ridge A pioneer farmer and Baptist minister in Kentucky he was barely able to eke out a living from the poor soil of Flint Ridge For $2500 he gave a mortgage on his property to a farmer from the Northtown area named Billie Adair With Locke1s death Adair and his daughter Mary Isenberg foreclosed on the farm and took possshyession of 100 acres Thereafter Adair parcelled out two tracts to two Neshygroes Robert Woodson and Gyp Brown (2)
In 1890 or shortly thereafter James Henry Lee (1864-l899a son of John Lute Lee was crossing StrawberryVaney and clirribed the road up Flint Ridge Near Robert Woodsons home he-rested beside a limestoneledge and felt cool air coming from between two rocks He enlarged the opening and discovered a pit extending down With the assistance of his brother Joseph Louis Lee (b l869) or Lute Henry was lowered to the oottom of the pit A small passage was i ound extending onward and the Lee brothers named it the Woodson-Adair Cave They began exploring and enlarging the passageways but the cave initially attracted little attention in a region where huge passageways existed in several of the caves (3)
Probably in the early 1890s a photographer named L W bull Hazen settled in the cave region Hazens wife apparently was from the area as she owned property near Salts Cave called the Old Geralds Place Bennett H Young writing on the Indians of Salts Cave was taken into a back entrance of Salts Cave which was opened by Hazen in 1893 (4) Henry Lee told Hazen about rhe cave he and Lute had discovered and Hazen expressed a desie to see the cave A windlass was made and Hazen was lowered into the entrance pit Thereafter he wanted to become partners with the Lees
63
in developing the cave They approached the supposed owner of the cave Robert Woodson but found that after living on the land five years he had not paid anything to Adair Hazen paid the Lee brothers $150 for their interest in the cave and approached Adair concerning commercialization of the cave (5)
NumerouS accounts appeared stating that Hazen discovered the cave on July 10 1895 Other accounts subsequently said that Woodson Hazen1s nephew Pike Chapman or William Garvin discovered the cave around July 15 1895 (6) bull However we do know that on August 28 1895 a deed
was filed in the Edmonson County Clerks office in which Mary Isenberg Adairs daughter gave a one-third interest in Adair-Woodson Cave to L W Hazen The deed continued
And in consideration of the labor and expenses of party of the second part in exploring and clearing out passageways in the different avenues Of Adair-Woodson Cave that party of the first part allows parties of the second part all of the cave fees until January 1 1896 (7)
Hazen was further allowed to get money from hotel and cottage fees until August 28 1898 He obtained his interest in the cave by promising to develop the cave for the public and advertise it No money changed hands between Hazen and Mrs Isenberg
Hazen hired the Lee brothers and probably Pike Chapman to help him develop the cave They blasted and dug out the passageway Several weeks after beginning work Jike and Henry arrived at the top of a large dome Pike Chapman was lovered 180 feet to the bottom of the dome later named Colossal Dome Climbing up out of the bottom of the shaft Pike found a huge passageway much larger than anything previously found in WoodsonAdair Cave (8)
During this period Mammoth Cave was owned by the Crogan estate Tourshyist trade was dwindling and the property falling into disrepair The Louisshyville and Nashville Railroad Company (L amp N) wanted to increase tourist trade on its main line and began buying property in the cave region The L amp N evidently wanted to prote t the original Mammoth Cave properties but also wanted to increase the value of the region as an attraction for tourists (9) Rumors circulated in the cave area that the railroad would reward people who could find another entrance t o Mammoth Cave
On January 13 1896 part of Hazen1s contract with the Isenbergs expired Two days later he went to Louisville to discuss Woodson-Adair Cave with Milton H Smith President of the L amp N On that day these two men drew up a contract which stated that a corporati on was to be formed II bull bull bull to do business of discovering owning developing and operating cave properties II Hazen was paid $550 cash and was to receive $4450 in stock of the corporation of $100000 capital stock For this conSideration Hazen was to transfer to Smith all his interest in Woodson-Adair Cave and other land he owned
64
be
As land could not be deeded directly to the railroad for non-railroad purposes Hazen was not to purchase cave property or rights for Smith directly Rathe r Hazen was to purchase them in his name and conshyvev them to a L amp j employe Daniel Breck who would hold title Hazen wa given eXcLltsive ph otographic right s in the WoodsonmiddotmiddotAdair Cave and cOliJd retnove specimens and cave fortnations for sale subshyject ody to limlts set by Smith These agreements resulted in the deed L W Hazen and Sophron ie J Hazen to M H Smith January 24 1896 The deed went on to st ate
If the first parties or either of them buy any tract of land for a residence or for any other purpose and said tract of land have on it any cave or caves that may be capable of being made profitshyable by being opened to vi sitors said cave or caves shall be held by then or either of them as the case may be in trust for the use and benetit of the said second party and his aSSigns
Hazen becanle nanager of the Woodson-Adair Cave and was deSignated an agent to buy land and cave rights in the area Lute Lee wrote that Hazer was pa id a total of $4500 and was to receive the remaining $500 when he proved the cave connected with Mammoth Cave a connection he told Smith he could establish (10)
middotOn January 29 189h the Louisville COURIER -JOURNAL printed an article emitled ItColossal Cave to be opened1 The article began
On file in the Edmonson County Clerk I s office is a deed transshymiddotferrirg a recently discovered colossal cavern inEdmonson CounrV to M FI bull Smith trustee of a corporation undermiddot the general laws of Kentu cky which will created with the capital stock at $100 000 divided into shares of$lOO each (11) - J
- _ - - 1 - -t -
The article sTaredtharthe cave n was discovered August 15 middot1895by L W Hazen of Bowling Green Ky Much to thedisrriay of the Isenshybergs who had no invotvement in the dealings between Hazen and Smith L amp N engineers led by Edgar Vaughn arrived and began mapping the cave Several davs later the COURtER-JOURNAL had another art i cle entitled Suit about
a ca e This article stated
Ii Mat and DBe Isenb rg filed suit today against M H Smith president of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad COIUpanymiddot and M H Smith individuaUy and as tru stee for $50 OOO charging the L amp Nand MHo Smith presiden of the road with conspi ring to defaud them of their i terests So M Payton and Isenberg also sued for $50middot 000 and ask that a receiver be appointed to take charge of the case until the matter is settled (12
65
I I -
- -
While the litigation was pending at Brownsville surveying the Woodson-Adair entrance carne to a halt
By this t ime the L amp N already had purchased the Tobie Holton place entrance of Bedqullt Cave was on this land Woodson-Adair entrance Lute Lee wrote Daniel Breck who was representing Smith he could have threed days he could connect Bed Quilt (sic) Cave with Colossal Cavern Breck agreed and in two days we made it connection (sic) and took hiT through (D) II
Unknown to the Isenbergs and their court-appointed receiver the L amp N engineers enlarged the passageway into Bedqullt Cave and surveyed a long low crawlway which intersected the main passage of Colossal Cave They continued their survey to a terminal breakdown of the main passage The survey revealed the main passage ended at the edge of Houchins Valley under William Garvins 30 acre tarm The L amp N bought the farm and one month later) was sinking an incline into the cave
The newspaper articles on the cave development and litigation were read by two grandsons of Jacob Locke who lived in Daviess County 0 They realshyized that it was their grandfathers land being contested and established to S oM Payton the Isenbergs lawyer that they were the rightful heirs to the land They sold their interest to Payton thuO invalidating Adairs mortgage and the Isenbergs I rights to the cave Payton promptly sold the land and cave rights to the L amp N
Smith and the railroad now owned Woodson -Adair Cave and nearly all lan d over Colossal Cave as the main passages were called Smith sought to publicize the cave and on March 28 1896 a feature article entitled IIColossal Cavernll appeared in the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL When written the Locke heirs had arrived but the litigation over ownership was still in the hands of the court-appointed receiver L amp N workmen were in the process of blasting the new entrance into the cave Pike Chapman served as guide for the COURIER-JOURNAL reporter and they entered the cave through a trap-door in the floor of a log cabin Hazen had built over the Woodson-Adair entrance The skeleton of a b uilding later desigshynated the dining room or dance floor had been built inside the main cave near the side passage which connected with Bedquilt Cave Chapman told the reporter that the headwaters of Mammoth Cavels Echo River were in Colossal Cave and that a water connection had been proven toFroctor1s Cae a cave in Joppa Ridge also run commercially by the L amp N (14)
Pike Chapman and the Lee brothers explored many passageways of the large cave system they had found beyond Colossal Dome In January and March 1896 they left their names in a large dome-complex far from the cave entrance In1960 members of Cave Research Foundation connected Colossal and Salts caves by squeezing through a canyon only a few yards
66
from where the old-timers had explored
in the cave via
The aboot one-half mile from the lIMy brother Henry told the L amp N president that if
aceeo to the cave
By the summer ofl89t the new entraDce to Colossal was opened A threeshy
house was builJ on the hiLLside near the cave entran oe and Lute Lee
lived rhere as the manag r Hazen had faUen into disfavor with Smith and
He be-gar m i ning Jarge quantities of fo rm at ions from the cave
room
the L amp N as alJowed bv his otlginaJ contract with Smith Hazen was told to stop
buYHg 13nd or SmJrh and Daniel Breck was designated the official L amp N lan d r-epreselllaUVf On FeiltlJ-1r-y 13 1897 Hazen and his wife apparently
deeded on part of tnejr and holdings 10 Breck despite their earlier conshy
tract WJth Srnilh Hazen houghand adjacerr lo L amp N land and tried to
force errranees ipto Colo3sa Cave H slccessfulJy opened Hazen1s
EntJarc tor (jPQ d1f 1 11 oad to lxv -liE ard to malntain (ontrol of aU
After beHlg she ou a Colossal Cave Ha zen made an attempt to commshyercia1ize Sals Cali e ThroJgh the enrance on his wife1s land previously visited by)om-g The hlstoric ertrance of Salts Cave one mile away was owned bv the Mammoth Cave ESfate and access to it was forbidden In JuJv 1897 Pike Chapmn was kilted while in the process of enlarging the b ack entrance to S alt s Cave for Hazen his unde On A ugust 15 1897 anothe r articte appear ed in the COURJ R middotJOURNAL It was written by BennetT Young ard el iled Rimiddota s the Mammoth in grandeur It disshycussed Igtriefy Coiossa Calern ald tbe fact that Hazen had discovered it but w went on to discuss Hazermiddotls C3e or Sa] C ave The a rt i cle lauded the br av erv armiddotd expLoits of H-ilzen and ris wife and announced that within a month Hazens Cave Vol d he opeD to the public 15)
Hazen sTar+ed b1didlng tralls hom the Pike Chapman entrance down the ITl a in passageway of Sals Covei but cave b e came a commercialbefore the sl(cess -he L amp N br ought suji against Ha zen Hazen lost all the land he h ad bought h EO turned oe W he L amp NJ irclLding his property at the Pik e C h apm ar en-raEce
The Colossal Cae n Compan y was finaLy hartered on March 3 1898 I On Apn1 27 JSQ8 D-lrie Bteck d eeded the Jand he bad been holding to the Co poIaJOn fOI Ue corside r atlon of $(00 A large part of the propshyertleS incLudlTg the or-iginal deed 19XWoodson-Adair Cave was transferred to the compaIyoI May 20 1898 in the deed ttMH Sniith and wife to Colossal Cavern Compa ny
OriginaHy c ave ]sifors left the Mammoth Cave Railroad at Proctor Cave and went ovettard by agoD to lhe W oodson-Adai r entrance After t he new blas ed entr-ance was opened patr ons continued OI the train to Mammoth Cave and wen by w agon s llP the vaLley to Colossal Ca ve However the cave never became the a tt gtetion that had been pl anned While Lee was the manager onJ bve OJ six persons v isited the cave weekly Stories persist of how w agon wheeJs repeatedly feU off the passenger wagons during the 1 12 milE dp to ColOSSal Cave requiring the visitors to walk ba ck to Maml Cave and tak e their cave trip there Frequently the horses erc Stltied b strange noises in t he bushes and woods supposedly from cave competitors
In 1896 the Reverend Horace C Hovey wrote an article about Colossal Cave from information given him by Ben Hains and John M Nelson He visited the cave in Jul v 1903 In November 1903 his second article on Colossal Cave was printed including a map of Colossal and Bedquilt Caves (16) Other articles appeared in magazines and L amp N brochures but by 1910 the cave was seldom visited Lute Lee served as manager for three years and was succeeded by J M and Morris Hunt As time passed declining revenues the discovery of new commercial caves on Flint Ridge and the advent of the automobile closed Colossal Cave to the public
In May 1921 the Coloss Cavern Company leased surface rights on 300 acres near the Pike Chapman entrance to A J Musselman of Chicago Tom Bendelow a famous golf course architect was hired to lay out an 18-hole course On May 19 1921 the Louisville TIMES featured an article Rich will sOOP- have links at Mammoth Caven Musselman
built 21 log huts and a large dining and recreation hall in the center of the gold course and was ready for golfers by the spring of 1922 (17) Initially the project prospered and stories are still told about how local men would sneak into the old entrance 6f Salts Cave to reach the Pike chapman entrance where golfers stored illegal ga1lon jugs of whiskey Another cave on the BlueGrass Country Club land Unknown Cave was later to prove the key to int grating Salts Cave Floyd Collins Crystal Cave Bedquilt Cave and Colossal Cave into the worlds longest cave system
In 1925 the Louisville Gas and Electric Company confirmed that streams inlossal Cave cOJlnected with Pike Spring near Floyd Collins Crystal Cave The dye tests attr acted little attention as cave explor ation was discouraged while Mammoth Cave National Park was being formed Alshythough they had promised to deed their land to the new park the L amp N and the Colossa Cavern Company continued to be beset with legal actions chiefly overt the definition of cave property rights The legal act ion culshyminated in the Kentucky Court of Appeals in COX v COLOSSAL CAVERN COMPANY 210 Ky 612 decided on October 16 1925
By 1928 the BlueGrass Country Club was closed George Cline the last guide and caretaker of ColOSSal Cave left the land in 1930 On May 23 1933 the remaining buildings on the country club grounds were first occushypied by Company 510 of the Civilian Conservation Corps On January 23 1935 Colossal Cavern Company holdings were transferred to the National Palk Association The ColOSSal Cavern Company was officially dissolved on July 31 1935 Colossal Cave was thereafter visited only by local rock collectors and National Park Service personnel Further mention of the Colossal Cavern Company existed only in newspaper notices of its dissolshyution which appeared in the Louisville TIMES i n August 1935 In a final deed dated April 25 1940 the L amp N conveyed all of its holdings to Mammoth Cave National Park thereby ending 45 years of profound influence on the history of caving in Flint tidge
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This article is issued as part of a Cave Research Foundation project on the history of cave exploration in Mammoth Cave National Park The
68
Antiq14ity - -- --------
0p_
Op Sit
8 Lee Lute Cit -gt
14 Lute
author wishes to thank Milton H Smith ill the L amp N Railroad Edwin L Rothfuss National Park Service Patty Jo Watson Cave Research Foundation and ERo Pohl Mamm oth Onyx Cavefor assistance in c ollectin g articles and inJormation used in this paper
BIBLIOGRAPHY
L Rohbins LOLise M A Woodl and Mummy from Salts Cave Kenshyt1ckv American Vol 36 No Z 1971 pp ZOO-206
2 bull Lee LLte ( roseph Louis) lMemories of the Past Undated mss original hand -wrItfen copy at the Filson Club Louisville Ky Reprinted in tllls Journa VoL 2 no t Jan -March 1969 pp 16-17
3 Ibid
4 Young Be nne 1t H THE PREHISTORIC MEN OF KENTUCKY Filson ClubPIblicationNo 25 J ohn P Morton amp Co Louisville Ky ) p 300
6 Lee Lute lLute Lee Tells of Colossal Cavern and of Early Life of Jacob Lock (sicI The Glasg ow TIMES Glasgow Ky May 22lt 1952 Lute Lee staed that he main pas s ag e was found before Hazen purchased an interest in the cav e ihe T-merous conflict ing dates around July 1895 for dis covery of Coloss a Cavern may reflect that it was about this
Lime that the main cave - Colossal - was discovered by reaching Colossal Dome from Woodson-Adair Cave For some time both caves were referred to se paratel y although each was part of one cave system
7 Nary M renberg to L W Hazen A gust 28 1895 Deed BookR Edmonson Couny Clerks Office Br owls ille Ky
-L_ _J
bull l
9 R eport on file Louisville and Nashville Railroad Louisville Ky
10 Deeds ard contracts on file L amp N Rail ro ad Real Estate Department Louisville Ky
-1l Anon ifltolossal Cave to be Open ed Louisville COURIER -jOURNAL bull January 91896 p 5 This article is the first reference fou nd in which
the worClflcolossal was used in reference to the cave
12 Anon IISuit about a Cae 1 Louisville COURIERJOURNAL February 4 l896 p 7
13 Anon Colossal Cavern Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL March 28 l896 p 6
Lee
15 Younll Bennett H Rivals the Mammoth in Grandeur Louisville COURIER--JOUR AL sect 3 August 15 1897 p1
(references concluded page )
19 1p 20
N lt---__ _
- - -- - --- --
connecting passages
FLOOR PLAN
Saltpetre Cave Penna CRG grade 4
crawl
B-n-B
Lowerbull
passage
scale in feet
Mapped -NoveInber 5 1967 Ennis Duling
Peter Hauer
70
0 _ _ _ _ __ -
PENNSYLVANIAS ONLY SALTPETRE CAVE
Saltpetre Cave Bedibrd County Pa is a small sandstone fissure which
A BACKGROUND STUDY Peter M Hauer
Abstract
was mined for saltpetre dirt during the 18th Century One of the very few natural soutces of the material in the state Sal tpetre Cave illustrates the needs and remoeness of the westetn counties in the state which became the leading gunpowder producer during the American Revolution bull
--
When the Amedcan Revolution began saltpetre procurement became an important cOIlsideration The colonists found themselves without any operable powder miHs Two years earlier in October 1774 the British Parliament had prohibited all export of black powder to America and when the war broke out the Americans had only 80000 pounds of powder total (Wilkinson 1966
The leadership of the newmiddot country was quick to respond to this need Its response on a smaller scale was similar to that of the Confederate leaders
During this periodlnumerous
In
85 years later On July 3 1775 the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia with Benjamin FrankJin presiding resolved
That Mes srs Robert Morris Robert White and Thomas Warton junr do with the vtmost expeditionprocure any quantity of Powder and SlaquoIt PetrI in their Power II (Anon n d)
In New York in January 1776 the Committe published the first American text on this subject a 38-page Essays upon the Making opound5alt-Petre and Gunshy
Powder bounties and premiUms for salt-petre were offered by the individual colonies Nitriaries using organic wastes were established in Jarg numbers in f ull knowledge of the two
ormoreJyemiddotars required before they would ltproduceanyquantit-y of saltpetre bull IrliL another parallel to later Confederate tact-ics smuggling of saltpetre
from the supplies of foreign aUies be ame the most important source bull
the first 2 12 years of the Revolutionary War the Americans were able to produce less than 10 per cent of their supply the rest being imported fr m French merchants (VanGelder dSchlatterl927) _
During this period of short munition supply Pennsylvania emerged as the leading gunpowder producer not ovly due to its centr l position but to its manv German farmers who knew the art as well as the old women knew how to make soft soap (Wilkinson 1966) Despite the slow start by 1781 Pennsylvania had 21 powder mills with an annual capacity oL625 tons (Clark 1929) Ten years later saltpetre was cheaper inPhiladelphia than in London (Geoghegan and Karnes 1968)
This post-war availabllity was particularly in contrast to the early scarcity inthe remote mountain regions of the state Bedford County was a frontier stronghold at the time of the American Revolution and even before that time
71
it had held particular strategic importance as a vanguard of Colonial expansion into the Western wildernes s and Indian lands In the summer of 1758 Fort Bedford was built as an aid to that expansionist des ire The violence of massacre war and rebellion governed the lives and needs of its people through the Ameri can Revolution and into the 10cally based Whiskey Insurrection of 1794
The early need for saltpetre in Bedford County is well documented The minutes of the Council of Safety for October 2 1775 state
II Upon application of Bernard Dougherty Esqr for some Gunpowder for the use of Bedford County Resolved That 100 Pounds of Powder be lent to said County for the pres ent and when Convenient this Board will spare them a larger Quantity An order was drawn on the Commis sary for the Same and delivered Mr Dougherty
14(Anon n d )
Later on January 3 1776 under the chairmanship of Benjamin Franklin
If Letters were wrote tot the Commissioners and assessors of each County respecting Arms etc J to be provided by them agreeable to a Resolve of Assembly of the June last and to the Committees of the different Counties (except those of Westmoreland Northumberland and Bedford) respecting the Manufacture of Saltpetre and the mode of procuring rid paying the Same (Anon nd)
Obviously the Bedford County supply was critical Along with Essex County Virginia Bedford County was notable in 1775 for offering premiums to enshycourage local saltpetre manufacture (Clark 1929)
