The Delta independent., 1902-09-26
Irris.,ss. Of Long Ago,


inal remains in the Union than tn oss
Of the buried towns in the Gila and Salt
valleys in Arizona. Indeed, an. aggrc
CATION Of prehistoric towns may b
traced across the hot, sandy. desert
wastes from Florence southwark into
Sonora. Mexico. 1t is estimated that
the population Of these dead. silent, un-
inhabited localities was once over 300.-
600. In age, these ruins OF the buried
cities OF Arizona are far earlier than
Pompeii and Hsrculaneum. The eyi-
dence is overwhelming that there were
once fourteen aboriginal cities. each
having a population varying from 10000
to 5000, in southern Arizona. Here. in
what was wholly unclaimed desert un-
til the last few years, and is yet largely
waste OF hot, drifting sands, thers
lived several thousand OF years ago Z
dense population Of intelligent, ambi
tious aud skillful farmers. That these
people lived in this region hundreds of
years is not gsinsaid by any archeoIo-
gist and that they were the peers in
brains and progress OF any contempor-
aneous race on the western hemisphere
is patent to the most careless investiga.
tor. The irrigation systems described
in Mr.. Wilcox's work on Irrigation Farm
ing comprised canals sixty miles long,
with Ingenious water gates. The ar
OF streets and buildings, the
polished woods. stones and shells, the
finely woven fabrics that have been -
covered from these buried and ruined
cities all tell Of the high degree Of civili-
zation reached by these mysterious peo-
pie. There is no NOR e fascinating sub
Iect in the realm Of scientific exploration
and study than that which concerns the
origin and aspirations, the wars. aud the
final and wonderfully complete disap-
pearance Of the several hundred thous-
and men and women who made garden
OF the Arizona desert wastes Ct INJURIES
ago. The remains OF the largest citiss
are on sloping piain-about forty-avo
miles acroes in any vsoal
the Salt and Gila valleys. The irrigat-
ing canals are characteristic Of the ~
gion. Over O0.00O acres OF land muoe
have been watered by these great syss
TENS. Even 10 this day Of mcdaniel
devices and the finest tools and applt3
ances, the construetion Of such canalI
big dams, storage reservoirs and dykes
would be no mean engineering work
Fancy thcn what years Of patient labor
their construction required from this
prehistoric race, who had only crude
stone implements with which to exca-
vate and wicker baskets in which to car.
ry away the earth. 1t is believed the
great cana ls OF these ancient peoples
were used for navigation as well as for
irrigation. Evidences have been found
OF very large pine tmbers which could
not have been obtained within seventy
miles OF the cities, and it is reasonable
to suppose that these and enormous
stones for building purposes we're float
ed down the artificial waterways. The
extensive irrigating bitches were dug
with stone implements and the huge
rafters Of the lofty buildings were worn
of with the same rude tools. 1t must
have taken years OF incessaut toll and a
patience beyond that Of modern men to
complete the work these people accomp-
lished with the crude means at haud.
That they we're a pastoral folk ie certain.
In their fields grew the pumpkin, cotton.
flax, tobacco. a species OF potato, barley
and corn. OF domesticated animals they
had the COW, sheep. dog and turkey.
They were not green much to caruivor-
BUSINESS. The meal OF their corn or bar
ley or the wild acorn was more tooth
some, baked into cakes. than the flesh
of animals. 1t is not positively known
that they ate meat at all. The Yuma
indians OF this day are very careful
about eating flesh. They believe in the
transmigration OF sonle into the amin ais
about them.-Field aud Farm.
HsAnA