Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-11-03
THE FIRST AMERICAN,

THE FIRST AMERICAN.
Numberless objections can be brought
to bear upon every theory offered as en-
planatory of the peopling OF this conti-
nent, If to its native races be ascr,bed
one origin, and, therefore, the same de-
gree OF antiquity. The truth is that, in
the light of our present knowledge, it
can no longer be maintained that the
same people dwelt on either sea-coast,
hunted and fished een within the bar
Ten confines of the A ctic circle, rea ed
the enormous ear h:works of the Mssis-
sippi Valley, and established the civili-
zations of Mexico. Cent? al America and
Peru. On the other hand, if diversity
OF origin is admitted, what evidence, II
any, ha we of a greater antiquity of
any one of these races over anotherP In
other words, who was the first Ameri-
canp What manner of man was heP
This may seem difficult problem to
solve: let us consider the evidence offered
OF late bearing upon the subject.
In Europe the earliest evidence of
man s presence, as yet discovered, con-
sists in the occurrence of rudely- -chipped
flint implements of large size, associated
with the bones of extinct animals and
of others not now living in the same
region. The deposits in which these
bones and Clipped tlints are found con-
sist of beds of gravel and clay of uncer-
tain age, but nevertheless very old, and
are directly assoc ated with the ser.es of
changes which took place in the North
ern Hemisphere during the time known
as the G eat Ice Age.
In other words, during the prevalence
in the temperate zone Of much colder
climate, there were great accumulations
of snow and ice, known as glaciers, and
enormous floods, due to the subse-
quent melting of these, deposited in the
river valleys, beds of gravel and clay
with which were intermingled enormous
powders. During this time and for n
protracted period afterward, there lived
race of men on the higher, habitable
ground. Furthermore, at this time not
only many extinct animals ranged the
forests, but others now living only in
the extreme North, as the reindeer, the
musk-ox and walrus, were also there,
and were hunted by these ancient peo-
pie, race whose weapons consisted
wholly of the rudely- -chipped flints that
are now mingled with the beds of grav-
el laid down by the mighty floods that
mark the close OF this wonderful Age of
Ice.
This very briefly sets forth our
knowledge of the earliest men known
to have lived in Europe. Now, the
question arises, are there similar evil
dences OF such early men in American
To determine this, some ancient river
valley in North America must be care
fully examined. Let us take the Della
ware as an example. In the first place,
this river is certainly very ancient. Pro-
fessor Dana speaks of it as emptying
into the Atlantic at Trenton, N. D., dur
ing the ''Cretaceous period" when the
regions OF Delaware and Chesapeake
Ba, were out at sea. This was long
before man or beast of any kind had
appeared upon the earth. Since then,
as tho result of various changes, the
land has extended seaward hundreds of
miles, and the last of the great changes
in the history of this part of the globe
was the occurrence of an Arctic climate,
and a flooded stream that flowed at an
elevation of perhaps hundred feet
above its present level.
We can better realize the altered
character of river. when flowing at a
greatly increased elevation, by consid-
ering the recent condition of the Mis-
sissippi, which, within short time,
was from forty to sixty miles wide for
many miles of its length; when at its
usual level the width is but two or three
miles at most. This change, great as
1t was, was due wholly to rains
throughout the region which the river
drains. Now, remembering that at one
time the Delaware Valley was not only
subjected to protracted rainfalls, but
was largely filed with snow and ice,
we can understand that the rains, and
melting of the latter, would more COM
pletely alter the Delaware than the re-
cent Hoods in the Mississippi Valley
changed the aspect of that region, and
would prove all-sufiicient to keep the
valley filed far above its present level,
and cause it to pour down through its
narrow, rock-ribbed course millions of
tons of gravel, and spread il over the
level plain lying between its terminus
and the open sea beyond.
We know that during this time the
Delaware "fowed over and through
an extensive delta of coarse
6iefbts anu tndb tHlb
was marked, by the presence of
the ma,todon and other extinct ami
malls and by the advent of paleolithic
ii. e.. the oldest) man to the neighbor-
hood of Trenton" This is the eau
t'ously-acquired opinion of capable
geologist. and upon this decision we
rest our case. The remains of Arctic
animals have been found not only in
New Jersey, but much farther to the
south, and where these have occurred,
in some instances. there have likewise
been gathered Clipped iiints OF char
acter In no wise differing from Ike OBJ
jects found in Europe. A competent
archeologist has observed; II feel my
self warranted in stating that the gen
eral appearance of the country and the
character Of the grayels at Trenton, N.
D., present most striking resemblance
TO that which have seen In the various
localities IN the Old World.n How
then can We avoid the conclusion that
the evidences OF early man in America,
which are the same as those In Europe,
are OF like mportp
Let us now consider the relics them
selves OF these earliest of men In the
Delaware Valley. As already men,
toned these consist wholly of rudely-
~ H..