The St. Johns herald., 1900-07-07
PREHISTORIC RUINS.
Remnants of Colorado Cliff Dwell
 ings to Be Preserved.
Women of That State OrSaRl.e to Look After the Ruins and Study tke Life of FormeF Oe-
 cuP2nts.

Women of Colorado are going to try
 and save the prehistoric ruins of the
 state from the depredations of van
 cals, and at the same time try to add
 to the worlds stock of knowledge con- cerning those remarkable people, the cliff dwellers. With these objects in
 view the Colorado Cliff Dwellings as sociation has been organized. The as- sociation has been regularly incor-
 porated under the: laws of Colorado, so that it may legally acquire and hold
 property. 1t is now the intention of
 the women to acquire title to the
 ruins of the cliff dweHers, either by purchase orb by agrant from the state, which it is believed will be glad to hand these famous ruins over to the
 women for care and preservation.
 The association, says the Chicago
 Inter Ocean, is not a hastily formed one. On the contrary, it is the out come of nearly three years of agita- tiop and education of the women of the state. Tn October, 1897, Mrs. Nah lon D. Thatcher, then president of the State Federation of Women's clubs, appointed committee of women who had for years been personally inter ested in the protection of the states prehistoric heritage to act with the federation and clubwomen as a spe- cial committee for the spreading of knowledge concerning the ruins, the collection and preservation of relics, and the ultimate bringing forward into the light of to-day of the wonder full old ruins which have been so long shadowed by the cliffs in the Rio Man cos canyon. Since it's appointment the committee has had visions of work done by it which would present to the world antiquity of far greater in- terest than any now known in the old world. and with a setting of deep canyons, rugged mountains, and great stretches of blue mesa iand--a park containing a museum of unknown antiquity.
 The area of prehistoric ruins in the southwest covers tract of 5000 square miles, extending from 'the four corners" into Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona Therefore, the tract of land most valuable for park has been q grave question at is sue with the committee. They have had an accurate and comprehensive map made of the section called Mesa Verde, the green tableland, in the southwestern corner of Colorado. It is their wish to include in the park that portion of the mesa and adjoin- ing canyons which contains the most ruins. }
 It should be understood that Mesa Verde, the probable location of the future park, is striking,y singular divide between the Mancos and the Montezuma valleys: Throughout it's extent it is gashed and scanned by in- numerabIe deep canyons and ravines. The uplands are crowded with forests of pinon trees iD such close array that one finds it difficult to pick a passage through them. Ruins of the houses of the mesa-dwellers are thick upon the plateau.
 The canyons, which split the divide into tongues and islands of precipit- ous rock, are lined with the houses of the cliff dweliers.. The sides of the canyons are sheer walls of yellow sandstone, ranging in height from 5GO to 1000 feet. As rule, the dwellings stand 5H or 100 feet below the rim of the. heights, in a sheltered. recess over hung by beeuing masses Of rock. In a great many instances it is impossi- ble to climb to the houses from the bottom of the canyon; Most of them have to be entered from the top Of the cliffs. There are no definite roads CT trails leading to them, and the difii- entities to be overcome and the dangers to be dared in visiting the cliff houses are many. The difficulties and dangers only show how necessary it is to build roads and trails and a rest house, so that people with great enthusiasm but little strength may visit the ruins.
 The Cliff palace and the Spruce Tree house are two of the cliff houses in- cluded in the tract set aside for the park. The Cliff palace is 450 feet long, so feet high, so feet broad, and con- tains T27 rooms on the ground floor, and accommodations for probably 1 eco people. The Spruce Tree house is only short distance from the Cliff palace. and is one of the most finished specimens of prehistoric architecture vet found. A visit to one or both of these ruins would repay one for al- most any amount-of fatigue, and the Colorado Cliff Dwellers association in- tends to be. the pathfinder for the delicate enthusisst> >assBeiI as for the brawny relic hunter. Why En9Iisa. Fabrics Are Superior.
 The superiority Of textile fabrics made in Bradford. England, Is due to their finish, in which regard American fabrics arc lacking. The Bradford su- periority is due in great measure to the damp climate, wool absorbing the moisture and acquiring a softnesa not otherwise cbtainable