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diff --git a/6869.txt b/6869.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c0a8ed7 --- /dev/null +++ b/6869.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2286 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The American Goliah, by Anon. + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The American Goliah + +Author: Anon. + +Release Date: November, 2004 [EBook #6869] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on February 2, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE AMERICAN GOLIAH *** + + + + +[Gutenberg Etext proofed by M.R.J.] + +THE AMERICAN GOLIAH +A Wonderful Geological Discovery + +A PETRIFIED GIANT +Ten And One-Half Feet High Discovered +In Onondaga County, N.Y. + +[[Wood Cut Here]] + +History of the discovery on October 16, 1869, of an image of stone, +the same being a perfectly formed and well developed man, descriptions +of the petrification, with the opinions of scientific men thereon. + +(Entered according to Act of Congress, A.D., 1869, by Redington +& Howe, in the Clerk's Office of the Northern District of N.Y. + + +SPECIAL NOTICE + +This pamphlet is the only authorized account of the discovery of +the great wonder and the latest facts regarding management; and +is the only publication furnished by the owners of the Giant with +immediate and authentic information of any examinations, experiments +or new developments regarding it. Such new facts will be immediately +added to this pamphlet, together with such scientific opinions as +may be of interest or value to the public. + +The statements herein contained have been taken from the lips of +living witnesses on the ground where the events transpired, +(excepting where reports are credited to other sources,) and +can be depended upon as reliable. + +This publication will be found valuable for preservation, as it +records perhaps the most important scientific discovery of this +century. Certainly the wonder is something that in the whole +history of this country has never been exceeded, even if ever equaled. + +This pamphlet combines all the important facts as narrated by the +newspaper press, in addition to whatever others may occur, placing +them in a convenient form for permanent preservation. Cuts are +being prepared, illustrating, the various points of interest. + +The Trade supplied by Redington & Howe, on liberal terms, to whom +all orders (either wholesale or retail) should be addressed. + + + + +WONDERFUL SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. +A GIANT OF STONE, 10 1-2 FEET HIGH, EXHUMED IN ONONDAGA COUNTY, N.Y. + + +On Saturday forenoon, Oct. 16th, 1869, William C. Newell, a farmer +residing near the village of Cardiff, in the town of Lafayette, +County of Onondaga, commenced to dig a well near his barn. Two +workmen were employed, Gideon Emmons and Henry Nichols; Mr. Newell +being engaged meanwhile in drawing stone with which to line the well. +At the depth of about three feet one of the workmen struck a stone, +as he at first supposed. A moment later he thought it a water lime +pipe, and asked for an ax with which to break it. Before the ax +arrived the foot was partially uncovered, with the exclamation, +"I declare, some old Indian has been buried here!" Farther +excavation disclosed the entire foot, and a part of the leg. One +of the workmen, seeing the direction in which the body lay, dug +down just above where he thought the head might be, and his shovel +struck the nose. The face and head were soon uncovered, and in a +short time the entire figure exposed to view. There then appeared +to the few assembled spectators the colossal, well-proportioned +form of a human being of the following remarkable + + +DIMENSIONS. + +From top of head to instep of sole, ten feet three inches. If +standing in a perfectly upright position, the height would be ten +feet, seven or eight inches. + +Length of head from chin to top of head, twenty-one inches. + +Nose, from brow to tip, six inches--across base of nostrils, three +and one-half inches. + +Mouth four inches. + +Shoulders from point to point, three feet. + +Circumference of neck thirty-seven inches. + +Length of right arm from point of shoulder to end of middle finger, +four feet, nine and one-half inches. + +Across palm of hand, seven inches. + +Length of second finger from knuckle joint, eight inches. + +Across wrist, five inches. +Distance around thighs, (about half way between knee and thigh +joints,) five feet, seven and one-half inches. + +Leg, from hip joint to knee joint, three feet; through thigh, one +foot; through calf, nine and one-half inches. + +Foot, nineteen and one-half inches. + +The discovery, as may be supposed, created an immense sensation. +Mr. Newell was much perplexed and annoyed and determined at one +time to fill up the excavation and keep the discovery from the +knowledge of the public. Some years ago a razor was found in a +hollow stump near by and suspicions were then thrown out that a +murder had been committed. The family feared that the corpse of +the murdered man would in some manner confront them through this +discovery. + +A rush occurred of neighbors and others to see the exhumed wonder, +for intelligence of the Giant spread on the wings of the wind. The +excitement and ceaseless questions still farther confused the mind +of the quiet proprietor and he almost unconsciously consented to +various suggestions. One was that the body be raised that day +(Saturday,)--consent for which Mr. Newell acknowledges to have +given. Ropes were procured and preparations made therefor, but +the lateness of the afternoon hour caused its postponement. This +is a matter of rejoicing to scientific men, as well as the public +generally; for every one naturally wishes to see the Giant as he +had slept in his bed for centuries, and for themselves examine +the winding sheets he wrapped about him. + + +POSITION OF THE FIGURE. + +The form is lying on its back, the head towards the east and the +feet toward the west. The reclining posture is a perfectly natural +one, the limbs and feet being slightly drawn up. The figure +appears as if a person had fallen there and died. There seem to +be evidences of considerable physical anguish in the position +of the limbs, of the body, and in the tension of the nerves as well +as the contraction of the muscles (which are fully developed.) The +right hand rests upon the lower abdomen, and the left is pressed +against the back directly opposite. The left foot is thrown +partially over the right one, the leg resting partly upon its fellow, +but not crossing it. The head is inclined to the right. + +The face is the only part seemingly free from traces of the agony +of dissolution. The expression is calm, thoughtful, almost sweet. +The high, massive forehead sets off with grand, yet benevolent +dignity, the well rounded and proportioned features. The +countenance is a study. Beautiful despite its immensity, it +displays a largeness of kindly feeling not commonly surmised from +Fairy tales of Giants and Giant deeds. The spectator gazes upon +the grand old sleeper with feelings of admiration and awe. "Nothing +like it has ever been seen," say all who have gazed upon it. "It +is a great event in our lives to behold it," (is the universal +verdict,)--" worth coming hundreds of miles for this alone." "I +would not for anything have missed seeing it, for I consider it +the greatest natural curiosity of the age," say Geologists, +Naturalists, Students and all who can intelligently examine the +Onondaga County Wonder. + +The increasing interest of the public and the constantly enlarging +attendance corroborate the previously expressed opinions of the +inestimable value of the discovery, and sanction the verdict that +the Cardiff Giant is the great wonder of the Nineteenth Century. + + +WHAT IS IT? + +This question has been diligently asked and variously answered. Dr. +John F. Boynton, of Syracuse, a celebrated Geologist, went among +the first to the scene and examined the figure with much care. His +opinion, (which was the first one expressed by any distinguished +scientific authority) has been given decidedly that the body is a +massive and beautiful statue. His own language will best state +his reasons for declining to think it a petrifaction. A letter +of his is subjoined, which was kindly furnished by him for +publication. The letter was written to one of the most scientific +men of America. + + +SYRACUSE, Oct. 18th, 1869. +Henry Morton, Prof. in Pennsylvania University and Franklin Institute: + +DEAR SIR:--On Saturday last, some laborers engaged in digging a +well on the farm of W.C. Newell, near the village of Cardiff, +about 13 miles south of this city, discovered, lying at about three feet +below the surface of the earth, what they supposed to be the +"petrified body" of a human being, of colossal size. Its length +is ten feet and three inches, and the rest of the body is +proportionately large. The excitement in this locality over the +discovery is immense and unprecedented. Thousands have visited +the locality within the last three days, and the general opinion +seems to be that the discovery was the "petrified body" of a human +being. + +I spent most of yesterday and to-day, at the location of the +so-called "FOSSIL MAN," and made a survey of the surroundings of +the place where this wonderful curiosity was found. On a careful +examination, I am convinced that it is not a fossil, but was cut +from a piece of stratified sulphate of lime, (known as the Onondaga +Gypsum.) If it were pulverized or ground, a farmer would call it +plaster. It was quarried, probably, somewhere in this county, +from our Gypsum beds. The layers are of different colors--dark +and light. The statue was evidently designed to lie on its back, +or partially so, and represents a dead person in a position he +would naturally assume when dying. The body lies nearly upon the +back, the right side a little lower; the head leaning a little +to the right. The legs lie nearly one above the other; the feet +partially crossed. The toe of the right foot, a little lower, +showing plainly, that the statue was never designed to stand erect +upon its feet. The left arm lies down by the left side of the body, +the forearm and hand being partially covered by the body. The +right hand rests a short distance below the umbilicus, the little +finger spreading from the others, reaching to the pubes. The whole +statue evidently represents the position that a body would +naturally take at the departure of life. + +There is perfect harmony in the different proportions of the +different parts of the statue. The features are strictly Caucasian, +having not the high bones of the Indian type, neither the outlines +of the Negro race, and being entirely unlike any statuary yet +discovered of Aztec or Indian origin. The chin is magnificent +and generous; the eyebrow, or supercilliary ridge, is well arched; +the mouth is pleasant; the brow and forehead are noble, and the +"Adam's apple" has a full development. The external genital +organs are large; but that which represents the integuments, +would lead us the conclusion that the artist did not wish to +represent the erectal tissues injected. + +The statue, being colossal and massive, strikes the beholder with +a feeling of awe. Some portions of the features would remind one +of the bust of De Witt Clinton, and others of the Napoleonic type. +My opinion is that this piece of statuary was made to represent +some person of Caucasian origin, and designed by the artist to +perpetuate the memory of a great mind and noble deeds. It would +serve to impress inferior minds or races with the great and noble, +and for this purpose only was sculptured of colossal dimensions. +The block of gypsum is stratified, and a dark stratum passes just +below the outer portion of the left eyebrow, appears again on the +left breast, having been chiseled out between the eyebrow and chest, +and makes its appearance again in a portion of the hip. Some portions +of the strata are dissolved more than others by the action of the water, +leaving a bolder outcroping along the descent of the breast toward +the neck. The same may, less distinctly, be seen on the side of the +face and head. I think that this piece of reclining statuary is not 300 +years old, but is the work of the early Jesuit Fathers of this country, +who are known to have frequented the Onondaga Valley from 220 +to 250 years ago; that it would probably bear a date in history +corresponding with the monumental stone which was found at +Pompey Hill, in this county, and now deposited in the Academy at +Albany. There are no marks of violence upon