Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-28

To the fact that IN very remote times In
the valleys and along the rivers
Of Utah. Colorado and Arizona.
the extinct races dwelt In
considerable numbers; that they
had irndc progress In the domestic arts
aud In agriculture. but that a savage
and more powerful enemy invaded the
region and In time conquered them.
killing n great part OF them and ban
ishing the survivors into the narrow
allies and box canyons Of southeastern
Utah, northwestern New Mexico. south
western colorado and northeastern
Arizona. In the latter region. the
weaker but more civilized race again
took root and again. IN the warm. gem
lal climate OF the southeast built up
an even more perfect civilization than
that destroyed by their enemies In the
great valleys.
The remains OF this latter settlement
are what we now know as the ruins
Of the niin dwellcrn. or this we are
certain, because the conditions existing
relative to the hnndiwork OF the old
occupants In each place are alike aud nj.
80 because the skulls found IN the val
ley ruins In the west nrc in every way
like those found In the clifi ruins. The
skulls are In each place nattoned nt the
back. and the usually Intellectual type
Of manhood II manifested IN the frontal
bones OF the skull.
As to the time which has rinpscd
since the expulsion 81 this race from
the open valleys. we do not know how
long II may have been. but every cvi.
dpnce procialfna n very long period 81
time since the destruction ~ these
numerous little cities. We fnd thom
existing In Salt Lake valley. also IN
Utah valley. ana In every N.AuCy IN the
south until we reach the ella river IN
Arizona. IN Utah. the great WaHatch
range then ~ now afforded water for
lee la s..I.
are now shc thriving settlements ~ the
white men In Utah. the ancient lnhabit-
ant raised his crops ~ corn and beans
and squnahca ana pumpkins built his
little citica and lived Tor generations
Further to the south we ind In the
valley OF Salt River. IN Arizona. that
the extinct race had made progress
equal Ia that told OF hv the great pan
irh chfuniclor ~ having hoSl found by
Cnrtcz In the valley ~ Mexico.
In Salt river Valley and far
out on the nlaine OF tho ella.
the writer Of this paper hnr
examined the canals that were car.
ricd out from the larger streams over
thousands " square miles a. lrrigatc
tho land. Some ~ these notably the
one near Mesa city. In Upper Salt
River valley. was over thirty feet In
width. ciEht feet deep. ana having lat
cfuln extending out ut regular inter-
walls over n large area ~ country. In
this same valley are the ruins and
mounds of more that a score ~ VII
lagos and the population N this one roe
ginn alone could not have been less
than 100000 souls In the hryday ~ It's
glory. The dense rettlomrnt ~ salt
River and the ella extended south ~
the ella into the broad open plains
that wretch fur To the south. the celc-
hrntc1 casa Grande ruins being Within
the area Of the Salt River uDd ella re-
rion ~ Arizona.
Tho writer having many Year, since
trnverHcd and studied tho above re-
mains, In comparing them with those
further north would here state that Tor
beauty ~ outline and excellence ~
workmanship the hnndlwork ~ the old
rnceF. ~ found In Utah. nurpnSsor most
~ that found IN New Mexico and All
coma. which shall note further ON In
this article.
The causes which led To the abandon
mcnt N the cities ~ the valleys IN Utah
seem 10 have been the same In Arizona.
Every ruin shows that IRE and sword
wcr" carried by powerful enemy 10
Preside and sanctuary.
In every ruin Of Salt River valley
and on the plains of the ella. NJ also IN
Verde valley. PEBBLES valley. Zig and
Little Chln0a WiiiinmHon'r. skull.
linHHnynnpn. Little Cr'orado ana other
vnilicH ~ Arizona, the same tale "
told-that u m"rcilcsa war 81 cSter-
minntion forever rcmnVcd the ancient
Inhabitants ~ the country and In Arl-
zonn. MS In Utah. those who escaped the
destruction N the war In the unprotcct-
Cd regions o. the valleys, sought re;
fuEc In the Wild canyons ana
gorgcF ~ the Mofolion range OF Ccn-
trail Arizona and at Its base In the
Verde valley.
In Utah and southwestern Colorado.
the civilized race seem TO have for a
long period ~ time resisted their cnc-
niles and. settling down To hard labor.
they built cities and fortrcssen IN tho
narrow valleys ana rocky deilles, which
they undoubtedly occupied for cen.
turtles. and the ruins of which, FOR cen.
turtles yet "a come. win excite the Won
der ana admiration ~ generations yet
unborn.
In NO country and In no cline ana
ever branch 81 the human family
take possession Of a more weird and in
accessible region than ala this old race
when II went into the elm country OF
southeastern Utah. The country l. nat
urnily broken. hlFh plntcaus. that are
heavily timbercd on the western side
and toward the east cut M by mighty
barrancRH. or canyons. whose walls. al
most vertical. render passage difficult.
nay, In most places Impossible, Far
down IN these narrow valleys which
skirt tho san Juan. Grand. Dolores.
ana 'nluiNVh llN'iNf Nnfl lNhh lihhNft=
sion OF every acre of cultivahlc land
and In Moonlight, Cataract. peHolation.
Indian and Cottonwood canyons they
ala likewise. Their Htrongholdn wcro
erected on every juttlng point aud at
the narrow passes leading from one
valley u another. Their dwellings were
constructed Of stone. bedded Ia place
with various kinds Of clay and natural
cement, serving ~ "A mortar, II was
evidently while dwelling In this remote
country that they enjoyed their long
est peace. and here developed 10 their
greatest degree ~ beauty ana excellence
their arts and manufactures.
The dry. hot climate existing IN this
part Of Utah together with the almost
Inaccessible nature NJ the country, have
preserved to our own times the hnndi-
work, field products, writings. aud
mummIfled human remains OF these old
elf jewellers IN "a much better state OF
preservation than that In which the
similar manufactures, monuments and
remains OF any other race exist In any
other part OF the world. not
excepting those of the Nile Valley Ia
Egypt. where are found the remains
OF the earlier dynastles OF kings who
were laid away with their treasures
more than four thousand ycarH ago.
The ruins, human remains and ROLES
of the ciin people that remain to uH
prove that they dwclt there for centur-
les: thoy prove 10 us that they cultl-
waited the soil that they produced from
the soil several kinds Of maize or corn,
also pqunshca pumpkins, gourdH mol.