The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1894-03-23
ANTE-pELuvIAN DISCOVERIES.

YVOrkmen Make Valuable Find While
Exoavating for Brick Clay.
Workmen employed in the Swarts &
Halstead brick manufactury came upon
the project skeleton of some ante-di- t
luvian monster last Friday at the depth
of nine feet. The animal or reptile
probably lived and grew old when our
forefather, Adam, was as yet un-evolu-
tionized. He in life was wonderfully |
and fearfully made. St Georges dragon
was as nothing compared to this. Not
being well posted in paleontology we
will not attempt to place him OF to haz-
ard a gness at what perion he belongs
or what his calling, social position and
diet might have been, but will declare
that civilized or uncivilized man never
looked upon him in the flesh or in store
clothes either. He might have hob
nobbed with the Pterodactylus, the
Icthyosauras and the Plesiosaurus and
played hide and go seek with the great
Mastodon and the Centaur.
Some five feet in heigth and from ten
to fifteen in length. Four strong legs
were attached to his broad, but supple
body. At what we would call the ankle
joint each leg branched into three, and
each one of these branched into two
fnger-Eke extensions, that could easily
be closed like the human hand or bent
backward as far. These fingers have
four joints and the base of a claw or
hoof When closed they resemble the
the leg of a deer, but when spread all
resemblance fades. These limbs would
indicate that he was swiftly moving
animal on land, water or in mud which
ever element he chose to call his home,
and it is not impossible that he was
addicted to climbing the mighty trees
of that period, or he might have bur
owed in the earth in search of food or
| for place in which to seek repose.
In each joint a small, roundish bone is
found that made them ball-bearing.
The vertebra is four feet in length and
on the shoulders is adorned with spines
like the COW. One peculiar feature is
the almost absence OF ribs, only few
very slight ones being found near the
front set of legs. A short heavy tail
| adorned his person and no doubt added
to his beauty or hideousness. The head
at the base of the skull is as broad as
that found in the horse and the brain
pan is large, showing that intelligence
was not lacking. The head was about
fourteen inches in length and adorned
with eyes as large as an orange, which
set out square from the sides. The
nostrils end square off about six inches
from the jaws, a movable trunk being
probably a. part Of the makeup of the
beast. The under jaw is powerful and
are set in instead of out as is generally
the case in animals. The molars are
similar to those found in the human
family. From the molars there is a
space of four inches before the power
full tushes are reached. These tushes,
there are two in each jaw, are set so
that they bear on one another, and are
three inches in lenght. They make a
formidable weapon, and judging from
their worn appearance, they have seen
considerable use in conflict and in the
struggle for existence. Between the
tushes are four incisors on each jaw.
Among the bones are some as large as
the largest ones found in the human
skeleton and some no larger around
an inch in length, perfect in shape and
resembling the femur. The head has
movable cap piece on which was mount
ed pair of horn-Iike pertrubances,
which if there were no evidence that he
still lived, would lead US to unhesitat-
work of the evil one. Taken altogether
it is wonderful relic. It is assumed
from its position when found, lying in
circle with the head resting upon the
body, that it paid the debt of nature in
peace and extreme old age. The soil
above and around was the usual yellow
clay, but underneath thin layer of
green clay was found, due, probably, to
the decayed flesh. When first discover
ed the bones would crumble at the very
slightest touch, but thanks to our won
derful health-giving climate they are
| LOW ndEd0uIuS up duQ D01uS pun 10
gether. If the brute had not been dead
quite so long the chances are that the
ozone of Sherman county would have
brought back the flush of health and
vigorous life.
How this strange creature ever got
here is as much of question as the
species to which it belongs. From fossil
and petrifcations foundin the west the
country was probably tropical and
swampy in the long ago, when the earth
was young. It would be an interesting
lesson that would teach us what strange
animal and reptilian life once inhabited
this part of the earth and what vege-
table growth fourished But the secret
lies locked in the embrace of ages and
mortal man will never fathom its mys-
teries The learned professors and the
naturalists will find or invent some long
Latin cognomen for this ante -deluVian
and the student will study his ancient
and historic bones and know that
once he lived bIIt bevopd fI1af-nOthinO