The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-24
FLORIDA MOUNDS.
An Inquiry as to the Purpose Of
Them.

Were They Signal Towers as Well as
BuryinE Places-Marks ALONG the
Shores of the Rivers and Bays.
Speculation as to Whether Florida
Was Not the Home of Great Com
meroial People Long Ago-A Wide
Field for the Archaeological.
Tampa, Fla, June 23.-The mounds of
Florida have been often examined, and
much written about, but as yet we have
no definite information as 10 when they
were built, what they were built for, or
what degree of intelligence characterized
the people who built them. They are be-
yond the knowledge or traditions of the
present race of Indians, and unsolvable
puzzles to the most eminent Psychologists.
Where specialists are at loss, the field
is open for anyone to advance an opinion;
mine, and the reasons therefor, may be of
some interest.
Around Tampa Bay are numerous
mounds. They are of quite different
characters, both as to position, surround
ings, material and construction, and
might probably give interesting informa-
tion properly classified.
On Snead's island inside the entrance
to the Manatee river, is large mound,
about 80 feet high; a work compactly
built of earth and she'll The side facing
northeastward is nearly perpendicular;
as the material will retain its compact
ness, on the other sides the slope is less.
Extensive outworks are on the river
front, and high banks run back from these
forming inclosed, protected areas ad-
joining the mound
This mound and it's surroundings are
well planned for both observation and de-
Tense. 1t commands view of the river,
its entrance, Lower Tampa Bay, and its
entrances
About ten miles northeast of this mound
is one that is probably the largest in this
region On the chart il is called Indian
Hill. 1t is said to be about 20 feet in
hight. One of the sides toward the water
is nearly perpendicular. The entire
structure covers an area of probably not
less than five acres.
At the Little Manatee entrance is an
other mound. about 30 feet in hight, COD
structed of similar material.
At the mouth of Bullfrog creek is a
large mound composed entirely of shell.
No earth was mixed with the shell in its
construction.
At Tampa are several mounds. On
Maxine point is high mound at Papys
bayou entrance is large high mound; at
the entrance to De Soto harbor, at the
north end of old Tampa bay, is another
very high mound, said to be sixty feet
above tidewater. Smaller mounds are
situated between nearly all that have
mentioned, and near the entrance to the
small streams and bayous there is gen.
orally mound.
What purpose did these mounds serve?
Burial purposes, of counsel" is the pop
ular answer.
Certainly the mounds were often so
used, but might not this have been an
adaptation by later race in many cases
Standing on the top of Indian hill
locally called the Cockroach) nearly the
whole of the waters of Tampa bay, its
tributaries, inlets and entrances, are we'll
within view. Nearly all the principal
mounds are within range of vision so
that this place occupies an admirable
position for q central signal station.
Most of the other mounds are so situated
that signals could be directly transmitted
to, this central station. This brings US to
the question: Did the mounds of Tampa
bay form a system of lookouts for obser-
walton and transmitting information,
defense} That is only a suggestion. II
does not, however, conflict with another,
viz: that the mounds were important
stations for a survey of the bay, made
necessary by an extensive commerce.
The shore lines were run and marked
very carefully by the ancient engineers,
and / have traced several of these old
lines to mounds. Sometimes the lines
run nearly along the present shore lines /;
n Of rn ont N a W
have followed these lines around Bal
last Point, along the beach by Gadsden's
Point, Picnic island and for several miles
north of Port Tampa; also along the
eastern shore of Egmont Key, and / do
not think it unreasonable to suppose that
the entire old coast line of Tampa bay
was distinctly marked by the ancient en-
gineers, and that the marks retain gem
orally the positions in which they placed
them.
My reason for thinking that the marks
retain their old positions is that the
channel marks left by these people are
available for use to-day wherever the
channel has not changed.
From about two miles down the chan
mel from Port Tampa, the usual steam
boat route to Manatee follows a line that
is marked out the. whole distance from
there on to the Manatee bar, across the
bar into the river, and along the winding
channel The present channel and the
marks do not always agree, but / traced
them ten miles up the river.
Coming from the gulf into Tampa Bay,
the channels on the north and south sides
of Egmont Key are both marked. The sides
of the channel of the Hillsboro river at
Tampa are both marked in the same way.
BY these marks it was made possible
for an ancient pilot to enter the bay in
the darkest night, and, aided by charac-
teristic lights placed on the mounds, as
called for by the pilots signals, follow
these lines to his destination; all of
which indicates an extensive commerce
carried on by people having a high
grade of intellectual and executive abil-
ity, such as is rarely found existing apart
from dense population.
Who were these peoplel Where is
their history writtenl What other an
Gent people were they allied to? What
name did this important ancient CONNER
cal center bear2
These are questions that some indus
trfous arch8ologist may yet disclose.
Inaupu