Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1872-03-27
Miscellany.
The 0tiSVilIe MaStOdOn.

The greatest interest has been excited
in Mount Hope, Orange county, N. Y.
and surrounding country, by the discovery
on Andrew Mitchell's farm ola portion of
the remains of mastodon, said to be the
largest ever exhumed.
About one mile from 0tisvlle station,
seventy-fvo miles from the city, the Sun
reporter found Mr.. Mitchell's house, a
plain frame structure, on the side Of the
Shawangunk mountains. He has lived in
in this house three years. much of that
time being employed in New York as a
stone cutter. He cheerfully consented to
extend all information that he had.
Stepping into a small room adjoining the
sitting-room, he reappearcd with small
box. He placed it on the floor, and his six
children crowded about and soon empt-
led it of its contents. A number of we'll
preserved bones, somewhat resembling
bouldcrs when placed together, formed a
foot the exact counterpart ofan elephants.
He next appeared with what appeared a
mammoth Indian club. This was the up.
per joint of the mastodon's fore leg, three
feet in length, and one foot two inches in
diameter. Laying this on the floor, he a,
gain entered the room and brought forth
shoulder blade which measures three #
in width, and weighs fifty pounds. Mr.
Mitchcll's eyes glistened as he gazed up
on the treasure, but noticing that the re-
porter waited for another dive into the
small room, he said: 1--WE got more, but
they are at they are at the barn. Wait til
| take smoke. and we'll look at them"
Lighting his pipe he sat down in an easy
chair and conversed about the remains o
the ancient mountain wanderer. On tbt
Goth. of JAN, while his father and Others
were digging for muck a short distance
from the house, a large bone was found
The men examined it closely and Mr.
Mitchell was sent for.
ats an elephnats foot, sure, said he
"but where's the rest Of him p
oh, nc. my son said the aged parent
Elephants don't fly around here. It's fsl
bone
Presently a mammoth rib was brought t,
light. A number more were found scatter
ed along the line. The men stared at eacl
other, thinking no doubt they were desc
Grating a church-yard, and might be ar
rested as rcsurrectionits.
Mr.. Mitchell, thoroughly convinced tha
he had become the happy possessor Of al
unknown monster, now set his men to wor
king vigorously, and all the men, womel
and children Of the neighborhood, hearin!
Of the discovery, and able to walk, clam
bered over the mountainside, feastin,
their eyes upon the bones and anxiousl,
watching the diggers.
The greatest difficulty was experience,
in preventing the multitude from carry
ing off the bones, which they would hav
done, had not Mr.. Mitchell placed lhe bone
out of their reach. He had them CAREFUL,
deposited in his barn, covered with straw
and a strict watch kept upon them.
The news spread rapidly and hundred
focked to the scene.
So great was the pressure and the dem
and to see the wonderful bones, that Mr.
Mitchell and his accommodating family
worn out with the labor of exhibiting then
announced fec of .25 cents admission t,
the barn, hoping thus to check the advan
ce of the curious, and il effectually coole'
down the greater portion of the wise-acre
who fomcrly made several visits q day.
The vertebrae were found lying togethe
in some forty pieces. The channel for TIL