Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-01-26
WONDERFUL DISCOVERY.
a Cave OF skeletons Unenrtied Near
Eagle Point.

valous accounts of the discovery here
and there of various relics, supposed to
have been manufactured by people
who had passed away and lett behind
no written history. These relics, con-
sisting of skeletons, household uten-
sis, arms, agricultural implements.
pieces of pottery, etc, have in the
! main been preserved with religious
care bv the heads of the various scien-
! tific institutions, to which they have
\ been consigned, but as yet no satisfac
Z tory or even plausible hypothesis has
been advanced concerning then origin.
This is a problem before which the
stoutest professors quail and acknowl-
edge their weakness, and 1T is therefore
4 probable that the great mystery Will
y never be solved.
On Saturday last a discovery fuliy MS
wonderful as any yet reported III the
Northwest was made by the workmen
on the DUBUQUE & Minnesota railroad,
y near the base of one the tall, frownlng
bluffs overlooking the river, short
distance above Eagle Point At the
foot of this bluff squad OF workmen
were engaged inexcavating in the loose
stratified limestone rock for the rail
road track, and while digging away
with pick. spade and crowbar III the
side of the bank. they suddenly found
their further progress arrested by
Fl large smooth square stone, on the outer
4 surface of which was inscribed num-
q Der of strange characters and devices,
which none of the unlettered workmen
of course could make out Under the
instruction of the foreman, and
q by the united exertion of num-
Der of men, the stone was removed,
q when, to their great astonlshment,
there succeeded a violent rush OF cold
4 air, from large square opening, which
extended into the bluffs III a horizontal
direction, the air rushing out with such
force that u lighted taper held IN the
mouth of the opening was extlngulshed
in an instant Inspired by the thoughts
3 of hidden treasure, and thinking that
perhaps cache of some of the early
explorers had been unearthed, it was
resolved to explore the mystery at
once, and bring out the strong chests
aud precious gems reposlng somewhere
within. Lights were procured and
s holding candle in each hand five men,
a headed by the foreman set ont to eX-
s plore the subterranean passage, which
" was about four feet wide and high
E enough to permit a man to walk By
bending over little. Cropping their
way along cautiously, and casting many
fearful giances around them as though
they expected every moment to encoun-
ter some dreadful spectre, the party
proceeded along the tunnel, which ex-
tended directly into the heart of the
bluff about fifty feet, when they found
their way impeded by another large
stone Removing this, they found n
flight of stone steps leading downward
distance of ten feet, and descending
these, the party found themselves in
what appeared to be a huge chamber,
cut out of the solid rock, about twenty
# five feet square, and twenty feet high.
For a moment the men stood lost in
3 admiration at this wonderful work.
II The floor beneath was hard and per-
u fectly smooth, while by the dim
& light of the candles they could see
that the walls were embelhshed
with a multitude of uncouth charac
tiers, intended to represent flowers,
d birds, trees, and other natural objects,
all carved in solid limestone. On the
south wall appeared representation OF
the sun, and Immediately below this
was the figure of man clad in a loose
flowing robe, in the act of stepping ont
q of boat, and holding in his hand a
4 dove. The roof of the chamber was
embellished with stars, serpents and
chariots, the outlines of all being re-
vealed plainly and distinctly. In the
n centre of the apartment was "a large fat
& slab. and upon removing this large
vault was revealed below, which was
filed with the skeletons of some nm
known race, all of them being in sit
ting or standing posture, and almost
perfectly preserved, even to the small
er bones. 1t was noticed that all
had originally been inferred with
their faces to the southwest.
BY the side of each skeleton stood a
small vase Of the most perfect form and
finish, each being filed with species
of yellow colored earth. One OF the
vases was examined, and at the base
found to contain some animal bones
and dark particles of animal matter.
which had evidently been placed in the
sepulchre to support the departed tc
the spirit land, a funeral rite in obedi
ence to wide spread custom among
many barbaric nations. Heads of ar
rows, stone hatchets, and pieces Of
shells perforated with holes, were found
scattered about the vault in profusion
The skeletons were arranged i'll the form
of semi -circle, the largest being placed
in the center This skeleton, by actua
measurement, stood feet inches high
The teeth were white and ghsteneG
like ivory, while in the palm O