The herald., 1893-06-18
PREHISTORIC RUINS.
THE IRBIGATroN WORKS OF PAST
AGES IN ARIZONA.
Tho Great Submerged Dam Which Is
Located Near Tempe seme
Marvellous Feats of
Engineering.

Yuma Times: So far few people have
given attention to the prehistoric ruins
of Arizona. Lieutenant Gushing spent
some time in a superficial examination
of those in the Salt river valley in the
immediate vicinity of Phoenix, but with
that exception little investigation has
been made, though this territory is filed,
from the head of Tonto basin to the
Sonora line, with the unmistskable evil
dences OF the existence OF q people far
superior in the development of civiliza-
ton to any found at the time of the Eu-
ropean discovery of the continent.
One of the monster engineering un-
dertakings which they accomplished has
just been discovered in the valley of the
Salt river, on the same ground where
Mr.. Cushing conducted his exploration.
1t ia well known fact to those living
in the vicinity OF Tempe, that several
sections of land adjoining the town have
always been too wet for cultivation.
No fruits of any kind could be raised and
even the production of alfalfa could only
be secured by regular system of drain
age, similar to that in operation in the
lower sections OF Louisiana. At the
time Lieutenant Cushing was doing
his work, he was asked to ex-
anime and explain the cause for the
rise of the water to such a height,
but he was unable to determine the rea-
son, and it 30 remained until about two
months ago, when Mr.. Chandler of the
Consolidated Canal company decided to
cut ditch across the swampy portion
for the purpose of irrigating dry lands
beyond.
During the work, at depth of about
three feet, they came upon what ap
peared to be an ancient wall. Think
ing that they had discovered one of the
ruins that abound in that section the
course OF the wall was followed until it
was found to be of greater length than
any previously encountered. Parties in
terested in such investigation took the
examination in charge and followed its
downward course to the bottom, dis
tance OF about 20 feet. The line of the
ancient location was taken up and fol-
lowed to it's extremity, when the build
ing was found to be a submerged
dam standing intact in every
place. The work was made of
clay, OF the height mentioned, and
about 16 feet in thickness at the top.
After the material had been put in
shape, large fires had been built on the
top and sides, and the whole thing
burned to the hardness Of brick. 1t
was thus imperyious to the action Of
water, and 80 we'll withstood time that
during the thousands of years that it
has stood it has so preserved its entirety
that even after washes and flows Gov
cred it with sand and silt it still brings
the underfow of the Salt river to within
one to three feet of the surface, thus
causing the excess of water in that
locality.
1t is evident that the river once ran
south of the Tempe butte, peak that
now rises out of the waters edge on the
south side, and it was intended to catch
the underflow with this submerged dam.
The dam itself is three and one half
miles in length, extending from the
Tempe butte almost south TO the double
buttes on the southern limit of the
valley.
At this point the formation is peou-
liar, the bedrock rising out of the soil
and forming rocky mesa in the foot
hills, while along its sides the moist
clay was placed in the form of wall
and afterwards burned, when perhaps
the earth was thrown around it in
order to protect 1t from the weight of
the water which must have otherwise
crushed it.
AS an exhibition of engineering skill
there is nothing in Arizona today that
will equal it. and it is wonderful that
these ancient people, whom we say were
barbarians, should have such knowledge
by which they took advantage Of every
freak of nature, and made it assist them
in the tilling of the soil. 1t may be we'll
that modern engineers investigate and
profit by this discovery, for it may be
the key to the supply of water with
which every foot Of Arizona's valleys
were once irrigated.
r. E. L. ROBINSON.