The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1876-09-02
FROM NORTH WESTERN KANSAS.
SMITH CENTER, Kan, Aug q, 1876.

.sesAs
Smith CENTER, Kan, Aug q, 1876.
EDITOR REGISTER We reached this
county last Saturday, and spent the Sab
bath at Cora. Friday of last week we
visited the skeleton Of a mastodon, lately
discovered about five miles north of Burr
Oak, Jewell county. As some of your
readers may be interested in hearing
directly from the scene, I will give you
some of the facts It was discovered lest
Spring by boy stumping his toe against
one of the tusks which projected few
inches above ground. He dug about
the object with his knife, picked off a
few pieces and reported the discovery of
a very large bone. Nothing further was
done about it, until about three weeks
ago.
The skeleton was imbedded in a west.
ern slope about fifty feet from the bot.
tom. The tusks or horns projecting at
break or wash where the slope became
more abrupt. It lay almost east and
west, on the right side, with the head
down the hill and back to the north.
The left tusk except few inches, had
by exposure wasted away. The left side
of the head was not more than six inches
below the surface. The ribs of the left
side we're gone, not being so we'll protec-
ted had doubtless decayed ages ago.
The earth was thrown away from the
skeleton and it was left lying IN the pit
just as found for several days where
hundreds of people visited it. When we
were there it had been removed to sod
house. Parties who saw it while in its
long resting place, say the massive jaws
were open about two inches and that it
presented hideous appearance.
The right tusk still connected with the
head lay in southwest direction, the
point being several inches deeper in the
earth, than the rest of the body, as though
the great weight of the head had forced
it down. The fore legs were found entire
even the toes, every bone in its place.
The ribs of the right side we're found in
their place, though disjointed and some
what broken, perhaps by the weight of
the large frame before the earth by slow
process gathered about it. The back
bone was supposed to be entire. The
hind legs were found in place, except
one foot. They found no part of the tail.
The remains were resting in light yell
low clay formation, above the clay was
two feet of soil and good sod, except over
the head where the soil had been washed
off. The tusks and most Of the bones
are petrifed. The skull only partially
50. The cavities of the head were filled
with what appeared to be a dark brown
earth and being only partial petrifica-
ton its great weight was causing it to
crumble badly. had heard repeated
descriptions of the monster but had Il
very incorrect idea of its appearance.
Had scarcely a conception of the won
derful size of the different parts.
will give here some of the. measure
ments: The tusk is two feet in circum-
ference at the base and nine feet long
with considerable broken from the point,
which must have been done long before
the death of the animal as the broken
surface was worn smooth. The task was
broken near the center by an attempt to
remove some clay which adhered and
was almost as hard as stone. The tusks
do not grow from the mouth as an ele-
plants do, but like horns, from the head,
curving outward and upward to the
front and estimated to be ten feet apart
at the points. Length of head from up
per lip to crown was four feet and eight
inches. The depth from crown of head
to the roof of The mouth straight through
was three feet and two inches. 1t meas.
ured six feet and seven inches from upper
lip over the crown of the head to the
neck. The distance between the eyes
was one foot and eight inches. The
length of the neck was but fourteen inch
es. OF course it must have had probes.
els of great length. The shoulder blade
measured two feet and one inch in width
and three feet and four inches in length.
The socket of shoulder blade twelve and
a half inches. Width of upper end of
forearm one foot and three inches and
half. Width of lower end of fore arm
one foot and one inch. Length of fore
arm three feet and q half. Length of
shin bone three feet and four inches.
The foot measured from pastern joint to
toes, two feet and fonr inches. The
length of the longest rib as found was
five feet and hall, length of bone from
hip to stiffle Joint, four and half feet.
Width OF hips five feet.
The above measurements may assist
in conveying to your readers
an idea of the enormous size of the bones
but what must the living animal have
been? Yours respectfully,
VIM. DAVIS.
GpNpRsI. NRWN