Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-07-23
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
SOCIETY MEETING
Saturday Nieht--pIans for Trip to
Cliff DwelIings-Several New
Members.


Cliff DwelIlnes-Several New
Members.
The Archaeological Society met OF
Saturday evening in the Ben Hur room
of the Old Palace to discuss the pro
posed excursion to the Cliff Dwellings
thirty miles west of Santa Fe. The
president, Judge John r. McFie, pre-
sided. The committee on registration
reported that only one person had reg
lstered for the excursion and while
there were five to six more at the
meeting who desired to go, any mum
Der less than twelve was deemed in
sufficient to make the excursion a sue
cess at the published rate of $3.50 fol
the round trip of three days, as par
ties smaller in number could not be
taken with the comfort planned, for
less than $5 each per day. 1t was
found that to many business men and
house wives, three days absence
from home seemed too long for a
twenty-five mile excursion and they
would have preferred a two days trip
These claimed that unless one desired
to make excavations, or was an ar
chaeologist deeply interested, very
good idea Of the cliffs and caves could
be gained by one days rambling In
the Alamo Canon and on the Tsanka-
wee and Otowei mesas. By starting
early in the morning the Alamo Canon
could be reached shortly after noon.
Leaving the following noon would
assure a return late the same evening
and at the same time give an entire
day for sightseeing. In view of these
circumstances, the society decided to
abandon the excursion plans for the
present. The committee which had
very ably made all preparations for
the excursion to the smallest detail as
surfing absolute comfort at surpris-
ingly low price was discharged with
the thanks of the society, which stands
ready, however at all times, to help
private parties who desire to visit
the Pajarito Park. 1t was also decid.
ed to make an effort to induce some
enterprising person to make a bust
ness of taking parties to the cliff
dwellings, providing for them every
reasonable comfort. A five day ex-
cursion to include visit to the
Painted Cave and Stone Lions of Co.
chiti was also discussed but only ten
tatively, as the hardships of such a
trip over the steep trails of the Fri
jole country make it unsuitable for
mixed party and prevent the taking
of wagons with tents and supplies,
which have to be carried by burros
at slow pace and with much discom-
fort. After all, the cliff dwellings and
caves of the Frijole region are we'll ex-
emplified by those of the Tsankawee
and Otowei, and the Stone Lions and
Painted Cave, while of interest to
archaeologists, are not of near as
great interest to the tourist and lay.
man as the more ancient cave and cliff
and cummunal dwellings, the stone lions
being much mutilated and not to be
compared in beauty or in size with
some of the monuments of ancient or
of modern times. The following fig
ures were quoted as to the cost of a
five days trip to the Frijole region:
Indian pony 81 per day, Indian guide
81 per day; railroad fare to iron
bridge and return 50; tents so cents
a day, q pack burro 25 cents a day;
feed for animals Is cents a day; pro.
visions 80 cents a day. In addition
blankets, cooking utensils and a
change of clothing would have to be
carried. In other words an individual
can make the trip for 500, If he Is
willing to forego some comforts and Is
accustomed to steep, and at points al
most impossible, trails. The same
figures in proportion, $40 for two days
and $3.50 for three days, apply to
trips to the Alamo Canon or to the
Santa Clara region by individuals, two
to three days being sufficient for that
trip, and good wagon roads making
both regions accessible. OF course,
the larger the party thai goes, the
cheaper, in proportion, the cost of the
trip. These figures are given, as the
question: What does 1t cost?" Is
generally the first that is asked by
tourists who contemplate visiting the
Pajarito Park. The Indian ponies and
guides can be secured at the pueblo
of San udefonso.
Before adjourning, the society ad.
mitted three new members. Mrs.
George w. Armijo, and the Misses
Manderfeld.