Morning journal and courier., 1890-12-30
A NOTABLE FIND.
That Petrified Man-FOund in the |
Cantua CanyOn-How the Discovery |
WAS Made.

That Petr1ned Man-FOunO I'm the
Cantua Canyon-How the Discovery
Was Made.
Fred F. Babcock of Fresno, California,
formerly of New Haven and for some years
with F. S. Bradley & Co. in this city, and
who is brother of Louis A. Babcock, with
W. j. Atwater &c Co., has sent to his
father in this city the following account of
an interesting discovery made recently in
Cantua canyon. The particulars are thus
given in the Fresno Daley Republican:
While digging for the breast of dam in
the Cantua canyon, about sixty miles from
town, one day last week, s. L. Packwood
and I. A. Barrett unearthed what was be-
yond question human foot. 1t stood
out of the ground from the inside forward,
pointing to the daisies"
Their first impulse was TO stop and COW
er the remains over AGAR, but Barrett mar
veIed at the popularity of the foot exposed
and at his suggestion the subject was fur
Their explored.
The result was the exposing of a per-
fectly preserved human body, completely
petrified by the action of the alkai waters.
The figure is that of a man of somewhat
extraordinary size. He measures in his
present condition six feet, ten inches,
having slight, but firmly knitted frame.
Various measurements of the body are as
follows: Across the shoulders, 1871 inches;
about the chest, 4S inches; from the shout
der joint to the elbow joint, 16s inches;
from the elbow joint to the wrist, 12a
inches; from the wrist to the tips of the
fingers, 81 inches; the second finger is five
inches long.
The neck is long and measures fifteen
and three-fourths inches around. The
head over the eyes is twenty-four and one
half inches in circumference. The leg
measures forty-one and one-quarter inches
from the hip joint to the heel, being nine
teen inches to the knee and twenty-five
and one-quarter inches from the knee to
the heel.
The thigh measures nineteen and three
quarters inches, the knee joint fifteen
inches and the calf one and one-quarter
inches. The length of the foot is eleven
and one-quarter inches across at the ball of
the foot.
That the present block of limestone,
which weighs from 600 to 800 pounds, was
once human being, laid away for eternity
mitted. A close inspection renders the
fact all the more convincing. No human
hands have yet modelled in clay or cut
from stone such hands and feet. They
would be priceless models to an art school,
and are study even to ordinary laymen.
The body was brought to this city and
exposed to the view Of doctors and few
newspaper men on Saturday night and
Sunday. The case is pronounced one of
genuine petr1hcation. In loading the bulky
figure on the wagon one ear was broken off
and unfortunately both legs were broken,
one at the calf and the other just above the
ankle, and the right foot was also broken
at the ankle. Yesterday the body was
placed on exhibition and was seen by a
large number of people.
Several big prices were offered for the
whole Of the body or for interests in it,
and b. Donahoo Is sald TO nave bonded
It for Si9,OO0, With q $oOo iorteit. Colonel
Berry oHered $S,VoV TOT tnlrd lnteresI IN
1ts ownership, which was decnned. All IN
all it was very lucky ind for Packwood