The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-08-04
GIANTS FOOTPRINTS.
Remarkable Relics from Nevada
at the Worlds Fair.
MARVELLOUS DISCOVERY IN STONE
At Observation-Disclosures Footprints OF
AIRn, Mammoth, Horse, Bird, etc.,
Proving That "Thore We're Giants
in Those DaVs"-Human Footprints
Nineteen Inches Long.

CHICAGO, ILL.,, August S-Nevada
has contributed to the Worlds Fair
some remarkable prehistoric relics.
Like many other rare and marvellous
things, these specimens may be found
by the cnterprIsing curious in the an
thropological building Aud the way
10 discover the exact whereabouts OF
these wonderful mementos OF by'gone
ages is to seek out tho west gallery OF
the anthropologiCal building and follow
it down southwark about three'quarters
Of the way, and there will be seen II
fenced.in paraIlelogram, about six
inches from tho floor, and l2xS0 feet in
dimensions. Upon this platform par.
aIlelogram Ia an exhibit oil prehistoric
footprints reproduced from the quarry
Of the state prison OF Nevada, ut Carson.
These prehistoric relics are OF two
Finds, namely, the originate as taken
out Of the earth and a few casts OF the
originals, Naturally, tho originals are
what first attract attention. 1t hap
pens that the most Important are origl'
mails, and there is enough internal evil
dence regarding tho authenticity OF the
others 10 warrant their acceptance
without argument
THE GREAT FOOTPRINTS,
The footprints were discovered in
1889 at the state prison quarry at Car
son, aud are amply attested by Charles
Drayton Gibbs, a civil engineer, and by
Prof. II. W, darkness. who have added
much interesting information in refer
ence TO the manner in which they were
found and preserved, II should be
added that specimens OF this discovery
were exhibited at the New Orleans
great fair, nearly nine years ago, and
there and then attracted widespread at
tention.
Tho exhibit now in tho anthopologi-
cal building comprises several quito
well defined and entirely different foot
prints. Among these may be noted
those OF the mammoth, the horse, u
large animal with claws Called by the
Information cards n "hyena,") and nu'
merous tracks OF birds; and-most in
terosting OF all-long, narrow, tracks
imbededded in stone that are described
Us the footprints OF man." These form
the major part OF the display, although
there are several other specimens that
are strangely interesting, aud deserve
more than passing mention.
The Nevada state prison Is situated
ut the north end Of n low ridge Of sand
stone, tho termination Of a short spur
OF Pine Nut mountains. These noun.
tains are about three miles east OF and
parallel to the Sierra Nevada moun
tains. At an altitude OF 1850 feet
above sea level the prison stands. The
formation where the relics were uncov.
cred is: First, sandstone. which forms
the walls OF tho quarry, twenty-five to
thirty-two feet high; second, the strata
that contains the prints; and, third,
the bedrock. Tho south wall (sand-
stone) Is twenty-five feet and the west
wall IL thirty-two feet.
: MARVELLOUS PREHTsToRIc MARKS.
The prints are numerous. There are
the marks OF ten immense feet, which
arc attributed to the mammoth; six.
sixteen human (2) footprints in an.
other place, and nine OF the same kind
in another, while there are smaller
tracks ascribed to horses and to hyenaa
(2), together with several score OF
tracks manifestly loft by birds.
In regard to the elephant or man.
moth tracks, Professor Hardness, who
has given tho quarry personal inspec.
ton, and the subject close attention, re.
marks: "There is no doubt about their
character"
The geological conditions surround.
ing this strange discovery lead Joseph
La Conte TO say: "The age OF the strata
has never been fully determined with
absolute certainty. Tho deposit is sup.
posed to be Quarternary, or Upper PHO
Gene, for no tall horse or elephant is
found in the American Miocene."
Beside the footprints OF the mommoth
and horse, there have been found other
perfectly clear and tangible evidences OF
the ~progenitor OF the elephant OF the
present day and OF the horse. These
arc two well preserved and clearly de.
fined teeth OF the mammoth. They are
imbedded in the sandstone rock and are
o part OF it. There are also portions Of
u horses tooth and two jawbones of a
horse.
These are on exhibition, and are Just
ashley were when taken fresh from the
quarry. II there was anything needed
TO settle the question Of the actual oxia.
tonce OF the elephant or its predecessor
and the horse, these specimens would
do that
This, however, 10 not tho first timo
that the horse has been found on this
continent. Years before the discovery
at Carson, Nevada, there were investi.
cations made by Professor Marsh, OF
Yale, in the Bad Lands, Tor "bone-
yards" a. they were inooherently called)
OF Nebraska and Dakota, and clearly
defined traces were found Of u dlminn.
tive horse that may now DO found in
some OF tho eastern museums. And
teeth OF mastodous have been found
without number in many different parts
Of the United.Statcs, Speaking Of these,
Mr.. Gibbs remarks: tho foot prints OF
the elephaS primigenius' Chat Is the
mammoth).
In o show case, in connection with
this display, is an original hip bone Of
q maStodon, and emphasis is laid on
this, that the footprints In tho sand.
atone aud tho toeth which have boon
found and are here, are those Of tho
mammoth, while the hip bono 10 that Of
a m~astodon. Tho preserved portion OF
tho horso's tooth iS also displayed in
the case eide by side with tho masto.