Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-13
LIVES IN THE AIR
With a Congressman in Place
Where Cliff.Dwellers Were.
HON. JOHN +. LACEY'S PILGRIMAGE
Has Introduced Bill in Congress With
Idea Of Preserving Cliff Dwellings
Iowa Man Goes to See For Himself
Strange Things.

Idea OF Preserving CliH Dwellings
Iowa Man Goes to See For Himself
Strange Things.
Hon. John F. Lacey is chairman of
the committee on public lands, and as
such he introduced a bill in congress
reserving district of territory in
New Mexico in which are situated
some interesting ruins as public or
government reservation in order to
preserve the ruins as relics of pre-
historic period from spoliation and
vandalism. During the summer anu
prior to entering upon the campaign
he made a journey, to the region, &C
companied by three or four gentle
men, one of whom was Mr.. Rodey, the
delegate to congress from that terri
tory, and Professor Hewitt of the Uni
yersity Of New Mexico. The country
they traversed is rough, wild, uninhab-
tied except by Indians on the border,
but the congressman's party required
no other guide than Professor Hewitt,
who has made study of the region
and of the cliff dwellings.
The cliff dwellers' territory is on
the west bank of the Rio Grande river
beginning near the Indian village of
Santa Clara about thirty miles north
west of Santa Fe and about the same
distance southwest of the same place.
The cliff dwellings are in the noun
tains west of the river and are found
in the canyons and cliffs of the region
and not far, not more than ten or
twelve miles from the low lands, where
the land is arabic. The location and
all circumstances go to show that the
inhabitants of the cliffs, as well as
those who dwelt in the stone houses
on the portreros OF mesas. subsisted
partly on the chase and on the pro-
ducts of the soil. There is also evil
dent that these cliff and mesa people
were at war with ruder or at least
hostile and alien people and that
the cliff dwellings were utilized as fort
resses as well as places of residence.
The large stone houses were commu-
nal buildings where large number
of people could be sheltered and where
they could defend themselves from
the attacks of their enemies.
In all that territory described, from
Santa Clara to Cochiti, which is an
Indian town southwest of Santa Fe,
there is scarcely a white settler. 1t
is region, however, that is not des-
titute of charms and sylvan beauty.
There are glades where there are fine
springs of water empowered in pine
trees; there are points of vantage on
the mountain tops, from which one
may look far away to the east and see
the Rio Grande river, its waters trans.
formed at this distance into liquid sill.
yer, flowing through green pastures.
In one of the great bari'ancas there are
hundreds of columns of rock, in the
fern of tents, towers. steeples and
domes. In these solitudes amid the
marvellous atmosphere nature plays
pranks on the eye sight, and what ap.
pears clear vision of tents, towers
steeples, domes and cottages are moth.
ing but white, gray or reddish colored
rocks, in shape so much like the OBJ.
jects named that in the dancing and
uncertain light the gloom and shad-
ows of the canyon, they deceive for
a time the most practiced eye of an
observer.
1t was, to this interesting region
that the congressman's party of ex-
plorers proceeded, and the journal of
one who was invited to accompany the
expedition will be used hereafter in
describing that which they saw and
encountered:
Puye Mesa, New Mexico.
Aug. %, 1902.
Left Santa Fee at 9:15 a. m. on d. &,
r. G. railway to Bspanola; there Mr.
Gray, Prof. q. Hewett, B. S. Rodey, A.
A. Keen and Mr.. Lacey got team and
camping outfit and drove fifteen miles
to Puye Mesa, which has probably 600
to 700 cave dwellings in the cliff.
The cliff is 200 feet high and has
five caves or dwellings. The post
holes in the rock in which the porches
are built are still perfect. The rock is
yellow volcanic tufa. Along the talus
and at it's foot are abundant remnants
of pottery. The trees at the foot of
the cliff are small cedar and pine. On
the way up the little stream Santa
Clara, we found the most primitive of
mills. A small chute threw the water
into wheel below the mill and at the
upper end Is the mill stone. There is
nothing that could be omitted and
have the mill run. We found them
grinding wheat and the miller told us
that the little mill was his and that
he charged $150 a bushel (probably
fanega) for grinding the wheat into
graham -four. We found at one OF
these little mills most beautiful little
orchard of plums, peaches, apples and
pears. We were invited to gather all
we needed. The Indian family all had
sore eyes and the grandmother was
almost blind.
Aug. 27-Hewett and Mr.. Lacey
spent the night in one of the cliff
caves. Rodey and Keen slept in the
wagon. The room in which the con
gresham slept had door shaped like
an ink bottle as he looked out at the
sky. Below it was hole about si1
inches in diameter, no doubt for venti
lation A hole about foot in diam
eter and about two and half fee,
above the floor connected the room in
to the next one adjoining. The fiool
was level and smooth and had beer
plastered repeatedly and so was the
wall up for about three feet high. The
ceiling was smoked black as jet ant
the SCOT was hard and firm. In one
corner was a little depression neal
the door for fire place. In the real
OF the room was a closet dug, no doub
for 1yaanjnp grain and other nrecioI,.