the work; had it been +an image or idol of worship by the Indians, it could have been easily +destroyed or mutilated with a slight blow by a small stone, and the +toes and fingers could have been easily broken off. It lay in +quicksand, which, in turn, rested upon compact clay. + +My conclusion regarding the object of the deposit of the statue +in this place, is as follows:--It was for the purpose of hiding +and protecting it from an enemy who would have destroyed it, had +it been discovered. It must have been carefully laid down, and +as carefully covered with boughs and twigs of trees which prevented +it from being discovered. Traces of this new decomposed vegetable +covering can be seen on every side of the trench, and it is quite +evident this vegetable matter originally extended across and above +the statue. + +Above this stratum of decayed matter, there is a deposit of very +recent date, from eighteen inches to two feet in thickness, which +may have been washed in, and likewise turned on by plowing. A +farmer who had worked the land, told me that he had "back furrowed" +around it, for the purpose of filling up the slough where the statue +now lies. + +It is positively absurd to consider this a "fossil man." It has +none of the indications that would designate it as such, when +examined by a practical chemist, geologist or naturalist. The +underside is somewhat dissolved, and presents a very rough surface, +and it is probable that all the back or lower portion, was never +chiseled into form, and may have been designed to rest as a tablet. +However, as the statue has not been raised, the correct appearance +of the under surface has not been determined, save by feeling as +I pressed my hand as far as I could reach under different portions +of the body, while its lower half lay beneath the water. + +This is one of the greatest curiosities of the early history of +Onondaga county, and my great desire is that it should be preserved +for the Onondaga Historical Society. Efforts are being made by +some of our citizens to secure this in the county where it belongs, +and not suffer it to bear the fate of other archeological specimens +found in this region. + +Hoping to be able to write you more in a few days, I remain +yours truly, JOHN F. BOYNTON." + + +IS THE BODY A PETRIFACTION? + +"The majority of visitors disagree with the opinion of Dr. Boynton, +that the figure is a statue, and pronounce it a petrified man. It is +claimed that no sculptor would have invented such an unheard of +position and design for a statue. No sculptor could have so perfectly +imitated nature, especially in the minutiae which render the image +such a wonder. It is claimed by the stone cutters and quarrymen +who are constantly engaged in cutting the Onondaga County stone, +that no single block could have been found of sufficient size, +without a seam, from which to have chiseled out such a monster, +(they claiming that the seam would have caused any such statue to +split and fall apart under the necessary concussions required for +cutting it to anything like its perfection in form.) + +Other persons argue that no model of such a human being would have +been likely to have been presented to any of the Indian or other +inhabitants of America, within the past few centuries. + +Many also ask for what reason should such an immense and expensive +statue be hewn out and placed in so unfrequented a part of the country? +How could it have been transported from the region of rocks to its +present location, in a swamp entirely free from stones) especially +since it is completely without any base or support of stone on which +it can rest." "No statue is known to have been constructed," say +the petrified advocates, "in reclining posture, unless the artist +left some portion of the block of stone upon which the figure should +rest, and be supported and strengthened for a durability of ages." + +Other incidental suggestions are set forth as follows, by a writer +in the Syracuse Daily Standard. " + +The probabilities of its being a petrifaction have a better +foundation, independent of outward appearances. First, is the +fact that within a very short time, in the work of grading on +section six of the Cazenovia & Canastota R.R., the skeletons of +five mammoth human beings were exhumed, one of them eleven feet +tall. The point of exhumation is not twenty miles distant from +Cardiff. There are proofs of a giant race on this continent, and +in this part of it; how far back, no one can tell. Second--There +is now in the possession of the Onondaga Historical Association, a +fish near one foot long, petrified to a perfect stone solidity, +which was found near Cardiff, and the color of this petrified fish +is very similar to the Cardiff giant stone. Mr. W.B. Kirk, of this +city, when living at Cardiff many years ago, found near there a +good sized Perch, that was perfectly petrified. Third--Five miles +further down the valley, at what is known as the Onondaga Valley +Cemetery, in taking up a human body for removal some years ago, +it was found to be solid stone; still further north, but in the same + range, the corpse of a child, on being taken up was found to be +petrified--solid stone.--Still another case--the body of a man who +had been buried a few years was taken up for removal, and being +found a perfect petrifaction, the widow had it taken home, and it +is yet retained in the house, and has never been reburied. We +might give names, but do not feel at liberty to do so without first +consulting family friends or relatives. These, and other samples +that might be given, prove that petrification is not uncommon in +the vicinity of Cardiff, where our ten feet two and a half inches, +and well proportioned, giant was found." + +A different statement still is made by Mr. Wright, father-in-law +of Mr. Newell, who formerly owned Mr. Newell's present farm. Mr. +Wright says that within a short distance of the present discovery, +there is a spring of water which will within a few months turn +into solid stone any small deposits of sand and gravel. Neighbors +corroborate the statement. A wag has suggested that a factory be +at once established there and petrified dogs, cats and small fry +generally be furnished to order. + +The unsettled point of what it is, undoubtedly furnishes an additional +attraction regarding the mysterious stranger, as every person wishes +to see for himself and become judge in the trial of Statue versus +Fossil. + +In this connection an interesting letter is subjoined from the Hon. +George Geddes. + +To the Editor of the Syracuse Standard:--I find a notice in your +paper of this morning of the "Stone Giant" at Cardiff, in which +the fact that I visited it yesterday is stated, with the remark +that you are told that I believe it to be a petrifaction. Allow +me room in your paper to say that this is stating my views a little +stronger than I desire. I have formed no opinion as to the origin +of this wonderful thing. I was not allowed to make an examination +of it beyond the privilege of looking from over a railing into the +pit where the giant lay, and this pit was shaded by a tent, and +the railing surrounded by double and triple rows of people, all +anxious to see. I do not complain that I was not allowed a more +perfect examination; there were too many to see to allow the +descent into the pit of any one. All questions by me of the +gentlemen in charge were politely answered. My impressions were +decided that I saw before and below me the figure of a giant in +stone of some kind, but what kind I could not tell for in that +light and position it did not resemble any rock that our system +has in it. I thought it was quite unlike our limestone or our +gypsum formations; and that if it was sulphate of lime, and the +work of human hands, that it was more likely to have been built up, +than hewn from a solid rock. But as I have said, I had no means +or liberty to make a close examination. I wish to say in addition, +that I have traveled far and spent much money to see things of +not one-tenth the interest that this stone giant was to me, +and thought I had made good use of time and money. + + Respectfully yours, + GEORGE GEDDES. +Oct. 20th, 1869. + + +WHAT IS THE CHARACTER OF THE SURROUNDINGS +OF THE IMAGE? + +The spot is perhaps twenty-five feet below the house. The soil on +the surface is a loose one, half sand and half muck (dark.) The +spot has undoubtedly been filled in to a considerable extent from +washings from the hills around. Mr. Wright, the former owner, says +that the spot used to be covered with water, and that he had at one +time a bridge constructed over this very point, in order to reach +the higher land beyond. Even after the water failed to stand there +constantly, he was obliged to use the bridge, as the soft muck was +four or five feet deep, and was impassable for cattle and teams. +The Onondaga Creek was within twenty rods of the spot, and at some +seasons of the year overflows it. Some suppose the channel of the +Creek was once there. The place had been a regular swamp for years. +Mr. Newell has owned the farm for three years, and has occasionally +ploughed around and thrown in dirt, to the depth of at least a foot. + +Under the three or more feet of muck is found a strata of gravel +from two to six and eight inches in depth. The body rests in and +upon this gravel bed. The gravel under the neck of the image was +very solidly pressed down. Underneath the gravel is found red clay, +into which the gravel is pressed. + +The right limb is perfect all around with slight exceptions. The +left arm is perfect nearly to the hand, excepting that the shoulder +is worn off some by the water underneath. The bottom of the right +foot seems to be perfect. Some slight portions of the left foot +have been cleaved off. + +The family and the neighbors give, it might be remarked, an original +hypothesis of their own, regarding the death of the man; viz: that +in passing along over this spot he was either drowned or swallowed +up in the mire and suffocated to death. + + +HOW TO FIND THE GIANT + +Passengers by the Central or Oswego Railroads leave the cars at +Syracuse, and will find an excellent road through the beautiful +Onondaga Valley, to Mr. Newell's residence, twelve miles from +Syracuse. Strangers will find the principal hack stand of the +city near the Wieting Block, on Salina street. The entire force +of drivers became within three days perfectly acquainted, not +only with the road, but with the leading facts regarding the +wonderful discovery. The demand for carriages has been +immense, and is constantly increasing. If parties desire to spend +the day at Cardiff, they can take the Syracuse & Binghamton +Railroad to Lafayette Station, and (with considerable difficulty,) +secure a team across to Mr. Newell's house, a distance of +about three miles. There is no village at Lafayette Station. + + +WHO VISITS THE WONDER? + +Everybody. Old and young, male and female, people of all classes +of community, rush in a constant stream to view the immense curiosity. +People from all parts of the United States are hastening to see the +Giant before he shall be removed from his long resting place. The +average daily attendance for the first week was from three to five +hundred persons. + + +HOW LONG WILL HE BE KEPT WHERE HE WAS FOUND? + +Probably for some time, as that seems to be the public wish. +Arrangements have been made for some of the chief scientific men +of the country to examine critically the colossus. Their opinion +or opinions, (which will be published promptly in this work,) will +have much weight in the minds of the managers in deciding when and +what to do. + + +WHO OWN THE IMAGE? + +Three capitalists have bought of Mr. Newell, (who has declined +probably over one hundred offers,) a three-fourths interest in +the enterprise. The tour partners will determine what course to +pursue. + +We subjoin several reports of the Press for a few days succeeding +the discovery of his Giantship. + +From the Syracuse Daily Standard Oct. 18th, 1869. + +The valley of Onondaga has a romance of beauty in its wild scenery, +and as the home of the famous tribe of the red men of the forest-- +the Onondagas--around whose council fires the chiefs and young +warriors of the Six Nations assembled to consult on matters of +great moment. It commences at the head of Onondaga Lake, having +a broad surface where the main part of our city stands, and moderate +hill-side boundaries, until we pass two miles south of the city +bounds, where the bed of the basin begins to narrow away and the +hills on either side to be more abrupt and higher. It continues +to decrease in width, until it terminates