Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-11-08
FIND 200 ROOM HOUSE.
RESEARCHES IN CLIFF DWELLERS
RUINS AFFORD SURPRISING
Discoveries

RUINS Afford SURfRlS1N0
DISCOVERIES.
The researches of the large body of
workers sent out by the American
Arct a illogical Institute. Washington,
d. c.. have been closed for the season.
and the five expeditions engaged on
the excavations are now returning to
the East. Edgar L. Dewett, director
of the work. who stopped here for
day on his journey back to Washing
ton, had this to say:
1.-The principal expeditions have been
those on the Mesa Verde National Park,
Col; ION the McElmo canyon and it's
tributaries near the Colorado Utah
line, in.southern Utah; from Colorado
to the Grand Canyon, at the great
ruins of Puye on the Pajarito Park,
New Mexico. and in the mound build
ers ruins in Missouri.
1.-THE work in Colorado and q tab has
been full of surprises. We find ruins
all the way from Mancos to the Grand
Canyon of the Colorado. Those of the
Mesa Verde National Park are the
most spectacular of all, but they hard
ly exceed in interest those of the Nc
Elmo and its tributaries. In southern
Utah also we find wonderful arch@o.
logical district. To the charm of the
ancient ruins is added that of scenery
scarcely equaled in the world.
"a most interesting district is that
of the White canyon, west of Bluff,
Utah. Here are met the little known
natural bridges, beside any of which
the N atural Bridge of Virginia is a
culvert. There are three great bridges,
and around each are clustered cliff
villages in large numbers.
"Grand Gulch of Utah is a smaller
grand canyon of the Colorado and is
filed with so ancient ruins throughout
it's entire length, distance of go miles.
All this interesting region from the
Mesa Verde west can be reached from
Mancos or Dolores on the Rio Grande,
and when better known will attract
hosts of travellers.
"The principal excavations made by
the institute this year were at the
great ruins of Puye, 25 miles north
west of Sante Fe. There were excavat-
ed 1900 rooms in building containing
$50 rooms on the ground floor. The
building was originally four stories
high and contained about l 200 rooms.
AS a result of these excavations about
200 specimens of pottery. stone, bone
and wood implements, fabrics, baske-
try and SO On were secured for the
museum of the institute.
1.-THE excavations at Puye were con-
Quoted under the auspices of the south
west branch OF the institute, with
headquarters at Los Angeles. The
work in Utah and Colorado was under
the direction of the branch societies of
those two States. More than 80 States
now MAINTAIN local branches of the
institute. The Colors do branch, with
headquarters in Denver, and local
groups in Boulder, Colorado Springs
and Pueblo. is inaugurating great
work for this State.
"The policy of the institute is to
build up local branches In the respec-
tive centers where important work in
it's line is to be done. 1t takes nothing
away from the State, but on the con-
trary, puts it's money and educational
facilities at the disposal of the State
and it's existing institutions.
Before leaving for Washington Mr.,
Dewett made known to Gov. Buchtel
and other leading citizens to the State
that the institute contemplates found
ing school of arcb@ ology in the near
future, and in all probability the school
would be located somewhere in the
Rocky Mountain region. The purpose
of the proposed school is toscentralize
all the institute expeditions so that the
work can be advautageously directed
denver Post.