Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-06-23
-MONTEZUMA MESA
Special Agent Max Pracht Recon-
mends a Reservation In Colorado
and New Mexico.
HOUSES BURIED IN The LAVA
Investigations Being Made In New Mexico
to Determine the Age of Man
Cliff Dwellings to Give Up
Their Secrets.

Their Secrets.
Max Pracht, of Santa Fe, specia
agent in the employ of the department
of the interior, was at the Brown Pal
ace hotel, Denver, on Thursday. Mr.
Pracht was sent by the secretary of the
interior to look over the country of the
cliff dwellers. which should be made 6
reserve, and to report upon its value
He spent six weeks in the country.
Il have not the slightest doubt that
the secretary of the interior will act
favorably upon the report which I sub
mitted to him." said Mr.. Pracht to a
Denver reporter.
Il reported strongly in favor of es-
tablishing the proposed reserve. The
cliff dwellers country has a historic
value beyond comparison. There is alb
solutely no end to the value of the relics
which have been unearthed there, and
are still to be unearthed. The work
which will be done in the country will
do much toward unraveling the history
of the world, and the human race.
A BIG RESERVATION.
I'm my recommendation to the secre.
tary of the interior 1 specified about
nineteen townships, which, after thor
ough investigation, seem to me to in
clude practically all the ruins of any
Importance. The area includes the Man
cos canon and the Mesa Verde, and will
run to the line between New Mexico
and Colorado.
IN truth, it Is of but little value for
anything but reserve for a more des-
olately barren country you never saw.
1t lacks water. wood and vegetation al
most completely. In some places near
the rivers are to be found small farms
taken up by poor settlers, and if the
government decides to make the reserve
it will be necessary for these settlers to
move. 1t will not be difficult to bring
this about, for the lands are not of any
real value, and the settlers could move
almost anywhere else and be better Off.
- "iii NC PioNIuCup III lllt OIutI
the reserve, that the settlers be reim-
bursed for the lands taken from them,
and be allowed to choose lands upon the
government homesteads, so they will in
no case be losers.
NOT ROBBED OF RELICS.
There has been much said about the
amount of plunder that has been taken
out OF the country. 1t is true that a
great deal Of value, that lies on the sur
face, has been tucked in the trunks of
foreign scientists, and taken to muse
ums in Europe, but the important
things are still in the earth there. Nine
ty per cent of the historic relics of the
cliff dwellers remain to be unearthed,
and if the reservation is made, they will
be preserved for the state of Colorado,
the territory of New Mexico and the
United States.
Il do not advance my opinions as
those of scientist who has studied the
matter, but merely as those formed
through close observation by one who
IS accustomed to look into such matters.
Without doubt in southwest Colorado
are the remains of the most ancient civ
llization of which the world has any
knowledge, unless perhaps a PREFER
sian civilization.
Surveyors will be put to work at
once, when the secretary Of the interior
has passed favorably upon the reserve" !"
concluded Mr.. Pracht, land will mark
out the boundaries of the 'Montezuma
reserve as it will be called"
Mr.. Pracht is in Denver on business
connected with special mission, the
purpose of which, however. he does not
desire to divulge.
ut does not pertain to Colorado" said
Mr.. Pracht.
SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITIONS.
A spirit Of inquiry seems to be abroad
in the land. 1t apparently has placed
its stamp on the minds Of the men of
science, the ones who are forever want
ing to learn all about ancient things, for
with an accumulation of fervor that Is
remarkable and similitude Of purpose
that Is curious, when one remembers
they are working Independent of one
another, they are all making explora-
tions in these western lands.
Another curious thing: The great
southwest, southern Colorado, northern
New Mexico and Arizona Is their hunt
ing ground. From east and west they
are coming, each one heading a party,
hurrying to be the first on some partic-
ular spot.
In July the bureau Of ethnology of the
Smithsonian institute Is to send explOr-
ers into Arizona. Already Chicago has
a representative, DR.. George ]. Dorsey,
curator of the anthropology field mu-
scum, who is working near Winslow,
Ariz. Most important of all, the New
York natural history museum has en-
tered the list of competitors in the race
for relics. It's progress will be watched
by Denver men, for, headed by George
Fl. Pepper, 1t has party out explor-
ing the cliff dwellings in the San Juan
valley of northern New Mexico and
southern Colorado.
THE AGE OF MAN.
DR.. Camden Cobern, Prof. T. f. Cut
ler, Rev. ]. f. Gullette and Capt. Cecil
Deane, of Denver, went down into New
Mexico, staying five weeks. They told
about lot of things they saw, but tc
other persons, inquiring to be sure. but
not scientific, they seemed to be keep
ing something back. Finally their Sc
cret was divulged. They had found a
lava field down, south, and in 1t some.
where they had been told house was
buried, which, II found as described
would prove to the world the age ir
which man had inhabited America.