The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-11-25

ago by workmen in a sewer excavation
In Escalineras street. Immediately back
OF the cathedral in this city Two Of
the chains Of seventy-eight chapels which,
as Sahagun relates. surrounded the great
Aztec temple which stood at the time
Of Cortez's conquest have been found
Subsequent excavation has identified
them beyond an doubt Only the tops Of
the towers have as yet been uncovered,
but other articles found are conclusive
evidence that the buried teocalT has at
last been uncovered
A great quantity Of objects, pertaining
10 the old temple have been taken out
already. including idols Of all sizes some
richly Ornamented with gold: gold OBJ
5ects, pure Jade beads. sacrifcial knives.
censers fragments OF copal. the incense
burned BY the Aztecs; masks, date stones
and carved slabs of stone. colored pot
terry on which the col0rs are as brilliant
and beautiful a g they were four centuries
ago and stone and metal objects Of
many kinds, making altogether several
wagon loads.
All these objects have been taken ont
within the last Few days. President Dfaz
was quick TO grasp the Importance Of
the discovery, and upon his recommends
ton $4,000 has been appropriated to
continue the work Of excavation. and as
much more VIII be appropriated as is
necessary.
An area covering perhaps twenty acres.
sncluding the main plaza of the citv and
the cathedral which is thought to cover
part Of the buried Aztec teocauf viii
be excavated. The old temple itself may
Montezuma.
From the gold objects already taken
out the latter hope seems extremely like
lE 70 be realized In any case. whether
Mcntezuma's treasure is found OF not
me value az the objects taken out is
sure to be many times. the cost Of ezca-
vation
IT is thought by the most scientific
and best informed men in Mexico that
The richest mine in the world lies bur
led under the present great cathedral.
which is the largest church edidce on
the American continent
III has been wen known since the time
OF Cortez and since the present cathedral
was built that the old Aztec temple was
approximately beneath it, Yet 10 prev
i2us attempt TO uncover the ruin has
been made. and had il not bsen for the
accidental discovery of the wor1men In
the sewer excavation few DAYS ago the
temple might have lain buried for four
centuries more.
Now that the discovery has been made
ard the actual fact established. the CITY
IS tremendously excited and corps Of
policemen has great difficulty in keep
Ing the crowds at a respectful distance
from the excavations. This Is absolutely
necessary 70 prevent stealing.
Much OF the mystery surrounding the
Inhabitants Of the country before Its oc-
cuDatlon by the Spaniards VIII probably
be revealed by the picks and shovels
Of the poems employed IN the work.
The Importance Of the discovery from 4.
this standpoint cannot be cverestimated. f
The first discovery was made at II
O'clock on the morning Of October 16 in .
the Gale de las EscaliTeras Cstreet Of
The FzcaliIleras) or main stairway Of the
Aztec teocali. The poems I'm the ditch
reported that the had dug Up some OBJ
jects of yellow metal.
Excavation for sewer system has been
going on for several months past. and
many valuable archa Biological objects .
have from time 70 time beer discovered. (
Senior Leopold Ratres. government In +
sracfo- ~ 7~obaao1,.f-s1 -,o,,,-,,.,+, -
The national museum has carefully
watched the work from the beginning TO
prevent the theft by workmen Of anv
archaeological objects that might be
found
He was near at hand at the time and
examining the objects unearthed. found
they were Of gold. Senior Batres inn
med tately descended into the excavation