against Tully Hill, a +distance of fourteen miles from the lake. Its beauty of wild +scenery is perhaps in greatest perfection in that part known as the +Indian Reservation--still held by the Onondaga tribe--somewhat +south of the centre of the valley. Two main roads lead up the +valley, one at the base of the hills on either side; and riding +along either of them in a pleasant day, an admirer of nature's +wild grandeur has ample occasion of admiration. The gentle slope, +rising way back and up as if touching the clouds, and the more +abrupt and ragged, shrub-covered, not less high hills, miniature +mountains, with every now and then a ravine down which the water +leaps playfully along till it reaches the plateau below and into +the little creek on its way to the ocean--is a landscape of beauty +not easily described. + +Just now this valley is the scene of an excitement, in the finding +of a supposed petrifaction of a human being--a giant. The point +of interest is on the south side of the valley, opposite and just +beyond the little village of Cardiff, in the town of Lafayette-- +twelve miles from this city, on a farm belonging to Mr. William +C. Newell. + +On Saturday last Mr. Newell thought to dig a well some six or seven +rods east of his house, and a trifle south-east of his barn. The +spot is probably thirty feet below the house, and the surface soil +is a loose, half sand, half dark muck, the natural washing from +the hills above. It is not more than twenty rods from the creek, +the channel of which is thought to have been at or very near this +spot many years ago. Mr. Newell and a hired man, in digging, had +gone down but two and a half feet when something hard was struck, +which was believed to be a stone. They thought but little of it +at first, expecting to have to break it loose and pry it out. But +throwing out a few more shovels of earth from its side, the feet +of a man appeared. A few minutes more of labor exposed the legs +to the calf; and now their interest being excited, they began to +dig carefully around it, until the whole form of a man--petrified +giant--was brought to view. The neighbors began to hear of what +was found, and of course went at once to see. + +Mr. Silas Forbes, who resides a mile and a-half distant, came to +the city Saturday evening and apprised us of the new found wonder, +and Sunday we went to see it. The story was a big one, and not +liking "Silver Lake Snaiks," we wanted to see before telling our +readers. And here is what we saw:-- + +The form of a man lying on his back, head and shoulders naturally +flat at hip a trifle over on right side; the right hand spread +on the lower part of the abdomen, with fingers apart; the left +arm half behind, and its hand against the back opposite the other; +the left leg and foot thrown over the right, the feet and toes +projecting at a natural angle. The figure was of apparent lime +stone, a mixture of the gray and blue, common in most parts of the +county, and seemed perfect in every particular. The muscles are +well developed; the ribs might be counted; the nostrils are +perforated so as to admit a large sized finger up near two inches; +the lines of toe and finger nails are plainly marked; the left +ear is partially gone, but the right one is perfect and in proportion +to the other parts; the nose finely shaped; the forehead high; +and the "Adams' apple"' at the throat just projecting out, is as most +common with men. The appearance of the "countenance" marks the +Giant of the Caucasian race, and not the Indian. If a work of art, +the artist has failed in any effort at hair on the head. + +We have said that the whole was perfect. And so it appeared, except +a few flakes dropped off while the work of exhumation was going on; +and perhaps others yesterday. If any well proportioned man will +make measurement of himself as above, he will see a striking agreement +of ratio. + +Though the figure has all the appearance of stone, nevertheless the +outer surface shaves off with a knife without materially dulling +the blade. This was tried, but of course was not allowed to proceed +to disfigure Mr. Giant. A scale that fell from the bottom of one +of the feet, looks much like gold quartz, but still is softish and +crumbles readily, with a sort of soft sand stone result. It rests +on half sand, half clay bottom, the earth above being, as we have +already said, of a lighter character. + +News of this remarkable discovery rapidly spread, and yesterday +when we were there, people were coming and going, from a circuit +of four or five miles around, in farm wagons, carriages and buggies, +and on foot, to see it. + +John A. Clarke, Esq., being at Cardiff, Saturday evening to speak +on temperance, took occasion for a lamp-light view. Returning to +the city near midnight, he told the story; and was telling it all +day yesterday. Not one in fifty of his hearers would believe the +counselor, generally esteemed reliable though he is. Still, +before the day was over a dozen or more went out to satisfy their +curiosity, and returned with full confirmation--and more too, and +the "petrified Giant" is now the absorbing topic. + +Mr. Newell has stumbled upon an "elephant" in this Giant. His +neighbors say it is a fortune to him. It is averred that he was +offered $5,000, $10,000 and even $20,000 for it; that a clergyman +offered his farm in exchange for the monster--but these offers +were all declined. We talked freely with Mr. N. He was quiet and +modest, and we doubt if he has received any such proposals, except +perhaps jokingly. He indicated no such thing. Yet he seemed +anxious to have the "thing" brought out all right if possible, be +it what it may, and therefore guards it by day and by night. + +During Saturday night the surface water had settled in the pit so +as to cover the image. The wise men of Cardiff were consulted. One +said, bail out the water--exposure to the air will do no harm. The +other said, leave it thus until some scientific man comes to decide +as to the prospects of destructability. And the latter's advice +was adopted. Yet, when the water was undisturbed and clear, the +whole could be seen perfectly plain. Later in the day Dr. J.F. +Boynton, the geologist, drove out with Mr. John Geenway, the water +was bailed out, and Dr. B. made a thorough inspection of his Giantship, +put his arms under the neck, and fairly hugged the monster. The +general impression is, that it is a petrifaction of one of those large +human beings of which all of us have heard so much in our youthful days, +and have read accounts of in maturer years--not here, but somewhere +else. A book lies before us, having account of several, varying from +eight to eleven feet; but we stop not to extract therefrom. Prof. +Boynton, from a hasty examination, is of opinion that it is a work +of art--a sculpture from stone. If this theory be correct, it would be +scarcely less interesting than if a petrifaction. In the one case +arises the speculation as to a gigantic race of beings that may +have inhabited portions of this "new world" hundreds of years before +Columbus discovered it; the other as to how long ago the artist +did the work, and where came he, or his ancestors, from? Men nigh +on to a hundred years, and who have resided in the county seventy +of them, have never heard allusion to such a thing; the Indian +traditions speak not of it. The record of the first white man in +this region--Catholic Jesuits--is of something over two hundred years. +That record preserves matters of less interest than this would be, +but not this. Then again we say it would have scarcely less +interest as a work of the chisel, than a petrifaction. + +Our city is talking about the Giant. The story has passed from +one to another till very many, probably ten thousand, of our +citizens have already heard it. The interest is great in it, +insomuch that it has been almost impossible for us to thus +disjointedly write about the great wonder, because of the constant +interruption by visitors who are anxious to hear from one who has +actually seen. + +From the Syracuse Courier, Oct 18th, 1869. + +On Saturday morning last the quiet little village of Cardiff, which +lies in the valley about twelve miles south of Syracuse, was thrown +into an excitement without precedent, by the report that a human +body had been exhumed in a petrified state, the colossal dimensions +of which had never been the fortune of the inhabitants of the little +village to behold, and the magnitude of which was positively beyond +the comprehension or the understanding of the wise men of the valley. +We are told that there were giants on the earth once; and, if the +reports of those who have investigated this discovery are true, and +that they are we have no doubt, this stony man--who for hundreds +of years may have slept untouched and undisturbed, had it not been +for the rude hand of a Cardiff farmer--must have been one of them. +The excitement in and around Cardiff extended until it reached the +City of Salt, and all day yesterday the discovery was the chief +topic of conversation at the hotels and public places in the city. +Of course, the most extravagant stories were told, and greedily +devoured up by gaping listeners. Some would have it that the body +exhumed was twenty-five feet high, and proportionately large. All +day yesterday crowds visited the scene of the discovery, and returned +to tell the tale of the wonderful discovery to their eager friends. + +From the Standard, October 23d. + +LETTER FROM REV. MR. CALTHROP. +DEAR SIR--As everyone is deeply interested in the Onondaga Giant, +perhaps it may be as well for each of us to add his mite towards +guessing at the solution of the problem he has silently set us all. + +It is no wonder that so many are of opinion that he is a gigantic +petrifaction. His proportions are so perfect, and his appearance +is so life like. I will add, that every one wants to think so. +If he proved to be a petrifaction, what a realm of awe and mysterious +conjecture would he open to us. But I, for one, feel convinced +that he will prove to be statue, and for these reasons:-- + +First, I think there are evident marks of stratification in the +stone. The left eyebrow and the top of the nose are the parts +most elevated. These correspond exactly, both being composed of +a white layer. On the chest is a squarish layer of a dark tinge; +around, and slightly below this, is another layer corresponding +exactly with the ins and outs of the first. Beyond, and below this, +another and another all alike, seeming to be simply lines of +stratification. The level seems exactly kept. Follow with your eye +any two adjacent lines, and you will see that where they are close +to each other the surface has an abrupt change of level; where +they are further apart the surface is nearly horizontal. Where +the surface approaches the perpendicular, as on the sides, the dark +line showing the separation of the strata is thin, because it has +been cut through nearly at right angles. Where the surface is more +horizontal the dark line is broader, because it has been cut +through obliquely, the breadth varying steadily with the angle of +inclination. The same can be plainly seen along the right leg. + +Another strong reason for its being a statue lies in the fact that +not a single limb is detached. The right arm is not merely glued +to the body throughout, as well as the hand, but it has the +appearance of only being cut into the stone to a depth sufficient +to give due relief. This is equally true of the left arm, and of +the two legs, which are joined to each other throughout. The +sculptor has not wasted a stroke of the chisel. I would add here, +that between the third and fourth fingers of the right hand, the +slit is carried too far toward the wrist, seemingly by a slip of +the chisel. + +Who did it? A trained sculptor; one who had seen, studied and +probably reproduced many a work of art; one who was thoroughly +acquainted with human anatomy. One, too, who had noble original +powers; for none but such could have formed and wrought out the +conception of that stately head, with its calm, grand smile, so +full of mingled sweetness and strength. + +He appears, however, to have worked under certain disadvantages. +He had not such command of materials as a civilized country could +have afforded him. He had to put up with the best stone he could +find. I think that the peculiar posture of the statue can be +fairly explained by supposing that the original block tapered away +toward the feet, and was only just about the breadth of the statue +as we now see it. This seems fairly to explain the curious position +of the left arm. The artist