Giant Skeletons with Double Rows of Teeth Uncovered in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Decatur Republican (Decatur Iowa) January 13, 1870
Wonderful Discovery
Skeletons of a giant race found near Potosi
From Dubuque Times, Jan. 5.
The evidence appears to be pretty well settled that this whole western country was once inhabited by a race of beings of gigantic stature, who were not only hard working, industrious fellows, but well up in the fine arts. What their laws, institutions and code of morals consisted of, we shall never know, as printing presses and interviewing reporters were scarce in those days, but from the numerous mounds scattered over the country, which learned …illegible…tell us were the works of their hands, it is quite easy to assume that they were heavy on the dig and took much delight in wielding the spade and shovel. They would be useful fellows to have in these days of railroads and canals and its to be regretted that the race died out before the present system of internal improvements commenced.
From time to time the skeletons of an unknown race have been discovered in the different mounds mentioned, up and down the Mississippi River, the last discovery of the kind being made near Potosi, Wisconsin, a little over a week ago. A young man by the name of Patterson, brother-in-law to S.M. Langworthy, Esq., of this city was engaged with a number of men digging out the foundation of a saw mill, near the bank of the river. In digging out this, it became necessary to remove one of these mounds or tumuli. The workman had descended to the depth of about seven feet, when they unearthed two human skeletons, the bones of which were almost entire, and in a good state of preservation upon taking them out, an accurate measurement was made of the skeletons, which one of them was found to be seven and a half feet, and the other eight feet in length. The jaws of each were filled with double rows of teeth, while the cheek bones were very high and prominent. Under the bones a large collection of arrowheads and strange toys were found, which had evidently been buried with them.
Strange to state, the workman, instead of preserving these bones, carted them off into the road, and it feared that the great majority are now wasted. It is highly probable that other skeletons exist in the vicinity.