The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-02-24

cinnati for Louisville as a place of holding
courts was adopted, and an amendment of
fered by Mr.. Hooker, to add a provision that
the senior Judge in the Court of Appeals shall
not preside in any case decided by him as
such District Judge was agreed to.
Curiosities of jackson County, Indiana.
We copy from a report of the State
Geologist the following in regard to
Jackson county, Indiana, which may
interest many of our readers:
On the side of the bluff at the termi-
nation of the Knobs, just above Sparks
vile, there are large masses of brown red
clay (ochre). The color is due to iron
derived from c~halybeate waters. 1t is
seen in a number of places close to the
railroad track. This ochre makesa good
and durable paint. The color may be
changed, by calcining, to a variety Of
shades in which red predominates. 1t
lies convenient for shipment on the Ohio
and Mississippi railroad, and it is not
possible to find a better ocbre. or more
convenient to market.
On the banks of Judah's creek, a
branch of Mill creek, in the southern
part of the county, James Duncan found
a large molar tooth of Mdstodon Ohioticus,
and obligingly presented it for preserva-
ton in the State Cabinet. Other bones
were seen, but on exposure to the air
they crumbled into dust and could not
be preserved. At Sparksville, some
years ago, the teeth and ribs of a mas
todon were found in the bank of the
river, and sent to Cincinnati.
/ was told that mastodon bones have
been found in other parts of the county,
but could find out nothing definite in
regard to them, and do not believe that
they have been preserved.
Stone axes, arrow points, spear heads,
knives, feshers, and other articles of
stone, left by the prehistoric people who
once inhabited the valley of the East
Fork of White river and its tributaries,
have been found in considerable album
dance in Jackson county. They have
mostly been gathered up by collectors
from other parts of the country, and re-
moved from the State.
Geo. w. Carr presented twenty-five
large, inely-formed, black flint arrow
points of the broad pattern, with long
shanks, being a part Of a large lot which
he plowed up in his field in the summer
of 1870. They were arranged in bundles
of eight, with tips and shafts laid in op-
posite directions, and the whole buried
under about twelve inches of earth.
This is a most interesting find, as they
appear never to have been in use, and
were probably buried, in the spot where
found, on the eve of a hasty retreat.
This locality is on the point of a high
spur which stands out on the east side
of the main ridge.
Though Icould find no earthen or stone
wall enclosures, the numerous mounds
that are scattered along the streams give
abundant evidence that the district once
contained a large population of mound
building people. In the northeasteorner
of the county, On Sec. SO, T. z, R. G, there
is a large, symmetrical mound, thirty
five feet high, onehundred feet long, and
about sixty feet across the shorter di-
ameter. 1t is in a short easterly bend Of
East Fork of White river, one hundred
steps from the left bank, and commands
IN extended view up and down the
stream.
The bank at this point never overfows
One hundred and twenty PAGES to the
south there is a small branch which
forms a circuit nearly around the mound
while on the north side a branch lies SC
neal as to cut we'll into its base. The
large mound served the double purpose
of an assembly ground for sun worship
and a Lookout.
On the east side of East Fork of White
river, one-half mile from Mahan's Ferry
and on the south side of the wagon road
there is a large mound situated on
low ridge a few feet above overflow. II
digging the foundation for a house nov
standing on the mound, a great NAM
human bones were found. Human bone
were also found in digging the well ant
in sinking post holes. Though ! noticet
! this mound in passing along the road, i
was not until DIR. Wilson, of Medora
informed me of these facts that | becam,
aware of any special interest being at
tached to it. The old dwelling house OF
| Daniel P. Henderlider's place, two mile
: south of Medora, is built on a mound
: 1t is on a sandy terrace which border
on the flats. The elevation is abou
! eight feet above high water. The lane
/ here has been in cultivation for a grea
!, many years, which has had the effect t,
t equalize the surface and to PARTIAL,
G obliterate the mounds which existed
; along the whole terrace, which is abou
a mile and a half long. In ONE of tn
mounds of this district human bones hav'
been found, together with great number
I of stone axes, celts, and arrow points.
| On the very top of the ridge, nea
; S~parksville, two hundred and eighty fee
above the river, there are still to be seel
traces of four mounds in a field that ha
long since been in cultivation. 1t j
said that they were rich in stone relics
but the constant wearing away by tn
| plow had left but little to reward on
search; only a few arrow heads wer
picked up.
!. On the high ridge which divid:s til,
|, waters of Luts' Fork from the waters 0
Muddy Forkof Salt creek, one and a hal
, miles southeast of Houston, | was in
formed that there are four or more dee
, mortar holes worn into sandstone, whicl
have shallow traces leading from the to-
of the cavities to the edge of the rock
/ could hear of many other mounds i
, the county, but with The exception Q
the mortar holes above mentioned, whic'
Z are probablythe work ofmodern Indians
: the most important localities and ant
! cities have been visited and commente,
upon.
D---.,--z-l 1-z-a, IL Ill L.