The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-12
MIssIssIPPps GREAT WALL.
Mysterious Structure Whose Builder
No One Now Knows

New orleans Pfcayune.
One of the scientific puzzles of the State
of Mississippi is the "Brandywine stone
wall" 1t has long been a problem that is
still unsolved. Some time ago Mr. Thomas
Watson, of Hazelhurst, sent Governor Lon
gino pencil drawing of an immense nile
of stone in the southeastern portion of
Claiborne county suggesting that the stone
might be utilized in building the new can't
tol. In letter which accompanied the
drawing Mr.. Watson stated that these
stones. piled high on each other. cover an
area four miles square. Each stone is six
feet long, three feet wide and two feet
thick, and they are Joined together with an
excellent quality of cement. No man knows
how they came there. They may have
been there for thousands of years. The
builders, the Jackson News thinks were
some prehistoric race-it could not be
otherwise. This structure is supposed to
be continuation of the great Chinese
WALL, which seems to begin below RAY
mond, in the southern part of Kinds coun-
~, and which is traceable through Copiah
Ii is broad enough to accommodate two or
three wagons abreast, and is one OF the
wonders of the world.
Mention of this remarkable exhibit, -
says the Hazlehurst Courier, has elected
no little comment-in fact. has brought a
letter to Mr.. Watson from the warden of
the United States penitentiary at Leaven-
worth, Kan; and also letter to DR.. T. g.
Birdsong from another distinguished
years ago investigated the matter. Mr..
watson, however" says the Courier 'has
given the subject more patient thought and
gone over the ground more thoroughly than
any one else, and TO him the Courier is in
debted for the following interesting facts:
HE calls ii the 'Brandywine Stone Wall.
and says this wonderful and massive
structure or parts of structure Of masonry
done in stone, which has withstoOd the raw
ages or time for perhaps many thousands
of years, still stands enduring relic of a
prehistoric civilization and a knowledge of
the art of building not inferior in many re-
spects to the present day. These stone
buildings lie, for the most part. buried In
the earth i'm the southeastern portion of
Claiborne county, and lying against the
Copiah county line, on the slopes overlook
ing the valley of the Brandywine creek
from the west side.
These walls run from northeast TO
sou.Hwest, Tney are built of white o.
Srayish white stone of immense size. weigh
iHs from two 10 three tons. measuring from
Elk 70 eight feet in length ard three feet
vice by two feet thick. These blocks. or
slabs, are laid in a very fine quality of ce-
ment, and as perfectly as brickwork. The
joints are perfect and very close.
AT one place the top OF the wall is ex-
posed by the earth being washed away 20
a width of sixty feet and length of ninety
a brick hearth.
Al another place the stone has been
quarried for domestic use TO depth OF
width OF twenty-four feet. or eight blocks
ana length of twenty-five blocks or 15G
ieet. The length OF this wall, indicated
oy the groupings, is about leo feet.
At another place. about 500 yards away
from the place lest mentioned. Is a wall
lutting from under "A slope for q distance
OF nearly 1900 feet. This stoncwork Is ex-
posed In a great many places over an area
OF four square miles.
THE sides and angles OF the blocks OF
stones are so perfect that they resemble
no 0T hes. all
perfectly horizontal and without regard to
the unevenness OF the earths surface. The
seams between the tiers arc perfectly
straight. and each block OF stone is per-
fectly horizontal IN position. and these
blocks are smoothly dressed the edges
and ends. while the broken surfaces are
rough, showing a broken surface brought
down TO level plane. but not dressed
They are held 90 drmly together by tn