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Mail Tribune 100, Dec. 28, 1922 By Alissa Corman Dec 28, 2022 12:00 AM A A News from 100 years ago The following news items were drawn from the archives of the Mail Tribune 100 years ago Dec. 28, 1922 PROTECTION FOR OREGON CAVES IS FORUM MESSAGE Frank Patterson, the man who has been so markedly successful in the taking and coloring of photos of Crater Lake and other scenic wonders of the northwest, spoke to the members of the Chamber of Commerce Forum at the Hotel Medford yesterday noon. Mr. Patterson began by saying that he would not endeavor to tell Medfordites about Crater Lake, which he located in our front yard, but turned the attention of his audience to the back yard and the Oregon Caves, which he stated belonged to Medford as well as Grants Pass. He urged that a campaign be started at once to restrict and stamp out the practice which tourists to the caves now indulge in of taking stalactites and of burning their initials in the walls of the beautiful caverns. The arousing of public sentiment to a point where a person taking a stalactite would be looked upon with as much disfavor as a horse thief is the aim of the campaign and it was heartily approved by the members of the forum after listening to the explanation of the formation of the caves which was given by the speaker. It has taken 140,000 years to form the stalactites and stalagmites now adorning the interior of the miraculous caverns. In the 47 years since the caves were discovered, 12,000 people visited them up until June 26, 1922. From June 26, 1922, until Oct. 15, 10,000 people visited the caves. The ten thousand people who visited the caves last summer damaged them in that brief period of time more than they had been damaged in the 47 preceding years. The damage done last summer by taking the tiny stalactites as souvenirs would take 20,000 years for nature to repair if the caves were closed to spectators at the present time and nature allowed to go about her work. A suggestion that the Chamber of Commerce arrange a camp meeting or Chautauqua to be held in a suitable season of the year at some ideal camping spot and that they get together and cooperate was made by Mr. Patterson. He stated that he thought such a meeting of the chambers of Ashland, Medford and Grants Pass would do more for Southern Oregon than any one thing. — Alissa Corman; [email protected]