The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-09
RUINED CITY OF THE AzTEcs.
Remains of Artificial Lake aud
Quantities ef Pottery.
(FTou the Philadelphia Public LAGgeT.)

(FTom the Philadelphia Public LAdger.)
Not far from the little town of Casa
Grande in Arizona are the ruins OF a city
SO ancient that there is today no tradition
to tell OF its departed grandeur and its
teeming millions Of inhabitants The old
est living inhabitants can only offer vague
theories as to the origin OF this aneient
city and the people who builded 1t, while
the haifbreed Mexican or stole Indian
gives for his answer a shrag Of the shcul-
der or d shake of his head
Taking the stage. coach for Florence and
Pinal, or, if his purse can stand the
strain, securing rig from nearby livery
stable, the traveller bids adieu to the little
station OF Casa Grande. which, BY the way.
is on the Southern Pacific, and riding
along on the plains which stretch TO the
n0rthWard. he very soon sees the stately
ruins Of a solitary castle rise before him
This building IS Casa Grande. the Grand
Castle" which gives its name 10 the rail-
road station and the surrounding country
Upon near approach this structure is
found 10 be the rO0fless ruins Of very
large thTee-story building. The walls are
very thick and made OF adobe (IaTge sun
baked bricks which In any other region
would crunIe In few years. but which. in
the dry atmosphere OF Altoona. endure for
ages. For what purpose this building was
originally constructed is a matter Of much
conjecture. Some hold that in this build
ing the unhappy eaptives Of a bygone race
dreamed away long imprisonment. but
there seems 10 be nothing about the ruins
70 sUbstantiate this view. as there are no
underground dungeons and the rooms are
entirely too spacious. The only theory
which seems 10 be at all substaRtiated Is
that ii was the seat Of government CT this
ancient city.
Its thick and massive walls. its immense
size. and the yastness Of its rooms all sug-
gest that in its palmy days it was used
for no other purpose than the holding of
state conelaves. How many wars were
planned, how many victims condemned. is
matter which history can never reveal
Stretching away from i in every direc-
tioa are broad streets and avenues. on
either side of which are blocks upon blocks
Of shapeless mounds. which mark the site
Of the shops and residences OF what was
once the city's actual population and this
would seem TO confirm my theory for. as
all roads lead to Rome, so all OF these an
cient streets must have led TO the capital
An adneduct which brought water from
the ella River for city use and to irrigate
the fertile fields without the gates. can be
traced for miles. It also supplied water
for vast artificial lake within the city
walls. The boundaries OF this lake are
plainly distinguishable today. It is about
three squares from the capital and occupies
a space equal 10 about four ordinary city
squares Doubtless in this hot dry coun-
try, this lake was the evening gathering
place. where the hot and dusty population
sought rest and recreation from the breezes
Of the lake Myriads OF brilliant canoes
laden With gay and happy men and women
aoated upon its surface. while all around
its margin the broad esplanads rang with
the Joyous laughter OF the happy braves
and sweethearts- If they did not have to-
bosgan slides, shoot-the-chutes, merTy-go-
rounds. ETC. or Ribble daintily spoo1fuis
OF ice cream. they had something to take
their places, and were just as hilarious and
probably more free from care than the
thousands whe gather in our parks and
pleasure gardens today
A peculiar feature Of the ruins Of this an
cieRt municipality is the enormous guam
.ities Of broken pottery which everywhere
covers the ground One cannot take step
without treading fragments under his feet.
beautiful Gark-hroKn glazed ware Of con-
siderable thickness