Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 June 1887 — WYANDOTTE CAVE. [ARTICLE]

WYANDOTTE CAVE.

Where it is and How to get ThereWyandotte Cave is, next to Mammoth Cave, in Kentucky, the most famous cave in the world, in respect to its extent, and it is very plose after Mammoth, in size, and in many particulars it exceeds that more famous, because 1 and more access ble- cave.lt is located, ip Crawford county, near the vast of Harrison county. Is about six mil os from the Ohio river, and a quarter mile from Blue river. The nearest town is Leaven-' worth, the county seat of Crawford, 'county, which is six miles distant It is almost exactly south from Logansport and a few miles west of south from Indianapolis. It is 200 miles from Rensseleer, south by east, “as the crow flies,”| but the route taken to get there is much Kruger but less laborious than the crow-line route, The editor of The Republican recently visited the cave and while it would neither be practicable for him nor profitable to his readers to attempt apy minute and extended description, a few points in re* gard to the route to the cave and a brief mention of some of its more striking features, will perhaps be of value to any of our readers who may some time wish to visit it themselves, and of interest to those who will not The best and in fact only practicable route to get to the cave from northwest Indiana is to go to Louisville, Ky., or N6w Albany, lud., over the L., N. A. & C, railroad. The journey is one of considerable interest, and in fact through a varied and in part picturesque country. Leaving Rensselaer it happens, strangely enough, that the first four towns of any considerable importance on the line of the “Monon route,” is each the site of one of the leading educational institutions of the, state. At Lafayette is Purdue University, at Crawfordsville, Wabash College, at Greepcastle, DePauw University and at Bloomington the Indiana State University. There is not another railroad in the state and probably pot in the nation which passes through so many great seats of learning within so short a distance. The natural aspect of the country passes by regular gradations from the green and fertile but monotonous flats of Jasper and White counties to the picturesque and rugged but barren hills of the southern portion of the state. From Greencastle, southward, the country is, in fact, surprisingly rugged. Kills follow hills, in constant succession, with deep and narrow valleys between. The hills and slopes are still mostly covered with their original forests, but the soil is evidently poor and thin and the arable portions of small extent. The geologists explain the great difference in external aspect and fertility between the northern and southern portions of the state, by telling us that the great ice sheets .of the glacial period, which smoothed down the hills and filled up the valleys, of the northern portion, did not extend into the southern porion 6 f the state. , - Persons going to tlie cave over _ the Monen may leave that road at New Albany or they may cross tire Ohio to the adjoining city of Louisville, the metropolis of Kentucky. The cave is west from New AlbaUy and Louisville, and about 24 miles distant in a direct line from the former city and two or three miles farther from 'LouhoiHe, in a - diract lipa/lmt rnutos es travel do not go in direct lines in that region. of lulls and streams, audtho ;.ctun: distance to be travelled is much greater. From these cities there as ft choice of routes to the care, • you can go by river steamboat, from Louisville, or by rail <<r ~w* numb safe Loan New-Alima y. S o long as you are travelling for p easure, experience and what you can see, perhaps the best way is to go to the cave by one route and ; come back the other. In going by i preferable, as a starting point. *A i line of fine vessels are owned in that leaver every as J ternoon, about four oclock. * The Republican _ man and big party ! took passage on the James Guthrie, a large and elegant vessel, for i Leavenworth. The distance in a direct line is about 30 miles, but the convolutions of the river make I it more than twice that distance.’ ‘Xhe boats run to Evansville, an d j

the fare for the trip includes meals and state-rooms. The meals served on the boats are most excellent and served in elegant style, by shoals of attentive darkey waiters, under the direction of the white head-steward. This little ride down the beautiful Ohio is an interesting and attractive bit of experience, but the fnct that a good part of the journey ia made in the night, makes it advisable for those who can choose their time, to go when they can be sure of fine moon-light (Continued-ln our next.)