Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-12-07
MAsTOuON RrMATNa

The following letter, addressed to literary
gentleman of Brooklyn, in reply to his inquiries
for information, gives some interesting particu-
lars of the recent discovery Of Mastodon remains
near Poughkeepsie -
My DEAR SIR Il have received your letter Of
inquiry respecting the skeleton of Mammoth,
or Mastadon, recently discovered in the immodi-
ate vicinity of our city; and pursuant to your
request, will give you the facts. l have just
returned from the spot and on the deck before
me lies dorsal vertebra of the animal here
with send you rude sketch Of it, in which is
also shown the projections and processes and
its dimensions comparable that Of an OK of large
size
The locality is little less than two miles north
east from Poughkeepsic, and eighth of mile
from the highway. A few years ago it was a
miry bog, covering an area of about half an
acre. 1t was drained by the owner Of the land
to convert it into meadow, when he found the
" muck " on the surface to be fertilizlng, and
he has continued to use it as manure. After
the drainage, the slough wasc scontracted tea few
square rods, and therein lies the skeleton. Du-.
ring the late severe drouth, the owner Of the
land dug much deeper than common, for he
found excellent shell mari beneath the stratum
of peat. While digging at thetdepth Of about
sixteen feet, the vertrebroe betgre me was found.
1t was brought to our city and presented to Mr..
Tominson proprietor Of museum here, ,1as
simple curiosity for his collection. Mr.. IT sub
mitted it to the inspection Of E. K.James, Esq.,
gentlemen Of leisure and man Of scienes, iiv-
ing near our city, who at once pronoiifysed it
part OF the skeleton pf-a man,soth,. ois slaste-'
don. Its value was perceived, and Mr, Tomlin-
son Immediately purchased from the, ossper of
the hnd whatever skeleton smiyhtbs found IN
the slough, and the privilege of exhumation.
Just as he was about to commence operations,
the late heavy rains came and filed the. slough
with water Workmen have been continually
engaged ever since in digging deep trench to
drain the marl-pit. and will probably accomplish
that labor in the course Of II week, when the
exhumation will commence. The vortebrae above
spoken of is all Of the skeleton yet obtained, ex-
cept two or three small pieces Of bone. 1t is in
state Of the finest preservation, and there can
be no doubt the entire skeleton is there, and
equally we'll preserved. There appears to be
indications of slight petrifaction and so per-
feet is the preservation, that in the cavities Of
the articulations Of the vertebre the dull, red
dish brown and dingy white Of similar bone in
recent life, issaen. Prof. Moore has kindly con-
sented to superintend the exhumation, aud | in
tend to make careful drawings of the whole.
Judging from the vsrtebre before me, believe
the skelton will be one of the largest ever taken
from the earth.
| have also some of the peat and mari beneath
and within which the skeleton is sembedded Iu
u mass of the latter is coasof pine, or some
other member of the eonifera family, as perfect
in color and substance as if It had fallen from
the tree last autumn. also have part Of the
trunk of a tree that was taken from the mar Al
the depth of the skeletons bed, the cdhe %
which is sound and slightly odoriforous. Such
are the substantial facts. a
Very Truly Yours
! - BENSON j. LosslNG.