Arizona weekly citizen., 1891-09-05
VERDE VALLEY.
Explorations Through Ruins
Of Interest.
OLD FOUR STORY CASTLE.
a Wonderful "Well" On Noun
tain Crest.
Caves in Cliff Sides, Tier Above Tier
Ancient Irrieating Canals
Apache Vandals.

Shut in b. hills ard mountains the
beautiful valley Of the verde, IN central
Arizona, is pleasing sight TO the west
ern traveller or tourist if he chance to
pass through this part OF the territory.
The Verde river, fed as Il is by noun
tain streams Of pure cold water, which
in many places cut their way through
deep canyons, or sparkling and giisteninE
hurry on over rapids and falls from the
heights above, always carries al abund-
ance of water.
A drive Of forty-four miles east Of
Prescott, over the cid copper canyon
route, brings one to the bark OF the
Verde and at the same time to the OLD
fort which Until recently has been an
active frontier post but is Hew abaE-
doned.
Since the Apache5 we're removed TO
the reservation all Of this fertile valley
and the neighboring mountains have
been free from Indian troubles and to-
DAY the green fields Of alfalfa, the
abundant gardens OF table vegetables
and melons, the orchards hanging low
beneath their loads OF apples, peaches
pluma, vines supporting rich loads Of
large and beautiful grapes, the noun
-, -Slao 60, -ch FozA E~r zhn-.
sands Of cattle and hoIses, 81 mark
prosperity excel;ed by few places in
the southwest. This valley Is not large,
but still there are yet many acres with
abundance OF acc2eee bic water Tor NH
gaticu that have never felt the plOw OF
oeen shaded By cultivated vine Or fruit
tree. The acreage IN vineyards and
orchardlng ls Tot lcEg but those that
are ia fearing Sii Ej.ll..ly aLCW tbs ex
ceiiency OF their products.
The climate Is perfect ana 10 tia STU
dent OF natural science here = - ECr,C
OF treasure. It's ri u toT6 with many
rare and Interesting plants; It's ferns
with beautiful butterflies and beetles,
and above al Its old ruins which cen
turies ago teemed with the active, busy
life of tie cave and cliff owele-s.
The cliffs along the Verde and inflow
ing cEeel 6 are crowned with these ancient
ruins. Hundreds II caves with their
dark openings sometimes arranged in
long rows aud tier above ter, cat into
tue nearly perpendicular walls Cf the
high calcie ard sandstone ellis. About
these old mines ara found matates
grinders, stoBe banners and thousands
Of pieces Of ancient pottery some q Il we'll
glazed, CT good queiity ana covered With
various symbols anG designs; Eegrstgto
say that it is very seldom that lhls pot
terry is found IL an unbroken condition.
Il is asserted that this wholesale break
age las the wcEk Of the Apeches. An
apache Wc1ld work for ca hour to break
q heavy etone matate found in one q
these old ruins. If he Glanced TO find
SeH preserved vessel CT pottery be
would daeh 1t 10 pieces en the rocks.
/ doubt lot, however. If one should
dig about in many Of these old caves
and ruins he would ma Numbers OF
interesting articles reprsssp ,ative y |
the work Of this ancient race.
Last winter the Verde river IL chang
ing It's bed, q few niles below the old
poet, brought into wow an irrIgating
ditch dozen fest OK more below the |
surface; & ditch used 10y these people, |
probably, nuDdrece OF years age, aud
W known To the Oldest inhabitant OF the
valley until uncovered by the changing
river.
Four or FIVE miles from the post On
a high perpendicular cliff on Beaver
creek, one OF the tributaries Of the Verde, |
is an old ruin known as tie MOntezGma |
castle. 1t is several stories high and |
built into the SIDE Of tie overhsDging
ciiG. AG is Inaccessible from ABOVE and
lad5efe are necessary to reach IL from
below. 1t is in fairly good state of |
preservation, many O! the walls being
perfect The rooms are nearly squaTe,
about i've or SIX feet 20 ceiling. at one |
corner a small hole opens into the |
room above. Here in the opposite corner |
a similar hole brings ons 20 the third |
story, and so en- TO the top.
Several miles above. on the same l
stream is the Monte2uma we'll, which is, |
10 reality, a small lake CT about q hun |
dred yards IN diameter, sunk deep into |
the top OF a circular mountain, The /
surface Of the water is many feet above /
the valley but yet more than hundred |
feet below the crest of the mountain.
The nearly perpendicular sides Of the
we'll are filed with many cares while |
the crest is surmounted by a very ex
tensiye old castellated ruin. The depth |
Of THE well is not known. / am to!d
that II has been sounded TO depth OF
$50 feet ard 10 bottom found. 4 large
stream finds its way through the rocky
wall AMI pours from the side CT tie
mountain. The flow is constant, there
being 20 variation in summer or winter.
This stream is utilized by cue Of the
ranchmen OF the vicinity for irrigating |
purposes, the flow beng sufficient 20
irrigaie 100 acres or even more. Here |
Ee find an old stoDe ditch with sides as
perfect and hard as IL made OF Portland !
cement Of today.
Two miles FROM the well and on the
opposite side OF the creek is 4 high red
sandstone elf. Thousands q Indian
characters and symbols are grouped
lere and there upon the hGrd. red 70 K,
beautiful red and gray lchens hiding
many Of them from view.
Close by ia 2 large mineral spring.
where Tor yards around the Gear water
bubbles up through sparkling quick
'and. This spring has quite local
equation ara before the pest was
abandoned it vas used by the soldiers
. some extent, Tor bathing purposes.
the density Of this quicAsand spring is
70 great that one will bob about Oh it's |
urface ike cork. IL Ga upright pos
ton although ones feet does not touch
he bottom he viii rot sink below tie ,
THs.
J. VT.