Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1893-05-04
TEXAS RUINS.
Prehistoric Masonry Resembling
the Chinese Wall.
A Marvellous Mexican Structure Bearing
Evidence OF q High State of Civil
ization In the Days of
the Aztecs.

A Texas correspondent writes to one
of the scientific departments of the
government of strangely interesting
prehistoric wall discovered on the from
tier of the Lone Star state. This mar
velous ruin surpasses in interest all
The other wonderful remains hitherto
found of the people who once inhabited
The whole Mexican plateau and attained
high state Of civilization. 1t passes
through Milano and has total length
If about twenty miles. It is built of
solid masonry ten to fifteen feet high,
ind as many feet thick, according to
the ST. Louis Republic. Its height and
thickness are thus almost as great as
the famous Chin csc wall on the north
of China. The direction is northeast
and southwest: 1t is for the most part
underground and this is one of the Gu
rious things that puzzle those wise
men who are supposed to know all
about prehistoric remains. 1t is I'M
doubtedly very old. One might sup
pose it to be the sure foundation of a
gigantic fortress which rose above the
ground many feet. The towers and
other means of defense with which it
might have been provided have had
time to crumble away in the years that
have passed. The long fortress may
have been pulled down by the conquer
ing invaders. AS the people died out
from the land the debris of the old
wall would in either case cover its
foundation.
The Aztecs probably built this wall.
They have left some inscriptions on it,
but since their language is entirely
lost no scholar can ever hope to de-
cipher them. One covers space of
eight feet square. The characters are
kindred to Indian inscriptions, but not
so closely allied that their mystery can
be penetrated. There was undoubted-
cinity, for on high hill near Milano
the remains of n mighty temple of
worship are found. This was support
ed by more than two hundred lofty
pillars. Some of them are still stand
ing. They were made of clay which
was we'll burned. This gave them the
appearance of stone. In this temple
were placed many idols, broken parts
of which are preserved. One shaped
like an owl is preserved entire. HUI
man sacrifices were made to these, as
well as sacrifices of birds, beasts and
reptiles. Skulls and bones have been
preserved in the clay. Some of these
belonged to very large animals. Some
are petrified, and it is thought that
these early Aztecs may have under
stood the art OF assisting pctrifcation
and thus preserved the bones of their
sacrifices. The idols are all curiously
marked. Around each pillar small
stones are piled up in circles or
squares, and inside each circle. under
meath the pillar, there Is a center or
foundation stone, fashioned to repre-
sent the godhead. Near the wall
there are also furnaces in which the
natives snelted iron.
The locality and direction of the
wall are not easily accounted for. Per-
haps it marks the boundary of certain
tribal territory which was exposed to
the attacks of the enemy. An enor-
nous amount of labor and material
must have been required for it's con-
struction if built above the ground on
the same gigantic plan as the founda-
ton. Although there were toward q
| million people then living in that vicin-
| ity, the work must have extended over
| q considerable period of timo. Unless
this was some strategic point it is diff
ticult to understand how but few
thousands could be interested in it's
construction. An old tradition says
that tho Aztecs were one of the eeven
powerful tribes that emerged from the
seven caverns in % region called Action,
or place Of the heron. They wandered
away from their fellows after q great
confusion Of tongues and settled in the
region they are known to have inhab-
tied. This tradition may be partly
fabulous, but it is sure that the Aztecs
settled the country before the eleventh
or twelfth century. All the tribes
lived in peace for considerable time,
until the strong began to encroacb
upon the territory of the weak. Then
| fierce war for supremacy over the