The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-05-17
Mound Excavations ct Pays0n, Utah
Territory.

We are kindly permitted, says tho
Eureka (Nev.) Scntisael, BY gentleman
OF this place to make public the following
interesting letter from q friend ut Peyscn,
Utah Territory:
Sra: Your letter requesting me to fur.
usfh you infDrmation and description Of
the pdyAon mounds and The late discov-
cries made therein, have received, ana
i herewith forward to you such knoWls
edge Of these ancient mounds as possess.
The mounds are situated on what Is
known as the Payson farm, and are six in
number, covering about twenty acres OF
ground. They are from ten to eighteen
feet in height and from 900 to 200 feet
in circumference. For years farming was
conducted on the land, and fields OF grain
were planted, grew and were harvested to
the very base of the homes of the mound
builders, the busy, hard-working toilers
of the field apparently caring little how
or when they came here. About two years
ago several of the residents, " hose curio
ity had been arrested regarding the
mounds, concluded to explore their in
terror to see what could be found In the
way of relics, and perhaps to find the gilt.
tefing treasure that several Spiritual
mediums had said was hidden in one of
the mounds. The explorations have di-
vulged no hidden treasure so far. buthave
proven to us that there once undoubtedly
existed here a more enlightened race Of
human beings than that Of the Indians
who inhabited this country, and whose
record has been traced back hundreds of
years. Last year, while engaged in exca-
waiting one of the larger mounds,
we discovered the feet of large
skeleton, and carefully removing the
hardened earth in which ii was
embedded, we succeeded in unearthing
an entire skeleton without injury. The
human framework measured six feet six
inches In length, and from appearances
it was undoubtedly of the male GENDER
In the right hand was Il huge iron or steeF
weapon, which had been buried with the
body, but which crumbled TO pieces on
handling. Near the skeleton VIC also
found pieces Of cedar wood, cut in varf
Gus fantastic shapes, and in perfect
state of preservation, the carving showing
that the people OF this unknown race
were acquainted with the use OF edged
TOOLS We also found large stone pipe,
the stem of which was inserted bttween
the teeth of the skeleton. The bowl VI
the pipe weighs five ounces, made OF
sandstone, and the aperture for the tobac-
CO had the appearance of being drilled
out. The inhabitants here say a race OF
people existed here l 400 years, and be-
lOnged to a tribe known as the Nephites,
who were often referred to in the Book of
Mormon, which also speaks of terrible
encounters these people had with their
ancient enemy. the Lamonites. We found
another skeleton near The one above men
toned, which was not quite as large, and
must be that Of woman. There was a
neatly carved tombstone at the head OF
this skeleton. Close by the floor was COW
cred with hard cement, to all appear
ance part OF the solid rock, which, after
patient labor and exhaustive work, we
succeeded in penetrating and found it
was but the corner of box similarly con-
structed, in which we found about three
pints IF wheat kernels, most of which dis
solved when brought i'll contact with the
light and air.
We have found many curiosities in the
mounds belonging to this ancient race
once inhabiting this section. We find
houses in all the mounds, the rooms OF
which are as perfect as the day they were
built. All the apartments are nicely plas-
tered, some in white, others in a red
color; crockery ware, cooking utensils,
vases-many of pattern similar 10 the
present age-are also found. Upon one
large stone jug or vase can be traced a
perfect delineation of the mountains near
here for distance Of twenty miles. We
have found several mill-stones used in
grinding corn, and plenty of charcoal
corn cobs, with kernels not unlike what
we know as yellow dent corn. We judge,
from our observations, that these an
cient dwellers of our country followed
agriculture for livelihood, and had many
Of the arts and sciences known to us, as
we found molds, made of clay, for cast
ing different implements, needles made OF
deer-horns and lasts made of stone, and
which were in good shape. We also find
many trinkets, such as white stone beads
and marbles, as good as new; also, small
squares of polished stone resembling DOM
inoes, but for what use INTENDED we can
not determine l have endeavored to give
you full description of the explorations
no far