had to put it there because there was +not breadth enough to put it in any other position. So of the +position of the feet--one over the other. The stone may not have +been wide enough to have admitted of any other position. Who was he? +Let us analyze a little. + +In the ancient world, only the Greek School of Art was capable of +such a perfect reproduction of the human form. I have seen no +Egyptian or Assyrian sculpture which approached this in anatomical +accuracy. + +Throughout the middle ages till the great Art Revival, no one in +Europe had skill enough for the purpose. It appears, therefore, +that unless we adopt the somewhat strained hypothesis that a highly +civilized society, now utterly extinct, once existed on this +continent, we are forced to search for our sculptor among the +European adventurers who have sought homes in North America during +the last three centuries, as no one, I presume, is prepared to +maintain a that the statue has a Greek or Roman origin, unless, indeed, it +was brought over as an antique by some forgotten amateur of art. + +Was it not then as Dr. Boynton suggests, some one from that French +colony, which occupied Salina and Pompey Hill, and Lafayette? Some +one with an artist's soul, sighing over the lost civilization of +Europe, weary of swamp and forests, and fort, finding this block +by the side of the stream solaced the weary days of exile with +pouring out his thought upon the stone. The only other hypothesis +remaining is that of a gross fraud. One need only say with regard +to this that such a fraud would require the genius of a sculptor +joined to the skill and audacity of a Jack Sheppard. + +But lastly, what did he intend it to represent? Had he known of +the discovery of America by the northmen, he might have had in his +thoughts some gigantic Brown, or Erio, or Harold. The old northman +is shot through with an Indian's poisoned arrow; his body is dying, +as the tight pressed limbs express; but the strong soul still +rules the face, which smiles grandly in death. If you had objected +that there was too much mind shining through the features, the +sculptor might have answered that the closed eyes saw in prophetic +vision that men of his race would one day rule where he had lain +down to die. But this is rather too high flown, so I had better +conclude. + Yours, + S.R. CALTHROP. + + +LETTER FAVORING PETRIFACTION. + +MR. EDITOR:--It needs no apology to address you upon a subject +that is now engaging the constant attention of all your readers +and thousands besides, and if any person can throw any light upon +the subject it would seem to be their duty to communicate it to +the public. While there has been much speculation and wonder as +to the nature and origin of the marvelous curiosity found last +Saturday in the town of Lafayette, in this county, there has been +made public no argument from scientific men up to this time to +settle the doubts and convictions of the unlearned. In the +suggestions which I shall make upon the subject, I regret that I +have not the benefit of a more extended knowledge of the sciences +which pertain to the subject, but having earnest convictions, +supported apparently by plausible reasons, I submit them to the +consideration of the public for whatever weight they may be +entitled to. + +The advocates of the theory that the subject in question is a +statue, have too many difficulties to overcome to establish their +position. + +If the subject is a statue it must have been formed by some person, +who once lived, and had an object or motive for making it. Who +can say what that object was? It must have been formed by a +person of wonderful genius and skill. Where and when did such a +person exist? History gives no account of him. Its formation and +object must have been known to many persons who assisted in its +manufacturing and transportation. Where are those persons? + +The objections to the theory that the figure in question is a +statue, may be briefly described as follows: + +1st. This figure, if made by human hand, was intended to be +exhibited; otherwise there can be no motive for making it. If it +was intended to be exhibited, it was also designed to assume some +position, either an erect or recumbent one. The reasons for +keeping it in that position would have been provided by the sculptor, +by either making a pedestal for it to stand upon, a tablet for it +to lie on, or forming the body on the stone out of which it was cut, +so that it would lie upon a flat surface. Nothing of this kind is +visible. There is nothing about the figure remaining except what +belongs to a man who has lain down alone in solitude and agony to +die and has died, and the story of whose death has been preserved +by the miraculous agencies of nature. + +Second, if designed by man as the representation of man, the head +would have been covered with hair, the most beautiful ornament of +the human body, yet no trace of hair is found on this subject. + +Third, it has been claimed that the material of this figure is +gypsum taken from the hills of Onondaga county. The evidence of +our most experienced quarrymen is that a block of gypsum of +sufficient size to make this figure was never found in this region. + +Fourth, if this figure was sculptured from marble or stone, its +body, head and limbs would be solid. Yet the orifices in its +wasted rectum and other parts of its body, and the resounding +noise occasioned by striking upon it proves that it is hollow +internally. + +Fifth, No statue was ever sculptured in this or a similar position. +The position is precisely that which a person would assume who was +suffering an agony which was to result in death. The hands +pressing opposite sides of the lower part of the body and one leg +drawn up and pressed against the other is the effort of expiring +humanity to relieve itself from pain. The sculptor's chisel and +the painter's brush have often been called upon to represent +scenes of death in all its various forms and manifestations. Yet +have they never attained the simplicity, the impressiveness, the +vivid naturalness of the story told by the figure which lies in +yonder clay. + +Sixth, It should also be observed that a sculptor who had the +genius to form such a figure would naturally keep a proper and +harmonious proportion in the different parts of the body, but it +will be noticed in this subject that the feet are unusually broad, +projecting far beyond the natural lines of the leg, and giving +evidence of usage which has caused what is almost a deformity. + +Seventh, If a statue, why should one of the eyes differ so much +from the other, one of them being open, and one nearly or quite +shut? + +Eighth, If this figure is a statue, explain how it has been +transported and handled to place it in its present position. It +is estimated by the best judges that the figure weighs from a ton +and a half to two tons. This immense weight could not have been +transported by any known means of transportation in the neighborhood +of the figure, and it could not have been handled without the aid +of machinery. + +Ninth, Perhaps the greatest objection to the statue theory is the +last on which I shall mention, and that is the majestic simplicity +and grandeur of the figure itself. It is not unsafe to affirm +that ninety-nine out of every hundred persons who have seen this +would have become immediately and instantly impressed with the +idea that they were in the presence of an object not made by +mortal hand, and that the figure before them once lived and had +its being like those who stood around it. This feeling arises +from the awful naturalness of the figure and its position. No +piece of sculpture of which we have any account ever produced the +awe inspired by this blackened form lying among the common and +every-day surroundings of a country farm yard. + +We see objects of larger size every day, formed from materials +which excite our wonder or admiration, and upon which have been +bestowed the highest skill of the artist, the sculptor and the +painter, but there is in that blackened mass, that worn and +impaired as it is by the action of the elements, and repulsive +from the nature and color of the material forming it, which +inspires an awe and reverence such as the handiwork of a mortal, +no matter how gifted, has ever accomplished. I venture to affirm +that no living sculptor can be produced who will say this figure +was conceived and executed by any human hand. But Mr. Editor I +am afraid I have trespassed too far on your attention and space. +There is much more to be said on the subject, which at a future +time I will say. R. + + +The present owners of the Giant have engaged Col. J.W. Wood, known +all over the country as a popular showman, as their manager. +To-night Mr. W. will have a much larger tent (forty feet) over +his giantship, so that hereafter many more can be accommodated +at a time--whether they can see better we are not sure. + +From the Syracuse Journal, October 23d, 1869. + +SPEAKING OF THE CARDIFF GIANT. +Reports of Committees. +Three of us--Tom, Dick and Harry--interviewed the stone wonder +on Thursday of this week, and here are our reports. Tom sees +everything from a ludicrous point of view, and is nothing if not +funny. Dick is a common-sense fellow, who makes up in positiveness +what he lacks in education; and I am--Yours, very respectfully, A.C. + +TOM'S REPORT. +His Majestic Highness was in bed when we reached the royal residence +although it was high noon by the dial. + +But the obliging janitor was convinced, by a single glance at +the cards we presented, that it would not do to refuse us admission. +We found the Noble Duke divested of wearing apparel and enjoying +his morning ablution, which was administered by a valet de chambre, +who stood on a platform above His Excellency, and held him down +with a ten foot pole. The countenance of the great man expressed +composure and serenity. His eyes were closed and his general +appearance and attitude were limp and cadaverous, causing us to +fear, for a moment, that His Mightiness might be dead instead of +sleeping. + +Our apprehensions were allayed, however, when the irreverent +attendant punched his Sublime Majesty in the head and chest, and +elicited an impatient, cavernous, responsive "ugh!" + +Having feasted our eyes on the unveiled grandeur of the stupendous +Knight, we begged permission of his keeper to get into the Imperial +bed and embrace the gigantic feet. We begged in vain. Let us +then grasp that autocratic right hand, which reminds us so +touchingly of the dear, fat, fried-cake hands Bridget used to +mould for us in our infancy. Our request was declined with +emphasis. May we not breathe an affectionate word into that +dexter ear, which seems placed far down towards his shoulder as +if on purpose to receive our tender message? "He's deaf," said +the heartless man with the pole. Let us at least give him one-- +just one--kiss for his mother. "He never had no mother," responded +the inexorable valet, and we turned sadly away from the Kingly +presence of the sweet, sleeping orphan. + +As we wended our homeward way we gave ourself up to meditation, +while our companions gave themselves up to sandwiches and boiled +eggs. + +We called to mind the striking resemblance in form and features, +which the vast monarch bears to the Stoneman family, and we +rejoiced that a gallant General of our army could trace his +ancestry to one who stood so high in the community. + +From appearances we should judge the seraphic Emperor to be a man +of property--worth at least fifty thousand dollars. + +Whether he were so or not, we certainly were petrified-- +with astonishment. + +Yours for the right, THOMAS. + +DICK'S REPORT. + +There's no use talking; that fellow was once a living and breathing +human being. In my opinion he walked these hills and valleys, just +the same as we do, thousands and thousands of years ago. We read +of the sons of Anak, but this chap was the father of Anak. It is +beyond the art of man to carve so perfect a human being out of +stone. Anybody who could sculp like that could have made his +fortune, without hiding his work away and letting it be discovered +by accident in after ages. And who ever saw a piece of statuary +in such a position, and without hair on? + +The man that says that this petrified man is nothing but a graven +image, proves that he is a little soft in the upper story. There +is no shadow of doubt that this is a genuine petrifaction. I would +take my oath of it. Dr. Boynton writes a long rigmarole to show +that he is a statue made by the Jesuits; but in my opinion the +Dr. is just laying low so that he can buy the curiosity and