Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-20
What Was the Brontotherium!
New York Tribupe.l

A discussion is now going on among the
faculty of the Harney's Peak (South
Dakota University which threatens to dis
member this body of teachers. IL arose IN
this way About month ago some miners
employed by the Custer CITY 1in-Alnlng
Company unearthed certain fossil remains,
apparently those Of some gigantic animal OF
the remote past. Professor Fowler. who oc-
cupies the geological chair in the HarTneys
Peak University, was appealed TO and pro-
nouncsd the fossils those OF the bronto-
therium. The Professor is the most ao,
sept-minded man in the university. and
beside that he has never been known
either to utter or comprehend q Joke, so
his knowledge of fossllolosy has never
been questioned. and the present instance
was no exception to this rule. The petri-
factions were accordingly accepted as the
remains of the brontotherium and removed
TO the museum of the University.
Shortly after the specimens were placed
in the museum Professor Fowler inaugu-
rated a series of lectures on the lie ana
habits of the brontotherium. using. tho
recently-found fossils 10 illustrate his re-
marks. About the only perfect <pecimen
of the lot was the lower jaw-bOne. which
the Professor found was twelve feet IN
lengtb. From this he readily decided that
the animal must have stood upward OF
forty feet in height, while it could have
been but little less than a hundred
feet from nose TO tail. The students
became much interested and Professor
Fowler was through his Investigations
soon enabled 10 lay much new ana yalu-
able information before them. The Dronto-
the-ium he found TO have been most for
midable beast, ranging the country WIN
| the greatest intrepidity, 10 the eohsierhaa-
| ton Of the other prehistoric ANIMALS. III
must have been, the Professor surmlsed. a
most inspiring sight t. see drove OF bron-
| totheriums proceeding across the prairie
/ ON a smart run in quest OF their natural
food. the mammoth and elephas gigantea.
/ Inc Professor shrewdly suspected that the
/ the rear legs OF the brontotherium were
considerably longer than the Others
| and that 1t moved after the man,
ner of the kangaroo. Think, SAID
/ the Professor. of seeing $50 of these
| noble animals gong across the piain'
] of morning 10 pursuit OF flock OF hippo.
notami, bounding 200 feet into the air ai
every lump. and covering l2j yards with
out touching the ground: - can see IN
nav mind eve. - exclaimed Professor Fowler
/ in his third lecture, this noble animal
sitting up on his launches on little rise
! of ground. Anon he reaches his nose ~
100 feet into the air and whistles TO hls
mate five miles away. Getting Response
I he WnlSkS on Elaub oaA With one Hb.N
| OF his tail and bounds away. leaving track
fifteen feet long aud six feet deep Inc
Professor INDUCED in much speculation o.
This kind and awakened great enthusiasm
among the students. -.
week ago the president of Harvey
Peak University. Professor Estes, recovered
from a fit of sickness which had connneo
him TO the house for six weeks, and yisitec
the institution. He had not been in tnt
building an hour before he made an exam
nation Of the fossils which had been On
covered during his illness. He agreed VIII
Professor Fowler that they were the 10
mains Of the brontotherium. but pso o
duced CONSERVATION by saving 'n -,
tie brontc sherium was tree and no. :,
animal. This Professor Fowler visorous;n
denied. President Estes, however, mn ,, !,
tains his position that the brontothe'i.Iha
was a large tree under whose shaae va
prehistoric man courted the preni,'vtih,
woman, tho supposed lower jaw bslns,, he,
president said nothing more nor ieI ~, Ia Ia
4 bough OF the tree, quite nstursiiy as
! nuded OF its foliage by tue lapse Q. Ssv
! All the teachers In the institution q"
!. taxen sides. and the controversy, -, y
: whether the brontotherium hopper M i
hind legs or grew up out OF the s'oN~
| bacouning warm.