Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-06-01
CLIFF JEWELLERS PALACE.
A Magnificent Structure with Hun.
dfcds Of Rooms.

According to acknowledged author.
lilies a wait region extending into
Colorado, Now Mexico, Utah and
Af'2Jna was once the homo OF clln
dwollers. says the Denver NcC6 The
ruins Of their remarkable structures
remain rs u mute witness Of one OF the
most in,crCBtlng races that has ever
Inhabited any part OF the globe.
Tho ErUalu.t Of all the ruins ere.
ditud 20 the cliil dwellurs IN found la
Cliu canyon, three aud a hall milcs
above iiH entrance 10 the Mancos
canyon IN uJuihwcntufH Coiurado.
The ruins were discovered six or seven
yUnfe ago, aud have been visited by u
number VI explorers. Tho last Iarly
70 make the trip returned 10 Denver
"a few weeks since. The psuy
consisted OF g.. H.. H5ouer
u the Denver and Rio Gnndo
passenger department, w. n. Jack
son, h. q. Brpman, Miss Btaman,
Mt. ana Mrs. W. h. Crosby, aud three
guides. The journey through the
rugged regions OF the Maucos Wiley
was full OF interest aud viii long be-
wildly Impressed on the niiuds Of all
VINO were 10 fortunate NJ a. visit thu
ancient home VI au extinct race under
such favorable auspices. Many ruins
were passed In tho valley witch are
supposed 10 DO older than any Ia The
cliffs.
Thestono houses have ciumhleI into
dust, and heaps Of earth anu broken
pottery mark the sites OF towns that
were once the abode. % hundreds Of
pooplo. The country seems full Of
trtow heads, Notwithstanding the
large hummer that has been carried
away W sight'huufs Tor quarter OF "a
century past, AZ one place Ia the
valley nu ancient reservoir bed, seven.
/ ly'hve feet Ia diameter AID ten feet
deep, In pointed out, In the vicinity
is graveyard with three or four acres
! lhickly undUrlald with human bones.
The grinding stones used 10y the prlml.
tive inhabitants In grinding their corn
aTo scattered ever thn nurfacr. These
stones are too heavy 90 be- easily car.
fiod away aud may be- collected by the
wagon load In tho valley.
Mr.. Hooper describes tho ollT palace
M by lar the most striking Of tho
ruins In the MaucuH region. The
palace stands under projecting
ledge, tovonty.hyo feet above tho
/ bottom OF the canyon. The structure
10 more than 800 feet long and 90 feot
! deep, the orumbling towers indicate
that Il YVES Juce two 10 three stories
! high, The ground fl00r contains ! u
/ rooms. Tho rooms are square, with
the exception Of ten rooms, which arc
round, aud aFo Supposed 10 have been
used as secret council chambers by the
leading men OF the tribe. In the
confer Of the "eslufas, " or round en-
closures, the party found ~ round holu
full Of ashes. One OF the holes was
cleaned out 70 the depth Of 6lx feet
without nndlng any bottom.
The Inhabitants OF the "palaceD
appeared 10 have had very imperfect
Ideas ne 10 tue utility OF doors, as near
ly All the doors are entered through
small square windows. The roo Of
cedar logs nnd grass long since
cfumhled into decay. Excavations
have been made IN various parts VI
the ruins aud bones, pottery, wicker
baskets, stone utensils aud rude kind
Of mating made Of willow sticks have
been brought 10 light. Mr.. Hooper
estimates that the structure could have
easily accommodated 800 persons.
lie states that the masonry work N
varied, some OF the work being az per-
feet as II laid by the most expert stone
mason OF the present day. The corners
are perfectly square and the mortar IL
an enduring as the natural rock. IL
requires IA person OF strong nerve TO
make the ascent OF the ruins. The
holes Ia the Clii bear no evidence OF
having been made usno OF by the original
Inhabitants. IL 10 thought they let
Themselves down the perpendicular
cllii from above by meanA OF rope lad
| defa.
On the return Journey, the party
visited the Sandal house, eighteen
miles from tho town Of Mauoos, The
house has twenty.seyen rooms aud the
walls OF the projecting olii are covered
with thousands OF names OF visitors
who have lott an enduring registry OF
their presence.