The herald., 1893-02-20
PREHISTORIC IRRIGATIoNIsTs.

Vne REMAINS OF Ol0 OanaIS IN Arizona
and the Story They FELL.
1t is the distant that ever appeals
most strongly to the imagination. For
the exploration Of the ruins of Africa, of
Asia and Europe, thousands of dollars
are annually expended by Americans,
although in such work they are merely
following in the footsteps of multitudes
who have preceded them, with the
chances of throwing new light on the
past or the making of important arch@o-
logical discoveries reduced to the mini
mum.
While this ia being done abroad it ia
to be regretted that 80 little interest is
manifested in similar work in the United
States, although there is no more inter-
esting field in the world. Especially is
this true Of the southwest, and particu-
larly OF the valleys of the Gila and Salt
rivers, where men Of the present day live
on bread produced by land which is irri-
gated from bitches constructed so long
ago that not even a tradition exists
of their builders, for while
savant and antiquarian may call glibly
the builders of the old world, and trip
pingly tell even of the whims of the
rulers of the Euphrates, the Tigris and
the Nile, on our own continent exist the
remains of past race covering valleys
as great as those OF either stream, and
which no man knows aught. II
1t is interesting to watch the seed
taken from the mummy closed
5000 years ago blossom again
into life and mature into ripened
grain, it is certainly no less interesting
to watch the canal built by people for
gotten centuries ago once more filed
with the sparkle of water Fastening to
quench the thirst of fields titled by a
new race of men, This is being done in
Arizona, and done 30 rapidly and
thoroughly that it will be but few
years before the last trace of people
mighty in their day will be swept away.
How numerous these people were it is
impossible to say. Not even an attempt
has been made to number the ruined re.
mains Of their cities and pueblos. They
we're so numerous, though, that they
must have been counted by the millions
despite the fact that it is a commonly
accepted idea that the entire population
of the North American continent, priol
to the Columbian discovery, did not ex-
ceed q million.
The mystery of their coming is nc
greater than that attending their going
Why after generations had lived ano
died, cities had been built and the desert
reclaimed, they should have disap
peared, leaving not even tradition be
hind them, is one of those few myster
les of the human race still unanswered
The condition in which their canals
were left-even to the smallest lateral
shows that 30 far as their irrigation
system was concerned it was in 6
perfect condition, perhaps as perfect al
it had ever been. Through it the lane
they inhabited had reached its utmost
limit of productiveness. and that, too
to such degree that millions could bt
supported by it's products. The remain
of their cities, too, indicate no gradua
decay before their abandonment. Or
the contrary, everything points to
land prosperous and populous, from
which in single day, apparently, it
people have been swept as the winds o
the desert sweep before it the drifting
sand.
1t is matter of general congratula
tion that an intelligent and earnest ei
fort is now being made by the institute
OF American Archaeology, through it
eminent president, the Hon. Seth Low
to make a thorough exploration of thos
ruins. Such work. while of the great
eet interest to the present, would eacl
year grow more and more valuable will
the rapid disappearance OF the aborigins
race, while without doubt many ney
and important discoveries connecte'
with the older civilization of the Mort
American continent would be the re
sult.-[Wm. o. O'Neil in Irrigatio
Age.