Post by L Roebuck on Sept 16, 2005 8:12:04 GMT -5
Inmates digging tunnel find ancient footprints
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted: 9/2/2005 10:31 pm
Inmates at Nevada State Prison probably were a bit surprised earlier this summer when Warden Mike Budge asked for help tunneling on prison grounds.
“Well, we do things a little different here,” Budge joked. He added that inmates weren’t digging anything that could be considered an escape tunnel — they were asked to clear out an ancient cave that has existed for probably more than a million years.
Budge, a history and archeology buff, had been told about prehistoric footprints in the floor of the cave. Inmates uncovered nine prints identified by state Historic Preservation archaeologist Gene Hattori as those of a giant sloth from the Pleistocene era.
The digging, near a prison license plate factory, came to a halt last week when state Public Works Manager Dan O’Brien and Risk Manager Sue Dunt raised safety concerns.
“No one did any engineering,” said O’Brien. “They just started digging.”
“We would not be very happy if someone got hurt,” said Dunt.
Budge said the inmates installed supports and bracing, but engineers and safety inspectors say the cave still isn’t safe.
“They want to engineer that shoring to make sure it’s safe for entry,” he said. “They said we can’t just be doing it on our own so what we have to do is come up with about $2,200 to engineer it,” said Budge. “Then it’ll be safe.”
The warden said the cave was studied more than 100 years ago, and a couple of the giant sloth prints were cut out of the rock. They are on display at the University of Nevada, Reno. In 1981, the cave was filled in.
Budge said the cave isn’t the only evidence of ancient creatures on what are now prison grounds. He said inmates working on an amphitheater recently uncovered two sets of mammoth footprints in the sandstone.
“There’s a lot of history at this prison,” he said. That includes two other natural caves on the grounds which Budge says were used at one point as isolation cells.
The prison has been in operation two years longer than Nevada has been a state — opening in 1862. Before that, a hotel was located on the site.
www.rgj.com/news
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted: 9/2/2005 10:31 pm
Inmates at Nevada State Prison probably were a bit surprised earlier this summer when Warden Mike Budge asked for help tunneling on prison grounds.
“Well, we do things a little different here,” Budge joked. He added that inmates weren’t digging anything that could be considered an escape tunnel — they were asked to clear out an ancient cave that has existed for probably more than a million years.
Budge, a history and archeology buff, had been told about prehistoric footprints in the floor of the cave. Inmates uncovered nine prints identified by state Historic Preservation archaeologist Gene Hattori as those of a giant sloth from the Pleistocene era.
The digging, near a prison license plate factory, came to a halt last week when state Public Works Manager Dan O’Brien and Risk Manager Sue Dunt raised safety concerns.
“No one did any engineering,” said O’Brien. “They just started digging.”
“We would not be very happy if someone got hurt,” said Dunt.
Budge said the inmates installed supports and bracing, but engineers and safety inspectors say the cave still isn’t safe.
“They want to engineer that shoring to make sure it’s safe for entry,” he said. “They said we can’t just be doing it on our own so what we have to do is come up with about $2,200 to engineer it,” said Budge. “Then it’ll be safe.”
The warden said the cave was studied more than 100 years ago, and a couple of the giant sloth prints were cut out of the rock. They are on display at the University of Nevada, Reno. In 1981, the cave was filled in.
Budge said the cave isn’t the only evidence of ancient creatures on what are now prison grounds. He said inmates working on an amphitheater recently uncovered two sets of mammoth footprints in the sandstone.
“There’s a lot of history at this prison,” he said. That includes two other natural caves on the grounds which Budge says were used at one point as isolation cells.
The prison has been in operation two years longer than Nevada has been a state — opening in 1862. Before that, a hotel was located on the site.
www.rgj.com/news