This offer may have been a prime motive inthe establishment of what may have been the most northerly saltpetre cave mining operation in American history
Saltpetre Bedford County
mined for Saltpetre (John Friends Cave
Ca ve is located in Sweet Root State Park northwest of Chancysville Pennsylvani about 50 miles northeast of the nearest other
cave Garrett County Md) John FriendsC ave and Busheys Car-ern at Cavetown Md in WaShington County appear to be the northernmost limestone saltpet re caves while Bedford Countys saltpetre cave is believed to be the northernmost American cave of any type mined for saltpetre The only possi ble eXC eption known to the writer is similar in nature to Saltpetre Cave but cannot really be classified as a cave This consists of a series of sandstone cliffs 25 to 40 feet high located along the Susquehanna River in Wyoming County Penna In 1783 or 1784 Johann David Shoepf a German traveller was shown man-made holes in these cliffs where saltpetre had been mined from the very bedrock In 1788 he wrote that
at the beginning of the war various saltpetre -boileries were set up in themiddot Wyoming region but were given over on account of the Indians or for othe reasons Now this deposit and t he scraped -off sand are said to have been used in the preparation of saltpetre bull bull bull (Sc hoepf 1911)
l2
magister end
in local verbal tradition (Anon 1907 Stone 1953 Black 1963 Imler Sweet Wa ter Gap were expored very early
Thomas Powell
covery of the cave
War
the participants (the late Stella lames Beck) visited the cave for picnics by pine torch light Chaneysville Imler 1971
preserved for future generations
ere Ices to the historic traditions thereof S 1 pi reference
Because of their similar nature this account adds credence to the supposed usage of Saltpetre Cave Sandstone cliffs and shelters were extensively mined for saltpetre in Kentucky very early in the 19th Century (Maxon 1932 ) In all cases the bedrock itself would most likel y have been crushed and boiled to remove the nitrate content as described for the Kentucky operations
Saltpetre Cave is located along Little Sweet Root Creek in a beautiful hollow shaded by towering hemlocks The entrance is on the right side of the holshylow in the base of a sandstone cliff below a large boulder It is a jointshycontrolled fissure cavern in Devonian sandstone and parallels the hollow It It appears genetically related to the formation of the hollow and the breakdown oithe cliffs The upper entrance is halved by a large ceiling breakdown slab This passage slopes gently downward for about 40 feet gradually enqing in fill and breakdown Near the end a floor floor fiSSure connects by a short crawl to a parallel passage which is slightly shorter and smaller more easily entered through a second entrance ten feet from the first
The cave fill has an extensive organic content perhaps primarily due to Neotoma
found near the along with the
genershyations of habitation by the Allegheny cave rat Six intact rat nests neat and igloo shaped were inquisitive owner The lower passage contains a thin layer of charcoal in its fill The ceiling near the rat nests is coated with soot
The history of the cave area and the cave itself is obscured by inconsiste ciE This is reflected in various published references
1 964) Sweet Root Creek an when
son of Nathaniel Powell member of the Virginia Council organized a small expedition to explore in the summer of 1625 the northwest section of Virginia bull The march continued on North along Town Creek to the junction of S weet Root Creek thence
Hill II (Lutz 1946)
Over a century later in 1747 Joseph Plty(ell established a t acingpost in the gap on1y a few hundred yards froInSaltpetre Cave The foundation of this bUilding are still visible His brother George is credited with the disshy
through Sweet Water Gap and on up the creek to its source on Martin
at an unrecorded cmte (Anon 1907) The mining activity itself was probably accomplished by Michaet-Huff during the Revolutionary
while the gunpowder was made from the saltpetre by Jacob R9wland
The cave has seen other use in more Inodern times According to one of 15 students and their teacher
from ail old log school near A school teacher naIned Sanford Fleet obtained
saltpetre from the cave during the 1920ts (Stone 1953) Today within the boundaries of Sweet Root State Park this historic spot has been deservedly
and a marked trail is maintained to the cave
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thalk Byron Black and Thomas C Imler of Bedford County for their generous aid in visiting the cave and supplying several repoundshy
WR Halliday supplied the 7-3
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
in developing the cave They approached the supposed owner of the cave Robert Woodson but found that after living on the land five years he had not paid anything to Adair Hazen paid the Lee brothers $150 for their interest in the cave and approached Adair concerning commercialization of the cave (5)
NumerouS accounts appeared stating that Hazen discovered the cave on July 10 1895 Other accounts subsequently said that Woodson Hazen1s nephew Pike Chapman or William Garvin discovered the cave around July 15 1895 (6) bull However we do know that on August 28 1895 a deed
was filed in the Edmonson County Clerks office in which Mary Isenberg Adairs daughter gave a one-third interest in Adair-Woodson Cave to L W Hazen The deed continued
And in consideration of the labor and expenses of party of the second part in exploring and clearing out passageways in the different avenues Of Adair-Woodson Cave that party of the first part allows parties of the second part all of the cave fees until January 1 1896 (7)
Hazen was further allowed to get money from hotel and cottage fees until August 28 1898 He obtained his interest in the cave by promising to develop the cave for the public and advertise it No money changed hands between Hazen and Mrs Isenberg
Hazen hired the Lee brothers and probably Pike Chapman to help him develop the cave They blasted and dug out the passageway Several weeks after beginning work Jike and Henry arrived at the top of a large dome Pike Chapman was lovered 180 feet to the bottom of the dome later named Colossal Dome Climbing up out of the bottom of the shaft Pike found a huge passageway much larger than anything previously found in WoodsonAdair Cave (8)
During this period Mammoth Cave was owned by the Crogan estate Tourshyist trade was dwindling and the property falling into disrepair The Louisshyville and Nashville Railroad Company (L amp N) wanted to increase tourist trade on its main line and began buying property in the cave region The L amp N evidently wanted to prote t the original Mammoth Cave properties but also wanted to increase the value of the region as an attraction for tourists (9) Rumors circulated in the cave area that the railroad would reward people who could find another entrance t o Mammoth Cave
On January 13 1896 part of Hazen1s contract with the Isenbergs expired Two days later he went to Louisville to discuss Woodson-Adair Cave with Milton H Smith President of the L amp N On that day these two men drew up a contract which stated that a corporati on was to be formed II bull bull bull to do business of discovering owning developing and operating cave properties II Hazen was paid $550 cash and was to receive $4450 in stock of the corporation of $100000 capital stock For this conSideration Hazen was to transfer to Smith all his interest in Woodson-Adair Cave and other land he owned
64
be
As land could not be deeded directly to the railroad for non-railroad purposes Hazen was not to purchase cave property or rights for Smith directly Rathe r Hazen was to purchase them in his name and conshyvev them to a L amp j employe Daniel Breck who would hold title Hazen wa given eXcLltsive ph otographic right s in the WoodsonmiddotmiddotAdair Cave and cOliJd retnove specimens and cave fortnations for sale subshyject ody to limlts set by Smith These agreements resulted in the deed L W Hazen and Sophron ie J Hazen to M H Smith January 24 1896 The deed went on to st ate
If the first parties or either of them buy any tract of land for a residence or for any other purpose and said tract of land have on it any cave or caves that may be capable of being made profitshyable by being opened to vi sitors said cave or caves shall be held by then or either of them as the case may be in trust for the use and benetit of the said second party and his aSSigns
Hazen becanle nanager of the Woodson-Adair Cave and was deSignated an agent to buy land and cave rights in the area Lute Lee wrote that Hazer was pa id a total of $4500 and was to receive the remaining $500 when he proved the cave connected with Mammoth Cave a connection he told Smith he could establish (10)
middotOn January 29 189h the Louisville COURIER -JOURNAL printed an article emitled ItColossal Cave to be opened1 The article began
On file in the Edmonson County Clerk I s office is a deed transshymiddotferrirg a recently discovered colossal cavern inEdmonson CounrV to M FI bull Smith trustee of a corporation undermiddot the general laws of Kentu cky which will created with the capital stock at $100 000 divided into shares of$lOO each (11) - J
- _ - - 1 - -t -
The article sTaredtharthe cave n was discovered August 15 middot1895by L W Hazen of Bowling Green Ky Much to thedisrriay of the Isenshybergs who had no invotvement in the dealings between Hazen and Smith L amp N engineers led by Edgar Vaughn arrived and began mapping the cave Several davs later the COURtER-JOURNAL had another art i cle entitled Suit about
a ca e This article stated
Ii Mat and DBe Isenb rg filed suit today against M H Smith president of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad COIUpanymiddot and M H Smith individuaUy and as tru stee for $50 OOO charging the L amp Nand MHo Smith presiden of the road with conspi ring to defaud them of their i terests So M Payton and Isenberg also sued for $50middot 000 and ask that a receiver be appointed to take charge of the case until the matter is settled (12
65
I I -
- -
While the litigation was pending at Brownsville surveying the Woodson-Adair entrance carne to a halt
By this t ime the L amp N already had purchased the Tobie Holton place entrance of Bedqullt Cave was on this land Woodson-Adair entrance Lute Lee wrote Daniel Breck who was representing Smith he could have threed days he could connect Bed Quilt (sic) Cave with Colossal Cavern Breck agreed and in two days we made it connection (sic) and took hiT through (D) II
Unknown to the Isenbergs and their court-appointed receiver the L amp N engineers enlarged the passageway into Bedqullt Cave and surveyed a long low crawlway which intersected the main passage of Colossal Cave They continued their survey to a terminal breakdown of the main passage The survey revealed the main passage ended at the edge of Houchins Valley under William Garvins 30 acre tarm The L amp N bought the farm and one month later) was sinking an incline into the cave
The newspaper articles on the cave development and litigation were read by two grandsons of Jacob Locke who lived in Daviess County 0 They realshyized that it was their grandfathers land being contested and established to S oM Payton the Isenbergs lawyer that they were the rightful heirs to the land They sold their interest to Payton thuO invalidating Adairs mortgage and the Isenbergs I rights to the cave Payton promptly sold the land and cave rights to the L amp N
Smith and the railroad now owned Woodson -Adair Cave and nearly all lan d over Colossal Cave as the main passages were called Smith sought to publicize the cave and on March 28 1896 a feature article entitled IIColossal Cavernll appeared in the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL When written the Locke heirs had arrived but the litigation over ownership was still in the hands of the court-appointed receiver L amp N workmen were in the process of blasting the new entrance into the cave Pike Chapman served as guide for the COURIER-JOURNAL reporter and they entered the cave through a trap-door in the floor of a log cabin Hazen had built over the Woodson-Adair entrance The skeleton of a b uilding later desigshynated the dining room or dance floor had been built inside the main cave near the side passage which connected with Bedquilt Cave Chapman told the reporter that the headwaters of Mammoth Cavels Echo River were in Colossal Cave and that a water connection had been proven toFroctor1s Cae a cave in Joppa Ridge also run commercially by the L amp N (14)
Pike Chapman and the Lee brothers explored many passageways of the large cave system they had found beyond Colossal Dome In January and March 1896 they left their names in a large dome-complex far from the cave entrance In1960 members of Cave Research Foundation connected Colossal and Salts caves by squeezing through a canyon only a few yards
66
from where the old-timers had explored
in the cave via
The aboot one-half mile from the lIMy brother Henry told the L amp N president that if
aceeo to the cave
By the summer ofl89t the new entraDce to Colossal was opened A threeshy
house was builJ on the hiLLside near the cave entran oe and Lute Lee
lived rhere as the manag r Hazen had faUen into disfavor with Smith and
He be-gar m i ning Jarge quantities of fo rm at ions from the cave
room
the L amp N as alJowed bv his otlginaJ contract with Smith Hazen was told to stop
buYHg 13nd or SmJrh and Daniel Breck was designated the official L amp N lan d r-epreselllaUVf On FeiltlJ-1r-y 13 1897 Hazen and his wife apparently
deeded on part of tnejr and holdings 10 Breck despite their earlier conshy
tract WJth Srnilh Hazen houghand adjacerr lo L amp N land and tried to
force errranees ipto Colo3sa Cave H slccessfulJy opened Hazen1s
EntJarc tor (jPQ d1f 1 11 oad to lxv -liE ard to malntain (ontrol of aU
After beHlg she ou a Colossal Cave Ha zen made an attempt to commshyercia1ize Sals Cali e ThroJgh the enrance on his wife1s land previously visited by)om-g The hlstoric ertrance of Salts Cave one mile away was owned bv the Mammoth Cave ESfate and access to it was forbidden In JuJv 1897 Pike Chapmn was kilted while in the process of enlarging the b ack entrance to S alt s Cave for Hazen his unde On A ugust 15 1897 anothe r articte appear ed in the COURJ R middotJOURNAL It was written by BennetT Young ard el iled Rimiddota s the Mammoth in grandeur It disshycussed Igtriefy Coiossa Calern ald tbe fact that Hazen had discovered it but w went on to discuss Hazermiddotls C3e or Sa] C ave The a rt i cle lauded the br av erv armiddotd expLoits of H-ilzen and ris wife and announced that within a month Hazens Cave Vol d he opeD to the public 15)
Hazen sTar+ed b1didlng tralls hom the Pike Chapman entrance down the ITl a in passageway of Sals Covei but cave b e came a commercialbefore the sl(cess -he L amp N br ought suji against Ha zen Hazen lost all the land he h ad bought h EO turned oe W he L amp NJ irclLding his property at the Pik e C h apm ar en-raEce
The Colossal Cae n Compan y was finaLy hartered on March 3 1898 I On Apn1 27 JSQ8 D-lrie Bteck d eeded the Jand he bad been holding to the Co poIaJOn fOI Ue corside r atlon of $(00 A large part of the propshyertleS incLudlTg the or-iginal deed 19XWoodson-Adair Cave was transferred to the compaIyoI May 20 1898 in the deed ttMH Sniith and wife to Colossal Cavern Compa ny
OriginaHy c ave ]sifors left the Mammoth Cave Railroad at Proctor Cave and went ovettard by agoD to lhe W oodson-Adai r entrance After t he new blas ed entr-ance was opened patr ons continued OI the train to Mammoth Cave and wen by w agon s llP the vaLley to Colossal Ca ve However the cave never became the a tt gtetion that had been pl anned While Lee was the manager onJ bve OJ six persons v isited the cave weekly Stories persist of how w agon wheeJs repeatedly feU off the passenger wagons during the 1 12 milE dp to ColOSSal Cave requiring the visitors to walk ba ck to Maml Cave and tak e their cave trip there Frequently the horses erc Stltied b strange noises in t he bushes and woods supposedly from cave competitors
In 1896 the Reverend Horace C Hovey wrote an article about Colossal Cave from information given him by Ben Hains and John M Nelson He visited the cave in Jul v 1903 In November 1903 his second article on Colossal Cave was printed including a map of Colossal and Bedquilt Caves (16) Other articles appeared in magazines and L amp N brochures but by 1910 the cave was seldom visited Lute Lee served as manager for three years and was succeeded by J M and Morris Hunt As time passed declining revenues the discovery of new commercial caves on Flint Ridge and the advent of the automobile closed Colossal Cave to the public
In May 1921 the Coloss Cavern Company leased surface rights on 300 acres near the Pike Chapman entrance to A J Musselman of Chicago Tom Bendelow a famous golf course architect was hired to lay out an 18-hole course On May 19 1921 the Louisville TIMES featured an article Rich will sOOP- have links at Mammoth Caven Musselman
built 21 log huts and a large dining and recreation hall in the center of the gold course and was ready for golfers by the spring of 1922 (17) Initially the project prospered and stories are still told about how local men would sneak into the old entrance 6f Salts Cave to reach the Pike chapman entrance where golfers stored illegal ga1lon jugs of whiskey Another cave on the BlueGrass Country Club land Unknown Cave was later to prove the key to int grating Salts Cave Floyd Collins Crystal Cave Bedquilt Cave and Colossal Cave into the worlds longest cave system
In 1925 the Louisville Gas and Electric Company confirmed that streams inlossal Cave cOJlnected with Pike Spring near Floyd Collins Crystal Cave The dye tests attr acted little attention as cave explor ation was discouraged while Mammoth Cave National Park was being formed Alshythough they had promised to deed their land to the new park the L amp N and the Colossa Cavern Company continued to be beset with legal actions chiefly overt the definition of cave property rights The legal act ion culshyminated in the Kentucky Court of Appeals in COX v COLOSSAL CAVERN COMPANY 210 Ky 612 decided on October 16 1925
By 1928 the BlueGrass Country Club was closed George Cline the last guide and caretaker of ColOSSal Cave left the land in 1930 On May 23 1933 the remaining buildings on the country club grounds were first occushypied by Company 510 of the Civilian Conservation Corps On January 23 1935 Colossal Cavern Company holdings were transferred to the National Palk Association The ColOSSal Cavern Company was officially dissolved on July 31 1935 Colossal Cave was thereafter visited only by local rock collectors and National Park Service personnel Further mention of the Colossal Cavern Company existed only in newspaper notices of its dissolshyution which appeared in the Louisville TIMES i n August 1935 In a final deed dated April 25 1940 the L amp N conveyed all of its holdings to Mammoth Cave National Park thereby ending 45 years of profound influence on the history of caving in Flint tidge
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This article is issued as part of a Cave Research Foundation project on the history of cave exploration in Mammoth Cave National Park The
68
Antiq14ity - -- --------
0p_
Op Sit
8 Lee Lute Cit -gt
14 Lute
author wishes to thank Milton H Smith ill the L amp N Railroad Edwin L Rothfuss National Park Service Patty Jo Watson Cave Research Foundation and ERo Pohl Mamm oth Onyx Cavefor assistance in c ollectin g articles and inJormation used in this paper
BIBLIOGRAPHY
L Rohbins LOLise M A Woodl and Mummy from Salts Cave Kenshyt1ckv American Vol 36 No Z 1971 pp ZOO-206
2 bull Lee LLte ( roseph Louis) lMemories of the Past Undated mss original hand -wrItfen copy at the Filson Club Louisville Ky Reprinted in tllls Journa VoL 2 no t Jan -March 1969 pp 16-17
3 Ibid
4 Young Be nne 1t H THE PREHISTORIC MEN OF KENTUCKY Filson ClubPIblicationNo 25 J ohn P Morton amp Co Louisville Ky ) p 300
6 Lee Lute lLute Lee Tells of Colossal Cavern and of Early Life of Jacob Lock (sicI The Glasg ow TIMES Glasgow Ky May 22lt 1952 Lute Lee staed that he main pas s ag e was found before Hazen purchased an interest in the cav e ihe T-merous conflict ing dates around July 1895 for dis covery of Coloss a Cavern may reflect that it was about this
Lime that the main cave - Colossal - was discovered by reaching Colossal Dome from Woodson-Adair Cave For some time both caves were referred to se paratel y although each was part of one cave system
7 Nary M renberg to L W Hazen A gust 28 1895 Deed BookR Edmonson Couny Clerks Office Br owls ille Ky
-L_ _J
bull l
9 R eport on file Louisville and Nashville Railroad Louisville Ky
10 Deeds ard contracts on file L amp N Rail ro ad Real Estate Department Louisville Ky
-1l Anon ifltolossal Cave to be Open ed Louisville COURIER -jOURNAL bull January 91896 p 5 This article is the first reference fou nd in which
the worClflcolossal was used in reference to the cave
12 Anon IISuit about a Cae 1 Louisville COURIERJOURNAL February 4 l896 p 7
13 Anon Colossal Cavern Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL March 28 l896 p 6
Lee
15 Younll Bennett H Rivals the Mammoth in Grandeur Louisville COURIER--JOUR AL sect 3 August 15 1897 p1
(references concluded page )
19 1p 20
N lt---__ _
- - -- - --- --
connecting passages
FLOOR PLAN
Saltpetre Cave Penna CRG grade 4
crawl
B-n-B
Lowerbull
passage
scale in feet
Mapped -NoveInber 5 1967 Ennis Duling
Peter Hauer
70
0 _ _ _ _ __ -
PENNSYLVANIAS ONLY SALTPETRE CAVE
Saltpetre Cave Bedibrd County Pa is a small sandstone fissure which
A BACKGROUND STUDY Peter M Hauer
Abstract
was mined for saltpetre dirt during the 18th Century One of the very few natural soutces of the material in the state Sal tpetre Cave illustrates the needs and remoeness of the westetn counties in the state which became the leading gunpowder producer during the American Revolution bull
--
When the Amedcan Revolution began saltpetre procurement became an important cOIlsideration The colonists found themselves without any operable powder miHs Two years earlier in October 1774 the British Parliament had prohibited all export of black powder to America and when the war broke out the Americans had only 80000 pounds of powder total (Wilkinson 1966
The leadership of the newmiddot country was quick to respond to this need Its response on a smaller scale was similar to that of the Confederate leaders
During this periodlnumerous
In
