The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-06-10

Curious Relics 81 Pre- Historic Races
-xuins 81 Buildings and Aque-

Curious Relics Of Pre- Historic Races
Ruins % Buildings and Aque-
ducts.
In New Mexico are to be found the
ruins OF cities, of cathedrals and palaces,
that speak In unmistakable language of
people that lived and fourished so long
ago that no history or legend tells who
they were, whence they came, or whittier
they went. No one can tell their name,
or by what wonderful law Of Providence
they have been completely wiped from
the face of the earth. It is conjectured
by some antiquarian, says a Sante Fe
correspondent, that, even before ancient
Thebes existed, there dwelt upon the
plains of New Mexico q people whose
power and splendor were unrivaled
among the nations of the earth. That
there were cities here, and large ones,
too, is well-settlsd fact but it will only
be when the earth gives up its dead that
their history will be revealed. Alb ,ut
100 miles southeast of Albuquerque is
Gran Quivera, one of these interesting
relics OF the past. 1t is in the midst of
u country as barren as the desert. No
streams of water flow near it, and the
surface of the country shows no signs of
vegetable growth whatever. The whole
region is deserted, while In the midst OF
it stand the ruins Of an ancient and large
city. For centuries the forces of nature
have been ut work upon its crumbling
walls, and the winds have brought show
ers of sand until the walls are covered,
80 that nothing can be seen but the tops
of the highest walls. The streets are
filled up with debris and sand until they
are leveled up with the roofs of the
houses. There is one building that tow
ers above the rest, and that can be seen
for fifty miles III approaching the city.
Its walls are four teet thick and eighty
feet high. The building was 100 feet
long. and from eighty to 100 feet wide,
and had a basement the entire length OF
the structure. The first floor was evil
IDENTITY a council-chamher, where sat the
Solons of the long ago. This floor was
supported by very large timbers, that
still stretch across from wall to wall, and
are we'll preserved. The ceiling is not
less than fifty ieet high, and the timbers
that support 1t stu remain, with bracket
supporters extending out from the sides
of the walls. These timbers are larger
than any growth of timber now to be
found anywhere in this region of coun-
try. The carving and holdings on
these old brackets speak of the work
manship of that people, and show that
they were skilled in art and In archi-
lecture. The art displayed exhibits
taste, culture and the skillful use OF
tools, and demonstrates that they had
tools of good quality, if not machinery.
Not far from thfs wonderful site az @
the ruins of an aqueduet that extends
from the city to the mountain. This is
built of masonry, the stone laid In
cement. The wall in many places stands
firm and strong to-day, yet it must have
been built many ages ago. In durabili-
ty it surpasses our best masonry, and in
workmanship Is not inferior to much
that rs called the best.
The people who built these walls lived
here, and have departed, leaving moth
ing but the workmanship of theu hands
behind them-have left neither legend
nor tradition to tell who they were. The
rant of them rs the traveller who, for the
first time, looks upon these wonderful
ruins.
There are other ruins quite as inter
esting in the Canyon de Chaco, in Rio
Arriba county but these, like those of
Gran Quivera, are dusty with age, and
without any legend or history to tell us
who dwelt there.
The next wonderful things to be seen
are the homes of the cliff-dwellers. -
These homes are doubtless built for pro-
lection from dangerous enemies. They
excite great surprise from their mac
feasibility. In Mancos de Chelle there
is wall l, 200 feet high, and, ut a point
200 feet perpendicularly from the top, a
pigeon-hole, and, at other points about
the same distance apart, other pigeon
holes Qarge openings) on a horizontal
ine-four cliff-houses, one In each open
ing. How these people entered these
houses, and how they came out, is to us
of this day matter of surprise and con-
lecture. Some say that they used a
long ladder, and, after they entered
their homes, took the ladder in; but
either the ladder must have been Of
very high and peculiar material, or the
"cliff- dweflers must have been giants
1t is evident from these old cities and
towns that New Mexico had a popula-
ton in the ages of the past far In excess
of the present population. These ruins
are not in localities, but all over New
Mexico. In the mountains are found
mining shafts, ruins of rude smelter;
with large piles of Stag, and other indi
cations that show they were acquainted
with the precious metals, and were gen
orally an active and industrious people
When the Spaniards first came to THU
country GOO years ago., that the Pueblo'
were older than seven generations il
stated by the Spanish historians who
preserved the record of their discov
cries and the curious things they saw
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