make +his pile on him. Why, you can see the very cords in his legs, +where the flesh has decayed off; and the matter running out of +his right eye has turned to stone. Would the Jesuits have been +likely to carve cords and tears? The idea is too absurd to be +thought of. This is my report, and I don't care what anybody +else says. RICHARD. + +HARRY'S REPORT. + +Whether the colossal figure be a petrifaction or a piece of +statuary, it is a mystery and a success. Who carved it?. When +was it made? Whom does it represent? What is its lesson? +Why was it hidden? How happens it that tradition is silent +about it? These are puzzling questions, which at present are +solved only by conjecture. + +Let no one imagine that he has an adequate conception of this wonder +till he has seen it, with his own eyes. Description seems to be +no aid whatever; ocular inspection is positively necessary. + +He who fails to see the curiosity in its present locality and +position, will have reason to regret this neglect or misfortune +all his life time. + +I was not permitted to make a careful and thorough examination. + +"Hands off," was the imperative order of the proprietor, and I +bowed to the decreer. I craved permission to apply a drop of +acid in order to determine certainly whether the material was +gypsum or ordinary limestone, but my request was denied. If on +the application of acid there had been no effervescence, the +inference would be that the specimen was not limestone, the +material of which petrifactions are usually composed. But although +chemical tests and manipulations were prohibited, there seemed to +be no disposition to forbid the use of our eyes--at a respectful +distance. And the proprietor very kindly refrained from exacting +a promise that we would not express an opinion, if we should have +temerity enough to form one. + +I take it that this specimen was carefully placed in its present +locality. Had it been washed from a distance, it would have been +fractured and mutilated, and it would not in all likelihood, have +lodged in its present easy and natural position. + +If this were once a living man, he must have died ages and ages ago. +If buried, the accumulated deposits upon his grave, in this low +piece of ground, during thousands of years would have been deeper +than three feet. If he were drowned, or if he lay down on the +surface of the earth to die, the flesh would have decayed and +dropped from his bones without petrification. If he were petrified +in his present locality, we ought to find other petrifications in +its immediate neighborhood, whereas all the twigs and branches +which covered and surrounded him are free from the slightest +encrustation. + +Human bodies do not petrify in layers; but the strata in the +Cardiff giant, especially on the left side, are as manifest as +they are in a ledge of rocks. The eye brows, the tip of the nose, +the breast and the thigh are of the same stratum, and the layers +in the right arm are clearly of different degrees of density. + +The conclusion seems irresistible that the giant is a work of art +rather than of nature. The sculpture must have been done some +years ago, or the lower parts of the figure would not have crumbled +and been washed away by the sluggish oozing of the water through +the soil. + +Its age cannot antedate the present race of men, for the shape of +the head and the features are entirely modern. The old-time people, +as portrayed in the sculpture of Assyria and Egypt, had no such +heads as this. The artist evidently took a corpse for a model +and proportioned his colossal figure by careful measurement. He +was thus enabled to secure the general anatomical accuracy for +which his giant is remarkable. He followed the model very closely, +not attempting to represent a living being, not venturing even to +supply the missing hair. And these omissions, the result of +inexperience, furnish, singularly enough, the principal arguments +to the petrifactionists. For the popular opinion that the body +and head are hollow, that the nostrils and other orifices are open, +and that the tendons in the decayed leg are visible, has not the +slightest foundation. Why was this image made? Why hidden? and +by whom? are questions which I must be excused from answering +at present. HENRY + + +THE BELIEF OF THE ONONDAGA INDIANS--THE BODY +OF AN INDIAN PROPHET. + +To the Editor of the Syracuse Journal:-- +In your columns devoted to "Letters from the People," I thought +you would at this time publish the following, it being interesting +as one of the current opinions of the Indians of "the Castle" +regarding the wonderful "human petrified statue," which, in its +colossal proportions and the sphynx-like silence of its history +is so electrifying and exciting the people. + +By one of the old squaws I am told that a large number of Onondagas +believe that the statue is the petrified body of a gigantic Indian +prophet, who flourished many centuries ago, and who foretold the +coming of the pale-faces, though long before the foot of our +forefathers had touched the western continent. He warned his +people with prophetic fervor of the coming encroachments of the +white man, and the necessity of their abstinence from a poison +drink he would bring to craze and destroy them. He told them +that he should die and be buried out of their sight, but that THEIR +DESCENDANT WOULD SEE HIM--AGAIN. J.P. FOSTER, State Agent and +Teacher for the Onondaga Indians. + + +THE STONE GIANT. + +On Saturday the sale of the remaining one-half interest in the +Great Giant Wonder was closed up. Another partner, Mr. Wm. Spencer +--an old-time schoolmate of Mr. Newell--was taken in, so that the +present owners are Wm. C. Newell, of Cardiff, Alfred Higgins, Dr. +Amos Westcott and Amos Gillett, of this city, David H. Hannurn, +of Homer, and Wm. Spencer, of Utica. + +Saturday was a bad day, as to weather; nevertheless several hundred +visited the Giant. + +Sunday was a crusher. The people began to go early, and kept going +all day long. From eleven to three o'clock it was a dense mass of +people on the Newell farm. Around the house and barns acres were +covered with teams and wagons, and the road, for a long distance +in either direction, was lined with them. It seemed as if such +another jam never went to a show before, and it was with great +difficulty that the line could be kept so that all could have a +fair sight. All the proprietors were on hand, and did all they +could to accommodate the crowd. At three P.M. twenty-three hundred +tickets had been sold, Mr. Higgins bringing in the $1,150 received +therefor, for safety. Not less than three hundred tickets were +sold after three o'clock, so the total number of visitors for the +day would be 2,600. + +The Tully story of fraud is exploded. The mysterious man said to +have visited that village, etc., turns out to be no other than a +cousin of Mr. Newell's, a resident of Binghamton, and a tobacconist. +He was on the grounds all day yesterday, and frankly told all +there was of his visit at the time alleged, to the satisfaction +of every one. + + +LETTER FROM A PETRIFACTIONIST. + +EDITOR STANDARD:--Permit me to notice a few of the arguments upon +the Cardiff discovery, appearing in your paper of Saturday last, +and the Journal of the same day. + +It seems a committee of the editors and owners of the Journal, +named respectively Tom, Dick and Harry, of widely various +characteristics, visited the Giant last week, and treat the +subject on their return by articles published in that highly +original sheet, according to their respective peculiarities. Tom, +who is evidently admired in his family circle as a man of great +humor, has so cultivated that faculty that it presents an abnormal +development, and if petrification ever does overtake him, posterity +may hope it will not operate upon his intellectual faculties. Dick, +on the other hand, is gloomily satirical, and by the aid of that +useful faculty utterly annihilates his opponents without saying +anything. But last, Harry takes up the theme and treats it in a +spirit becoming the gravity of the subject. + +He thinks that the artist formed the figure according to a pattern, +having a cold "corpse" conveniently by as a model, from which he +could take "careful measurement," and proceeded to make this +figure, not attempting, he says, to make this corpse look like a +"living figure," which certainly was modest in the artist. He also +says that he did not attempt to "supply the missing hair." The +question very naturally arises here, "Why was the hair missing, +and how long had the corpse been a corpse to lose its hair? and +was it a pleasant occupation to do business with such a corpse?" +This omission (i.e. to put on hair), Harry says, arose from +"inexperience." + +Now, experience is certainly an excellent thing, and when properly +acquired and wisely used is undoubtedly of considerable benefit +to mankind. But that it was necessary, in order to enable an +artist to know that hair grows on the human head, we had not +before supposed. Into such absurdities, oh Harry, does he run +who abandons his familiar scissors for the unaccustomed pen. + +I will briefly refer to the letter of Rev. S.R. Calthrop in favor +of the statue theory. While it shows the scholarship of its author, +his thorough appreciation of artistic influences, and the wonderful +imitation of nature produced by the one who formed this figure, it +does not seem to me to go very far towards proving his position. +Starting off with the idea that many reasons may be given against +the theory of petrification, he commences with number one, and +then he stops; it is true he gives one other reason, but neglects +to number it; and the two reasons are-- + +First, that evidences of stratification appear on the body, thereby +assuming that they would not appear in a petrified body; and, +secondly, that the separate members of the body are not detached +from each other as they were in life, assuming also that this does +occur in cases of petrifaction. + +Are these assumptions correct as matters of fact? + +The evidence as to the existence of strata in this body is very +conflicting. A number of professional persons who visited this +figure on Saturday, and subjected it to close scrutiny with a +powerful magnifying glass, and who all, by the way, hold the +"statue theory," say there were no evidences of stratification in +the body; that what appears to be such is simply the difference +in shading, produced by the greater or less density of the material +composing the figure. The appearances indicating stratification +are also explainable by the action of the water, charged with +carbonate of lime, upon the body. The line of contact between +the body and the water would necessarily receive a deposit of lime, +causing a straight line of lighter color to appeal oi the body. It +is also a fact, which I have learned from quite a number who first +visited the body when it was submerged in water, that the present +water level leaves exposed the nose, eyebrow and breast at the +points where some persons now think they see stratification. In fact, +deposits of carbonate of lime of a whitish color, even now, adhere +to the left ear and side of the face which show the presence of +that substance in the water, and that it will adhere to and become +a part of the subject with which it is brought in contact. + +Now, how is stratification produced in the formation of stone and +rocks. It is said by geologists to be formed only when the +original material forming the rock or stone has been transported +and deposited by the operation of a body of water holding the +material in solution, and depositing it in alternate layers at +its place of destination. + +How is a petrified body formed? Science answers, that it is formed +by the gradual infiltration of silicious earth, pyrites of iron, +carbonate or sulphate of lime, into the pores of the body, taking +the place of the decaying parts, and substituting a new and original +substance to take the place and form of the body petrified. These +substances are always conveyed to their place of destination, and +then applied to accomplish their purpose by the operation of water. +The petrified substance may have none of the material composing +the original figure, and the nature of the body formed either +assimilates to the material around it, or is determined by that +of which it is composed. So also all of the substances forming +petrifaction may be found together in the same subject, or they +may accomplish their work separately. + +Silicious earth goes largely to form flint quartz and the various +kinds of sandstone carbonate of lime, of limestone, and