The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-13

into that region. more than . CENTURY
and q quarter the remains OF
numerous fortihcations. sepulchres.
hearths and earth symbols were all
well defined. The most OF these were
leveled In time by the owners OF the
land whose desire to utilize the sell
outwefghed their interest In the pres
ervation OF the unwritten records OF
an extinct race. Relics In skeletons.
pottery, implements n weapons thus
uncovered were very common In Chau-
tauqua and Cattaraugus 30
years ago. They formed portions OF
the unvalued garnet litter Of nearly
Of these. fortunately. escaped the I'M
a~ppreciative touch of their predeces-
sors, and are now among the most
priced antiquities In the famous col
lections OF the country. Some of them
were secured by collectors In Europe.
without doubt one Of the finest coll
lections OF this kind In the world be-
longs to Professor Lakin. and II is
made up chiefly of relics discovered
in the mounds Of these two counties.
although the greatest number OK
the mound formations marking the
presence Of an extinct race have been
obliterated by the farmer n by the
building Of railroads and WACO roads
through this region. there are still
many remaining. inc I'm such preser-
walton as to present an intelligent N
interesting record to the antiquary. A
specially interesting relic of that age
Is an earth formation near the New
York. Pennsylvania & Ohio railroad
station in Randolph. According to
those who have read the customs OF
the mound builders by the monuments
they have left, this was fashioned
thousands of years ~ and vas de-
..--@A A. .na The fAr-
nation Is AS feet in length, and en-
thusiastic an~tiquaries who visit 1t
bea unanimous testimony n'declaring
its unmistakable resemblance to a
huge snake basking in the sun. The
farmer on whose property the symbol
is was ploughing around what the an
tiquaries say is h head of h SER
pent some years ago. Near that ex-
| tremity stood the stump of a tree.
which tradition says has fallen with
age as long ago as when the place
was settled. The stump was more
than three feet in circumference, and
its presence on this mound was unmis-
taxable evidence of the great < of
the earthwork. The farmer p~loughed
so close to the edge of the mound. that
his ploughshare caught in a project
ing root OF the old stump. The earth
was raised a foot or more beneath,
uncovering a unmber of stone spear
heads Of a pattern and finish that
showed workmanship much superior
to that In which the later flint ar
rows of the Indians are fashioned. The
oun vas explored for a short dis
lance. ami nearly 200 spear and arrow
points were found. all heaped together
in one spot. Several tor axes, pol
ished and symmetrical. and many fine
specimens of block mica were also un-
covered. There are still 200 feet OF
this remarkable efiigy which have not
been disturbed. Other excavations
made near Randolph have revealed
roomy mica-lined cells. some contain
ing large quantities of parched corr
in good preservation. Aroun. some
Of these singular tumuli deep and
wide bitches a been dug by the an
cient workmen.
"The largest numbe of mounds and
other evidences of the time when tho
extinct race existed are found in the
eastern part Of Chautauqua county
mostly along the highlands and pro-
montories bordering the valleys of the
larger streams. On the summit of the
ridge of hills overlooking the Cone,
wanga valley. at the height of 200 feet
in the midst Of a forest. is a large and
regularly shaped mound. plainly form
ed from soil taken from the surround
ing locality, as traces of the origina
excavation are distinctly visible. In
the vicinity. deep In the soil. remains
of human zones were found a year OF
so ago. They seemed to ave burned
before burial. Remains OF the mas
todon have been found wherever thes
mounds appear. and from that author
titles argue that prehistoric race in tn.
region subjected that enormous beas
to their uses. both in times OF peac
n In the wars that the different di
visions of the race must nave wage
with one another."-New York Sun.