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About The Conservative (Nebraska City, Neb.) 1898-1902 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 1901)
'Cbe Conservative * points iu this Boca site came from the above described source. One specimen is very interesting owing to its apparent age. The white or creamy colored flint of which it is com posed is yellow with age and not a few spots have deteriorated until holes are left in the body of the flint ; it looks very fragile and I handled it with care. It is about an inch long and has notches chipped in the head. The Kansas speci mens have almost invariably a straight head ; that is there are no notches chipped in them but a small shank to extend into the arrow-shaft of wood is chipped for a head ; in some instances this would cause quite a pronounced barb to appear on the arrow if wound neatly on the shaft. I wish to make mention here of a very fine specimen of drill found near Fullerton by ProfessorNickerson of that place and presented to me. It is brown flint and so small that it will rest on the thumb nail and not cover it. The form is different from anything I ever saw illustrated and is very perfect in work manship. The head has notches by which to fasten it to a shaft. I have this with seven other diminutive speci mens which came from the head waters of the Missouri. They are made of Obsidian from the extensive beds found near the National park. These" beds are worthy of an extensive study which we may give them in the future. The sub stance is clear like glass , in some cases smoked and in others of a red tinge making the arrow-points made of it very pretty. I have seen a few specimens found iu this state which came from these beds , but I have no such speci mens. Indian Axes. With reference to the axes found on and near this Roca site , one which is simply a large sliver or corner of a glacial boulder with a notch chipped for a withe to surround it was used doubt less to obtain water in winter , by cutting through the ice. One very fine speci men has no notch out around it and is the kind called a "skinner. " It is said that the Indians could take the skin off a buffalo with one of these skinners very dexterously. It is six inches long and almost round , being slightly flattened on each side while the end is ground to an edge more or less sharp ; this end has a blade two and a half inches long and the other end is chipped so that it may be easily grasped by the hand. The sub stance is materially the same as that used in Ohio for the same purpose , of a bluish block color and very hard. I am not sure that the material even is found here , but there are specimens which very much resemble it. The typical ax , those with grooves cut around them , are quite common ; they are made of a greenish black substance and all the specimens I have seen thus far show that they have been used a long time ; many are broken in places and the grooves are out quite regular and very deep. It must have taken many hours of diligent application to make one of these axes. I am not settled in my opinion with regard to these specimens ; ; hey may have been made here but lam nclincd to think they were brought from the east. Mills in various forms are quite numerous but on account of the length of this article I must leave this branch of the subject for a future article. Crude Implements. The implement which is distinctively a homo product is found scattered throughout the Nebraska field. This is the stone which they used to dress skins. I have many of these "rubbing stones" made flat and smooth on one side and sometimes on either side. One which I have shows the marks of the fingers deeply worn in the upper part and the idges while the underside is flattened by constant wearing. The stones are selected from the drift deposit and are of convenient size to hold in the hand. One may know that these stones are found on the ground and are probably not carried from place to place but are abandoned when the village site is deserted. These stones are usually the first evidences one discovers near an ancient village site , and are found only near the village site. The skins are stretched on the ground and while they are drying and curing the squaws rubbed the flesh side with these stones until the stones themselves are worn flat by constant usage. Now , to briefly recapitulate , the flints of the Roca site show that they came from nearly every direction , either brought here for barter or were made here and the different forms show that probably different tribes made them and the appearance shows greatly differing ages for these flints. In fact one can but conjecture how many different tribes of people wandered over these beautiful , rolling prairies before the white man came with his burden. From a study of the conditions I would say that at least three widely differing tribes have roamed these hills in the halcyon days when naught but fresh air and blue sky contended with the buffalo and plumed songster for supremacy. This subject is still in its infancy and one can but imagine what wonders will be revealed ere the close of this century. How many such ancient Indian village sites there are in the state is a matter of conjecture. I have rumors of many and hope to use the spade to some effect before this year closes. Anyone know ing of archaeological fields will do the state of Nebraska a favor by writing a description of them , and some time during the coming year wo may be able to systematically explore them to some purpose. In a future article we shall dwell upon the lodge circles , mills and what is known of their burying grounds. E. E. BLAOKJTAN. Roca , Neb. MINTS AND MONEY. I notice that the secretary of the Omaha Commercial Olub in an interview in reference to the proposed mint in Omaha says : "In addition to .ts proximity to the mines , Omaha is the : entre of a rich agricultural country vhich every year requires millions of lollars for the handling of its crops. The location of the mint at Omaha > vould enable the farmers and mer- hants to reach the source of supply of money easier than at present and they ivould then bo using the metal mined in ; he territory contiguous to Omaha. " No wonder we have populists , fusion- sts , greenbackers , silver-republicans and sixteen-to-one democrats when the active manager of a great commercial body puts forward such a curious theory as is contained iu the foregoing extract. When did it happen in the last thirty years that farmers or merchants suffered for the lack of coined money or legal ender money of some other kind ? Can the secretary or any other man in this ommuiiity recall or specify a single case in thirty years where any man had anything for sale and could not sell it because of a scarcity of coined money or other legal tender currency. Merchants and farmers have often been without merchandise and without farm products and could not get money for that reason ; or on the other hand the people who would like to buy may have been with out capital or credit , and consequently could not buy ; but neither of these parties could say that their troubles were due to a lack of coin or legal tender money. It is careless and inaccurate statements of this kind that give rise to so much agitation and to so many false theories among our people. The average man is not expected to be an economic expert and it is not strange that he is led astray by such statements , but wo expect better things from people whose position should be a guarantee of correct thinking in matters of finance. The establishment of a mint here will not make money easier to be obtained by any class except perhaps burglars. The benefit to Omaha of a mint is like the benefit that comes from the estab lishment of any large manufacturing plant. The benefit is in proportion to the amount of capital invested and the amount of money spent for wages. It is not even a benefit to that extent as we would get no benefit from the expendi ture of profits. Curious theories of finance ore passing away. Don't lot us revive or encourage them by such state ments as the above. THOMAS KILPATRIOK. Omaha , Neb.