85 years later On July 3 1775 the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia with Benjamin FrankJin presiding resolved
That Mes srs Robert Morris Robert White and Thomas Warton junr do with the vtmost expeditionprocure any quantity of Powder and SlaquoIt PetrI in their Power II (Anon n d)
In New York in January 1776 the Committe published the first American text on this subject a 38-page Essays upon the Making opound5alt-Petre and Gunshy
Powder bounties and premiUms for salt-petre were offered by the individual colonies Nitriaries using organic wastes were established in Jarg numbers in f ull knowledge of the two
ormoreJyemiddotars required before they would ltproduceanyquantit-y of saltpetre bull IrliL another parallel to later Confederate tact-ics smuggling of saltpetre
from the supplies of foreign aUies be ame the most important source bull
the first 2 12 years of the Revolutionary War the Americans were able to produce less than 10 per cent of their supply the rest being imported fr m French merchants (VanGelder dSchlatterl927) _
During this period of short munition supply Pennsylvania emerged as the leading gunpowder producer not ovly due to its centr l position but to its manv German farmers who knew the art as well as the old women knew how to make soft soap (Wilkinson 1966) Despite the slow start by 1781 Pennsylvania had 21 powder mills with an annual capacity oL625 tons (Clark 1929) Ten years later saltpetre was cheaper inPhiladelphia than in London (Geoghegan and Karnes 1968)
This post-war availabllity was particularly in contrast to the early scarcity inthe remote mountain regions of the state Bedford County was a frontier stronghold at the time of the American Revolution and even before that time
71
it had held particular strategic importance as a vanguard of Colonial expansion into the Western wildernes s and Indian lands In the summer of 1758 Fort Bedford was built as an aid to that expansionist des ire The violence of massacre war and rebellion governed the lives and needs of its people through the Ameri can Revolution and into the 10cally based Whiskey Insurrection of 1794
The early need for saltpetre in Bedford County is well documented The minutes of the Council of Safety for October 2 1775 state
II Upon application of Bernard Dougherty Esqr for some Gunpowder for the use of Bedford County Resolved That 100 Pounds of Powder be lent to said County for the pres ent and when Convenient this Board will spare them a larger Quantity An order was drawn on the Commis sary for the Same and delivered Mr Dougherty
14(Anon n d )
Later on January 3 1776 under the chairmanship of Benjamin Franklin
If Letters were wrote tot the Commissioners and assessors of each County respecting Arms etc J to be provided by them agreeable to a Resolve of Assembly of the June last and to the Committees of the different Counties (except those of Westmoreland Northumberland and Bedford) respecting the Manufacture of Saltpetre and the mode of procuring rid paying the Same (Anon nd)
Obviously the Bedford County supply was critical Along with Essex County Virginia Bedford County was notable in 1775 for offering premiums to enshycourage local saltpetre manufacture (Clark 1929)
This offer may have been a prime motive inthe establishment of what may have been the most northerly saltpetre cave mining operation in American history
Saltpetre Bedford County
mined for Saltpetre (John Friends Cave
Ca ve is located in Sweet Root State Park northwest of Chancysville Pennsylvani about 50 miles northeast of the nearest other
cave Garrett County Md) John FriendsC ave and Busheys Car-ern at Cavetown Md in WaShington County appear to be the northernmost limestone saltpet re caves while Bedford Countys saltpetre cave is believed to be the northernmost American cave of any type mined for saltpetre The only possi ble eXC eption known to the writer is similar in nature to Saltpetre Cave but cannot really be classified as a cave This consists of a series of sandstone cliffs 25 to 40 feet high located along the Susquehanna River in Wyoming County Penna In 1783 or 1784 Johann David Shoepf a German traveller was shown man-made holes in these cliffs where saltpetre had been mined from the very bedrock In 1788 he wrote that
at the beginning of the war various saltpetre -boileries were set up in themiddot Wyoming region but were given over on account of the Indians or for othe reasons Now this deposit and t he scraped -off sand are said to have been used in the preparation of saltpetre bull bull bull (Sc hoepf 1911)
l2
magister end
in local verbal tradition (Anon 1907 Stone 1953 Black 1963 Imler Sweet Wa ter Gap were expored very early
Thomas Powell
covery of the cave
War
the participants (the late Stella lames Beck) visited the cave for picnics by pine torch light Chaneysville Imler 1971
preserved for future generations
ere Ices to the historic traditions thereof S 1 pi reference
Because of their similar nature this account adds credence to the supposed usage of Saltpetre Cave Sandstone cliffs and shelters were extensively mined for saltpetre in Kentucky very early in the 19th Century (Maxon 1932 ) In all cases the bedrock itself would most likel y have been crushed and boiled to remove the nitrate content as described for the Kentucky operations
Saltpetre Cave is located along Little Sweet Root Creek in a beautiful hollow shaded by towering hemlocks The entrance is on the right side of the holshylow in the base of a sandstone cliff below a large boulder It is a jointshycontrolled fissure cavern in Devonian sandstone and parallels the hollow It It appears genetically related to the formation of the hollow and the breakdown oithe cliffs The upper entrance is halved by a large ceiling breakdown slab This passage slopes gently downward for about 40 feet gradually enqing in fill and breakdown Near the end a floor floor fiSSure connects by a short crawl to a parallel passage which is slightly shorter and smaller more easily entered through a second entrance ten feet from the first
The cave fill has an extensive organic content perhaps primarily due to Neotoma
found near the along with the
genershyations of habitation by the Allegheny cave rat Six intact rat nests neat and igloo shaped were inquisitive owner The lower passage contains a thin layer of charcoal in its fill The ceiling near the rat nests is coated with soot
The history of the cave area and the cave itself is obscured by inconsiste ciE This is reflected in various published references
1 964) Sweet Root Creek an when
son of Nathaniel Powell member of the Virginia Council organized a small expedition to explore in the summer of 1625 the northwest section of Virginia bull The march continued on North along Town Creek to the junction of S weet Root Creek thence
Hill II (Lutz 1946)
Over a century later in 1747 Joseph Plty(ell established a t acingpost in the gap on1y a few hundred yards froInSaltpetre Cave The foundation of this bUilding are still visible His brother George is credited with the disshy
through Sweet Water Gap and on up the creek to its source on Martin
at an unrecorded cmte (Anon 1907) The mining activity itself was probably accomplished by Michaet-Huff during the Revolutionary
while the gunpowder was made from the saltpetre by Jacob R9wland
The cave has seen other use in more Inodern times According to one of 15 students and their teacher
from ail old log school near A school teacher naIned Sanford Fleet obtained
saltpetre from the cave during the 1920ts (Stone 1953) Today within the boundaries of Sweet Root State Park this historic spot has been deservedly
and a marked trail is maintained to the cave
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thalk Byron Black and Thomas C Imler of Bedford County for their generous aid in visiting the cave and supplying several repoundshy
WR Halliday supplied the 7-3
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
be
As land could not be deeded directly to the railroad for non-railroad purposes Hazen was not to purchase cave property or rights for Smith directly Rathe r Hazen was to purchase them in his name and conshyvev them to a L amp j employe Daniel Breck who would hold title Hazen wa given eXcLltsive ph otographic right s in the WoodsonmiddotmiddotAdair Cave and cOliJd retnove specimens and cave fortnations for sale subshyject ody to limlts set by Smith These agreements resulted in the deed L W Hazen and Sophron ie J Hazen to M H Smith January 24 1896 The deed went on to st ate
If the first parties or either of them buy any tract of land for a residence or for any other purpose and said tract of land have on it any cave or caves that may be capable of being made profitshyable by being opened to vi sitors said cave or caves shall be held by then or either of them as the case may be in trust for the use and benetit of the said second party and his aSSigns
Hazen becanle nanager of the Woodson-Adair Cave and was deSignated an agent to buy land and cave rights in the area Lute Lee wrote that Hazer was pa id a total of $4500 and was to receive the remaining $500 when he proved the cave connected with Mammoth Cave a connection he told Smith he could establish (10)
middotOn January 29 189h the Louisville COURIER -JOURNAL printed an article emitled ItColossal Cave to be opened1 The article began
On file in the Edmonson County Clerk I s office is a deed transshymiddotferrirg a recently discovered colossal cavern inEdmonson CounrV to M FI bull Smith trustee of a corporation undermiddot the general laws of Kentu cky which will created with the capital stock at $100 000 divided into shares of$lOO each (11) - J
- _ - - 1 - -t -
The article sTaredtharthe cave n was discovered August 15 middot1895by L W Hazen of Bowling Green Ky Much to thedisrriay of the Isenshybergs who had no invotvement in the dealings between Hazen and Smith L amp N engineers led by Edgar Vaughn arrived and began mapping the cave Several davs later the COURtER-JOURNAL had another art i cle entitled Suit about
a ca e This article stated
Ii Mat and DBe Isenb rg filed suit today against M H Smith president of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad COIUpanymiddot and M H Smith individuaUy and as tru stee for $50 OOO charging the L amp Nand MHo Smith presiden of the road with conspi ring to defaud them of their i terests So M Payton and Isenberg also sued for $50middot 000 and ask that a receiver be appointed to take charge of the case until the matter is settled (12
65
I I -
- -
While the litigation was pending at Brownsville surveying the Woodson-Adair entrance carne to a halt
By this t ime the L amp N already had purchased the Tobie Holton place entrance of Bedqullt Cave was on this land Woodson-Adair entrance Lute Lee wrote Daniel Breck who was representing Smith he could have threed days he could connect Bed Quilt (sic) Cave with Colossal Cavern Breck agreed and in two days we made it connection (sic) and took hiT through (D) II
Unknown to the Isenbergs and their court-appointed receiver the L amp N engineers enlarged the passageway into Bedqullt Cave and surveyed a long low crawlway which intersected the main passage of Colossal Cave They continued their survey to a terminal breakdown of the main passage The survey revealed the main passage ended at the edge of Houchins Valley under William Garvins 30 acre tarm The L amp N bought the farm and one month later) was sinking an incline into the cave
The newspaper articles on the cave development and litigation were read by two grandsons of Jacob Locke who lived in Daviess County 0 They realshyized that it was their grandfathers land being contested and established to S oM Payton the Isenbergs lawyer that they were the rightful heirs to the land They sold their interest to Payton thuO invalidating Adairs mortgage and the Isenbergs I rights to the cave Payton promptly sold the land and cave rights to the L amp N
Smith and the railroad now owned Woodson -Adair Cave and nearly all lan d over Colossal Cave as the main passages were called Smith sought to publicize the cave and on March 28 1896 a feature article entitled IIColossal Cavernll appeared in the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL When written the Locke heirs had arrived but the litigation over ownership was still in the hands of the court-appointed receiver L amp N workmen were in the process of blasting the new entrance into the cave Pike Chapman served as guide for the COURIER-JOURNAL reporter and they entered the cave through a trap-door in the floor of a log cabin Hazen had built over the Woodson-Adair entrance The skeleton of a b uilding later desigshynated the dining room or dance floor had been built inside the main cave near the side passage which connected with Bedquilt Cave Chapman told the reporter that the headwaters of Mammoth Cavels Echo River were in Colossal Cave and that a water connection had been proven toFroctor1s Cae a cave in Joppa Ridge also run commercially by the L amp N (14)
Pike Chapman and the Lee brothers explored many passageways of the large cave system they had found beyond Colossal Dome In January and March 1896 they left their names in a large dome-complex far from the cave entrance In1960 members of Cave Research Foundation connected Colossal and Salts caves by squeezing through a canyon only a few yards
66
from where the old-timers had explored
in the cave via
The aboot one-half mile from the lIMy brother Henry told the L amp N president that if
aceeo to the cave
By the summer ofl89t the new entraDce to Colossal was opened A threeshy
house was builJ on the hiLLside near the cave entran oe and Lute Lee
lived rhere as the manag r Hazen had faUen into disfavor with Smith and
He be-gar m i ning Jarge quantities of fo rm at ions from the cave
room
the L amp N as alJowed bv his otlginaJ contract with Smith Hazen was told to stop
buYHg 13nd or SmJrh and Daniel Breck was designated the official L amp N lan d r-epreselllaUVf On FeiltlJ-1r-y 13 1897 Hazen and his wife apparently
deeded on part of tnejr and holdings 10 Breck despite their earlier conshy
tract WJth Srnilh Hazen houghand adjacerr lo L amp N land and tried to
force errranees ipto Colo3sa Cave H slccessfulJy opened Hazen1s
EntJarc tor (jPQ d1f 1 11 oad to lxv -liE ard to malntain (ontrol of aU
After beHlg she ou a Colossal Cave Ha zen made an attempt to commshyercia1ize Sals Cali e ThroJgh the enrance on his wife1s land previously visited by)om-g The hlstoric ertrance of Salts Cave one mile away was owned bv the Mammoth Cave ESfate and access to it was forbidden In JuJv 1897 Pike Chapmn was kilted while in the process of enlarging the b ack entrance to S alt s Cave for Hazen his unde On A ugust 15 1897 anothe r articte appear ed in the COURJ R middotJOURNAL It was written by BennetT Young ard el iled Rimiddota s the Mammoth in grandeur It disshycussed Igtriefy Coiossa Calern ald tbe fact that Hazen had discovered it but w went on to discuss Hazermiddotls C3e or Sa] C ave The a rt i cle lauded the br av erv armiddotd expLoits of H-ilzen and ris wife and announced that within a month Hazens Cave Vol d he opeD to the public 15)
Hazen sTar+ed b1didlng tralls hom the Pike Chapman entrance down the ITl a in passageway of Sals Covei but cave b e came a commercialbefore the sl(cess -he L amp N br ought suji against Ha zen Hazen lost all the land he h ad bought h EO turned oe W he L amp NJ irclLding his property at the Pik e C h apm ar en-raEce
The Colossal Cae n Compan y was finaLy hartered on March 3 1898 I On Apn1 27 JSQ8 D-lrie Bteck d eeded the Jand he bad been holding to the Co poIaJOn fOI Ue corside r atlon of $(00 A large part of the propshyertleS incLudlTg the or-iginal deed 19XWoodson-Adair Cave was transferred to the compaIyoI May 20 1898 in the deed ttMH Sniith and wife to Colossal Cavern Compa ny
OriginaHy c ave ]sifors left the Mammoth Cave Railroad at Proctor Cave and went ovettard by agoD to lhe W oodson-Adai r entrance After t he new blas ed entr-ance was opened patr ons continued OI the train to Mammoth Cave and wen by w agon s llP the vaLley to Colossal Ca ve However the cave never became the a tt gtetion that had been pl anned While Lee was the manager onJ bve OJ six persons v isited the cave weekly Stories persist of how w agon wheeJs repeatedly feU off the passenger wagons during the 1 12 milE dp to ColOSSal Cave requiring the visitors to walk ba ck to Maml Cave and tak e their cave trip there Frequently the horses erc Stltied b strange noises in t he bushes and woods supposedly from cave competitors
In 1896 the Reverend Horace C Hovey wrote an article about Colossal Cave from information given him by Ben Hains and John M Nelson He visited the cave in Jul v 1903 In November 1903 his second article on Colossal Cave was printed including a map of Colossal and Bedquilt Caves (16) Other articles appeared in magazines and L amp N brochures but by 1910 the cave was seldom visited Lute Lee served as manager for three years and was succeeded by J M and Morris Hunt As time passed declining revenues the discovery of new commercial caves on Flint Ridge and the advent of the automobile closed Colossal Cave to the public
In May 1921 the Coloss Cavern Company leased surface rights on 300 acres near the Pike Chapman entrance to A J Musselman of Chicago Tom Bendelow a famous golf course architect was hired to lay out an 18-hole course On May 19 1921 the Louisville TIMES featured an article Rich will sOOP- have links at Mammoth Caven Musselman
built 21 log huts and a large dining and recreation hall in the center of the gold course and was ready for golfers by the spring of 1922 (17) Initially the project prospered and stories are still told about how local men would sneak into the old entrance 6f Salts Cave to reach the Pike chapman entrance where golfers stored illegal ga1lon jugs of whiskey Another cave on the BlueGrass Country Club land Unknown Cave was later to prove the key to int grating Salts Cave Floyd Collins Crystal Cave Bedquilt Cave and Colossal Cave into the worlds longest cave system
In 1925 the Louisville Gas and Electric Company confirmed that streams inlossal Cave cOJlnected with Pike Spring near Floyd Collins Crystal Cave The dye tests attr acted little attention as cave explor ation was discouraged while Mammoth Cave National Park was being formed Alshythough they had promised to deed their land to the new park the L amp N and the Colossa Cavern Company continued to be beset with legal actions chiefly overt the definition of cave property rights The legal act ion culshyminated in the Kentucky Court of Appeals in COX v COLOSSAL CAVERN COMPANY 210 Ky 612 decided on October 16 1925
By 1928 the BlueGrass Country Club was closed George Cline the last guide and caretaker of ColOSSal Cave left the land in 1930 On May 23 1933 the remaining buildings on the country club grounds were first occushypied by Company 510 of the Civilian Conservation Corps On January 23 1935 Colossal Cavern Company holdings were transferred to the National Palk Association The ColOSSal Cavern Company was officially dissolved on July 31 1935 Colossal Cave was thereafter visited only by local rock collectors and National Park Service personnel Further mention of the Colossal Cavern Company existed only in newspaper notices of its dissolshyution which appeared in the Louisville TIMES i n August 1935 In a final deed dated April 25 1940 the L amp N conveyed all of its holdings to Mammoth Cave National Park thereby ending 45 years of profound influence on the history of caving in Flint tidge
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This article is issued as part of a Cave Research Foundation project on the history of cave exploration in Mammoth Cave National Park The
68
Antiq14ity - -- --------
0p_
Op Sit
8 Lee Lute Cit -gt
14 Lute
author wishes to thank Milton H Smith ill the L amp N Railroad Edwin L Rothfuss National Park Service Patty Jo Watson Cave Research Foundation and ERo Pohl Mamm oth Onyx Cavefor assistance in c ollectin g articles and inJormation used in this paper
BIBLIOGRAPHY
L Rohbins LOLise M A Woodl and Mummy from Salts Cave Kenshyt1ckv American Vol 36 No Z 1971 pp ZOO-206
2 bull Lee LLte ( roseph Louis) lMemories of the Past Undated mss original hand -wrItfen copy at the Filson Club Louisville Ky Reprinted in tllls Journa VoL 2 no t Jan -March 1969 pp 16-17
3 Ibid
4 Young Be nne 1t H THE PREHISTORIC MEN OF KENTUCKY Filson ClubPIblicationNo 25 J ohn P Morton amp Co Louisville Ky ) p 300
6 Lee Lute lLute Lee Tells of Colossal Cavern and of Early Life of Jacob Lock (sicI The Glasg ow TIMES Glasgow Ky May 22lt 1952 Lute Lee staed that he main pas s ag e was found before Hazen purchased an interest in the cav e ihe T-merous conflict ing dates around July 1895 for dis covery of Coloss a Cavern may reflect that it was about this
Lime that the main cave - Colossal - was discovered by reaching Colossal Dome from Woodson-Adair Cave For some time both caves were referred to se paratel y although each was part of one cave system
7 Nary M renberg to L W Hazen A gust 28 1895 Deed BookR Edmonson Couny Clerks Office Br owls ille Ky
-L_ _J
bull l
9 R eport on file Louisville and Nashville Railroad Louisville Ky
10 Deeds ard contracts on file L amp N Rail ro ad Real Estate Department Louisville Ky
-1l Anon ifltolossal Cave to be Open ed Louisville COURIER -jOURNAL bull January 91896 p 5 This article is the first reference fou nd in which
the worClflcolossal was used in reference to the cave
12 Anon IISuit about a Cae 1 Louisville COURIERJOURNAL February 4 l896 p 7
13 Anon Colossal Cavern Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL March 28 l896 p 6
Lee
15 Younll Bennett H Rivals the Mammoth in Grandeur Louisville COURIER--JOUR AL sect 3 August 15 1897 p1
(references concluded page )
19 1p 20
N lt---__ _
- - -- - --- --
connecting passages
FLOOR PLAN
Saltpetre Cave Penna CRG grade 4
crawl
B-n-B
Lowerbull
passage
scale in feet
Mapped -NoveInber 5 1967 Ennis Duling
Peter Hauer
70
0 _ _ _ _ __ -
PENNSYLVANIAS ONLY SALTPETRE CAVE
Saltpetre Cave Bedibrd County Pa is a small sandstone fissure which
A BACKGROUND STUDY Peter M Hauer
Abstract
was mined for saltpetre dirt during the 18th Century One of the very few natural soutces of the material in the state Sal tpetre Cave illustrates the needs and remoeness of the westetn counties in the state which became the leading gunpowder producer during the American Revolution bull
--
When the Amedcan Revolution began saltpetre procurement became an important cOIlsideration The colonists found themselves without any operable powder miHs Two years earlier in October 1774 the British Parliament had prohibited all export of black powder to America and when the war broke out the Americans had only 80000 pounds of powder total (Wilkinson 1966
