On Tuesday morning last, while Mr. William Thompson, assisted by Robert R. Smith, was engaged in making an excavation near the house of the former, about half a mile north of West Hickory, preparatory to erecting a derrick, they exhumed an enormous helmet of iron, which was corroded with dust. Further digging brought to light a sword, which measured nine feet in length. Curiosity incited them to enlarge the hole, and after some little time they discovered the bones of two enormous feet. Following up the “lead” they had so unexpectedly struck, in a few hours’ time they had unearthed a well-preserved skeleton of an enormous giant, belonging to a species of the human family which probably inhabited this and other parts of the world at that time of which the Bible speaks, when it says “And there were giants in those days.” The helmet is said to be of the shape of those found among the ruins of Nineveh. The bones of the skeleton are remarkably white. The teeth are all in their places, and all of them are double and of extraordinary size. These relics have been taken to Tionesta, where they are visited by large numbers of people daily. When his giantship was in the flesh he must have stood 18 feet in his stockings. These remarkable relics will be forwarded to New York early next week. The joints of the skeleton are now being glued together. These remains were found about 12 feet below the surface of a mound which had been thrown up probably centuries ago, and which was not more than three feet above the level of the ground around it. Here is another nut for antiquarians to crack.–Oil City Times.
Ah, Tionesta — Giant trees, giant fish, and maybe some Big Foots (Feet? Footen?). But where is the skeleton now? And that sword?
Apparently giant skeletons are common finds. And they’ve been found in Pennsylvania for a while now. A “newer” find than this one (1885) is mentioned by Corliss.