Part 16

SULPHUR SPRINGS, I. T., Oct. 18.--At a spot eleven miles southeast of this place, in the level prairie upland, is an opening about forty feet in diameter and sixty feet in depth. By clinging to its rocky and precipitous walls, a person may descend to the bottom, and there find the openings to the two caves, one leading westward, and the other two to the east. For years this place has been known as Rock Prairie Cave. It is one of the most striking natural curiosities in the Chickasaw nation. The caves are of unknown length, and through one rushes a subterranean stream of great depth in places and of icy coldness. Exploring parties have ventured into these labyrinths for hundreds of yards, but the danger of becoming lost has prevented a thorough examination of the underground passages.

The cave leading westward is easiest of access and contains a number of spacious chambers. The room is about seventy feet square and fifty feet from the floor to the ceiling. The floor is obstructed with huge boulders. The darkness and stillness are intense. Picnic parties sometimes go there, and, with a huge boulder for a table, eat their lunch in the glare of torches that cast uncanny shadows along the massive walls.

Timid persons hesitate in venturing into the depths of the eastern cave. The passage slants downward at an angle that compels the explorer to crawl and slip and slide for nearly 100 feet before reaching a spot where a person may stand upright and walk safely. From the darkness echoes the sound of rushing water, which later is found to be a stream that runs from eight to thirty feet in width, and from six inches to many feet in depth. Men have waded in the stream until the water reached their chins, and then gone in a boat to points where they were unable to touch bottom with the longest oars. A farmer carried his boat into the cave several years ago to follow the stream to its end. At a depth estimated to be 200 feet below the surface of the ground is a natural bridge, formed by a huge stone that fell across the stream. The water plunges underneath this bridge like a millrace. A boat can be pulled over the bridge, however, and launched on the other side. About 100 feet below the bridge the stream widens into a broad, deep pool, with a high, vaulted roof. Beautiful stalagmites and stalactites adorn this chamber. Two hundred feet below this pool the passage is difficult. It is claimed that this cave has been explored for a mile.

The stream is believed to find its outlet at a spring about three miles from the entrance to the caves. This spring is of great size and volume, and flows with remarkable swiftness. In rainy seasons the spring boils and gushes as if choked with the flood of water that pours from its mouth. The stream in Black Prairie cave rises when there is a heavy rainfall in the surrounding country, and the increased flow of both springs and stream at such times is taken as evidence that they are connected.

ARTESIAN WATERS IN TEXAS.

In the south central part of Texas is an upland covering an area of 14,000 square miles, and known as the Edwards Plateau. At the southeastern foot of this elevated tract there is no end of gushing springs, which form the headwaters of the San Antonio and San Marcos rivers. In a big State like Texas, the rainfall of one locality often varies a good deal from that of adjacent regions. But, according to a bulletin of the United States Geological Survey, the fluctuations of discharge of the streams just mentioned correspond closely to the rainfall up on the plateau, from which it is inferred that some invisible connection exists between the springs and the upland. The bulletin declares that this similarity has been found to hold true for dry and wet years alike. The Edwards Plateau is a flat, grass covered upland. The rain which falls upon it does not flow off in surface streams, but sinks into the porous soil, and eventually finds its way underground to the bold scarp line of the region, where it bursts out in abundant springs.

The San Antonio River has its source in one of these artesian springs, and between it and the wells driven to supply water to the city of San Antonio there seems to be close connection, shown in their mutual changes, which indicates that their waters have a common source. It was recently noticed that when the wells were steadily drawn upon for twenty-four hours the water level of the head lake of the river fell several inches, but that on shutting off the wells the lake regained its level in about one day. So intimate is the relation between the flow of the wells and that of the river that it is always possible to tell how high the water will rise in the former by observing the river’s height on a gauge rod placed upon its bank.

THE GREAT ASSAM EARTHQUAKE.

A thorough report of the earthquake in Assam, in 1897, the most violent and extended earthquake of historic times, has been made by Mr. R. D. Oldham. From an abstract by Prof. Davis of Harvard University, it appears that an area of 150,000 square miles was laid in ruins, all means of communication interrupted, the hills rent asunder and cast down in the landslips, the plains fissured and riddled with vents from which sand and water poured forth in astounding quantities, causing floods in the rivers, etc. A surrounding area of 1,750,000 square miles felt a shock of unusual energy. The earthquake wave traveled at the rate of 120 miles a minute. The vertical displacement of the ground near the center of disturbance was probably as much as fourteen inches--an unprecedented quantity; the vertical movement of earthquakes of great violence, like the Charleston earthquake, is seldom more than two inches.

