The Osceola times., 1880-01-24
NUMBER 20.
Scientists Tracing the Work of Prehistoric
Beings In Colorado.
nauror Trfl,,.pa

1t has been supposed by those posted
upon the subject, that the earthworks Of
| the mound builders did not extend west
of the Missouri river But during last
summer Major Powell, of Colorado
canon fame, made visit at Junction
! City, Kansas, and disc overed among the
adjoining bluffs several of these mounds
One of these mounds was afterwards
opened by the late Professor B. +. Nudge,
and was found to be rich in remains.
Among them was string OF shell beads,
minus the string, one hundred and ten
in number, and vessel elaborately
wrought several flint arrowheads and
broken pieces Of pottery. This mound
cantained also many fragmentary bones
from the human body, apparently
thrown together after being partially
decomposed as the toothmarks of the
wolves were plainly visible upon them.
An least one-third of this mound was
composed of loose rocks intermingled
with the bones. Among the human bones
were those of child ten or twelve years
of age, suggesting the idea of a family
buryiDg-place. More recently another
mound was discovered at Manhattan,
ninety miles west of Kansas City. Mr.:
j. Savage, of Lawrence, now on visit
to our city, was present at the opening
of this mound, and has furnished the
Tribune with the following description:
Like all other mounds the one at Man.
eattan was begun upon the surface, and
situated upon the most slightly point in
all that region. The lower three feet was
made up of yellow mari brought up
steep declivity of two hundred feet from
near the Blue river. Upon the top of
the mari a skeleton was found in a sit
| ting posture with limbs all preserved,
the skull and a portion of the upper
teeth were also in place, but crumbled
on being removed. Above this skeleton
there was series of fagstone, quite
skllfully laid, then foot or so OF soil
from the bluff near by, then another
series of fagstone, then. another foot cf
soil, then the third coating of fagstone,
and above soil mingled with loose stones,
forming the apex ofthe mound. Between
the upper tiers of tagging were found
many human teeth, finger and toe bones,
bits of skull and bone, beads Of various
sizes, evidently made from the hollow
bones of birds. These were well pre-
served and some of them ornamented.
Between the lower tier of tagging the
same kind Of bones were found, but not
SO abundant. Many animal bones IN
fragments were mixed up with the hui
man, such as those OF the buffalo and
antelope. Many of these bones, both
human and animal were charred by fire,
suggesting an offering Of some sort, and
lust above the hands of the lower indi-
vidual were the horn bones OF what
seemed like those Of the buffalo, further
suggesting the idea of food being buried
with the dead form beneath, Flint
arrow heads and chips were, as usual,
mixed freely with the earth composing
the mound.
Mr.. Savage informs the Tribune that
mounds are reported in Graham county.
kaosas, 500 miles west of the Missouri
river, and also one near Hugo station,
Colorado. and furter suggests the proba-
bility that these mounds may be found
alons the foothills of the mountains, AS
well as along the plains east of them.
} He requests those interested in the
subject to take note Of any elevations of
this character that may come undertheir
observations. The mound builders pre-
ceded our present race of Indians, and
left no record of their life and habits,
except what is preserved beneath the
mounds under consideration. n e t...