Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-21
ASTOUNDING DISCOVERIES.
Prehistoric Remains Dating Back 20
the Founding of the Assy riAn Empire
FOrty-fOur Centuries Before Christ.


Forty four Centuries Before Christ. (
1t is generally known in this
country, and in scientific circles in
Europe, that the gigantic undertake
ing of bridging the Mississippi
river at this point has been already
begun, and that for more than a
year, when the stage of the river
would permit, the sound of ponder
Gus machinery has ceased not day
nor night, but the work of excava-
ton has been going ON until the
solid rock has been reached for the
foundation of the piers upon the
western shore
One of the piers is already above
low water mark-a triumph ofmech-
anical skill. The blocks of stone
of which it is built are huge as
those of the Pyramids, and yet by
the application of original principles
of mechanical and engineering skill,
these gigantic blocks are moved as
easily as the common foundation
stones of our dwellings. The outer
pieris not yet begun, the excavations
therefor not being quite completed
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 board of engineers
will soon determine.
About halfpast four P. NJ, yester-
day, the workmen engaged in blast
ing the rocks in the bottom of the
excavation, for the foundation of
this pier, discharged an extraordi-
nary large blast of powder when,
Immediately after the report, q
strange phenomenon presented
itself. Instead of having to wait
the usual time for the smoke to clear
away, they saw it ascend rapidly in
column as though issuing from
the smokestack of one of our steam
ers. This soon cleared, and it was
found that steady amount of air
with Il strange, damp odor was issu-
ing from the cavernOus excavation,
showing that an opening had been
made into some unknown subter-
ranean passage. Upon descending
to the bottom, the usual mud and
water had disappeared through a
dark, deep opening in the rock about
ten feet in diameter, made by the
last discharge of powder. Ropes,
ladders and torches were immedi.
ately procured and careful explora-
tons begun. We connot now enter
into detailed description, but having
been invited to accompany the
board of engineers with a delegation
from the Academy of Science and
Historical Society, we must reserve
fall 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 inhabit-
ed this land, whose interesting re-
mains are strown 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 stupendous. The
main passage we should judge to be
about twenty feet high by fifteen
broad, and systematically aTchea
overhead; part of the way by cut
ting through solid rock and part by
substantial masonry. The bottom
seemed to be 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 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 soon