Some of the results of this great earthquake of June 12, 1897, are astonishing. Faults were produced, one having a throw of 25 feet and a length of 12 miles; another a throw of 10 feet and a length of 2½ miles. The larger of the two dammed a river so as to form a lake several miles in extent and ruining a forest of at least 50,000 trees. Landslides of great magnitude were produced in the Himalayas and the valleys of streams were changed beyond recognition.

CURIOUS RESULT OF THE EARTHQUAKE.

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 1.--An interesting point in connection with the earthquake which was felt in this city yesterday is the fact that a number of small Indiana streams having their source in the southern border of the gas belt have suddenly filled with water. No rains have occurred in this State for months to swell the streams, and in the case of Honey Creek, in the eastern part of Bartholemew County, it had gone dry several weeks ago, the water standing only in pools here and there. This week it is filled to the brim, and in some places has overflowed. Sugar Creek, that runs near Edinburg, Johnson County, was nearly dry, but to-day it is reported to be nearly filled. Smaller streams rising in the Hancock County gas territory have shown similar phenomena. No one can imagine where the water comes from. In the case of Honey Creek the records show that previous to the Charleston earthquake, August 31, 1886, the stream acted in the same way.

A VILLAGE DESTROYED BY AN EARTHQUAKE.

CONSTANTINOPLE, May 27.--The village of Repahie in Armenia has been destroyed by an earthquake. A number of mineral springs spouted from the crevasses made in the earth by the shocks and the flow of water was so great that the adjacent fields were flooded. The earthquake was preceded by rumblings which caused the inhabitants to flee from the village and they thus escaped death from the falling houses. No lives were lost however.

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Since a recent earthquake at Santa Ana, in Orange County, Cal., the well of Mr. Huntington in Los Bolsas district, which for years has never flowed to any considerable extent, has given forth large quantities of mud, stones and other materials, the eruptions being volcanic in character. The supply of water is now far in excess of the means provided at the surface for its care, and it has been found necessary to ditch from the well to the river to carry it away. The pipes are at all times in danger of bursting--the sudden blasts of air and foreign substances rendering it more or less dangerous to go near the opening.

FIRE BANKED FOR YEARS.

From the Galveston Daily News.

ORANGE, Tex., Feb. 21.--J. W. Link is filling in some low lots with ashes and charcoal that he is hauling from the pit where A. Gilmer at one time burned the slabs and refuse that came from his sawmill. The mill was destroyed by fire Sept. 13, 1899. When the wagons commenced hauling the mound of ashes was 20 feet high and nearly 40 feet in diameter at the bottom, tapering as it went up.

To-day when the men had worked in about 15 feet, but before they had reached the center of the heap, the teamsters discovered smoke issuing from the charcoal as it was being brought in contact with the air. One of them felt of his shovel and was startled to find it very hot. He picked up a piece of charcoal and blew it with his breath, when it developed into a blaze of fire. The experiment was repeated several times to-day and each time the charred lump would become a live coal. The ashes were about 16 feet thick that stood above the live coals, and from the outer edge to where the hot ashes were first discovered, a little above the ground the fine ashes were fully as thick.

No smoke has been seen to come from the big ash pile for nearly two and a half years, and these coals have been in their present resting place probably for a longer period, as the cone-shaped mound was much larger when the mill was destroyed than it was at the time the wagons commenced removing the ashes.

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The Volcano of Kilauea is very active at present. The cavity produced by the last breakdown has not filled up, but there is an active lake 200 to 300 feet below the general level of the floor and a quarter of a mile in diameter.

A WHOLE VALLEY LAID IN WASTE.

FIFTEEN CRATERS DESTROY WHAT WAS ONCE A DELIGHTFUL SPOT.

LUNAHUANA, United States of Colombia, March 30, 1891.--This beautiful valley has experienced a topographical change, and I may now call a desert that which was formerly a delightful spot. Fifteen craters have been constantly at work since Sunday, March 22, throwing out masses of mud and water which on its precipitate descent and with the great strength of the current, is carrying ruin in all directions and sweeping houses before it, together with their inhabitants and the cattle, vineyards, farms and irrigation works.

All the roads north and south of here have been converted into ditches, through which the water is continually pouring, and all communication between Canete and Chincha is interrupted, while the bridge across the river has been swept away.

The numerous victims who have suffered, the deep impression caused by the destruction of all the irrigation ditches, the fact that it will be impossible to gather the remainder of the crop of grapes, and the certainty that the necessities of life will reach famine prices, lead me to suggest that the government should take steps on behalf of the residents here. Hundreds of families have been left without homes and are camping out on the hillsides, the only clothes they have being those in which they escaped. They are preparing to cross the ravines, as the floods may sweep down upon them at any moment.