The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1899-12-08
OLD PUEBLO VILLAGE.
Tia Ruins Of One Recently Discovered in
Northwestern Kansas.
Exceedingly Interesting Observations and
Explorations Of the Village BY Il. 7.
Martin, OF the PaIeonbOlOEy De-
partmsnt, Kansas University.

For some years certain remarkable
ruins have been known to exist in the
valley Of Beaver creek, in Scott county,
just across the Logan county line, and
a notice Of them was published in this
paper several months ago, says the
Oakley Graphic. These ruins we're
thoroughly explored, with exceedingly
interesting results, by Mr.. H. 7. Mar
tin, Of the department Of paIeOntology
Of the Kansas State university. From
his investigations it is evident that
there was a considerable village of
Pueblo Indians and white men in that
locality long before any hitherto known
settlement Of the state.
The chief structure explored was a
large adobe and stone building about
so feet in length by 80 feet in width,
and containing seven rooms. This
building had all been leveled to the
ground aud was covered deeply with
soil, so that scarcely a trace Of the
structure was left. The original walls
Of the structure, however, remained
nearly TO the surface of the ground.
All the debris and soil have now been
removed from the foundation, leaving
walls about two and a half feet high.
In the middle of each room there is a
kiln or oven, evidently for the making
Of pottery. None Of the rooms show
any indications Of doors through the
smoothly plastered walls, but each con-
tains the remains of a ladder that was
evidently used for ingress and egress,
after the fashion Of the Pueblo Indians.
Two cavities Of unknown use, and Gov
cred with large rocks, were discovered
in the floors.
The excavsting of the rooms brought
to light numerous implements and
tools, which will be preserved in the
museum of the university. Among
them is part of a much r1sted iron
axe. This axe closely resembles the
stone axes Of the Indians-thst is, it
has a groove about it instead Of an eye
to receive the handle. In one Of the
cavities in the floor was found half Of
clam shell, sawed through the middle
by a tOOthed saw, the markings of the
teeth being evident. These two impIe-
ments prove cOncIusively that the
building was inhabited by white men,
or that tools made by white men were
brought to it.
Other implements discovered in the
excavations were stone pipes of differ
scrapers Of bone and bone grinders for
pulverizing grain, a hageolet made
from a wing bone Of a large bird and
numerous arrow heads of various sizes.
Scattered over the floors in abundance
were kernels and parts of ears of char
red corn, which is of a small kind, like
the primitive squaw corn. One ear
preserved nearly entire shows ten rows
of kernels.
These ruins explored by Mr.. Martin
for the university prove beyond all
doubt the existence here in the past of
a considerable Pueblo village, which
was also the habitatiOn Of white men.
Dr.. WiIlitsOn has succeeded in finding
some Of the history Of an ancient Pu-
eblO village in western Kansas, which
was almost certainly located here.
The name Of the village was Cusrta-
lego, and the province Whereabouts was
known as San Luis. It was founded
about 1850 by some refugee PuebIos
from the upper valley Of the Rio
Grande in New Mexico, who went out
on the plains to escape the oppression
Of the Spsniards, then in control Of
New Mexico. For nearly a century it
was a very important place, occupied
during large part Of this time as a
stronghold Of the Apsches, then allies
Of the PueblOs. In the beginning of
the next century it was occupied for
some time by French colonists. Here
certainly was located the first habita-
ton Of white men in the state Of Kan
sas, and here it was that irrigation was
first practised in the state.