Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-11-13
SHELL MOUNDS.
A Interesting subject for Archaeological
Oregonian Mounds.

CONAN some time since concerning
shell bed near the Seaside House has
been going the rounds of the papers
which shows that the subject Is of IN
tereSt to the people. The coast OF
Oregon Is dotted with these deposits OF
shells, the only records left Of hume
rous race of people now practically
extinct. They are interesting to ths
student, but very title has been written
concerning them.
The traveller is told that they were
formed by the tiSh-eating Indians. 1t
is probable that the Indians Of the
inland valleys made trips to the coast
and feasted on shelllish at certain sea
sons There must have been immense
numbers of them. as the shell deposits
are numerous and many OF them eN-
tcn>iye Some of them are on the very
shore of the ocean. where they are lad
open to view by the wearing away Of
the bank: others are situated along
BAYS and streams. many hidden by
covering of soil. and unnoticed until
penetrated bv the spade of the laborer
or the plow of the huSbandman.
Near the Seaside House. on ClatSop
Beach. is a very large shell mound.
about half a mile back from the pres
ent shore line. Hundreds of cart loads
of shells have been taken from it to
make roads Ii is covered with about
"A foot of soil. upon which large trees
have grown up. aud fallen and dccaNed.
and other large trees have grown over
them. From It was taken during the
past summer an implement made of
bone probably from the RIB of Il whale.
1t is the only implement worthy OF the
name. 50 far as known. that has ever
been found in any Of these she'll de
posts 1t is shaped Ike paddle four
teen inches long including the handle.
is three and a half inches in length and
shaped so As to fit the hand well. The
blade part l. thre" and onc-half inches
in width. rounding on one side ana
flat on the other, and half an inch
thick in the center. taper ng oil TO Il
sharp edge on each side. Ii appears
to have been intended for sort of
knife or rather cleavcr. and must have
been very useful tool before stone or
iron knives We're in vogue. Near the
end of the handle is drilled hole. the
ends of which have been carefully
r"amed out to prevent chaling the
thong inserted 10 form loop to hang
il up by.
On each edge. near the handle are
four notcheS about an eighth Of an
inch in depth. intended to be ornamcn-
tai. Some needles of bone and few
Il
in the mound, but it appears as if these
ii>h-eating Indians were not possessed
of many tools.
The sight of these vast deposits
causes the bcholder to ponder on the
number of Indians who must have
helped TO create them. and the i'm.
men>e amount Of ShelltiSh which they
must have consumed. What caused
their extinction? Their remains are
found in many places along the coast.
in some places consisting only of moss
covered skulls, while in others theiI
skeletons are found. each in his own
canoe. with another inverted as a roof. .
waiting for a tidal wave to carry him
out on the great ocean of etern tv.
The shell mound at tlatsop is one OF
the oldest the writer has seen. Since
il was formed the beach has advanced
about half mile. and on the extension
was another large mound near the
present shore line and close to where
Lewis and Clark made salt when thcv
We're camped on the Plains in 1903.
This mound has been hauled away for
road-making purposes. The shells are
principally of the clam. but Of d fer
ant species from the razor clam now
found on the beach there and more
Ike those which come from the sound.
large and strong.
Some eight miles south Of Tiliamook
head at place called Seal Rocks.
there are number of shell mounds:
the shells being principally of the mus
sci and rock oyster or finger pholas, are
mostly decayed. Along the shores of
iaquina Bay are many Of these shell
deposits. some of which have been laid
open BY railroad cuttings. Ten miles
below Iaquina is another Seal
Rocks" and on the shore close by is
an immense shell mound. the most
modern the writer has seen. How eN-
tensive it NAV have been no one can
tell as it is on the edge of the bluff,
which. in the wearing away, has
brought down a portion of the mound.
There is no LAYER of soil upon this
deposit. the remainder of which covers
an acre and i four or five feet in depth.
Upon it is a garden where vegetables
and flowers flourish luNur antly Ii j.
said that 4 few Indians were encamped
at this place within the memory of the
present settlers. Among the shells are
great quantities of bones of the elk.
bear. deer. seal and sea lion and circles
Of stones showing the act on Of tire. upon
which the fish and animals were proba-
bly, roasted. POrtiand OrtgOt.iun.