A contracted dredger just uncovered at least 5 sets of pioneer remains, about 400 yards from the confluence of the Loup branch and Platte river ( located between Columbus and Grand Island ). I didn't catch the entire report from the TV station News from Atlanta, only keying in when they mentioned "Platte", but apparently a contract dredger is hired periodically as needed in Spring, prior to major melting, to dredge out the silt where the Loup branch dumps into the Platte. Too big a silt buildup causes the Loup to back up and rechannel through farmland. The dredger works both in the water and a massive attachment permits the machinery to eat away at the bank as well in order to widen the water flow as needed. Anyway, all the silt it picks up is mixed with water, tumbled, then by 16 inch flex-pipe, dumped on the bank well away from the water flow. I've seen these dredges on a bigger scale in Panama where constant dredging is required in order to keep the canal open. There, the flex-pipe is supported at places by buoy till it reaches shore if the distance is great. Anyway, you can hear the rocks and such as it bounces along through the pipe and when a bunch of rocks are heard, the operator backs off that portion of the bank because he starts getting into bedrock. According to the newscast, the operator who has been doing this work for well over 25 years started hearing weird sounding bumping noises through the pipe so he shut the system down. The "oiler" (Laborer) then took a small powered raft to the tube outlet to see what they "dug up". That's when he found pieces of bone, cloth, broken glass, and worked wood. He radioed in and the operation stopped until the State inspectors arrived. A preliminary investigation of findings by 2 State archeologists who hand-dug the bank area determined that there were at least 5 sets of remains uncovered and 2 small pull behind hand carts of wood that were disturbed. The State eventually gave the company permission to continue dredging but in a manner well away from the affected bank. They also made the oiler personally watch the pipe outflow and at the first sign of a similar find, shut down operations immediately. Anyway, I'll keep the Atlanta TV station on in the garage and listen for more information if and when it airs. Tom