The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-03
Prehistoric TEXAS
Engdlfed by Flood
Special Correspondence Of The Tribune.


Buffalo, Oct. ..
NY SINGULAR coincidence most inter.
X esting discovery was made at Galveston,
- Tex, just prior to the great Hood which
devastated that fair Southern city. 1t
was made in connection with excavations In
which relics were procured for the arch ,oogical
exhibit at the Pan-American exposition. ard ~.
dcated that in some lar distant age wnch the
lands bordering the gulf were peoplcd by race
long since perished from the face of the earth n
similar tempest overwhelmed the unfortunate
residents of the coast 1t must have destroyed
them by thousands just as people were destroyed
when the hurricane and flood descended upon
Galveston in the recent calamity which mas
aroused for the stricken city the sympathy Of its
sister cities Of the whole American Union.
The bones discovered in this search for Pan.
American relics are beyond doubt several
thousand years old. They are OF a prehistoric
race and the character OF the people who occu-
pied the coast OF the gulf at this period is an
interesting subject for speculation Whoever
they may have been and whenever they may
have lived, the remains found show beyond a
question that some terrible outbreak OF nature
caused the sudden death of thousands Of these
ancient people and their burial in the strata
where by chance they were discovered and their
existence reported to archaeologists working in the
interests Of the Pan American exposition at Bull
fao Just few days before another awful food
submerged the city Of Galveston and swept 10
a sudden and terrible death thousands oi its
citizens. destroying also millions OF dollars
worth OF property.
1t was but short time ago that the cAcava-
tions were begun which resulted in these singu-
lar and extraordinary discoveries. The finding
OF the remains in the first place was quite acci'
dental. Mr.. II. j. Simmons, superintendent Of
the Arizona and New Mexico railway, who is
a friend OF Superintendent A. l.. Benedict, of
the Pan-American exposition department OF eth
nolOgy and archaeology, was making excavations
along the lines of this railroad near Clear Greek,
Galveston county, for railroad purposes when
bones were found in the earth removed. On OK
animation OF the contents OF the steam shovel
skulls and human teeth were noticed and further
search led to the discovery Of skeletons of whole
families together with ivory beads and other
objects of human handiwork. Realizing the
valuable and scientific character of the find a
systematic search of the strata in the vicinity
was made. biologists say that this whole Sec
tion was once covered by the gull OF Mexico
The idea at once came to Mr. Simmons, on
learning the extensive character Of the human
remains, that in the far distant past a tidal
wave had occurred at the time the gulf covered
more of that part OF the country than at present
and that these bones were the remains OF The
thousands OF humln beings who had been
drowned in the overflow OF the waters OF the
gulf.
%
Evidently these people were not mere barbar
ians, living scattered thny over the country
in temporary aboles and having no pcrinanent
abiding places. The number of the skeletons
and their close proximity To one another indi
Gates that there existed here Il popuous COM
munitv and that in some far away age a people
devoted to the pursuits of industry and more or
less skilled in the arts were here living in
civ having lis institutions Of government and
social customs and some degree of civilization
This could not have been simply the site of a
cemetery for the positions in which the skeletons