so of the +other materials mentioned forming their peculiar kinds of stone. I +have heard one statue-theorist trying to prove that the decayed +portion of one of the legs showed the presence of flint, and +therefore he argued it could not be a petrifaction. Not so. It +probably would prove, if true, that the figure was not a statue, +for pieces of flint are not found in such material, unless it be +a petrifaction, in which case silicious earth would account for it. +Now it is safe to say that there is no substance that enters into +the composition of stone that does not enter into the formation +of a petrifaction. + +Now, these materials are, in cases of petrifaction, brought to +the spot and deposited by action of the water--precisely such an +operation as forms strata of rock; should it not produce the same +effect in the appearance of successive layers or strata in the +subject of petrifaction? With reference to the other objection +to the theory of petrifaction, viz:--that the members of the body +are conjoined and not detached--it is sufficient to say, from the +very nature of the operation of petrifaction, portions of the body +lying in contact would necessarily be conjoined and filled up. The +wasting portions of the body are silently but surely supplied by +nature, and as the transformation progresses, nature causes her +deposit to adhere to its proximate kindred matter, and forms thus +a solid and adhering body. + +It is also somewhat worthy of observation that fossiliferous remains +occur more frequently, than elsewhere, in marshy and swampy places +in this country. Thus the low marshes known as the "Blue Licks" +in Kentucky, and other similar places abound in specimens of fossil +remains. These are often, indeed, quite commonly found near the +surface of the ground, and it is a fact that the material and +formation of marshy grounds change less through the operation of +time than other places. The Pantine Marshes and the Marshfield +Fens have preserved forms and characteristics for centuries upon +centuries. Why is it then, that we are to be driven for a solution +of the question as to the character of this curiosity to a hundred +improbable and unnatural suppositions, when the thing may be explained +by perfectly natural causes without violating any probabilities? + +It is somewhat amusing to talk with the various advocates of the +"statue theory," as each successive one is sure to knock over his +predecessor's structure before he begins to build his own. + +The endless suppositions which are produced to account for this +marvelous work as a production of the sculptor are certainly a +great credit to the imaginative faculties or inventive genius of +our people, but people of ordinary intelligence find it hard to +believe that men of wonderful genius and skill inhabited our +original forests for the purpose of producing gems of art and +then burying them in the marshes, or that men of culture and +education go traveling in a wild and barbarous country +encumbered by a piece of statuary weighing about two tons +and being necessarily somewhat inconvenient to carry in +our pockets. +Yours, Com. + + +OPINION OF PROFESSOR HALL, STATE GEOLOGIST. + +Professor Hall, gives the following definite opinion, in the Albany +Argus of Monday, the 20th of October: + +GENTLEMEN:--Your paragraph in this morning's issue, relative to +the Onondagas Stone Giant, does injustice to the proprietor of +that most remarkable object. + +Dr. Woolworth and Prof. Hall left here on Thursday afternoon, with +the intent of visiting, as they had been solicited to do, the +supposed fossil giant or statue--for there were conflicting opinions +in regard to its nature. On Friday morning they left Syracuse for +Cardiff with Dr. Wieting and Judge Woolworth of the former place. +As soon as practicable after their arrival, the tent was cleared of +visitors, the party named were admitted and left to their undisturbed +investigations for a full quarter of an hour; and when it is +understood that the crowd outside were enough to twice fill the tent, +and all desirous of seeing, and that the receipts of the owner for +tickets were $26 per hour, it seemed scarcely civil to occupy a +longer time. + +The Giant, as has already been stated, is a statue of crystalline +gypsum (not a cast) lying upon its back, or slightly inclining to +the right side, and in an attitude of rest or sleep. The head +is directed to the east, southeast, and the body, without support +or pedestal, lies upon a thin stratum of gravel, which has been +covered by about three feet or more of fine silt, in the bottom +of which are some partially decayed roots or branches of trees-- +doubtless floated there at the beginning of the silt deposit. +The water, oozing from the southwest, along this gravel bed, has +dissolved that side of the statue and gives it a pitted appearance, +such as masses of gypsum or limestone acquire when long exposed +to the action of the water. The earth at the sides of the pit +bear no evidence of having been disturbed since its original +deposition, and, to all appearances, this statue lay upon the +gravel when the deposition of the fine silt or soil began, and +upon the surface of which the forests have grown for succeeding +generations + +Altogether, it is the most remarkable object yet brought to light +in this country, id altogether, perhaps, not dating back to the +stone age, is, nevertheless, deserving of the attention of +archaeologists. H. Albany, NY, October 23, 1869. + +From the Syracuse Journal Oct. 25, 1869. + +MORE THAN A NINE DAYS' WONDER. + +The Onondaga Giant proves to be much more than a nine days' wonder. +--Sunday completed the nine days of excitement and marvelings over +this remarkable discovery, and instead of an abatement of the +popular interest, it would seem that it has but just begun to be +awakened. The attendance of visitors on Sunday was largely in +excess of that of any previous day, and the number reached nearly +three thousand. A new and large tent had been (erected, with +increased accommodations, but it was found wholly inadequate to +accomodate the crowds that occupied it from early morning till +late in the evening. The agent for the proprietors raised a +British flag over the tent, explaining that he thought some flag +ought to be displayed, and that this was the only one he had there +--a circumstance that was quite distasteful to very many of the +visitors. An American flag has now properly been substituted. +The number of visitors to-day is quite large, and as the people +of the surrounding country are just waking up to the interest of +the exhibition, many thousands will yet go to see it in the spot +where it was unearthed. + +The interest in the subject abroad is also now fairly developing. +The discovery was at first looked upon as a humbug, but this view +is giving way before the facts presented in the local papers. The +leading journals of the country have sent special correspondents +to write up the subject. The New York Tribune and Herald, +Harper's Weekly, the Springfield Republican and other papers, +have already had their representatives at the scene of the discovery. +The new proprietors, --who are now stated to be Messrs. William +C. Newell, of Cardiff, Alfred Higgins, Dr. Amos Westcott and +Amos Gillett, of this city, David H. Hannum, of Homer, and +William Spencer, of Utica, propose to continue the exhibition +where it has thus far been held, till difficulty in reaching the +locality occurs from bad weather, then to remove the giant to +this city, where it will remain till the local curiosity is satisfied, +and then convey it to New York and other leading cities for +public exhibition. + + +THE VALUE OF THE GIANT WONDER. + +We learn from a reliable source that $20,000 was offered on Saturday +by a perfectly responsible party and in good faith, to two different +persons holding interests in the stone giant, for one-quarter share +of the stock in the wonderful statue, and the offer was promptly declined. + + +AN ANCIENT COIN FOUND IN THE EARTH TAKEN FROM +THE GIANT'S BED. + +On Saturday last, Mathew, a son of Dr. Alexander Henderson, +veterinary surgeon, of this city, while visiting the Cardiff giant, +picked up from the surrounding debris thrown out of the excavated +resting place of this huge work of stone something that seemed +like a blackened scale of brass or a rusty old button. Thinking +that it might have some affinity to the wonderful statue, the lad +rubbed the dirt and rust from its surface between his finger and +thumb, and burnishing it a little by rubbing it in the folds of +his coat skirts, it showed evidence of being an old copper coin, +and he accordingly placed it carefully in is pocket, and brought +it home. Dr. Henderson, the lad's father, applied some acids to it, +when an ancient coin, of nearly the eleventh century, revealed +itself. + +On the obverse side of the coin is the head of the Emperor Jestyn, +with a full flowing beard from the chin, and the sacred heart +strung from a rosary in the shape of a shield, or breast-plate, +strung around the neck. Beneath the Emperor is the date, "1091," +and around the edge of the coin is the following inscription-- +"JESTYN-AP-GURGAN, TYWYSOG-MORGANWG." The +interpretation of this, as rendered by a competent Welshman, means, +"Jestyn, son of Gurgan, Prince of Glanmorgan." On the reverse side +is the figure of the Goddess of Commerce, seated on the wheel at +her side, the pillar and ancient crown, wreathed with the national +emblem, the oak, the shield and spear supported by the left hand, +and the right hand pointing to a ship on the distant sea, with full sails +set, which she seems intently gazing at. The inscription around the circle +is in the Welch language, and reads as follows:--"Y. BRENAIN-AR- +GYFRAITH," the interpretation of which is "The King and the Laws." +The coin is 778 years old--over seven and a half centuries--and +on the edge of the rim can be distinctly seen "Glenmorgan Half +Penny," with representations of leaves intertwining. The +denomination of the coin is imprinted in raised letters, and +everything connected with it shows it to be a coin of the reign +of the emperor whose name it bears. Further, in connection with +the unearthing of the stone giant, its discovery in the loose dirt +thrown up from the bed of the excavation where the statue was found, +and yet lies, is certainly quite interesting, and seems to add to +the general interest that attaches to this great and unexplained +mystery of the Nineteenth Century. + + +PROBABILITIES THAT IT WAS TRANSPORTED ON THE +WATER-COURSES FROM THE SEA-BOARD. + +Although there are still intelligent advocates of the petrifaction +theory, the preponderating weight of opinion supports the view +that the giant wonder is a work of art. We understand all the +scientific gentlemen, who have been permitted to make thorough +examination, to be agreed in this decision. + +The next question is, How did it come to be where it was discovered? +There is very little probability that it was carved on the spot +where it was recently exhumed; the stone for that purpose was not +likely to have been found there or to have been taken there; and +the situation where it was discovered, a morass or water-bed, +favors the theory that it was deposited there. Setting aside the +belief, honestly entertained by many people in the immediate vicinity, +that the statue was surreptitiously placed in the slough where it +was dug up a few days since, there is tenable ground for the theory +that it was taken there by some of the early white visitors to +this section of country. This might have been done by transportation +over the water-courses communicating with the locality, either +through the River St. Lawrence, Lake Ontario, the Oswego River, +Onondaga Lake and Onondaga Creek, or through the Hudson and Mohawk +Rivers, Oneida Lake and River, Onondaga Lake and Onondaga Creek. +These waters were early navigated, and within the memory of persons +still living the principal means of transportation was by batteaux, +which with considerable loads were propelled along these water-courses. +The Onondaga Creek was in those days navigable for light-draft craft +capable of conveying a much greater weight than this statue, at +least as far up its waters as the place of this discovery. + +The place of the discovery is not in the original channel of the +creek, but in a detour from that channel. It is not unreasonable +to suppose that for some reason--from alarm, or from a desire to +secret the object,--the craft was run out of the main channel into +this then open water-way, where the statue was deposited. + +The early Jesuit visitors to this