The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1890-09-13
THE SUN
A Wonderful Stone Roadway Built by
Than 4 00n Iraat I'm a Monnd >.

A WoDderfu Stone Roadway Built by
Them 1000 Feet Up q Mound.
Charles J.. Wimple, one of the wealthiest
miners in Mexico, is in this city. He told
the following wonderful story:
"You have asked me to give an account
of the interesting mountain MY friend,
Jesse D.. Grant, and myself saw during u
trip through Mexico, en- route to this city.
Well, that mountain is at once one of the
most gigantic exhibitions of mans handi-
work and something almost beyond Gre
dence were we not already familiar with
the work of the AZtecs. just imagine a
valley forty by thirty miles in area, and in
its center rising q mound over 1900 feet in
height. Then you can realize the first
effect created upon III minds when we
came before the hill l am to describe. My
foreman was with us and had partly pre-
pared us for the surprise, but we had
treated his story with %incredulous remarks,
and had by no means suspected he had but
given a modest description of the mound.
"We gazed to the top and allowed our eyes
to follow the windings of a road down to
the base. We went around the base and
conjectured it was about n and a half
miles in circumference. Then we started
for the summit. The roadway vas built
of solid rock clear to thepinnacle, and was
from thirty to forty feet in width. A wall
of solid rock formed II foundation and In
inside wall at the same time. The outer
edge of the road was unguarded. These
stones weigh all the way up to a ton each,
and are not cemented. The roadway is as
level as a floor and is covered with broken
pieces of earthenware water vessels.
Half wal up the mountain is an altar
cut in solid rock; in the niche is a bowlder,
which must weigh at least six tons. The
bowlder is of different stone from that used
| in the walls. The rocks in the walls are
dressed by skilled worknen, but are not
polished. We saw no Inscriptions; in fact,
we had no time to spare in making a search
| ing investigation. We did look for arrow
heads or other warlike implements, to sat
isfy ourselves that the mound had not been
used for defensive or offensive purposes.
"NOr was there any evidence to prove
that the roadway had been built for the
purpose of witnessing bull fights and other
sports in the valley. Icould only conclude
the Aztec sun woEshipers expended years
of labor on the hill in order that they
might nave an appropriate place to cele-
brate their imposing festivals, inasmuch
as the roadway was strewn with broken
~earthenware, and those scions of bygone
| and notable race were known to carry at
sunrise large quantities Of water in earth
enware jars to an em%inence, and there
pour out the liquid and smash the vessels.
"When we descended we brought with
| usa number of small sea shells which had
petriied, and if you look at these on my
table you will see how they nave been per-
forated by the Indians. We again took a
long look at the mountain and saw it was
oblong in shape, and that the upward road
commenced on the eastern side. I have
travelled on both sides of the mountains
from British Columbia to Central Amer
lea, and on either side of the Sierra Madras,
where the cliff jewellers have left such re-
markable mementos of their skill and GUS
toms, but I nave never witnessed anything
so wonderful and magnificent as the
mound which 1 have been telling you
about, The valley is about GOO feet above
the sea level, and is about seventy miles
from the coast. It is situated in Sonora,
between the cities of Altar and Magdalena,
and near the Magdalena river. We called
the curiosity Palisade mountain, and it is
! we'll named. "-San Francisco Call.