The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-10-05
GREW THROUGH A SKULL.
fhe Root of Large Fir Tree on nm
Island In California.

si"nu In Sallornia.
There is tree over on Bay Farm island
shat little addition TO Alameda, into which
a man has grown. The tree apparentlv
has absorbed the brain of the man into its
sap veins, and the man who made the dis.
covery now regards the tree with awe. as
II 10 were partly human.
The tree Is an ordinary fir tree that has
been growing for nj least half century.
Some time ago Frank Silva, who lived
upon the island, was digging at the foot
OF the tree, completing trench which ran
just ut the base of the fir. As he was
working away among the roots that i'm
peded his work he turned up some human
bones. The unearthing of skeleton is
always Interesting, and Mr.. Silva directed
his search for the rest of the bones. These
he located after "a little work and he found
a complete skeleton.
The bones had been buried for long
while, for they We're denuded of every YES
tige OF flesh and were bleached and white.
From the position in which tho bones were
found it was very evident that the body
had been tumbled into the grave without
much ceremony, for it was found face
down and in crouohing position, as il
the body had been hurriedly thrown into
Its last resting place
Upon exposure to the air the bones fell
one from another, though they did not
crumble into dust They were all carefully
removed from the hole, save the skull, and
Mr.. Silva made an effort TO remove that
But be found it impossible TO bring il from
the position in which it lay. because one of
the roots of the fir tree mt the base of which
it lay, had grown entirely through the
skull. IL was found necessary to chop the
root away entirely before the skull could
he removed. The root had penetrated a
crack in the skull, and had forced its way
through the head and out at the opposite
side
When it dawned upon Frank Silva that
the tree had grown through the skull and
had actually absorbed the brain of man
into its wooden trunk, he regarded the
tree with awe. He has since refused to al
low the tree to he cut in any way
Deputy Coroner Smiley of Alameda took
charge of the remains, though no inquest
was ever held
THE skeleton was undoubtedly that of
an Indian" said Mr.. Smiley. "The bones
were found on the south shore of the is
land, about 10 feet from the bank. beneath
fir tree that was landmark on the
island before the first settler planted his
asparagus bed. The skeleton was in a
croucling position and covered by the
roots of the tree, while clear through the
skull root almost as thick as my arm
had grown. IL was necessary To use a
Ratchet to remove the skull.
1T Is my opinion that the fir tree has
been growing on the island nearly half u
century. The bones had probably rested
beneath the tree 40 years. 1t may be that
one of the Indians who were the original
inhabitants of the island was murdered
and buried near the young tree. l cannot
understand how the root could have pene-
trated and grown through the skull un-
less there was n hole in it. The skull was
perfect specimen when l secured it, ex-
cept that it had been perforated by the
root.
II am not sufficient of scientist to ex
press any opinion as to how much of the
man, If any, grew into that tree through
the root. You have got to ask some OF
these scientific fellows about that but ii
is certain that the tree must have obtained
some nutriment from the brain of that
man. 1t may have changed its form in
the tree, but | think the brain was absorb
ed by the root San Francisco Call.