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Correspondence of The Chicago Press and Tribune.
Stirling, July 23, 1858
I ask a short space in your columns for the purpose of noticing what is called in Whiteside County and antediluvian well. Hearing that such a one had been discovered, arrangements were made by Dr. L. S. Pennington, the Rev. E. Erakine of this place, and your correspondent, to visit the locality and investigate the matter. Accordingly a few days since Mr. E. and myself repaired to the residence of Dr. P. about four miles north of town, and under his guidance we sailed forth on our expedition. Our route was West, but owing to the nature of the ground, we passed a little to the northward, traversing one of the finest open prairies in the State of Illinois. After crossing Spring Creek, we came again upon cultivated prairies, and pushing on past Hickory Grove we came to the point of interest in the western line of the town of Hopkins, near the northwest corner of the town. The well is situated on the farm known as the Finch farm, and now owned by Mr. J. a. Hart. The farm is on an elevated prairie and commands fine view of the surrounding country.
The facts concerning the well, as we gathered them from eye witnesses, at the time it was dug, or rather discovered about two years since, seem to be these:
Mr. Finch had occasion to dig a well, and the workmen having dug down about twenty-seven feet from the surface, in the usual prairie soil, came upon a stratum of black vegetable soil, containing remains of wood in a tolerably good state of preservation, branches of trees resembling cedar, &c. Near the lower edge of this stratum the workmen came upon a wall made of flat stones, which, upon examination, was soon found to be circular and of about the size of an ordinary well. One side of this well was found to be about a foot and a half higher than the other. It was also found that the workmen had not dug down exactly over the newly discovered well, but a few inches aside. They pursued their investigations and fund that the well was from eight to ten feet deep, and built in a substantial manner. It was filled with the black vegetable soil, and remains of cedar found at the top of the well. Upon clearing out this soil and muck, there was abundance of good water.
There was also found in the bottom of the well about enough stone to make the top of the well of equal height. The soil exterior to the well was entirely different from that in the interior, resembling somewhat the soil overlying the three feet of black vegetable soil. Upon this old well the workmen built their new well. We should have gone down in the well to see for ourselves, but the recent rains had filled the well with some ten feet of water.
The foregoing facts are vouched for by men who were in the well and examined it before the new well was laid, and immediately after the rubbish was removed from the old well.
Now, when and by whom was this well constructed? This is a question for geologist to answer. I shall not attempt to speculate upon it.
Dr. P. B. Randolph, the clairvoyant, in his book "The Wonderful Story of Ravalette," written and published in 1861, first edition by Tousey, of New York, relates a seance held in Paris, where himself was the seer. We give the significant passages verbatim from this book, thus incontestably demonstrating that media and clairvoyants do unmistakably foresee the shadows of coming events. this is one of the most astounding evidences of positive clairvoyance and prevision ever known. Let skeptics explain it away if possible:
Deep was the silence, hushed were our breaths. Quick beat our hearts, tearful were our eyes, for a greater than even Death was in that room on the Boulevard de Luxembourg!
Seated in a large office-chair, his limbs stiff and cold with the damps of dissolution; his face paler than the Genius of Consumption; his heart and pulses totally moveless; his eyes wide open, and so upturned that not a speck of aught but the uncolored portions thereof were visible, was my friend. In previous years I had often seen him and hundreds of others in booth the mesmeric and odyllic trance. Not such a trance was that wee now were witnessing. In the course of five minutes there came a change in the sleeper's face, which became lighted up as if at that moment his soul beheld the ineffable glories of the great Beyond.
He spoke: "Now!"
As this one word escaped his lips, the door of the room was silently opened, and two men entered and were about taking seats, when the Commissary of Police suddenly rose, made a lower obeisance, saluted, one of them in military style, and exclaimed, "The Emp-"
"Silence!" said, the person addressed; "all are strangers here!" And then turning to Dhoula Bel, with whom he appeared quite familiar, this person said to him, "At last?"
"At last!" echoed the latter; whereupon the two new comers helped themselves to seats.
The whole affair had gone thus far so directly opposite to all my calculations; events had taken such sudden and totally unexpected turns, that I ceased to marvel at this new game of cross-purposes, but determined to watch the results carefully, whatever they might be. Of course I expected that the new comer would now take the lead of affairs. But no; for Dhouia Bel, as I shall henceforth call him, addressed the shorter of the two intruders as follow:
"Why do you, too, seek to thwart me? Many years ago I found you a student of magic in your lonely prison, whither you had been consigned because you had failed on two occasions, I rescued you, gave you liberty, influence, power, prestige, and seated you firmly on the proudest throne on earth; I have made you famed and feared; I have humbled Britain in your name; for you I have broken the power of ages - the Papacy; for you I have severed Austria, and built a new empire on earth. For you I have fomented, the most awful war the world has ever seen, and have divided a nation of brothers into two parties, each thirsting for the other's blood; and while you have been the silent automation, I have prompted your speech and moved the wires that govern the world, asking nothing whatever in return, and yet you are here to thwart me who have ever been your friend. Why is this?"
