The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-09-09
The Antiquity OF Man I'm
North Americas.

North America.
-. At the meeting of the American As
sociation for the Advancement of
Science in Chicago, we're read some
Interesting papers on the early history
of man in North America. The first
was, by Colonel Charles Whittlesey, on
"Tbe Geoie 5ical Evidences in the
! Uoited States of the Antiquity OF
Man." T,
He said that during the past four or
| FIVE years, ten new works have been
prepared upon this subject. He an
nounced that he should presen, the sub
ject in general.
1st The Indians.
I'd. The Mandillas, that erected earth
works in various parts Of the American
continent.
Sd, That there is still another race
perhaps between these two.
In Wisconsin are evidences of this
third class. Al,ng Lake Ontario are
works entirely different from those first
mentioned, and on the Ohio river there
are eyileucts Of still another race, each
having peculiarities. Farther South
again are still other remains, many of
them evidently intended for religious
purposes. The general indications of
this race show that they were highly
agricultural and religious.
In Florida was race that subsisted
on shell fish, Flint arrow heads were
found in Missouri. under remains of a
mastodon. Flint knives were found in
Kansas. When the high rock springs
at Saratoga were cleaned out, log was
found under a muck bed nine fee; j I
depth, apparently used to reach the
springs
After careful calculation as to the
time required Tor them to accumulate
A $40 years-traces Of wove mecca
sins were found.
On excavating the canal around the
st Lawrence, SIX keletons and tools were
found. Ina cave near louisville, KY,
in an opening in the rocks, several
skeletons were discovered. Among
them were found flint instruments,
evidently belonging to the red race.
Another instance is the finding Of
pottery near Charleston, s. Q. Ga the
Florida reefs rem aims were found, esti
mated to have been there 10000 years
On. the banks of the Ohio river the
speaker discovered layers of ashes, and
fire places, and twenty feet above were
to be seen other remains.
Another discovery carries US still
further back. At the bottom of the
lowest strata on the Mississippi at
Natchez, remains of horse and mas
todon, and those supposed 20 belong to
man. were found, which. if really
such. these proofs folly equal those found
in Europe, relative to the existence Of
an earlier race of men there.
These are all of the enumerated
instances of importance mentioned
The speaker occupied the re nainder
of his time in reading a paper concern
ing European discoveries during the
last few years, upon the same general
subject. The same subject was con
tinued by the reading of the paper eI-
titled "Antiquity of Man in. North
America" by Colonel ]: W; Foster;
The speaker opened with brief re-
sumo of discoveries in Europe. The
discoveries of a human skeleton in Cal.
ifornia, last year, in the gold drift, is
the strongest evidence yet given Of the
earlier existence OF man than even
European discoveries have proved.
TIE speaker presented for the in
spection OF the association an unique
stone instrument, found in valley in
California, thirty feet below the sur
face. Another specimen, found upon
the-open prairies of Illinois, was shown,
At an island on the coast of Califorr 1
which is one mass of salt, covered with
ten feet of soil, were found specimens
of mating. -.
At Natchez were found bones Of the
mastodon and those of man.
In excavating the earth for gas works
at New Orleans, at the depth Of sixteen
feet skeletons were found, ascribe to a
period varying from one hundred to
fifty thousand, years. The speaker
it at 4500 years.
The race of "mound builders" was
spoken of, -nd from the indications it |
was apparent that they lived in large |
cities or communities, and were far in |
advance of the red men in civilizai ion. |
Professor Blake remarked that relics
of an ancient race were numerous in
They were found in
various localities in that State, but
more particularly in the region of |
Sonora, which was the most interesting
geological section of California.
One of the most remarkable features
Of that country was "Table Mountain"
Of which the speaker gave deserip-
ton, illustrating it with blackboard
sketches. He also described the valley
that surrounded the mountain. 1t con-
tains a river far below the bed Of the
ancient channel. In excavatiDg the
ancient gold drifts the miners had tax
N ont reIices of mamalia, and had also
evidences of art in the
'hape of spears, arrows and other i'm
elements.
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