Chapter IV: Part II

THE
FIRST 60,000,000 YEARS

_By JOE N. LONG_

1

The Beginning

How old are the Caverns? When did they begin to form? Are they growing larger today? What changes, if any, are now going on?

These are questions which everyone who becomes interested in the great Carlsbad Caverns wants to have answered sooner or later.

To some of these and many similar questions the answers are difficult to obtain, for when the Caverns were being created no man was around to watch the process and to report his observations first hand. As a result, we have only the word of geologists and other scientists who have specialized in the study of the earth, its formation, and the changes that have come about through the countless ages since our world began.

No one knows how old the Caverns are. All man can do is to estimate, and he bases these estimates on a study of conditions he finds within the cave itself, in the surrounding countryside, and from a general knowledge of the earth and how it has evolved.

Probably the area itself began to form about 200 million years ago, during the Permian period of geologic time.

The area at that time is supposed to have been either an inland sea or a shallow extension of the ocean. During this Permian period the earth's surface was changing. Mountains were rising and the waters were receding, thus greatly enlarging the land areas. Amphibian life was on the wane, and reptiles began to appear.

Great thicknesses of limestone deposits were made during these countless centuries, some in the form of a reef now known as the Capitan limestone. Contemporaneous rock behind the reef is called the Tansill formation. It is in these rocks that the Carlsbad Caverns are located.

Since Permian time geologists think the seas may have risen again and covered what is now New Mexico, leaving sediments that have been largely removed. About 60,000,000 years ago, during the Cretaceous period when coal was being formed elsewhere in the world and dinosaurs roamed the earth, the land was uplifted, perhaps producing cracks and crevices in the limestone.

Geologists at one time believed the Caverns were caused by the action of water as it flowed down through the limestone, dissolving as it did so minute particles of the stone. Today, however, that theory has been discarded, since a more careful and detailed study indicates the Caverns to have been formed by phreatic solution, their development resulting from a two-cycle method of creation.

The Caverns can be said to be a natural cavity in the earth formed by the solution of rock by subsurface waters. Actually, there are two great geological processes involved in the formation of the Caverns. The first came about as the water hollowed out the underground chambers, and the second took place when the formations of stone were created in these underground openings.

To be explicit, we can only say that the Caverns are large crevices or cracks in the limestone which have been enormously enlarged by the constant solution of the rock into the underground water which filled these indentations.

In order to understand just what the two-cycle method means and how it can exist, we must first understand the two conditions under which these operations of nature can take place.

Water, as it seeps downward into the earth, tends to seek what we shall call its own level. This would be a point where everything below is saturated with water, the water table of the region. Above the table water works downward due to its gravitational pull. Below the table there is only rather slow movement of water.

The area above this point is known as the vadose zone, and below this point the area is the ground-water or phreatic zone.

Any farmer who has ever sunk a well knows how important it is that his well reach below the water table if he is to be assured a continuous supply of water. Well owners also know that the water table can rise or fall due to any of several natural causes, such as an abundance of rainfall for a few seasons, or any great lack of rainfall for an extended length of time. When the water table goes below the lowest reaches of the well, no more water can be pumped, and it is necessary to extend the well further into the earth until it again goes below the water table and reaches into the saturated area where water is abundant.

The water table is not constant around the world, even though water seeks its own level. The water table might be high in one section of the country, low in another. It might be kept high by an abundance of rain, or remain low due to outlets such as springs or underground seepages.

The vadose-water area also varies, and the effects created by the rise and fall of the water table in one section of the country, for example, might be vastly different than the effects in an adjacent territory. This explains why any action of underground water in one area is not necessarily duplicated in an apparently identical area close by.

With an understanding of the two water zones, and the demarcation line between, we can more readily comprehend just how the Caverns were formed.

Geologists are now pretty well in agreement that the enclosing rocks of the Caverns were located in the ground-water zone under saturated conditions. As we already know, large cracks existed in the otherwise solid limestone.

Then, for many, many years the ground water dissolved the limestone, enlarging the cracks bit by bit, until the huge Caverns were formed. At this point the water table was lowered, and, in time, the Caverns ceased to exist in the ground-water zone. Following the lowering of the water table, the Caverns were nothing more than empty holes in the earth. Now the second phase of their "growth" was to begin.

When the ground water could no longer continue its constant gnawing action on the limestone, the Caverns had reached their maximum size. From now on they would begin to fill up again.

The second of the two cycles consisted of mineral deposit brought about by water seeping downward from the surface, carrying lime for the secondary formations which are today one of the great features of the Caverns.

Water in the vadose zone, seeking the ground-water level, would seep into the top of the many rooms and galleries. Each drop contained a minute portion of limestone.

Some drops would remain on the ceiling, where the moisture would evaporate, leaving a tiny ring of limestone deposit behind. As these limestone deposits accumulated they formed a pendant mass resembling an icicle which is called a stalactite. Drops falling to the floor would produce deposits known as stalagmites.

Sometimes the stalactites and stalagmites would join and a solid pillar would be formed.

In the rocks enclosing the Caverns are various deposits of other minerals such as iron oxide which are often carried in minute quantities within the seeping water and deposited on the stalagmites and stalactites. These minerals are responsible for the many different colors that may be seen in many places within the rooms of the Caverns.

