The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-07-25

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Nickerson has gathered a score Of
pieces of pottery with rude decora
lions, arrow heads, stone knives
and hatchets, avis, needles and Other
tools made. Of bone, stone spoons
and ''skimmers." The Indians
cooked their fowls by throwing
them into the water without pick
ing the feathers off or drawing the
entrails, but the boiling process
loosened the feathers and they soor
fioated on the surface, and the
'.skimmers," or large spoons, Nsev
eral inches in diameter, were uset
to skim the feathers off. Turtles
were also cooked in the same way
and the shell would be boiled off.
The bones of innnmerable animals
have been unearthed by Professor
Nickerson, including those of buf
falo, deer, wildcat, wolf and prob
ably dog, and also fish, The skulls
of two bears have also been found
in an excellent state of preservation
at depth of three feet. One was
little bear, the other large one
The bones of the bear are the only
ones found that were not cracked
for the marrow that they contained
and from this fact Professor Nicker
son draws the conclusion that per
haps the bear was the tribal totem
and therefore held in some respect
One of the FISH bones was as large
as those of salmon.
The SuppOSition that there may
have been dogs in the camp is base,
on the fact that the bones had beer
knawed, as it is not to be supposed
that wolves would have venturet
into so populous a camp or Village
as this one evidently was.
Were Good Workmen.
Whoever, the ancient inhabitant
were, they were evidently goot
workmen,. for their implements ant
tools were made with precision
and their pottery was hard and wa
used for cooking, being suspended
by things over fires, by means o
tripods. The ordinary way of heat
ing the water, however, was to frs
heat stone very hot and thel
place it into a vessel of water
One interesting implement found wa
a large bone hook, for use on tn
tripod in holding up the vessel 70
warming water.
While a small appropriation is be
ing expended in making the re
searches, Professor Winchell state
that the next Legislature ought t.
appropriate at least $4,000 for tn
purpose, so as to make a thorough
investigation of the ancient race
that inhabited this state long be
fore the Christian era and befor
even Egyptian history began. Pre-
fessor Nickerson states that simila
evidences of ancient habitation
have been discovered at Miami
Ohio. A3sigasHr' ts a71#s'
Site of Indian Village.
The site of the Indian village
on the farm Of William C. Jones
and it was not until two years ag
that it was suspected that Indian
had lived there Then, in cultivat
ing the soil, numerous arrow head
were found, and also some pieces Q
broken pottery. The fact came t
the attention of Thomas Hughes O
this city, who is known as the his
torian of Blue Earth county, and h
brought it to the attention of tn
state historical! society, and Pro
fessor WinchelI made some invest
cations last summer, which led t
his planning the more extende
work this summer. Professor Mel
erson will continue on the work ur
til Aug. l. when he will go to Man
! toba to do the same kind of wor
with the Canadian Geological surve,
1 The village is located in a spc
of historic interest, aside from wha
ever interest attaches to the al
Gent inhabitants 1t was there tina
! the Sioux Indians, during the GU
break of 1852, committed some {
their murders. In the little Jerus.
lem cemetery, nearby, lie the bone
of four murdered settlers, with n
| stone to mark their resting plac,
Close by was the camping place {
a company of troops. of which Cal
tain Clark Keysor of this city wa
| NJ oh
away are the remains of a for
and at Judson, eight miles ava,
can be seen the remains of a so
fort, where the settlers took refug,
Several miles west are large Ii
dian mounds, where the Indians ha
their burying place. Almost ever
section of land has some point {
interest connected with. the forme
inhabitants of the land.
Photographs Were Taken.
Photographs were taken Saturda
of the strata uncovered by Profe
sor Nickerson, and of some of tn
things that he has dug up. Thes
were taken by Professor Whedol
biologist of the state normal schoo
and, when developed, will prove yer
interesting. The others of the Maj
kato party who went, were M. /
Fritz, Thomas Hughes and E. /
Soaring, Mr.. Fritz taking the part.
A picnic party. in honor of the fou
teenth birthday of Evan Bowen, son
D. e. Bowen, was also encountered
In this party were Mrs. Evan
Davis, wife of County COMMISSIONS
] Davis. whose fine farm iS naar h,