Arizona republican., 1898-03-14
AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL MONUMENT
A Suggestion Regarding the New Cap.
 itol Building.

A Suggestion Regarding the New Cap
 itol Building.
 | In a communication to The Repub- lican, MT. Newton M. Chittenden, the ethnologist and archaeologist, now in the city, makes the following sugges- tion for the preservation of the rec ords of a pre-Columbian race:
 "The wonderful richness of the re- zion round about Phoenix, in the re- mains of the pre-Columbian races, SO populous during former ages, especial ly in the rich valleys of the Salt and Gila rivers, affords an opportunity for the establishment here of the most ex- tensive and important collection in American archaeology of the highest antiquity. Every year these rare treasures are sent away to foreign historical institutions, including those which are unique and without duplica- tion.
 "It has occurred to me that into the new capitol building about to rise amid the ruins of the rude semi-civili- zation of the most ancient Americans, could be introduced and preserved to the latest generations the crude ef- forts of those unlettered people in re- cording by pictures and figure carv- ings and paintings upon the rocks and canyon walls. Large numbers of such extremely interesting subjects are ob- tainable within from ten to seventy 6x-o of nd :,ajn O easily transported are secured by pri- vate collectors and therefore liable to permanent removal from the country. They should be retained here so far as possible, and could be built into the walls, columns and arches of the cap itol in such numbers. places and man. ner as to render it the rarest archaeO- logical monument of the new world, a Mecca of delight for all future anti qnarians.
 "A few weeks ago I copied 2 large number in Apache pass, forty-two miles south, and more than half of which were cut upon black and red vol canic rocks which could be removed without much difficulty or expense. be ing only seven miles from the railway station of Maricopa. But in the bend of the Gila, within ten miles of the Southern Pacific railroad, I found in some respects the most remarkable rock carvings seen in Arizona Hund- reds of strange figures of men, anf- mais and ether objects have been cut into beautiful red sandstone, of which there is an immense deposit Of superior quality for building pur- poses.
 "The erosion of ages has worn a narrow storm channel through the formation for upwards of thousand feet and upon the, smooth surface or the perpendicular walls, not exceeding eighteen feet in height, the natives made the crude characters which tell the story of their culture in the art Of letters. Thirty acres, including the rock inscriptions, have been filed uponl by MT. Spencer, pioneer, who losing fortune in his old age, at 73 is cour1 1 ageously and with renlarkable energy\ cultivating a garden home near the Papago Indian village south of the Gila river. To my suggestion that the rock records should be preserved in the government museum at Washington he gave his prompt approval, and have no doubt that he would freely co-' operate to see them securely placed in the permanent possession Of Arizonans in their capitol building.
 Being much condense1 they could be cut out in blocks and restored for a small expenditure compared with their great historical value and inter est. The incomparable winter eli mate of Phoenix will continue to draw an increasing number for residence and temporary resort from less favored sec tions of the country, people of scien- tific culture who will deeply appre- ciate the advantage of free and con venient access to the most comprehen- sive collection pertaining to the abo- riginal tribes and the builders of the villages, canals, temples and fortifica- tions covering such great areas of Ari- zona New Mexico Colorado and Utah 9