The leadership of the newmiddot country was quick to respond to this need Its response on a smaller scale was similar to that of the Confederate leaders
During this periodlnumerous
In
85 years later On July 3 1775 the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia with Benjamin FrankJin presiding resolved
That Mes srs Robert Morris Robert White and Thomas Warton junr do with the vtmost expeditionprocure any quantity of Powder and SlaquoIt PetrI in their Power II (Anon n d)
In New York in January 1776 the Committe published the first American text on this subject a 38-page Essays upon the Making opound5alt-Petre and Gunshy
Powder bounties and premiUms for salt-petre were offered by the individual colonies Nitriaries using organic wastes were established in Jarg numbers in f ull knowledge of the two
ormoreJyemiddotars required before they would ltproduceanyquantit-y of saltpetre bull IrliL another parallel to later Confederate tact-ics smuggling of saltpetre
from the supplies of foreign aUies be ame the most important source bull
the first 2 12 years of the Revolutionary War the Americans were able to produce less than 10 per cent of their supply the rest being imported fr m French merchants (VanGelder dSchlatterl927) _
During this period of short munition supply Pennsylvania emerged as the leading gunpowder producer not ovly due to its centr l position but to its manv German farmers who knew the art as well as the old women knew how to make soft soap (Wilkinson 1966) Despite the slow start by 1781 Pennsylvania had 21 powder mills with an annual capacity oL625 tons (Clark 1929) Ten years later saltpetre was cheaper inPhiladelphia than in London (Geoghegan and Karnes 1968)
This post-war availabllity was particularly in contrast to the early scarcity inthe remote mountain regions of the state Bedford County was a frontier stronghold at the time of the American Revolution and even before that time
71
it had held particular strategic importance as a vanguard of Colonial expansion into the Western wildernes s and Indian lands In the summer of 1758 Fort Bedford was built as an aid to that expansionist des ire The violence of massacre war and rebellion governed the lives and needs of its people through the Ameri can Revolution and into the 10cally based Whiskey Insurrection of 1794
The early need for saltpetre in Bedford County is well documented The minutes of the Council of Safety for October 2 1775 state
II Upon application of Bernard Dougherty Esqr for some Gunpowder for the use of Bedford County Resolved That 100 Pounds of Powder be lent to said County for the pres ent and when Convenient this Board will spare them a larger Quantity An order was drawn on the Commis sary for the Same and delivered Mr Dougherty
14(Anon n d )
Later on January 3 1776 under the chairmanship of Benjamin Franklin
If Letters were wrote tot the Commissioners and assessors of each County respecting Arms etc J to be provided by them agreeable to a Resolve of Assembly of the June last and to the Committees of the different Counties (except those of Westmoreland Northumberland and Bedford) respecting the Manufacture of Saltpetre and the mode of procuring rid paying the Same (Anon nd)
Obviously the Bedford County supply was critical Along with Essex County Virginia Bedford County was notable in 1775 for offering premiums to enshycourage local saltpetre manufacture (Clark 1929)
This offer may have been a prime motive inthe establishment of what may have been the most northerly saltpetre cave mining operation in American history
Saltpetre Bedford County
mined for Saltpetre (John Friends Cave
Ca ve is located in Sweet Root State Park northwest of Chancysville Pennsylvani about 50 miles northeast of the nearest other
cave Garrett County Md) John FriendsC ave and Busheys Car-ern at Cavetown Md in WaShington County appear to be the northernmost limestone saltpet re caves while Bedford Countys saltpetre cave is believed to be the northernmost American cave of any type mined for saltpetre The only possi ble eXC eption known to the writer is similar in nature to Saltpetre Cave but cannot really be classified as a cave This consists of a series of sandstone cliffs 25 to 40 feet high located along the Susquehanna River in Wyoming County Penna In 1783 or 1784 Johann David Shoepf a German traveller was shown man-made holes in these cliffs where saltpetre had been mined from the very bedrock In 1788 he wrote that
at the beginning of the war various saltpetre -boileries were set up in themiddot Wyoming region but were given over on account of the Indians or for othe reasons Now this deposit and t he scraped -off sand are said to have been used in the preparation of saltpetre bull bull bull (Sc hoepf 1911)
l2
magister end
in local verbal tradition (Anon 1907 Stone 1953 Black 1963 Imler Sweet Wa ter Gap were expored very early
Thomas Powell
covery of the cave
War
the participants (the late Stella lames Beck) visited the cave for picnics by pine torch light Chaneysville Imler 1971
preserved for future generations
ere Ices to the historic traditions thereof S 1 pi reference
Because of their similar nature this account adds credence to the supposed usage of Saltpetre Cave Sandstone cliffs and shelters were extensively mined for saltpetre in Kentucky very early in the 19th Century (Maxon 1932 ) In all cases the bedrock itself would most likel y have been crushed and boiled to remove the nitrate content as described for the Kentucky operations
Saltpetre Cave is located along Little Sweet Root Creek in a beautiful hollow shaded by towering hemlocks The entrance is on the right side of the holshylow in the base of a sandstone cliff below a large boulder It is a jointshycontrolled fissure cavern in Devonian sandstone and parallels the hollow It It appears genetically related to the formation of the hollow and the breakdown oithe cliffs The upper entrance is halved by a large ceiling breakdown slab This passage slopes gently downward for about 40 feet gradually enqing in fill and breakdown Near the end a floor floor fiSSure connects by a short crawl to a parallel passage which is slightly shorter and smaller more easily entered through a second entrance ten feet from the first
The cave fill has an extensive organic content perhaps primarily due to Neotoma
found near the along with the
genershyations of habitation by the Allegheny cave rat Six intact rat nests neat and igloo shaped were inquisitive owner The lower passage contains a thin layer of charcoal in its fill The ceiling near the rat nests is coated with soot
The history of the cave area and the cave itself is obscured by inconsiste ciE This is reflected in various published references
1 964) Sweet Root Creek an when
son of Nathaniel Powell member of the Virginia Council organized a small expedition to explore in the summer of 1625 the northwest section of Virginia bull The march continued on North along Town Creek to the junction of S weet Root Creek thence
Hill II (Lutz 1946)
Over a century later in 1747 Joseph Plty(ell established a t acingpost in the gap on1y a few hundred yards froInSaltpetre Cave The foundation of this bUilding are still visible His brother George is credited with the disshy
through Sweet Water Gap and on up the creek to its source on Martin
at an unrecorded cmte (Anon 1907) The mining activity itself was probably accomplished by Michaet-Huff during the Revolutionary
while the gunpowder was made from the saltpetre by Jacob R9wland
The cave has seen other use in more Inodern times According to one of 15 students and their teacher
from ail old log school near A school teacher naIned Sanford Fleet obtained
saltpetre from the cave during the 1920ts (Stone 1953) Today within the boundaries of Sweet Root State Park this historic spot has been deservedly
and a marked trail is maintained to the cave
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thalk Byron Black and Thomas C Imler of Bedford County for their generous aid in visiting the cave and supplying several repoundshy
WR Halliday supplied the 7-3
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
I I -
- -
While the litigation was pending at Brownsville surveying the Woodson-Adair entrance carne to a halt
By this t ime the L amp N already had purchased the Tobie Holton place entrance of Bedqullt Cave was on this land Woodson-Adair entrance Lute Lee wrote Daniel Breck who was representing Smith he could have threed days he could connect Bed Quilt (sic) Cave with Colossal Cavern Breck agreed and in two days we made it connection (sic) and took hiT through (D) II
Unknown to the Isenbergs and their court-appointed receiver the L amp N engineers enlarged the passageway into Bedqullt Cave and surveyed a long low crawlway which intersected the main passage of Colossal Cave They continued their survey to a terminal breakdown of the main passage The survey revealed the main passage ended at the edge of Houchins Valley under William Garvins 30 acre tarm The L amp N bought the farm and one month later) was sinking an incline into the cave
The newspaper articles on the cave development and litigation were read by two grandsons of Jacob Locke who lived in Daviess County 0 They realshyized that it was their grandfathers land being contested and established to S oM Payton the Isenbergs lawyer that they were the rightful heirs to the land They sold their interest to Payton thuO invalidating Adairs mortgage and the Isenbergs I rights to the cave Payton promptly sold the land and cave rights to the L amp N
Smith and the railroad now owned Woodson -Adair Cave and nearly all lan d over Colossal Cave as the main passages were called Smith sought to publicize the cave and on March 28 1896 a feature article entitled IIColossal Cavernll appeared in the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL When written the Locke heirs had arrived but the litigation over ownership was still in the hands of the court-appointed receiver L amp N workmen were in the process of blasting the new entrance into the cave Pike Chapman served as guide for the COURIER-JOURNAL reporter and they entered the cave through a trap-door in the floor of a log cabin Hazen had built over the Woodson-Adair entrance The skeleton of a b uilding later desigshynated the dining room or dance floor had been built inside the main cave near the side passage which connected with Bedquilt Cave Chapman told the reporter that the headwaters of Mammoth Cavels Echo River were in Colossal Cave and that a water connection had been proven toFroctor1s Cae a cave in Joppa Ridge also run commercially by the L amp N (14)
Pike Chapman and the Lee brothers explored many passageways of the large cave system they had found beyond Colossal Dome In January and March 1896 they left their names in a large dome-complex far from the cave entrance In1960 members of Cave Research Foundation connected Colossal and Salts caves by squeezing through a canyon only a few yards
66
from where the old-timers had explored
in the cave via
The aboot one-half mile from the lIMy brother Henry told the L amp N president that if
aceeo to the cave
By the summer ofl89t the new entraDce to Colossal was opened A threeshy
house was builJ on the hiLLside near the cave entran oe and Lute Lee
lived rhere as the manag r Hazen had faUen into disfavor with Smith and
He be-gar m i ning Jarge quantities of fo rm at ions from the cave
room
the L amp N as alJowed bv his otlginaJ contract with Smith Hazen was told to stop
buYHg 13nd or SmJrh and Daniel Breck was designated the official L amp N lan d r-epreselllaUVf On FeiltlJ-1r-y 13 1897 Hazen and his wife apparently
deeded on part of tnejr and holdings 10 Breck despite their earlier conshy
tract WJth Srnilh Hazen houghand adjacerr lo L amp N land and tried to
force errranees ipto Colo3sa Cave H slccessfulJy opened Hazen1s
EntJarc tor (jPQ d1f 1 11 oad to lxv -liE ard to malntain (ontrol of aU
After beHlg she ou a Colossal Cave Ha zen made an attempt to commshyercia1ize Sals Cali e ThroJgh the enrance on his wife1s land previously visited by)om-g The hlstoric ertrance of Salts Cave one mile away was owned bv the Mammoth Cave ESfate and access to it was forbidden In JuJv 1897 Pike Chapmn was kilted while in the process of enlarging the b ack entrance to S alt s Cave for Hazen his unde On A ugust 15 1897 anothe r articte appear ed in the COURJ R middotJOURNAL It was written by BennetT Young ard el iled Rimiddota s the Mammoth in grandeur It disshycussed Igtriefy Coiossa Calern ald tbe fact that Hazen had discovered it but w went on to discuss Hazermiddotls C3e or Sa] C ave The a rt i cle lauded the br av erv armiddotd expLoits of H-ilzen and ris wife and announced that within a month Hazens Cave Vol d he opeD to the public 15)
Hazen sTar+ed b1didlng tralls hom the Pike Chapman entrance down the ITl a in passageway of Sals Covei but cave b e came a commercialbefore the sl(cess -he L amp N br ought suji against Ha zen Hazen lost all the land he h ad bought h EO turned oe W he L amp NJ irclLding his property at the Pik e C h apm ar en-raEce
The Colossal Cae n Compan y was finaLy hartered on March 3 1898 I On Apn1 27 JSQ8 D-lrie Bteck d eeded the Jand he bad been holding to the Co poIaJOn fOI Ue corside r atlon of $(00 A large part of the propshyertleS incLudlTg the or-iginal deed 19XWoodson-Adair Cave was transferred to the compaIyoI May 20 1898 in the deed ttMH Sniith and wife to Colossal Cavern Compa ny
OriginaHy c ave ]sifors left the Mammoth Cave Railroad at Proctor Cave and went ovettard by agoD to lhe W oodson-Adai r entrance After t he new blas ed entr-ance was opened patr ons continued OI the train to Mammoth Cave and wen by w agon s llP the vaLley to Colossal Ca ve However the cave never became the a tt gtetion that had been pl anned While Lee was the manager onJ bve OJ six persons v isited the cave weekly Stories persist of how w agon wheeJs repeatedly feU off the passenger wagons during the 1 12 milE dp to ColOSSal Cave requiring the visitors to walk ba ck to Maml Cave and tak e their cave trip there Frequently the horses erc Stltied b strange noises in t he bushes and woods supposedly from cave competitors
In 1896 the Reverend Horace C Hovey wrote an article about Colossal Cave from information given him by Ben Hains and John M Nelson He visited the cave in Jul v 1903 In November 1903 his second article on Colossal Cave was printed including a map of Colossal and Bedquilt Caves (16) Other articles appeared in magazines and L amp N brochures but by 1910 the cave was seldom visited Lute Lee served as manager for three years and was succeeded by J M and Morris Hunt As time passed declining revenues the discovery of new commercial caves on Flint Ridge and the advent of the automobile closed Colossal Cave to the public
In May 1921 the Coloss Cavern Company leased surface rights on 300 acres near the Pike Chapman entrance to A J Musselman of Chicago Tom Bendelow a famous golf course architect was hired to lay out an 18-hole course On May 19 1921 the Louisville TIMES featured an article Rich will sOOP- have links at Mammoth Caven Musselman
built 21 log huts and a large dining and recreation hall in the center of the gold course and was ready for golfers by the spring of 1922 (17) Initially the project prospered and stories are still told about how local men would sneak into the old entrance 6f Salts Cave to reach the Pike chapman entrance where golfers stored illegal ga1lon jugs of whiskey Another cave on the BlueGrass Country Club land Unknown Cave was later to prove the key to int grating Salts Cave Floyd Collins Crystal Cave Bedquilt Cave and Colossal Cave into the worlds longest cave system
In 1925 the Louisville Gas and Electric Company confirmed that streams inlossal Cave cOJlnected with Pike Spring near Floyd Collins Crystal Cave The dye tests attr acted little attention as cave explor ation was discouraged while Mammoth Cave National Park was being formed Alshythough they had promised to deed their land to the new park the L amp N and the Colossa Cavern Company continued to be beset with legal actions chiefly overt the definition of cave property rights The legal act ion culshyminated in the Kentucky Court of Appeals in COX v COLOSSAL CAVERN COMPANY 210 Ky 612 decided on October 16 1925
By 1928 the BlueGrass Country Club was closed George Cline the last guide and caretaker of ColOSSal Cave left the land in 1930 On May 23 1933 the remaining buildings on the country club grounds were first occushypied by Company 510 of the Civilian Conservation Corps On January 23 1935 Colossal Cavern Company holdings were transferred to the National Palk Association The ColOSSal Cavern Company was officially dissolved on July 31 1935 Colossal Cave was thereafter visited only by local rock collectors and National Park Service personnel Further mention of the Colossal Cavern Company existed only in newspaper notices of its dissolshyution which appeared in the Louisville TIMES i n August 1935 In a final deed dated April 25 1940 the L amp N conveyed all of its holdings to Mammoth Cave National Park thereby ending 45 years of profound influence on the history of caving in Flint tidge
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This article is issued as part of a Cave Research Foundation project on the history of cave exploration in Mammoth Cave National Park The
68
Antiq14ity - -- --------
0p_
Op Sit
8 Lee Lute Cit -gt
14 Lute
author wishes to thank Milton H Smith ill the L amp N Railroad Edwin L Rothfuss National Park Service Patty Jo Watson Cave Research Foundation and ERo Pohl Mamm oth Onyx Cavefor assistance in c ollectin g articles and inJormation used in this paper
BIBLIOGRAPHY
L Rohbins LOLise M A Woodl and Mummy from Salts Cave Kenshyt1ckv American Vol 36 No Z 1971 pp ZOO-206
2 bull Lee LLte ( roseph Louis) lMemories of the Past Undated mss original hand -wrItfen copy at the Filson Club Louisville Ky Reprinted in tllls Journa VoL 2 no t Jan -March 1969 pp 16-17
3 Ibid
4 Young Be nne 1t H THE PREHISTORIC MEN OF KENTUCKY Filson ClubPIblicationNo 25 J ohn P Morton amp Co Louisville Ky ) p 300
6 Lee Lute lLute Lee Tells of Colossal Cavern and of Early Life of Jacob Lock (sicI The Glasg ow TIMES Glasgow Ky May 22lt 1952 Lute Lee staed that he main pas s ag e was found before Hazen purchased an interest in the cav e ihe T-merous conflict ing dates around July 1895 for dis covery of Coloss a Cavern may reflect that it was about this
Lime that the main cave - Colossal - was discovered by reaching Colossal Dome from Woodson-Adair Cave For some time both caves were referred to se paratel y although each was part of one cave system
7 Nary M renberg to L W Hazen A gust 28 1895 Deed BookR Edmonson Couny Clerks Office Br owls ille Ky
-L_ _J
bull l
9 R eport on file Louisville and Nashville Railroad Louisville Ky
10 Deeds ard contracts on file L amp N Rail ro ad Real Estate Department Louisville Ky
-1l Anon ifltolossal Cave to be Open ed Louisville COURIER -jOURNAL bull January 91896 p 5 This article is the first reference fou nd in which
the worClflcolossal was used in reference to the cave
12 Anon IISuit about a Cae 1 Louisville COURIERJOURNAL February 4 l896 p 7
13 Anon Colossal Cavern Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL March 28 l896 p 6
Lee
15 Younll Bennett H Rivals the Mammoth in Grandeur Louisville COURIER--JOUR AL sect 3 August 15 1897 p1
(references concluded page )
19 1p 20
N lt---__ _
- - -- - --- --
connecting passages
FLOOR PLAN
Saltpetre Cave Penna CRG grade 4
crawl
B-n-B
Lowerbull
passage
scale in feet
Mapped -NoveInber 5 1967 Ennis Duling
Peter Hauer
70
0 _ _ _ _ __ -
PENNSYLVANIAS ONLY SALTPETRE CAVE
Saltpetre Cave Bedibrd County Pa is a small sandstone fissure which
A BACKGROUND STUDY Peter M Hauer
Abstract
was mined for saltpetre dirt during the 18th Century One of the very few natural soutces of the material in the state Sal tpetre Cave illustrates the needs and remoeness of the westetn counties in the state which became the leading gunpowder producer during the American Revolution bull
--
When the Amedcan Revolution began saltpetre procurement became an important cOIlsideration The colonists found themselves without any operable powder miHs Two years earlier in October 1774 the British Parliament had prohibited all export of black powder to America and when the war broke out the Americans had only 80000 pounds of powder total (Wilkinson 1966
The leadership of the newmiddot country was quick to respond to this need Its response on a smaller scale was similar to that of the Confederate leaders
During this periodlnumerous
In
85 years later On July 3 1775 the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia with Benjamin FrankJin presiding resolved
That Mes srs Robert Morris Robert White and Thomas Warton junr do with the vtmost expeditionprocure any quantity of Powder and SlaquoIt PetrI in their Power II (Anon n d)
In New York in January 1776 the Committe published the first American text on this subject a 38-page Essays upon the Making opound5alt-Petre and Gunshy
Powder bounties and premiUms for salt-petre were offered by the individual colonies Nitriaries using organic wastes were established in Jarg numbers in f ull knowledge of the two
ormoreJyemiddotars required before they would ltproduceanyquantit-y of saltpetre bull IrliL another parallel to later Confederate tact-ics smuggling of saltpetre
from the supplies of foreign aUies be ame the most important source bull
the first 2 12 years of the Revolutionary War the Americans were able to produce less than 10 per cent of their supply the rest being imported fr m French merchants (VanGelder dSchlatterl927) _
During this period of short munition supply Pennsylvania emerged as the leading gunpowder producer not ovly due to its centr l position but to its manv German farmers who knew the art as well as the old women knew how to make soft soap (Wilkinson 1966) Despite the slow start by 1781 Pennsylvania had 21 powder mills with an annual capacity oL625 tons (Clark 1929) Ten years later saltpetre was cheaper inPhiladelphia than in London (Geoghegan and Karnes 1968)
This post-war availabllity was particularly in contrast to the early scarcity inthe remote mountain regions of the state Bedford County was a frontier stronghold at the time of the American Revolution and even before that time
71
it had held particular strategic importance as a vanguard of Colonial expansion into the Western wildernes s and Indian lands In the summer of 1758 Fort Bedford was built as an aid to that expansionist des ire The violence of massacre war and rebellion governed the lives and needs of its people through the Ameri can Revolution and into the 10cally based Whiskey Insurrection of 1794