Some of the formations have a very live and transparent appearance, looking somewhat as though they might have just been given a thorough coat of wax. Actually, these formations are still active. That is, they are still covered with water and the age-old process of depositing the small particles of carbonate of lime contained in the water is still going on. In cave parlance they are "alive", that is, they are still growing.

In the Carlsbad Caverns today about 10 per cent of the formations are "alive". Water is seeping in around them and working its wonders. It is this presence of water that gives them the polished, radiant look.

When the water no longer reaches the formations, they "die", i.e., they no longer continue to grow. They lose their sheen and lustre and take on a powdery appearance.

Geologists differentiate the two primary effects of seeping water in the creation of the formations in caves. Those that are created by water dripping from above, as in the case with stalactites and stalagmites, are referred to as dripstone formations. Those created by the flowing of water over a surface are called flowstone formations. In some rooms of the cave, formations made of flowstone are quite abundant. This is to be found mostly on the floors of the rooms, or on walls where a large volume of water is present. These formations have been referred to as masses which resemble ice that forms on a cold winter's day near a stream of water. Others have described them as "cascades frozen in stone."

An additional phase of the cave's development has been described by geologists as the period of collapse. During the centuries when the entire area was saturated with water, limestone blocks on walls and ceilings were weakened by solution, later to crash to the floor, leaving the room larger than ever. This collapsing continued after the cave became "dry" but ended once stability was achieved. Park naturalists tell us no rock has fallen within the cave for thousands of years.

So ends the first stage of the history of the great Carlsbad Caverns, their gradual growth and formation over periods of millions of years. Man was still centuries away when their beauties were being created. But were other forms of life inhabiting them?

2

Life Enters the Caverns

At the time the limestone beds were beginning to crack, which we noted was some 60,000,000 million years ago, the huge reptiles and other prehistoric animals were playing hide and seek on the surface above the site of the developing Caverns. At that time the cave hadn't yet been formed--the underground seepage of water was just beginning to find the crevices below the gypsum and rock salt and begin its erosion which was to continue slowly for so many centuries.

Recent forms of life seem to have a more or less direct bearing on the bat, and scientists remain quiet on what forms of life, if any, used the cave for their domicile between the earliest times and the arrival of the bat.

At least, the nocturnal creature is a sure resident, for he still makes his home there, and in numbers running into the millions.

But when did the bat first inhabit the cave? That is difficult to answer, except to say that it was several thousands of years ago.

How can scientists be so sure the years are so many? There are several ways in which they have been able to establish that the centuries have been numerous since the bats first discovered this haven.

One of the best is by the guano deposits found on the floor of the cave. Observations have shown that the excrement from the bats accumulates at the rate of approximately one-half inch per year. Thus 25 years is required for a foot of the substance to materialize. This would indicate it would require about 1,000 years for 40 feet to accumulate.

Unfortunately, the exact thickness or depth of the guano deposits was not carefully measured when my father first discovered them, but I have heard him describe them many times as being at least 100 feet deep in places. That would be almost conclusive proof that the bats had been living in the cave for at least 2,000 years!

It should also be remembered that as guano ages and dehydrates, it sort of packs down, so that although a half inch of guano might be deposited in a year's time, several years later this guano will have decayed and packed down to half that thickness.

This would extend the time to far more than the estimated 2,000 years, but just how much is extremely difficult to estimate.

Also, the amount of guano growth varies with the years, for when insects are plentiful, bats gorge themselves and the guano deposits are much greater than in lean years when their food supply is low, sometimes to the extent that the bats will go elsewhere for one or two seasons, at which times there is no guano accumulation at all.

At one time, during an exploration of the cave some years ago, a scientist discovered the remains of a bat sticking out of the side of a stalagmite where it had undoubtedly fallen from its perch above, having perchance died of old age.

With no disturbance to blow its remains away, it rotted there and the stalagmite grew over it, so to speak. Scientists, estimating the rate of growth of stalagmites, were able to calculate approximately how long ago the bat had fallen. The head and wing bones were barely discernable.

It is also known that the bats have moved around in the cave, for their tiny skeletons have been found in remote sections at points where the bats are no longer found clinging to the ceiling for their daytime sleep. Such findings indicate one of two possibilities; one, that some bats might have gotten lost in the cave and died there, away from their normal resting place, and, second, that previous openings have since been closed, due to various earth movements, forcing the bats to use new openings and thus change their location within the cave.

Scientists place little credence on the former possibility because bats seldom get lost. They can find their way in any dark cave or passageway and know how to get out the same way they went in.

The second possibility is the most likely, that centuries ago there were other openings to the cave through which the bats entered and spent the daylight hours. As old age overtook them they would die and fall to the floor. Then, as subsequent earth movements closed the openings, the bats would find new doorways to their daytime abode. This also accounts for large quantities of guano which were found in portions of the cave where no bats were to be seen sleeping on the ceiling above.

There are eighteen species of bats to be found in New Mexico, and thirteen are known in the Carlsbad region. In the United States as a whole, scientists have classified over 251 varieties of these winged mammals.

