The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-08-21 00:00:00

EXTINCT AMERICAN RACES.

A movement has begun in the United States for an explora
tion of the ruined cities in Central America, about which so
many theories have at various times been broached. The
New York Journal of Commerce, referring to the subject,
says :

Americans may be excused for troubling themselves
so little about some of the prehistoric peoples of the
West—the mound-builders and the cliff-dwellers. . . .
It may be said that no study of the ethnology of the
mound-builders or the cliff-dwellers will ever add
much positive information to our knowledge of man
in his relations to the new world. This may be true with
limitations. But the same cannot be said of that mys-
terious extinct race which reared the cities of Central
America, whose splendid ruins attest the great architec-
tural skill and the mastery of many arts, including that of
hieroglyphics or picture writing, possessed by the
builders. These ruins have been investigated re-
peatedly—with results best known to Americans
through the works of Stephens and Catherwood, pub-
lished about orty years ago. But no researches
have wrested from the decaying monuments the
secret of their origin and thrown any clear light on
the history of a vanished race. Of theories there
have been plenty, but none properly supported by
facts. It is only known that the people who built
and dwelt in those cities flourished centuries ago
—belonging perhaps to a remote antiquity— and that
they were much further advanced in civilisation than
any other of the races of whom the footprints are
found here. Fortunately, among their remains is
an abundance of symbols and signs roughly re-
cording, perhaps, the annals of the makers, and, at all
events, when translated, capable of explaining some
part of what is now a profound mystery. To conduct
these explorations thoroughly, to take photographic
and other impressions of these unsolved riddles of
picture writing, requires money. The want of ample
funds has hitherto prevented a few enthusiasts from
carrying on their investigations in Central America
with greater success. The necessary means will now
be supplied jointly by the gift of Mr. Pierre Lorillard,
of this city, and a subvention from the French
Government. Under these auspices, and with the
United States Government assisting with its moral
power but no money, there is good reason to hope
that the secret of this strange people may be snatched
from its tomb.

THE VOLGA RAILWAY BRIDGE.--A large under-
taking has recently been completed in Russia, in the
shape of a long bridge over the Volga, on the Syoran
and Orenberg Railway, connecting the cities of Syoran
in the government of Simbrisk, with that of Samor•
The width of the river is nearly a mile and it is
liable to the occurrence of very heavy spring floods,
the piers (of which there are 14 altogether) had to be
built 1001 t. above mean water level, the depth of the
river being more than 50ft. The girders, 364 ft. long,
theand
right2oft
. wide,
bank wereof
the all i rivetedver ah
d andthe
hp
Boatedu t tog
position. The whole cost of the bridge 000
was 7000
silver roubles, and it is worthy of mention thatit was
completed without any loss of life or any accident of
importance. ettohetrheoir
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