The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-11-15
AigaIy Interesting TiScOvcry---gfe
Remains OF an Extinct Esaaa Du.


From the Ch!ca"a Times, November ..
Professor William Stimson, who has long
been connected with the Chicago Academy
oil Sciences, and has been one OF the most
prominent and active among our citizens IN
giving it high standing among other instl-
tutioTs Of its kind, Short<ime since, while
passing Mr.. 1'hatchcr's farm, just beyond
the town OF Harlem, ana adjoining Haas
Park, discovered hiIlockS which he suS-
pcctcd might belong to the mormd-building
period, and might contain valuable memcn-
toes ofthc past age. y few days attcrWard
he obtained permission Of the owner Of the
farm to make examination OF the mounds,
and last week he, together with Charles
hcnncott, made personal examination
Ct the premises, and uncovered the
earth to the depth of about three feet.
They had dug but short time when hui
man bones We're discovered, which, upon cZ-
animation, proved to be OF 4 race at present
extinct upon the continent of North Amc-
rica. Persevcring efforts Of several days
we're rewarded with the finding o! several
other similar mounds and TIE rclnains OF
twenty human beings. Two entire skelc-
tons were found, with the exception that
one Of them lacked two ccfVical bones, and
the other few Of the bones Of The hands
and feet. The bones themselves were very
griable, and required the most careful hand
>ng to prevent their falling into dust again.
'rhc bones which mark the peculiar cha
ractcrs Of the beings who once possessed
them are those OF the cranium. 1t i well
known that the heads OF Europeans and all
descendants OF the Caucasian race are usli-
ally much greater in length and breadth.
They nave what is technically called the
u0Lch0-ccphGltc skull, which the lrOqu0!s
Indians. who inhabited America III the land
Vain IL
Or skulls, which trchcoiogiSts call hTachy
ccphalc The skulls found at Thatcher :
farm arc Of the brachy-cephalic type, and
this fact stamps them is being ut least aS
old ~ the first discovery OF America. 1t is
said that the influences Of civilization hay c
entirely changed the shape OF the Indians
skull. 50 shat the present tribes, no matter
how much isolated from the whit" man.
present 10 cases Of the antique Indian head.
Another evidence Of he antiquity OF these
remains is the position in which they were
found. Professor StimSon was obliged TO
remove a large tree which crew on one OF
the mounds to reach the skeletons. \ cross
section OF this tree disclosed ci%hty-SCvcn
rings, and since botansts claim that the
cYidcnccs Of the first fifteen years growth
OF old trees has been obliteratCd, it follows
that this tree was at least one hundred years
old. .....
The mounds were about two feet above
the surface OF the prairie, were oval in shape.
and were about four or tive feet wide, and
from ten TO twenty feet III length. They
were each surrounded by Well-defntd
trench. Before reaching the remains, Il
layer of hard blue clay was penetrated, and
the bones were found rcp0s!ng N bed ol
gravel. The remains were found three feet
below the surface.
The tOmbS Of the mOund-buildeTS, as
they are called, are supposed to have been
constructed by the ancestors OF the ancient
AZtccs, or by the AZtec> themselves. The
remains are usually found arranged in rc%u-
lar order, and accompanied with tools, we'd
pons, and implements, tywhch their great
antiquity is inferred and, to some extent,
measured. The mounds discovered last
week by Professor Sti!nSon contained no
tools or weapons CT at least none have yet
been discovered. although, As the researches
have not terminated, it is not impossible
that these objects may yet be found. The
remains were apparently thrown together
promiScuousy, as ii the rites OF sepulture
had been hurried-pcrl!aps at the close of =
battle.
From all the circumstances, 1t is believed
that When the beings were buried there the
place was thc margin of the lake. and thus
the phenomena are closely connected with
another interesting series of questions rela-
ting to the lake and its physical condition
and boundaries before the shores were dis
covered by the Europeans.
On yesterday another mound was discov-
cred, circular III its form, and larger and
higher than the others: 1t has not yet been
Investigated so as to determine what is the
character of its contents.
The subject will be laid before the Aca-
DENY Of Sciences this evening, when, it may
be expected, some new light will be thrown
upon the matter.