Cave Regions of the Ozarks and Black Hills

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by Luella Agnes Owen
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Title: Cave Regions of the Ozarks and Black Hills
Author: Luella Agnes Owen

Release Date: December 19, 2005 [eBook #17354]
Language: English
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CAVE REGIONS OF THE OZARKS AND BLACK HILLS
by
LUELLA AGNES OWEN.
Membre titulaire de la Soci��t�� de Sp��l��ologie, and Fellow of the American Geographical Society.

[Illustration: Entrance To Marble Cave. Page 25.]

Cincinnati. The Editor Publishing Co.
1898.

The illustrations for this volume are from photographs by the following artists:
The Views of Marble Cave, by Stone & De Groff, Warrensburg, Missouri.
The Tower of Babel, The Chimes, The Knife Blade, The Needle, The Bridal Veil, by Meddaugh, of Leadville, So. Dakota.
Top of Glacier, by L.W. Marble, Wind Cave, So. Dakota.
White Onyx Masses, Fairies' Palace, by J.W. Pike, Hot Springs, So. Dakota.
The Wilderness Pinery, by D. Benton Miller, Alton, Missouri.
Approaching Deadwood, by H.R. Locke & Co., Deadwood, So. Dakota.
Copyrighted The Editor Publishing Company. 1898.

TO MY MOTHER THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.

CONTENTS.
CHAPTER. PAGE.
I A General View 1
II Marble Cave 25
III Marble Cave Continued 43
IV Fairy Cave and Powell Cave 58
V Other Stone County Caves 73
VI Oregon County Caves 82
VII The Grand Gulf 95
VIII The Black Hills and Bad Lands 103
IX Wind Cave 113
X Wind Cave Continued 127
XI " " " 141
XII " " Concluded 151
XIII The Onyx Caves 162
XIV Crystal Cave 175
XV " " Concluded 183
XVI Conclusion 211

Cave Regions of
THE OZARKS AND BLACK HILLS.
CHAPTER I.
A GENERAL VIEW.
"O'er mountains bright with snow and light, We crystal hunters speed along, While grots, and caves, and icy waves, Each instant echo to our song; And when we meet with stores of gems We grudge not kings their diadems." --_Thomas Moore._
The southern half of the State of Missouri, and the Black Hills of South Dakota, offer exceptionally delightful regions for the study of caves, or Speleology as it has been named, and the sister sciences of geology and geography at the same time. In fact it is impossible to study either without giving attention to the other two, and therefore, instead of being separate sciences, they are the three branches of a great scientific trinity.
The regions here referred to enjoy the advantage, and at the same time suffer the disadvantage, of being comparatively little known to the ever restless tide of tourists who naturally hail with pleasure the announcement that some easily accessible, and thoroughly charming spot, has escaped their attention altogether, with a marvelous store of attractions which are both extremely old and wholly new.
Each of these regions has a peculiar geological history not repeated in any other portions of the earth's surface: each is blessed with its own peculiar style of beautiful scenery: and each vies with the other and all the world besides for the supremacy of its truly wonderful caves. Yet it should be well understood that the claims are not based on an unworthy spirit of rivalry, nor any desire to deny the greatness and beauty of already famous members of the Cave family. It is simply an announcement that the family is much larger than has been generally supposed, and the more recently presented members worthy of the full measure of distinguished honors.
The geological authorities of both states have for many years mentioned the beauty and importance of these regions, and urged their claims to public attention, but have been prevented, by the pressure of other duties, from giving to the caves such careful study and full reports as they deserve, as it would have been a pleasure to give, and as has been possible in states of less extent where the general work of the department is more advanced, and the volume of tourist travel created an early demand for scientific explanation.
Without any great difficulty we can understand the process of cave excavation by the action of percolating acidulated water on the limestone, and its subsequent removal as the volume of surface drainage diverted to the new channel gradually increased. But it is not so easy to offer a reason for the varied forms with which the caves are afterwards decorated. Why is it the charmed waters do not leave the evidence of their slow passage only in plain surfaces of varying widths, and the stalactites