The American Goliah | Page 4

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