New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-19
AMERICAN TREASURES.
RUINED CLIFF DWELLINGS AND AN
GENT POTTERIES TO BE
PRESERVED.
MRS GILBERT MCLURG IS TRYING TO SECURE
THE ATTENTION or THE GOVERNMENT ~ B1

! vps GILBERT MCI.URG IS TRYING TO SECURE
THE ATTENTION OF THE GOVERNMENT ~ B1
HALF OF THE ANTIQUITIES OF THE WEST.
AZ the meeting OF the STATE Federation OF the
Colorado Women's Clubs in Pueblo last October
co nnittee was appointed to investigate the state
Of the ruined cliff dwellings, within Colorados
| borders and to devise practical ways ard means
for their preservation. A committee OF representa-
tive women from several Colorado leading cities
was chosen with Mrs. Gilbert mcclure. better
known in the Eas. Virginia Donash McCIurg
poet and lecturer. as chairman
Mrs McClurg went 10 Colorado years ago. ana
penetrated the Businesses or the CHI dweHers'
something few women had ever attempted al ina.
time As che Is an acknowledged authority on all
matters pertaining 10 such research the story OK
the investigation and its results as given recently
by her I'm The Club Woman" is OF remarkable
interest.
"Our task" said she was fraught with many
difficulties Whereas important Arizona runs 40
near settled communities. and are. therefore, easily
protected by historical societies some OF our COLO
RADIO ruins are situated Indian reservation !and
and others in sandy deserts. without water supply
which makes the work OF surveillance and re-
demption much less easy. The mighty tnroes OF
war now agitatlng Washington have made II WELL
nigh impossible to find hearing or consideration
there il IS evident that the lawmakers Think thst
since the tIme-worn Cliff dwellings. which cover
an area OF some six thousand square miles n
modern Colorado. New-Mexco Utah and Arizona
have waited for attention so many centuries. they
can well AFFORD to wait little longer and unu
SPANS fate IS decided.
"Phero two important factors which nav
contributed to the existence OF such an ex'Faoi-
binary number OF remains and their perfect condi-
ton. These the dryness OF the South"es'e'n
plateaus and the fact that the housebuilders were
often driven from their home in haste secrecy ana
fear.
hon .hcca m
pueblo homes built OF enduring stone, here and
there still visible I'm the plaster is the print OF
Ittle hand which pressed II centuries agone. here
in the adobe inches are the trinkets or shelis ana
turquoise the Jars. dippers and bowls still arranged
on the shelf: the bone aw lies by the stone skin
Ming knife. the stone and the stone handmm
bear testimony long past industry. In the grana-
ries are heaps OF corn. and put away IN pottery
ollas and covered with stone lids are stores OF
grain and seeds for the painting which never came
The trodden. embroidered sandal and the broker
loom mute witnesses OF the passing of human
lin shallow or, walIed-up room YOU may
find the occupants OF these deserted cnanners, tne
farmer or artisan OF that long past day. The dead
have small hands and feet their knees are drawn
the long. hne. soft hair Of auburn. chestnut Q.
black less than the pale skin and cast OF
brother About them lie the funeral Gazette and
the j,rs which held the three days provisions f0r
the SOU its way e Shpapu.
~ seems Incredible that the plateaus OF our own
me Th pase dene ' n middle bar.
barsm' may ,o-day be studied are absolutely with
out protection from the hand OF the yandal Tho
visitor to Pompeli TODAY IS unpeasantly cognzant
u the jealous guide who dogs his footsteps No.s
from the lava pavements. may be appropriated. AZ
the Mu-ee Borbonico he will see all the artc'esy
hGs@ c ans ffe and fcmpe las
up T. discovery. They are National properly s,s,
treasures r;S ' o. the stored past where arden;
by the score are Tejoc t. to ds . se
find Is TO belong to the Government museums OF
!he 10 the dso0DsrGF the 0 aEds 81
reward Egypt protects her mummes ana an ,h ,as
rocky tombs Even the 'unutterabe Turk guards
his antiquities The attitude Of Europe upon tn,s
protection OF this kind IS an absolute necessity
we would not permit the lotsam ana ys'S az the
twentieth century. America, with magniieeh, y ~,
her htstorIcaI treasure The eg.s OF her pro
lection.
THE DREADED RELIC-HUNTER.
THE actual condition OF things is appalling -
civilization creeps nearer this territory OF ahce".
interest. The gallant swan takes his best s'i'
on picric to the ruins and prods out pottery
bowl a stone axe. which are possibly broken III
transit or forgotten or taken home TO the pap rs
shelf The cowboys select fine. large Jars 81 p,,s
hs ndax leisure aG by hem With
Ia lieu OF the tin cans which serve as targets, On
up curos which he does not catalogue. and which
ho separates from their environment without s and
barriers them for groceries at the nearest ceh'r,
store. or sells them piecemeal To the inlrequsinss
tourist. The honest farmer carts away the wan wan
from prehistoric pueblo 10 line his irtsa""s
ditch. ~.
Worst OF all is the hendsh treasure hunter "a
II is who fondly magines that a treasure OF soss.
and silver is hidden under Aztec ruins the lAss
that the use OF metals was absolutely unkhoWn". ss
the neolithic aborsines OF our southwest un.t M
Spanards came. deters him not. He It is VINO I'm
dermines watch tower and estufa; whose oias.hhs
powder wrecked the two gigantic stone mons OF ~.
Potrero de los ldolos and near the hito de ~,
blasted
equal In length to modern block or tiny pa
Columbian cliff homes, whose neat stone walls aiS
well preserved mortar and plaster had bid deha''''
to the centuries. a
Public interest and Indignation AT last arousc,u
and we the small beginning which we trus ~
Is left OF the pre-Columbian antiquities OF ~
Southwest In California a band OF earnest W.T..
under the leadership OF Charles F. LunIls'
rescuing the ruined Indian mission church,rs.
long given to desolation and decay ~
Arizona when conocast attempted 10 ~.
move the foundations OF Montezumas castle IN 20 20
Verdi Valley. The Sheriff was promptly SEM
arrest him on the charge OF defacing public ou''N
ings' AM.
Under the leadership OF Mrs. McClurg the co'n
mittee OF women has considered. beginning WIN M
Mesa Verdi. skeleton OF plateau honey COME
with canyons lying about forty miles frin Dura"s 20
to be found from three hundred 10 four hun nrS
cliff dwellings. Here the stupendous INA
Palace" OF three hundred rooms. the "orowns..ors
front-the finest specimens OF finished architeeSsu.s
in the region. and other well-known ruins ~
Verdi Is situated upon the Ute Indian Reservs"oif
is the hope OF the committee to secure Mesa 's e.
eventually - q park under State OF Fedsra ~
lection.