The Indiana State sentinel., 1879-04-30
THE STATE PRESS.


to the discovery of prehistoric relics in an
''anclent Indian mound situated on the
farm of Mr.. Fletcher Williams, one mile
below Newburg, Ind, on the Evansville
road. Mr.. Tilman says:
The field In which the mound is situated is
level, and has been in cultivation for many
years, but the history of the place is that &C an
early day this large level field was cleared of
its forest timber, the mound producing as
large timber as any of the soil surrounding iE.
The mound was about II feet higher than the
surrounding surface. A short distance to the
west or northwest were marked depressions
in the ground. and were evidently the points
from which the earth was taken to construct
We CONNER ced removing the earth from
the top, and had not thrown of more than two
at one time in the great past, an aristocratic
family burying ground. but, as did not COM
mence this article Tor the purpose of the
orizing will confine myself TO a description
of what actually saw. The mound mad orig
inalIy been raised about lO feet high, then the
collins containing the remains of the loved
ones were placed upon it. The cotins were all
placed on level, and above them The mound
Continued to rise. The collins were all made
of slate sandstone, about one inc thick.
The sides, ends and top were each made Of a
takers would use board for the same purpose
now, but some of these had been too small to
answer the purpose without splicing, and this
had been most effectually done by cutting the
fractured edges of broken slate as straight as
diamond would cut glass, and uniting the
edges with something that looked like
modern cement and has stood the test o., God
only knows how many centuries, without the
least deterioration.
/ measured one of these coffins and found
that it was two feet two inches wide IN the
clear, was one foot three inches deep and six
feet 10 inches long. This believe was the
longest coffin of the six or eight unearthed,
and had undoubtedly been air tight. Over the
face in the top slab there was scroll work cor
responding with the space left in collins at
the present day. which our undertakers close
with glass. In the bottom of, and under the
collins ave found red earth. about the con-
sistency of putty, but which hardened readily
on being exposed to the air.
Inside the collins we found human bones,
servation, and was about the medium size;
one thigh bone, which was also pretty well
preserved, would seem to indicate a large skel-
ton, but not larger than may be seen in some
anatomical museums in this country.
The style of burying must certainly have
been beautiful.-At the top OF the mound was
circular space of six feet in which no coffins
were found, and around this ranged the coffins
with the heads pointing to the center, forming
a complete star with the feet pointing out
ward
Farmer residents in the vicinity of South
Bend are kept busy in fighting forest and
field fires, which are continually breaking
out The South Bend Tribune says:
There has not been drop of rain in this vi
cinity since tue terrible storm OF Wednesday
evening, April 8. Everything is dry as tinder.
Leaves which lay under the snow of winter,
and were deluged with the rains of spring, are
now SO dry tnat they flash like powder, and
most dangerous enemy the farmer has just
now. Several farmers have had such realiz :
fighting fire, carelessly set by wadding from
guns, or cr1mlnally, by mlSchievOus boys.
Tuesday, Mr.. George S Keller, Keller OF German @ IAN town
and then were obliged to send for assistance
before they could overcome it,. He lost con-
siderable fence. Mr.. Joseph Good, in the same
vicinity, also had much difficulty IN prevent
ing the fire from infiicting great damage on
had to spend most of the day in keeping his
fences from burning. On Tuesday afternoon
posts were burned on ]. F. Studebaker's farm,
igniting from the burning crush. Unless
there is a rainfall soon the experiences of the
farmers will be terrible. H ti*e f#
The South Bend Tribune tells of dread
full accident which occurred in the southeast
part of Penn township, day or two ago.
The story runs as follows:
Mr.. Oscar McLain went to the woods to fell
some trees, taking with him two sons, one
aged six and the other L years. He directed
the little fellows to a place of safety and then
was telling he saw would fall in different di-
rection from what he intended and he called
to the boys to run N. out Of the way; fearing that
them. Instead of running out of danger they
went directly where the tree would strike and
1t crushed down upon them as swift as light
ming. rne agonized father saw it strike his
youngest son prone upon his head crushing it
and blood in every direction. The older SON
was more fortunate in his position and es-
capped with few slight injuries inflicted by
the twigs which scraped him. The father,
nearly crazed by the awful accident, gathered
the remains OF the little 1, one and carried them
US with the particulars of the accident says
the funeral will take place this afternoon.
The Seymour Democrat raises note OF
warning against the countless swIndlers
that throng the country in pleasant weather,
and prey upon either the cupidity or ignor-
ance of the honest farmers. Hear 1t:
When a strange man calls at your farm
house and gets his dinner, pays for it and then
wants you to sign receipt-just to show his
employers how the money went-dont you dc
it. If you do, in less than month you will
payment with your own signature to il. DOM
have anything to do with patent-right ped
e when 1n m wh tn nem peop
however, are too smart to take newspaper
advice, and they are the ones who are nearly
solid old farmer who takes newspapers ant
reads them is not often victimized.
Our exchanges talk glowingly OF the i'm
provements soon to be made on the For
Wayne, Muncie aud Cincinnati railroad
The Bluffton Banner says:
The Muncie Railroad company win max
big improvements on their road the comin
summer. Roadmaster Stewart has been a
work all the week on bridge specifications
The first one erected will be on the White
water Valley. II will be strong and endur
new bridge will be built at this place, an
also one at Montpelier. In addition to maxim
iaying new iron. One hundred tons arrives
at this place Monday for that purpose.
The Fort Wayne Sentinel copies the above
and says:
The success of the Muncie road must
gratifying to all Fort Wayners, ThiS nue is
valuable feeder to this city, and It's = anagel
are always awake to the interests Of Fol
Wayne. superintendent Worthington is on
of the best as well as one of the most populs
railroad men in this section, and he has a.
compiished wonders with the Muncie. q
has able assistants in all departments OF IL
road.
The seductive hay fork man is agai
abroad in the land, vide the following frol
the South Bend Register:
prominent farmer living southeast
Oceoia, George B. Miller, took an '.agency" 4
the sale of patent hay forks and a lew ga,
ago found that ne was held for a note OF ~
He admits that the signature is his, b
denounces the note as fraud. John Coily
is another OceoIa man sstuck" with ha
fork. He bought one and gave his note !
wnr 60 dc.- I1<zf md