The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-03


Signs of the Times
Boston, Aug. 2.-The resignation {
President Andrews OF Brown universit,
was considered by $50 delegates at yes
terday's meeting of the Central Labo
union. 1t was deplored and the polio
OF officers i'll criticiZing him for his eco
nomic principles was condemned in res
buttons. The resolutions speak OF IN
intolerance of the trustees and dec-ar
that the action OF the officers of Browl
university is most ominous sign o
the growth Of the plutocratic spirit il
our colleges.
ENCHANTED MESA NOT ENCHANTED
Big Rock Is Scaled ,sad Several Old Tradi
ttons Knocked Out
Laguna. y. NJ. Aug. 2.-For the frs
time since the day when some cSnvul
sion Of nature pushed the Mesa Encan
tada up through the bottom of the valley
in which ii stands, the foot of man has
pressed the top OF the great rock. Pro.
fessor William Lbbeys attempt 20 scale
the mesa was made last week and proved
wholly successful. From a scientific
point OF view the results are imporsAit
The investigation OF Professor Liobey
who holds the chair Of physical geogra-
ply in Princeton university, dSposes en-
tirely Of the mythical rumors of former
inhabitants Of the rock, and determines
precisely its geological. history and char
acter.
The Mesa En- cantada stands some
twenty miles south of Laguna, y. NJ.
From the floor of the basin in which 4,
is located it rises, huge wedge-shaped
rock, mile long and 500 feet nigh. Its
perpendicular walls spring straight from
the ground into the sky above, and offer
no hold even for the feet OF the native
Indians.
About the mesa cluster innumerable
Indian legends. The gaunt rock. whose
top no man has ever seen. offered TO the
Indian story tellers a wide field FOR ro-
nance and speculation. 1t was regarded
as the home OF spirits and the scene OF
manifestations, and in IL
conferred the traditions of the neighboring
redmen. Long before the first white
travellers had penetrated into this part
of New Mexico the traditions has settled
into the story Of a former race. a pre-
historic people, whose home the mesa
had been.
The discoveries Of scientists in various
parts OF this and neighboring regions OF
the country gave more than a little coun-
tenance TO the probability of the tradi-
ton. and 1t has long been believed by
the people here that at some time long
past the mesa was inhabited.
Ii was this tradition. coupled with the
fact that absolutely nothing was known
,f the mesa from a scientific poin; OF
view, that led Professor Libbey 20 un-
iertake the task of scaling the rock.
His investigations Of last week have de-
once for all that no tribe ever
made the mesa it's home and leaves IL
Almost beyond doubt that ne is the first
20 reach the mesa's top. But. though
in the hope Of finding the
signs OF mans habitation. the scientific
7a.ue OF the attempt has proved consid-
!, able
The party which made the attempt con-
listed of Professor Libbey. NJ. II. L.
3ridgeman OF Brooklyn. y. +. and Mr..
}. NJ. Pearce OF Albuquerque, y. ".
They left Luguna on July I9
The equipment which mad been decided
lpon az most likely TO bring success was
he apparatus in use by the Life aving
ervice. II consisted Of a Two and one /
lalf inch Lyle gun and a supply OF rope /
4 various sizes. The rope was Of two !
engths. five pieces one-quarter Of a mile I
ong and two one-half mile each.
On reaching the mesa On Tuesday a |
lace 10 the east OF IL vas selected FOR ,
permanent camp, and an examination OF 4
ne rock was made TO discover The most /
avoraole place for the ascent. The !
orbijding wa-Is seemed 20 promise little
1ore IN one place than another, but
DIN; on its southern side was selected
= the mos, possible. The rock. which
, now known 20 have an elevation %
700 Zee. above the sea level. az this
oint rose Amos. 500 feet above the
e2ds OF the party.
The apparatus vas set NJ q: a point
elected and the first saot fired Pro-
ssso- Lioosy's plan was ~ saoot over
ne mesa a hall carrying light line.
hitch. after the met5od Of life savers.
'onld furnish ne means ., raising rope
,r1ng enough % carry his weight The
IS: $40. Eel snort, striking the cliff a.,
point about 100 feet below is edge and
-eaking in two.
The ang.e OF ne gun xas than changed
- degrees. a slightly aigae- angie than
e firs-. and a seccnd saot fred TIE
sil this time passed clear over the rock
Il Eel On The plain a; its other side.
TIE work which followed proved the
D. ;ireso15s part q ne an5s-akinz.
D tae sao; line piece o. heavy manila ]
I'd ~as sscschsi and me tzoor - drag |
ng the succsszve sizes q rope across !
: mesa vas begun 7; involved the I
sndl;ag az more than three miles %
P4 AMI occupied ne better part o. s~o Z
iys. The work WIS .Ee rs, BY
azle horse. then, snen The anger sizes .
rope had ben resc5sd. ~ a team
hen !: rad been completed. tie mar. :
pe. three inches in diameter. bang a
IN ne edge q the eliE - re pain De- q
Z
Before -as main -o1e was az2s5 - il :
4 been sscer<aine5 152- the distance =
III ne pa.ac % asracaIsn- O. sse ezs- 2
e q, ~ c,l1 = ne :sp % ~ ro-< q
a. 20 see.- a. this p5Iz- n re -c2@ :
b.9ck WAS strongly spi1rsd n and c
anInS Ire 2lE>t through he o.xk