Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-11-21
LOST CIVILIZATION
Some interesting NlIss on a WISH
10 Gran QuiveTa.
LIVES SACRIFICED

lest treasure of the Gran Quiyera and
many persons have sacrificed their
lives seeking for its hiding place. The
Gran Quivera rains are located on the
western border OF Lincoln county,
New Mexico, and the editor of this
5ournai first visited tho gaunt Old spot
IT, the early summer OF 1880, says the
Denver Field and Farm.
The outlines OF the once large town
OF pueblo are plainly visible. The
walls OF the old adobe church are still
standing and the remains OF buildings
ere panty disoernible. History and
tradition OF thig old town are both
oorroborated by the surroundings.
Here was located the seat OF gov.
eminent of New Spain and all the
wealth of the country was then
brought and builed in treasure vaults
OF church and state.
Gran Quivera was a large Indian vii
lage at the time Ga the first Spanish
conquest and vas wrested from its
occupants In the year 1916 In 1861
came the great Pueblo Indian upris.
ing when the Spaniards were driven
out OF the country as chan is driven
refore the wind.
De Vargas, writer, says: we
travelled souihward, fighting all the
way. We had 2iO burro loads OF treas
IRE. We buried 1t between two little
hills, burning brush over the spot"
The Spaniards were driven out of
the country as far south as the Gulf
o. Mexico. Where are the two little
hills about which DE Vargas speaks?
Attempt to solve this question have
cost many an GUventurer mis- life All
around Gran Quivera can be found
holes dug in the ground where some
Poor deluded mortal has been seeking
tor the lost treasure OF the Gran Qui-
vera. The Spaniards returned to the
country again IN 1851 after an alb
sence OF twenty years They found
the Gran Quivcra had been destroyed
ny volcanic eruption. The Mal-pais
had been thrown up ard the town
was found n heap OF ruins and re-
rains the same today. The remains
OF Spaniards lie in the graveyard.
VI u lt iIhldtl NktitlOlN are INuIu III
the ruins of the houses.
Approaching the Gran Quivera at
evcntide the site of the old ruins is
ghost-.ike. when the sun is nearly
down and its last rays are shining on
the gray walls Il the old church. With
the outlines % many of the other
buildings plainly visible II is a sight
never to be forgotten. IL recalls
scenes that trarspired over $50 years
ago, when perhaps IL was the largest
and most prosperous town of what
Ia now the great union of states II
most forcibly impressed these words
upon us: Man is vapor, full OF
woes; he cuts up caper and down
h goes" The same can be truthfully
said of empires end villages.
When the Spaniards returned and
found GranQuivera in ruins they pass
q on northward in their fight against
the Pueblos, finally conquerlng them
az Santa Fe. where the Indians were
divided up into smaller bands as we
find the Pueblos today All along the
foothills and tar up on the mountain
sides OF the San Andres and Secra.
mentoes are TO be found the ruins OF
the former inhabitants. At the Gran
Quivera anw many other places in the
Lost River basin can be seen the out.
lines of former irrigation canals and
many other evidences of a former civ
ii7ation, all of which assist in the
verification of the truthfulness OF the
traditional history of the country.