The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-06-07
A FORGOTTEN RACE.
Almost Mareet0us Details of Ne,O Discoc-
cries An,ong the Ruins Of Southwestern
Colorado.


from the Rocky Mountain Touristl
McElmo canon IS one of the widest
and most romantic canons tron the
globe; but OF all it's manifold at
fractions one of the greatest is the
fact that that part of Southwestern
Colorado was once densely pc >pled with
human beings, the ancient ruins of
whose abiding places stand on all sides to
be viewed with the solemnity and awe
one must feel at the tinco5eFing of
Pompeii- Commencing excavations in
the park-Gke valley of the Mancos, be-
tween the Mesa and the mountains, the
low benches which border the stream
upon either side bore faint vestige of
having, at some very remote time, been
covered with dwellings, grouped appar-
emily in communities. A little careful
investigation revealed foundations of
great square blocks, also of single build
ings and of circular Enclosures, the latter
generally with depressed center, showing
excavation for some purpose. The
greater portion of the mound-like ruins
were so overgrown with artemisia, pinon
pine and cedar as to be almost entirely
concealed from observation. Sure indi-
cations of their proximity, however, were
the great quantity of broken pottery
which covered the ground in their neigh
borhood-curiously indented, painted
and glazed ware, unquestionably of Mexi-
can origin Not piece could be found
larger than silver dollar, and all evil
IDENTIFY broken UP aid scattered about
since the demolition of the homes Of the
makers. Entering the canon at its
upper end, grouped along in clusters and
singly were Indications of former habi-
tations very nearly obliterated, and
consisting mostly, in the first
four or five miles, of similar
mounds to those already referred
to, and accompanied always by the SCAT
tered broken pottery. Among them one
building was found of square and care
fully-laid sandstone; one face only ex-
posed, of three CIR four courses above the
mass of debris which covered everything.
This building lay within few yards of the
banks Of the stream, vas apparently
about ten feet by eight, the usttal size,
as near as could be determined, of nearly
all the separate rooms or houses in the
larger blocks, there being no houses
larger, and many not more than five feet
square. The stones exposed we're each
about seven by twelve inches square and
four inches thick, those in their original
position retaining correct angles, but
when thrown down worn away and
rounded by attrition to shapeless bowl
ders. Being so exposed to the elements,
the cementing material which bound the
masonry together was entirely worn
away upon the surface, but upon tearing
away few courses it was found binding
the rocks together quite firmly. 1t was
not, however. anything more than clay
cement. Further up the canon, ruins
were found OH all sides, the great major
ity consisting of heaps of debris, with
always central mass considerably high
er and more massive than the surround
ing lines of subdivided squares. Square
buildings, not more than eight feet
square, were often found standing alone
apparently; no trace of any other being
detected in the immediate neighborhood.
Another peculiar feature was now noted.
To the right, the long slopes of protrud-
ing strata and debris formed promonto-
ries extending out into the canon. Upon
these, and not more than fifty feet above
the stream, frequent indications are
found of their having been occupied by
some sort of works, the foundations of
which, in every case, were circular, with
a deep impression in the center, and gen
orally occurring in pairs. side by side,
ranging from ten to twenty feet in diam
eter. No masonry of any kind was visi-
ble, but, thickly strewn all about, any
quantity of broken pottery. Above were
marked indications of habitations in the
face of the cliff