Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1908-05-14
Curious Mound is to be Torn Away.

Ieneu, IL may not De SeneraIIy kno"n
that it has long been source of curl
osity and wonder to visitors to the
Ohio Valley, and from it the town OBJ
tanned it's name. The mound is one
of the largest In the country and is
covered with growth Of big trees.
and it was known to the old Spanish
explorers who travsrIsd the valley
prior to the advent of the English set
tiers and the Indians told of it in their
traditions, but knew nothing of its
origin.
There are several examples Of the
moundbuilders' art in the Ohio Val
ley, but none so large and perfect as
the MoundsVille mound. It's base is
a perfect circle, while it slants grad.
ually to an apex, and back in 1905
was measured by George Miller, who
announced that it was 67A feet high.
A Mr.. Harris, minister from Bos-
ton, in Ill health, travelling, stopped
at the village nearby, which was then
known as Tomlinson. In the course
of his writings, he referred to the
mound as follows: ats sides are steep
but the apex seems to have cGVed in,
for the present summit forms a basin
three or four feet in depth. 1t is
overgrown with large trees on all
sides. Near the top is white oak Of
three feet in diameter, one still larger
grows on the eastern side about half
way down. The mound sounds hollow
and as there were not excavations near
the mound and no hill or bank Of
earth, we inferred it must have been
formed principally Of sod skinned
from the surface of the earth or earth
brought from great distance.
The object Of the mound has never
been explained, some referring to it
as burying place for the dead, 9TH
ers as religious works, while in other
instances it seems to have been with
an idea of fortifcation. The Mounds
vile mound gives no indications at
present of its being planned as a work
Of fortifcation, it standing out on the
Grave Greek fats away from the hill
and not surrounded by ditch as
some of the mounds of the West show.
A number of years ago, and since the
writings Of the Rev. Mr.. Harris, the
mound was opened upsnd later closed.
A number Of skeletons, some odd pot.
.ery and numerous human bones were
found. 1t is anticipated that when
The big mound is finally torn down
much will be found in the way OF
weapons, implements, ornaments and
other relics Of the mound builders that
nav prove valuable in tracing the
.ost race.
originally at MoundSville there
we're nine mounds within a space Of
few miles. All have now disappeared
save the one big mound. The smaller
mounds were opened in the early part
of 1900, and their location is now
doubtful to the present generation.
Colonel Ben Diggs, who resided near
the present site of MOundSVille, at
that time had one of the smaller
mounds in HE garden, and it was sI-
csyated in order to make An ice- house.
1t contained vast number Of human
bones, a variety Of stone tools, kind
of stone signst Of an oval shape two
inches in length, with figure in re.
lief and surrounded by two raised
rims. This singular stone was sent
to collection in Boston, and is claim
ed to have resembled in shape brands
that are found on SONS Mexican
horses.
The big mound stands today prac-
tically as it stood century ago, save
some of the lofty trees have fallen and
are decaYiug on its side, and a new
growth is taking the place of the fallen
monarchs who sat upon it for scores
of years. The mound when first dis
covered was heavily wooded and prob
ably outdates any WORK OF man IN
this section Of the country.
What treasures the leveling Of the
historic relic will bring forth is mat.
ter that will interest not only Mounds
vile but many prominent students,
and it is expected that several gov
srnmsnt scientists will be on hand to
watch the progress of the work and to
examine finds.
Several years ago a fund Of 800
was raised to save the mound. 1t
was placed in the hands of the su-
perintendsnt of free schools to invest
and il has been drawing interest. 1t