Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-09-09
REPORTED AMERICAN RELIC.

Speaking OF ancient man in America.
the Portland Oregonian observes that
"as to the inhabitants OF those early
times. little Is likely to be proved OF
them contrary to the general theory
that they originally came mere afoot
from Europe or Asia when Behrlng Sea
and the North Atlantic were dry land.
not later than 5000 to 5000 years ago,
and that from them all the peoples OF
the New World In 1892 had descended,
under widely differing conditions of de-
vclopment, with the sol exception OF
the Esquimaux, who are modern
branch Of the ancient Cave Men OF
Europe
The comment is called forth by the
story OF the find Of some interesting
relics. under a big cedar tree on Deep
Creek, near the mouth Of the Columbia
river The relic Is in the shape CT a
bit OF a stonewall, which the finder
thinks was built by the people OF the
stone age The story as given in the
Oregonlan Is.
"The discoyerer Of this interesting
relic Of prehistoric ages IS Hans Mel
son. foreman Of a gang OF loggers. ana
a man OF some education. Mr.. Nelson
states that be was experimenting the
cutting OF grove OF the largest cedar
trees he has ever seen. Just as one was
topping, q gust Of wind sweryed IL
from It's course, and IL fell against an
other equally as large, which stood
some 20 or 80 feet from the creek, the
bank OF which was a mass Of fibrOus
roots Of the huge tree, carrying Il over.
Fortunately. both trees escaped serious
injury.
'The tree torn UP took into the air In
its roots earth enough for n city build
ing lot, and left fairly level area sew
eral feet below the surface OF the
ground exposed Here In where Mr..
Nelson found his wonderful relic. On
walking around TO examine the excaya-
tlon made by the torn-up tree. he was
astonshed to see several stones appar-
emily cut, about eight inches In thick
ness, two feet long and foot wide,
entangled among the roots OF the tree.
and row OF the same kind exposed
at the bottom OF the excavation. The
two rows had evidently formed part OF
a wall and must have been in position
there before the tree had started.
''Nieson says the huge cedar is GER
tainly over 500 years old, and may have
been big enough for walking cane
when Columbus was engaged In discov-
ering this country. He at once con-
cluded that the wall was a relic of the
Stone Age. and commenced 10 examine
the stones and TO search about for other
relics. He found that, according to the
best Of HE Judgment, the stones had
not been cut, but had been skllfully
broken from layers Of rock,
ION digging and scratching about. he
found traces OF fire, and II thin stone
about q foot long and five Inches vide,
one edge thinner than the other, which
he concluded may have been used as a
sort OF cleaver for cutting meat, scrap
ing skins, or some such purpose. He
also found piece OF flint or obsidlan
which, from the size and shape, he be-
lieves to have been knife, and says
that one edge Of It is still quite sharp"
Anything pertaining to the history OF
the American continent is OF general IN
terest. II IL quite possible that the
stone wall found under the tree Is not
as old as supposed by the finder. still
II must be OF considerable antiquity
and therefore Of interest, The place
should be thoroughly Investigated by
men OF science and not left to the hands
of amateurs.