The sun., 1892-10-23
AN INDIAN sOAPsToNE 0UARRH
Important Archaeological Discovery .
Connecticut Farm.

Connecticut Farm.
M1ppLETowN. Conn. Oct pa Bristol
farmer. j. T. Case. believes he has discovered
the original quarry where the red Indians OF
southern New England used to mako their
cooking utensils. For 200 years or moro it
was known that the Indians used to frequent
an old scapstone quarry. east OF Federal
Hill. now Mr.. Cases farm. presumably
to sc. stone for some purpose. because
fragments OF stone dishes were found all
about tho neghhorhood. but there were no
spear or arrow heads there indicating that
tho region was used by the savages for o bat.
tlo ground. Mr.. Case not long ugo bought the
land about Federal Hill and built barn. which
covers u part Of tho ancient soapstone quarry.
In clearing of tho top dressing OF soil and
debris beneath the structure for cellar. he
opened an important and interesting Indian
mine. Digging deeper. he unearthed gallery
OF shelves. carved in the face OF the soapstone
cliff. composed OF stone eatingvessels. linked
together. and showing the Indian process Of
mauufacturin. them. that was about two-
thirds completed
In one place was nest OF stone plates OF the
kind which the Indians had cut In tho
rock. which were all ready to be spit from
tho rock. 1t is plainly evident that tho
savage stone cutters. with rude stone
cutting implements. had drilled deep hol-
lo"S III low III lho ldCo VI tuo
ledge. then chiS"llcl out the rock partitions
between the vessels in II smooth. symmetrical
way. alter which they had only to split the
stone plates. pans bowls whatever the uten-
sils were-away from their connection with the
ledge at their base. 1t is estimated the dishes
have u capacity of moro than half-bushel
measure. AT first only few Of the nests were
d,icovrred hmi M hnnh Of v3ndals in ssnrGh h OF
HyS lot ' o ather ones that are it
more numerous and important
As soon as Mr. Case was satisfied that he
I / M
| he nntiiiri the smithsonian Institution at
Washington and the iSan"ny 4, Museum q Cam.
! chusctts Museum came promrtly too II lot OF
rho'osranhl.;, Of the quarry nests. and. IN nos
ton ton q tho Way in Which tho red men WORKED
and cut or chiseIicd a crevice eight or ton
fS MSch wss trn a"nE al IS"ni
cislnns made wore used. SO far as r3ssible. for
con eomncsd % torm"I nest ''is Each ' dish ~sa was
then split Of at Is @ base from tho quarry. and
shsas at heir TNfs' |sn say S1Sas Ro
boiling halt a IusIlGL Naturally. they were
! An the red men had in tho way OF tools were
ston" E hamm"rs AM 'hls"s made ,. Of trap r"ck
means OF tou.h. wi,hes;, Mr: Saville induced
the quarry. which viii i" sent to ,he Colum-
hian Exhibition. .Ther" are two other similar
dishes--a ,Smn!! one in i:hod" Island and tho
ct oth9r in West Virginia, i, :, The thrre noted are
Vein vel no Of soarstone or ' tale. Of wlch the Bristol
! quarry is an outcropriu@. extends tho whole
length Of Eonnnetieut IN u lin" mrunnins run north
ani south. Mr. Sarilo says tho Bristol tool
! sh2n i, one Of the m"Nt wonderful arrhicologi-
ce Ind; in New EnFhn. so,t,os tho oost,on
| which has long occen matter Of wonhermcnt
In southern New EnEanh where tn: Indians
| other ur2rries in various parts Of this State
| whence th"y extracted stone for suear and
pieces Of nint or Of an chony-coorcd stone.
which were exn"riy cut int" thin. sharp cut:
oyer their surface WIN smooth little holIows,
| showing how the Indian stone rk"rS clipped
Tgna T toos E" II w won he s' caf Wf tor od
ern stone, cutter with mis- highly TEN:
somewhat singular fac, thn, til" Indians went
TO the cHn'm,n nnnr,!I11 Of their race will,
TWennGns found in the n"Ghborhooh Of them.
soil wns literally sown with thc,r huulc axes.
arrow arrow and sn.ar had, In 'nS neishtor;,
poweriu iui No,l"sans. with IL" camping
sIr and %arrasnnscts M @ no @n!y s t%W 'S c! away.
tn" country WAS 80 thickly t"~priuklcd with
s"nT and M aH II is mot not un n
usual for farmer t" plough ort of The ground
peek Of sp"ar and arrow h"n'ls Fin" relies
| pots ana Ecttl"-. hnnn"rs. weights.
an. rano,, "s n @'"" IN ,n hahpt hninss ~
| that city. Tho first ep""mon 0f nn ln-
dian stone bnttlcaX" yr;n tain"l VAS plonghed
| up by 4. H. Post Il few dagS ago. un his big
| farm in Lebanon. twelve miles north Of Nor
| wich. 1t IL ten inches 90" mora In lcngth. about
| eight in width. taperinE from is square. blunt
| head in n synmc'rirnl way - i'S thin. perfect
| edge. II is almost ~ smoothly moulded and
| polished nS If It wHs 'iH" American steel axe.
About tho NM or pnrt Of it mr." cut three deep.
| smooth, sh"rnIy grooves, by means OF which.
| with stout with"f, l. MS fastened to tough.
heavy handle Tho la,tlo nHc weighs ton
| pounds and in Tia" hands # II powerful and