The early need for saltpetre in Bedford County is well documented The minutes of the Council of Safety for October 2 1775 state
II Upon application of Bernard Dougherty Esqr for some Gunpowder for the use of Bedford County Resolved That 100 Pounds of Powder be lent to said County for the pres ent and when Convenient this Board will spare them a larger Quantity An order was drawn on the Commis sary for the Same and delivered Mr Dougherty
14(Anon n d )
Later on January 3 1776 under the chairmanship of Benjamin Franklin
If Letters were wrote tot the Commissioners and assessors of each County respecting Arms etc J to be provided by them agreeable to a Resolve of Assembly of the June last and to the Committees of the different Counties (except those of Westmoreland Northumberland and Bedford) respecting the Manufacture of Saltpetre and the mode of procuring rid paying the Same (Anon nd)
Obviously the Bedford County supply was critical Along with Essex County Virginia Bedford County was notable in 1775 for offering premiums to enshycourage local saltpetre manufacture (Clark 1929)
This offer may have been a prime motive inthe establishment of what may have been the most northerly saltpetre cave mining operation in American history
Saltpetre Bedford County
mined for Saltpetre (John Friends Cave
Ca ve is located in Sweet Root State Park northwest of Chancysville Pennsylvani about 50 miles northeast of the nearest other
cave Garrett County Md) John FriendsC ave and Busheys Car-ern at Cavetown Md in WaShington County appear to be the northernmost limestone saltpet re caves while Bedford Countys saltpetre cave is believed to be the northernmost American cave of any type mined for saltpetre The only possi ble eXC eption known to the writer is similar in nature to Saltpetre Cave but cannot really be classified as a cave This consists of a series of sandstone cliffs 25 to 40 feet high located along the Susquehanna River in Wyoming County Penna In 1783 or 1784 Johann David Shoepf a German traveller was shown man-made holes in these cliffs where saltpetre had been mined from the very bedrock In 1788 he wrote that
at the beginning of the war various saltpetre -boileries were set up in themiddot Wyoming region but were given over on account of the Indians or for othe reasons Now this deposit and t he scraped -off sand are said to have been used in the preparation of saltpetre bull bull bull (Sc hoepf 1911)
l2
magister end
in local verbal tradition (Anon 1907 Stone 1953 Black 1963 Imler Sweet Wa ter Gap were expored very early
Thomas Powell
covery of the cave
War
the participants (the late Stella lames Beck) visited the cave for picnics by pine torch light Chaneysville Imler 1971
preserved for future generations
ere Ices to the historic traditions thereof S 1 pi reference
Because of their similar nature this account adds credence to the supposed usage of Saltpetre Cave Sandstone cliffs and shelters were extensively mined for saltpetre in Kentucky very early in the 19th Century (Maxon 1932 ) In all cases the bedrock itself would most likel y have been crushed and boiled to remove the nitrate content as described for the Kentucky operations
Saltpetre Cave is located along Little Sweet Root Creek in a beautiful hollow shaded by towering hemlocks The entrance is on the right side of the holshylow in the base of a sandstone cliff below a large boulder It is a jointshycontrolled fissure cavern in Devonian sandstone and parallels the hollow It It appears genetically related to the formation of the hollow and the breakdown oithe cliffs The upper entrance is halved by a large ceiling breakdown slab This passage slopes gently downward for about 40 feet gradually enqing in fill and breakdown Near the end a floor floor fiSSure connects by a short crawl to a parallel passage which is slightly shorter and smaller more easily entered through a second entrance ten feet from the first
The cave fill has an extensive organic content perhaps primarily due to Neotoma
found near the along with the
genershyations of habitation by the Allegheny cave rat Six intact rat nests neat and igloo shaped were inquisitive owner The lower passage contains a thin layer of charcoal in its fill The ceiling near the rat nests is coated with soot
The history of the cave area and the cave itself is obscured by inconsiste ciE This is reflected in various published references
1 964) Sweet Root Creek an when
son of Nathaniel Powell member of the Virginia Council organized a small expedition to explore in the summer of 1625 the northwest section of Virginia bull The march continued on North along Town Creek to the junction of S weet Root Creek thence
Hill II (Lutz 1946)
Over a century later in 1747 Joseph Plty(ell established a t acingpost in the gap on1y a few hundred yards froInSaltpetre Cave The foundation of this bUilding are still visible His brother George is credited with the disshy
through Sweet Water Gap and on up the creek to its source on Martin
at an unrecorded cmte (Anon 1907) The mining activity itself was probably accomplished by Michaet-Huff during the Revolutionary
while the gunpowder was made from the saltpetre by Jacob R9wland
The cave has seen other use in more Inodern times According to one of 15 students and their teacher
from ail old log school near A school teacher naIned Sanford Fleet obtained
saltpetre from the cave during the 1920ts (Stone 1953) Today within the boundaries of Sweet Root State Park this historic spot has been deservedly
and a marked trail is maintained to the cave
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thalk Byron Black and Thomas C Imler of Bedford County for their generous aid in visiting the cave and supplying several repoundshy
WR Halliday supplied the 7-3
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
aceeo to the cave
By the summer ofl89t the new entraDce to Colossal was opened A threeshy
house was builJ on the hiLLside near the cave entran oe and Lute Lee
lived rhere as the manag r Hazen had faUen into disfavor with Smith and
He be-gar m i ning Jarge quantities of fo rm at ions from the cave
room
the L amp N as alJowed bv his otlginaJ contract with Smith Hazen was told to stop
buYHg 13nd or SmJrh and Daniel Breck was designated the official L amp N lan d r-epreselllaUVf On FeiltlJ-1r-y 13 1897 Hazen and his wife apparently
deeded on part of tnejr and holdings 10 Breck despite their earlier conshy
tract WJth Srnilh Hazen houghand adjacerr lo L amp N land and tried to
force errranees ipto Colo3sa Cave H slccessfulJy opened Hazen1s
EntJarc tor (jPQ d1f 1 11 oad to lxv -liE ard to malntain (ontrol of aU
After beHlg she ou a Colossal Cave Ha zen made an attempt to commshyercia1ize Sals Cali e ThroJgh the enrance on his wife1s land previously visited by)om-g The hlstoric ertrance of Salts Cave one mile away was owned bv the Mammoth Cave ESfate and access to it was forbidden In JuJv 1897 Pike Chapmn was kilted while in the process of enlarging the b ack entrance to S alt s Cave for Hazen his unde On A ugust 15 1897 anothe r articte appear ed in the COURJ R middotJOURNAL It was written by BennetT Young ard el iled Rimiddota s the Mammoth in grandeur It disshycussed Igtriefy Coiossa Calern ald tbe fact that Hazen had discovered it but w went on to discuss Hazermiddotls C3e or Sa] C ave The a rt i cle lauded the br av erv armiddotd expLoits of H-ilzen and ris wife and announced that within a month Hazens Cave Vol d he opeD to the public 15)
Hazen sTar+ed b1didlng tralls hom the Pike Chapman entrance down the ITl a in passageway of Sals Covei but cave b e came a commercialbefore the sl(cess -he L amp N br ought suji against Ha zen Hazen lost all the land he h ad bought h EO turned oe W he L amp NJ irclLding his property at the Pik e C h apm ar en-raEce
The Colossal Cae n Compan y was finaLy hartered on March 3 1898 I On Apn1 27 JSQ8 D-lrie Bteck d eeded the Jand he bad been holding to the Co poIaJOn fOI Ue corside r atlon of $(00 A large part of the propshyertleS incLudlTg the or-iginal deed 19XWoodson-Adair Cave was transferred to the compaIyoI May 20 1898 in the deed ttMH Sniith and wife to Colossal Cavern Compa ny
OriginaHy c ave ]sifors left the Mammoth Cave Railroad at Proctor Cave and went ovettard by agoD to lhe W oodson-Adai r entrance After t he new blas ed entr-ance was opened patr ons continued OI the train to Mammoth Cave and wen by w agon s llP the vaLley to Colossal Ca ve However the cave never became the a tt gtetion that had been pl anned While Lee was the manager onJ bve OJ six persons v isited the cave weekly Stories persist of how w agon wheeJs repeatedly feU off the passenger wagons during the 1 12 milE dp to ColOSSal Cave requiring the visitors to walk ba ck to Maml Cave and tak e their cave trip there Frequently the horses erc Stltied b strange noises in t he bushes and woods supposedly from cave competitors
In 1896 the Reverend Horace C Hovey wrote an article about Colossal Cave from information given him by Ben Hains and John M Nelson He visited the cave in Jul v 1903 In November 1903 his second article on Colossal Cave was printed including a map of Colossal and Bedquilt Caves (16) Other articles appeared in magazines and L amp N brochures but by 1910 the cave was seldom visited Lute Lee served as manager for three years and was succeeded by J M and Morris Hunt As time passed declining revenues the discovery of new commercial caves on Flint Ridge and the advent of the automobile closed Colossal Cave to the public
In May 1921 the Coloss Cavern Company leased surface rights on 300 acres near the Pike Chapman entrance to A J Musselman of Chicago Tom Bendelow a famous golf course architect was hired to lay out an 18-hole course On May 19 1921 the Louisville TIMES featured an article Rich will sOOP- have links at Mammoth Caven Musselman
built 21 log huts and a large dining and recreation hall in the center of the gold course and was ready for golfers by the spring of 1922 (17) Initially the project prospered and stories are still told about how local men would sneak into the old entrance 6f Salts Cave to reach the Pike chapman entrance where golfers stored illegal ga1lon jugs of whiskey Another cave on the BlueGrass Country Club land Unknown Cave was later to prove the key to int grating Salts Cave Floyd Collins Crystal Cave Bedquilt Cave and Colossal Cave into the worlds longest cave system
In 1925 the Louisville Gas and Electric Company confirmed that streams inlossal Cave cOJlnected with Pike Spring near Floyd Collins Crystal Cave The dye tests attr acted little attention as cave explor ation was discouraged while Mammoth Cave National Park was being formed Alshythough they had promised to deed their land to the new park the L amp N and the Colossa Cavern Company continued to be beset with legal actions chiefly overt the definition of cave property rights The legal act ion culshyminated in the Kentucky Court of Appeals in COX v COLOSSAL CAVERN COMPANY 210 Ky 612 decided on October 16 1925
By 1928 the BlueGrass Country Club was closed George Cline the last guide and caretaker of ColOSSal Cave left the land in 1930 On May 23 1933 the remaining buildings on the country club grounds were first occushypied by Company 510 of the Civilian Conservation Corps On January 23 1935 Colossal Cavern Company holdings were transferred to the National Palk Association The ColOSSal Cavern Company was officially dissolved on July 31 1935 Colossal Cave was thereafter visited only by local rock collectors and National Park Service personnel Further mention of the Colossal Cavern Company existed only in newspaper notices of its dissolshyution which appeared in the Louisville TIMES i n August 1935 In a final deed dated April 25 1940 the L amp N conveyed all of its holdings to Mammoth Cave National Park thereby ending 45 years of profound influence on the history of caving in Flint tidge
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This article is issued as part of a Cave Research Foundation project on the history of cave exploration in Mammoth Cave National Park The
68
Antiq14ity - -- --------
0p_
Op Sit
8 Lee Lute Cit -gt
14 Lute
author wishes to thank Milton H Smith ill the L amp N Railroad Edwin L Rothfuss National Park Service Patty Jo Watson Cave Research Foundation and ERo Pohl Mamm oth Onyx Cavefor assistance in c ollectin g articles and inJormation used in this paper
BIBLIOGRAPHY
L Rohbins LOLise M A Woodl and Mummy from Salts Cave Kenshyt1ckv American Vol 36 No Z 1971 pp ZOO-206
2 bull Lee LLte ( roseph Louis) lMemories of the Past Undated mss original hand -wrItfen copy at the Filson Club Louisville Ky Reprinted in tllls Journa VoL 2 no t Jan -March 1969 pp 16-17
3 Ibid
4 Young Be nne 1t H THE PREHISTORIC MEN OF KENTUCKY Filson ClubPIblicationNo 25 J ohn P Morton amp Co Louisville Ky ) p 300
6 Lee Lute lLute Lee Tells of Colossal Cavern and of Early Life of Jacob Lock (sicI The Glasg ow TIMES Glasgow Ky May 22lt 1952 Lute Lee staed that he main pas s ag e was found before Hazen purchased an interest in the cav e ihe T-merous conflict ing dates around July 1895 for dis covery of Coloss a Cavern may reflect that it was about this
Lime that the main cave - Colossal - was discovered by reaching Colossal Dome from Woodson-Adair Cave For some time both caves were referred to se paratel y although each was part of one cave system
7 Nary M renberg to L W Hazen A gust 28 1895 Deed BookR Edmonson Couny Clerks Office Br owls ille Ky
-L_ _J
bull l
9 R eport on file Louisville and Nashville Railroad Louisville Ky
10 Deeds ard contracts on file L amp N Rail ro ad Real Estate Department Louisville Ky
-1l Anon ifltolossal Cave to be Open ed Louisville COURIER -jOURNAL bull January 91896 p 5 This article is the first reference fou nd in which
the worClflcolossal was used in reference to the cave
12 Anon IISuit about a Cae 1 Louisville COURIERJOURNAL February 4 l896 p 7
13 Anon Colossal Cavern Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL March 28 l896 p 6
Lee
15 Younll Bennett H Rivals the Mammoth in Grandeur Louisville COURIER--JOUR AL sect 3 August 15 1897 p1
(references concluded page )
19 1p 20
N lt---__ _
- - -- - --- --
connecting passages
FLOOR PLAN
Saltpetre Cave Penna CRG grade 4
crawl
B-n-B
Lowerbull
passage
scale in feet
Mapped -NoveInber 5 1967 Ennis Duling
Peter Hauer
70
0 _ _ _ _ __ -
PENNSYLVANIAS ONLY SALTPETRE CAVE
Saltpetre Cave Bedibrd County Pa is a small sandstone fissure which
A BACKGROUND STUDY Peter M Hauer
Abstract
was mined for saltpetre dirt during the 18th Century One of the very few natural soutces of the material in the state Sal tpetre Cave illustrates the needs and remoeness of the westetn counties in the state which became the leading gunpowder producer during the American Revolution bull
--
When the Amedcan Revolution began saltpetre procurement became an important cOIlsideration The colonists found themselves without any operable powder miHs Two years earlier in October 1774 the British Parliament had prohibited all export of black powder to America and when the war broke out the Americans had only 80000 pounds of powder total (Wilkinson 1966
The leadership of the newmiddot country was quick to respond to this need Its response on a smaller scale was similar to that of the Confederate leaders
During this periodlnumerous
In
85 years later On July 3 1775 the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia with Benjamin FrankJin presiding resolved
That Mes srs Robert Morris Robert White and Thomas Warton junr do with the vtmost expeditionprocure any quantity of Powder and SlaquoIt PetrI in their Power II (Anon n d)
In New York in January 1776 the Committe published the first American text on this subject a 38-page Essays upon the Making opound5alt-Petre and Gunshy
Powder bounties and premiUms for salt-petre were offered by the individual colonies Nitriaries using organic wastes were established in Jarg numbers in f ull knowledge of the two
ormoreJyemiddotars required before they would ltproduceanyquantit-y of saltpetre bull IrliL another parallel to later Confederate tact-ics smuggling of saltpetre
from the supplies of foreign aUies be ame the most important source bull
the first 2 12 years of the Revolutionary War the Americans were able to produce less than 10 per cent of their supply the rest being imported fr m French merchants (VanGelder dSchlatterl927) _
During this period of short munition supply Pennsylvania emerged as the leading gunpowder producer not ovly due to its centr l position but to its manv German farmers who knew the art as well as the old women knew how to make soft soap (Wilkinson 1966) Despite the slow start by 1781 Pennsylvania had 21 powder mills with an annual capacity oL625 tons (Clark 1929) Ten years later saltpetre was cheaper inPhiladelphia than in London (Geoghegan and Karnes 1968)
This post-war availabllity was particularly in contrast to the early scarcity inthe remote mountain regions of the state Bedford County was a frontier stronghold at the time of the American Revolution and even before that time
71
it had held particular strategic importance as a vanguard of Colonial expansion into the Western wildernes s and Indian lands In the summer of 1758 Fort Bedford was built as an aid to that expansionist des ire The violence of massacre war and rebellion governed the lives and needs of its people through the Ameri can Revolution and into the 10cally based Whiskey Insurrection of 1794
The early need for saltpetre in Bedford County is well documented The minutes of the Council of Safety for October 2 1775 state
II Upon application of Bernard Dougherty Esqr for some Gunpowder for the use of Bedford County Resolved That 100 Pounds of Powder be lent to said County for the pres ent and when Convenient this Board will spare them a larger Quantity An order was drawn on the Commis sary for the Same and delivered Mr Dougherty
14(Anon n d )
Later on January 3 1776 under the chairmanship of Benjamin Franklin
If Letters were wrote tot the Commissioners and assessors of each County respecting Arms etc J to be provided by them agreeable to a Resolve of Assembly of the June last and to the Committees of the different Counties (except those of Westmoreland Northumberland and Bedford) respecting the Manufacture of Saltpetre and the mode of procuring rid paying the Same (Anon nd)
Obviously the Bedford County supply was critical Along with Essex County Virginia Bedford County was notable in 1775 for offering premiums to enshycourage local saltpetre manufacture (Clark 1929)
This offer may have been a prime motive inthe establishment of what may have been the most northerly saltpetre cave mining operation in American history
Saltpetre Bedford County
mined for Saltpetre (John Friends Cave
Ca ve is located in Sweet Root State Park northwest of Chancysville Pennsylvani about 50 miles northeast of the nearest other
cave Garrett County Md) John FriendsC ave and Busheys Car-ern at Cavetown Md in WaShington County appear to be the northernmost limestone saltpet re caves while Bedford Countys saltpetre cave is believed to be the northernmost American cave of any type mined for saltpetre The only possi ble eXC eption known to the writer is similar in nature to Saltpetre Cave but cannot really be classified as a cave This consists of a series of sandstone cliffs 25 to 40 feet high located along the Susquehanna River in Wyoming County Penna In 1783 or 1784 Johann David Shoepf a German traveller was shown man-made holes in these cliffs where saltpetre had been mined from the very bedrock In 1788 he wrote that
at the beginning of the war various saltpetre -boileries were set up in themiddot Wyoming region but were given over on account of the Indians or for othe reasons Now this deposit and t he scraped -off sand are said to have been used in the preparation of saltpetre bull bull bull (Sc hoepf 1911)
l2
magister end
in local verbal tradition (Anon 1907 Stone 1953 Black 1963 Imler Sweet Wa ter Gap were expored very early
Thomas Powell
covery of the cave
War
the participants (the late Stella lames Beck) visited the cave for picnics by pine torch light Chaneysville Imler 1971
preserved for future generations
ere Ices to the historic traditions thereof S 1 pi reference
Because of their similar nature this account adds credence to the supposed usage of Saltpetre Cave Sandstone cliffs and shelters were extensively mined for saltpetre in Kentucky very early in the 19th Century (Maxon 1932 ) In all cases the bedrock itself would most likel y have been crushed and boiled to remove the nitrate content as described for the Kentucky operations
Saltpetre Cave is located along Little Sweet Root Creek in a beautiful hollow shaded by towering hemlocks The entrance is on the right side of the holshylow in the base of a sandstone cliff below a large boulder It is a jointshycontrolled fissure cavern in Devonian sandstone and parallels the hollow It It appears genetically related to the formation of the hollow and the breakdown oithe cliffs The upper entrance is halved by a large ceiling breakdown slab This passage slopes gently downward for about 40 feet gradually enqing in fill and breakdown Near the end a floor floor fiSSure connects by a short crawl to a parallel passage which is slightly shorter and smaller more easily entered through a second entrance ten feet from the first
The cave fill has an extensive organic content perhaps primarily due to Neotoma
found near the along with the
genershyations of habitation by the Allegheny cave rat Six intact rat nests neat and igloo shaped were inquisitive owner The lower passage contains a thin layer of charcoal in its fill The ceiling near the rat nests is coated with soot
The history of the cave area and the cave itself is obscured by inconsiste ciE This is reflected in various published references
1 964) Sweet Root Creek an when
son of Nathaniel Powell member of the Virginia Council organized a small expedition to explore in the summer of 1625 the northwest section of Virginia bull The march continued on North along Town Creek to the junction of S weet Root Creek thence
Hill II (Lutz 1946)
Over a century later in 1747 Joseph Plty(ell established a t acingpost in the gap on1y a few hundred yards froInSaltpetre Cave The foundation of this bUilding are still visible His brother George is credited with the disshy
through Sweet Water Gap and on up the creek to its source on Martin
at an unrecorded cmte (Anon 1907) The mining activity itself was probably accomplished by Michaet-Huff during the Revolutionary
while the gunpowder was made from the saltpetre by Jacob R9wland
The cave has seen other use in more Inodern times According to one of 15 students and their teacher
from ail old log school near A school teacher naIned Sanford Fleet obtained
