Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1885-05-16

RUINS OF AN AZTEC VILLAGE.
Hnnaa Shelton Unearthed. Ranch Of
Chas. Lougee. Fine Farming on
the Anlmas River.
LoUGEK's RANCH, N. NJ. \
Ma z 122S


LoUoEK's RANCH, N. M.
i May 7, 1885.
On the Animas River this season
are some Of the finest prospects fol
an abundance of all kinds of grain
that has been known in years. Be-
sides the irrigation thai can bs
utilized, frequent rains have fallen
at suitable intervals throught the
whole planting season. A much
larger portion Of the bottom lands
have been fenced the past winter,
and consequently. the area of pro-
ducing lands is immense. The
Animas courses through some OF
the richest farming lands in the
territory, and bottoms are wide
and rich. The bottoms lands are
covered for the most part. with
heavy forest Of cottonwood, ash and
walnut, furnishing the settlers with
timber for fencing and building
purposes and FIRE wood. So far,
| this is the finest ranch have yet
seen, about forty acres Of land, as
level as floor, is in high state of
cultivation, and the water privileges
for irregating is as convenient as
any in the country. Mr.. Lougee
has a great variety OF grain on his
ranch which consists Of corn, ear
ly potatoes and other vegetables.
He has about eight acres in irish
potatoes alone. This will yield him
many hundred bushels for market
Of as large potatoes as are grown in
the territory. He will also have
fine crop Of onions. Mr.. Lougee
is paying no attention to stock. but
devotes his whole time to the i'm
provement OF his farm and raising
grain, keeping such stock as are
necessary to cultivate his crops.
Within three hundred yards of
the house stands the ruins of an
aztec village. This afternoon Mr.:
Lougee and me visited the old
town. Crossing the Animas, near
the house, we assembled q steep en-
bankment. some seventp-fve feet
high, and came to a beautiful, level
platue, being the first bench Of a
succession Of plateus. In the CEN
ter of this stood the walls OF what
was once the home of the now ex-
tinct aEtec. The walls are built Of
stone, and, at this late date, aver
age about two feet in height. Step
ping the angles of the walls of one
of the. buildings, l found it to be
thirty feet square. This is sur
rounded by a number of smaller
ones which are in greater state
Of decay and ruin. Tie large
boulders about the village are liter
ally covered with hieroglyphics,
plcticures Of snimals and reptiles.
These are plainly disernable, time
having failea to have defaced them
in the least. We picked ur num-
Der Of pieces of pottery, we'll kiln
burnt, and painted In beautiful col
ors. In another place We found
mortar, which had been used for
grinding their corn. This was in a
large boulder, half imbeded in the
earth. 1t had been worn to a depth
of about eighteen inches, and was
as nicely turned as If by the bands
Of an expert. Indian arrow heads
are occasionally found, but this 10
not of frequent occurrence. While
Mr.. Lougee was digging a ditch
on one side Of his field last fall he
dug up the remains OF one of these
ancient inhabitants. 1t was in a
sitting posture, and about three
feet under ground. He threw it
on the embankment and this even
ing we made it visit. Most OF /,
.hs bones are. in a remarkable state
Of preservation. Only half the
skull was there, however, but this
had its natural form Three teeth
vet remain, and are OF snowy white
ness, as, intact all the bones are
white. Mr.. Lougee thinks that
his was the burying ground OF the
Artecs o. the ground hs ssys, tor