Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-01-05

q pcns.yo poet away back In the
nineteenth century, named Bryant
wrote that
All that tread
The Globo are but handful 20 tho tribes
That slumber In lis bosom.
We can form but little ides, oven from
the estimates at hand, ol the numbers
and characteristics Of the human race
in past ages. 1t is no more easy task
to conjecture tho number and import
ance OF the buried cites which exist in
every part Of the earth II wo could
but trace the history of the cites Of
uur own country back to tho date OF
thoir founding. and rccall the names Of
tho now unknown heroes. whose ex-
plots made themselves and their cities
alike famous, we would undoubtedly
feel the same pride In the ruins OF
America which the intelligent Greek
was wont to feel In the ruined great
ness Of his own. we arc told, marvellous
country. The Americans, however
have not been remarkable for their
records, and we have but little TO guide
us in our study of the annals Of
tho ages which have preceded our
own. But this year Of our Lord 5. S85
has been very fruitful in scientific
discoveries; old Mother Earth has been
forced 10 yield some OF her secrets, and
1t would seem as though 1t had been re-
served for the gen ration that is dying
out 10 penetrate, and not In vain. tho
depths of engmatical ruins; 70 disen-
tonb from them the past and TO re.
store to il the roal aspect. thai once It
wore, along with a part OF It's iost chro-
noiogy. Thanks 70 the acquisitions Of
modern science, for whose progress tho
genius and the blood Of America have
helped to clear the way; thanks to the
successful excavating by our savant
Above tho ruins OF our buried cities, and
TO their unhopod-for dcc.phering Of the
records, rich in detail, that have hcen
uncarthed, through which the Amori-
cans Of twenty centuries ago seem to
converse with the men Of our own time;
thanks to this, the historian can at
length present TO us testimony certain
md reliable regarding them. and. al
though the idea of again securing tho
thread. hundred times broken, OF
American tradition, must be once for
all abandoned. we have II in our power
at last TO reconstruct the most brilliant
part Of it almost to perfection. The
period that il covers Aourlshed in times
which nations the most jealous Of thor
antiquity do not, in their authentic rec
ords, pretend TO have attained.
Tho work OF subterranean explora-
ton which has been steadily going on
in the buried ruins OF Chicago for over
century has not yet enabled us "a
form any accurate notion of the nature
and extent OF the catastrophe. but It L
clearly evident that the city was swal-
lowed up in few brief moments by .
most phenomenal CONFUSION Of nat
ure. Of the discovery Of the tomb o.
Chicago, there arc various accounts.
That which Is the most credited relates
10 the sinking of well, the bottom o.
which fell out and upon examination
revealed the inside OF the massive
white marble structure which has beer
unearthcd aud restored. and which
bears tho inscription: BOARD O
Trade Prot Henry Schliemann
whose excavating efforts in Chicag,
have been so successful, Is lineal dc
scendant of the famous Schliemann o
the nineteenth century, who, two thou
sand years ago, did such grand an,
noble work in Greece. But II is to tn
records Of America that tho intense OK
citcment Of the day is directed. an,
the news which has reached us Of Prof
Schliemanns rich find In tho ruin
of Chicago would seem to ind
cato that the grandest and mos
valuable discovery of all had jus
been made. Chicago is undoubtedl
the most wonderful of American an
tiquities, and no traveller can be disap
pointed who has any acquaintance wit
ancient history. The impression whic
it gives of the actual presence Of a
American city two thousand years ag
Is so vivid and intense that il require
but asmall effort Of the imagination I
place yourself among the multitude
which once thronged tho streets an
thcaters, and occupied its now voiceles
chambers. The streets Before you ar
generally paved; some are well worr
and Others, one broad avenue In pal
ticular, in as good preservation .
though in use tho day before. Th
houses, many Of thom, extond in VI
brokon lines, and in nearly every II
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