The letter which we quote below was submitted by a George Haycock
of Burley, Idaho, and appeared in the Oct. 1947 issue of 'AMAZING
STORIES' science fiction/science fact magazine, pp. 174-175:
"Sirs... Perhaps I have delayed over-long to send you my
slight contribution to the master code. Why? I was still afraid
there might be some slip that would put me in a bad spot. I am a
druggist in this town and any trace of nut's talk would ruin my
job. I have been waiting for the issue which just hit the
newsstand and agree with you completely.
"There is in this area an artifact which seems to prove all
you have printed about the cavern dwellers. First I want to ask
a question. How are the caverns ventilated? There is no
vegetation to purify the air in caves (i.e. small caverns, that is
- Branton). Therefore there must be some connection with the
surface. I know where one of the air shafts reach the surface.
"My grandfather was raised with the Indians in this section
of the country and has told me of the stories he heard when he
was a child. The Indians describe the wind cave as it is called
around here as the home of the devils who come forth in the dead
of the night to steal their women and food. No Indian will
venture within the area inside of five miles of the cave.
"Perhaps a description of the inside will make my meaning
more clear. The entrance is just a hole in the rocks, but after
getting inside you come into a four-square tunnel about three and
one half feet square with a six-inch gutter along the west side,
about 10 inches deep. The tunnel is intact for about 100 yards
and then opens into what looks like it might have been at one
time a completely ROUND or half-round passageway which now looks
like the solid lava which it goes through has been chipped and
crumbled by extreme heat. It is possible to travel for about
half a mile inside before the tunnel becomes obstructed too much
for a man to get through.
"I have been trying to get some one who would help me clear
this obstruction enough to get through and several have agreed
but when we get there and start to work they soon give up and
want to get out. Another funny thing is that every time I go
back the work done before does not show, yet there is not
evidence of fresh falls of rock from the ceiling. At this point
the feeling that you're in mortal danger becomes almost
overpowering, after battling this feeling for an hour I feel as
weak as if I had been sick for weeks and I have made this attempt
many times.
"The opening has been dynamited at least four times that I
know of. Supposedly to kill rattlesnakes, yet I have never seen
one either in the mouth of the cave or inside.
"In fact my experience with snakes leads me to believe they
would never brave the cold blast that comes out.
"Still the feeling of distrust and fear clings and none of
the natives will consider exploring this artifact which could be
made the biggest tourist attraction in this part of the state--if
people were just not afraid to go down in there.
"This covers the known facts about this cave: yet since I
can remember I have dreamed, thought and considered many of the
things Shaver talks about in his stories, mostly those pertaining
to mind control...
"Please ignore the mistakes and misspelled words in this
letter. Ordinarily I am a good typist and a good speller, but
when I try to put these things on paper I cannot hit the key I
want to.
"Please notice that the mistakes and misspelled words are
mostly where I try to describe the caves and conditions inside
them. These happen even when I try to watch every stroke I make.
I have recopied this letter three times trying to eliminate the
errors and still they crop up in the same sections if not in the
same words.
"I am willing to discuss what I know with any one who won't
believe I am crazy, and would like to find some one who has the
intestinal fortitude to help me clear the obstruction to the
major cavern with which it connects which I know extends to the
depth of 30,000 feet because it has been drilled into and that
much cable let out without hitting anything to drill in and I
will show anyone who is interested the entire set up.
"My grandfather is now dead unfortunately so he cannot
verify the Indian stories mentioned, but if Mr. Hansen is as
familiar with Indian legends as he claims and really desires the
truth have him work with the Shoshones and the Blackfeet.
Consider their tales of the demons who work this countryside...
"Write me if you're interested in these legends and any
knowledge I have is yours.
"George Haycock., c/o Thriftway Drug., Main and Overland.,
Burley, Idaho."
Raymond Palmer's editorial reply to this letter was as
follows: "We're sure that members of the CHMBS (Cave Hunters
Mutual Benefit Society) will contact you, and they won't consider
you crazy. We hope you can tell them more about this cave, and
show it to them. As for the depth of 30,000 feet, letting a
cable, or string, down that depth tells nothing, because it might
be going down only a few hundred feet, then simply coiling up on
the floor, as the weight of the string would make it impossible
for you to tell when it had hit the floor... - Ed."
This account as given by Mr. Haycock is strange to say the
least, however it may contain an significant piece of the puzzle
whereas the overall subterranean scenario is concerned.
Two more postscripts to the George Haycock - Burley, Idaho
account have surfaced. The first came from a man by the name of
Frank W. Haigler, and a Sgt. Brentlinger who was at the time
stationed at Hill Air Force Base near Salt Lake City, Utah.
Mr. Haigler had told of his own investigations in connection
with Mr. Haycock's letter in 'AMAZING STORIES'. This letter of
confirmation, which appeared in the Jan. 1948 (Vol. 22, No. 1)
issue, stated:
"Sirs... If you file your correspondence, you will find a
letter there from this writer which was written in the early part
of this year, advising you of reading my first AMAZING STORIES
magazine and of my interest in the mystery of the caves,
especially the articles by Mr. Shaver. I haven't missed a copy
of A. S. since then and interest in the mystery of the caves has
grown until you may class me as an unofficial member of the
CHMBS. In fact, the purpose of this letter is to inform you of a
recent expedition to one of the caves for an investigation.
