The St. Johns herald., 1888-08-23
Interesting Description of an An-
 cient City Now in Ruins.

MateO, rising statesman oI New Mexico. was met on the train last Tuesday by Bullion representa- tive. NIT. Chavez kindly furnished our scribe with the following inter- esting data regarding the ancient ruins that has drawn attention of the archaeologist and ethnologist to the vicinity of that gentleman's home. Some four years past Mir. Chavez while hunting a mile north from the town of San Mateo and 9 miles from the Atlantic & Pacific railroad stations of Grant had the occasion to ascend a large mound in the pursuit of game. He had often wandered over this elevation that comprises several hundred acres of land. but had found no luther interest in or about it than that game was plenty in the vicin- ity. Upon this occasion, however, he was surprised to discover near its base a section of stone wall that had no doubt been brought to sight by the means of a severe windstorm the previous day sweep ing away the mantle of debris that had accumulated during centuries to hide away from the eyes of man, evidences of past civilization, and the ruins of a city that may have antedate the period of Moses ex- cursion through the bull rushes. Hastily dismounting from his bronco, he and a companion at once with the inadequate means at hand removed a suficiency of the sand and clay to prove beyond a doubt that they had accidentally stumbled upon one of those ruined cities that are to be found in New Mexico and Arizona, as well as throughout the republic of Mexico and Central America.
 After a thorough surface exami nation of the elevation or mound Mir. Chavez became convinced that it was nothing more nor less than an immense pueblo that had during the course of centuries of time been gradually covered by the action of drifting winds with sand and other detritus. The following day rein forced by a party of laborers well supplied with the necessary inple- ments he commenced operations upon one of the dwellings (the first one discovered). Before the set ting of the sun he succeeded, after Q vigorous use of pick and shovel, in removing the earth and sand from one of the thousands of dwell. ings that constituted this ruined abode of a race whose origin is wrapt in the mist of the past, and whose disappearanceis but a matter of vague tradition.
 Upon the floor of one of these chambers excavated there lay a skeleton in perfect state of preser- vaticn. It was of an adult female that judging from the teeth must have yet been in her teens. The neck. of the ghastly remains of what may have been the belle of her period was clasped by three strands of beads, one of turquois, one "f azaboche Ca jat black sub st iance having conchoidol frac- turel, and the third long white boards evidently ot bone. Where the lobes of the ears had rested there lay pair of large ear rings of azaboche inlaid with turquois, but not the least startling feature lay in the fact that the hair, yet in hair, yet in a perfect state of pres ervatien, unlike that of the present inhabitants of the pueblo villages, was fair.
 To surround the weird spectacle with further interest. MT. Chavez upon examination discovered that the only entrance to the chamber