The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1905-12-29
Among the Cir Oval re- ~ n

: LII Is DTOUdUlt butU uO Olutf area "
like dimensions any where 10 th
b United States posses such varied lot
Among them are the petrlfed forests
aud the old Aztec ruins, which l hav,
already mentioned; the famous Grand
Canyon of the Colorado: large
number OF interesting tribes OF ln-
dams, such as the Nevajas and Hopis
acres of strange cactus grOwths
hraOd expanses of desert land painted
like flower; extinct volcanoes anc
many other such sights that belong
solely to curio. Yes aud iG Is here,
too, that one finds the most interest.
Ing of Jne old cliff and cave dwelling
ruin, with which the Southwest
abounds; and when shall be the SUB
ject of this weeks letter.
Within radius of eight miles from
Flagstaff, small and pretentious
Village on the Santa Fe railroad. are
to be found the most aud the best
preserved Of these ruins. About
seven miles to the southwest, Walnut
Canyon, It's walls deeply eroded 10
horizontal lines, breaks the m0nOtony
Of the plateau for a distance of several
miles; and, fixed like swallows nests
upon the faces of its deep and almost
| unclimable sides, are the slowly
crumbling wd,ls Of tnese ancient and
prehistoric Affiliations wherein once
dwelt that race of people known to
US as Cliff Dwellers.
From the bottom of the canyon to
the top it is almost three hundred
feet; and it is almost half wav up the
Canyons walls, underneath the most
enduring strata Of rocks, that we find
these ruins. They abound in great
numbers and being we'll protected
from the weathering of time, the
crudely constructed walls are still
quite well preserved, despite the fact
that unnumbered years beyond the
minimum limit of four hundred have
passed since they sheltered their
builders. TO serve as the foundation
or n)or of these dwellings also as tie
roof and the back wall, nature has
rracl0usly providid a strata Of rock
and followed it out apparently "to
order and therefore it was left for
the Cliff DSellers to only erect wall
along the edge Of the cliff and put IN
the desired partitionsin order to have
very comfortable aud safe place OF
abode. This they did and the crumbl
ing walls now stand as monuments to
their labor and their memory.
The walls are built Of small lime
tone rocks, between each of which
was put a goodly supply Of mortar
not unlike our masonry of today
This mortar resembles adobe ana has
hardened to the compactness OF stone
The rocks used in the construction |
seems to have been faced aud |
therefore the walls are lett with very |
smooth surfaces. One door was left |
10 each Compartment, which, ii is The |
,uppOS tiOn, was closed at night on |
juriug storms by blanket or the |
skin of an animal. In addition TO tie |
iocI; many of the huts were also |
provided with a small round port hoe
or possibly for the escape Of smoke
several students who have yisitec
these ruins have advanced The opin
iUu that the Cliff DHelers built Ties,
iwelIing places for protection from
another race Of people Ola wariikt
nature and that these holes were left
10 aiu them 10 possible attacks. Sine,
Jney are usually found, however, ii
he corner Of The bu5 which apparent
was used for cooking purposes, i
could seem more probable to presdm
hat they were for Tic outletof smoke
rhat corner as well as tie hoe. i.
invariably blackened with smoke, an
UGH is not the casein dwellings wher
40 holes appear.
Wen preserved, and in fact aImosi
DetIiGed, corn cobS are lrtqueutl
.uund by visitors 10 some Of the room
aud q was even the good fortune O
lur party 10 resurrect small bilso
Such, therefore, are known
% have 0eea Included in their foods
There are fragments Of odly paInte,
pottery scattered about galore ano
lccassionlY one finds pieces OF matt |
ing woven from material resembling |
sea grass and now aud then a weapon |
and domestic utensil made ~ stone.
Visitors To the place have aided |
Natures elements in the slow destruc
ton Of tie ruins and Of the vast
number Of The ancient habitutlons
found in Walnut Canyon there are
yey few left intact. Unlike as the
places where we fad the Aztec ruins.
no buryiog place for the Cliff Dwelers
has ever been fouod. Many excaYi-
tions have been made bus as much |
1,