The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1871-07-13
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Especial Correspondence or the New York world.
LOST CIVILIZATION ar TIE WEST.

Especial Correspondence OF the New York World.
LOST CIVILIZATION ar THE wEST
American AntIqaiIfes-MOun 1Iara
Works, &e.-AneIeni Inscription
works at Marietta, Relics or AncIcnl
Arr. &c. 81 ~ -'p- -
On THE BORDER OF VIRGiEIA AM
KESTrcKY, JUNE l6.-What is AmericaI
Antiquity pa question often asked, .bu
seldom answered Let those who wonlc
solve the problem come westward An,
cient monuments everywhere abound
From the head springs Of the Appalachian
range, whence percolates single drop in
to the great basin Of the Mississippi, L
the farthest confines of the continent
monuments of the unknown past every,
where rise up TO mystify the inquirer
Whose works are these? Whence cam,
and whittier went the prehistoric people
who have left the evidences OF their mum
bers, advancement, and power in the grea
valleys Of the West and South 2 History
is mute and tradition or legendary SOM
impart no reliable Information
These monuments consist of mounds
Recommendations, raInparts, DC. Thi
mounds are. circular, ilhpsoidal, square
cenical, itruneated, and dome shaped. Tht
mural works are circular, square, oblone
irregular, &c These ancient works ar
principally Of earth, although lithic re
mains are numerous, and are from one tS
nearly one hundred feet in height. They
occur in valley, hill, and estuary, but
abound along the higher alluviaf Of oui
large rivers and commanding pIomonto-
rles. They are more ancient than the
river course through which the great wa.
ters of the West find their passage to the
Gulf. They are d great mystery-more
fnil Of eloguence in their sepulchral silence
than the grandest med;eval ruins or the
finest monuments Of prehistoric periods in
the old world. '-' %
propose few hurried observations on
this branch of American archaeology, winch
wlh not be uninterestng to your more
cultivated readers, especially as a depart
ment Of American antiquities is to consti-
tute one of the attractive features of the
new museum in the Park
At the point where the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad strikes the Ohio River,
stands upon high plain a huge monu-
ment Of the past This is the celebrated
Grave Greek Mound, so carefully described
by SchOolcraft, De Hass, and other well
known authorities in American arch:eolo-
gy. This mound Is seventy feet in per.
pendicular height, and handsome cone
slightly truneated.
This mound was excavated in 1888 by
the proprietors, Messrs Tomlinson, and
revealed numerous interesting relics. The
excavations consisted of a drift from the
eastern base to centre-lll feet-thence
by shat to the summit. Some interest
ing features were revealed by these cut
tings. A vault or chamber was discovered
at the base, containing two human skele-
tons IN tolerable preservation, and numer-
Gus bone and shell beads, perforated shells,
stone ornaments, &c. A second chamber
was re-opened thirty-fve feet above the
lower, which contained q single human
frame, with many articles of personal or
nament-fve copper wristlets, beads,
shells, &c. But more important dis
covery than all these was small sand
stone pebble, containing twenty-three dis
tnct characters and one Geographic sign.
This discovery was made June 9, 1888.
The discovery at the time attracted no
very marked attention.
Dr. Townsend, a prominent physician Of
Wheeling visited the mound, and describ-
ed the result of his visit in an elaborate
paper to the Cincinnati Chronicle (the old
Chronicle edited by E. D. MaRsfeld): DR..
Clemens, leading physician of Wheeling,
also communicated an account of the
mound to DR.. Morton, of Philadelphia,
who referred to it in his Oro1icG Anleri-
cana. Mr.. Schoolcraft visited the locality
and spent several days in the summer of
l843, collecting all the facts bearing upon
the discovery. The result of his visit was
given in lengthy report to the American
Ethnologlcal Society," and published in the
second volume Of its transactions. These
American papers elected the attention of
European savans. Professor Rafhn, of
prepared and published an
elaborate view of the character of the in
scription Baron Jomard, the only sur
viving member Of the scientific corps
which accompanied Napoleon to Egypt,
read before the institute several memoirs
on the subject of the inscription. Sir ].
of London, and several other
learned investigators also examined the
claims of this important discovery. Opin-
ions differed as to the true character of the
inscription. Professor Rafhn made them
Baron Jomard was inclined
10 regard them as Libpan, &c. Mr.. School
craft, Professor Marsh, and several other |
scholars inclined to Pho |
4A0o A4AAbSOAo AC3gOA - W /
1853, when a captious writer, in a spirit of |
oique toward Mr.. Schoolcraft, ventured |
question of authenticity.
The late Rev. DR.. Hawkes., Mr.. Folsom,
md other active members of the Ethno-
ogical and Historical societies, with the |
1iew of settling the questian of anthenti-
ity, invited DR.. Wills De Hass to prepare
full account of the discovery and read /
he same before the chronological. This
vas done at special meeting convened |
t the house of the president, Mr. Folsom /
The evidence adduced in support of the /
laims Of the inscription was complete
nd overwhelming. From report Of the
in the New York Herald,
darch IA, 1858, we find that Mr.. Squier,
rho had raised bubble, and has since
tempted to question the discovery, said:
He disclaimed any personal knowledge
pon the subject. He had wished for the
acts in the case, and now that DR.. DeHass
ad with care and industry collected the
acts, he was happy to receive them, and
Tilhngly say that the point was clearly
Established that DR.. Clemens did commu-
icate to DR.. Morton an account of the
lscription stone found at Grave Creek.
ie closed by moving a vote Of thanks to
)r. De Hass for his paper" / may say
aat the facts Of the discovery have never