Of the thirteen found near the Caverns, eight are known to have made use of the cave at one time or another. Old skeletons have been found in remote sections of the cave which have been identified as those of the Large Pale Bat (_Antrozous pallidus_), wing bones of which were found in one of the innermost rooms; the Big Brown Bat (_Eptesicus fuscus_), a skull and wing bones having been discovered in an inner room; House Bat (_Myotis incautus_), several skull fragments of which were found in one of the lower rooms of the cave; Red Bat (_Nycteris borealis_), two old skulls of which were found on the floor of one of the deepest rooms; Cave Bat (_Myotis velifer_), evidenced by imperfect skull fragments found deep in the cave; Great Hoary Bat (_Nycteris cinerea_), largest of the northern bats, possessing silvery grey fur and not normally a cave dweller, but wing bones were found in the cave, indicating they may have lived there at one time, and the Little California Bat (_Myotis californicus pallidus_), whose presence was indicated by a skull picked up amid the dust and debris of a low, inner room.

The chief resident of the caves for centuries has been the Mexican Free-tailed Bat (_Tadarida mexicana_), also sometimes called the guano bat because its species is especially noted for the huge quantities of commercially excellent guano it produces.

The Free-tailed Bat is distinguishable from the northern bats by its extended tail which reaches about an inch beyond the interleg membrane, by its short fur, and by a strong odor not found with other species. They also possess short, stubby ears, will weigh between 10 and 12 grams, and prefer caves more than most any other species.

The life of the bat is somewhat of a mystery to the average person, partly because they seclude themselves during the day in places relatively safe from discovery, and venture out at night when humans are not around and couldn't very well see them if they were.

Bats resemble the ordinary field mouse in appearance, except for their large, expansive wings. They are mostly insectivorous, living almost exclusively on insects they catch while in flight, chewing their prey into the finest bits with their sharp teeth. A bat will eat enormous quantities of food between sunset and sunrise, and on the basis of only two full meals a night will consume an amount almost half its own weight.

Their diet consists of beetles, flies, and other flying insects, most of which are enemies of civilization; thus the bat is economically a valuable animal.

They leave the mouth of the cave at dusk, heading first for a drink of water at the nearest available spot, then spend the night in search of their food. As the sun's rays begin to appear in the east they fly back to the cave where they dig their tiny claws into the ceiling and remain there sleeping until the sun sets in the west and the cycle starts all over again.

Due to their habits they have few enemies, the great horned owl being one. Very wide awake at night, he often catches an unsuspecting bat, chews the flesh, letting the bones drop to the ground where they remain as evidence of the owl's dinner.

The mating season is normally in March. Along about June the young are born, with this species only one to a female, although in some species a litter of four is born.

The single baby will weigh a fourth as much as its mother. Upon birth it clings to its mother's body night and day until it is strong enough to fly by itself, remaining tight even while the mother flies into the night in search of food.

The famous bat flight--a nightly occurrence at the Caverns.]

The habits of bats vary in respect to their living quarters. When insects are abundant, the size of the bat population increases, having been estimated at times to be as high as 7 million in the Carlsbad Caverns alone. As the supply of insects decreases, so does the number of bats. Where they go, and whether or not the same specific bats return in times of insect plenty is not definitely known.

One of the first surveys of the bats in the Caverns discovered that the number seems to grow in the fall, indicating that the cave was used primarily as a home principally for hibernation during the winter.

More recent observations indicate that, at the present time at least, the bats winter somewhere else and live in the cave only during the summer months, going elsewhere to spend the winter. Recently several thousand bats were banded by naturalists and of those which have been returned, one came from Jalisco, Mexico, some 800 miles south of the Caverns.

If both observations were correct, and it may be assumed that they were, for both were made by naturalists, then the habits of the bats do change, but what prompts these changes is still a matter of speculation.

Other matters of speculation are just how the bat flies so accurately in the dark, darting swiftly past innumerable objects yet never hitting one of them. Scientists call this phenomenon "echolocation," a sort of sonar principle by which the little mammals let out a high frequency squeak and judge the distance of objects by the time required for the echo to bounce back to their sensitive ears.

Another mystery is how they find their way unerringly back to the cave, in the early morning as well as after a sojourn to some other area of the world, and how they know when the supply of food has increased to the point that it is sufficient for them to return.

Visitors to the cave often wonder how the numbers can be estimated. 7,000,000 is a lot of bats. This has been reduced to a relatively simple calculation. Cavern authorities counted the number sleeping in one square foot of space, found between 250 and 300 could squeeze into the area. The number of square feet of ceiling space occupied by the sleeping creatures was then multiplied by the bats per square foot, and the estimate was reached.

Life in the cave, it seems, has been governed by the bat, and even this little fellow can hardly be said to live there. Actually, he only sleeps there winters and during the day. He can't live in the cave all the time since there is no food there for him.

Are there any living creatures that dwell in the cave all the time? Only those that can find food in the cave, and since the eternal darkness prohibits photosynthesis which is vital to all growing plants, other animals or insects would find a food supply almost practically nonexistent, at least any form of plant food.