vicinity may have had this +statue in their keeping. It may have been fashioned by some of +their number. It is not impossible, that it may have been brought +here, or even have been carved out at some place not far distant, +by other of the early visitors to this region. We expect that +light will be thrown upon these speculations, by the scientific +investigations, which will determine the exact nature of the +material of which the statue is composed, by which alone some hint +of its place of origin may be derived. The intimations given us +by Professor Hall, in our brief interview with him, impressed us +that he looked upon the statue as of great antiquity, antedating +the present geologic period, and equaling in interest and importance +the discoveries made in Mexico of archaeological remains, indicating +a high degree of civilization in the tenth, eleventh and twelfth +centuries. + + +WHEN WAS THE STATUE PUT WHERE IT WAS FOUND? + +To the Editor of the Syracuse Journal:-- +If it would not be asking too much, I would beg leave to say a +few words through the columns of your paper. In Saturday's issue +of the Standard I notice a letter written by "Skeptic," which +that paper calls "silly," and charges the writer with being +"lacking in the upper story." This is a misfortune, truly; but +I have taken some trouble to investigate these reports and find +them vouched for by highly respectable parties. There are, to my +mind, several reasons for the belief that this wonder has not +occupied its present position longer than is intimated in the +above mentioned letter. + +The soil where it was found is soft, and an excavation large enough +to admit the object could easily be made in an hour or two. The +location is favorable for such purpose, being behind the buildings, +and hidden by the abrupt bank; a little straw or other litter +would cover all traces. Then, if the stone man be moulded from cement, +it would not weigh near what it would if cut from stone, and could +be handled with ease by three or four men. This idea that the +curiosity was cast or moulded, is strengthened by the fact that it has +no other support than the ground upon which it rests. Had it been +the work of a sculptor it would have had a tablet for support. Now, +you ask, perhaps, where was the pattern made, if moulded, and how +could the parties making the cast escape detection? I would ask, +who carved it, if a stone, and where did the sculptor bring out +such a work without the knowledge of the fact being discovered? + +It is said by those who ought to know something about our gypsum +quarries, that there are no such slabs of stone found there out +of which this object could be carved. Further, it is allowed by +all who have examined this wonder, that the head appears to have +been hollow. Now, if the head is hollow, it is either a moulding +or else it must be what those interested claim for it: a veritable +petrifaction. No sculptor would carve the head in that condition. + +But I have used too much of your valuable time, so I will close. +TULLY, Oct. 23d, 1869. CONE WILLIAMS + + +OF WHAT SCHOOL OF ART IS THIS STATUE? + +To the Editor of the Syracuse Journal:-- +In the discussions relating to the "Giant," I find there are many +who favor the Grecian and Roman school of sculpture. The Greeks +and Romans excelled the early Egyptians in one thing only, that +is representing the human hair. Their male statues have flowing +and bushy locks and a beard. On the Egyptian statue, the hair +looks more like a skull cap on the back of the head, than hair, +with no indication of beard. They had been so afflicted with +plagues through the Israelites, that they would have nothing that +was like them, or that reminded them of them. The Cardiff giant +has no beard and nothing on the forehead to indicate hair; behind +the ears running up to the crown, there seems to be something, +that when he is raised, may show the Egyptian school of sculpture. +As art goes from one country to another, the style changes somewhat +to suit the taste of the people. In America, at first, our sculptors +and painters copied from the French and Italian schools, but put +on a little more drapery, as our people were modest and would not +bear a true copy. Time, the destroyer of all things, has turned +the drapery into dust, and we now have the original in all its +glory and shame. W. + +P.S.--A hard-shell brother at my elbow says he will go his bottom +dollar that the Cardiff chap is the original "Poor Uncle Ned, who +had no hair on the top of his head;" he has lain down there and +got Klu-Kluxed. (Klu-Kluxed is a Greek word, and means petrified +or dried up.) The only objection to his theory is, Uncle Ned's +shin bone curved backward, this man's curves forward. + + +CUT OF THE GIANT. + +We herewith present a wood cut of the Giant. We have waited for +an engraving from a photograph, in order to insure in every part +of the pamphlet the utmost accuracy. The taking the photographs +having been delayed, we present a sketch until their completion. +The owners of the Giant furnish this publication alone with +photographic copies--which will appear promptly on completion. + +[[Wood cut here of giant and spectators]] + + +A MITE IN THE SCALE. + +To the Editor of the Syracuse Journal:-- +Clark's "History of Onondaga," Vol. 1, page 43, near the bottom, +says:--"The Quis-quis, or great hog, was another monster which +gave the Onondagas great trouble, as did also the great bear, the +horned water-serpent, the stone giants, and many other equally +fabulous inventions, bordering so closely upon the truly marvelous, +that the truth would suffer wrongfully if related in full; but +nevertheless are found among the wild and unseemly traditions of +the race." H. + + +LETTER FROM PROF. WARD. + +The following letter from Prof. Henry A. Ward appears in the +Rochester Democrat, and will be found to be well worthy of perusal. +Prof. Ward takes high rank among the scientific men of the country, +and an opinion from him is certainly entitled to respectful +consideration:-- + +EDITOR DEMOCRAT--I have just returned from a hasty visit to the +colossal statue, or "Fossil Giant," as many have called it, which +is now causing so great an excitement in our sister city, Syracuse, +and in all the country for many score of miles around. + +This great archeological wonder is located in the Onondaga Valley, +on the west side, about three-quarters of a mile from the village +of Cardiff. The valley itself is one of erosion, dating its birth +to the time when the gradual rise of our continent from beneath +the ocean's waves had subjected all this portion of our State to +the fierce furrowing and deep denuding action of violent currents +of water, aided in their work by floating masses of ice and by +rock debris carried by and often frozen into these masses. For +about twelve miles south from Syracuse the valley is quite narrow, +but here the hills recede on either side and sweep widely around +in two high crescent-like ranges to meet again (or nearly so) at +a point three or four miles higher up the stream. Within the sort +of amphitheater thus formed, and at the foot of the western hill, +is the farm of Mr. Newell. His house and outbuildings lie at the +edge of the slope, and touching a low meadow which extends for a +hundred yards or more to the bushy margin of a creek beyond. A +smaller stream or a branch of this same appears at one time to +have run close to the hill, leaving faint traces of its contour +on the meadow, and one small elliptical swale or soft, boggy spot, +a few yards across, near the lower corner of Mr. Newell's barn. +It was while digging a shallow pit in this swale that the relic +was found. It is a gigantic human figure lying on its back, with +its head to the east and feet to the west. The head is in the +position commonly given to a corpse; the right arm extends downwards, +with the hand and fingers spread stiffly across the abdomen; the +left arm bends down along the left side, with the hand quite under +the middle line of the body; the left hip is raised a trifle, the thigh +and leg more so, so as to bring the lower part of the left leg and + foot obliquely across and over the same parts on the right. The +posture is in all one that a dying body left to itself might naturally +assume. The entire length of the figure is ten feet two and a half +inches, and the other parts of the body are proportionately colossal. + +Its head is of a very elongated type, but well shaped, and with +a countenance full of solemn, dignified composure. The features +are purely Caucasian, having neither the high cheek bones of the +Indian, nor any other facial outlines which mark the type of other +Aztec aborigines. + +To describe the appearance of this great figure as being strange +and impressive is saying too little. + +Lying as it still does, in its original earthy bed, its grey massive +form hardly yet still from the struggles by which it seems to have +freed itself, and the face, body and limbs still damp with the +ooze of its low sepulchre, it possesses the beholder with a feeling +of extremest awe and profoundest wonder. To interrupt these +emotions by speculations as to its personality, to approach this +majestic figure with the calm processes of scrutinizing investigation, +seems a sacrilege. All one's feelings persuade to accept it as a +real human being, once instinct with life and activity, now a noble +corpse. The proprietors of the giant figure, or statue, as we +shall now call it, use all due effort to strengthen this feeling, +and enlarge the belief that their wonderful discovery is really a +petrified human being--a genuine" Fossil Man" preserved entire, +with flesh and bones changed to stone in the very place where he +fell at death, or possibly was buried by his coevals of an olden +time. All opportunities of close examination are refused; indeed, +the present throng of visitors would make such general permission +impracticable. The little, darkened tent, and the pit shaded by +a triple row of spectators, whose heads almost touch across it in +their earnest efforts to see the body below, made it quite impossible +for me to obtain that thorough acquaintance with the huge object +which I would have liked. But I saw enough in the fifteen minutes +(only) which are allowed to each set of visitors within the tent +to fully satisfy myself of the true nature of the figure. + +The "Onondaga Giant" is the work of the sculptor, and out of a +single large block of the gypseous limestone (an upper member of +the "Onondaga Salt Group") which forms large beds in the immediate +vicinity. This stone is very strongly marked by lines of deposition, +causing bands of different shades extending in horizontal layers, +perfectly even and parallel through large quarry masses. In the +present in stance these layers are so disposed--in the way the +sculptor chose his block--as to cut lengthwise through the whole +body, and to mark off different leads over the entire figure. Thus +the left hip and left breast present (cameo-like) a layer different +and higher than the one which forms the corresponding parts on +the right side of the body. The head, too, with its different +elevation of chin, nose and forehead, is very strongly marked in +the same way. These linings are well-known peculiarities in the +original deposition of a stratified rock, and are not features +assumed in the petrifaction of any organic body. Further +peculiarities of the Onondaga gypsum are very noticeable in the +block, and among them is the peculiar style of decomposition +by which the whole lower part of the figure is affected, as also +one side of its head. Here the soluble earths, with any portions +of carbonate of lime, have been dissolved away, and the pure +granular sulphate (snowy gypsum) remains, standing up with ragged, +uneven, cavernous surfaces, which is a feature very noticeable +everywhere in weather-worn fragments of this rock. This +decomposition or rotting of the lower side of the left leg gives +a very vivid semblance to the corruption of actual flesh, and has +doubtless had much to do with the ready reception which the +"petrifaction" theory has found among the mass of visitors--even +including many men of intelligence and general education. If such +persons will refer to works which treat of petrifaction in all +their various kinds of transformation and in all the thousand +genera and species of fossil organisms, they will find that +although bones, shells, and the hard parts of animals, changed to +stone, yet preserving their original outlines, are of constant +occurrence, yet there is not a single instance on record of fossil +flesh; of the fat, muscle