The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-07-10
FINDING A MAsToDoN's BONES
The Third Uuearthed Within Few Years Near
NeWburgh.

NewburRh, July 7-Mr. Hugh Kelley owns q
farm Of 108 acres In the town of New Windsor
Mr.. Kelley, until Saturday, did not dream that the
petri6ed bones Of maslodon were beneath Il,
surface. Just east of the house, fifty years ago
there was a pond which probably covered
three acres Of land. On the west is rising slope
Of ground where cattle grszs, which is surround.
ed BY cherry trees now loaded with fruit. A
swale runs north and south for several miles
The pond was drained, Mr.. Kelley says about
hfty years ago, and since then the black muck
ground has been used for raising garden truck
The place Is now planted with potatoes, and "a
help the crop Mr.. Kelley set histons, William and
James, digging drain on the western edge Of the
patch. Several bones were observed upon the
surface Of the bog meadow land, and nothing was
thought Of their appearance But when Willie
discovered on digging down about two feet be-
meath the surface, the second Joint OF ioreleg
which measures two feet ten inches In length, he
was amazed. AT first he thought 1t was log.
On sunday R. Wallace GenuDg. William ]. Nor.
rison, Willie, the son, and Mr.. Robert Glover OF
New York, visitor at Mr.. Morrisons, went to
work at digging again, and their labor was re.
warded by finding nearly all the bones A large
trench about thirty feet long, ten feet wide, and
four and half feet deep has been dug so far, and
the men are still working to recover what is need
ed to make up the whole frame and skeleton. %.
erations were resumed early this morning on a
larger scale, and several sections Of the spine two
more ribs, snd other pieces have been recovered
to-day. The muck taken from the trench, which
is now assuming large proportions, is thrown over
on the potato patch. A spring Of cool water has
been struck, and the diggeH are troubled baillng
1t out The black vein of muck is said to be about
twenty feet deep, aud is very fertile. When the
upper Jaw Of the sk ull was found there was great
difficulty In getting 1t TO the surft ce whole. 1t re-
quired five men to lift 1t out Of the trench. Il
was found In the southwest corner Of the excaya
tioD, and four feet six inches below the surface.
The lower Jaw was four and half feet below the
top Of the ground, and some three feet distant
from the upper jaw, 1t required two men to
bring 1t out OF the trench. The backbone and
spine were not over two feet under ground
The marshy land or swRle in which the maR o
don was found is Of the same line or stretch OF
similar ground in which the mastOdon OF 1915
was discovered. This Is the third unearthedsiuc
that year. The mastodon Of 1845 Wss dug up three
miles due north OF Mr.. Kelley's farm, and on the
farm Of Mr.. william Btewtter The BreWsrer
msstodon was sold for $4,000, and is now in Bos
ton. The second one was discovered at OtlByille,
this county, q few years ago.
The measurements of chief parts of the bOnes
already found are es follows The skull, two feet
five and q 'Rrter inches high length of the ,lp.
per Jaw, three feet niue inches; width OF upper
Jaw, two feet four inches between the eyes two
ieeti depth OF forehead, eighteen inches; eye
holes, seven Inches In diameter; ear holes
eighteen inches In diameter. On each side and
above the mouth are hOlet measuring elk and a
half inches In diameter and two feet deep. There
are eight teeth In the skull, two on each side OF
the upper and lower jaws, and all in the very hest
OF condition. The back teeth Of the lower law
measure seven inches long on the surface aud
four inches In width. The front teeth up and
down, are four and quarter inches long on the
surisce and three and half inches wide. All of
the Teeth pro rude from the jawhone an inch and
hail. There are eight cOrks on each oil the hind
teeth and six on each OF the front teeth The
space between the rows of tee tn on the roof of the
upper Jaw Is seven and q half inches and on the
lower Jaw six aud quaiter inches. In the CEN
TIE OF the forehead is u cavity measuring eleven
inches long by four inches wide. The lower Jaw
was placed in position to-day, aud found to mea-
sure tOrresp0ndiDgly large with the upner law
and making perfect skull. II is estimated that
the upperskull complete will weigh not less than
six hundred pounds. One of the fOTelegs 'nclud.
Ing the thigh bone, measures seven feet 10 length
and weighs 1t is judged, one hundred aud fifty
pounds. The first iOlnt Of the hind leg measures
two feet five inches III length, and the second
joint of the same leg three ieet four inches The
only part Of the other foreltg yet found, and
which was the irst piece discovered underground
by Willie Kelley, measures two feet and ten in.
ches In length, and weighs about fifty pounds
Twenty-six ribs have been discovered, aud the
longest measures three feet ten inches, and is wo
inches wide In the centre, dozen or more sec.
tions Of the spine have been uneaIthed, and tht
argest measures ten inches wide by sixteen in.
cher long. A score or two of other bones and
pieces OF bones are among the lot, prominent
among them toe bone, measuring six and a hall
by four and half inches. 1t is thought TO be
FULLY as large as the mastOdOn now In Boston,
Iound on the Brewster iRrm three miles north.