The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-07-13
IMPORTANT ARCH BIOLOGICAL DIS
COVERY AT DAVENPORT,
Indian Remains Found in the Bluff.

The workmen engaged in excavating the
bluffs near to Locust street for the Daven-
port and St. Paul railway, at O'Clock 'nis
afternoon, came across the most perfect ana
largest Indian mound or burning place YET
discovered in the northwest. stratum OF
blue clay and an alavial deposit covered the
remains which places them at an extremely
remote antiquity. On cutting sideways into
the hill, few broken shreds of pottery and
Aints we're the first indications. One OF the
laborers, Michael Scanlon, struck his pr
into hard substance which proven
the skull of a human being. More o'
then taken which resulted IN the ~
.;,cuIsr arena surrounded win
-;.-;ssd stones, aud inside was
n.nd perfect ring of skeletons,
the feet, meeting in common center, and
the skull. radiating so as to form circle
about fourteen feet in diameter In the
middle much larger skeleton was found in
sitting position. The dry sand with which
the whole were covered had preserved them
in remarkable manner. Numerous
Ratchet heads, arrows of flint, fragments Of
pottery and rude ornaments were plentifully
scattered round. The Davenport Academy
of Sciences meet this evening on the spot,
and will take measures for the proper pres
ervstion of the curiosities. The excitement
over the water is intense, and hundreds of
wonder hunting citizens have visited the
spot, over which guard has been placed to
preserve the relics from moleststion by
request of the Academy of Sciences. Jones,
the photographer, has taken microscopic
views of the excavation.
BASE BALL-The conventional American
of 1870 has again revived al old furore.
The American of to day is out of his elemen,
if deprived of his universal hobby, on
which to make bets, wax ell
oquent, and make fool of him.
self generally; and his present insanity is
base ball. Yacht races, skating matches,
pedestrianism and the like, have each had
their day. The Richardson trial has
nsuseated the nation and died the death,
so they were fam TO dig up an extinct folly
and elevate it on the shoulders of enthusi
ssm, and to go childishly ana mswkishly
mad over it. Four years ago, base ball, or,
as ii was then msgniloqueutly dubbed, ''the
nationa! game" turned every body's head
Every dry goods store, factory, machine
shop, thes'er, and even newspaper Offices,
had it's "line, and every town, state and sec.
ton were championing and unchsmpioning
each other. 4 certain hard sense that
underlies the American enthusiasm at last
gave the death blow to this most egregrious
OF bsbifed follies, and it departed to the
territory of the wresthing wood ine -
This has now been revived, and
/ the quidnuncs and tuft hunters
are atoning for the slight towards it by
being more insane than ever on the su / iect
One can go no where, or into no company
where the achievements of pack OF great
huking infants chasing leather ball over
the green swsrd is not the theme of CONVEX.
sstion. When it is rememb ered that this
enthusiasm is the harvest of blacklegs who
find faro waning on their hands and the
put up Jobs" of the summer races poorly
patronized, one can conceive the object and
end of base ball excitement, When it is
known that the National Game is the
profession and trade, and not the gentle.
manly diversion or exercise OF the tribe OF
VerslcoIored stockings" and high sounding
club sppellasives, aud tina, they play for
money and can be bought to win or lose
game for q consideration, one can see the
folly of patronizing set Of such useless
vagabonds.
The trne success of these men is based on
the emulation of the smaller fry in the villa
ges. They desire TO be notorious or famous
as you will, if not throughout the nation
throughout their immediate section. A
/ facility IN ball playing being all that is
/ required, they think fame within their reach.
Some of them even are mercenary in their
am bition, and have golden dreams OF "gste
money" etc. They, like Don Quixote, dub
in the neigh boring village, beat them, and
60 on eonquering till the metropolitan
newspapers make q note of their perform
ances, when the goal is won, fame is earned
aud they are ready to be Dough. up and to
sell out their friends to the first gambler
whe bids high enough.
"No Nsmes," of Davenport-a modest
appellaton for club, have beaten the Mis-.
sissippis, Of the same place, and
go to Lyons next week to try their hand with
the crack club of tina. place, and to Peoria,
also, we hear.