The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1905-09-09
FOUND HUGE BONE.
Of Prehistoric Mammal-Extinet Be-
fore Mans Time-Laid Centur-
les Buried,

lUrE WIu llulS|Ldlu NSulul
les Buried,
A bone that, for the immensity
of its size is amazing to all who
have heard about it has been found
in the bank of the Willamette this
side of Ingram Island. 1t is sup
posed to be the hip bone of a masto
don or of mammoth and accord
ingly to have lain in its present hid
ing place some thousands of years.
1t is ponderous in its measurements
that the ordinary person is not pre-
pared to believe the description of
it until the great bone has been
actually seen. The socket into
which the immense thigh bone of
this prehistoric quadruped fitted, is
declared to be full two feet across,
and possibly few inches more than
two feet. At the widest part the
bone is six feet across. It's length
is ten feet. No estimate of its
weight was obtainable because
portion of the bone was still buried
in the river bank and could not be
seen. The size, of course, denotes
the beast of which it was once a
: part to have been an animal of pro-
digious proportions such an one
: probably that were he to stalk
abroad in the land these days would
clean out the hop yards or depopu.
late the towns with one glance at
his towering form or one snort from
5 his mighty shorter.
The bone was found by party
of men who were engaged in rafting
cord wood from Ingram's island to
Corvallis. The caving of the river
bank had uncovered several feet
of it. which caught the eye of
George Harrington. Its peculiar
r shape denoted that it might be a
bone, and he and companion in a
r boat rowed up to the spot and with
an axe Clipped out pieces of the
fibre. It turned out to be bone
structure in excellent state of pre-
servation, only the outer surface be-
ing discolored and slightly decayed
r with age. When the pieces had
been Clipped out and the chars cter
of the object discovered, Harring-
ton and his companion rejoined the
t rafting gang. expecting to return
to the spot later and remove their
find.
The spot where the find was made
. is what was until recently the dry
bed of the river. A long time ago
it had been the chief channel, but
r with the lapse of time the river had
passed into another channel, which
a has now become the main river
g Last winter there was consider
able wash at the spot where tie
/, bone has rested so long. and the
bank has repeatedly caved into the
r deep water below. The point where
| the bone rested. was twelve feet be-
: low the surface. The soil is heavy
clay. The indications are such
:. that George Harrington believes
n the other bones of the great ami
NAL are buried at the same spot.
, The direction in which the big hip
bone rested would seem to indicate
r that the bones OF the forward por-
ton of the body and the head yet
It remain in the bank beyond where
the other bone rested. 1t is the
r purpose of Mr.. Harrington to re-
d turn to the spot and make excava
tions, which can be easily done by
reason Of the deep wafer just off the
2 bank. If the other bones of the
huge skeleton could be unearthed,
I. the find would take on an extremely
d interesting character. Even with
out them, the prodigious size O.
l. the present bone makes an obiec
of sufficient interest that everybody
ID would like to see it.
h An incident in connection with
the find is that the bone has beer
2 suTreptitiously removed, and it.
present whereabouts are not know1
v After making the discovery, Har
rington told of it to several persons
|. The cook for the party was among
IN those who listened to the tale. He
resigned before the raft of core
er wood reached Corvallis, and return
ed up the river. He told a mai
l. with whom he rode about the bone
n and that he was going to dig it out
It has since been digged out, bu
Id whether it was done by the cook o
S. by someone else, is not known
~ An investigation is to be made BY
It, the finders. The future develop
ments especially if there are furthe
rs excavations. will be watched wit
r. much interest.
E. At one time mammoths and mas
v todons existed in abundance al
Id over the earth Roth were of th