West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1892-04-21
A RELIC OF THE MOUND
BUILDERS.
By DUNCAN Mora.

From West Va school journal, issr.
lu this, we do not attempt SO
ries of reasonings to prove that there
wdS u race, plior to the Indians, in
this country called the Moundbuil-
ders, nor even do we propose to
make a glance at more than one of
their remains, as our subject indi-
Gates, GA relic of the Mouudbuild-
ers." That relic referred TO is tic
famous mound near Grave Creek
Marshall county, this State, aud
Immediately at the edge of the town
named after that and similar great
works-MoUndsville. TO those who
have served term in our State
penitcntiary 1t is useless to state the
position Of TIE place, but to some
OF those who have not, it might be
in order. It is l02 miles south OF
the city Of Wheeling, whore tho B.
Il o. II. II. gong to the west comes
to the great Ohio River, and where
it comes to the Ohio RIVER r. Il.
The position Of the monRd itseIf.
is about one-half milo north of the
Is. Il o. II. II. Depot, and little
farther distant from the nearest
point Of the Ohio river. A fine
view at Short distance is given
from the rear of tho "Mound CITY
Hotel, > 10y the consent of whose
proprietor, Mr.. McFaddcn, you are
allowed to enter the enclosure, 9th.
crwlsc being subject TO the law re.
lating to trespassers.
THE SIZE OF THE MOUND.
From our own judgment, and
from stated reports of Foster and
Newman, the mound is one thou
sand feet in circumference at The
base and seventy feet high. 1t ID
!cveIed at the top fperhaps done by
the cXclvatcrs) and is about twenty
tsfc feet across. Ncwm IN SAYS of it
"At n very thorough cxamina.
ton made Of it forty years ago run
ming shafts into it two burial vaults
were found, one in the very base OF
the structure, Continuing two skcle.
tons, and alrothcf thirty feet higher
~ the mound continuing one skele-
ton. The vaults were formed OF
upright timbcrs with beams laid
across the top to support tie roof.
Several Thousand shells and beads,
together with mica and copper orna-
ments, and few carved stone oh.
lccts were III the upper vault With
tile single Skeleton. A stone with
an inscription in odd characters
npon it, hIs been exhibited as hav.
ing been fourd in the excavation
but it Is. .tFoTght by u large number
to be a fraud"
So says the historian which cor
responds we'll with personal obser-
vation aud knowledge derived from
inquiry and observation. The shaft
entering the silc is Immediately
from the gate Of the enclosure, rs
YOU go to it from the "Mound CITY
House" The sides Of the mound
are very steep and is grown over
with v"ry large trees and bushes as
any other wood, some Of the former
Of which have fallen and lie upon
their sides, which gives us reason tc
believe from the time it took them
to start and grow upon raw mound
or mud pile, would date its origin
back, though not known, yet per.
haps thousand years.
The shaft TO which we give men
ton, is horizontal with tine base oi
the structure and through which VIC
enter, extends from the edge Of tho
base to the center Of the base, n dis.
tance Of about fifty yards. TIN,
entrance made is about sevon feet
high and about four and a-balf feet
vide, and is archcd with brick, tc
prevent crumbling in Of the wall.
The end OF this shaft connects Will
another lined with brick, much re.
sembiing we'll or cistcrn, about
seven or eight feet wide, and come,
TO the surface at the center Of the
top Of the mound. Over the top oi
this shaft two heavy boards lie Oh.
liquely across, on Which person
can stand aud look into the vault
beneath FOR seventy feet, or to the
bottom OF the excavation TO center
Of the base. From personal inquiry
made with aged and reliable person.
Of Moundsyille, what We learned OF