Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-02-26
Pale0ntOlOgy.

EDITORS CHRONICLE: Your correspon-
| dent, "Scientia,'' ~ seems to be very DESTROYS
that East Tennessee University should 60
to work actively and. explore the mounds
| and burial caves in this Immediate region
of country and collect the skeletons, shells,
earthen ware, &C., which may there be
found, and store them away. No doubt it
were well enough if, as there is opportuni-
ty, the Trustees should authorize this to be
done to a limited extent. 1t is not to be
supposed, however, that any reasonable
man would have the University monopo-
liZe the business. If East Tennessee is as
rich as .."Scientian represents it to be in
such remains, and the Trustees are to
gather and hoard them al, it is probable
that every building on College hill would
have to he applied to that purpose; and
then what should be done for instruction
rooms, and lodgings for students? But,
presume, your correspondent does not de-
sire a monopoly in the case. He does mot
WANT all the bones and shells that The
numerous mounds in East Tennessee
contain. He is willing, no doubt, that
other institutions of learning shall come
in for shares. To be sure, he AYERS that
/" the scientific world is looking to East
Tennessee University" to explore and
gather and preserve these remains; which
implies spirit of much self-denial upon
the part Of the scientists of Europe and
America and Asia and Africa, who, with
exceedingly few exceptions, are not look
ing to East Tennessee University to do
any such thing, and have never thought
of SO looking. But, putting the averment
down as what -rhetoricians would call a
hyperbole, (but men who follow the exact
sciences should not indulge in extravagant
figurative language it may be Concluded
that your correspondent would not mo-
nopolize these fossils. His object is to in
cite the Trustees TO do their part in the
work, he esteenls OF such great importance.
Well, no one could object to that. But
why does he travel out of his way
and impute a serious dereliction
of duty on the part of the
University in this respect? He tells
of specimens of skeletons, shells, &C., col
lected in East Tennessee by Mr.. Dunning
for Harvard University, an account of
which is given in theJanuary number ofthe
american Naturalist and he adds in ital-
les: "These specimens were taken from
under the very nose of our University"
No doubt some, if not the larger part of
them, were So They came from the large
and we'll knowr mound at the fork of
French Broad and Holston rivers. 4. H.
Bradley, Professor of Geology and Nine
ralogy in the East Tennessee University,
claims that he had the promise of the con-
70 &C Io Mr vol
owner of the land in 1S69.70 for the Uni
versity, and a gentleman of this place in
forms me that he was present and heard
the promise made to Prof. Bradley. Soon
afterwards Mr.. Dunning appeared on the
scene with money in his pockets from the
Museum of American Archaeology, which
has been richly endowed by the late mil
lionaire, Mr.. Peabody, and offered Mr..
Brakebill certain price for the con-
tents of the mound and the offer
was accepted. Ny Information is
that Prof. Bradley felt aggrieved
by the treatment he received in the mat
ter, that, on q subsequent visit to Harvard
University, he stated to one or more of the
authorities, his claim to the collection, and
that if the agreement had been kept with
him, East Tennessee University would
have become possessed of as many Of such
specimens as it could, for the time have de-
sired SO far as regard specimens taken
from under the very nose of the universi-
tyn AS to the skeleton recently found at
lockwood Tennessee, an application for it
was made from East Tennessee Universe
ty to Mr.. McElfee, its owner, soon after it
was found. -.rr.. -......,.. ...,
Now, as connected with this subject,
there is one thing of which / think the
Trustees of East Tennessee University have
reason to complain. 1t is the disposition
of number of people to require them to
do all manner of things, at whatever cost,
and to reproach them for not doing them,
when it is simply impossible for the Trus-
tees with the limited means at their COM
mani, to do them, unless they run the in
stitution over head and ears in debt.
The truth is that the so-called Agrlcul-
tural College, (which is an unhappy mis-
nomer, as outlined In the act of Congress
of July 2, 1862 should have two or three
times the annual income it now has in or
der to furnish and conduct it fully. The
Trustees. in accordance with the act of
Congress, have provided for the instruc-
ton of students in Agriculture and Horti-
culture, Geology, Mineralogy and Zoology,
General and Agricultural Chemistry,
Drawing, and Mechanical and Natural
Philosophy, Mathematics and the Engllsh
language, and also in the ancient and mod
ern languages and military tactics. Be
cause of the low condition of education i'll
the State and the want of sufficient learn
ing on the part of the State students sent
| by the Legislature to the college, they have
| had to increase the instructors in the pre-
paratory department., They have to carry
on farm at a considerable outlay of money
every year, to buy chemical and philosoph-
cal apparatus and materials, to pay for the
abor of poor students, &C., &c. To main