The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-08-07
AMERICAN TRoYs.

Discovery of the Ruins of Burned and
Buried Cities i'm Arizona.
The ruins of the ancient cities of
southern Arizona, says the writer, are
lust now attracting considerable atten-
ton. Until recently the only informa-
ton that has come to the surface has
been that obtained from adventures,
who, while passing through that section
in search of gold, have jotted down
that which forced itself upon their Wis.,
ion during their hastY transit. Many
of these stories have contained such
marvellous statements that they have
been cast aside as cleverly written
pieces of fiction, as the writers were I'M
known. The murderous Apaches are
gradually giving away before the ad-
vance of civilization are being hi rled
back into their mountain retreats into
eternity and on to reservations by Gen
aral Crook and his soldiers, and that
most wonderful country is soon to TEEN
with the life and industry of white men.
Arazona is known to be one of the rich
est mineral bearing countries in the
world, and her valleys contain re-
narkabIy productive soil, under the in
huence of irrigation.
IRRIGATION CANALS IN PUEBLO VIEJO
VALLEY.
Mr.. J. A, Parker, superintendent of
the Montezuma canal company, whose
works are located in Pueblo Viejo Val
ley, Arizona, has arrived in this city,
and from him we have obtain fund
of information relative to that country.
The Pueblo Vieio valley lies south of
and bordering on the ella river, and be-
tween it and the Graham range of
mountains. It is about 400 miles east
of Yuma, 80 miles north of Camp
Grant, and 10 miles west of the New
Mexico line. This valley is about GO
miles long and averages four miles in
width, and contains as fine agricultural
and grazing land as can be found any
where. About a year ago four cOmpa-
MES commenced the construction of ir-
rigation canals at this point, and have
now completed from three to six miles
| each of their works.
A CHAIN OF CITIES IN RUIN.
In this beautiful and fertile valley is
a chain of well-marked ruins of ancient
! citiss located about a mile apart. In
some places the walls of the houses
| still show above the surface, aud at
others the rolling mounds from ten to
forty feet in height, covered with earth
and vegetables, show that ages must
! have passed since they were laid pros
| trate. Mr.. Parker, who is a man pos
| sessed OF an inquiring turn of mi d,
and is backed by literary attainments of
a high order, has devoted most of his
spare time during the last year in re-
searches among these ancient ruins.
! The walls are composed of rough stone
| laid in mortar. Excavations within the
! limits indicate that all the cities were
destroyed by fire.
A LARGE CANAL AND RESERVOIRS.
A careful examination shows that
| there is a long canal extending from the
Gila river to the eastern end of the val
lev, down through these ancient cities,
in each of which is found large trian-
! gular-shaped reservoir, and containing
from three to five acres. These reser.
voirs have been reported by parties who
have made but casual examination OF
them as the ruins of old Notifications.
The edges of the canal and reservoir
are lad with stone, and are constructed
in a very substantial manner. Some OF
the reservoirs, which are six or eight
feet deep, are cut in two by walls of ma.
sonrY extending from side to side.
|
Ga the bank of the ella river, OF
about ten miles below Florence, are the
ruins of a most singular structure-a
building 81 by 81 feet, built of adobe,
which is now so hard that q pick car
not be driven into it. There are two
walls-a building within a building
which are separated about ten to twelve
feet, and which are between twenty
eight and thirty inches thick at the base.
In the walls, up about nine feet, and ex
tending 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 tim.
bers, which are still in fair state OF
preservation, show that they were con
sumed by fire, up to and, in some in
stances, part way through the wall.
There are now three stories of the wall
still standing in one place. The win
dOws are long and narrow, and seem to
nave been placed where they were
needed, and without regard to external
! symmetry. The doors are at the cor
neTs. At the top of the inside walls
| a'e several round holes about the size
of hat. The art Of plastering seems
| to have been perfect in those DAYS, as
the inner wall is still smooth, and of a
yellowish white color. What this build
ing was used for can only be conject
ured, as it stands in an open space, sur
rounded by the same class of ruins as
| those above referred to. It is probable
! that it was a church, or, if that 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 lin s. 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 are very little affected
by age.
OTHER RUNS-wHO WE'RE THE INHABIT-
ANTS.
The same class of ruins described
above cau no fouDd all over SOutbarp