Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-03-16
- TFron, ihs ST. Louis Repupliran,l 30
Prehistoric Remains Dating Back Forty-
Five Years b, @. Found at ST. Louis.

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1t is generally known in this country, aud
in scientific circles i'll Europe, that thc siglnr
tic undertaking of bridging the Mississippi
river at this point has been already begun,
and that for more than year, when the state
of the river would permit, the sound of the
pouderous machinery has ceased not day nor
night, bur the work of excnva:iun has been
going on until lie solid rock has been reached
Tor the foundation of tile peers upon the ives.
tern shore One of tile piers is already
above low water mark triumph of mechan-
ical skill. The blocks, of stone of which
it is built are as huge US those OF the
Pyramids, and yet, BY the application ut orig
inal principles of mechanical and engineering
skill, these gantic blocks are moved as easily
as the common foundation stones of our dwell
iings. The bitter pier is not yet begun, the
excavations therefore not being quite COM
pleted At this point the wonders begin, the
end of which is not yet. What effect the
discovery of this tunnel under the river may
have upon the location of the bridge the
hoard Of engineers will soon determine.
The workmen engaged in blasting tile rocks
in the bottom of the excavation for the foun-
dation of this pier, discarged an extraordi-
narv large blast uf powder when Immediately
after the report q strange phenomenon pre-,
sented itself. Instead of having the usual
time for the smoke to clear away they saw it
ascend RAPIDLY in column. Us though Issuing
from the suok estack of one. Of our steamers
This soon cleared, and it was found that
steady amount of air with a strange damp
odor was issuing from the caveruous cxcava-
walton. showing that an opening had been
made into some unknown subterranean pas
sooe ITnon descending to the bottom, the
usnal mud and water had disappeared through
n dark. deep opening in the rock about ten
feet in diameter. made by the last discharge
of novd.r. Ropes, ladders and torches were
Immediately procured and careful explora>
tions hecun We cannot now enter into a
Jetni,ed dissertation. but having been invited
70 occomnonv the board of engineers with a
DELEGATION from the Academy of Science and
Historical Society. we must reserve full ex>
position of the wonderful discovery until we
shall have made more careful survey
Suffice it for the present to say it is certain
that it masses entirely under the river to the
Illinois shore. and whether il Is wholly the
work of some ancient race who once inhabi
ted this land. whose interesting remains are
s.rown so thicklv up and down this great val
lev or whether it is partially natural and par
tinlv artificial. remains to be scene. In any
r,se II is none the less stupendous The
main passage We should judge to be about
twenty feet high hv fifteen broad, aud syste-
matically arched overhead part of the way
hy cutting through solid rock and part of
substantial masonry. The bottom seemed to
he much worn. as if by carriage wheels of
some sort. There are many lateral passages,
which. of course. we had no time to enter
These arc about eight feet high and six feet
wide. In the main passage we saw tools
! ar indictments of work nlamship, but on enter
trrinn one of the lateral puSeages we soon
emerged into a large chamber supported by
leavin. lilArs of solid rock when The cham
her was excavated Around the walls of
this chamber there were what seemed to be
inches closed with closely fitting slabs. each
slab covered with inscriptions in Runc uni
| firm character which to our ewes bore Il mar
vall,us resemblance tn those upon the slab in
,Ie Merchnn,ile Library. which was brnugh t
r,nn the mines nj Nineveh. Between the
| r;,hes wore ,t,,i.c,iun ,ila,tets. with draped
| Assvriuo or Euyptian heads. winch presented
| , r,nst imrrcssiye an awe inspiring effect MS
thcv we're illuminated bythe torch light
| Those sweet sad faces looked down upon us
rr,m tho ancient upe.: like the souls of the
d.n,r,.d. One Of the passages opening on
| rho north side seemed to follow the course of
the river. and it is believed extends to the
treat mound now being removed by the
North Missouri Ruflroad, which was the
theme Of much interesting remark at the
last meeting of the Historical Society. To
those who have not seen the mounds around
! St. Louis. it may be necessary to say that the
/ mound known a. the Big Mound. is about
one mile above the great bridge now being
built. The mound know as Monks Mound
is on tho other side of the river. and is but
ono of ., continuous chain of mounds extend
ing from the river to tho bluffs Distance Of
! nine miles 1t is conjectured that the tnu-
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