The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-10

graphs of the head showing several
Views. The other illustration shows
some remarkable tracings that have
been discovered near the spot where
6 the head was found. and are supposed
to be the stone writings of Americas
prehistoric race.
The sandstone head, but for the I'M
fortunate ignorance of it's finder re-
garding the worth of the specimen,
would have been perfect specimen of
aboriginal art. AS it is, even in it's
mutilated form, it surpasses any in the
possession of scientists.
A farmer named Vandergreen was
the finder Of the head. While excavat-
ing for the foundation of new barn,
he turned the head up with his spade,
and carelessly threw 1t aside, seeing
nothing particularly attractive in the
scientific gem he had dug up. 1t would
probably never have been heard of, but
for the fact that, when the barn was in
process of building, it struck Wander
green as a good idea to ornament the
foundation with tie stone head and so
ii came about that the priceless relic
was cemented into the stone work of
the barns foundation. Here 1t remain
ed for several years, serving only the
useful purpose. This was to provide
mark for the youth of the neighbour
hood. who made a target of the valu-
able head. chipping it's nose, breaking
of It's eyebrows, and soaring it's feat
:, ures with stones. Had the battering
'gone on much longer it is probably that
nothing but a shapeless block of stone
would have remained of the head but
v fortunately, an antiquarian named
Benner, of this place. came across the
head one day, and instantly recognizing
its worth, notified the Smithsonian
institute. at Washington, of the ex-
lstence of the relic and Of its ignomin-
lous position.
The Smithsonian officials lost no time
In urging that the head be rescued from
the barn and the boys and sent to
Washington. When the Washington
scientists received it they saw at once
that 1t was one of the finest specimens
of ancient stone carving that had ever
come into their possession, and great
was their vexation that it had been
permitted to remain so long a target
Tor the pebbles of country boys.
OF Rare Value.
A plaster cast was made of the head
by the commissioner of the Smithsonian
Institute, who wrote to F. M Benner,
son of the man who had rescued the
relic. the following letter, acknowledge
ing its rare worth:
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir:
-! beg to inform you that we have
head which you kindly sent to us Feb. is.
We have made cast of it, which, although
inferior to the original. will answer our
examined the head, thinks it is genuine and
that it was probably originally carved from
the face of rock and subsequently broken
OF. 1t Is a pity that the features are so
z much mutilated.
f. NJ. Benner ESQ, New Lisbon. O.
Skill of Prehistoric Races.
The original head is now in the pos
session of Mr.. F. NJ. Benner, who caused
the photographs to be taken, of which
the accompany Illustration is a copy.
The carvings shown in the i!lustra-
ton are to be seen on the rocks on the
banks of the Ohio river, near Wells
Vile These carvings and the discov-
cry of the head show that prehistoric
races possessed Of great skill in aborig-
NAL art once inhabited the neighber-
hood. The Northern Ohio Historical
society has made special study Of
Ohio relics and issued an interesting
pamphlet regarding them, from which
the following extract Is made:
Among the relics of aboriginal art
executed in stone. there are in Ohio
very numerous effigies of the human
head and face. Some are reputed to
have been found beneath the surface
at depths, which, If the reports are TO
be relied upon, indicate very great an
tiquity, much greater than our artificial
earth mounds. The number reputed to
have been exhumed from the drift CLAW.
sand or gravel beneath the surface are
very few, and they are lacking in that
n UNREASONABLE proof Of position which
L Is necessary In such Cases.
Compared with the antiquity of the
! drift deposits in Ohio, the most extreme
Ssera claimed for the Mound Builders Is
e very small fraction of time. The gro
1 tesque image from Marlboro, Stark
/ county Ohio. II 1t was in place at the
bottom Of q well twelve feet deem