Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-02-03

foundation OF this pier, discharged an
extraordinarily large blast of powder,
when, Immediately after, strange
phenomena presented itself: Instead Of
having 10 wait the usual time for the
smoke to clear away, they saw it ascend
rapidly in column, as though issuing
from a smoke stack of one of our steam-
ers This soon cleared and il was found
that steady amount of air with a strange,
damp odor was issuing from the cavern>
Gus excavation showing that an OPEN
ing bad been made into some unknown
subterranean passage.
Upon descending to the bottom, the u.s.
ual mud and water had disappea ed
through dark and deep opening in the
rock, about ten feet in diameter, made
by the last discharge OF powder Ropes,
ladders and torches were Immediately
procured and careful explorations begun
We cannot now enter into detailed de-
scription; but, having been invited to ac-
company the Board of Engineers, with a
delegation from the Academy of Science
and the Historical Society. we must re-
serve fuI exposition of this wonderful
discovery until we shall have made a
more careful survey Suffice it for the
present to say, It is certain that it passes
entirely under the river to the Illinois
shore and whether it is wholly the work
OF some ancient race who once inhabited
this land, whose Interesting remains are
stfown so thickly up and down this great
valley, or whether it is partly natural
and partly artificial remains TO be seen
In any case, it is none the less stupen-
dous. The main passage We should Judge
+ - he abQpt tua ~ bi,rk
feet broad. and systematically arched
overhead, part of the way by cutting
through solid rock and part BY substan-
tial masonry The bottom seemed to be
much worn as if by carriage wheels Of
some sort There are many lateral pas
sages which, Of course, we had no time
to. enter These are about eight feet
high and six feet wide
In the main passage we saw no tools
or implements Of workmanship; but on
entering one of the lateral passages we
emerged into a large chamber supported
by leinlng pillars of solid rock when the
chamber was excavated. Around the
walls of this chamber there were what
seemed to be inches closed with closely
httln. slabs, each slab covered with in
scripiOns in Runic uniform chara cters
which, 10 our eyes. bore marvellous re.
semb ance 70 those upon the slab in the
Mercantile Library, which was brought
from the mines of Nineveh Between
the inches were projecting pilasters, with
dra7ed Assyrian or Egyptian heads,
which presented most impressive and
awe inspiring effect as they were illumi-
mated by the torchlight Those sweet,
sad faces looked down upon US from the
ancient ages, like the souls Of the depart
ed. One of the passages, opening on the
north side, seemed to follow the course
of the river, and it is believed extends
TO the great mound now being rex
moved by the North Missouri Railroad
which was the theme of mut interesting
remark at the last meeting OF the Histo-
rical Society.
To those who have not seen the mounds
around st. Louis it NAV be necessary to
say that the mound known as the Big
Mound, is about one mile above the great
bridge now being built The mound,
known as Monk Mound is on the other
side of the river, and is but one of con
tinuous chain of mounds extending from
the river to the bluffs, distance of nine
miles. 1t is cOnjectured that the tunnel
under the river and the mounds are init.
mately connected, and that there was, in
ancient times, an opening through the
mounds from this subterranean high
way. Of course every scientific man is
in a perfect fever of excitement at these
gFdnu 7isNsv "a ivs, when seem so foil of
promise TO archaeological and Etnologic>
al inquiries after truth Il will be re-
membered by our citizens that, some few
months SINCE. an examination of Monks
Mound was made, under the auspices of
some Eastern scientific society, and that,
during the excavations, there were FREE
quens exhalations of disagreeable gases
and doors. Yet we will not speculate.
but wait in almost breathless suspense
for future development
As we returned from orr hastv exam
lnation, passing through its pilastered
hail above described, we Observed a de-
scendng opening, about seven feet high
by three feet wide. Following this in its
windlngs about fifty yards, we came TO a
flight of forty one steps, ascending which,
we found ourselves in another chamber
OF wonders, oval in shape, about seven
feet lC1g, twenty feet high aid three feet
wide. The walls of this last chamber
were sculptured in magnificent basrelief
and Rlnic Inscriptions Prof Bacchio.
the learned Sanscrit of the University,
who was with rs, has taken upon him
sell the task of transiating the inscrip-
tons, Of the meaning of some of the
words and the colossal sculptures. he al
ready speaks very confidently. One of
the magnificent groups he is certain is
intended to represent Ahashuerus crown
ing Queen Elizabeth Another group of
colossal figures, representing captives fol
lowing the car Of victorious conaueror,
are portraits of Luke Deuteronomy and
the friend going into captivity
This remarkable disco cry, following
so quickly the one at Rock Island. will
AWAKEN the intensest interest throughout
the world
is very desirable that the savans, in
to whose hands he rich treasure of the
Roct Island discovery has fallen. will
send representatives here so that we
may compare notes; for it is possible
that both these wonders and those dis
covered here were the work of the same
ancient people