The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-07-25
A PETRIFIED CROSS.
RELIC OF ADVENTURE FOUND IN A
PENNSYLVANIA QUARRY.

ditiOn From Lachine to What Is Now
Pittsburg-Dr. DE Hass of the Smithsoni-
an institution Has Examined the Cross.
A blast in quarry on the Stewart
farm, half mile east of Rochester, Pa,
recently brought to light a cross which
has been beneath the earths surface
since II 40. The place of burial was
ground where limestone was an impor-
tant factor, and the result is that the
cross is completely petrifed
When the matter was first called to
the attention of Ira W. Logan, the own
er Of the quarry, he was greatly puzzled
to explain the singular formation of
stone, but investigation has made the
history of the sacred emblem clear and
at the same time recalled the marvellous
energy and tireless journeyings of the
most famous of the Roman Catholic
clergy, the Jesuits. Mr.. Logan COM
municated the news of the discovery to
the authorities of the Smithsonian in
stitution at Washington. In response
DR.. W. De Haas of the institution visit
ed Rochester and carefully examined
the cross. His report has not yet been
made pub bile, but it is likely to be of
vivid interest when it is finally given
publication
The cross itself is "a inches high, the
crosspiece being IS inches in length.
Time and the limestone washings, the
combination that petrified it, also fas-
tened it securely i'll bed of limestone.
1t is considered rather remarkable that
the blast which tore it from its bed 30
feet beneath the earth 8 surface did not
mar it's beauty, but if it had been ex-
humed in the most careful fashion it
could have been no more perfect than it
is 1t is hard to realize without obser-
walton how really beautiful it has be-
come Through petrification. 1t seems to
have a luster or radiance, and when the
sunlight strikes it fairly beams scintil-
late from it of prismatic hue, the whole
forming most charming spectacle.
The history of this cross, which care
full investigation has shown, takes US
back to the old days when western New
York was little better than wilderness
and Pennsylvania was as free from the
touch of the white man outside of the
large settlements as virgin soil is from
the cultivator. At that time the French
soldiery and Roman Catholic priests
were particularly energetic in penetrat-
ing the country in all directions, one
seeking to esta blish the dominion of the
state, the other that of the church. It
was the century in which this cOmbina-
tion achieved the most with which it
has been credited. La Sale, Marquette
and Others had made their names ia
nous ALREADY. The woods all along the
Canadian border and nearly as far west
as the Mississippi river had become IA
miliar places to the Jesuit priest.
In the spring of 1749 band of French
soldiers, voyagers and others left La
chine, which is situated near Montreal,
for q trip through the section of coun-
try which as yet really belonged to no
one The leader of the company was
Captain Celeron, but associated with
him was M. Decontrecoeur, who in lat
er years became a commander of that
famous Pennsylvania post known as
old Fort Duquesne, the site of the pres
ent city of Pittsburg. From Lachine the
| party Journeyed down through Canada
into that portion of New York state just
north of Buffalo.
1t was perilous journey. While the
Indians were supposed to be friendly to
the French, there were predatory bands
of red men whose love for scalps and
plumber often led them to forget the al
liances their chiefs had made. They
would pitch upon expeditions like the
one described, and often was it the case
that the first news the friends of the
white men would have of their fate
would be the report of a scout who had
found their skeletons half buried under.
the leaves Of faraway forest.
Obstacles of this sort had no terror
for the French soldier. The Jesuit, be-
sides possessing all the bravery that
went to make up the man who fought
for France, was guided by religious
inspiration and a fervor that almost
amounted to fanaticism. No danger
was so great, no peril so imminent that
he would not face it. Through the
trackless forests in frail canoe, down
unknown streams, where the song of
the arrow might bring the message of
death at any moment, he would jour-
ney, provided there was possibility of
bringing single person from without
to within the fold of the Roman Catho-
lie church. A half dozen of these priests
accompanied the French explorers.
When the expedition reached the AL
leghany river, it was considered that
its real duties began. Here the feur-
de-lis of France and the cross of the
Jesuits were placed side by side
church and state i'll a union that savored
of nothing but pacifcation. At dis
tances of ten miles along the route Cap
tain Coleron buried leaden plates in
scribed with the arms of France and the
date of the expedition. Directly along
side the place of burial of these plates
the Jesuits buried wooden crosses, of
which the one found near Rochester is a
sample.
Miles and miles down the Allegheny,
encoun tering perils of every description,
their numbers diminished by sickness,
weak from want of food, these intrepid
| man onptinuo1 their iOurpov r,Ofi1 fhov