His perseverance was soon rewarded. After a few hours' labor he found two stone axes, a broken fragment of a shell bracelet, a stone arrow-point, and several fragments of pottery.
This proves conclusively that there have been dwellers on the Mesa-top, and it seems a pity that after all his trouble the Professor was not rewarded by some such find.
Mr. Hodge says that Professor Libbey could not have attempted to dig, but must have expected to find the traces he was in search of lying exposed on the surface.
By Mr. Hodge's measurement, the Mesa is 431 feet at its highest point, and 224 feet at its lowest.
He thinks there is not a shadow of doubt that it was once occupied by Indians, and suggests that an expedition be sent out prepared to encamp on the Mesa, and examine it much more thoroughly than he was able to do.
The committee appointed to look into the possibility of establishing a government factory for the manufacture of armor-plate has reported that it will cost about three million dollars.
The committee was also instructed to look about for a desirable site on which to build the works. This raised the hopes of the towns within the iron districts. Delegates from several States have appeared before the board to extol the desirability of their various townships. As yet, however, it is not decided whether the Government will build the works at all, and so the matter of place has not been taken into serious consideration.
It was supposed that the Bethlehem Iron Works and perhaps the Carnegie works might make some offer to the Government by which the works could be under the control of the Government, or the armor could be made at the price the Government offers ($300 per ton). No offer has as yet been made.
A suggestion has, however, come from a man who thoroughly understands the manufacture of armor-plate.
He says that by the use of a new process of making steel the plate can be turned out at a much less cost, and with half the waste that there is in the present method of making it. The plant to make this new-process steel can be built for half the money required for the old-style plant, and moreover the armor-plate can be turned out in a much shorter time.
By the use of this process he asserts that the finest armor-plate can be made at a cost of $150 per ton, and at that price there would be a margin of $50 profit.