THE CAVE COUNTRY COLLECTION

VISITORS AT THE CHINESE PAGODA IN TITAN’S TEMPLE

This is the untold story of that tragedy: the rescue attempts, the investigation and coroner’s report, and finally, the legal recourse sought by the widows of the two men. Much of the story is told in vivid, first-hand accounts taken from court records of one of the cases.  The testimony—by rescuers, cave experts, quarrymen, explosives engineers, doctors, and chemists under the dueling questioning of the widow’s attorney and his adversary —unravels the mystery of who was responsible and illuminates unfamiliar avenues of the dark, remarkable cave. YOU’LL BE KEPT GUESSING UNTIL THE VERDICT IS READ.

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Editor’s Note: We received the following in a February 2025 eamail from our young friend, Ben Fritch, of Warnerville. He writes:

Are you aware of the shale quarry in Hungry Hollow (Warnerville), near the railroad overpass at Podpadic Road?

According to “Delaware and Hudson Bridge Line Freight 1960-1983, Vol. 2 – The South End,” by Dominic Bourgeois, this quarry’s sole purpose was to provide stone/fill for the rail line’s paths and such at the Howes Cave quarry. This is presumably because [limestone from] that quarry was too valuable at the time.

I quote, “an eight-car siding was built at the Podpadic Road underpass in Hungry Hollow in the 1950s to haul the rock from a short-lived [shale] quarry and wood crib dock to the Howes Cave cement plant. The siding was pulled out in 1966, well after it had outlived its usefulness.”

Have Something to Share?

Thanks, Ben, and no, I was not familiar with the Hungry Hollow quarry, so thanks for sharing this bit of history. Other readers with stories or intel on the caves and quarries of Schoharie County’s Cave Country are encouraged to send them here: cavewriter@howecavernstales.com