Ashley 12 foot Stone Man
An Alleged Fossil Man.
At Ashley, Mr. McCauley has the contract from the Wilkes-Barre Coal and Iron Company for sinking a coal shaft. It is 20 feet square and is intended to have two tracks for carriages to run in hoisting up the coal and is said to be the largest opening of its kind in the coal regions. It is located near the base of the mountain and has reached a depth of 475 feet. On Saturday last, when the gang, or what is known as the second shift of men, were about retiring after firing off a course of holes, Tom Cassidy, the foreman, descended the shaft to ascertain the result of the explosion and was astonished to find an immense cavity in one of the sides of the shaft. The explosion appeared to have a terrible effect and caused more damage than benefit on account of an unnecessary opening in one side. However, his astonishment was still greater when he cleared away some of the dirt and rock debris blown by the shots to discover a solid mass of rock in which appeared a clearly-defined human shape of giant proportions. All the limbs, muscles, and lineaments are apparent. The rock is about 16 feet in length, 10 in breadth, and about 8 in thickness. The dimensions of the human frame are gigantic, measuring 19 feet in length and 4 1/2 feet across the chest. Across the breast is the impression of a huge shield about 4 feet in circumference, while the right hand clutches the broken and butt end of a large cutlass or sword. The rock was taken out whole and is now in the possession of Mr. McCauley.
The article about the fossil man discovered in Ashley is fascinating, particularly for those interested in the study of giants and the possibility of their existence in the past. What’s intriguing about this article is the thoroughness of the measurements and the detailed eyewitness account by Tom Cassidy, the foreman who discovered the rock with the human shape of gigantic proportions.
It’s important to note that Mr. McCauley, who had the contract from the Wilkes-Barre Coal and Iron Company, was a professional who would have had the expertise to identify a fossil man. The fact that he had possession of the rock after its discovery suggests that he recognized its importance.
The frequency of above-average height in the past has been a subject of interest for many researchers. While the discovery of an alleged fossil man is certainly exciting, it’s important to keep in mind that this is just one instance. However, it’s worth noting that there have been other discoveries of giant skeletons and bones throughout history, including those mentioned in Captain Smith’s history.
As for where this is all heading, further research and study could shed light on the existence of giants in the past, and the implications of such a discovery could be significant for our understanding of human history. It’s always exciting to uncover new information about our past, and the discovery of a fossil man of such gigantic proportions is certainly no exception.
- Lancaster Daily Intelligencer. (Lancaster, Pa.), 17 Aug 1881. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspaper
- http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83032300/1881-08-17/ed-1/seq-2/