saltpetre from the cave during the 1920ts (Stone 1953) Today within the boundaries of Sweet Root State Park this historic spot has been deservedly
and a marked trail is maintained to the cave
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thalk Byron Black and Thomas C Imler of Bedford County for their generous aid in visiting the cave and supplying several repoundshy
WR Halliday supplied the 7-3
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
In 1896 the Reverend Horace C Hovey wrote an article about Colossal Cave from information given him by Ben Hains and John M Nelson He visited the cave in Jul v 1903 In November 1903 his second article on Colossal Cave was printed including a map of Colossal and Bedquilt Caves (16) Other articles appeared in magazines and L amp N brochures but by 1910 the cave was seldom visited Lute Lee served as manager for three years and was succeeded by J M and Morris Hunt As time passed declining revenues the discovery of new commercial caves on Flint Ridge and the advent of the automobile closed Colossal Cave to the public
In May 1921 the Coloss Cavern Company leased surface rights on 300 acres near the Pike Chapman entrance to A J Musselman of Chicago Tom Bendelow a famous golf course architect was hired to lay out an 18-hole course On May 19 1921 the Louisville TIMES featured an article Rich will sOOP- have links at Mammoth Caven Musselman
built 21 log huts and a large dining and recreation hall in the center of the gold course and was ready for golfers by the spring of 1922 (17) Initially the project prospered and stories are still told about how local men would sneak into the old entrance 6f Salts Cave to reach the Pike chapman entrance where golfers stored illegal ga1lon jugs of whiskey Another cave on the BlueGrass Country Club land Unknown Cave was later to prove the key to int grating Salts Cave Floyd Collins Crystal Cave Bedquilt Cave and Colossal Cave into the worlds longest cave system
In 1925 the Louisville Gas and Electric Company confirmed that streams inlossal Cave cOJlnected with Pike Spring near Floyd Collins Crystal Cave The dye tests attr acted little attention as cave explor ation was discouraged while Mammoth Cave National Park was being formed Alshythough they had promised to deed their land to the new park the L amp N and the Colossa Cavern Company continued to be beset with legal actions chiefly overt the definition of cave property rights The legal act ion culshyminated in the Kentucky Court of Appeals in COX v COLOSSAL CAVERN COMPANY 210 Ky 612 decided on October 16 1925
By 1928 the BlueGrass Country Club was closed George Cline the last guide and caretaker of ColOSSal Cave left the land in 1930 On May 23 1933 the remaining buildings on the country club grounds were first occushypied by Company 510 of the Civilian Conservation Corps On January 23 1935 Colossal Cavern Company holdings were transferred to the National Palk Association The ColOSSal Cavern Company was officially dissolved on July 31 1935 Colossal Cave was thereafter visited only by local rock collectors and National Park Service personnel Further mention of the Colossal Cavern Company existed only in newspaper notices of its dissolshyution which appeared in the Louisville TIMES i n August 1935 In a final deed dated April 25 1940 the L amp N conveyed all of its holdings to Mammoth Cave National Park thereby ending 45 years of profound influence on the history of caving in Flint tidge
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This article is issued as part of a Cave Research Foundation project on the history of cave exploration in Mammoth Cave National Park The
68
Antiq14ity - -- --------
0p_
Op Sit
8 Lee Lute Cit -gt
14 Lute
author wishes to thank Milton H Smith ill the L amp N Railroad Edwin L Rothfuss National Park Service Patty Jo Watson Cave Research Foundation and ERo Pohl Mamm oth Onyx Cavefor assistance in c ollectin g articles and inJormation used in this paper
BIBLIOGRAPHY
L Rohbins LOLise M A Woodl and Mummy from Salts Cave Kenshyt1ckv American Vol 36 No Z 1971 pp ZOO-206
2 bull Lee LLte ( roseph Louis) lMemories of the Past Undated mss original hand -wrItfen copy at the Filson Club Louisville Ky Reprinted in tllls Journa VoL 2 no t Jan -March 1969 pp 16-17
3 Ibid
4 Young Be nne 1t H THE PREHISTORIC MEN OF KENTUCKY Filson ClubPIblicationNo 25 J ohn P Morton amp Co Louisville Ky ) p 300
6 Lee Lute lLute Lee Tells of Colossal Cavern and of Early Life of Jacob Lock (sicI The Glasg ow TIMES Glasgow Ky May 22lt 1952 Lute Lee staed that he main pas s ag e was found before Hazen purchased an interest in the cav e ihe T-merous conflict ing dates around July 1895 for dis covery of Coloss a Cavern may reflect that it was about this
Lime that the main cave - Colossal - was discovered by reaching Colossal Dome from Woodson-Adair Cave For some time both caves were referred to se paratel y although each was part of one cave system
7 Nary M renberg to L W Hazen A gust 28 1895 Deed BookR Edmonson Couny Clerks Office Br owls ille Ky
-L_ _J
bull l
9 R eport on file Louisville and Nashville Railroad Louisville Ky
10 Deeds ard contracts on file L amp N Rail ro ad Real Estate Department Louisville Ky
-1l Anon ifltolossal Cave to be Open ed Louisville COURIER -jOURNAL bull January 91896 p 5 This article is the first reference fou nd in which
the worClflcolossal was used in reference to the cave
12 Anon IISuit about a Cae 1 Louisville COURIERJOURNAL February 4 l896 p 7
13 Anon Colossal Cavern Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL March 28 l896 p 6
Lee
15 Younll Bennett H Rivals the Mammoth in Grandeur Louisville COURIER--JOUR AL sect 3 August 15 1897 p1
(references concluded page )
19 1p 20
N lt---__ _
- - -- - --- --
connecting passages
FLOOR PLAN
Saltpetre Cave Penna CRG grade 4
crawl
B-n-B
Lowerbull
passage
scale in feet
Mapped -NoveInber 5 1967 Ennis Duling
Peter Hauer
70
0 _ _ _ _ __ -
PENNSYLVANIAS ONLY SALTPETRE CAVE
Saltpetre Cave Bedibrd County Pa is a small sandstone fissure which
A BACKGROUND STUDY Peter M Hauer
Abstract
was mined for saltpetre dirt during the 18th Century One of the very few natural soutces of the material in the state Sal tpetre Cave illustrates the needs and remoeness of the westetn counties in the state which became the leading gunpowder producer during the American Revolution bull
--
When the Amedcan Revolution began saltpetre procurement became an important cOIlsideration The colonists found themselves without any operable powder miHs Two years earlier in October 1774 the British Parliament had prohibited all export of black powder to America and when the war broke out the Americans had only 80000 pounds of powder total (Wilkinson 1966
The leadership of the newmiddot country was quick to respond to this need Its response on a smaller scale was similar to that of the Confederate leaders
During this periodlnumerous
In
85 years later On July 3 1775 the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia with Benjamin FrankJin presiding resolved
That Mes srs Robert Morris Robert White and Thomas Warton junr do with the vtmost expeditionprocure any quantity of Powder and SlaquoIt PetrI in their Power II (Anon n d)
In New York in January 1776 the Committe published the first American text on this subject a 38-page Essays upon the Making opound5alt-Petre and Gunshy
Powder bounties and premiUms for salt-petre were offered by the individual colonies Nitriaries using organic wastes were established in Jarg numbers in f ull knowledge of the two
ormoreJyemiddotars required before they would ltproduceanyquantit-y of saltpetre bull IrliL another parallel to later Confederate tact-ics smuggling of saltpetre
from the supplies of foreign aUies be ame the most important source bull
the first 2 12 years of the Revolutionary War the Americans were able to produce less than 10 per cent of their supply the rest being imported fr m French merchants (VanGelder dSchlatterl927) _
During this period of short munition supply Pennsylvania emerged as the leading gunpowder producer not ovly due to its centr l position but to its manv German farmers who knew the art as well as the old women knew how to make soft soap (Wilkinson 1966) Despite the slow start by 1781 Pennsylvania had 21 powder mills with an annual capacity oL625 tons (Clark 1929) Ten years later saltpetre was cheaper inPhiladelphia than in London (Geoghegan and Karnes 1968)
This post-war availabllity was particularly in contrast to the early scarcity inthe remote mountain regions of the state Bedford County was a frontier stronghold at the time of the American Revolution and even before that time
71
it had held particular strategic importance as a vanguard of Colonial expansion into the Western wildernes s and Indian lands In the summer of 1758 Fort Bedford was built as an aid to that expansionist des ire The violence of massacre war and rebellion governed the lives and needs of its people through the Ameri can Revolution and into the 10cally based Whiskey Insurrection of 1794
The early need for saltpetre in Bedford County is well documented The minutes of the Council of Safety for October 2 1775 state
II Upon application of Bernard Dougherty Esqr for some Gunpowder for the use of Bedford County Resolved That 100 Pounds of Powder be lent to said County for the pres ent and when Convenient this Board will spare them a larger Quantity An order was drawn on the Commis sary for the Same and delivered Mr Dougherty
14(Anon n d )
Later on January 3 1776 under the chairmanship of Benjamin Franklin
If Letters were wrote tot the Commissioners and assessors of each County respecting Arms etc J to be provided by them agreeable to a Resolve of Assembly of the June last and to the Committees of the different Counties (except those of Westmoreland Northumberland and Bedford) respecting the Manufacture of Saltpetre and the mode of procuring rid paying the Same (Anon nd)
Obviously the Bedford County supply was critical Along with Essex County Virginia Bedford County was notable in 1775 for offering premiums to enshycourage local saltpetre manufacture (Clark 1929)
This offer may have been a prime motive inthe establishment of what may have been the most northerly saltpetre cave mining operation in American history
Saltpetre Bedford County
mined for Saltpetre (John Friends Cave
Ca ve is located in Sweet Root State Park northwest of Chancysville Pennsylvani about 50 miles northeast of the nearest other
cave Garrett County Md) John FriendsC ave and Busheys Car-ern at Cavetown Md in WaShington County appear to be the northernmost limestone saltpet re caves while Bedford Countys saltpetre cave is believed to be the northernmost American cave of any type mined for saltpetre The only possi ble eXC eption known to the writer is similar in nature to Saltpetre Cave but cannot really be classified as a cave This consists of a series of sandstone cliffs 25 to 40 feet high located along the Susquehanna River in Wyoming County Penna In 1783 or 1784 Johann David Shoepf a German traveller was shown man-made holes in these cliffs where saltpetre had been mined from the very bedrock In 1788 he wrote that
at the beginning of the war various saltpetre -boileries were set up in themiddot Wyoming region but were given over on account of the Indians or for othe reasons Now this deposit and t he scraped -off sand are said to have been used in the preparation of saltpetre bull bull bull (Sc hoepf 1911)
l2
magister end
in local verbal tradition (Anon 1907 Stone 1953 Black 1963 Imler Sweet Wa ter Gap were expored very early
Thomas Powell
covery of the cave
War
the participants (the late Stella lames Beck) visited the cave for picnics by pine torch light Chaneysville Imler 1971
preserved for future generations
ere Ices to the historic traditions thereof S 1 pi reference
Because of their similar nature this account adds credence to the supposed usage of Saltpetre Cave Sandstone cliffs and shelters were extensively mined for saltpetre in Kentucky very early in the 19th Century (Maxon 1932 ) In all cases the bedrock itself would most likel y have been crushed and boiled to remove the nitrate content as described for the Kentucky operations
Saltpetre Cave is located along Little Sweet Root Creek in a beautiful hollow shaded by towering hemlocks The entrance is on the right side of the holshylow in the base of a sandstone cliff below a large boulder It is a jointshycontrolled fissure cavern in Devonian sandstone and parallels the hollow It It appears genetically related to the formation of the hollow and the breakdown oithe cliffs The upper entrance is halved by a large ceiling breakdown slab This passage slopes gently downward for about 40 feet gradually enqing in fill and breakdown Near the end a floor floor fiSSure connects by a short crawl to a parallel passage which is slightly shorter and smaller more easily entered through a second entrance ten feet from the first
The cave fill has an extensive organic content perhaps primarily due to Neotoma
found near the along with the
genershyations of habitation by the Allegheny cave rat Six intact rat nests neat and igloo shaped were inquisitive owner The lower passage contains a thin layer of charcoal in its fill The ceiling near the rat nests is coated with soot
The history of the cave area and the cave itself is obscured by inconsiste ciE This is reflected in various published references
1 964) Sweet Root Creek an when
son of Nathaniel Powell member of the Virginia Council organized a small expedition to explore in the summer of 1625 the northwest section of Virginia bull The march continued on North along Town Creek to the junction of S weet Root Creek thence
Hill II (Lutz 1946)
Over a century later in 1747 Joseph Plty(ell established a t acingpost in the gap on1y a few hundred yards froInSaltpetre Cave The foundation of this bUilding are still visible His brother George is credited with the disshy
through Sweet Water Gap and on up the creek to its source on Martin
at an unrecorded cmte (Anon 1907) The mining activity itself was probably accomplished by Michaet-Huff during the Revolutionary
while the gunpowder was made from the saltpetre by Jacob R9wland
The cave has seen other use in more Inodern times According to one of 15 students and their teacher
from ail old log school near A school teacher naIned Sanford Fleet obtained
saltpetre from the cave during the 1920ts (Stone 1953) Today within the boundaries of Sweet Root State Park this historic spot has been deservedly
and a marked trail is maintained to the cave
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thalk Byron Black and Thomas C Imler of Bedford County for their generous aid in visiting the cave and supplying several repoundshy
WR Halliday supplied the 7-3
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
Antiq14ity - -- --------
0p_
Op Sit
8 Lee Lute Cit -gt
14 Lute
author wishes to thank Milton H Smith ill the L amp N Railroad Edwin L Rothfuss National Park Service Patty Jo Watson Cave Research Foundation and ERo Pohl Mamm oth Onyx Cavefor assistance in c ollectin g articles and inJormation used in this paper
BIBLIOGRAPHY
L Rohbins LOLise M A Woodl and Mummy from Salts Cave Kenshyt1ckv American Vol 36 No Z 1971 pp ZOO-206
2 bull Lee LLte ( roseph Louis) lMemories of the Past Undated mss original hand -wrItfen copy at the Filson Club Louisville Ky Reprinted in tllls Journa VoL 2 no t Jan -March 1969 pp 16-17
3 Ibid
4 Young Be nne 1t H THE PREHISTORIC MEN OF KENTUCKY Filson ClubPIblicationNo 25 J ohn P Morton amp Co Louisville Ky ) p 300
6 Lee Lute lLute Lee Tells of Colossal Cavern and of Early Life of Jacob Lock (sicI The Glasg ow TIMES Glasgow Ky May 22lt 1952 Lute Lee staed that he main pas s ag e was found before Hazen purchased an interest in the cav e ihe T-merous conflict ing dates around July 1895 for dis covery of Coloss a Cavern may reflect that it was about this
Lime that the main cave - Colossal - was discovered by reaching Colossal Dome from Woodson-Adair Cave For some time both caves were referred to se paratel y although each was part of one cave system
7 Nary M renberg to L W Hazen A gust 28 1895 Deed BookR Edmonson Couny Clerks Office Br owls ille Ky
-L_ _J
bull l
9 R eport on file Louisville and Nashville Railroad Louisville Ky
10 Deeds ard contracts on file L amp N Rail ro ad Real Estate Department Louisville Ky
-1l Anon ifltolossal Cave to be Open ed Louisville COURIER -jOURNAL bull January 91896 p 5 This article is the first reference fou nd in which
the worClflcolossal was used in reference to the cave
12 Anon IISuit about a Cae 1 Louisville COURIERJOURNAL February 4 l896 p 7
13 Anon Colossal Cavern Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL March 28 l896 p 6
Lee
15 Younll Bennett H Rivals the Mammoth in Grandeur Louisville COURIER--JOUR AL sect 3 August 15 1897 p1
(references concluded page )
19 1p 20
N lt---__ _
- - -- - --- --
connecting passages
FLOOR PLAN
Saltpetre Cave Penna CRG grade 4
crawl
B-n-B
Lowerbull
passage
scale in feet
Mapped -NoveInber 5 1967 Ennis Duling
Peter Hauer
70
0 _ _ _ _ __ -
PENNSYLVANIAS ONLY SALTPETRE CAVE
Saltpetre Cave Bedibrd County Pa is a small sandstone fissure which
A BACKGROUND STUDY Peter M Hauer
Abstract
was mined for saltpetre dirt during the 18th Century One of the very few natural soutces of the material in the state Sal tpetre Cave illustrates the needs and remoeness of the westetn counties in the state which became the leading gunpowder producer during the American Revolution bull
--
When the Amedcan Revolution began saltpetre procurement became an important cOIlsideration The colonists found themselves without any operable powder miHs Two years earlier in October 1774 the British Parliament had prohibited all export of black powder to America and when the war broke out the Americans had only 80000 pounds of powder total (Wilkinson 1966
The leadership of the newmiddot country was quick to respond to this need Its response on a smaller scale was similar to that of the Confederate leaders
During this periodlnumerous
In
85 years later On July 3 1775 the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia with Benjamin FrankJin presiding resolved
That Mes srs Robert Morris Robert White and Thomas Warton junr do with the vtmost expeditionprocure any quantity of Powder and SlaquoIt PetrI in their Power II (Anon n d)
In New York in January 1776 the Committe published the first American text on this subject a 38-page Essays upon the Making opound5alt-Petre and Gunshy
Powder bounties and premiUms for salt-petre were offered by the individual colonies Nitriaries using organic wastes were established in Jarg numbers in f ull knowledge of the two
ormoreJyemiddotars required before they would ltproduceanyquantit-y of saltpetre bull IrliL another parallel to later Confederate tact-ics smuggling of saltpetre
from the supplies of foreign aUies be ame the most important source bull
the first 2 12 years of the Revolutionary War the Americans were able to produce less than 10 per cent of their supply the rest being imported fr m French merchants (VanGelder dSchlatterl927) _
During this period of short munition supply Pennsylvania emerged as the leading gunpowder producer not ovly due to its centr l position but to its manv German farmers who knew the art as well as the old women knew how to make soft soap (Wilkinson 1966) Despite the slow start by 1781 Pennsylvania had 21 powder mills with an annual capacity oL625 tons (Clark 1929) Ten years later saltpetre was cheaper inPhiladelphia than in London (Geoghegan and Karnes 1968)
This post-war availabllity was particularly in contrast to the early scarcity inthe remote mountain regions of the state Bedford County was a frontier stronghold at the time of the American Revolution and even before that time
71
it had held particular strategic importance as a vanguard of Colonial expansion into the Western wildernes s and Indian lands In the summer of 1758 Fort Bedford was built as an aid to that expansionist des ire The violence of massacre war and rebellion governed the lives and needs of its people through the Ameri can Revolution and into the 10cally based Whiskey Insurrection of 1794
The early need for saltpetre in Bedford County is well documented The minutes of the Council of Safety for October 2 1775 state
II Upon application of Bernard Dougherty Esqr for some Gunpowder for the use of Bedford County Resolved That 100 Pounds of Powder be lent to said County for the pres ent and when Convenient this Board will spare them a larger Quantity An order was drawn on the Commis sary for the Same and delivered Mr Dougherty
14(Anon n d )
Later on January 3 1776 under the chairmanship of Benjamin Franklin
If Letters were wrote tot the Commissioners and assessors of each County respecting Arms etc J to be provided by them agreeable to a Resolve of Assembly of the June last and to the Committees of the different Counties (except those of Westmoreland Northumberland and Bedford) respecting the Manufacture of Saltpetre and the mode of procuring rid paying the Same (Anon nd)
Obviously the Bedford County supply was critical Along with Essex County Virginia Bedford County was notable in 1775 for offering premiums to enshycourage local saltpetre manufacture (Clark 1929)
This offer may have been a prime motive inthe establishment of what may have been the most northerly saltpetre cave mining operation in American history
Saltpetre Bedford County
mined for Saltpetre (John Friends Cave
Ca ve is located in Sweet Root State Park northwest of Chancysville Pennsylvani about 50 miles northeast of the nearest other
cave Garrett County Md) John FriendsC ave and Busheys Car-ern at Cavetown Md in WaShington County appear to be the northernmost limestone saltpet re caves while Bedford Countys saltpetre cave is believed to be the northernmost American cave of any type mined for saltpetre The only possi ble eXC eption known to the writer is similar in nature to Saltpetre Cave but cannot really be classified as a cave This consists of a series of sandstone cliffs 25 to 40 feet high located along the Susquehanna River in Wyoming County Penna In 1783 or 1784 Johann David Shoepf a German traveller was shown man-made holes in these cliffs where saltpetre had been mined from the very bedrock In 1788 he wrote that
at the beginning of the war various saltpetre -boileries were set up in themiddot Wyoming region but were given over on account of the Indians or for othe reasons Now this deposit and t he scraped -off sand are said to have been used in the preparation of saltpetre bull bull bull (Sc hoepf 1911)
l2
magister end
in local verbal tradition (Anon 1907 Stone 1953 Black 1963 Imler Sweet Wa ter Gap were expored very early
