183 
New Cave NEAR VERSAILLES. 
ANDREW J. BIGNEY. 
It is known as the cave of Dr. Jim Sale of Dillsboro. It is situated 
one mile northeast of Versailles. It is located near the top of a high hill 
overlooking Laughery valley. The view from this position is most pictur- 
esque. The lover of nature is enchanted by the richness of the scenery. 
The chmb up the hill from the Fallen Timber creek to the mouth of the 
cave is most exhilarating. 
The entrance is guarded by an iron gate. Excavations have been made 
and walls built, so as to open a passage to the cave proper, thus making 
it convenient for the visitor. A stream of water had been passing through 
the cave. Now a pipe carries off the water. About thirty feet from the 
mouth of the cave is the main room, which is very beautiful because of the 
numerous pillars, stalactites and stalagmites. The ceiling is high enough 
for the tallest man to walk in freely, and in some places could not touch 
the ceiling with outstretched arms. Some of the pillars are four to five 
feet in height. The ceiling is decorated artistically with stalactites in great 
numbers and in various sizes, with many corresponding stalagmites. Passing 
to the right there is a smaller room also covered with typical cave formations. 
A passage extends about thirty feet beyond in the clay and limestone rocks 
with only a few stalactites. Extending from the main room is a narrow 
passage about seventy feet long where there is a spring from which flows a 
moderate stream in rainy weather. The ceiling and crevices above are like- 
wise decorated with the stalactites. Undoubtedly there must be other 
rooms, but they have been naturally filled up with dirt and stone. Even 
outcropping on the side of the hill are large formations of stalactites and 
stalagmites. It is certainly a very interesting place. 
The region round about Versailles has many caves, but this is the only 
one that has the cave formations. While it is not a large cave like the 
Marengo and Wyandotte, yet its geological structures are just as typical 
and interesting as in the larger caves. It is instructive, for it is near the 
margin of the cave region of southern Indiana and northern Kentucky. 
Geologically speaking, it is in the lower Silurian or Ordovician formation. 
It will be instructive for the schools to visit the cave so as to get some accurate 
information of cave structures. The entire region is most fascinating. 
