The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-04-15
UIAHS SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION TO SOUTH AMERICA BIDS FOR

On Tuesday next the Brigham Young
academy viii send out a scientific expa-
dition for the purpose of making ex
plorations among the mound cities OF
Mexico, Y1catan, Central America and
end Coufh America, and of obtaining
typical collections Of the fauna, flora,
minersIosy and archaeology OF the re-
sions visited No western institution
has before attempted an undertaking
OF such importance, nor has any sys-
tematic work covered the territory that
is mapped for exploration and invest-
CATION
Since the Journeys of Catherwoo6 and
Stephens the vast ruins in Central and
South America have been a temptation
TO the archaeOlogist and the work of
De PlOngeon has merely demonstrated
how little is known of the ancient civ
ilizatiOn that once dominated this con-
tinent. That much remains to be dis
covered is evidenced by the following
dispatch to the st. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat under date OF Oct. %, 1893:
An unknown ruined city larger than
New York City, with two temples and
two great pyramids, has been discover
ed IN the mountains in the state of
Guerrero by William Nlvins, the well
known mineralogist Of New York He
has Just returned from a ten weeks trip
into that country, and has brought back
more than 300 photographs of the
ruins"
1t is to make thorough search for
the chain Of citie5 that are supposed
TO have existed between southern Mex
leo and central Peru, to investigate
their ruins, to study the antiquities and
myths, now known only to the aborig-
mes and the basis of a wosderful
folklore, that the expedition has been
organized and equipped.
10 charge of the enterprise and its or
iginator is President Benjamin Cuff,
jr., of the Brigham Young academy.
Professor Cuff mas been in charge OF
the academy since 1892 and to his en-
tusiastic and untiring efforts the phe-
nomenal success of that educational in
stitution has peen largely due. he is a
graduate of Michigan University and,
IN addition to the general control OF the
expedition, win directly supervise the
work in archaeology, meteorolOgy and
topography
Professor Walter NJ Wolfe will direct
the work in botany, zoology and geolo-
6y and every provision has been made
ter obtaining complete collections in
these departments.
The charge Of the camp, horses, outfit
and incidental detail of the trip is in
the hands of Mr. Gordon S. Beckstead,
county. President Cuff, with Profess
scr Wolfe and Mr.. Reckstead as assist
ants. is the executive officer
Professor John p. Fairbanks, the well
known painter and vice president of
the Utah Art association. will be the
artist. He will be assisted by Mr. Wal
ter s TOltOn ot Beaver. Photographic
views will be taken of all scenes and
objects of interest, and the pictorial
record of the journey will be made as
complete as possible.
Twenty-one young men. principally
students of the academy, have been Sc
lected 10 I'll the role of members. Fol-
lowing is the personnel of the expedi-
ton:
President Benjamin Cuff, jr.: Pro
fessor Walter NJ. Wolfe; Gordon s.
Becketead, South Jordan; Professor
John 3. Fairbanks; Walter S. Tolton,
Beaver: George Q. Cannon End. Salt
Lake City; Henry Z. Giles, jr., Salt
Lake City; William NJ Hughes. Spanish
Fork; Brigham T. Higgs. jr.. Orange
vile; Asa Kienke. Nephi; Heber Ma
gleby Monroe; Farley Nelson, Monroe:
Christian Olsen, Ephraim. Mosher
Pack, Kamas; Eugene Roberts. Provo;
Lafayette Rees. Wales; Chester G.. Van