The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-06
TEXAS RUINS.
Masonry Resembling
the Chinese Wall.
A Marvellous Mexican Structure Bearing
Evidence of High State of Civil
izaticn in the Days Of
the .iZtecs.

A Texas correspondent writes to one
of the scientific departments of the
government of a 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 civiliza ton. It passes
through Milano and has total length
of about twenty miles. It is built Of
solid masonry ten to fifteen feet high,
and as many feet thick, according to
the st. Louis Republic. It's 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 crrmble 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 a space of
eight feet square. The characters are
kindred to Indian inscriptions, but not ,
so closely allied that their mystery ca n
be penetrated. There was undoubted-
ly a populous village or city in the vi
cinity, for on high hill near Milano
the remains of 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 well burned. This gave them the |
appearance of stone. In this temple ,
were placed many idols, broken parts !
Of which are preserved. One shaped I
like an owl is preserved entire. Hu- |
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 petrifed, and it is thought that
these early Aztecs may have under
stood the art of assisting petl'ifcation
and thus preserved the bones of their
sacrifices. The idols are all curiouslv
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 smelted 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 10
the attacks of the enemy. An enor-
nous amount of labor and material
must have been required for its con
struction if built above the ground on
the same gigantic plan as the founda
ton. Although there were toward a
million people then living in that vicin-
itv. the work must have extended over
a considerabl BILE period OF time Unless
this was some strategic point II is diff
fcult to understand how but few
thousands could be interested in its
Ar old tradition saws =
that the AZtecS were one Of the seven I
powerful tribes that emerged from thu |
seven caverns in region called Action,
or place of the heron. They wandered
away from their fellows after great .
confusion of tongues and settled in the d
-egion they are known to have inhab-
ted. This tradition may be partig.'
fabulous, but 1t IS sure that the Aztccs
settled the country before the eleventh
n twelfth century. All the tribes
lived in peace for ? considera bic time.
Until the strong began 70 eucroach
ipop the territory Of the weak Then
fierce war Tor supremacy over the
whole TERRITORY ensued and lasted
many ~cars. Under TIE leadership 81 I
heir military chiefs tie Aztecs OH
aimed control Of the territorr and g.
ablished a very enlightened form q a
government. This was contaminated
n 1924 or 1926. i j likely that tllo
o-tress was built during ms period Of :
var