Re: [Texascavers] Frank Nicholson
I would venture that he was likely a Ph.D., they have greater ability to exaggerate:) than overworked MDs... Rafal Kedzierski > To: texascavers@texascavers.com > Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2015 19:14:43 + > Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Frank Nicholson > From: texascavers@texascavers.com > > "Dr." Frank E. Nicholson? An M.D., perhaps? > > Might explain the tendency to exaggerate. > > Diana > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > Diana R. Tomchick > Professor > University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center > Department of Biophysics > 5323 Harry Hines Blvd. > Rm. ND10.214A > Dallas, TX 75390-8816, U.S.A. > Email: diana.tomch...@utsouthwestern.edu > 214-645-6383 (phone) > 214-645-6353 (fax) > > > > > > > > On Feb 20, 2015, at 12:32 AM, Carl Kunath via Texascavers wrote: > > > Nicholson was quite an interesting fellow but he did his best speleology > > with a typewriter. > > > > He is cited a number of times in 50 Years of Texas Caving ( AKA: The > > Encyclopedia of Texas Caving): > > > > Pg 21, 294: Cascade Caverns and Longhorn Cave > > Pg 35, 308: There is a brief mention of a grandiose expedition to Cueva de > > El Abra with Bob Hudson and Jimmy Walker > > Pg 424: A note of Nicholson visiting Devil’s Sinkhole > > > > I could have included quite a lot more about Nicholson but the space was > > better reserved for more factual, perhaps more entertaining, accounts. One > > of the best stories involves his plan to explore a lofty dome in Carlsbad > > Cavern with the use of a balloon. Explorers would rise to the desired > > level in a basket and step out into unknown passages. This didn’t happen > > although it’s a pity as we might have learned how he planned to create the > > necessary clearance above the top of the balloon in order to reach the > > upper area of the dome and also how he planned to deal with those sharp, > > pointy stalactites. > > > > Nicholson was nothing if not consistent. Every account of his exploits > > that he authored is wildly exaggerated. In addition to the Cascade Caverns > > story related below, check out this account of the Devil’s Sinkhole: > > > > SEPT. 2, 1934 > > Kerrville – Dr. Frank E. Nicholson, explorer of Carlsbad Cavern in New > > Mexico, has announced that the Devil’s Sinkhole, 65 miles from here, is > > larger than the famous New Mexico cave. Dr. Nicholson recently visited the > > Clarence Whitworth ranch, site of the sinkhole, and conducted a series of > > explorations. He found that the cave’s mouth is about 90 feet in diameter > > and looks down upon a 600-foot “mountain peak” which rises to within 271 > > feet of the surface of the ground. The subterranean mountain is a mile in > > circumference at the base. Dr. Nicholson explored several miles of passages > > with striking and colorful formations and saw many other corridors leading > > away for unknown distances. The cave is one of the country’s greatest > > natural wonders, Dr. Nicholson said. > > > > ===Carl Kunath > > carl.kun...@suddenlink.net > > > > > > -Original Message- > > From: Mixon Bill via Texascavers > > Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2015 3:31 PM > > To: Cavers Texas > > Subject: [Texascavers] unique Texas cave > > > > Published, apparently seriously, in the "News-Letter of the Exploration & > > Location Committee" of the NSS, #1, Jan. 1943: > > > > A condensation of information on the exploration of a limestone cave near > > Boerne, Texas, about 1932 by a party headed by Dr. Frank E. Nicholson, > > indicates that it is perhaps the most unusual phenomenon in our science. > > The information is from an old reference, and anyone having further > > information on this cave please contact this committee. 500 feet within the > > cave is a subterranean lake overhung by stalactites which reach to the > > surface of the water, requiring swimming under water for 200 feet. > > Occasional "pockets" permit breathing. This expedition penetrated beyond > > the lake to a great vaulted tunnel, which contained a "bottomless pit," > > subterranean spring, and stream. Progress was possible to a point one mile > > from the entrance and 600 feet below the surface. The most unusual feature > > of the cave is that in it were found white colored blind crayfish, > > pheletrodroid salamanders, and blind, white translucent frogs. Most > > unbelievable is the report
