The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-13

which had become worn by sheep running UP its sides,
and the rain washing out their tracks
The ascent TO the summit is accomplished by forty
through the iosse.
The cemetery of which this beautiful mound constitutes
the feature, is Of the handsomest Of S size in
the West II has lately been adorned by nelt marble
cbelisk to the memory Of a Revolutionary hero-Com
Whipple
No examination Of the mound described has been at
tempted, with the exception Of slight excavation many
years since the summit which revealed two skeletons,
undoubtedly belonging 10 race who ilourished annd
these scenes ages subseques TO the Mound Builders mo
practice OF burying in tumu belonging to another race
was not uncommon among the North American Indians
! frequently met with undoubted proof Of this in the
course OF my Investigations
have proposed to excavate this mound with care but
the probability permission will DO denied, as the com.
munlty appear averse to allowing il to be touched.
have doubt this structure is OF the most important
in its internal character and contents, belonging to the
earthworks Of the Ohio valley Its truncated summit
bears an affinity with the great tumuus at Grand Crock
Virginia.
cannot stop to describe all the smaller works now
formerly composing this system but will pass on TO the
great enclosures which occupied commanding positions
the plateau, short distance north OF tho mound.
These called respectively the Great and Little Forts
They were walled enclosures, by gateways regular
distances, and defended by mounds ut some OF the
The walls from six 70 twelve feet in height
at the period OF the first settlement and perfect in almost
every particular. Unfortunately time and mans enacing
hand have well nigh oberaed every trace Of the
important dates OF these enclosures.
Within the greater enclosure stood two pyramda sruc
lures OF earth which, standing now in great perfection,
constitute the interesting features OF these imposing
remains. They generally called raised squares, but
properly elevated platforms OF paraeoppedon shape
The lesser OF these structures stands in the town common
exposed TO the destructive agency Of cattle overuAnng it,
and other causes OF injury 1t should be enclosed and
beauted contemplated and directed by the agents
Of the Ohio Company early as March, 1871. The
port which then submed-a document which stands
without parallel in the settlement any point in the
West-dirccted that the "Mound square," the squares
should be leased to proper persons, "enclosed and
ornamented with different species OF forest trees,
seeded down to grass and disturbed with
''pu into the care Of General Putnam, for its pre-
servation, and seeded down to grass as public
ground" Have these conditions been fulfilled by later
trustees OF the town? The mound and larger elevated
platform have been enclosed erased and
suraby adorned but the lesser platform has been sadly
neglected and the Via Sacra most sacrcgiousy desc
Grated by the pick and shovel Of the street grader aud
brickmaker
The greater pyramda structure stands about forty rods
from the lesser, in an enclosure, and ornamcnted
with variety Of forest trees among which stand con
spicuously several walnuts from which the boys
peng the fruit to the danger Of heads and limbs
Bushes and brars made up considerable quansm OF the
adornment which the rugged rontiersmen nearly seventy
years ago directed OF the by which the pro
spective city should be beauiied.
The dimensions of these works are of the larger,
longest side, one hundred and nnety-hve teet;
short side, one hundred and twenty feet The uniform
height is twelve feet above the surrounding plain. 1t Is
perfectly level and assembled by gac from the centre of
each side ten feet wide and thirty feet in length The
whole work Is in fine preservation with the exception OF
the eastern gacs which is cut by the fence and its sur
face outside considerably broken.
The lesser elevation measures: longest wall hun
bred and fifty feet Shortest one hundred and thirty 1--WE
feet But three glacs graded ascents belong to this
work. in place of the fourth the south side there
excavation forty six feet in LENGTH thirty in breadth and
about pht in depth Near the northern wall is handsome
conical mound which has been partially examined: tho
platforms squares have not been examined 1t IA pos
sibe judicous excavations may determine their true
| character
The Via Sacra, covered way is remarkable feature
Of these works, surprising all the rest in magnitude of
of the great enclosure to the first terrace of the Musk
gum river, which, at the time these works were oc
cuped that stream doubtless flowed. This original
Broadway as has been aptly termed, is six hundred
feet in length hundred and fifty feet in width, and
graded in the most careful manner falling from the centre
| to the sides. 1t was formed by heavy excavation de
posting the removed SOIL clay and gravel each side
forming high protecting walls through its entire length.
Commencing with an elevation o. eight eet ends with
eight feet above the adjacent plain. In excavatng this
road it has been rendered manifest, by examining the
structure of the walls that the ancient workmen sunk to
the gravel, which gives depth OF excavation from ten
| to sixteen feet.
The magnitude Of this work strikes the eye Of the vs
| ter as truly wonderful. With what implements they
could have made these excavations in the hard compact
clay is an unexplained mystery. Systematic
research may develop something valuable this
| point Various relics have been taken from
| these walls. In cutting for a street the workmen
discovered small terra Gotta image of neat workmanship
This have SEEM the gentleman who possesses it is
absent The proprietor of the brick yard adjacent, and
to whom the Council have given sold permission to
dig down these venerable walls and convert them into
brick, has given me some relics taken from the clay
which composed these walls. am also indebted to him
Bones charcoal ashes &C. through the structure
In place noticed considerable deposit of charcoal
resting upon the original surface The dark carbonaceous
line marks the separation between the natural and the
artificial structure.
Careful and systematic examination Of these works If
permission can be obtained to excayaie promises valu
able results Not only here but in the adjoining counties
wish to examine some of the tumu OH the vine hill OPP
pose. am anxious to test the accuracy Of Ashes
ment ("1ravces in America performed in 1906 &c.
cerniog the discovery of saiiG in mound the Hill in
rear of the Harmer The discovery of some tangible
evidence Of the existence of such art among the Mound
Builders would carry US far into the early customs Of the
East. Icssclated pavements constantly turned up
among the Roman remains in England but that the art
was practised here ] shall be slow to believe until
facts up to its support But why should we doubty
Every day the spade of the explorer turns up some
relic which finds parallel among the vestiges Of early
art ex'ant upon the other hemisphere In Illustration Of
this point may mention that the mail Of last even
ing brought me letter from highly intelligent friend in
the East who, speaking Of steatic tube recovered from
an ancient tumulus in Western Virginia. says-"The
stone baton You discovered would to be the
onal token Of chiefshp represented (sectonaly) in
the sculpture and paintings OF Egypt often the hands
Of Isis II is in that case obviously trumpet
Many interesting matters for inquiry offer here for the
attention OF the archacoogist II is alone, however, by
careful thought and systematic exploration we can hope
to secure full information The entire region reaching up
the river almost to Wheeling, and stretching down-parc
ularly rich in certain ocaties-o Cincinnati, presents
great field for eseach Scarcely apromonty that does not
contain signal tower rarely an extensive poin that Is
not the seat OF monumental remains. Minor relics OF
abound over hill and valley, scattered their surface,
entombed in tumu and buried beneath geological strata
,esesH VheH are noW III progress winch must produce
valuable results The committee in charge of the work
hope to accomplish much during the present season
me chairman DR. De Hass) is personally engaged in
THESE Investigations An interesting group of works in
Athens county Will soon be examined. In jackson, Ma
son and Cabel counties, Virginia. extensive field is
offered for research
It Will be gratifying to the friends of science know that
the subject OF archaeology Is beginning to attract much
attention in the valley OF the Mississippi, where il is
much needed convention is proposed for October at
Cincinnati Another good effect Of this awakened interest is
that many valuable relics and much important information
which was in danger of being lost have been colated