Yet there are cave crickets. One species was found which was entirely new to science, and they named it after the Caverns, calling the species _Ceutophilus carlsbadensis_. Their eyes do not seem to function, apparently depending upon their long antennæ to guide them.

But what do they eat? The contents of their stomachs have revealed bits of insect remains which they have scavenged from the piles of guano. Thus the cave crickets depend upon the bat for their existence.

The cave worm, actually an insect's larva, and a small spider also make their homes in the cave. How long these insects have lived in the cave is anybody's guess. Naturalists think the first few crickets may have fallen into the cave and remained there due to the abundance of the food supply, living peacefully and multiplying at leisure.

But this cricket's Shang-ri-la lost its comparative safety one day, maybe centuries ago, when a cave mouse is thought to have fallen in. He found the crickets abundant and tasty and, since he couldn't climb out, stayed in his new subterranean home. Maybe later Mrs. Cave Mouse met the same fate and together they became parents and grandparents of litters who have lived in the cave ever since.

The cliff mouse also lives his complete life cycle in the black depths of the Caverns, and together with the cave mouse they have a carefree existence, for none of their natural enemies live in the cave.

Any herbivorous animals which might have fallen into the cave would soon die, for the only vegetation to be found in the cave, aside from a certain amount of mold, exists in scant proportions near the cave entrances where there is some light and a little moisture. Thus only carnivorous or insectivorous animals or insects could exist in the vegetation-free depths.

Of the animals which occasionally frequent the cave, the cacomixle, commonly known as a ring-tailed cave cat or even just "ring-tail," is perhaps the best known. This slender raccoon-like animal doesn't spend all his time in the cave, for he is able to crawl in and out, but he does raise his family in the cracks and crevices of the walls, and eats an occasional cave mouse or guano bat. Outside he eats fruit and other small animals and insects. Apparently they have never been too numerous in the Caverns.

The only other animal to have made the cave its home is the great horned owl. His nests have been found in considerable numbers near the entrances where he has been living for countless years in comparative safety. But, like the bats, he ventures outside in search of food, and spends his nights away from the cave, so at best he, like the ringtail, is only a part-time resident.

So the cricket depends on the bats, the mice on the cricket, and the ringtail on the mice. Thus is the life cycle within the great cave.

But when did man first visit the Caverns? That question is indeed problematic and may never be definitely answered. The early Folsom people have been traced to an encampment site some fifteen miles south of Clovis, New Mexico, which they occupied some time between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago. Chipped stone dart points associated with a post-glacial species of bison have been found imbedded in the earth in rock strata going back that many years.

These wandering hunters were known as "Bison Nomads" and it is not at all improbable that they knew of the cave and frequented it. They could have been the first humans to have entered it.

Then, approximately 2,000 years ago, or at about the beginning of the Christian era, the Basket Maker Indians began to roam this southwest area of the continent. They may have been the physical descendants of the early hunters, but from a standpoint of culture they are credited with having brought agriculture from some focal point in Mexico much further south.

The Basket Maker Indians lived in this area for some eight centuries, and archæologists mark three distinct periods of their civilization. The Basket Maker I people did much hunting and probably roamed the hills and valleys while the maize was growing, moving on to new areas after each harvest. The Basket Maker II group built simple dwellings, lived in caves, and grew numerous vegetables, including squash and beans. The Basket Maker III group established permanent villages, fired pottery, and elaborated on weavings established by both of the earlier groups.

The Basket Maker Indians are definitely known to have visited the cave, for their pictographs have been found on the entrance walls. What is more, skeletons have been found in the cave, some buried in baskets! These were found on shelves in the walls. Other skeletons were found buried beneath piles of guano far back in the cave, together with bits of pottery and broken arrow points.

As to how much the Indians used the cave remains speculative. Some archæologists believe the cave was used mostly as a tomb, while others think the Indians may have lived in the cave for a certain length, basing this observation on the bits of pottery and other remains found along ledges within the walls. These, they point out, definitely were not buried with a body.

Most likely the cave was used for both purposes, for it served the Indian well as a place of refuge and defense, and it appears that the living quarters were located within a close radius of the entrance. Any more extensive use of the rest of the cave would have left more evidence, archæologists say.

But that was well over a thousand years ago. How about recent times?

Several authorities mention the fact that the existence of some form of bat cave or hibernation den was known to ranchers in the Carlsbad area as early as 1880-90. Great swarms of bats would rise out of a mound in the earth at dusk and go winging their way into the horizon. At sunrise they would return.

Was this the present Big Cave? Southern New Mexico contains numerous bat caves and many were known at this time. The existence of a new one didn't seem to overly excite the ranch hands, for exhaustive research has failed to reveal any positive knowledge of the existence of this particular cave as such prior to the time my father noticed the bats.

Millions of pounds of guano had been taken out of the various bat caves in this area by late 1900, and if anyone had stumbled onto this particular cave prior to my father's discovery, they would most certainly have immediately taken out a claim and proceeded to mine the guano, for there was so much of it that it assumed gold mine proportions.

