The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-04-03
WALNUT GROVE MOUND.
The Work of Demolition Goes on
with a Great Deal of Care.
INTERESTING RELICS ARE FOUND
Every Day During the Progress orthe
Work-Au Elk's Antlers Among tho
Articles Taken from the Mound,
An Antique Pipe to Which the odor
ofTobacco Still CIings.

The number Of persons who visited
the mound at Walnut Grove, at Mar
tins Ferry, yesterday, is variously esti-
mated at from 1900 to 5000 No work
was done yesterday Many men and
boys spent a part OF the afternoon look.
ing for relics,
Q, @. Cochran found and elks antlers'
in the big mound on Saturday, measur-
ing fully seven feet in length and five
and a half inches in diameter Mt the
base, The work Of removing them was
very tedious and it was absolutely im-
possible to get them out intact. They
were broken in many pieces and are in
a remarkably good state OF preservation
for the time they have been in the
tumulus. The finding OF these caused
u great deal OF talk; everybody was
anxious to soc them, and several per-
sons wanted to buy them, The finding
OF the photograph OF the high mogul OF
the mound-builders would not have
created more surprise than these ant
lers, The elk is very rare in Europe
and is no longer found in parts OF North
America where they were once CON.
mon, In olden times they extended as
far south as the Ohio river, They are
sometimes seen on the shores OF the
Arctic ocean. When full grown an elk
sometimes weighs 1900 pounds. The
body is round and short. The head,
which is narrow, is about two feet long,
A single antler has been known to
weigh sixty pounds. Tho hair breaks
when bent. Its common gait is sham.
bling trot. Tho color OF tho ok ia
brownish black, darker in winter than
summer. When compelled to eat grass
they must go down on their knees 10
reach it. Their proper food consists OF
the branches and foliage Of shrubs and
trees, They are very timid and inof-
fensive, except during the rutting sea-
son. The flesh is a good kind OF veni-
son and the nose and tongue are rcCk-
onod delicacies.
Itscems that the people in ancient
times smoked pipes, and possibly Gig
arettcs, Judging from tho appearance
and odor OF one relic found in the big
mound. About one third OF the way
down from the summit was found real
Pipe and it was strong one. The
statement that it was strong may be
doubted, but the lNTELLlGENCER man
smelled it, and discovered the fact that
it was actually odoriferous, and SO
much so that the smelling feature was
discovered when the pipe was handed
to him, and when foot from his nose.
The attention OF the finder was called to
this fact, and on smelling it himself he
said:
"Sure enough! Well, that beats any.
thing l ever heard o"
Tho finder supposed twas a pipe just
after he picked 1t up, and on examining
it closely saw tobacco in the old time
smoking article, or something that had
been smoked. The pipe, which was
broken in two, measured q inches in
length and two thirds OF an inch in di-
ametor in the inner circle, and little
over an inch on the outside. The pipe
is round and has round hole in the
bottom Of it, the hole measuring fully
fourth OF an inch. The ancient pipe
was made out OF stone or clay and
burned very hard. 1t is turned at tho
bottom and the whole Of the interior is
as smooth as glass.
Contractor Cochran will put large
force OF men at work to-day in remov-
ing tho mound. With the increased
force and favorable weather he expects
to finish the job by the middle Of April.
Less than one-fourth OF the mound was
hauled away in tho five and a half days
worked last week. Mr.. Cochran has
been exceedingly careful in the work,
SO that the relics would not be des.
troyed and pass into the carts un-
noticed. There is nothing in the re.
moval for Cochran except tho money
he will get from Martins Ferry for dirt,
which is being used for filling North
Fifth street, preparatory to paving it
with FIRE brick; tho big mound is not
being removed for the sake OF science;
all the relics arc to 90 to Mr.. o. r.
Wood, the owner Of the ground.