The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-29
PROF. COULD
ON SKELETONS
In Missouri Cave Five Human
Remains Found.
AGE POINT IN DISPUTE
Were Bones Buried Hundreds
or Thousands of Years.

Norman, o. T, Nov. 2S.--Last May some
eastern archaeologists learned of the ex-
istence of a cave in southern Missouri
in which were found some human skele-
tons supposed to be of great age. They
set to work to excavate the remains and
in order that no doubt might arise re-
garding the authenticity of the discovery,
they sent for number of scientific men
in various parts of the country to be
present and assist in the work. Professor
Holmes, head of the Bureau of Ethnology
at Washington, Professor Putnam of Har-
ward, Professor Chamberlain of Chicago
and Professor Gould of the Oklahoma uni
versity were invited TO be present.
several weeks were spent in digging out
the cave and a number of very interest
1nE objects came to light, including five
human skeletons. The great and per-
haps only point of contention was as to
the age of the skeletons. 1t was not pos
sible to determine with certainty whether
the bones had been buried few hundred
or several thousand years.
A number of articles appeared in yari-
Gus papers regarding this discovery Most
drawn, originating mainly in the imagin-
alton Of some reportorial space filler. The
only authentic account or the matter so
FAR published appeared in Science, and
waA written by Professor Gould shortly
after his return from the cave. The arti-
Gle was as follows:
NOTES ON THE EVIDENCE OF HU-
MAN REMAINS FROM JACOBS
CAVERN.
BY the courtesy of DR. Francis Peabody,
director of the department of archaeology,
Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass, and
of Professor Warren X. Moorehead, cura-
tor of this department, the writer was
permitted during the month of May, 1903,
to examine and assist in excavating
cave in southwest Missouri, in which were
found numerous evidences of human &C.
supancy. The cave is located on the NORTH
bluff of Little Sugar creek. Donald coun-
ty, four miles from the Arkansas line
and fourteen miles east of the Indian
Territory line In honor of the discov
erer. Mr. L. H Jacobs. an enthusiastic
archaeologist of Bentonville, Ark. the
cave has been named Jacobs cavern. To
each of these gentlemen are due my sin
cere thanks for many kindnesses extend
ed during weeks visit to their camp.
The hills along Sugar creek are COM
posed of massive lodges of limestone con-
tanning a large amount of flint and ebert.
In the form either Of regular layers or of
nodular connections. To this formation
the name Boone ebert has been applied
by biologists. 1t is the rock that out
crops extensively in the southwest of
Missouri. the northeastern part of the In
dian Territory and northern Arkansas In
the lower part of the Boone, flint is often
absent and the rocks consist of massive
gray limestone arranged in definite lay
ers
To this part of the formation the name
ST. Joe limestone has been applied. The
st. Joe is sometimes sixty feet or more
thick. and often weathers into cnarac-
feristic precipitous or overhanging bluffs
Extending for miles along the streams
Immediately beneath the St Joe lime
etone is a mass of shales sometimes at
Gaining thickness of fifty feet. known
as the Eureka shales. These shales are
usually black and papyraceous, weather
ang into thin flakes or tablets. Through
out the region thousands of springs issue
krom between the Eureka and the st. Joe.
Jacobs tavern is located in the st. Joe
limestone some forty feet above the level
OF Little Sugar creek. The cave contin-
Oes 10 the height of one hundred and
nifty feet or more. the upper part being
composed of Boone ebert.
The cave is in fact. but a rock shelter,
irregularly V-shaped* in outline. with
Hoor. walls and roof of limestone The
Dat top is composed of a single stratum
OF limestone, and strauncation lines are
We'll exhibited on the sides OF the cave.
Along the front the entire length of the
rock shelter is approximately seventy
set: the extreme depth is fifty feet. Be
fore removing any of the contents the
height was four 10 seven feet The floor
was covered. however. by two deposits.
one OF clay. and one of ashes. agggregat-
ing six feet thick. so that the distance
from the limestone floor TO the limestone
roof is approximately twelve feet.
The rock floor was covered TO the depth
OF three feet with clay. usually yellow
tsh brown in color. containing numerous
fragments of limestone. This clay was
probably formed by the distintegration Of
the limestone and so far as noticed has
never been disturbed. on the clay was a
layer OF wood ashes averaging three feet
In thickness. Throughout the greater part
OF the cave these ashes were so loose and
dry that the men engaged in removing
theme were obliged TO use spongeS in or
DER to avoid breaking the ashes In fact
several of the men We're unable TO con-
tinue the work in this account Min
gled with the ashes and sometimes .ex-
Vending into the subjacent clay were slao s
and blocks of limestone fallen from the
roof
At the back OF the cave there is a fis-
sure extending upward to the rear wall
This issure. which is probably mas
ter Joint in the limestone is from e;sh-
teen inches to three feet wide and con-
tinues for some distance beyond the main
part Of the cave. where II divides into a
lower and an upper part separated by a
block OF limestone
long this fisSure ard also along part OF
the back of the cave beyond the point
where the fissure extends. there are num-
erous stalactetes. stalagmites and pilsS-
tiers formed by water dripping from the
ROOF. In place the entire assure above the
level Of the roof is filed with this ma
terial The continued dripping of water
carrying cacO. on the ashes covering the
Goor Of the cave has formed 3 sort OF stall
agmitic ash breccia often enclosing flint
fakes. implements ana nones. In these
stalagmites charcoal is often present
That this ash breccia WAS formed gradu-
ally and after the deposition of-the ashes
Il proved by the peculiar tosdstool-like
shape OF some Of the pillars. II seems.
Srnun The sham. ~ the ash.s .hat xera