Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1922-10-06
WORKMEN UNCOVER
THREE SKELETONS
Found on Vernon Street on Can
ming Factory Site.
Not Far from River Bank and May Date
Back to Old Fort Dummer Settlement
Causing Some Speculation.

Causing Some Speculation.
Have we stumbled upon an ancient
burying-ground that was used 1913 years
ago when old Fort Dummer was com
pleted by the early pioneers who settled
in this vicinity? Have we come upon
the resting place of scattered few of
an Indian tribe which once roamed over
the valley? Or have we uncovered
private cemetery used in the early days
of the town, or place of concealment
for some dark deed done in former days
when someone mysteriOusly disappeared
and never was heard from again?
These are some of the questions that
are now being asked since the discovery
of three human skeletons in that locality
this week.
The skeleton OF human body was
unearthed about 8 o'clock Monday morn
ing on the site of the old Snowflake
canning factory on Vernon street by
Warren May, an employe Of the Pres
brey-Leland company, which is starting
the foundation work for its new granite
cutting plant here. The skeleton was
found about 80 feet from the rivers
edge and about one foot under the sur
face. 1t was lying on its right side
with the knees drawn up.
Nothing was found but the bones and
from its appearance the skeleton had
probably been buried over 80 years. The
teeth were remarkably well preserved
but the rest was so badly decomposed
that there was nothing that would assist
in an Identification.
Selectman w. e. Stellman and Officer
w. r. Tyler went down to the site that
morning at 10 O'Clock and looked at
the bones, which had been placed in a
box. States Attorney Harold f. Whit
| ney also was present. The box was
taken to the Stellman machine shop,
| for further examination.
On Tuesday afternoon second hui
man skeleton was found on the site of the
| Snowflake canning factory which is now
| almost RACED. A workman employed by
the Presbrcy Leland Co. was digging n
hole for part of the foundation for the
new granite plant when he uncovered a
| child's skeleton which was lying between
| s and 10 feet away from the spot where
the skeleton of an adult was found last
Monday morning. The bones were found
about one foot under the surface and
the same distance from the rivers edge
as was the skeleton found last Monday,
] which was about 30 feet The bones un-
earthed Tuesday were those of child
probably 10 years old. The bones were
more decomposed than was the skeleton
found Monday, the teeth We're all gone
and the skull was broken in severa
pieces. 1t was imp ssible to tell in .wba
position the skeleton lay. as the bonti
had been distTbedf BY the. Y0rkman'
SnOypl.s
notified On the discovery by tie sxhS.li al
the site, and the bones were picked VI
and placed in the Office there, and nex'
morning they were brought to Selectmar
Stellman's machine shop.
, The skeleton found Monday was ex
amined Wednesday by Health Officer
Chester S. Leach who said it was impos
sible to tell how long it had been in the
: ground. but thought it must have beer
buried Mt least 30 years Differen,
grades of soil have different powers OF
preservation. which fact renders de-
cision in the case more difficult. Or
, Leach said the bones were those or
, full grown man, but whether white mar
or Indian it was impossible to say.
A third skeleton was found by work
, men Yesterday afternoon. much more dls
, integrated than either of the two others
rrhe bones were in many pieces. but th'
law bone indicated that it was that OF
child. 1t was but few feet from wher'
the others were found but was two Zee
The place where the skeletons la!
is hut a few hundred yards from the sit
T of old Fort Dummer. the first permanen
t white settlement in Vermont.