The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-01-06
OUT OF THE DEPTHS,
Old Stone and Copper Tools found in
Wisconsin.

Prof. j. ID. Butler writ as to the Madi-
son Democrat as follows: Ten mysteri
GUS boxes arrived here yesterday morn
ing, and are on deposit with the Histori-
cal Society. Some of them were so
heavy as to require four porters apiece
to carry them up the capitol stairs.
These cases were filed with relics of
the stone age, numbering more than
5000. Some of the paleco-Hthic period
that is, implements of war and peace,
formed only by chipping and hence
rough. Others are neo-lithic and finely
polished, drilled with holes and sockets,
or finished with smooth grooves. This
taeasure is believed to be pre-eminent
in its kind Another may perhaps be
found as large, but one so perfect, SO
various in articles, in materials, and in
style of Workmanship, it will be hard
to discover.
One purpose of this notice is to learn
where in the State other similar legacies
have been garnered, that they may be
compared with that now in our capito-
line museum, and that their merits III
comparison with it may determined.
She writer there invites correspondence
with all persons who are acquainted
with other specimens of the handlwork
of aboriginal Wisconsin.
But in this lowest deep lower deep
still opens. Among the curiosities just
now entrusted to the Historical Society,
the most curious are not of copper,
These article; are viewed by archaeo-
of race far more ancient. whether we
call them mound builders, or know not
what to call them. These fractions cut
out of our most distant past brought
safe into the present and set down before
our eyes, amount to ia. They have
been found by four years search extend
ing through twelve counties and leaving
no corner Of them untouched. Such
implements are rare. Very few have
been heard of after inquiries among the
Oldest inhabitants in Madison, Milwau-
kee, Whitewater, Baraboo, Lisbon,
Neceiah, Hartford, etc. ETC., and it is
Therefore all the more earnestly desired
by the writer of this article that postals
may be sent to him in Madison by all
farmers who have plowed up such cop
per memorials of our prehistoric and
pre-Indian era. Let no more such let
tiers in the alphabet or our annals be
sold 70 pedlers for old copper; let them
be garnered in our Capitol.
Some varieties in the Historical
Society's deposit are knives, axes, chisels
rollers, drills,-but especially spear
heads'-some to be stuck in shafts, but
more with sockets for shafts
Some were evidently hammered.
Others seem as evidently to have been
cast in mold. Mold marks appear
palpable to eye and hand.
AS we think of the matter, it will not
seem surprising if Wisconsin shall turn
ont to be the richest of all States, and
even countries, in primitive metallury
A hundred prehistoric mines have been
traced on the south of Lake Superior.
In what other locality can so many be
shown9 Natives copper in drift boulders
has also been detected all over the State,
in larger or more frequent masses than
elsewhere Ancient mining of copper
cosisted in building fires on rocks,
throwing water on them while heated,
till the stone crumbled, and copper
veins were thus extricated. But these
fires must have sometimes melted the
copper, which suses at heat of 1896
Fahrenheit, or nearly a thousand de-
Srees less than IRON The miners seeing
the melted copper taking the shape of
Of rock CT sand crevices, must have lear
ned to make crevices that the metal
might run in those forms which pleased
them best. Behold the genesis of smell
ting
4 kise drew bridge over Niagara,
and small clue has made many a laby-
rlnth plain path. So, study of trifies
light as air, has often derived from them
confirmatrons strong as proofs from
Holy writ, regarding the dark backward
and abysm of time. And it always will