The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-03-05
AMERICAS POMPElI.'
INTERESTING DISCOVERIES MADE ~
AN ALASKAN TRAVELLER.

1sises - "a UAkssvs Rsss Revealed -
- AvalAsehs-fhs Wslls 81 What MAJ
- PrsAisssrse City Laid nars-ssas
Dsssstfal spesinsas - Posessy.
Ons Of the moss interesting theories
In regard 70 the ancient colonization Of
America 10 thss relating to its Asiatic
origin These theories were supported
By tribal traditions. chiefly among the
highly civilised races Of Mexico - they
were Discovered BY the SpaniardA from
IN analysis Of which IL would appear
that the ara settlements Of this cont
nens were Asiatic-for the time Of q
high degree Of cultivation, in time over
run and subjugated BY more warlike and
powerful INVADER. who. like themselves.
|oame from the north
Archaeological discoveries in New
Mexico. Arisona and California have
tended 10 confirm these obscure legends,
and now . correspondent Of The Globe.
Democrat Of st. Louis presents the lat
est claims in the evidence Of . Professor
Allied Eldrige Of Montreal - TO recent
discoveries made BY him in AlaskA
Professor Eldrise's statements to the
correspondent wers. in brief. a. follows:
AT the mouth Of the Kuwalik river,
on the shore q Kotzebue sound. en-
countered . mall settlement of Indians,
who were much surprised st my desire
20 proceed up the stream.
The chief did all in his power 10
persuade me to abandon my project. ex-
planning unbearable perils galore which
I would be certain TO encounter. The
savages seemed to think the district
cursed BY the Great Spirit. and nothing
could tempt them to set foot on it,
II did not feel uneasy. however. I'M
til arrived 1t the month Of the Ku-
walk A. entered the mouth Of this
frozen river it seemed as though could
read, Abandon hope. al ye who enter
here. written across its horizon. and
the vision Of . possible Dantean Infer
mo- beyond amazed me.
ION the bortier Of little lake where
stopped my attention was drawn TO .
spot half way up . steep peak. which
had evidently suffered some recent dis
turbance. On arriving ct the situation
! saw that . great body Of earth had
breken away and rolled down the noun
tain
The dst thing to attract me was
the discovery Of . small piece Of broken
light brown in color. with
an artistically worked trimming Of
Greek design worked In black pigment
It was just such . piece az those had
found in New Mexico sumo years be-
fore, and any one can imagine my
at its discovery in that
quarter.
II turned quickly to scan the sides Of
the earth where the avalanche had torn
it apart, and in the midst Of the crevice,
not 500 yards away from where stood,
saw the protrusion of Q wall Of dull
gray masonry, crumbling and broken.
but showing beyond all doubt, even 1T
shsa distance. that the builder was hu-
man On making further investigations
found evidences Of numerous other
walls af . distance Of 80 or more feet
Apart, and some Of them revealed cor
nezs Il masonry.
1T soon became evident to me that I
had discovered IN American Pompeii
through the work Of the avalanche The
Of houses I saw were undoubt-
IDLY those Of . prehistoric city. covered
With earth and debris. which had hid.
den IL through some volcanic action,
possibly during. but most likely long
after. it, desertion, centuries ON centu-
ries ago.
IAN Of the masonry was Of beautiful
constructed Of hewn sand
stone blocks OF an approximately even
sisA laid in strong mortar beds and
with the joints broken. There were
many pieces Of broken pottery and other
articles Of domestic use lying around the
rui1aL
but ! sought higher game. and after
preparing o wooden handle TO . copper
spade which picked up ON the scene
! went to digging most industriously.
Almost Immediately my antiquated
spade unearthed q few more fragments
Of pottery. which seemed an ominous
sign A reached about six feet be-
meath the surface pots. vases. cups,
plates. jugA pipes and numerous articles
OF doubtful use and too heavy TO bring
away with me were uncovered with al
most every thrust Of the spade. The last
articles my spade revealed were mixed
sizes Of Arrows. spears Of odd design,
scrspers. hatchets and drills.
II dug into . square room which had
no windows in the walls Here I found
some Of the finest specimens Of pottery
I have ever seen They were beautiful
ly decorated and finished in . way
that 10 . lost art 70 modern pottera
There were many exquisitely shaped jars,
shout 8 feet tall and ~ perfectly pre-
served ~ the china Just delivered from
the hands Of cur nineteenth century
potters-if anything. more artistically
proportional
1T does not require much thought or
study 10 see an undeniable connection
between the evidence Of prehistoric in
habitation In Spanish America and
those which have uneazthed in north