Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-11-21
OF THE MOUND.BUILDERS
Antiquities Of Western New York.
BLOCKS OF MICA FROM UNKNOWN MINES
WAS THE MAsToDoN DOMESTIC ANIMAL?

WAS THE MAsToDoN A DOMESTIC ANIMAL?
A telegram to the New York Tribune from
olean, n. V, November ID, says: There are In
the vicinity Of Randolph and other places In
this county remarkable reminders OF the
mound-builders. Near the mouth of Cattarau-
gus creek for instance, there is series Of earth
works that extends to the Conewango valley.
Between Lake Erie and Dayton, in Chautau-
qua county, are the remains Of n circular sepul-
chral mound which has an elevation OF ten
feet. 1t Is 100 feet In circumference. Accord
ing to antiquaries, this mound must have been
the burying-place of some great warrior. In
the towns of Lear and Conewango, some years
ago. eight skeletons were found. They were in
a sitting posture, and were arranged in q circle.
Large blocks of mica were found in the mounds
among the skeletons. Prof. Lakin, OF Kan
dolph, who has given the subject much atten-
ton and study, is OF the opinion that whatever
people might have built these mounds, they
must have regarded mica as a sacred substance
for in all the burial mounds that have been
opened in CattaraugUS and Chautauqua coun-
ties large blocks of mica have been found. As
there are no deposits OF that mineral In the
region where the relics are unearthed, its pres
encc has always been q mystery to scientists
One of these ancient mounds was opened In the
skeletons Of human beings, who must have
been q race much larger in stature than ours,
were found, each with Il large block Of mica
three inches thick and almost transparent, at
its feet. On this mound a tree three feet In
diameter was growing. The roots of the tree
had pushed their way down into the ancient
sepulchre and were entwined about the skele-
tons
When the first white settler came into Cat
tarauguS and COnewangO valleys, upward of
century ago. the remains of numerous fOrtifca-
tons, sepulcbres, hearths and earth-symbols
Were all we'll defined. The most of these were
ieveied in time by the owners of the land,
whose desire for utilizing the soil outweighed
their interest in the preservation OF the unwrit-
ten records Of an extinct race. Relics in skele-
tons. pottery. inducements anu weapons mus
uncovered were fifty years ago common and
unvalued portions of the garnet litter OF nearly
every farm house in the ION; but OF late years
they have been SO drawn upon by collectors
and antiquarians all over the country that few
OF these reminders of the mysterious race are
now among the possessions of the inhabitants.
Professor Lakin has a notable collection at
Randolph, probably one of the best In the
Although some of the most important relics Of
the mound builders era in this region have
been obiiterated, there are many still in such
preservation to present an intelligent and
int resting record TO the antiquary. A specially
Interesting relic of that age is an earth formal
n6 6 Gdr ahe New IN o Randa1n Accorina
to those who have read the customs Of the
mound builders by the monuments they have
LETT, this fashioned thousands of years ago,
and was designed to represent a serpent. The
formation is 425 feet long, and enthusiastic
antiquaries who visit 1t are unanimous in de-
snake basking i'll the sun. The farmer Oh whose
property this symbol is was ploushing around
what the antiqnaries say Is the head OF the ser
stood the stump of what had been i large pine
tree which tradition says WAS fallen with age
when the place WAS settled. The stump was
over three feet I'm circumference, and its pres
ercc on the mound was unmistakable evidence
OF the great age OF the earth-work The farmer
ploughed so close to the end OF the mound that
his plOughshare caught in n projecting root OF
the old stump. The earth was raised for loot
OF more beneath it, uncoyering o number of
stone spear heads OF a pattern and finish that
showed workmanship much superior to that
by which the later flint arrows OF the Indians
were fashioned. The mound was explored tor
Il short distance, and nearly 200 spear and ar
one spot. Several stone axes, polished and
symmetrical, and many fine specimens OF
block mica were also uncovered. There are
over 200 feet OF the mound which have never
been disturbed. Other excavations made near
Randolph have revealed roOmy, mca-lined
cells, some containing large quantities of
parched corn in excellent preservation. Around
some OF these singular tuinuii deep ana wide
bitches had been dug by the ancient workmen.
Professor Lakin has traced these relics of the
from Randolph down the Allie
gheny to the Ohio river, and westward as far AS
Lake Superior, and then into Wisconsin, There
were found. Antiquarians outline distinct
effigies oil animals. six paraIelograms, one great
circle and an immense efflgy OF the human
figure. The mastOdOn Is one oil the animals
outlined, and this, taken in connection with
the fact that the remains of this extinct mon
ster have been unearthed in all of the localities
where the mounds are found, has led Professor
Lakin and other antiquares TO advocate the
theory that the mOund-builders made the mas
todon subject to their will; that they made OF it
a beast OF draft and burden, bOth in peace and
war, as the horse and elephant are utilized to-
day. Remains OF the largest hlastodon ever
valley, but no completed skeletons were ever
collected.