The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1900-04-19
EARLY AMERICAN GIANTS.
There Are Reasons for Relieving
That a Race of Twenty-Footers
Lived In Arizona.

Does anybody belieVe there ever hal
been race Of giants in the world
Does anybody believe that race of gi
gantic men, who were from IL to 2C
feet high, ever lived in these United
States of America? And yet the proof
that such race of people did live In
this country is to be found in the
Grand canyon of the Colorado river In
northern Arizona. This proof con-
sists of first: Footprints in the red
sandstone. Footprints that appear to
have been made by the moccasined feet
OF gigantic men. Men whose tracks
measured 20 inches in length and who
stepped five feet at stride.
The second proof is that there is the
pctrified body of such a man, likewise
in the red sandstone of the Grand
canyon district. This body was that
wf living, breathing man, but, after
death the flesh was replaced by lime or
silica, held in solution in the water.
There is ample evidence that nature
was able to perform this feat, as the
petrifying process is being carried on
in the canyon to this day.
The third fact is that there is and
was strong and almost universal
tradition among the ancient people OF
Mexico and Peru that such race of
giants lived in their country.
Perhaps it is almost too much to call
this proof, but it is at least corrobora-
tive testimony.
Last June visited the Grand canyon
as tourist. The Atlantic and Pacific
railroad to Flagstaff, thence by stage
40 miles to the Hance trail on the brink
of the gorge. There / met Mr.. Hull,
who was acting as guide into the
canyon and who was pioneer Of
northern Arizona. He told me the
following story, and, with apologies
for my credulity, / believe him.
Three years ago he and companion
named Jim Lavelle had been prospect
ing in this part of the country. They
found ledge which they thought was
valuable and had started out of the
canyon with samples of the ore, ex-
pecting to return in a few days One
of the Indians was with them. Mr..
Hull speaks the Indian language fluent
ly and the Indians have great adj
miration for him. rhe Indian said:
Have you ever. seen the big Indian
up here" volunteering to show It,
They followed him up foot trail
which led through crevice in the red
wall, thence on to the bench-lil1e for
nation above, but still in the midst of
the red sandstone.
They came to place where a pro-
iecting rock formed shelter over O
sloping table-ike slab of stone which
was covered with white incrustation
Of lime. Outstretched on this slab was
the body Of a gigantic man turned into
stone. The body was entirely nude and
lay face downward. They estimated
lis height TO be IS or 20 feet. The left
arm was out at full length, while the
light arm was doubled under his head
The left was perfect, but the foot was
ammed into a crack in the slab. The
light leg was broken off just below the
znee and the broken part was missing.
hey looked at il ten or fifteen min
ties and then continued their journey,
to return and make a more
complete investigation. Plans changed
nd they failed TO return.
Mr.. Hull told the story to several
leople, but they either disbelieved him
n discouraged him, so it happened
hat he had never been back there and
hat he had never tried to do anything I
nth his discovery. !
lie also told me that reliable Indians {
I'D described to him tracks of both
len and animals in the solid rock not :
ar from this body and in the same I
1rlnation. These he had never seen, Z
ut he had no doubt Of their existence. !
This .Tas startling information. but I
had been in a measure prepared for !
. In the first place it had always
semed reasonable for me that the pre- v
ietorio. primeval hunting savages +
lould have been Of large stature. c
eology tells us that there was a period a
J the history Of the world called the h
srtiary OF Mammalian age that was b
sculiariy favorable TO animal life. Il
the age Of the mammoth. the great "
We bear, ths cave lion. the wooliv Il
.noceros. the primeval OK, the great d