The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-12-11

having been constructed in remote
antiquity. This platform as far as
can be ascertained, is about sixty
feet in width, and one hundred and
twenty in length; when first discov-
cred it was entirely covered with
earth; it was not until the superia-
cent earth had been cultivated for
some time with the plough, that it
was found. 1t is near a small branch
at the foot of a small hill on it's
eastern declivity. 1t commences a
few feet from the branch, and runs
horizontally into the hill, its longi-
tude is nearly north and south,
parallel with the branch; it's west
ern side, or that one next to the hill,
IS covered two or three feet deep
with soil on which there grew pines
and oaks from two to two half feet
in thickness, which will show it to
be OF great age; the eastern part of
it near the branch, where it was
first exposed, was covered only a
few inches with soil. 1t consists
of single layer of hewn rock-the
first courses of rock next to the
branch, are eight feet in length, as
are all the rest about two or two
and half in breadth, and about
four or five inches in thickness; at
one OF the corners there appears to
have been deficiency in one of the
rocks, which is neatly supplied
with piece of the same thickness
as the rest; of a wedge-like shape
accurately and tightly fitted in.
The remaining rows or courses of
rock are of the same length and
thickness precisely, but differ from
the first course in being about four
feet in breadth. All of the balance
OF the courses are, as could be as
certained, of precisely the same
size, in slabs of rock about eight
feet long, four feet wide, and four
or five inches thick, smoothly pol
ished on their upper surfaces, their
edges likewise polished in the same
manner, and neatly adjusted and
cemented together, and all SO ar
ranged that the joints of every al
ternate row or course are made to
break the other, or meet at the mid
die of the opposite slab, just as we
see in brick buildings. The under
surface of the rock is not so smooth
as the upper, and rests on a sandy
soil different from that above; with
in a few feet of this platform in the
bottom of the branch, is a we'll
which is now nearly filled up, and
in the winter overlooked with
water. The first settlers say this
we'll was few years ago several
feet deep, although then partly
filled up, and that is neatly walled
up, with small rock of the same
kind, apparently, as those of which
the platform is composed. This
singular structure has as yet been
but imperfectly examined, and but
a small portion of it barred from the
superjacent earth. The neighbors
have dug out several of them for
hearth stones, etc. That it is arti-
fetal is very certain, from the uni
form size and structure, or form of
| the rocks, the manner in which
they are laid and jointed together,
their forming a horizontal floor of a
single course, and, it may be ad-
ded, from the fact that they are in
a pine country, and that there are
no rocks of any kind to be found
within mile and a half Of the
place, except those in the we'll, and
a few small pieces close by, which
resemble in appearance chips from
the large blocks. The proprietor
of the,soil saysA4that about a mile
and a half distant there is, on a
small hill, qualify of rock of the
same texture, in rough state, and
that there are in the side of the hill,
many old pits from which he be-
lieves they were taken out and car
ried to the place. That the struc-
ture is of great antiquity may be in
fered from its being covered over
with trees which must have been
growing nearly century-whether
the we'll is connected in any man.
ner with the platform, is as unncer-
tain as what either could have been
i intended for, and by whom made. 1t
is to be hoped that the curiosity of
some of our citizens will lead to the
exposure and examination of this
| singular structure, and that it will
be kept in an entire state of pre-
Servation.
SULPHER SPRINGs.-There are
in the eastern part of Rankin
county. several mineral springs,
principally sulpher and chalybeate.
In township six, range four, a
SnrinU of Sulphar water has hppp