Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-11-15
OHIO MOUNDS AND THE BUILDERS
Archaeologists Awaiting Investigation
On the Hixon Farm with Interest.

On the Hixon Farm with Interest.
Many discoveries Ct prehistoric re-
mains have been mo 'e in Southern Ohio
from time to time, and especially In the
last fifteen years, put 1t is thought that
one which has just been unearthed at
Richmond Dale, near Chillicothe, In the
county of Ross, will throw more ligh:
upon the past of the mysterious mound
builders than any previous one. Thai
region has always been known to
abound in archaeological material. All
up and down the picturesque Scioto
Valley may be seen the mounds, now
covered with forest growth, and the
remains of earthworks and Notifications
The city of Clrcleville was 80 named on
account of a remarkably exact prehis-
koric circle of earth, now obliterated,
which occupied the present site Of the
town.
Although much interest and curiosity
have always been 'elt in these earth
works since the Investigations OF Squier
and Davis early in the last century, &C.
live scientific research upon the most
remarkable Of them was repeated Few
years ago by Warren X. Morehead and
corps of eminent srchaeologists. which
| I'M. .ded the late DR.. CressOn. While
many of these earthworks have been
ploughed over until almost obliterated,
the undisturbed mounds are tempting to
explorers.
The most important mound opened by
! Mr.. Norehead, under the auspices OF the
Bureau of Ethnology of the Peabody In
stitute. was the "effigy" mound on the
Hopewell farm, in Ross county. Here
was exhumed the figure OF ruler OF
some forgotten race, his mouths STUFFED
with pearls and his bones laid out on
O. rlapplng sheets Of copper IA mineral
alien to that locality, and with many
valuable relics near at hand.
Naturally, this lind" aroused grea:
interest throughout the region, and
much censure was expressed toward the
local and state archaeological societies
for having permitted such Important
relics to be removed to Eastern muse
ums.
In every recent summer, therefore
Curator Mills of the Ohio Archaeological
Society and his as ;istants have pushed
their investigation but with only
trivial results. They have been working
m the mound at Adena, the homestead
bf the Worthington family, the present
summer, but with no remarkable re-
turns.
Griffith Hixon, q farmer, of Rich
mond Dale, has a mound in the center
of a twelve acre field which has nevei
been disturbed until this summer. tits
about 40 feet high, and is $50 feet long
and $50 feet wide, being situated close
to the Scioto river.
A few days ago Mr.. Hixon and bis
son decided to investigate the mound
for themselves. Being quite inexper'
fenced. and not knowing that 1t Is best
to tunnel into a mound from the sides,
they began to dig downward from tbs
top. but the labor became so arduou'
that they concluded to relinquish 1t unit!
they could have tn. assistance OF more
experienced hands. This much they dis
covered: After having dug down two
feet they struck an arch Of stone. When
q portion of this was removed. another
layer, similar to the first one. was dis
closed. Mr.. Hixon believes that this II
the top of a cave, or building. 1t has o
perfectly flat surface, apparently OF con-
crete, highly polished. Below this con-
crete Mr.. Hixon discovered layer Of
eoapstone, but there he rested his IN
vestigations until they could be made II
properly scientific manner. He Is con-
fident that treasure or valuable relics OF
possibly historical records of some sort
engraved on stone are within. Although
considerable interest has been displayed
in that region. noticing further has yet
baen attempted.-Nsw York Tribune.