or sinew of man or beast changed into +stone or into any substance resembling stone. To a person +acquainted with the nature of petrifaction, the slow substitution +of mineral for animal matter, particle by particle, the reason +why humor of other flesh does not undergo the same change will be +apparent. This is truly not entirely in accordance with popular +belief, nor with the ever-recurring stories in our public journals. +"A fish nearly a foot long, petrified to solid stone" has lately +been cited in your columns as another instance of the petrifactions +of the Onondaga Valley. I visited this yesterday at the Museum +of the Onondaga Historical Society, at Syracuse, and found (what +I had before surely surmised,) a simple, short, club-like fragment +of limestone, worn by running water to a form like a little fish. +"This it was and nothing more." + +It is proposed--and very properly--that this Onondaga relic should +be submitted to the examination of Professor Hall, Agassiz, Leidz, +or some other of our geologists known to fame and infallible experts +in these matters. This were well. But there is another court which +I think, would pass quite as prompt a decision. I believe that a +sculptor, in examining this most singular specimen, would at once +recognize its artificial character. The devices for saving time +or for adding strength, partially cutting out the figure, are +sufficiently apparent in the object before us. The legs--with +their heavy thigh, the swollen knee portion, the swollen calf and +slender ankle, all touch on the outline length as they lie over +each other, with no open space between, or no point where one +folds down upon the other with a sharp line of contact of the two +surfaces. The same thing, too, is noticeable in the arms and in +the fingers of the hand, where the flesh, instead of sloping away-- +one rounded surface finely leaving another--is cut down square, +as if some unnatural out growth of flesh had formed a uniting +portion beneath the member. This is a too common device in +the coarser grades of sculpture to escape notice here. Our +sculptor would certainly find fault with the very constrained +position of the body, its feet awkwardly crossed and its left +arm twisted rather than laid backward under its body, certainly +this is not the attitude in which a sculptor--a man of taste--would +place his handiwork. Still, may it not be an admissable theory, +that the oldtime artist was constrained in the form which he should +give his statue, by the form and dimensions of his gypsum block. +If there was not material sufficient to carve out both arms lying +across the breast, he might find enough to make one of the arms +below. If the lower left hand corner of the block were broken off, +he might still bring out both feet by lapping one over the other, and +letting vertical space atone for lateral want of it. If our sculptor, +finally, will look sharply upon the legs and body in such parts as +have escaped the considerable water-wearing which has smoothed +most of the figure, I think that he will see plainly the marks of the +graving tool of his ancient colleague. But, as he now has the figure +in charge--I positively rejecting it as being no fossil--I will leave to +him and the Archeologist to study and puzzle upon it. Dr. J.F. +Boynton, of Syracuse, (to whom, by the way, belongs the credit +of having first discerned and recorded in print that this is a statue), +says, "I think that this piece of reclining statuary is not 300 years old, +but is the work of the early Jesuit Fathers in this country, who +are known to have frequented the Onondaga valley from 220 to 250 +years ago; that it would probably bear a date in history +corresponding with the monumental stone which was found at Pompey +Hill in this county, and now deposited in the Academy at Albany. +All these are points which Archaeologists and Ethnologists may yet +determine. Will not Hon. Lewis H. Morgan leave Rochester by an +early Monday train and see this most wonderful statue while it is +still undisturbed in its bed. H. A. WARD. ROCHESTER, +October 23, 1869. + + +LETTER PROM GEN. E. W. LEAVENWORTH. + +To the editor of the Syracuse Journal:-- +This subject does not seem, even yet, to be exhausted, much as +has been written in regard to it. Having spent an hour yesterday +in the inspection of the great mystery, permit me hastily to give +you the results of my observations. + +THE LOCALITY. + +For the benefit of the large number who will not be able to visit +the locality, it may be well to define more fully and precisely +the exact spot in which it was found. It is near the west line +of the town of Lafayette, in the upper section of the valley of +the Onondaga Creek, called Christian Hollow--a short two miles +above the south line of the Reservation of the Onondaga Indians. +The valley at this point is about half a mile in width, and there +are two north and south roads running through it, directly at the +foot of the hills on each side. The small village of Cardiff nestles +under the eastern hills, about half a mile directly east of the +locality in question, which is precisely at that point where the +slope of the western hills meets the alluvial valley of the Onondaga +Creek. This point is about one hundred feet east of the west road, +and about two hundred feet west from the bank of the creek. On +the west the ground rises moderately to the road, then more rapidly +to the top of the western hills, some eight hundred feet above the +valley below. On the east it is nearly or quite a dead level to the +creek, the ground being evidently all alluvial. The valley is beautiful-- +thickly settled and under high cultivation. + +THE POSITION. + +The statue--for such I am sure it is--lies in a hole about twelve +feet long, five feet wide at the top, and four at the bottom. The +soil of the first three feet, or a trifle more or less, is the +common alluvial soil of the Onondaga valley. The next foot is +gravel, which rests on the solid clay. The ends of many pieces +of wood project through the gravel and some are found in the soil +above. + +IS THERE ANY FRAUD OR DECEPTION. + +Those familiar with the frauds practised in other countries in +the manufacture and sale of antiques, and perhaps others, would +have a vague suspicion that this might furnish another instance, +nearer home. My own mind was not free from such dreams. And +notwithstanding the apparent impossibility of finding a place +where such a stone might be obtained--of quarrying, working, +transporting, and burying the same, and keeping it a profound +secret, I still had my suspicions. But the first look at the +statue dispels from the mind every thought of that nature. It has +the marks of the ages stamped upon every limb and feature, in a +manner and with a distinctness which no art can imitate. I have +not seen the first person who entertained any doubt of its great +antiquity, after looking at that most wonderful and inexplicable +figure. The time spent in manufacturing and retailing the simple +and absurd rumors which circulate through the community and find +their way into the papers, is weakly and foolishly thrown away. It +is a serious and most remarkable reality, and one which as yet +have received no satisfactory explanation, and probably never will. + +IS IT A STATUE OR A PETRIFACTION? + +Serious doubts are really entertained on this subject, and it is +elaborately discussed. I must confess that I have none whatever, +and for the following reasons: + +First--There is no satisfactory evidence that any one person ever +lived in any age or country of this world, of the statue of ten feet, +unless it be Goliah of Gath. I know very well what is claimed and +said on this subject, but the evidence would not satisfy a jury +of intelligent men. + +Second--There is nothing in the general aspect, which leads any +one to think it anything but stone. I venture to say, that were +it in any other form, such a supposition would never have arisen. + +Third--The stratification of the stone is perfectly visible, even +to the imperfect observation now allowed. Mr. Calthrop's letter +is full and satisfactory on this subject, but in addition to the +places pointed out by him, the stratification may be seen on the +left shoulder, and I think on the top of the head. That upon the +left breast is, however, most clear, distinct and satisfactory. + +Fourth--The whole statue, in all its parts, furnishes the most +conclusive evidence, that it was all cut from one stone. It is +quite clear that the stone has been cut away just far enough and +only just far enough to show the legs, the arms and the fingers. + +Fifth--The fracture of the stone along the left leg,, and especially +on the heel of the left foot, which seems to be recent and fresh, +is the fracture of our common gypsum, and leaves no doubt, so far +as the eye can determine, that the material is stone. + +It is said that on striking the head or the chest, it gives forth +a sound indicating that the statue is hollow. Such evidence must +in any event be very uncertain, and now no such experiments are +permitted. + +No one is permitted to touch the statue, but I was allowed to look +at it with a powerful glass at my leisure. + +I have carefully read the nine points made in the Standard of the +23d, to its being a statue. None of them are conclusive, nor, as +it seems to be very strong, do they affect my belief on the subject. +The marvelous has a great attraction for all of us, but we cannot +afford to surrender our better judgment for the luxury of enjoying +a belief in it. + +In the meantime, why will not Mr. Newell run a dozen or twenty +trenches from the locality of the giant, in every direction, down +through the alluvial soil to the clay, and see if other discoveries +may not be made, which will throw light on this one? + +Very respectfully, E.W. LEAVENWORTH, SYRACUSE +Oct. 20th, 1869. + + +From the Syracuse Journal, Oct. 27th. + +LETTER FROM PROFESSOR HALL, THE STATE GEOLOGIST +ALBANY, Oct. 26th, 1869. + +Messrs. Truair & Smith, Publishers of the Syracuse Journal: +GENTLEMEN:--I have just received your favor of the 25th instant, +in relation to the "Stone Wonder," visited by us. There can be +but one opinion about it, I think. + +It is a statue, cut in gypsum, and intended to represent a human +form of colossal size in a recumbent posture. As to its source +or origin, I cannot conjecture. It is worn and dissolved by water +to a degree that indicates long inhumation, and it is covered by +an alluvial deposit of three feet or more in depth. The sculpture +is of a high order and very different from those of Central America. +I enclose you a few paragraphs* which I wrote in reference to a +statement that I had not been permitted to examine the object in +question. I do not see that we can say more at present. +I am respectfully, your ob't servant, JAMES HALL. + +*The same letter communicated to the Albany Argus of October 25th, +under the signature "H." and printed on page--. + + + +TO THE GIANT OF ONONDAGA. + +Speak out, O Giant! stiff, and stark, and grim, +Open thy lips of stone, thy story tell; +And by the wondering crowd who pay thee court +In thy cold bed, and gaze with curious eyes +On thy prone form so huge, and still so human, +Let now again be heard, that voice which once +Through all old Onondaga's hills and vales +Proclaimed thy lineage from a Giant race, +And claimed as subjects, all who trembling hear +Art thou a son of old Polyphemus, +Or brother to the Sphinx, now turned to stone-- +The mystery and riddle of the world? +Did human passions stir within thy breast +And move thy heart with human sympathies? +Was life to thee, made up of joy and hope, +Of love and hate, of suffering and pain, +In fair proportions to thy Giant form? +Did ever wife, by whatsoever name +Or tie of union, with her ministries +Of love, caress and cheer thy way through life? +Were children in thy home, to climb thy knee +And pluck thy beard, secure, and dare thy power +Or, was thy nature as its substance now, +Like stone--as cold and unimpressible? +Over these hills, with spear like weaver's beam, +Dids't thou pursue the chase and track thy foe, +Holding all fear and danger in contempt? +And, did at last, some fair Delliah +Of thy race, hold thee in gentle dalliance, +And with thy head upon her lap at rest, +Wer't shorn of strength, and told too late, alas, +"Thine enemies be upon thee?" +Tell us the story of thy life, and whether +Of woman born--substance and spirit +In mysterious unon wed--or fashioned +By hand of man from stone, we bow in awe, +And hail thee, GIANT OF ONONDAGA! + +SYRACUSE, Oct. 20, 1869. 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