The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-19
1t Is Found Written Only in
Stones and Ruins.
RECENT DISCOVERIES.
Interesting Revelations of Arch.
aeoIogists in Wilson County.
Valuable and Mysterious Relics
Received by Hi torical Society.

| Kansas is attracting more and more
attention from the archaeologists. who
have discovered relics of their habita-
lions and have drawn conclusions as
to the time and manner of their exist
ence. In numerous Localities in the state
abundant remains of habitations have
been found from time to time since
the earliest settlement by white men.
The opinion held by many Kansas eth
biologists, ard that supported by the
national bureau of ethnology. is that
the people who left these relics We're
members of a prehistoric race pos
sessed of a degree of civilization con-
siderably greater than that maintaining
among the Indians found as natives
by the white men who invaded this
territory within the last one hundred
years.
Mound builders they were not, literal
ly speaking. But that they were of the
same blood and of approximately the
same period and were enlightened to an
equal extent in the arts of living and
trading with the mysterious peoples
who raised the enormous earth mounds
of the states east of the Mississippi
river, is the theory gradually becoming
accepted concerning them. Perhaps
the most extensive Investigations and
collections of their relics have been
made by w. E. Richey, of Haryeyv1lle,
Kas. Through his efforts many very
valuable specimens have been placed in
the collections of the Kansas State
Historical society, where they are
arranged on exhibition for public in
SpectiOn. One hundred or more new
pieces of relics were placed in the
hands of the society on Friday. and
will soon be on display. This collection
represents his investigative work upon
the site of a southern Kansas village
which has h6rGfnfnrn h1If little
known
The village is two and a half miles
north of the town of Neodesha in Will
son county, and on the banks of the
Verdegris river. There are two distinct
features of the settlement one of them
being the remains of what is presumed
to be fort. Mr.. Richey believes this
fort to have been constructed by white
men. Within it's enclosure was found
IL steel axe. but the axe is small ana
bevelled upon only one side. that proves
it to be of very ancient make. 1t was
not such an axe as would have been
left by any adventurer within period
of more than one hundred years. 1T
appears to have been made of the best
of steel. and although incrusted with
rust, has a clear, bell like ring that
shows it's perfect temper The only 9TH
er relic of white mems presence, and
it may have been left by Indians, is a
fragment of the brass butt-plate of
gun. This is too small to give any clue.
to the period when the gun may have
| been made.
The Indian remains are scattered
about the fort over tract of 80 or more
acres. Mr.. Richey believes them to be
| of an earlier date than the fort. But
there is no tradition among the Oldest
settlers of the Verdegris from the
lips of any of the Indians who formerly
occupied the valley regarding the re-
mains. No reference to it is made in
any writings of early missionaries or
foreign explorers. Those who knew The
village in the earliest day had no eX-
PLANTATION or theory of its origin 1t mas
been a subject of mostly among the
farmers in the region for so years and
from time to time relics picked up upon
the village site have been preserved by
them. Many of these have been as
sembled by Mr. Richey and are now at
the state house. During several years
past numerous inquiries have been sent
by residents of Neodesha and the vicin-
ity to the State Historical society Tor
an explanation of the village remains.
Mr. Richey has conducted the researches
entirely upon his own responsibility.
One of the best written descriptions
of the fort is that found in a letter writ
ten in inquiry about the village by KEY.
NJ E. Fraser, pastor of the. Methodist
church of Neodesha to Secretary G. w.
Martin Of the Kansas Historical society.
He says:
THAT which is now the most promi-
nent-Of the village r6ma1nS-1S an EN-
/ bankment about two feet high and
twelve feet wide, in the form of a horse
shoe, or nearly so. Immediately within
/ the enlbankment is a ditch where it has
not been filled, about three feet deep;
| Cultiva ton and time have obliterated
para of the embankment and ditch.
From the heel to the toe of the horse
| shoe it is about 128 yards, while ii is
148 yards across at the widest part
These remains are to be found on the
northwest quarter of the northeast
quarter, section s, township so, range 10,
| east and on the southwest quarter of
| the southeast quarter OF section D, IN
| the same township. The toe of the shoe
is toward the west and the heel toward
the east. In the center of the shoe is
mound about Is yards in diameter and
now raised about one foot above the
surrounding level About a quarter of a
/ mile from this shoe. to the southeast,
was formerly another shoe of smaller
size with the toe pointing toward the
1 larger shoe, but cultivation has now
removed all trace of it."
This fort and village is on what is
known as the G. w. ArgO farm. Last
May Mr.. Richey. who has Investigated
many other Indian villages in Kansas,
examined the Verdigris remains In
letter written to Secretary Martin Mr..
Richey said of his discoveries:
The lodge sites occupy considerable
area and the village was an important.
one. Its occupants must have been
known for long distances as 1 have
found f1ints of many colors. which evil
IDENTIFY could not Fave been found in that
region, none similar being known there.
There seems to have been no other vii
lage of equal Importance in that whole
section of country. -. There seems
to be no clue or tradition as regards the
village or fertilization. / am inclined
to think the fertilization is more recent
than the village and probably the work
of white men. / have secured a lot of
rubbing stones, flint arrow points, flint
chips, bones, shells. several Ditted
stones and two large record stones.
They are interesting: especially the pit
ted stones and record stones. I do NOT
know of any pitted stones having been
found in Kansas before. They are founa
in the territory of the mound builders"
rIvlesa -.olia have haaIl il, r,assessi1.la