There are not, however, many places in the world where brick can be burned with oil at such a low cost as in the city of Chicago; the reason being that oil is not everywhere obtainable so cheaply as in this city, and because few clays in the world are so easily burned into brick as are the clays of Chicago.  In Milwaukee, Wis., and in other places within a distance of 100 miles from Chicago, the time required to burn building brick with crude oil fuel averages from sixteen to twenty-one days, whereas the time of burning the Chicago clays averages only about five days, and splendid “burns” have been secured there with crude oil in three and one-half days.  It is evident, therefore, that the advantages of using crude oil fuel for the burning of brick will vary in different parts of the United States.

Where circumstances and the nature of the clay permit of its use, crude oil is, next to fuel gas, the brickmakers’ ideal fuel.—­The Brickmaker.

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INVESTIGATION OF A MOUND NEAR JEFFERSON CITY, MO.

By A.S.  LOGAN.

Recently, a party consisting of engineers and employes of the Missouri River Improvement Commission began an exploration of one of the mounds, a work of a prehistoric race, situated on the bluff, which overlooks the Missouri River from an elevation of one hundred and fifty feet, located about six miles below Jefferson City.

This mound is one of about twenty embraced in a circle one quarter of a mile in diameter.

The above party selected the mound in question apparently at haphazard; all the mounds presenting nearly a uniform outline, differing only in size and mostly circular in form, and from twenty to twenty-four feet at the base, rising to a height of eight feet and under.  A trench was cut on a level with the natural soil, penetrating the mound about eight feet.  A stone wall was encountered which was built very substantially, making access in that direction difficult, in consequence of which the earth was removed from the top for the purpose of entering from that direction.  The earth was removed for a depth of four feet, when the top of the wall was exposed.  Further excavation brought to light human bones, some of them fairly well preserved, especially the bones of the legs.  On the removal of these and a layer of clay, another layer of bones was exposed, but presenting a different appearance than the first, having evidently been burned or charred, a considerable quantity of charcoal being mixed with the bones.  In this tier were found portions of several skulls, lying close together, as if they had been interred without regard to order.  They were, in all probability, detached from the body when buried.

The portions of the skulls found were those of the back of the head, no frontal bones being discovered.  Some jaw bones with the teeth attached were among the remains, but only that portion of the jaw containing the molar teeth.