The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-10-26
Explorers In South America Dis
cover Ruins Unoccupisd
for 1000 Years.
SKELETONS OF TALL MEN
Long Lost City In the Andes Is
Supposed TO Have Been Abode
Of Aztecs--Stone Tools but
no Writings Found.

The discovery OF a city In the Andes
mountains In Argentine which has
been deserted for possibly 1000 years
but which was once inhabited pre-
sumably by Aztecs OF much larger
statue than those who lived In Gen.
trai America and Mexico. Is reported
by two men who reached this city yes
terday from the South American re-
public says the Seattle p. l. They
consider II find that may add much TO
the scientific knowledge OF the dead
and gone races Of South America, and
are now hurrylng 10 the east. there TO
present the results OF their researches
before the American and German
scientists OF note.
The dIscoverers OF the ancient city
are Prof Emil Won Burgess. OF Berlin,
Germany. a famous archaeologist OF
that country, and william J. Hemin-
way. a New York man. who has for
years been an explorer In South Amer
lea. The two men. at the head Of a
party OF Ave. have spent year in the
south on a special exploration expedi-
tlon. They reached Seattle yester-
day from San Francisco. where they
arrived a few days ago on a South
American steamer. and leave early
this morning for the east. They
spent last night at the Hotel Cecil.
The history OF the finding Of the
old. deserted city would I'LL book.
Situated In the Andes about $50 miles
from Arauco. Chile, in a little valley
reached only after, weeks of effort and
hardship. the intrepid travellers found
the city, forgotten for centuries, In an
almost perfect state of preservation.
Stone houses, erected probably before
the coming OF Christ on eartn, crumb-
ling and grown over with tres, MOSES
and shrubs, but nevertheless stand
Ing as no building ever constructed
In modern times will stand, bear mute
testimony to the existence OF a race
In the Andes that other travellers and
explorers have heretofore failed en-
tlrely to discover.
Ancient tools of husbandry. house
hold implements Of stone, hermeti-
cally sealed graves which when opened
disclosed the skeletons of men Of
large stature, that crumbled to dust
when exposed to the air. give evil
dence OF higher state OF civilization
almost than that Of Asia 1000 years
ago. were found by the travellers and
their companions. From the old city
have been brought 20 the United
states large quantity of ancient
articles, and these, some day, Will
probably help to fill some museum In
this country and in Germany, accord
ing TO the explorers. The articles
brought back are considered invalu-
able by their diseoverers. and the re-
searches Of Prof. Won Burgess viii
the worlds knowledge OF the
Axtees, or that portion Of the race in
habitIng South America.
From all the explorers could ascer-
tain, the city once held some 1900
souls. Their principal occupation
was doubtless that of agriculture and
the raising of live stock. From the
skeletons found the men of the tribe
were six feet and over in height while
the women were also Of unusual stat
ure. Prof Won Burgess considers
that either flood or some kind Oh
disease exterminated the race. It was
the latter, according to him
as the little city In the valley of the
bears no witness OF ever
having been inundated.