The fact that my father was the first to take out a claim seems proof enough that he was the first to actually find the cave and, realizing its economic potential, did what any other person would have done, simply, take out a claim. It was the first ever recorded for this particular 20 acres and his claim may be seen today on pages 149 and 152 of Book I in the Eddy County Courthouse at Carlsbad.

3

The First Fifty Years

The discovery of the Carlsbad Caverns was not an earth-shaking event at the time. Its true value as a spectacle was to wait almost 20 years. Had it not been for the huge quantities of guano, my father and his friends might not have been especially interested in the cave, that is, sufficiently so to explore it further, since there were so many similar caves in this particular area of the State, and the discovery of one more didn't unduly excite anyone.

But because the guano looked like a worth while business proposition, the cave got more than casual consideration.

My father knew it was larger than some of the others in the area, and he gave it the title "The Big Cave." It was also referred to as "The Bat Cave" because of the millions of bats which would fly out of its mouth each evening, only to return in equal numbers the following dawn.

In those days it was primarily a guano producing cave and, except for occasional explorations by the guano miners and their friends, there were no extensive trips into the underground chambers by scientists. Only the commercial aspects of the fertilizer producing activities were recognized.

The guano was shipped to California distributors and was largely used in the fruit orchards there. The operation was not too profitable, as my father found out, and after he sold his equipment to Mr. Patterson the property changed hands many times. In 1906, for example, there were three different owners, and there was some splitting of ownership whereby an owner would sell a part or half his interest.

Also, there were other sections which were owned by independent operators. Prior to 1906 the Santa Fe Railroad owned 40 acres over the east portion of the cave.

By around 1912 the bulk of the guano had been removed and activity around the cave ceased. There were little spurts of renewed interest from time to time, but there was actually little news about the cave for several years.

In later years people have often speculated as to whether or not the great Carlsbad Caverns would ever have been discovered had it not been for the attention caused by either my father's discovery quite by chance, or from the dark clouds of bats which emanated from the cave each evening.

We know now that even if those two events had never occurred--even if there were no opening on the surface of the earth, if there were no habitation of bats, the great cave would have indeed been discovered.

And historians now like to think that the cave was actually discovered twice. The first, as we know, was when my father stumbled upon it quite by accident back in 1903. This was the discovery of the guano beds, the beauty and grandeur of the Caverns being secondary at that time.

Then came what historians have since called "the rediscovery!"

And it, like the first discovery almost 20 years before, came about quite by accident!

At the end of, and immediately following, the first World War, around 1919 and 1920, the United States Government Commission of Reclamation was constructing several dams along the Pecos River some 20 miles east of the site of the big Bat Cave. The purpose of the dams was to impound river water for irrigation of the surrounding agricultural lands.

But for some strange reason the dams didn't seem to be doing any good. The water seemed to disappear underground. The Commission felt it was useless to consider the construction of any more dams in the area until the mystery could be cleared up.

They took the matter up with the U. S. Geological Survey, and again the question was unanswered. It seemed strange that the water could not be held and used to irrigate the surrounding farm lands.

The U. S. Geological Survey said they felt the problem was of sufficient value to merit a complete investigation. They would, they said, send a party to the site to see if they could unravel the riddle of the river's strange behavior. They advised that no more dams be constructed until the source of the trouble could be determined.

The assignment was given to Dr. Willis T. Lee.

He pondered the situation and knew from experience that there were several possible solutions, yet he couldn't do much more than hazard a guess as to what the trouble might be. He also knew that when nature is concerned he might stumble onto an entirely new reason.

Before he left Washington, Dr. Lee had reviewed all the available information on the geological formation of the earth in the area and was quite well informed on its composition.

Now, on the land itself, he began to study the situation from every angle. He found the limestone strata throughout the entire area were a bit different from that which he had previously seen in other parts of the world.

Gypsum and salt are soluble in water, and when the dams were built they obviously raised the water level several feet above its natural contours or limitations. The water would then find its way into these alternate layers and would seek lower levels, dissolving the rock salt and gypsum as it did so. With nothing to hold it behind the dams, the water would disappear into the earth and reappear again many miles below the spots where the dams had been built.

While Dr. Lee was in the vicinity, he decided to have a look at the famous Caverns of which he had been hearing so much, and was promptly invited to see these underground wonders since he was so close to them. He knew of the existence of the many bat caves or guano caves in the southeastern part of New Mexico, but had not suspected they contained any real beauty. Now, for the first time, he was to learn otherwise.

Prior to this the United States Land Office had sent Mr. Robert Holley to survey the Caverns, and by the time Lee visited these underground chambers, Holly had surveyed some three and a half miles of their interior. It was Holly's report which brought about the designation of the area as the Carlsbad Caverns National Monument.

Dr. Lee was enthusiastic in his description of the great Caverns as a thing of immense size and beauty. Here was something that had been kept a secret long enough, he felt, and the government should do something about them.

His report was the spark that set off a chain reaction. Now, for the first time, national magazines began to publish reports of this huge, fabulous cave in southeast New Mexico. In the latter part of 1923 several articles appeared based on Dr. Lee's descriptions of the underground wonders. Now, at last, the world was learning of the existence of this fairyland of unmatched scope anywhere in this country, perhaps in the world.