Re: [Texascavers] Frank Nicholson
"Dr." Frank E. Nicholson? An M.D., perhaps? Might explain the tendency to exaggerate. Diana * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Diana R. Tomchick Professor University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Department of Biophysics 5323 Harry Hines Blvd. Rm. ND10.214A Dallas, TX 75390-8816, U.S.A. Email: diana.tomch...@utsouthwestern.edu 214-645-6383 (phone) 214-645-6353 (fax) On Feb 20, 2015, at 12:32 AM, Carl Kunath via Texascavers wrote: > Nicholson was quite an interesting fellow but he did his best speleology with > a typewriter. > > He is cited a number of times in 50 Years of Texas Caving ( AKA: The > Encyclopedia of Texas Caving): > > Pg 21, 294: Cascade Caverns and Longhorn Cave > Pg 35, 308: There is a brief mention of a grandiose expedition to Cueva de > El Abra with Bob Hudson and Jimmy Walker > Pg 424: A note of Nicholson visiting Devil’s Sinkhole > > I could have included quite a lot more about Nicholson but the space was > better reserved for more factual, perhaps more entertaining, accounts. One > of the best stories involves his plan to explore a lofty dome in Carlsbad > Cavern with the use of a balloon. Explorers would rise to the desired level > in a basket and step out into unknown passages. This didn’t happen although > it’s a pity as we might have learned how he planned to create the necessary > clearance above the top of the balloon in order to reach the upper area of > the dome and also how he planned to deal with those sharp, pointy stalactites. > > Nicholson was nothing if not consistent. Every account of his exploits that > he authored is wildly exaggerated. In addition to the Cascade Caverns story > related below, check out this account of the Devil’s Sinkhole: > > SEPT. 2, 1934 > Kerrville – Dr. Frank E. Nicholson, explorer of Carlsbad Cavern in New > Mexico, has announced that the Devil’s Sinkhole, 65 miles from here, is > larger than the famous New Mexico cave. Dr. Nicholson recently visited the > Clarence Whitworth ranch, site of the sinkhole, and conducted a series of > explorations. He found that the cave’s mouth is about 90 feet in diameter and > looks down upon a 600-foot “mountain peak” which rises to within 271 feet of > the surface of the ground. The subterranean mountain is a mile in > circumference at the base. Dr. Nicholson explored several miles of passages > with striking and colorful formations and saw many other corridors leading > away for unknown distances. The cave is one of the country’s greatest natural > wonders, Dr. Nicholson said. > > ===Carl Kunath > carl.kun...@suddenlink.net > > > -Original Message- > From: Mixon Bill via Texascavers > Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2015 3:31 PM > To: Cavers Texas > Subject: [Texascavers] unique Texas cave > > Published, apparently seriously, in the "News-Letter of the Exploration & > Location Committee" of the NSS, #1, Jan. 1943: > > A condensation of information on the exploration of a limestone cave near > Boerne, Texas, about 1932 by a party headed by Dr. Frank E. Nicholson, > indicates that it is perhaps the most unusual phenomenon in our science. The > information is from an old reference, and anyone having further information > on this cave please contact this committee. 500 feet within the cave is a > subterranean lake overhung by stalactites which reach to the surface of the > water, requiring swimming under water for 200 feet. Occasional "pockets" > permit breathing. This expedition penetrated beyond the lake to a great > vaulted tunnel, which contained a "bottomless pit," subterranean spring, and > stream. Progress was possible to a point one mile from the entrance and 600 > feet below the surface. The most unusual feature of the cave is that in it > were found white colored blind crayfish, pheletrodroid salamanders, and > blind, white translucent frogs. Most unbelievable is the report that at the > cave's lowest level (one mile from entrance and 600 feet underground) 50 > Spanish oak and Hackberry trees were found growing. That trees can grow in > complete darkness with the complete absence of light and sunshine is a > phenomenon that demands further investigation by speleologists. > > The chairman of the committee and presumably author of the piece was Erwin > Bischoff. Scan of original can be found at > http://www.karstportal.org/FileStorage/NSS_news/1941-v001-001.pdf > --Mixon > > ___ > Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com > Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: > http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ > http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers UT Southwestern Medical Center The future of medicine, today. ___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.c
