Wichita eagle., 1888-05-11
A PREHISTORIC CITY.
Mr.. FRANK cUSHING'S DISCOVERIES
IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA.


Researches Among the Ruins in Salt River
Valley-Thousands of Skeletons-WeIl
Preserved Specimens of Pottery-Relics
of an Ancient Race.
Some very important discoveries concern
ing prehistoric races have been made during
the past year by Professor Frank Gushing,
who has charge of an exploring expedition
in southern Arizona. He was occupied in
the Salt river valley the past summer The
Salt river valley is the most fertile region in
Arizona. 1t lies about eighty miles north
west of Tucson, on either side OF the Salt
river, near where it joins the ella. Father
Keno made explorations there about 1891,
when he travelled through Arizona to estab-
lish Jesuit missions, and he speaks of it as
having a considerable population of Indians
who have since become known as the Pimas
and Maricopas. But he discovered traces OF
a heavy population that had existed long be-
fore and that had become extinct. Among
the evidences were old irrigating canals,
ruins of buildings and stone utensils, both
for war and domestic use
Professor Cushing, it will be remembered
by many, was for some time identified with
researches connected with the Zuni Indians
of Colorado. He lived nine years with The
Zunis, acquired perfect mastery of their Ian
guage, has written many interesting articles
about them, and has had personal charge OF
two delegations Of them that have visited the
east Mr. Cushing has been at work several
months on the ruins of Salt river valley, and
I had the pleasure of making him a visit in
the early part of August. A friend and l ar
rived at his camp early in the morning Mr.
Cushing is acting under authority of the
Smithsonian institution, and everything
about his camp had the appearance of being
prosperous and well cared for. We felt like
we had got back under the sheltering arms of
the government. The big black mules, the
trim, well built wagons, the white, strong
tents, the abundance Of food for both man
and beast, and the ever beautiful American
flag floating over all, made up particularly
inspiring spectacle and gave us a patriot C
impulse that one could feel only in such a
wild, untrodden region as Arizona. We we re-
welcomed most heartily by Mr.. Gushing and
his assistants. He carries quite little con-
munity with him. First is his wife and her
sister, two very charming looking ladie; 5;
or three grooms and general workmen an
quite lot Of people to do the digging for T, =
mains of the lost tribes One lone tent wa s
given up to the remains that had been fount !
These were being assorted, labeled and packe 4
away in boxes for shipment to the Su1itf >
soniau institution.
His camp was at the edge Of What had ev +
IDENTIFY been a city of considerable size, an
about 800 yards away was the citadel or for :
ress of this city We walked over to til s
citadel and took a general survey from tha
point It had evidently been a building &C
considerable size and strength, probably sev
eral stories high, and had its foundation laid
deep in the earth The material used in its
construction was sundried clay, the same as
that used by the Mexcans Of the lower and
middle classes, and before Mr.. Cushing be-
gan bis explorations there was nothing to
mark its whereabouts, except sort of oblong
hilIock OF mound Little Of the walls above
the foundation were found intact, but tks
ground plan could be traced in every detail
as well as the lines OF the outer wall TIE
ROOMS were of different sizes, and seemed { :
have been constructed with much arc' l.
tectural skill A number of The sna' ler
apartments bad undoubtedly been CON
structed for burial vaults, fo,
when they were opened up skeletons vers
found In them, the heads being invarJ ably tr
the east In one of these vaults gas th.
skele.sn of child Ar. Gushing was @;
the opinion that the building had p een a sor1
of combined citadel and sacred . .rnple. ana
that the remains Of thoSs found there were
those OF priests and their fan1ib a. He said
he had eocouni ercd many evids' ICES that con
vincsd him that the people who bad inhabited
the city bad rsachei the perio IN civilization
when the priest Is superis in power. 4
chief or king lived in the q sadel. bus he wa.
under the control of tie priests Just why
Mr.. Cushing; took this view l could nc.
clearly understand, unles il Was because o.
certain relics be sad found In so1se of the
toznbs-
Tie city extend ID cut In sn directions
from the palace or temple, and the founda-
tons Of many Of them bad been exposed,
many OF them co esistaaS Of buf single
room: but now and ithen thers ~ouh b ons
9. ES~ sG 2gs SCI. gz~sio.s s-s