Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-29

Washington, Oct. 26.-The recent
discovery, in the course OF an excava-
! ton for a new building, of the remains
of what the United States Geological
| Survey declares was a prehistoric for
est beneath the city of Washington, has
turned interest toward what lies be-
meath the ground on which the national
capital is built. Consideration of this
fascinating subject reveals that under
! ground Washington is equal in interest
| to that domain recently called Behind
the Mirrors of Washington"
The prehistoric forest was discovered
| while the steam shovels were making a
deep excavation for d new hotel. Inc
remains were uncovered at q depth OF
I25 feet. and the experts OF the Geo
logical Survey declare that the suotef-
ranean discovery is anywhere from ~
600 tn 10000 years old and eontem-
| porary with the earliest human life Oh
| the North American continent.
The remains of the prehistoric trees
indicate that they grew IN one OF the
vast swarnps in the murky dampness
| Of which the life which the researches
of investigators have described. devei-
| oped. Great winged ~pterodactyIs flew
| over this region and the dinosaur here
| sought his food. It was an age of vast
physical proportions. The tree stumps
| found show that the trees We're . or
| 10 feet in diameter. These trees were
more like the modern cypress than any
| thing else.
Chester X. Wentworth. one of the
| Geological Survey experts who exam,
ined the remains. traces the action Of
the Great Ice Age on the prehistoric
swamp and finds many other indications
of geologic history of the utmost value
to biologists.
To find prehistoric suryivals be.
meath Washington is exceptional, ane
is only an evidence of the story Of
what lies beneath the national capital
Curiously enough, at the same time
the excavations revealed this find
one of equal interest though in Il diff
ferent field. was discovered at the
capitol. Underground Washington be-
longs both to an historic period and
to a prehistoric age.
For a century there have been fugi-
tive legends of the secret passages ano
concealed apartments of the old Capt.
toll building. The other day a piece
of masonry at the Capitol became dis
lodged and showed an opening, wholly
unsuspected by the superintendent and
other f~unctionaries of the Capitol. A
small block of masonry dropped from
its place and disappeared. According
to all reasonable calculations. the stone
should have fallen into a known pas
sage. 1t did not, but crashed through
the ceiling of a room on a lower
floor. To do so it must have fallen
through a shaft the existence of which
had not been known. The accident
has started Investigations which are
now in progress and which are expect
ed To. reveal a few of the structural
| secrets of the building.
The Capitol is a vast structure, por.
tons of which have been constructed
at different periods, It Will be re-
called by every %sehoolboy that the
British burned the old Capitol III the
War of 1872. A new building was
reared on the old foundations. These
were extended and utilized and the new
mingled with the old n such q way
that no plans exist which show the en-
tire scope of the masonry.
Buried Treasure, of Course
DIR. William Thornton, the architect
of the part of the capitol built follow,
ing The fire, was a builder Of the old
school and doubtless followed old Eng
lish traditions which leaned strongly
to the idea of secret passages and
apartments. There has long been 8
legend that somewhere beneath the
great terrace on the west side of the
capitol. there is a secret chamber
which contains treasure secreted there
when the British were marching or
Washington and never recovered be
cause the men who had arranged the
hiding Of it alone knew how to fine
the place.
Any person who viii go into the crypt
I'D cellars of the capitol or even il
what is known as the old library space
which is the most ancient part of tht
capitol. will readily understand how il
is possible for the massive walls tx
contain hidden passageways and stair
cases. The known corridors take sur
prising twistings and turnings aud there
are whole sections of masonry. large