The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-03-17
FOOT PRINTS ON ROCKS.

The st. Louis Republican calls to our
remembrance singular phenomenon
which attracted much attention about
thirty years since, and we CLEAN the fol-
lowing description from its columns
At the early settlement of st. Louis. on
the river bank then-properly speaking
now, the wharf-near what was at that
time extreme low water mark, was to be
seen, in hard limestone rock, the IMPRESS
SION OF TWO FEET, so perfect that art
could add nothing to their faultless pro-
portions. The ROAD lay along and under
an abrupt ledge of rocks, and the foot
prints were so far to the east as to be UNI
touched for years. For considerable
portion of every year they were, of
course, covered by the water, but the at
trition-the constant working of the cur
rent and the sand; seemed TO make no inn
preston upon the smooth and beautiful
slab of rock. A gentleman caused this
stone to be quarried and removed to his
place of business, in 1916 or 1917. 1t
was taken out in one piece, about eight
feet long, three feet six inches wide and
one foot thick. The feet indicated the
position of man with his face up the
river. On the face of this stone was a
mark, which, the gentleman thinks, es-
capped the observation of many persons.
1.-The individual who made these foot
prints stood facing, or looking up the
shore, and while in that position, it ap-
pears as if he had reached forward, and,
with small stick, or with his finger had
made an irregular or oval mark near his
toes. The impression of the oval mark
was about the same depth all round as
that OF the foot prints: and in laying off
the stone for cutting out, brought the in
ner side of the oval mark to about the
centre of the stone, thereby preserving
the whole entire.' 1t is added, that those
who were quarrying had seen other foot
prints, and the prints Of hands of chill
dren near them.
This gentleman had the stone in his
possession for some years. What was
then regarded as extravagant sums of
money, were offered for it, although
Gov. Clarke. he says, had proffered a
Frcnchman two dollars to quarry out the
rock, and il was declined. 1t was sold
to Frederick Rapp, of Harmony, Indi-
ana, for. $3.50. The stone was after
wards used, it is said, as a platform TO a
church in Harmony, it is now understood
10 be preserved in DIR. Owens museum
of objects of Natural history, at that
place. tv
The existence Of these remarkable i'm
pressions in the rock, is known to mgny.
But, how were they formed! We're
they the work. of art! And if SO, with
what implement were they made! The
race of red men, once the denizens of
this vast territory, had not, 50 far as
known, the implements necessary 10 the
execution of SO faultless piece of work,
nor are they known to have exercised
themselves IN this way. If not done by
them, how were such impressions made!
If petrifaction, would not the constant
washing of the water and sand have OBJ
liberated the prints, even while undergo
ing the process of formation? These are
questions upon which casuists may hang
theories, as they have done upon the
mounds, and the prairies, and the extra
ordinary geological formations, confound-
ing the wisdom of the wise, the specula-
tions of the learned, and the traditions Of
the people.-Pitts. American.