"For you and those interested in the 'air shaft' near
Burley, Idaho, reported by Mr. George Haycock, whose letter was
published in the October issue of AMAZING STORIES, this is to
verify the truth of this cave.
"M/Sgt. Brentlinger (a Shaver fan), stationed at Hill Field,
Utah, and myself made a trip to Burley over the weekend of the
17th of August to ascertain the authenticity of both Mr. Haycock
and the cave. We had no trouble locating this gentleman and
after explaining the purpose of our mission he quite readily
agreed to show us to the cave and to guide us through, providing
it was still possible to enter. The entrance had been blasted
since he was last in the cave, he explained.
"We drove about six miles west of town, then turned off the
highway onto a little road leading through the desert sagebrush.
Oddly enough, this road was well worn and seemed to be much used
although there is no apparent reason for so much traffic. We
failed to see any other cars either on the way in or out.
"Even though he had been in the cave many times and to the
entrance as recently as three days prior to this trip, Mr.
Haycock, strangely, had difficulty in locating the spot and we
stopped twice to look before we finally found it about a mile
from the highway.
"The entrance was located in the center of a shallow
circular depression. The surrounding terrain was nothing but
sand and sagebrush but jammed in around the opening were several
large boulders. We found there was still a small hole running
down through the boulders and Mr. Haycock thought it still
possible for us to make entrance. With some violent maneuvering
we did manage to squeeze through and we followed Mr. Haycock to
the floor of the cavern. Then, crawling, kneeling and sometimes
walking, we were led back through the cave for approximately one-
quarter of a mile.
"The cavern was cut through what appeared to be lava rock.
Walls and ceiling are badly fallen-in in many places but there is
enough intact yet to give the general appearance that the cave
was at one time square. In certain spots the walls and ceiling
are perfectly flat. Then, too, we noticed one small chamber to
one side of the main passage that is square-cut except for one
end which is cupped out.
"There are numerous small passages leading off to the side
of the main path, which Mr. Haycock said lead to dead ends, IN
the ones he has explored.
"After seeing enough to convince us of the truth of Mr.
Haycock's story, it was decided to turn back and not to continue
inward to the impassable obstruction Mr. Haycock mentioned in his
letter. To have gone that far more equipment would have been
required. We had nothing but two flashlights, both being used
continuously. Where we turned back is approximately half-way to
the obstruction.
"We failed to feel or hear the icy wind that is said to blow
from the shaft most of the time. However, Mr. Haycock explained
that it did become quiet occasionally, as we found it that day.
"At present another trip is planned to the cave. This time
there will be seven or eight of us and we plan to take the proper
equipment and enough provisions to do some serious work at
clearing away the obstruction. It is desired by all to learn
what, if anything, might lie further on beyond this obstruction.
But, if there is nothing but more cave it will at least be an
interesting adventure that will be enjoyed and remembered by all!
"Now for the information on two other caves this writer
knows of which might merit investigation. The first is in the
Smoky mountains of North Carolina in the Nantahalie(?) Gorge. It
is called 'The Blowing Springs' and is easily reached from the
highway. The cave has an icy blast of air and a cold stream
flowing from it continuously, from which it got its name. It is
not known by the writer whether anyone has ever entered the cave
or if this is possible, but there are many that have been to the
entrance to look in.
"The second is called 'The Devil's Well' and is located in
the 'Hole-In-Ground' near Pine City, Washington. The cave is
very round and approximately five feet in diameter. People are
known to be afraid to enter the cave due to the rumor that it is
a rattlesnake den. It would be interesting to learn if there is
any truth to the rattlesnakes and why it is named 'The Devil's
Well,' and by whom!."
"Frank W. Haigler., Box 18, Apt. F-12., Sahara Valley,
Utah."
Another postscript to this account appeared in the form of
an article which was written by one 'Galahadian' for the ESOTERIC
WORLD NEWS in the mid-1980's. 'Galahadian' allegedly knew Mr.
Haycock years ago, and revealed that his story had a sad and
tragic ending. Haycock, it seemed, had received an unmarked
letter or package in his mailbox one day with a message warning
him to cease and desist in his investigations of the tunnel. Mr.
Haycock had apparently ignored the warning and continued in his
investigations, and according to Galahadian a few days afterwards
he was found strangled to death in his house. What kind of
secret would be so important that it was worth killing a human
life in order to hide it? Certainly, this is not the only
one who has died mysteriously after investigating underground
phenomena. In fact dozens, perhaps hundreds (or more?) have
met with the same tragic fate, after getting to close to the
"Horrible Truth".
We would ask the readers however not to get the impression that
EVERY subterranean area is irreparably under the control of the
evil one and the powers of darkness. There are reportedly many
regions inhabited by human beings who, although they may not have
established an absolutely "perfect" society, nevertheless dwell
in cavernous domains that are generally safer than the underground
lairs of the reptilian races for instance, unless of course the
latter have set their designs on those abodes of the more peaceful
sub-dwellers, as some sources have indicated. In general though,
the parasitical nature of the underground Luciferian races can
and have only led to conflicts with beings of a more ethical nature...
the so-called Tero-Dero conflicts refered to by Richard Shaver
and others.
