Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-02-07
AUTOMOBILE PROSPECTOR
FINDS SPLENDID ROADS
Roote to Pennington viii Lead
Among Magnificent Scenery
and Most Interesting ArChae-
illogical Ruins,
uBy Charles W. Thatchcr.)

for automobiles. The line as mapped
out passes through some of the most
magnificent scenery in America, and
equal to some of the famed sights of
switzerland. 1t passes through many
places of unique interest including
some of the most interesting and fas-
cinating archaeological ruins in the
country.
In giving directions to autoists in
the last araiclc a mistake was made
about the distance to Elota on the
Rio Grande, whittier the motorist
travels on the east side Of the Rio
Grandc as per previous directions.
Elota is thirty-fiVe instead of twenty
five miles from the Duke CITY. 1t
should have been stated in addition
also, that on reaching the indian
pueblo Of a Felipe. instead of going
straight ahead, across the tracks, pass
through the village and take the
road north along the river. Just north
of Elota, turn to the right side of the
track again. After circling around
a bed Of SAND and striking the other
sidC.S proceed to Santo Domingo pu-
eblo. Instead of taking the direct
route thence to Pena Blanca follow
the Santa Fe railway to Thornton and
the stage road thence to Pena Blanca.
y ~ NNtlA liz 1 TIC bldlICd billEF
across the Rio Grande is unsafe, but
the Dye Lumber company is preparing
to build a new one across which to
bring their lumber from the Jemez re-
serve.
After crossing the river, follow the
road through Cochiti canyon From
the Indian pueblo of Cochiti, the trip
of the motorist viii lead him amid
magnificent scenery From the pu-
cblo to the sawmiE in the canyon
there is a splendid hard, smooth road
The sawmilt people have done much
to improve the roads in this region
and as soon as the snow me!ts an
other new road will be built to Cuba.
Near Copper City a steep hill is en-
countered, but the road is so smooth
and solid it can be climbed as easily
as a Quaker goes to church on the
sabbath.
on the mesa near a small Mexican
village, near the mouth Of the Cochiti
canyon. are Aztec ruins of remarkable
interest. IN the main ruin are the re-
mains Of many rooms and upon MAX
ing n slight excavation in the cor
ner Of one | discovered gold. silver
and copper bearing ore. The ruins are
Of great size and antiquity and well
worth a trip alone to see.
Farther up Cochiti canyon is more
rugged scenery and more interesting
ruins of the prehistoric days. In a
branch canyon there are cliff dwell
inS~ and ruins easily accessible-rem-
nantS of a byegone civilization rival
ing in archaeological interest the an
cient civilizations of Europe, to study
which many flock across the ocean
when here in u own southwest are
relics fully as well worth inves-
tiGation. For the mind of scientific
trend here are days and weeks of de-
lightful research and ~hurrOWing amid
the crumbling reminders of the mys-
terious Azctec DAYS
For those to whom ethno!Ogy is a
closed book, here is scenery whose
grandeur and charm cannot be ex-
cclled anywhere.
When digging down into the debris
amid some of these ruins | found Bit
of burnt corn cobs, baked as hard as
agate, petritied pumpkin seeds and
other interesting things. Here and
there on the rocks in the canYon the
traveller sees rough carvings reprc-
senting the mountain lion and the
and a reature resembling an Gle
phant. A friend OF mine procured.
some miles from here. a fine photo
graph of the likeness, traced on rock,
of a beautiful woman, the features be
ing strongly Egyptian in cast. The
figure is i'm strong relief. a beautiful
bit of sculpture. ON the stark face of
~ NtiNA lANAg wv w FAltRl NH'' J
from the ground. Evidently this
face, the image of an ideal Of some
romantic artist or religious deVotcc OF
prehistoric ages. was carved in the
of the cliff when the sculptor
could easily reach his work from the
ground. The thousands and hundreds
Of thousands of years that it ook the
action Of water and other natural
forces TO cxcavate and scour away
This $50 feet Of rock and earth is
food for the imaginative mind.
In a few years this wilderness and
towering walls Of the canyons will
resOund to the hOnk of the motor car.
All that is necessary is that eastern
'rs-and westeTnCrs, Oo-knOW or
hose places and how to got to them.
At present there is no good o
to these latter ruins but an old
;ettlcr here is about to take IN a
nearby claim, n build a road and a
a bin where visitors can find lodging
: necessary.
The country is a sportsman's para
lisc. There is no better bear and tur-
hunting i'm the west. Bear espe-
tally are plentiful at certain seasons
IF the year. as there is a Drofusiun ot
he mast which the animals feed on 50
,reedily.
From Cuba tho traveller should take
he road leading to Otcro's ranch at
ttf AANaN y 1aAA1 VII A4hA 81 AAlfAAA So
raj good roads lead to Pennington
nd the san Juan valley. starting {
ithcr down Canyon Largo or Canyon {
3lunCo. Canyon Blanco Is probably {
ne best. For fifty miles along the
anyon the stream bed is of hard. (
ompaCt sand. which is hardly cut By :
horses loot. Down this fifty miles ]
f canNon TO the San Juan river Is +
going for an automobile. /
From the head Of CANYON Blanco /
be tourist can make side trips to a
he famous Aztec ruins at Putnam. I
L Putnam are good accommodations G.
those interested in the ruins VIII "A
"a ready sympathy on the part 81 n
postmaster who Is very enthust- =
site on the subject.
several years a party OF scien- d,
SITS o. the United states. headed by
Of the Smithsonian institution .
egan an investigation Of these Aztec n
lins. Three hundred rooms were I'M /.
Dvered under the direction OF these /"
before their work was stopped. 7
collection of the most valuable rel G
g ever secured was taken from these z
loms. Startling revelations are still q
b come from under thc heaps % y
%
tNoie-This s. he secsad af-b se
.es Of articles hN Charles W. :