New-York tribune., 1901-07-29
OHIO MOUNDS AND THE BUILDERS.
ARCHTOLOGISTS AWAITING INVESTTGA-
TIONS ON THE HIXON FARM
WITH INTEREST.

Many discoveries of prehistoric remains have
been made in Southern Ohio from time to time
and especially in the last fifteen years. but II Is
thought that which has lust been unearthed
at Richmond Dale near Chilllcothe In the county
of Ross will throw more light upon the past OF
the mysterious mound builders than any previous
That region has always been known to
abound in archaeological material All up and
down the picturesque Scio,o Valley may be seen
the mounds. covered with forest growth,
and the remains Of earthwurks and fortihcatons.
The city OF Circeville named on account
Of q remarkably exact prehistoric circle of earth,
now obnterated which occupied the present site
OF the town.
Although much interest and curiosity have al
ways been felt In these earthwOrks since the in
vcstigatons Of Squie~ and Davis early In the last
century. active scientific research upon the most
remarkable of them repeated few years ago
by Warren X Morehead and corps of eminent
archnoogists. which included the late Dr. Cres-
SON While many OF these earthworks have been
poughed until almost ohiterated. the un-
disturbed mounds are tempting 10 explorers;
The most important mound opened py MI. More
head, under the auspices OF the Bureau of Eth
nolosy of the Peabody Institute. was the ~etngy
Here was eXhumed the figure Of a ruler of some
forgotten race. his mouth stuffed with pearls and
per "a mineral allen to that locality. and with
m{ Sa{uyg hs LeGS hd near onsad ar great
that region & and mSsh was
cal societies h @ for nayns Pernlted such Important
Mills OF the Ohio Archaeological Society and
his assistants have pushed their investiga ttons,
but with only trivial results They have been
working the mound at Adena. the homestead
of the Worthington family, the present summer.
but with no remarkable returns:
Griffith HIxon, farmer, of Richmond Dale,
has a mound In the centre OF a twelve field
mer is about 40 feet high. and is $50 feet
long and $50 feet wide being situated close the
Scioto River.
or especial interest. however, is the fact that
the ruins of old fort adjacent to this
mound. Mr.. Hixon has been impressed with
the historical value of these remains that he has
frequently written to eminent archpoloSiSts about
them, hoping that they would push Investigations
A part of this fort, which is round in shape can
and must have covered three-quarters of acre.
A few days ago Mr.. HiXon and his decided
to Investigate the mound for themselves. Being
quite inexperienced, and not knowing that II Is
best to tunnel into mound from the sides, they
began TO dig downward from the top. but the
labor became so arduous that they concluded TO
relnquish II until they could have the assistance
of more experienced hands This much they dis
covered: After having dug down feet they
was removed, another laver. similar the first
one. disclosed. Mr.. HiXon believes that this
is the top of cave. building 1t has a per-
fectly fiat surface apparently of concrete. highly
polished Below this concrete Mr.. HiXon dis
covered layer of soapstone but there he rested
his investiga atiOnS until they could be made in a
properly scientific manner. He is confident that
treasure valuable relies possibly historical
records of sort engraved are
within. Although considerable interest has been
displayed in that region. nothing further has yet
oft nta1