The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1867-04-18
Fossil Remains of Extinct
Races of Mem.

Samuel johnson, of Middletown, Con.
neeticus, writes 10 the Maine Farmer
Of wonderful discoveries made at Port
land. just across the Connecticut river
from Middletown. He says Son the
east bank Of the Connecticut are the
Portland stone quarries, which have
been worked for $50 years. At pros
ent, 10 the three qnarries about one
thousand men are at work, and thirty
to forty vessels are employed in carry
ing the stone 10 tho great markets.---
These excavations, which have now
reached a depth Of one hugdrcd aud
five feet below the surface Of the water
in the river, have revealed untold won
ders. The stone is sid tobe full Of
fossil remains in It's lowest depths. !
might call it great charnel house, but
this is too gloomy term TO apply 10 it.
II is rather Gods great Book Of Rec
ords, which has been here carefully
preserved and Theoretically sealed up
ill within the last few years. On the
countless leaves of this book are found
the records Of past ages. They tell ns
Of the climate, Of tbs seasons, and Of
the storms Of the birds and animals;
and more wonderful still, they tell us
Of the men Of those ages, show Us their
implements and shadow forth something
Of their customs. They also open 70
US their modes OF burial, the men lying
in one posture and the women in anoth-
er. These men had all three fingers
aud thumb, and four toes. The COM
paratively more recent of them we're
six to seven feet high. but as we unfold
the leaves farther and proceed far hack
in the cycles OF time to the lower depths
OF the rock, we come TO race Of giants
twelve feet high, with feet twenty-five
inches in length. These men wore
shoes and had domestic animals of pc
culiar structure and great size. The
only human instruments 40 far discoy-
cred were made Of stone. They had
saws and long knives made of slate,
aud brought probably from Vermont.
This sandstone basin is believed to
be Of the same geological age an the ba-
sin Of Paris, in France, but the fossil
remains are more numerous than those
in the Paris basin, more wonderful, and
in better state Of preservation. How
easy il is TO see thing after il is point
ed out TO ns just M it is easy to use
and apply Kepler's laws after Kepler
had discovered them. These qnarries
were worked more than one hundred
years, aud we're used for sidewalks and
buildings before the fossils were discoY.
cred. Now the practical eye eau sce
them almost everywhere.
"Thc most indefatigable observer,
and the most industrious collector Of
these facts Is DIR. Barrett, Of this place,
who has spent almost lifetime in col
lecting fragmentary evidence and sur
mounting difficulties. He issaid to
have a remarkable knowledge of com
parative anatomy, aud TO be, In many
respects, very learned aud remarkable
man, who has been far in adTanee of his
times. Many years since the fact Of
pre- Adamile race dawned upon him, and
he announced il in conversation. Pres
emily similar discoveries have been
made in Europe, aud learned men are
beginning 70 admit the fact. Agassiz
catries the existence Of man on earth
back 10000 years. DR.. Barrett says
man trod this valley ut least 90, 900
gears ago. but not our race I. the pres-