But prior to this time the National Geographic Society had become interested in Willis Lee's findings. Certainly this was worthy of the Society's attention. Accordingly, they set up a grant of $16,000 to finance the first full scale exploration of the Caverns. They selected Dr. Lee to head the party.

Dr. Lee's mission this time was much different. He wasn't concerned where the underground waters were going. Rather he was set upon finding and reporting the scenery about which he knew the world would want to hear.

His subsequent report in the National Geographic Magazine (January, 1924) marked the first full scale description of the Caverns, and for the first time the public saw a series of pictures of the beauty of this underground wonderland and read something about the various rooms, their gigantic size, and the extent of the formation.

Dr. Lee's party didn't find a smooth paved road from the town of Carlsbad to the site of the Caverns. By contrast, the 28 miles of hilly, bumpy, dusty road were covered by automobile in about two hours. The road had been used primarily by the fertilizer companies in transporting the sacks of guano to Carlsbad for shipment to California.

At this time there were several dwellings at the entrance to the cave, an engine house and two hoisting shafts.

The exploring party engaged Jim White as a guide to accompany them below. At this time Jim White probably knew the Caverns better than anyone else, for he had lived in the vicinity of the caves for more than a dozen years and had served as a guide for many persons who had made trips below to behold the beauties to be found there.

Jim had talked of the cave and its marvels to anyone who would listen, and for years had tried to stir up some enthusiasm for the wonders that lay beneath. He had explored much of the cave and could talk intelligently about it. Obviously, he was the best guide that Dr. Lee could have found.

The descent at that time was not a very glamorous undertaking. Dr. Lee's party entered, two at a time, by standing in an old iron guano bucket and letting the "elevator" engine slowly lower them more than 150 feet below the surface. The wire rope fastened to the bucket ran over a pulley at the top of the derrick and was manipulated by the engine. Dr. Lee was apprehensive of the contraption, but it never failed his party.

In that early and historical excursion into the great Caverns, Dr. Lee noted the weird, eerie effect the shadowy forms, high ceilings, and irregular floor and walls had on his group. They found it difficult to believe what they were seeing. Below, the opening above them became but a speck of light.

They noted the great distance from wall to wall, the many alcoves, the roughness of some walls, the polished smoothness of others.

Some distance from the foot of the shaft they came upon a large pit some 150 feet deep which they called Yeitso's Den. The name was later changed to the Devil's Den.

This part of the cave was much as the surging waters of the past several million years had left it. Travel was slow and dangerous. Steep walls had to be climbed and it was necessary to cut steps in the stone. The forward progress was indeed tedious in those early days.

Dr. Lee's report to the National Geographic Society was filled with descriptions of the colorful stalagmites and stalactites, the beautiful formations of flowstone and dripstone, and the subject matter to be seen in the formations all around them. He was equally impressed by the "chambers of unbelievable dimensions," some of which were "several hundred feet wide" and ceilings "so high our lights won't touch them."

He measured the smallest of three rooms which he entered after his journey down the main corridor, which he describes as "slow and laborious." The room measured 160 by 140 feet. "The middle room was three times this size, and the first room was even larger," he said.

He noted the "curtains" formed of onyx created by the deposit of lime carbonate dripping from above. The ceilings were found to be covered with curtains of these stalactites which had grown together during the ages. At times they met with stalagmites to form solid pillars of seemingly carved formations.

At times the floor was rough and covered with fallen blocks of stone. In other places it was quite smooth and flat, obviously the result of years of solutive action by water. Stalagmites do not grow in areas covered for any length of time by water, such as an underground pool. In one place the stalactites were so slender and numerous that Dr. Lee referred to them as resembling "a porcupine in posture of defense."

Dr. Lee's group gave names to many of the rooms and formations, many of which have since been changed. But one which has stuck with all explorers, both before and since Dr. Lee's excursion, is the Big Room. This underground colossus impresses everyone who sees it, and Dr. Lee hesitated to estimate its dimension. "Over half a mile long," he said at that time, "with a ceiling some 200 feet high."

Big as the room was, he felt it was equally remarkable for its numerous dripstone decorations, their variety and size. Some, he noted, rose to 50 feet in height.

He found some stalagmites were still "growing," for they were darker in color than those no longer alive, indicating the presence of water and continued growth. As the supply of water ceases they become lighter in color, almost powdery.

One of the largest he described were the Twin Domes, which he said were more than 100 feet high and some 200 feet across at the base. They are, today, much the same as he first observed them and are one of the favorite formations of all cave visitors.

In the light of Dr. Lee's primitive torchlight, the base showed up a dark green, with the grooved pillars light cream in color, both glittering and sparkling as the light struck them.

Other interesting observations by the party included the location of extinct seeps on the floor of the big room, the basins of which were up to about 50 feet in diameter, pedestals of onyx resembling toadstools and so called by the party, and an underground series of chambers through one of which flows a stream of clear water.

Dr. Lee's party was unprepared for the vastness and extent of the Caverns. Although his group had come prepared for a sizeable task, the job overwhelmed them. Although they mapped much of the underground passageways and rooms, they could see much was left undone.

But what they had done was enough to prompt the United States Government in declaring the site a National Monument. On October 30, 1923, Secretary Work announced that President Coolidge had proclaimed the area a National Monument.

