Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-10-31
A VISIT TO THE
CLIFF JEWELLERS
Interesting Letter Received by
Col. Benton From r. A.
WadIeigh.
WHERE RUINS ARE LOCATED.
The Principal Ones Are Twenty-Five
Miles From Mancos--Writer Tells
How to Reach Them.

A letter giving an account Of Visit
10 the Cliff Dwellers. has been received
by Col. !. A. Benton, general agent OF
The passenger department OF the Denver
Z Rio Grande from Asst. Gen. Pass,
Agent II. A. Wadleigh, OF Denver. Tho
News" Is permitted TO publish the
letter, which will be OF general interest
oere. The letter, under date OF Oct Is,
follows:
THE CLIFF JEWELLERS.
have Just returned from trip to
the Cliff Dweller Ruins located on the
Mesa Verde In MonteSuma county
Colo, and for your personal information
as well as for the information OF pros
poctive tourists. give you some data re.
garding the trip.
The best way to reach the ruins is by
rail to Mancos on tn Rio Grande South
ern railroad. At the last mentioned
roint Mr.. C. y. Kelley. proprietor OF a
stable, furnishes guide. team. food and
lodging for tho trip, which requires
three days 10 make--one day to go, one
day at the ruins and one day returning.
Keley's charge Is SIS for one person or
1880 per capita for two or more.
PRINCIPAL RUINS.
The principal ruins are located 25
miles from Mancos. The first is miles to
thvfoot OF the Measa Verde Ia covered by
wagon, and the last 10 on horseback
L. -.
the Mesa Verde and the only way 70
reach 1t is on horseback or afoot. The
time required to reach the ruins Is APP
proximately Ave and half hours, two
and a half hours by wagon and three
horseback. Kelley has cabin at the
Spruce Tree House ruins where sleeping
accommodations are furnished at night,
The Balcony House Is located about
mile and a half from the Spruce Tree
ruins, and the Cliff Palace about the
same distance IN another direction.
These three ruins are the largest and
most important and all that the tourist
usually visits.
l. A. BENTON.
There are great many other ruins
but they are much greater distances
and the time required to visit them Is
considerably longer.
All three ruins are In wonderful
state Of preservation. and now that the
government has made that portion OF
The Mesa Verde on which they are To-
.ated a government reservation, there
VII be no more tearing down or car
Tying of of the relics.
ADVICE TO TOURISTS.
Tourists should be advised to wear
Did clothes and heavy shoes, as climb
zig about the ruins is very hard OH
wearing apparel. As a rule men wear
,yeralls and women divided skirts.
Kelley can furnish the latter. provided
Nomen do not have their own. The
'ood Is plain, and the accommodations
IT the ruins primitive; there are no
oardships. but there Is lot OF rough
md heavy climbing TO be done
The ruins can be visited at any time
between the last Of May and the 3lst
" October, but II Is not well to rec
,mmend any other season, as there IL
! heavy fall of snow on the Mesa Verde
N the winter months. Kelley has a
rood outfit and his horses arc reliable
md sure footed. and tourists can be
assured that there is no danger what
wer In making the trip. Comfortable
,otel accommodations can be obtained
vt Mancos. where It Will be necessary
~ JSindlIl OVER nlsnt VII tnc Soinb tiib
llso on the outward trip.
Another way TO reach the ruins is
BY way of Dolores and Cortez. tho
after point being "a miles from Dolores
ptaton. There IL q daily stage line be-
tween these points connecting with Rio
srande Southern trains and there Is
fairly good hotel at Cortcz. The dis
lance from Cortez to the ruins IL app
proximatcly "a miles, the first four by
wagon and the last 10 by horseback
over the same trail as from Mancos.
Guides can also be obtained at cortcz
At approximately the same prices as
from Mancos.
Although II Is too late To work up
any business for this tour this season,
please bear In mind tho data given
,hove IN order that you may answer
Inquiries regarding the trip; also on
icavor TO work up some excursion
business for this tour,
might add that 20 is about tho max
hmm number that can be well taken
sare OF at one time and smaller par
tics are decidedly preferable.