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PAGE 18

The American Goliah: A Wonderful Geological Discovery
by [?]

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.