[Texascavers] Frank Nicholson
Nicholson was quite an interesting fellow but he did his best speleology with a typewriter. He is cited a number of times in 50 Years of Texas Caving ( AKA: The Encyclopedia of Texas Caving): Pg 21, 294: Cascade Caverns and Longhorn Cave Pg 35, 308: There is a brief mention of a grandiose expedition to Cueva de El Abra with Bob Hudson and Jimmy Walker Pg 424: A note of Nicholson visiting Devil’s Sinkhole I could have included quite a lot more about Nicholson but the space was better reserved for more factual, perhaps more entertaining, accounts. One of the best stories involves his plan to explore a lofty dome in Carlsbad Cavern with the use of a balloon. Explorers would rise to the desired level in a basket and step out into unknown passages. This didn’t happen although it’s a pity as we might have learned how he planned to create the necessary clearance above the top of the balloon in order to reach the upper area of the dome and also how he planned to deal with those sharp, pointy stalactites. Nicholson was nothing if not consistent. Every account of his exploits that he authored is wildly exaggerated. In addition to the Cascade Caverns story related below, check out this account of the Devil’s Sinkhole: SEPT. 2, 1934 Kerrville – Dr. Frank E. Nicholson, explorer of Carlsbad Cavern in New Mexico, has announced that the Devil’s Sinkhole, 65 miles from here, is larger than the famous New Mexico cave. Dr. Nicholson recently visited the Clarence Whitworth ranch, site of the sinkhole, and conducted a series of explorations. He found that the cave’s mouth is about 90 feet in diameter and looks down upon a 600-foot “mountain peak” which rises to within 271 feet of the surface of the ground. The subterranean mountain is a mile in circumference at the base. Dr. Nicholson explored several miles of passages with striking and colorful formations and saw many other corridors leading away for unknown distances. The cave is one of the country’s greatest natural wonders, Dr. Nicholson said. ===Carl Kunath carl.kun...@suddenlink.net -Original Message- From: Mixon Bill via Texascavers Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2015 3:31 PM To: Cavers Texas Subject: [Texascavers] unique Texas cave Published, apparently seriously, in the "News-Letter of the Exploration & Location Committee" of the NSS, #1, Jan. 1943: A condensation of information on the exploration of a limestone cave near Boerne, Texas, about 1932 by a party headed by Dr. Frank E. Nicholson, indicates that it is perhaps the most unusual phenomenon in our science. The information is from an old reference, and anyone having further information on this cave please contact this committee. 500 feet within the cave is a subterranean lake overhung by stalactites which reach to the surface of the water, requiring swimming under water for 200 feet. Occasional "pockets" permit breathing. This expedition penetrated beyond the lake to a great vaulted tunnel, which contained a "bottomless pit," subterranean spring, and stream. Progress was possible to a point one mile from the entrance and 600 feet below the surface. The most unusual feature of the cave is that in it were found white colored blind crayfish, pheletrodroid salamanders, and blind, white translucent frogs. Most unbelievable is the report that at the cave's lowest level (one mile from entrance and 600 feet underground) 50 Spanish oak and Hackberry trees were found growing. That trees can grow in complete darkness with the complete absence of light and sunshine is a phenomenon that demands further investigation by speleologists. The chairman of the committee and presumably author of the piece was Erwin Bischoff. Scan of original can be found at http://www.karstportal.org/FileStorage/NSS_news/1941-v001-001.pdf --Mixon ___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