Thomas Powell
covery of the cave
War
the participants (the late Stella lames Beck) visited the cave for picnics by pine torch light Chaneysville Imler 1971
preserved for future generations
ere Ices to the historic traditions thereof S 1 pi reference
Because of their similar nature this account adds credence to the supposed usage of Saltpetre Cave Sandstone cliffs and shelters were extensively mined for saltpetre in Kentucky very early in the 19th Century (Maxon 1932 ) In all cases the bedrock itself would most likel y have been crushed and boiled to remove the nitrate content as described for the Kentucky operations
Saltpetre Cave is located along Little Sweet Root Creek in a beautiful hollow shaded by towering hemlocks The entrance is on the right side of the holshylow in the base of a sandstone cliff below a large boulder It is a jointshycontrolled fissure cavern in Devonian sandstone and parallels the hollow It It appears genetically related to the formation of the hollow and the breakdown oithe cliffs The upper entrance is halved by a large ceiling breakdown slab This passage slopes gently downward for about 40 feet gradually enqing in fill and breakdown Near the end a floor floor fiSSure connects by a short crawl to a parallel passage which is slightly shorter and smaller more easily entered through a second entrance ten feet from the first
The cave fill has an extensive organic content perhaps primarily due to Neotoma
found near the along with the
genershyations of habitation by the Allegheny cave rat Six intact rat nests neat and igloo shaped were inquisitive owner The lower passage contains a thin layer of charcoal in its fill The ceiling near the rat nests is coated with soot
The history of the cave area and the cave itself is obscured by inconsiste ciE This is reflected in various published references
1 964) Sweet Root Creek an when
son of Nathaniel Powell member of the Virginia Council organized a small expedition to explore in the summer of 1625 the northwest section of Virginia bull The march continued on North along Town Creek to the junction of S weet Root Creek thence
Hill II (Lutz 1946)
Over a century later in 1747 Joseph Plty(ell established a t acingpost in the gap on1y a few hundred yards froInSaltpetre Cave The foundation of this bUilding are still visible His brother George is credited with the disshy
through Sweet Water Gap and on up the creek to its source on Martin
at an unrecorded cmte (Anon 1907) The mining activity itself was probably accomplished by Michaet-Huff during the Revolutionary
while the gunpowder was made from the saltpetre by Jacob R9wland
The cave has seen other use in more Inodern times According to one of 15 students and their teacher
from ail old log school near A school teacher naIned Sanford Fleet obtained
saltpetre from the cave during the 1920ts (Stone 1953) Today within the boundaries of Sweet Root State Park this historic spot has been deservedly
and a marked trail is maintained to the cave
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thalk Byron Black and Thomas C Imler of Bedford County for their generous aid in visiting the cave and supplying several repoundshy
WR Halliday supplied the 7-3
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
19 1p 20
N lt---__ _
- - -- - --- --
connecting passages
FLOOR PLAN
Saltpetre Cave Penna CRG grade 4
crawl
B-n-B
Lowerbull
passage
scale in feet
Mapped -NoveInber 5 1967 Ennis Duling
Peter Hauer
70
0 _ _ _ _ __ -
PENNSYLVANIAS ONLY SALTPETRE CAVE
Saltpetre Cave Bedibrd County Pa is a small sandstone fissure which
A BACKGROUND STUDY Peter M Hauer
Abstract
was mined for saltpetre dirt during the 18th Century One of the very few natural soutces of the material in the state Sal tpetre Cave illustrates the needs and remoeness of the westetn counties in the state which became the leading gunpowder producer during the American Revolution bull
--
When the Amedcan Revolution began saltpetre procurement became an important cOIlsideration The colonists found themselves without any operable powder miHs Two years earlier in October 1774 the British Parliament had prohibited all export of black powder to America and when the war broke out the Americans had only 80000 pounds of powder total (Wilkinson 1966
The leadership of the newmiddot country was quick to respond to this need Its response on a smaller scale was similar to that of the Confederate leaders
During this periodlnumerous
In
85 years later On July 3 1775 the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia with Benjamin FrankJin presiding resolved
That Mes srs Robert Morris Robert White and Thomas Warton junr do with the vtmost expeditionprocure any quantity of Powder and SlaquoIt PetrI in their Power II (Anon n d)
In New York in January 1776 the Committe published the first American text on this subject a 38-page Essays upon the Making opound5alt-Petre and Gunshy
Powder bounties and premiUms for salt-petre were offered by the individual colonies Nitriaries using organic wastes were established in Jarg numbers in f ull knowledge of the two
ormoreJyemiddotars required before they would ltproduceanyquantit-y of saltpetre bull IrliL another parallel to later Confederate tact-ics smuggling of saltpetre
from the supplies of foreign aUies be ame the most important source bull
the first 2 12 years of the Revolutionary War the Americans were able to produce less than 10 per cent of their supply the rest being imported fr m French merchants (VanGelder dSchlatterl927) _
During this period of short munition supply Pennsylvania emerged as the leading gunpowder producer not ovly due to its centr l position but to its manv German farmers who knew the art as well as the old women knew how to make soft soap (Wilkinson 1966) Despite the slow start by 1781 Pennsylvania had 21 powder mills with an annual capacity oL625 tons (Clark 1929) Ten years later saltpetre was cheaper inPhiladelphia than in London (Geoghegan and Karnes 1968)
This post-war availabllity was particularly in contrast to the early scarcity inthe remote mountain regions of the state Bedford County was a frontier stronghold at the time of the American Revolution and even before that time
71
it had held particular strategic importance as a vanguard of Colonial expansion into the Western wildernes s and Indian lands In the summer of 1758 Fort Bedford was built as an aid to that expansionist des ire The violence of massacre war and rebellion governed the lives and needs of its people through the Ameri can Revolution and into the 10cally based Whiskey Insurrection of 1794
The early need for saltpetre in Bedford County is well documented The minutes of the Council of Safety for October 2 1775 state
II Upon application of Bernard Dougherty Esqr for some Gunpowder for the use of Bedford County Resolved That 100 Pounds of Powder be lent to said County for the pres ent and when Convenient this Board will spare them a larger Quantity An order was drawn on the Commis sary for the Same and delivered Mr Dougherty
14(Anon n d )
Later on January 3 1776 under the chairmanship of Benjamin Franklin
If Letters were wrote tot the Commissioners and assessors of each County respecting Arms etc J to be provided by them agreeable to a Resolve of Assembly of the June last and to the Committees of the different Counties (except those of Westmoreland Northumberland and Bedford) respecting the Manufacture of Saltpetre and the mode of procuring rid paying the Same (Anon nd)
Obviously the Bedford County supply was critical Along with Essex County Virginia Bedford County was notable in 1775 for offering premiums to enshycourage local saltpetre manufacture (Clark 1929)
This offer may have been a prime motive inthe establishment of what may have been the most northerly saltpetre cave mining operation in American history
Saltpetre Bedford County
mined for Saltpetre (John Friends Cave
Ca ve is located in Sweet Root State Park northwest of Chancysville Pennsylvani about 50 miles northeast of the nearest other
cave Garrett County Md) John FriendsC ave and Busheys Car-ern at Cavetown Md in WaShington County appear to be the northernmost limestone saltpet re caves while Bedford Countys saltpetre cave is believed to be the northernmost American cave of any type mined for saltpetre The only possi ble eXC eption known to the writer is similar in nature to Saltpetre Cave but cannot really be classified as a cave This consists of a series of sandstone cliffs 25 to 40 feet high located along the Susquehanna River in Wyoming County Penna In 1783 or 1784 Johann David Shoepf a German traveller was shown man-made holes in these cliffs where saltpetre had been mined from the very bedrock In 1788 he wrote that
at the beginning of the war various saltpetre -boileries were set up in themiddot Wyoming region but were given over on account of the Indians or for othe reasons Now this deposit and t he scraped -off sand are said to have been used in the preparation of saltpetre bull bull bull (Sc hoepf 1911)
l2
magister end
in local verbal tradition (Anon 1907 Stone 1953 Black 1963 Imler Sweet Wa ter Gap were expored very early
Thomas Powell
covery of the cave
War
the participants (the late Stella lames Beck) visited the cave for picnics by pine torch light Chaneysville Imler 1971
preserved for future generations
ere Ices to the historic traditions thereof S 1 pi reference
Because of their similar nature this account adds credence to the supposed usage of Saltpetre Cave Sandstone cliffs and shelters were extensively mined for saltpetre in Kentucky very early in the 19th Century (Maxon 1932 ) In all cases the bedrock itself would most likel y have been crushed and boiled to remove the nitrate content as described for the Kentucky operations
Saltpetre Cave is located along Little Sweet Root Creek in a beautiful hollow shaded by towering hemlocks The entrance is on the right side of the holshylow in the base of a sandstone cliff below a large boulder It is a jointshycontrolled fissure cavern in Devonian sandstone and parallels the hollow It It appears genetically related to the formation of the hollow and the breakdown oithe cliffs The upper entrance is halved by a large ceiling breakdown slab This passage slopes gently downward for about 40 feet gradually enqing in fill and breakdown Near the end a floor floor fiSSure connects by a short crawl to a parallel passage which is slightly shorter and smaller more easily entered through a second entrance ten feet from the first
The cave fill has an extensive organic content perhaps primarily due to Neotoma
found near the along with the
genershyations of habitation by the Allegheny cave rat Six intact rat nests neat and igloo shaped were inquisitive owner The lower passage contains a thin layer of charcoal in its fill The ceiling near the rat nests is coated with soot
The history of the cave area and the cave itself is obscured by inconsiste ciE This is reflected in various published references
1 964) Sweet Root Creek an when
son of Nathaniel Powell member of the Virginia Council organized a small expedition to explore in the summer of 1625 the northwest section of Virginia bull The march continued on North along Town Creek to the junction of S weet Root Creek thence
Hill II (Lutz 1946)
Over a century later in 1747 Joseph Plty(ell established a t acingpost in the gap on1y a few hundred yards froInSaltpetre Cave The foundation of this bUilding are still visible His brother George is credited with the disshy
through Sweet Water Gap and on up the creek to its source on Martin
at an unrecorded cmte (Anon 1907) The mining activity itself was probably accomplished by Michaet-Huff during the Revolutionary
while the gunpowder was made from the saltpetre by Jacob R9wland
The cave has seen other use in more Inodern times According to one of 15 students and their teacher
from ail old log school near A school teacher naIned Sanford Fleet obtained
saltpetre from the cave during the 1920ts (Stone 1953) Today within the boundaries of Sweet Root State Park this historic spot has been deservedly
and a marked trail is maintained to the cave
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thalk Byron Black and Thomas C Imler of Bedford County for their generous aid in visiting the cave and supplying several repoundshy
WR Halliday supplied the 7-3
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
PENNSYLVANIAS ONLY SALTPETRE CAVE
Saltpetre Cave Bedibrd County Pa is a small sandstone fissure which
A BACKGROUND STUDY Peter M Hauer
Abstract
was mined for saltpetre dirt during the 18th Century One of the very few natural soutces of the material in the state Sal tpetre Cave illustrates the needs and remoeness of the westetn counties in the state which became the leading gunpowder producer during the American Revolution bull
--
When the Amedcan Revolution began saltpetre procurement became an important cOIlsideration The colonists found themselves without any operable powder miHs Two years earlier in October 1774 the British Parliament had prohibited all export of black powder to America and when the war broke out the Americans had only 80000 pounds of powder total (Wilkinson 1966
The leadership of the newmiddot country was quick to respond to this need Its response on a smaller scale was similar to that of the Confederate leaders
During this periodlnumerous
In
85 years later On July 3 1775 the Committee of Safety in Philadelphia with Benjamin FrankJin presiding resolved
That Mes srs Robert Morris Robert White and Thomas Warton junr do with the vtmost expeditionprocure any quantity of Powder and SlaquoIt PetrI in their Power II (Anon n d)
In New York in January 1776 the Committe published the first American text on this subject a 38-page Essays upon the Making opound5alt-Petre and Gunshy
Powder bounties and premiUms for salt-petre were offered by the individual colonies Nitriaries using organic wastes were established in Jarg numbers in f ull knowledge of the two
ormoreJyemiddotars required before they would ltproduceanyquantit-y of saltpetre bull IrliL another parallel to later Confederate tact-ics smuggling of saltpetre
from the supplies of foreign aUies be ame the most important source bull
the first 2 12 years of the Revolutionary War the Americans were able to produce less than 10 per cent of their supply the rest being imported fr m French merchants (VanGelder dSchlatterl927) _
During this period of short munition supply Pennsylvania emerged as the leading gunpowder producer not ovly due to its centr l position but to its manv German farmers who knew the art as well as the old women knew how to make soft soap (Wilkinson 1966) Despite the slow start by 1781 Pennsylvania had 21 powder mills with an annual capacity oL625 tons (Clark 1929) Ten years later saltpetre was cheaper inPhiladelphia than in London (Geoghegan and Karnes 1968)
This post-war availabllity was particularly in contrast to the early scarcity inthe remote mountain regions of the state Bedford County was a frontier stronghold at the time of the American Revolution and even before that time
71
it had held particular strategic importance as a vanguard of Colonial expansion into the Western wildernes s and Indian lands In the summer of 1758 Fort Bedford was built as an aid to that expansionist des ire The violence of massacre war and rebellion governed the lives and needs of its people through the Ameri can Revolution and into the 10cally based Whiskey Insurrection of 1794
The early need for saltpetre in Bedford County is well documented The minutes of the Council of Safety for October 2 1775 state
II Upon application of Bernard Dougherty Esqr for some Gunpowder for the use of Bedford County Resolved That 100 Pounds of Powder be lent to said County for the pres ent and when Convenient this Board will spare them a larger Quantity An order was drawn on the Commis sary for the Same and delivered Mr Dougherty
14(Anon n d )
Later on January 3 1776 under the chairmanship of Benjamin Franklin
If Letters were wrote tot the Commissioners and assessors of each County respecting Arms etc J to be provided by them agreeable to a Resolve of Assembly of the June last and to the Committees of the different Counties (except those of Westmoreland Northumberland and Bedford) respecting the Manufacture of Saltpetre and the mode of procuring rid paying the Same (Anon nd)
Obviously the Bedford County supply was critical Along with Essex County Virginia Bedford County was notable in 1775 for offering premiums to enshycourage local saltpetre manufacture (Clark 1929)
This offer may have been a prime motive inthe establishment of what may have been the most northerly saltpetre cave mining operation in American history
Saltpetre Bedford County
mined for Saltpetre (John Friends Cave
Ca ve is located in Sweet Root State Park northwest of Chancysville Pennsylvani about 50 miles northeast of the nearest other
cave Garrett County Md) John FriendsC ave and Busheys Car-ern at Cavetown Md in WaShington County appear to be the northernmost limestone saltpet re caves while Bedford Countys saltpetre cave is believed to be the northernmost American cave of any type mined for saltpetre The only possi ble eXC eption known to the writer is similar in nature to Saltpetre Cave but cannot really be classified as a cave This consists of a series of sandstone cliffs 25 to 40 feet high located along the Susquehanna River in Wyoming County Penna In 1783 or 1784 Johann David Shoepf a German traveller was shown man-made holes in these cliffs where saltpetre had been mined from the very bedrock In 1788 he wrote that
at the beginning of the war various saltpetre -boileries were set up in themiddot Wyoming region but were given over on account of the Indians or for othe reasons Now this deposit and t he scraped -off sand are said to have been used in the preparation of saltpetre bull bull bull (Sc hoepf 1911)
l2
magister end
in local verbal tradition (Anon 1907 Stone 1953 Black 1963 Imler Sweet Wa ter Gap were expored very early
Thomas Powell
covery of the cave
War
the participants (the late Stella lames Beck) visited the cave for picnics by pine torch light Chaneysville Imler 1971
preserved for future generations
ere Ices to the historic traditions thereof S 1 pi reference
Because of their similar nature this account adds credence to the supposed usage of Saltpetre Cave Sandstone cliffs and shelters were extensively mined for saltpetre in Kentucky very early in the 19th Century (Maxon 1932 ) In all cases the bedrock itself would most likel y have been crushed and boiled to remove the nitrate content as described for the Kentucky operations
Saltpetre Cave is located along Little Sweet Root Creek in a beautiful hollow shaded by towering hemlocks The entrance is on the right side of the holshylow in the base of a sandstone cliff below a large boulder It is a jointshycontrolled fissure cavern in Devonian sandstone and parallels the hollow It It appears genetically related to the formation of the hollow and the breakdown oithe cliffs The upper entrance is halved by a large ceiling breakdown slab This passage slopes gently downward for about 40 feet gradually enqing in fill and breakdown Near the end a floor floor fiSSure connects by a short crawl to a parallel passage which is slightly shorter and smaller more easily entered through a second entrance ten feet from the first
The cave fill has an extensive organic content perhaps primarily due to Neotoma
found near the along with the
genershyations of habitation by the Allegheny cave rat Six intact rat nests neat and igloo shaped were inquisitive owner The lower passage contains a thin layer of charcoal in its fill The ceiling near the rat nests is coated with soot
The history of the cave area and the cave itself is obscured by inconsiste ciE This is reflected in various published references
1 964) Sweet Root Creek an when
son of Nathaniel Powell member of the Virginia Council organized a small expedition to explore in the summer of 1625 the northwest section of Virginia bull The march continued on North along Town Creek to the junction of S weet Root Creek thence
Hill II (Lutz 1946)
Over a century later in 1747 Joseph Plty(ell established a t acingpost in the gap on1y a few hundred yards froInSaltpetre Cave The foundation of this bUilding are still visible His brother George is credited with the disshy
through Sweet Water Gap and on up the creek to its source on Martin
at an unrecorded cmte (Anon 1907) The mining activity itself was probably accomplished by Michaet-Huff during the Revolutionary
while the gunpowder was made from the saltpetre by Jacob R9wland
The cave has seen other use in more Inodern times According to one of 15 students and their teacher
from ail old log school near A school teacher naIned Sanford Fleet obtained
saltpetre from the cave during the 1920ts (Stone 1953) Today within the boundaries of Sweet Root State Park this historic spot has been deservedly
and a marked trail is maintained to the cave
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thalk Byron Black and Thomas C Imler of Bedford County for their generous aid in visiting the cave and supplying several repoundshy
WR Halliday supplied the 7-3
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
it had held particular strategic importance as a vanguard of Colonial expansion into the Western wildernes s and Indian lands In the summer of 1758 Fort Bedford was built as an aid to that expansionist des ire The violence of massacre war and rebellion governed the lives and needs of its people through the Ameri can Revolution and into the 10cally based Whiskey Insurrection of 1794
The early need for saltpetre in Bedford County is well documented The minutes of the Council of Safety for October 2 1775 state
II Upon application of Bernard Dougherty Esqr for some Gunpowder for the use of Bedford County Resolved That 100 Pounds of Powder be lent to said County for the pres ent and when Convenient this Board will spare them a larger Quantity An order was drawn on the Commis sary for the Same and delivered Mr Dougherty
14(Anon n d )
Later on January 3 1776 under the chairmanship of Benjamin Franklin
If Letters were wrote tot the Commissioners and assessors of each County respecting Arms etc J to be provided by them agreeable to a Resolve of Assembly of the June last and to the Committees of the different Counties (except those of Westmoreland Northumberland and Bedford) respecting the Manufacture of Saltpetre and the mode of procuring rid paying the Same (Anon nd)
Obviously the Bedford County supply was critical Along with Essex County Virginia Bedford County was notable in 1775 for offering premiums to enshycourage local saltpetre manufacture (Clark 1929)
