The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-09-03
ONO MOUNDS AND THE BUILDERS



ArehaeoIogists Awaiting Investigations
On the Hixon Farm with Interest.
Many discoveries of prehistoric re-
mains have been made in Southern Ohm
from time to time. and especially in the
last fifteen years, out it is thought thai
one which has just been unearthed a:
Richmond Dale, near Chillicothe, in the
county of Ross, will throw more ligh.
upon the past of the mysterious mound
builders thar any previous one. Tha;
region has always been known to
abound in archaeological material All
up and down the picturesque Sciotl
Valley may be seen the mounds, now
covered with forest growth, and the
remains Of earthworks and fortifcations
/ The city Of Clrcleville was so named ON
account OF a remarkably exact prehis-
toric 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
Horks since the Investigations Of Squier
and Davis early in the last century, ac-
live scientific research upon the most
remarkable of them was repeated few
years ago by Warren X. Morehead and
corps of eminent srchaeologists. which
included the late DR.. Cresson. Whils
many of these eartngorks have been
ploughed over until almost obliterated,
the undisturbed mounds are tempting to
explorers.
The most important mound opened by
Mr.. Morehead, under the auspices of the
Bureau of Ethnology Of the Peabody In
stitute, was the "e6lgy" mound on the
Hopewell farm, in Ross county. Here
was exhumed the figure of ruler oil
some forgotten race, his mouths stuffed
With pearls and his bones laid out on
overlapping sheets Of copper "a mineral
alien to that locality, and with many
valuable relics near at hand.
Naturally, this ind" aroused grea:
interest throughout the region, and
much censure was expressed toward the
local and state archaeological societies
for having permitted such important
relics 10 be removed to Eastern muse
ums.
In every recent summer therefore
Curator Mills Of the Ohio Archaeological
Society and his assistants have pushed
their Investigations, but with only
trivial results. Tn ay have been working
on the mound al Adena, the homestead
Of the worthington family. the present
GUNNER, but with no remarkable re-
turns
Griffith Hixon, farmer. Of Rich
mond Dale, has a mound in the center
Of twelve acre field which has nevef
been disturbed until this summer. It is
about 40 feet high, and is $50 feet long
and 25O feet wide. being sllsted close
to the Scioto river.
A few days ago Mr.. Hlxon and his
son decided to investigate the mound
for themselves. Beng quite inexper-
fenced, and not knowing that It Is besg
to tunnel into a mound from the sides.
they began to dig downward from tbs
top, but the labor became so arduou5
that they concluded to relinquish it until
they could have the assistance Of more
experienced hands. This much they dis
covered After having dug down two
feet they struck An erch of stone When
? portion OF this was removed, another
layer similar to the first one. was dis
closed. Mr.. Hixon believes that this is
the top Of a cave, or building. It has
perfectly fiat surface, apparently of con.
crete. highly polished. Below this con
crete Mr.. Hixon discovered layer Of
soapstone. but there he rested his in
vestigations until they could be made in
a 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, nothing further has yet
been attempied.-Nsw York Tribune