Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-22
FOOTPRINTS OF MONS
Curious Discoveries that Hn9s.
Scientists of the Pacific CoasU.

The San francisco Chronicle, in recent
issue, says: "An unusually large number of
| interested auditors was present last evening
| at the meeting Of the Academy of Seiences'
| The walls Of the apartment In which the
meeting was held were hung with cloth lia-
| grams of the mammoth footprints uneartbed
| within the walls of the Nevada State prison.
The diagrams were obtained by rubbing
lampblaek over the prints, which were then
pressed over with the canvas and afterward
| printed, the work being done bv c. Dravton
Gibbes, Curator of Mineralogy, and Dr.. n
W. Hsrkuess, who were dispatched by the
academy to undermine the Nevada peniten-
tiary in the interest of science. their ex
penses being paid out Of the Crocker fund
for scientific research.
DR.. Harkness read the paper of the even
ing, maintaining that the footprints
were Of the pilocene period and antedated
the present river system OF the Sierras. The
Nevada State prison lies In a valley which
has an elevation Of 4, 800 feet, and is fanked
by the Slerras, the Washoe range, and the
somewhat elevated range of hills In the
Carson desert. This prison was built sbout
twenty years ago on the extreme point of a
hill, having an elevations of about sixtV
feet. The hill is formed of sandstone
which has Its origin in the detritus brou0ht
by wind and water from the Slerras. This
point was chosen with view to utilizing
the labor OF the convicts. and ahout
an acre and three-quarters have been re-.
moved TO depth varying from Is IN 70
feet, showing the hill to be formed NJ law
ers of sandstone, alternating with sesms 0f
clay. In the lower stratum exposed nv the
workmen numerous fresh water shells of
genus AnodOntG are observed. At an eIeva-
tiOn of thirteen feet above these Is found
another stratum, in which, In addition to
H. -
an interesting discovery, from the fact that
Clarence King reports no fresh-water shells
in the region except one. The Aoor OF the
area bears evidence Of having been tilted at
8 period subsequent to its deposition, and
gives evidence of having been at one time
the shore of some lake, local and isolated
There were found series of tracks of man
IN regular order, and each showing, more or
less plainly, the imprint of a sandal. The
tracks were made in layer or sediment of
perhaps two inches IN depth. Far below
this layer is found the compact sandstone.
In each instance the mud has been raised
by the pressure of the foot into a ridge.
which entirely surrounded the print. This
mud is only partially solidIfied, aud is still
1skv and easily broken on exposure. In
nearly all the toe portion OF the
the toe we generally find the i'm
preston of the outer sandal. The
sandal Is found to be 10 inches in length, s
inches at the ball of the foot, while the heel
is 6 inches In breadth. In its outline the
impression follows clearly the shape of the
human foot. The average length of the
stride is feet inches, and the strsddle Is
inches. One marked feature to which at
tention was called was that in all these
tracks the toes turn well outward, which ia
not, as rule, the habit Of the North Amer
icsn Indian. Twelve perfect casts were OBJ
tanned. Invariably the tracks were lost as
they led into the ledge.
Other tracks were also found, supposed
to be those of the mammoth (ElepbaS prt-
They were eight in number, with
an average stride of feet to Az inches.
the foot having a diameter of 2l inches.
Neither the toes nor the pads were distinct,
Two more series were discovered, present
ing ten tracks.in line. In these the mud
had been so soft that a ridge of about five
inches had formed itself about each print.
There were also seen the prints of a wading
6ird-either the whoopiDg crane or the big
blue heron. These were seemingly not
larger than the sizes now living. Tracks
OF the antelope, the wolf, and either
the buffalo or the horse were also
found. Two claims have been advanced
why the sandal-shsped prints were not those
OF human being: First on account of their
colossal size, and, secondly, because the
space between Gnem creates suspicion that
hey were OF an animal other than mau. DR..
darkness, however, believes that this was due
20 the sandal worn, which disagreeable foot
wear also compelled the walker to distend
lis limos. With the exception of the heel.
q all the loot prints except one the toe In
he sandals was very distinct, and while not
me perfect imprint of sandal was found.
till, by taking the various missing parts
ound In different specimens, the resem-
lance OF q sandal was obvious. The paper
Vas further illustrated with stereopticon
Jews OF the prison quarry and its wonderful