Los Angeles herald., 1891-01-28
THE STONE MAN.
HE ATTRACTS A GREAT DEAL OF
ATTENTION.
Hundreds Every Day Going to See This
Interesting Relic of Past Age and
Race.

1t astonishing how great an interest
the human mind takes in the records of
the past history OF the race. The further
back the record dates the greater the in
terest. One would. think that on the
principle that live dog outranks dead
lion, live man of flesh and blood would
he more interesting than dead one Of
stone. But the fact is otherwise. At
No. 142 North Main street, there is on
exhibition fossil relic of the past in
human form that attracts no end of at
tention. Crowds OF people 60 in
and out all day long to look
upon this counterfeit presentment OF
man whose epoch in history,
work in life or influence on his race has
not yet been fixed. This is the petri-
fed man dug up in the bed Of creek
sixty miles west of the city of Fresno
few weeks ago. The story of the find
ing OF this stone man has already been
given in these columns. 1t would not
be interesting to repeat it.
But it is a curious study in psychology
to look upon the crowds of people who
frequent the room where the marble
hearted man lies, and to hear their COM
ments, as the subject of their remarks
would be to the geologist. To fix the
exact status of the petrifaction in the
history of the race would call for the
knowledge of an Agassiz or Darwin. 1t
is doubtful if there is man in the state
OF California today competent to pass
final judgment on these interest
ing fossil remains. Certainly no eye
has rested on the inanimate form, yet
whose insight is deep enough to read
the story or unravel the mysteries of
that silent stone. Yet strange to say
that is just what many who know abso-
lutely nothing of the subject do daily
as they look upon this sphinx of the
Fresno plains. Crowds pass around the
form at all hours of the day, and there
is always smart one present who pre-
tends he reads the story as if printed in
an open book. One tells the crowd the
form is that of race of Indians, highly
gravely expatiates ON his like
ness to the Sioux warriors who have
given the army so much trouble of late,
or to an Apache of the San Carlos
Still another scientific |
lecturer insists he is much more recent
than is supposed, and that he bears all |
The ear marks of being Mexican or
Spanisrd, and therefore not more than
100 years buried in the sand. But the |
next posted fellow who gives an opinion
will tell you that the man whose image |
here lies in stone belonged to an age an
,erior to all the records of history, and
Il the speaker has chanced to have read |
about such matters he will
insist that this is the remains
If genuine pre-Adamlte. Occasionally
the fellow bobs mp who is wiser than
the wisest, and impresses you with his
likeness, not exactly to Solomon, but
to the fellow whom Shakespeare
describes as Sir Oracle-"and when l
ope my mouth, let no dog bark!"
One is tempted to add. nor lass bray
until this one has got through; two like
this would be too much for human en-
durance." This Sir Oracle always tells
you the fossil is ''fake' Do not press
the fellow for reasons. Reasoning is not
in his line. He knows because he
knows, and that is all he knows. He
knows absolutely nothing. The people
seem to think so too, for on they go re-
gardless of all opinions. They want to
see with their own eyes, and among the
unscientific one judgment is as good as
another and, therefore, we all prefer to
see for ourselves and form our own opin-
ion. Therefore the throng never abates,
but all day long the stream passes in
and out, and the people all look upon
this mystery of the plains, this puzzle
of the ancient river bed. One cannot
help asking what sort of life
the man led, what occupations were fol-
lowed in his time, what was the cOndi-
tion of the earth when he trod its sur
face, and how many ages have passed
over the mountain tops, the giant trees
and the plains since he lived here? Is
he older than the time of Columbus?
Was he one of the builders of such |
structures as Casa Grande, in Arizona? |
Was he older than Moses? Was he even
older than Adam? Who can say? Ge- |
ology teaches that the rock ribbed hills |
are almost as ancient as the sun. How
old is this now rock-ribbed man?
Calm form that sleeps in marble here,
Dim eyes to which the sun is dark,
Dull ears incapable to hear,
Cold heart without a living spark,
What tongue shall tell thy story old,
What poet sing what thou hast done,
What thought shall ever now unfold
rhe tangled web thy life had spun"
What love once fired that heart OF stone,
What deeds were by thy efforts wrought,
What sorrows didst thou once bemOan,
What problems busted once hy thought
We stand and gaze on thy calm face,
But not an answer there can find:
Thy name, thy deeds, thy time, thy race
Are buried ON the reach of mind.
Oh! mystery of the ancient plains
Deep buried meath the rivers run.
Naught but this rocky form remains
OF all thou didst beneath the sun
Dug from the realms of unknown dead
Thourt here among living &c,
But of deaths mystery so dread
Thou dost not show the slightest trace.