The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-07-18


rculturai and grazing land as can bc found
anywhere, About year ago four c0mpan-
les commenced the construction OF irrigation
canals a. this point ard have now completed
from three to six miles each of their works.
CHAIN OF CITIES IN RUINS.
Ia this beautiful and fertile valley is a
chain Of wcll-marked RUNS of ancient cities
located about mile apart. In some places
the walls OF the houses still show above the
surface, aad at others the rolled mounds,
from 10 to 40 feet in height covered with
earth and vegetation, show that ages must
have passed since they were laid PROSTATE.
Mr Parker who is n man possessed of an in
curing turn Of mind, and Is backed by liter.
airy attanments of high order, has devoted
most OF his spare time during the last year
to researches among these ancient ruins. The
walls are composed of rough stone, laid IN
mortar. Excavations within their limits in
dictate that all the cities were
DESTROYED By FIRE.
Among the debris are found pottery, house.
hold utensils, and human bones, but as yet
no warlike implements have been brought to
light. The human bones show unmistakable
evidence Of having been burned, and crumble
to pieces upon being handled. Several ollas
pronounced o-yahs)-jug-shaped earthern
vessels, now used by the Indians for holding
watcr-wcrc found, which contained ashes,
small pieces OF human bones, and fragments
of charcoal, which would indicate that crem-
alton was practiced by that extinct people.
Axes, hammers and siedges of various sizes
and shapes and raade from stone which is
much heavier and harder than any known
of, have been brought to light. One of these
axes, found by Mr.. Parker, was tested by
him He Cut rod Of iron in two with it,
and no perceptble effect was produced upon
the axe by the operation. This relic has
been sent to the Worlds fair for exhibition.
ANCIENT POTTERY AND RARE STONES.
Mr.. Parker has quite an extensive collcc.
ton of pieces of pottery which he dug out Of
these ruins He brought with him to the
city several specimens, which he has present
ed to Tie 4a!ta. The vessels were evidently
made Of clay, which is now a dark gray col
or, and as hard as a stone. The surfaces are
nicely glazed and covered with lines and
characters of different colOrs from the work,
-nsc piece has a black surface, covered with
we low irregular lines, and surrounded by a
oaliay COlOrcd border of wedge-shaped char.
cls. Another piece is covered with white
noll black figures, the lines being more regu-
It than IN the other piece, and containing
md its surface what Is known among printers
Roman border outside Of which are
rated rows Of black and striped lines, the
ViAole being surrounded by circular lines OF
este and black.
inhmong the collection before us is Il white,
80 nsparent stone which looks as ii it had
toJbled out from seething mass of the same
lieterial. 1t is tiinty in character and will
a Sc glass. There are three smaller stones OF
,ssusame variety, each containing crimson
o,,., the smaller being quite red and brilliant.
ou'idcs these there are two pebbles of ebony
!, al, externally, but which upon being held
Or do the lighi are perfectly transparent. One
,oshem has been broken in two and the sur.
. - presented is as smooth and brilliant as
H. Of polished crystal.
su \ LARGE CANAL AND RESERVOIRS
les careful examination shows that there is
" .rge canal extending from the ella river,
y, he eastern end of the valley, down through
ID" sc ancient cities, in each Of which is found
en,rge triangular shaped reservoir, and con-
oraing from three to five acres. These res
,si oirs have been reported by parties who
ve made but casual examination of them,
'hthe ruins of old fortltications The edges
hiche canal and reservoir are laid with stone,
pud are constructed in a very substantial
a, lnner Some Of the reservoirs which were
." or eight feet iccp are cut in two by walls
;uyuasonry extending from side to side.
10 STRANGE RUINs-wHAT WAS IT?
Lem the bank Of the ella river, or about ten
. ,es below Florence, are the ruins OF most
9 gular struCture-a building 81 by 81 feet,
UT of adobi, which is now so hard that a
r, TX cannot be driven into 1t. There are two
rells-a building within a bulding-which
separated about 10 or 12 feet, and which
iFc between % and 30 inches thick at the
base In the walls, up about nine feet, and
extended entirely around the structure, was
placed at the time the building was put up, a
row of cedar beams, which probably served
to brace and strengthen the building. The
ends of these timbers, which are still in a
fair state Of pres crvatiOn, show that they were
by fire, up to and in some in
stances, part way through the wall. There
are now three stories of the wall still stand
ing, in one ulacc. The windows are long
and narrow, and seem TO have been placed
where they were needed, and without regard
to external symmetry. The doors are at the
corners At the top OF the inside walls are
several round holes, about the size OF nat
The art of plastering seems to have been per
feet in those days as the inside wall Is still
smooth, and OF yellOwish white color. What
this building was used for can only be con
jcctured, us it stands in an open space, sur
rounded by the same class of ruins as those
above referred TO. 1t is probable that It was
a church, or, il that people did not worship
God, idols may have received alteration
there.
Near this building, and at other points
among these ruined cities, are still standing
rows of cedar posts, set on very accurate
lines. The upper ends OF these posts look
old, and have been worn by the elements
still they are in good state of preservation.
The portions that are in the ground are much
larger, and arc very little affected by age.
OTHER RuiNs-wHo WERE THE INHABITANTS
The same class of ruins described above
can be found all over southern Arizona, New
MnyicN territory and the nnrthren mart of