Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1889-08-28
aonss1umas . We'll.

! EDITOR JoURxAL-MiNER Many per-
 sons suppose that the so-callei Mon
 tezuma We'll" Is of volcanic origin
 some believing that it is an extinct
 crater, and some that 1t Is the result of
 . great uphesval of the surrounding
 rocks There are others who, misled
 perhaps by the name, regard the well
 as made by the hands of the ancient 1 Aztecs.
 Having just returned from visit to this interesting place, l cheerfully
 comply with your request for my ideas
 of it's origin.
 First. as to the locality. It is about twelve miles northeast of Camp Verde,
 on the right bank of Beaver creek, and
 at an elevation of about 3,fe0 feet
 above tide. The water which flows from the "wellS forms large part of the present running water of the creek. It is of natural, not artificial origin. The formation is not volcanic, but is
 regularly stratified limestone, in hori-
 zontsl layers, forminga low table land or terrace. The we'll is circular bowl shaped depression in the midst of this table land, and carriage may be driven to the very edge of the bowl. The sides are craggy and precipitous for about fifty feet; then slope steeply down to circular pond of water, at the bottom perhaps 200 feet across from one side to the other. The diameter of the whole depression at the top was estimated at 500 feet, 1t being nearly three times that in circumference.
 It certainly is not volcanic in origi n, and has no semblance to crater ex- cept in form. It is the result of an un- derground flow of water, which by eat ing away the limestone, formed cav ern and finally caused the overhanging rock to fall in. In time this too was dissolved, and now we have the great | pool which overfiowa through cavern ous passage at the cas- side and forms . beautiful brook of crystal water bor- dered by exquisite ferns, and shaded | by sycamores aud vines, under which 1 our party enjoyed a midday feast, in preparation for the examination of the | ruins of houses built upon the cliffs above us and in the sides of the We'll.
 These ruins are fully as interesting to the archaeological as the origin of the We'll is to the geologist. Great heaps of fisg-like stones lie piled in confusion on the eastern bank of the Well They mark the site of ancient buildings of no mean proportions-buildings and towers that were perhaps four or five floors high. The stone was quarried out along the top of the table land, and was laid up with great neatness and care, in adobe mortar, but sener- ally without any attempt at break ng the corners to form . bond, as with adept masons of our time. The foun- dations are still visible. though mostly l covered by the fallen walls, and they indicate that the buildings covered a epace of about 250 feet by 40 or 50, and that the rooms were rectangular and oi large size. One, where the walls are partly standing, but having more modern look than the rest, measured .l- a. rho ll, paren,ly thrown down by vio ence, as in many places the stones are all on edge, i ct as they fell. These fallen | stones are grey .ith age, and have been undisturbed for genor ,tions, but the raneheros have commenced their | raids, and are carting away the stones, SO carefully quarried trimmed, and lad up by the unknown house-builders of the dim past.
 The cliff dwellings, not being so ac- cessibls to the Apache arabs of our deserts, or to the vandals who follow them, are ill standing in view. The overhanging cliffs of lime-rock with the shady recesses of caves around the sides of the great we'll, gave secure retreat to the gentle savages, whose am bition seems to have been to have com Iortable habitations and to till the ground in peace, and gather mesquite beans for their sustenance.
 The ladies of the party kindly gath. cred for mo fragments of the decorated pottery around the ruins, while and measured the walls. This pottery shows considerable skill in the ,haping of the clay, in semi-glazing ,r enamel, and taste in the decoration. all proving that those ancient house. ,uild rs had male great advances in heir r., culiar civilization and arts.
 Tine great cliff dwelling near Camp Verde was also visited, and impressed IS by its magnitude and the skill and aste shown in it's construc' ion. Here co, vandals have been at work, and ,ave wantonly destroyed the ceilings of ome of the rooms by fire. Can noth- ng be done to save this most interest ng relic of an unknown race?
 VIM P. BLAKE.
 Prescott, August p, 1889.
 - szza nnuG1