Now it was official. If the government proclaimed it as a National Monument, it must be worth a visit. So thought many people throughout the land as they read about it in the many national magazines that ran descriptions of the Caverns based on Dr. Lee's findings.

My father's original holdings consisted of 20 acres. Now that the government had taken over, the size was increased to 700 acres.

Spurred by Dr. Lee's first exhaustive article in the National Geographic in January, 1924, people began to travel to this underground land of wonders. Diplomats, governors, people of all walks of life wanted a first-hand glimpse of what had been found.

There were no adequate facilities with which to accommodate them. Silk hats in guano buckets didn't look exactly right. Improvements were in order.

Dr. Lee reported how preliminary his work had been. More exploration was needed, and as a result he returned to the Caverns in the spring of 1924 in order to further extend the work he had started when he first saw them.

Exploration began the middle of March and lasted for six months, during the heat of the summer when it was as high as 115 in the shade--and, as Dr. Lee says, there was no shade. Yet inside the cave it remained about 56 degrees, which is constant the year around. During this time the party played host to the Governor of New Mexico, the Governor of Texas, the Director of National Parks, and many other high ranking dignitaries.

Dr. Lee and his party set up their camp at the mouth of the Big Cave, using tents and the rough board shacks left by the fertilizer company years before. Their closest source of water was a spring about a mile away and their supply had to be carted by horse or burro.

While working in the cave the members of the party used kerosene torches, but upon discovering that these gave off more smoke than light they abandoned them in favor of gasoline lanterns.

In order to safeguard themselves, they would unravel balls of twine as they explored remote sections and passageways. In this way they could always find their way back to safety. Some of the members of the party were hesitant to wander far from the well-worn trails, apparently afraid of the unknown and admitting their weakness. Others allowed their curiosity to dominate their fears and were continually searching for new finds.

The party obtained its supplies from Carlsbad, about 28 miles away, and during the summer months the fruits and vegetables were kept in a special "refrigerator" in the cave where the cool, even temperature was put to constructive use.

The party's first task was to improve the various trails. Large rocks were pushed aside and, where this was not possible, safe ladders were constructed when the obstructions could not be circumvented.

On Dr. Lee's previous trip he did not explore the many small chambers and rooms leading off of the main halls and central areas. This time he made these deviations his specialty. Numerous nooks and corners were explored and mapped. Only those that for reason defied access were left alone and kept their secrets sealed within.

The entire party was amazed at the ornate beauty they found all around them. Many of the rooms were being seen by scientists for the first time, who would subsequently describe these colorful wonders so that all the world would know.

Of the Dome Room he later wrote "from the arched vault hang pendants of ornate character and on the wall are sheets of delicately colored onyx resembling portieres looped back in graceful folds. One is impelled to touch these folds before he is convinced that they are cold, hard stone."

In another chamber Dr. Lee noted how some of the stalactites would ring when struck lightly with a stone or metal instrument. One that was broken revealed a small trickle of water within. It was, said Dr. Lee, excellent drinking water.

Further on the party found a large hole which was 100 yards across and almost one third that deep. Onyx marble was to be seen all around, on the walls and the ceiling which was some 200 feet above the floor of this indentation.

Climbing down a wire ladder, Dr. Lee and his associates found several "fountain basins" many of which had a crust of onyx which resembled somewhat the ice that forms over a small body of water in the winter time, after which the water recedes leaving the thin sheet of ice suspended in air.

Other unusual formations were the many pisolites, small, spherical bodies of hard stone which jewelers call "cave pearls." Some were immovable while others were loose, probably never having been able to fasten themselves due to the continuous agitation caused either by a flow of water underneath them or from water above dripping down around them. These "cave pearls" grow from a tiny beginning through hundreds of years by the constant deposition of minute quantities of calcium carbonate left by the dripping or flowing water. Those still active are moist and glistening. The dead ones are pale, with a powdery, dull look. Because of the fact that these "pearls" resembled eggs in nests of stone, the room was called the Rookery, a name which has remained ever since.

In places where water drips at just the right frequency, the water will splash to the surrounding walls, leaving as it dries there its small particle of calcium carbonate. In places it hardens to form funnel shaped vases. In other places it dries too rapidly, leaving a soft powdery accumulation.

Still another formation was the "helictites" which are certain types of stalactites which didn't know which way to go. They appear to defy the laws of gravity, for they may start in one direction and then dart off in another direction. Such formations were caused by certain types of crystallization. Some chemicals will "grow" upward as they dry and expand, and this is probably one explanation, although it may not apply in every case.

By the early fall in 1924, when Dr. Lee and his party had completed this second thorough study of the Caverns, he was most enthusiastic about what he had seen. His observation at that time describes the underground wonders exceptionally well. Telling about the exploration in September, 1925, issue of the National Geographic, he said:

"The Carlsbad Cavern, New Mexico, is the most spectacular of underground wonders in America! For spacious chambers, for variety and beauty of multitudinous natural decorations, and for general scenic quality, it is king of its kind."

