Cave Regions of the Ozarks and Black HillsOwen, Luella Agnes
Science
Cave Regions of the Ozarks and Black Hills
Owen, Luella Agnes
Caves -- Black Hills (S.D. and Wyo.); Caves -- Ozark Mountains
The magnificence of that one chamber should give to Marble Cave a
world-wide fame even if there were nothing more beyond. The blue-gray
limestone walls have a greater charm than those of an open canon, owing
to the fact that they sweep away from any given point in long, true
curves to form an elliptical chamber three hundred and fifty feet long
by one hundred and twenty-five feet wide, with the vault above showing
absolute perfection of arch, and measuring, by the survey, from its
lowest to its highest point, one hundred and ninety-five feet. These
measurements are said to be indisputably correct, and if so, the
Auditorium of Marble Cave is the largest unsupported, perfect arch in
the world; it being one hundred feet longer than the famous Mormon
Tabernacle at Salt Lake City. In addition to the artistic superiority of
architectural form, its acoustic properties having been tested, it is
found to be truly an auditorium. The curving walls and pure atmosphere
combine to aid the voice, and carry its softest tones with marvelous
distinctness to every portion of the immense inclosed space. As a
concert hall its capacity has been tested by musicians who are said to
have been enthusiastic over the success of their experiments. Several
years ago a piano was lowered into the cave for use on a special
occasion, and still occupies a position on the dancing platform, where
it will probably remain indefinitely under the scant protection of a
small canvas tent.
The chief ornament of the Auditorium is the White Throne, a stalagmitic
mass that when viewed from the stairway appears to rest solidly against
the most distant wall, and looks so small an object in that vast space
as to render a realization of its actual measurement impossible. The
height of the Throne is sixty-five feet and the girth two hundred. It is
a mass of dripstone resting on a limestone base reserved from the
ancient excavation to receive it, and on careful inspection the
perpendicular lines, observed on the front, are found to be a set of
rather large organ pipes. A fresh fracture shows the Throne to be a most
beautiful white and gold onyx. The outer surface has now received a thin
coating of yellow clay which was, of course, regretted, but later
observations on onyx building reveals the pleasing fact that if the
crystal-bearing waters continue to drip, the yellow clay will supply the
coloring matter for a golden band of crystal.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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