"I admit nothing. I am a man of Destiny!"
"Shall I reveal it?"
"I care not."
"Well, I forbear; but 1st this sleeper tell it."
"I am content. Interrogate him. This is the hour, and this
the scene for which I long have waited. Let the oracle speak."
"Listen to me," said the taller of the two intruders. "Ye have both been proxies f a power beyond us all; and even as I, the Stranger, have foiled each of ye, yet my action was decreed. The drama of ages may end to day. Not one of us can read his own future; there is but one on earth who can read it, and there is but one hour in which it may be done. That person is here; that hour has come. Not with the magnetic afflatus of puling, babbling somnambules; but with a vision, simple, pure and accurate, shall yonder sleeper sweep the horizon of the future, and reveal it. Therefore let there be quietude and peace, while the mystic scroll is being read."
Then turning to the slumberer, he sad: "what seest thou, oh Soul? Look! Investigate! reveal! What seest thou concerning France and her ruler."
:France will experience another Revolution. It will begin in Water and end in Blood and Fire! but the end will be delayed. Crown, Sceptre, Dynasty - all are swept away before the resistless tide of Political Reformation, and the last noble and priest shares the fate of the last crowned head - exile and death."
"What of the other Nationalities?"
"Prussia, under a new regime, becomes indeed a Fatherland to her people; Belgium, Holland and other of the Germanic lands, become consolidated with empires now existing; Spain's night draw near - her colonies, erected into Black Republics leave her to sink in loneliness, until at last she becomes, with Rome, and integral part of the great Italian Empire; Austria becomes dismembered; Hungary and Poland coalesce and form a new power on the earth; Turkey passes into Greek hands; Syria into Russian; England Joses Canada, India, Oregon and Ireland, which latter becomes a Republic; the United States rejoined, absorbs Canada, Mexico and all British America - her Black races found an empire which will extend from her southern borders to Brazil, under the rule of a series of Presidents; China, Christianized by the Taepings, becomes a first class power in the East, blotting out Japan and a score of lesser kingdoms; while India and Australia become respectively and Empire and a Republic; and all this within sixty-three years from the seventh decade of the century!{"
"What of Religious changes? Speak! Let us know!"
"All Religious systems in the world, outside of the Christian, will gravitate toward, and finally be wholly absorbed by it; and while this is taking place, there will be a quiet revolution occurring in that system itself; Catholicism, modified and divested of certain objectionable features, will become the right wind and conservative portion of the Religion of the entire world, while the radical portion of that Church, and of all other churches, will secede, rear the standard of Free Thought, proclaim the Religion of Reason, espouse the Reformatory men and principles of the age, declare itself a Positive, Electric, and Progressive Faith, abjuring the doctrines of Original Sin, the Adamic, Mosaic, Hebraic Atonement theories, and everything affirmative of Miracle, Final Judgment, and a Hell. This party will be in a minority, and the left wing of the grand Religious system of the world; it will constantly receive accessions of recruits form the other and barbaric element of society; but so rapid will be the human march, that the right flank of the grand army will constantly crowd the left and occupy its ground, while the latter will as constantly move on toward new fields, as new ideas are developed and seen."
"Now Prophet, what of thyself?"
"Speedy death, relief from sorrow, a lot with other men, and comparative happiness - the the other side of time."
As the sleeping man gave utterance to these inspired prophesies, the less tall of the two strangers appeared disturbed , and almost rising to his feet with excitement, he said:
"Then the Coming Man's career will resemble my own?"
"As fire resembles ice. This man's career will be peaceful; his path will not be stained by one single drop of blood. No maimed men will curse, no widows weep, no orphans cry for vengeance, nor will the ignorance of the people constitute the lever of his power, nor be the instrument by means of which he will vault into a throne!"
"But I am strong! - Mexico! - Empire! - The Latin race! - The Church! - Maximilian! What can break this chain, supposing I establish the last link, as I intend to?"
"Fate! The United States will, in that case, soon find time to breathe upon France and the New Empire! That breath will settle as a cloud, but, when it rises, two dynasties will have disappeared forever!"
"Damnation!" exclaimed the questioner, and he stamped his feet and ground his teeth with rage almost demoniac.
"There will be two damned nations, if that programme is carried out," said the sleeping man, n tones musical and calm, as if he was discussing the merits of a play rather than prophesying the fate and destinies of Empires.