The party had covered a total of some 23 miles, which they had patiently mapped and surveyed, photographed, and described. The "rediscovery" had now been completed--and in grand style. The next descent into the great cave was to be by the public itself, and in ever-increasing numbers.

In order to meet this onrush of sightseers, improvement of the interior of the Caverns and the approach from above ground was deemed necessary. Now that the area was a National Monument, the Government gave its attention to the area. Because of his great interest in, and knowledge of the Caverns, Dr. Lee was appointed the first custodian. He served without pay. Jim White became an unofficial guide, later being appointed a park ranger by the National Park Service, finally becoming chief ranger.

Now, with some system of procedure mapped out, improvements began in earnest. All of the major trails were greatly enlarged and smoothed over so that their passage by the public would be safe. Lighting of the halls and chambers was also begun, although most of the illumination was furnished by the lanterns carried by the guides and members of touring parties.

In 1927 the Government could see the Caverns were beginning to take hold as a show place, a vacation mecca, and additional help would be required. They sought a man who could take complete charge for the Government. Someone suggested a man who was at that time in charge of the volcanoes on the Hawaiian Islands, Colonel Thomas Boles. Here, they felt, was a man who could do what was necessary at the great Caverns, and as a result Colonel Boles was appointed the first Superintendent in that year.

During the cave trips at this time everyone carried a box lunch, for a full scale trip below required the best part of a day. With the increasing attendance the government decided an underground lunchroom would be an added convenience for the visitors.

CARLSBAD CAVERNS

WITH SURFACE SUPERIMPOSED
]

Accordingly, in 1927, a suitable room over 700 feet below was selected for this purpose, one of the guiding factors being that it was located approximately at the point where the visitors passed at noon-day.

Picnic tables were set up and box lunches provided cafeteria style to the hungry travelers whose appetites were heightened by the brisk journey in the ever-cool atmosphere.

As interest in the Caverns continued to increase, the Government realized the site was worthy of more than simply a monument rating. The matter was taken up before Congress two years later, and on May 14, 1930, Congress voted to make the area a National Park.

It is also significant that it was at this time that the official name became the Carlsbad Caverns National Park, the big caves being named for the town of the same name some 28 miles northeast and which has always served as the chief supply point for the vicinity.

The surface area was also enlarged at this time and was extended to include several more acres. On February 21, 1933, it was enlarged to include more than 10,000 acres.

It was at this time that the greatest improvement yet to be made at the Caverns was undertaken. This was the installation of the elevator, which was completed in 1932. The lift is 754 feet and shortens the walk-in trip by about one and three-quarter hours. The elevator lets its passengers out at a point adjacent to the Big Room and the lunchroom. Installation of the elevator made it possible for elderly people and those who were not physically capable of walking in through the natural tunnel corridor to view the magic wonders of the great subterranean fairyland. As soon as it was completed, a great many more people came to see the great Caverns.

Walking into the Caverns is a thrill within itself and, since the trail is downhill, few people find it much of a chore. Going out is something else again, and the great majority of people who walk in are glad for the opportunity of taking the elevator up to the surface 754 feet above them.

In 1939 the Park was extended to include some 49,000 acres, and within this area are 30 other caverns, some of which have been quite extensively explored while others are relatively unknown. In the main, most of them are similar, though none begin to compare with the Carlsbad Caverns in size, and the details and formations often differ as well.

Three years later the Government purchased the east wing from T. A. Blakely. This was the section lying for the most part over the guano beds which in previous years had been worked so extensively. The purchase of this last segment put the entire known area of the great cave in the hands of the government.

In 1946, Colonel Boles, the park's first superintendent, who had served through 19 pioneering years, was transferred to Hot Springs National Park. By that time he had spoken to well over 2 million visitors, many of whom were world famous. He says he has made over 5,000 complete trips through the Caverns and on each "I saw something I missed before." Much of the early progress was due directly to Colonel Boles' leadership and foresight. Today, having retired from the National Park Service, he makes his home in Carlsbad, where he serves as public relations counsel for the Potash Company of America.

Donald S. Libbey followed Colonel Boles as Superintendent of the Caverns and he in turn was succeeded by R. Taylor Hoskins. During the first eight years of his office, Supt. Hoskins says almost 3,000,000 people paid to see the limestone creations which many have tabbed "The Eighth Wonder of the World." Those who make the underground tour come away feeling that appellation can't be far from right.

Though the government spent some money years ago in improving the Caverns and preparing them for visitors to see in safety, the returns on that investment are now counted. Although the park receives somewhat over a quarter of a million dollars appropriation from the federal government each year, it returns almost twice that amount, the sum being obtained from tourist fees and similar income.

Yes, these first fifty years have indeed seen many changes within the Caverns. Nature's work has been protected and left intact, but the lights, the lunchroom, the elevator, the improved trails, and the many other improvements have been made by man for man's enjoyment of what the ages have bestowed--what the centuries have given him to see and enjoy.

Already people from the four corners of the globe have beaten a track to the Caverns' door, to behold in amazement and wonder and awe. Many millions more will come in the years ahead, and their children in the years after that. Here, some 700 and 1000 feet below the surface of the earth they will marvel at the work of the centuries--that began some 60,000,000 years ago.