This offer may have been a prime motive inthe establishment of what may have been the most northerly saltpetre cave mining operation in American history
Saltpetre Bedford County
mined for Saltpetre (John Friends Cave
Ca ve is located in Sweet Root State Park northwest of Chancysville Pennsylvani about 50 miles northeast of the nearest other
cave Garrett County Md) John FriendsC ave and Busheys Car-ern at Cavetown Md in WaShington County appear to be the northernmost limestone saltpet re caves while Bedford Countys saltpetre cave is believed to be the northernmost American cave of any type mined for saltpetre The only possi ble eXC eption known to the writer is similar in nature to Saltpetre Cave but cannot really be classified as a cave This consists of a series of sandstone cliffs 25 to 40 feet high located along the Susquehanna River in Wyoming County Penna In 1783 or 1784 Johann David Shoepf a German traveller was shown man-made holes in these cliffs where saltpetre had been mined from the very bedrock In 1788 he wrote that
at the beginning of the war various saltpetre -boileries were set up in themiddot Wyoming region but were given over on account of the Indians or for othe reasons Now this deposit and t he scraped -off sand are said to have been used in the preparation of saltpetre bull bull bull (Sc hoepf 1911)
l2
magister end
in local verbal tradition (Anon 1907 Stone 1953 Black 1963 Imler Sweet Wa ter Gap were expored very early
Thomas Powell
covery of the cave
War
the participants (the late Stella lames Beck) visited the cave for picnics by pine torch light Chaneysville Imler 1971
preserved for future generations
ere Ices to the historic traditions thereof S 1 pi reference
Because of their similar nature this account adds credence to the supposed usage of Saltpetre Cave Sandstone cliffs and shelters were extensively mined for saltpetre in Kentucky very early in the 19th Century (Maxon 1932 ) In all cases the bedrock itself would most likel y have been crushed and boiled to remove the nitrate content as described for the Kentucky operations
Saltpetre Cave is located along Little Sweet Root Creek in a beautiful hollow shaded by towering hemlocks The entrance is on the right side of the holshylow in the base of a sandstone cliff below a large boulder It is a jointshycontrolled fissure cavern in Devonian sandstone and parallels the hollow It It appears genetically related to the formation of the hollow and the breakdown oithe cliffs The upper entrance is halved by a large ceiling breakdown slab This passage slopes gently downward for about 40 feet gradually enqing in fill and breakdown Near the end a floor floor fiSSure connects by a short crawl to a parallel passage which is slightly shorter and smaller more easily entered through a second entrance ten feet from the first
The cave fill has an extensive organic content perhaps primarily due to Neotoma
found near the along with the
genershyations of habitation by the Allegheny cave rat Six intact rat nests neat and igloo shaped were inquisitive owner The lower passage contains a thin layer of charcoal in its fill The ceiling near the rat nests is coated with soot
The history of the cave area and the cave itself is obscured by inconsiste ciE This is reflected in various published references
1 964) Sweet Root Creek an when
son of Nathaniel Powell member of the Virginia Council organized a small expedition to explore in the summer of 1625 the northwest section of Virginia bull The march continued on North along Town Creek to the junction of S weet Root Creek thence
Hill II (Lutz 1946)
Over a century later in 1747 Joseph Plty(ell established a t acingpost in the gap on1y a few hundred yards froInSaltpetre Cave The foundation of this bUilding are still visible His brother George is credited with the disshy
through Sweet Water Gap and on up the creek to its source on Martin
at an unrecorded cmte (Anon 1907) The mining activity itself was probably accomplished by Michaet-Huff during the Revolutionary
while the gunpowder was made from the saltpetre by Jacob R9wland
The cave has seen other use in more Inodern times According to one of 15 students and their teacher
from ail old log school near A school teacher naIned Sanford Fleet obtained
saltpetre from the cave during the 1920ts (Stone 1953) Today within the boundaries of Sweet Root State Park this historic spot has been deservedly
and a marked trail is maintained to the cave
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thalk Byron Black and Thomas C Imler of Bedford County for their generous aid in visiting the cave and supplying several repoundshy
WR Halliday supplied the 7-3
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
magister end
in local verbal tradition (Anon 1907 Stone 1953 Black 1963 Imler Sweet Wa ter Gap were expored very early
Thomas Powell
covery of the cave
War
the participants (the late Stella lames Beck) visited the cave for picnics by pine torch light Chaneysville Imler 1971
preserved for future generations
ere Ices to the historic traditions thereof S 1 pi reference
Because of their similar nature this account adds credence to the supposed usage of Saltpetre Cave Sandstone cliffs and shelters were extensively mined for saltpetre in Kentucky very early in the 19th Century (Maxon 1932 ) In all cases the bedrock itself would most likel y have been crushed and boiled to remove the nitrate content as described for the Kentucky operations
Saltpetre Cave is located along Little Sweet Root Creek in a beautiful hollow shaded by towering hemlocks The entrance is on the right side of the holshylow in the base of a sandstone cliff below a large boulder It is a jointshycontrolled fissure cavern in Devonian sandstone and parallels the hollow It It appears genetically related to the formation of the hollow and the breakdown oithe cliffs The upper entrance is halved by a large ceiling breakdown slab This passage slopes gently downward for about 40 feet gradually enqing in fill and breakdown Near the end a floor floor fiSSure connects by a short crawl to a parallel passage which is slightly shorter and smaller more easily entered through a second entrance ten feet from the first
The cave fill has an extensive organic content perhaps primarily due to Neotoma
found near the along with the
genershyations of habitation by the Allegheny cave rat Six intact rat nests neat and igloo shaped were inquisitive owner The lower passage contains a thin layer of charcoal in its fill The ceiling near the rat nests is coated with soot
The history of the cave area and the cave itself is obscured by inconsiste ciE This is reflected in various published references
1 964) Sweet Root Creek an when
son of Nathaniel Powell member of the Virginia Council organized a small expedition to explore in the summer of 1625 the northwest section of Virginia bull The march continued on North along Town Creek to the junction of S weet Root Creek thence
Hill II (Lutz 1946)
Over a century later in 1747 Joseph Plty(ell established a t acingpost in the gap on1y a few hundred yards froInSaltpetre Cave The foundation of this bUilding are still visible His brother George is credited with the disshy
through Sweet Water Gap and on up the creek to its source on Martin
at an unrecorded cmte (Anon 1907) The mining activity itself was probably accomplished by Michaet-Huff during the Revolutionary
while the gunpowder was made from the saltpetre by Jacob R9wland
The cave has seen other use in more Inodern times According to one of 15 students and their teacher
from ail old log school near A school teacher naIned Sanford Fleet obtained
saltpetre from the cave during the 1920ts (Stone 1953) Today within the boundaries of Sweet Root State Park this historic spot has been deservedly
and a marked trail is maintained to the cave
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thalk Byron Black and Thomas C Imler of Bedford County for their generous aid in visiting the cave and supplying several repoundshy
WR Halliday supplied the 7-3
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
446
Maryland pp 1Z-13 33 36-37
43
County history
History
Explosives
Supplement 23316-23319
REFERENCES
Anon n d Minutes of the Council of Safety of the PrOVRe of Pennsylvania Penna Archives 1st Series Vol 10 pp 282) 353 445
Anon 1907 Bedford GAZETTE March 29 p 3
B1ack Byron A 1963 Colerain Unpublished ms for Adult History Class on Bedford County Penna 2 pp
Clark Victor 1929 History of Manufactures in the United States VoL 1 pp 38 222
Da vies Wm E 1950 The caves of Bulletin 7 Md Dept of Geol Mines amp Water Res
JGeoghegan J T amp Karnes D D 1968 Early sources of saltpetre for black powder Muzzle Blasts 2911 pp 4-5
Imler Thomas C 1964 More count y history Bedford GAZETTE Oct 19
ibid pers comm
Lutz Simon ed 1946 Notes and sketches of early Bedford Bedford County Hist Soc np
Maxon Ralph Nelson 1931 The niter caves of Kentucky Jrnal of ChemEd J 9 11 p 1856-1857
Schoepfmiddot Johann David 1911 Travels in the Confederation 1783-1784 Vol 1 trans amp ed by A Morrison pp 177 340 - 4l bull
Stone Ra1ph W 1953 Description of Pennsy1vanias undeveloped caves The American Caver Bulletin 15 Nat Spe1eol Soc bull bull p 56
Van Ge1d r Arthur P amp Schlatter Hugo 1927 of the explosives indusshy
try in America p 67
Wilkinson Norman B 1966 in history p 10
(references continued from page )
16 Hovey Horace C ttThe Colossal Cavern of Kentucky II Scientific American August 29 1896 p 83 Ibid same title Scientific American No 1455 November 21 1903 pp
17 Anon IIB1ueGrass Country Club of Cave City Kentucky Commercial brochure The Wallace Press Chicago n d
74
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
a ppearedinRuttenberandlCla1=ks[iltJ T9RY
STEVEN CRANE - youthful author -spelunker - Dave De Armond
The name of Steven Crane author of RED BADGE OF COURAGE is well known in America The fact that he produced at least two caving tales however may COIne as a surprise While actual records are lacking it is evident that Crane visited at least one cavern and came away equipped to capture that urique scene with his pen
His first caving sketch IIAcross the open pit existed only as an unsold typescript in the hands of his family for many years It now belongs to the University of Virginia and was recently publ ished for the first time It is apparenriy based upon Mammoth Cave as described in Hoveys CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS It appears in Steven Crane some new stories published in the January 1957 Bulletin of the New York Public Library
Crane was more fortunate with his second caving story Four men in a caveH appeared first in the New York Daily Tri bune Sunday July 3 1892 (Volume 52 no 16667-14-5amp6) This story was one upon which Crane had worked at an earlier date and the cave setting was a late addition
At the time of this publication Crane was about 21 years of age and a resishydent of the area of Por t Jervis N Y In this locality two narrow belts of limestones occur along the western slope o f the Schawangunk Mountains shythe Kittatinys Crane scholar R W bull Stallman agrees that the realism in
deg0
this tale springs from his visit to some cavernll
To date it has not been possible to trace Crane to aspecific cave However it is likelv that he visited Whilahoosa Cave also known to the Dutch in the 1600s as middot IIIndianmiddotHousell This cave- is on1y mile from Port rarvis-and-
plays a major rolein loc traditionr being 10 cally famous ltis thelideltut of the wounded Majorrohannes Decker duringBrantsmiddotnd1an a ( L in July 1779 A 1I0ne linen des cription OF ORANGE COUNTY -N Y bull TherearevexYifew oth r cayesJIl s a ea Unfortunately -WhUahoosa Cave was -sealed by-the E ieRail9 d uring he instaJl at ion of a third track to Guvmard N Y buta historic marker beside the road indicates its location r
In his STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY Stallm an indicates thatthe-chara cters in Cranes tale were also drawn from life They have been identified as Louis C Senger Jr (the ICTall Man Frederick M Lawrence J(the-iPudgy_Mantl) Louis E Carr (the Little Manll) and Crane himself (the Little Man) - unless Crane himself was the Little Man as some believe leeling thathe was not consistent in practice Perhaps one of these friends of Crane left some record of their acving activities I have not looke _ to this possibility due to time limitations
The two caving tales have been published together in Stallmans STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES (Iowa State Univ Press 1968) They are recommended for a pleasant evening of unusual caving adventures
75
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
oJ
REFERENCES
Crane CV written communication March 4 1970
Dimock EJ written communication February 8 1970
Hovey Horace C CELEBRATED AMERICAN CAVERNS Cincinnati Robert Clake amp Co 1882
Ruttenber amp Clarke HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK Everts and Peck -1881
RW STEVEN CRANE A BIOGRAPHY New York Geo Brazil1er 1968 Stall man
ibid STEVEN CRANE SULLIVAN COUNTY TALES AND SKETCHES Ames Iowa Pr-essIowa State Univ 1968
ibid written communication February 4 1970
StickneYI Charles A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION Middletown NY C oe Finch amp IF Guiwits 1867
BOOK REVIEW
The Hollow Earth by Dr Raymond Bernard A B MA PhD University Books Inc NY(254pp $595)
Believe it or not that is what the title page announces It turns out that Universlty Booksll is the proprietor of liThe Li brary of The Mystic Artsll several of which are advertised on the dust jacket- ltAstral Projection The Divining RadII liThe OdicForce etc bull This particular book asserts
that the earth -isroughlydoughnut-shaped with flying sauoars belonging to the inhabitants of theinside of the doughnut In support of his thesis the author quotes liThe Russian explorer FerdinandOssendowski author of -BeastsMen and Gods IAll the subterranean caverns of America are inhabited by an ancient people who disappeared from the world III
Thisreview is included here because on page 23raquo the author aSSClrts I ttThetheorYof a hollow earth was first worked out by an American writer Wil1iam Reed in 190611bull Actually the exact title of the 1 969 book is from F T Ives 1904 THE HOLLOW EARTH (Broadway Publishing Company New York 162 pp) and Ives at least freely gave credit to John Cleves
Symmesmiddot (for whom a pit in Mammoth Cave was apparently named) for the honor of first advancing the theory that the Earth is hollow
W R H 76
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
COLLOQUY
Gerry Forney has sent an item that goes well with Dave DeArmond1s spe1eoliterary item in this issue
Westlak Neda M et al 1971 Theodore Dreiser - Centenary Exhibition 27 page guidebook University of Pennsylvania LibrarYI Philadelphia Penna
On page 12 the guidebook reiers to a nPicture of a cave exploring class at Indiana University in 1889 -90 Dreiser is second from right in the second row This was one of the college activities that Dreiser thoroughly enjoyed II
The follow ing paragraph amtains an excerpt from a typescript from Dreisers DAWN describing an occasion when he and a friend were lost in a cave Gerry reports that the cave description is several pages long
i
Jt
At least two members of ASHA have been privileged to read an outstanding manuscript report on the history of the Horseshoe Mesa caves of the Grand Canyon by D onald Davis which merits wide circulation Unfortunately D onald specifically states that he does not wish to have it published It is most unfortunate that the bitter enmity to publication of systematic scientific reports displayed by cavers of that area seems now to have spilled over into the historical field Those concerned with Arizona cave history may be able to obtain a manuscript copy for reading directly from Donald
Pete Hauer raises the question as to whether ASHA dues should be lowered to increase membership anl circulation of JSH Yr editor thinks it an excellent idea IF publication and other costs permit it The big prob+em is that I have been saving money for JSH by doing virtually all the typing of the plates myself (no snide remarks about the way they look ) and cannot continu e to do this indefinitely Volunteers for editor and Ior p blisher and I or typist etc would be particularly wel come cost estimates
if accompanied-byfirm
Pete also wonders if this is the proper time for ASHA to apply to become the History Section of the NSS There are advantages and disadvantages both ways When you send him your membership dues for 1972 it would be helpful if you were to send him your thoughts on this and any other pershytinent matter s bull
1971 MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE WITH THE RECEI PT OF THIS ISSUE
Gordon Smith points out that the plate opposite page 22 in RAMBLES IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE DURING THE YEAR 1844 by a visiter shows the saltshypetre tower Burton Faust-had hypothesized Other alert JSH readers may also have noted this but I had missed it The plate is entitled Entrance to the Gothic Avenuell bull
77
b--
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
this section
Pete Hauer writes that This timell it appears that Lester Howels Garden of Eden Cave has really been found relics and alL Details are supposedly top secret for the moment
Volume 9 of Slovensky Kras (1971) includes an article by Leonard Blaha in C zech Russian and German on the first century of the great glaciere of Dobsina Unless my German is even worse than I think it is there is no mention of tlle visit of Edwin Swift Balch on Jul y 2 7 1895 nor his subseshyquent account in GLACIERES OR FREEZING CAVERNS A beautiful 1874 colored lithograph on the cover however
CAVES OF MISSOURI by J Harlen Bretz is reported to be on the verge of going out of print At last report it was still available from the Division of Mines and Geology Rolla Mo
Jack Colemans CAVES OF IRELAND is also said to be close to this point -but on less reliable information (a igtublin bookseller who didnt seeITl to want to be bothered by customers anyway) Actually I found no cave book in any Dublin bookstore except the Travel Bureaus booklet on the Burren Things weren Itnuch better in London not one cave book the entire length of Charing Cross road except current books at Foyle IS I did find an 1823 book on a Belgian cave Trevor Shaw wanted a another store but in general the stories about the decline of bokhunting in London seem correct I did see a new book with beautiful color plates Bauers Myste rious world of cave s complete with photos of ASHA member Tom Meador Unfortunately J3alerl English must not be very good he specifically states that the great caves of the United States are in the West and even I wouldnt claim that
RADIANT DARKNESS by Bt5gli and Francke is being remaindered in Englanc by Bruce Bedford 14 Central Parade Villas
of DESCENT Main Road St Pauls Cray
Kent BR53HF UK 0 Bruce is editor I can It find my note about the price but it is remarkably low
Both DES CENT (t18 September 1971) and The British Caver (now published by ASHA member Tony Oldham) include very favorable reviews of Classics in Speleology
The April 1971 issue of the York Grotto Newsletter is a special issue on saJfpeter caves of the Virginias It is 33 pages long with maps photos and the like and is available for 50 from Phil Gettel Drawer C M rietta Penna
Pete Hauer is making 30 reprints of the Snyder guidebook to Manitou Grand Caverns Colo No date for publication yet
A recent price for Steven Crane Sullivan County Tales and Sketches is $495 Dave DeArmoIfd adds
Yr editor would appreciate being kept informed of historical items appearing in grotto or regional newsletters or elsewhere which should be mentioned in
Xerox copieswould be particularl y appreciated 78
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
lecOhr J
BOOK AND MEMORABILIA EXCHANGE
Richard Reardon (819 Coronado Drive Arcadia Calif 91006) is disposing of his entire collection except for California Nevada and Arizona items He has a vailable a list of items (please send stamped self-addressed enshyvelope) and is selling each lot to the highest bidder He is placing ads in the NSS New 5 and the sale will close two weeks after he receives the NEWS containing the second ad This is one of America1s major collections conshytaining Hoveys early NSS Bulletins and many other much wanted items
Larry E Matthews (206 W 38th 1122 Austin Texas 78705) has a new two-page list of dupEcates for trading and a one -page want list including McGill (1933) Caverns of Virginia Adventure is underground and Caves of California by uno hoo various issues of Georgia Underground Huntsville Grotto Newsletter Troglodyte NSS News et al
Pete Hauer (12 7 S 27th Apt A Harrisburg Penna 17103) also has a new mimeographed list of books for sale and trade He is particularly seeking rare Virginia ald West Virginia and Pennsylvania materia1
Gordon Smith(S110 Crafty Drive Apt 2 Louisville Ky bull 40213) has a large stock of Mammoth Cave and other postcards for trading as well as other Mammoth Ca ve materia1 He is particularly looking for rare Wyandotte publications as jiJell as elusive Kentucky material
CDR Trevor Sh3w RNi 11 Bewley Lane Lacosk Wilts UK would like to exchange postcards historical cave brochures and other material
Larry Matthews (see above) has lIa few copies left of Thomas L BaUeyls REPOR T ON THE CAVES OF THE EASTERN HIGHLAND RIM AND CUMshyBERLAND MOUNTAINS (of Tennessee) 1918 which he has had bound and will trade for out-of-print books and newsletters which I needII
Red Watson circulated a list of Foreign duplicat es some- time ago for sale at prices ranging from 75 to $1500 No recent information
Yr editor 1117 36th Avenue East Seattle Wash 98l0Z has- for trading a Martin - Pictorial guide tothe Mammoth Cave Adams Famous caves and catacombs 1921 Ann Rept of the Nat Museum (photo of Cumberland cave bear) and a few other things since my last list Also a couple of the most grotesque carbide lamps ever contrived which I recently found in Ireland and wi1l trade for scarce cave books
Hugh Blanchard (1828 Alpha Avenue South Pasadenagt Calif 9l030) has an Adams- Famous Caves and catacombs) and a Half Hours Underground wishes to trade or buy quite a few books to build his collection What have you
T 01 Olciaon (17 Freelaltle Roae Eastville Bristol BS 5 6SY) again has a rew 1ist of od and new items for sale
79
![Names indexed from the Tithe Applotment Books …billmacafee.com/182030stithe/tithenorthantrim.pdf1851 Adair Adair James 1826 Cary Billy Clogher Lower [Low Clogher] 3867 Adair Adair](https://img.pdfslide.us/doc/110x75/5b3339c77f8b9a81728d252d/names-indexed-from-the-tithe-applotment-books-adair-adair-james-1826-cary-billy.jpg)