Eds. Times: I was traveling a few years ago in the state of Illinois on the Chicago & Rock Island railway and had occasion to stop for a few hours at Utica, a small station on the Illinois river, distant about ninety miles form Chicago. After completing the business that called me there, and having several hours yet on my hands, I went out in search of specimens among the limewater springs that abound in that vicinity. By accident I learned that I was within about three miles of a place often visited by travelers, and held sacred by the Indians in their legendary history, and a lasting monument of Indian cruelty and revenge. It is appropriately named Starved Rock. I soon found a man to ferry me over the river and bent my steps thither. I found it to be a a large rock of white sandstone covering several acres of ground at its base, and extending upward. I should think, about 250 feet. It is situated on the left bank of Illinois river, and on its river side it is nearly perpendicular. On its summit is an acre of land nearly level, which is partially covered with timber and brushwood. A portion of the latter has been cleared away, making a popular and delightful resort for pic-nic parties from the surrounding country. The summit of this rock is a natural fortress and is accessible only from one side; as you ascend, the path grows narrower and steeper, and when you get within the last ten or twelve feet of the summit, it is so narrow and steep, that it is difficult for one to climb without help. At this time, artificial stairs had been built for the benefit of visitors, but in its natural state, six persons could defend this place against a thousand men. The legendary history from which this wonderful rock derives its name, which I gathered in fragments form the inhabitants living in that vicinity is substantially as follows: In the long time ago before the foot of white man ever trod those grand and beautiful prairies of Illinois, there existed in that vicinity two very numerous and powerful tribes of Indians since known as the Pottowattomies and the Illinis, both very proud tribes, though the power of the Illinis had long previous to this been been broken by terrible wars with the Iroquois (six nations.) The former tribe at this time was far the most numerous. They were living on friendly terms till a young Chief of the Illinis fell desperately in love with the daughter of the Chief of the Pottowattomies and being unable to obtain the consent of the girl's father, to wed his daughter, he stole her away in the night and carried her off. This enraged the chief, the girl's father, and the whole tribe, and caused an unrelenting war between the two tribes. They gathered their forces together and fought day after day with desperation. The Pottowattomies in the meantime had called to their assistance another tribe, the Ottawas, and the Illinis were forced to yield to overwhelming numbers. They fled to this rock as their only refuge form the terrible vengeance of their enemies. But this was of no avail, for they surrounded the place and kept them in a state of siege till they were literally starved to death. Only two persons of the hundreds that were gathered there are said to have escaped, and they were saved by letting themselves down the water side of the rock, with bark ropes, and jumped into the river in the night, and thus made their escape. Many other Indians tried the same experiment, but were all killed, either by the fall or by the tomahawk of their enemies. The squaws would make buckets of bark, and let down with ropes of the same material to the river for water to slake their thirst, but the ever-vigilant enemy, watching in their canoes in the river under the rock, would cut the buckets from the ropes, and thus they were kept without food or water, until they all perished. There, tradition says, perished the last of that once powerful tribe of Indians whose domain once extended from the Wabash river t the Mississippi, and from the Ohio to Lake Superior, and from whom the state and river takes its name.
Yours truly, L. Ormsby
Deerfield, Dec 9, 1873
*I have used the word Illinis for the Illinois Indians, as I have been informed that was the original name of the tribe.
There is in Whiteside county, in the state of Illinois, and old well known as the "antediluvian well." It is situated about three miles in a northwesterly direction from Roundgrove Station, a small station on what used to be known as the Dixon air-line railroad, and distant from Chicago 119 miles. I made a visit to the well in 1858, and gathered what information I could from the parties living on the premises and their neighbors, respecting it, which is substantially as follows: In A.D. 1855, there lived on the premises a man by the name of Finch. He commenced digging a well close by the side of his dwelling. When he had dug the well down around twenty-four feet below the level of the surface, he uncovered the top of an old well, which in some previous age of the world had been dug and stoned up, and when made the wall was laid with mortar of cement, and the same had hardened as hard as the rock itself. The young man who had cleaned the well told me it looked as if it had been dug out of solid rock. The old well which was full of earth when cleaned out, was found to be about 14 feet deep. At its bottom was found several pieces of stone which had evidently fallen from the top of the well. It was also said that near the bottom of the new and the top of the old well, the earth was of a darker color, and looked as though it might have been at some period in the past a surface soil. So nearly had they dug the new well over the old one, that a jog of only a few inches enabled them to commence the new foundation on the wall of the old well. I also noticed this well was not in a vale or under a mountain, but on high, rolling prairie land. This made it utterly impossible that any natural process could have buried the old well so deep underground. I was also informed that it was common in that vicinity, to find wood of various kinds at the depth of 10 to 30 feet, and the summer that I was there, a neighbor within one mile of that place, found while digging a well, a tree three feet in diameter, lying nearly horizontal, and in a good state of preservation. Also when digging the station well at Round Grove they found specimens of wood about 18 feet below the surface. Now if any of your numerous readers and correspondents can give us any light upon this subject in relation to the time when said well must have been dug, or of the race of men who inhabited this country at that time (as it shows mechanical skill beyond that of the capacity of the American Indians), we shall be most happy to hear from them through the columns of your paper. I have a specimen of the stone of which the wall was built, which was taken from the bottom of the well when first cleaned out.
Yours truly, L Ormsby
Deerfield, Jan 9, 1874
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