"A Singular Discovery"

This lengthy article originally appeared in 

The Waterville Times in 1857.

"SINGULAR DISCOVERY

Some of our readers will remember that several years ago, a Samuel Walker, while at work on the highway, a few rods below the distillery, (lost) a crowbar in the following singular manner:  he was endeavoring to loosen some sharp stones that appeared to be embedded in the road between two of which he struck a heavy blow with a point of the crowbar, when to his surprise it slipped from his hands and passed out of his reach, into a cavity below. There has long been (a tradition) that the sharp bluffs on either side of the ravine, we’re connected by a subterranean passage, under the bed of the creek; and this passage has been used as a means of  ???? and defense in time of danger to the people who constructed it; but what ???? people they were, was unknown to the generations.  These circumstances created considerable excitement at the time, but (no obvious) attempts were made to recover the missing crowbar, because it would interfere with the highway. But the spot was visited by most of the village savants, and a variety of opinions were ventured upon, touching the subterranean passage and its probable uses and belongings. At length, however, the circumstance was forgotten, or only occasionally alluded to by the wonder -loving storytellers of the town.

Yesterday afternoon, however, while two boys were at play, about 10 rods west of the road and near the margin of the creek, they discovered a hole in the ground nearly large enough to admit the body of a man. It excited their curiosity to such a degree that they thrust long poles into it, but could not touch bottom. They immediately made these circumstances known to three laborers at work near the lower mill. Some lights and a rope were soon procured; the whole was enlarged, then two of the men and one of the boys were let down into the cavity. They descended about 30 feet before they struck bottom; when they found themselves in a subterranean passage, running nearly east and west and about 25 feet wide. It was built of course unhewn stone, but of a different quality from any known to exist in this vicinity. The stone were laid in a dark and very tenacious cement; and the whole work was very handsomely done. The floor was of nicely hewn limestone, like Eastman’s quarry, and were probably brought from it. The day was so far advanced that little was done toward an exploration of the singular work; but the discoveries that were made we’re very important, and may lead to a solution of the mystery. The explorers on going eastward about 30 rods came upon a large square, or court, which was estimated by them to be about 50 feet in diameter. In this court they found the following articles, which will doubtless lead to further important discoveries: several bundles of arrows and many hundreds of bows of hickory, so massive and inflexible that neither of the men could bend them.

Sixty-two stands of firearms, of that description commonly known in military parlance as “blunderbusses” and were in general use in the reign of Louis XIV of France. Their locks show them to be a French manufacturer, as they bore the impress of the French coat of arms. Their stocks were very much decayed and fell in pieces on the slightest touch. The barrels were of brass and covered with a thick coat of mingled mould and verdigris. Eleven rusty and much-battered swords were found, without scabbard or mountings of any kind. Their hilts were of the elaborately carved bone; but they do not exhibit nice workmanship, and that they are totally devoid of inscriptions of any kind. An iron bar, supposed to be the one that lost by Walker more than 30 years ago. It was broken about 3 inches from the tip it is 5’1” in length and weighs 23 pounds.

Nineteen iron saucepans; eight copper boilers, and 110 iron goblets were found distributed about the room in entire disorder, leading one to conclude that some feast or festival had been broken up without “previous notice.” In the northeast corner of the court were found 280 smoke-tanned deerskins containing parched corn, very dry and hard, but wholly untouched by mold. Under this emmense heap of provisions was found a helmet, of brass and iron, the frontispiece of which bore the following letters in Roman characters: “D. L. O. S.”

The above “remains” were taken to the house of Mr. Fitch, near the “lower mill,” where they may be seen by the curious.

We understand that explorations will be continued today and we hope in our next issue to give a full account of this singular discovery."

The article is real.

Although it was originally published in January, 1857, it is referred to several times in subsequent issues - especially those printed on or around April 1st.