lavacave.html

The Enterprise, White Salmon, WA., June 15, 1928, page 1

FAMOUS LAVA CAVES ATTRACT
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Portlander Tells Of Trip To Mt. Adams
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Lava Caves Near Guler Natural Cold Storage For Fruits And Vegetables

The Oregonian's automobile editor recently made a trip to Guler and had a big page write-up of the White Salmon-Trout Lake country, illustrated with large pictures. Christian Guler proved to be a fine source of information to the automobile editor, and in telling about the big lava cave near Guler said: "Two boys discovered the cave a long time ago," explained the host. "They saw a small hole in this lava protrusion, dropped a stone through and knew it was a cave. The present opening was blasted out. They found the cave extended 200 yards west and half mile east and south. It makes a right angle turn. Scientists say it was formed by gases in the molten lava spewn out long ago, probably from Mount Adams." He lighted two gas lamps and we dropped into fearful darkness and into the cold. A towering framework has been constructed in the immense cave, tiers running for perhaps 100 yards along the eastern portion of the recess. Here, on these supports, made gaunt by shadows from the white gas light, were sacks and boxes of Yakima potatoes. Mr. Guler picked up several of the tubers. "Here, feel of them. They are as firm as the day we put them in the cave. Not a sprout. A roof over the framework keeps the cave drippings from the spuds. We have some strawberries in here to see how long they will keep and forest service is experimenting with dried fruits. A conveyor belt will be installed and this fall apple growers from White Salmon will store their apples here. It's cheaper for them to haul them to the cave than to pay for artificial refrigeration. The cave's big enough to store the produce of the whole valley." It seemed to us, as we climbed out of the chill air into the sunlight, that W.H. Dean of White Salmon and Charles Coate of Husum, who control the cave, have found a gold mine in this gloomy yet fascinating hole in the ground.