Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-08-30

There was placed In the display win
dow Of the Deseret News book store to-
day some superb Photographic repro
ductions of the magnificent ruins OF
Palenque, IN the state Of Chiapas, Mex
leo, The fact that they are copyrighted
precludes their publication in the col
umns OF the News" They were taken
by Waite. the famous American photo
prapher who has made specially Of
Mexican pictures for years past and
were sent to this city to MI B. f.
Grant By j. w. Ellsworth. the great
American Rubber King" mention OF
whose presence in this city was made
recently. In sending them to Mr.. Grant
Mr.. Ellsworth makes the statement
that he does SO with the knowledge that
Utah people are greatly interested In
Mexico as well Is In the great ruins of
the buried cities Of a by-gone race.
These ruins were partly upon the prop
erty Of the Chiapas Rubber Plantation
and Investment company, represented
here by Mr.. Grant. but under the laws
Of Mexico reverted to the government
as all such discoveries do. These ruins
were visited by the, Brigham Young
Academy Exploring Expedition on It's
way TO South America and President
Cluff thus describes them for the Des-
eret News
PROF. CLUFFS DESCRIPTION.
II was already far in the afternoon
when we reached the little village OF
Palendue, so widely known because OF
the great ruins named after II. The
streets were irregular and we're COW
cred with a thick mating Of green
grass, kept short by the burros and
horses that II fed. The houses were
small, with matched roofs made Of
cane leaves. palm leaves or grass
straw, and with walls formed by the
standing on ends Of small poles or wild
cane stalks. The ground itself formed
the floor OF the houses, and often the
beds also. but sometimes a rude mat
was added for the beds. Banana trees
with their beautiful large leaves,
papaia trees with their continuously
ripening fruit, breadfruit. and different
kinds Of vegetables formed the gardens,
and materially aided the corn patch Ia
furnishing food for the family. The ma
tiyes came to the doors or stood In the
front yard eager TO see us as we passed,
while the little children, dressed most
Nv I'm the suit provided by nature, chung
10 their mothers skirts afraid the for
elgners would catch them.
The alcalde or mayor was at home,
and secured us comfortable quarters TO
camp In, promising TO act himself as
our guide TO the ruins.
II was noon next day before we were
started though We were ready by
o'cjock. but II II impossible to get a
Central American to hurry. Our road
Law directly towards the mountains, and
through the deep forest which was
hroken occasionally by clearings In
which corn or cane grew luxuriantly.
THE soil was rich and productive and
tha forests looked like those pictured In
Biographies to represent the carbon
ferrous age. The underbrush was
almost impenetrable except where the
nath was cleared. and the boys and
mud holes made travelling very difficult.
II was therefore late when We reach
ed the foot Of the mountain six miles
from town, but fortunately the after
noon was cool and we we're not dis
tressed. The climb Of four hundred feet
up the gradual slope was more difficult,
but We were well paid for our trouble.
for on a terrace which seemed TO con-
tain several hundred acres. there burst
into view a sight We shall never for
get. We we're near small stream OF
clear water and through an opening In
the trees saw an artificial hill about
40 feet high and covered about as much
ground as a fourth OF city block, a
large two story stone building, On the
roof were trees and underbrush ~