Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-06-20

count wonder has always been felt re-
specting sIch an article as stone AK,
which psychologists have declared to
be the product OF the efforts not merely
of one generation, but of several, being
handed down from father to son and
taking shape so gradually that the IN
strument begun by an individual might
be finished. by his grandchild.
J. d. Mcguire, the paleolithic gentle
man referred to, has made one OF these
axes in two hours, employing only such
tools as were used by the savages. In
asmuch as;he lacked practice IN the art
it is TO be presumed that the primitive
man whom he initiated could do the
work much faster. Itmust be remem-
bered that whenever the latter required
a weapon or implement he did not take
apy chance rock TO carve it out Of. On
the contrary, he went to the most con-
venient stream and collected q
pebble that was as nearly the shape OF
the object be wanted to make as posi-
BILE. His motion was always to save
labor, which was extremely disagree
able to him. Thenshe Clipped the peo-
BILE into fern or 'pecked" at it with an
other stone until it assumed the required
contour, finally grinding the edge, II
one was desired, upon a piece OF SAID
stone and perhaps polishing the article
by rubbing il with sand and water. By
such processes even q very obdurate
material can be reduced to shape quick
ly. Obsidian or volcanic glass will fake
into keeu-edged fragments suitable for
arrow heads or spear heads at blow.
1t is the same with other implements
and objects of various sorts, such as
have been preserved as relics OF the
stone aye These experiments have
proved that they were much easier TO
manufacture than had been supposed.
MIR. Mcclure has produced a number OF
sculptures in relief, after the pattern
of those of ancient Mexico, using
no other tools than stone ham
mers for pecking at the rock. To
complete his demonstration OF this in
teresting subject, he has reproduced
the methods Of drilling through stone
which we're practced by primitive man,
Numerous bored articles from Central
and South America, as we'll as pipes,
tubes and pearls from North America
similarly treated, snow that the
art Of drilling was well known
to races living in the pure age
of stone. Some of the holes have
been bored through twelve inches OF
| thickness. Ever so many cylinders
from ancient Babylon and Egyptian
scarabs. made of jasper, carnelian, and
other extremely hard stones, with small
holes drilled through them, have been
found, showing that drilling had been
brought to a high degree OF perfection
twenty-five centuries and more ago.
The primitive drills which were
doubtless employed by these people
have been utilized by Mr.. Mcclure for
boring stones of various kinds. Al
though so simple, they do exceedingly
effective work. The earliest type was
q straight stick, rolled back and forth
between the palms OF the hands, with a
sharp fake Of flint for a point. An Inn
movement on this is the familiar
| chow drill" which as just like
the former, save that cross
niece was attached to the upper end OF
| the stick, 10 be held between the teeth
OF the operator, and bow with a string
passed around the stick was held in the
| hand and worked back and forth to give
the revolution. A further improvement
was tne pump drill" which could be
made 10 revolve 1,500 times minute,
while there was still better device,
even more simple, which went some
what on the principle Of a top,
making 5000 revolutions a min
ute. although consisting Of nothing
moro than a stick thrust through fat
block OF wood with cross piece to be
held bv the teeth and piece OF cord.
! With this last instrument a flint point
can be made TO pierce hard stone with
surprising rapidity. However, copper
points were employed very anciantly,
the metal being readily procured IN its
native state.
Thus the mystery which has hitherto
involved the manufacture Of implements
and weapons during the stone age has
been TO a great extent cleared up 1t is
pleasant to know that the primitive
savage did not devote the labor OF gen
erations to the fashioning Of single
Ak. which one unlucky blow might
shiyer. When such an article
could be completed and made ready
for attachment to the handle within an
hour or two, and when arrow-heads and
the ike could be formed almost offhand
from the pebbles Of the brooks, his leis-
IRE must have been bus slightly con-
sumed by his small necessities for exer-
ton in the manufacture OF such things.
It ia true that for every such object