The Frankfort roundabout. [volume] (Frankfort, Ky.) 1882-1908, 1899-02-25


that sturdy ScOtch.Irish stock,
strongly endowed by nature with
those sterling qua tiles OF true man.
hood which has always characterized
the racA, and which MS left its inn
press on their posterity Of to-day.
All were men of dauntless courage,
Indifferent to dinger, Injured to hard
ship and exposure, and realizing
"How sublime a thing 1t Is
To suffer and be strong"
They resolved to hold this fair
land or perish in the attempt.
How well they kept their resolution
we have only to look around US to
find out. Verify "the wilderness
and the waste places are made glad,
and the desert blossoms as the rose"
No other State in the Union pos.
se5ses more features Of archalOyic and
| historic interest than ours. We have
abundant evidence that long before
the advent of the AnglO-SaxOn, or
even the Indian, this land was in
habited by a prehistoric race COM
monty known as the Mound Build
ers. As to their origin, who they
were, whence they came or whittier
they went, neither history nor tradi-
ton affords US any satisfactory infor-
nation, and all else Is legend and
speculation. But archaeolOgists claim
that they are gradually working out
the mystery, and in THIS age Of
science, of reason and invention, with
that innate craving of the human
mind to unravel the mysteries of the
past, and to fOrsee the events Of the
future, such result is neither impOs-
sible nor Improbable.
This much however we do know,
from the remains of ancient fOrtifica-
tions, and from other articles of their
handiwOrk, such as pottery ware,
lars and vases, some OF them eldb-
orately carved, pipes and war imple-
ments of stone and other material,
that they possessed u knowledge OF
geometry, architecture, art and ag-
riculture, and that they attained d
degree of civilization commensurate
with the age in which they lived.
The vague but still visible remains of
this strange people forms an interest
ing study, and the collections of such
articles rs | have mentioned, now
scattered and in the hands of many
different persons, AMI which could
be obtained by the mere asking when
it is made known the purpose for
which they are to be donated, would
form a valuable acquisition to the
museum of this Society. But it is
positive and authentic matter per-
tanning to our State and people that
should principally engage our time
and attention.
1t should BIZ our purpose therefore
to compile and collate such correct
information of past events as we may
, b able to obtain, either from public
. records or private sources, and which,
through the course of time, would
, become more doubtful and obscure,
and publish and also preserve them
, in the archives of the Society for the
benefit of future generations, so that
"history itself may not fade into fable,
and fact become clOuded with doubt
, and mystery" 1t may not be out o.
place Tor me just here to give d
! synopsis of the purposes Of the
Society as set forth at its organiza'
ton:
LIST. To collect and preserve what
soever relates to the history of Ken
/ lucky.
/ I'd. A complete library Of western
, history.
Sd. Special memoirs, biographies
and family genealogies.
4th. Manuscript, journals and let
tiers.
9TH. Magazines, pamphlets an(
other printed records of our early
+ history.
9th. Maps, plans, plats and note
= of early surveys.
, 7th. Anything printed or in man
uscript relating to our industries
agricultural, mechanical and CONNER
cial.
9Th. Special history of the origin o
our towns, cities and counties anC
, societies aud institutions of learn
, ing.
9th. Relics of Indians and o
pioneers, with accounts of their Gus
, toms, OF local traditions cOncernin.
/ them. -
10Th. Information concerning In
dians, mounds and relics obtained
from them.
1lth. Neurological and fossil
specimens.
18th. Coins, medals and autographs
paintings, engravingS, curiOSities
family relics of every description.
, 18th. Relics of the first and sec0nC
wars with England, Of the Mexican
war, and the late war between the
t North and South, and l may add tht
recent war with Spain.
Thus il appears that we have he
fore US broad and diversified field
! of labor, but the work will he enter
: LII M nak md ut the salnA iinH hHnH