The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-11-15
The OHIO MOUNDS.
Prof Putnam Resumes His Researehes~
The Iatrusion on His Ground


The Importance of the researches
among the remains of the mound
builders in Ohio, conducted by Prof.
Putnam, of the Peabody Museum, at
Cambridge, has been handsomely
recognized by the Council of the
American Association for the advance
ment of Science, which, at the Cleve-
land meeting just closed. has made
grant to him of the income of the
small research fund of the Association
for the past year, amounting to *zOo,
n aid of the Investigations about the
Serpent Mound. This grant was made
at the request of the anthrOpologlcal
section of the Association after Prof.
Putnam had read paper on the Ser
pent Mound and its surroundings: a
/ practical testimonial to the apprecia-
ton of the value of the work. The
research fund is, derived from the life
memberships of the association. Prot.
Putnam has left Cleveland for the
Serpent Mound, and expects to resume
his explorations there at once, remain
ing until the middle of October. Mrs.
Putnam will be with him. and probably
DR.. C. c. Abbott, the archeologist
who discovered the important evi-
! dences OF the human occupation OF
the Delaware Valley, at Trenton, N.
j., before the close of the glacial
period. Several other archeologists
propose visiting Prof. Putnam's camp
during the next month.
| The Serpent Mound Park, which is
owned by the Peabody Museum, is be-
i ing put into beautiful condition, and
j is place worthy visit by tourists.
The people of Ohio are taking much
interest in Professor Putnam work,
! and it is hoped that the example sci. by
! the Peabody Museum, in saving the
Serpent Mound will so arouse their
State pride during this Centennial
year, as to induce some action by the
] legislature for the preservation of the
: other grand relics of. prehistoric times
that give Ohio u series of ancient ruins
sufficient to confer the rank of vener-
able antiquity upon her. 1t is felt
/ that the preservation of these monu-
ments of vanished people would be
F. the most fitting memorial which the
State could devise in honor of her Cen
! tennial year.
The region which Prof. Putnam had
mapped out as the field for his explora-
J tions in Ohio comprises the territory
between Cincinnati and Portsmouth,
on the Ohio river, forming a. tract
bounded on the west by the Little Mi
ami and on the east by the .Sciota
Rivers, and including the valleys of
/ Paint Greek and Brush Greek. On the
| Little Miami, not far northerly from
/ Cincinnati. is the Turner group of
ruins, in the valley of Brush Greek and
| its tributaries are the Serpent Mound
and Fort Hill, and in the Scioto Valley
are the Liberty group and the High
| Bank" ruins. Prof. Putnam's s explora-
tions are conducted in a most methodi-
cal and exact manner, and for other
parties to rummage over the ground is
| likely to interfere seriously with his
| results. As the rest of the State is just
as important and just as rich, it is felt
that there is plenty of room for all ex-
| plorations, which it would be. easy to
| conduct so as to make their results
mutually helpful. Therefore the in
trusion of the party of Prof. Cyrus F.
Thomas of the U. s. Bureau of Eth
nology upon this ground has aroused
much Indignation among scientists.
Prof. Thomas men are now at work in
the SciotO Valley. Unless the scientific
| rights of Prof. Putnam are respected,
it is proposed to call the attention OF
Congress to the fact and seek action
which shall prevent the use of public
money appropriated for scientific in
yestigations in interference with olheI
scientific enterprises. Ithas been sug-
gested that an archaeological confer
ence, at which the various parties and
interests engaged in American explo-
rations should meet, might be of great
service in avoiding such difficulties as
the present by agreeing upon a general
plan of work, mapping out and appor,
tioning the territory so that there
should be no interference and al
should be mutually cooperative in
working toward the common end OF
throwing the desired light upon the
past of mankind in the Western world.
Boston Herald