The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-04

folk who would have lived by the sweat
of their brows and at peace with man
kind had they been permitted to do so.
These were the first Inhabitants of
Utah-the first of mankind to till the
plains and valleys of the common
wealth of whose mineral and agricul-
tural wealth we boast much, and of the
glory of whose charming climate and
grand rugged scenery and great nat
ural wonders we shall some day be
still more proud.
Scattered over eastern, southeastern
and southwestern Utah are found
abundant evidences of the occupation
Of this region by this ancient folk; but
nowhere do the ruins give evidence of
as populOus an occupation as the can
yons and mesas of San Juan county.
Here a large population made the hills
and valleys glow with life and vigOr.
They builded, loved, laughed, wept,
toiled and passed on. Whether they
came from Asia across the Behring
sea, or from Europe, Asia or Africa
across the Atlantic, you and / may
never be able to decide and agree; and
whence they have gone and what were
the causes that led to the practical ex-
termination of such a numerous popu-
latfOn are questions that wOrthily chal-
lenge our interest and best thought
But where they dwelt, and what the
habits of their life were are an open
book which all may read and under
stand who will stop and examine it's
pages with a little care.
From the time of the organization of
the Utah Archaeological society it has
felt that the work it should give its
chief attention to accomplishing was
the careful location of the ruins of the
ancient people commonly called "cliff
dwellers' and the collection of material
and data that would so illustrate their
life that students of ethnOlOgy and
archaeology would be able to study
the life of primitive man in our own
region here, where he dwelt, and not be
forced to go to Chicago, New York
and London to find out about the be-
ginnings of human culture as it devel-
oped in this southwestern section of
our country
To this end the secretary of the So
ciety made a short expedition into
Carbon county last summer, tracing
the northern boundary of this early
culture and occupation. This season |
there was a desire to undertake a more
extensive piece of work and aid in car
rying out the plans of the director of
American archaeology of the Archaeo- |
logical institute, Professor Edgar L. /
to make complete explora- |
ton of what is called the San Juan !
drainage. The Utah society under 1
takes to do this with the portion of the i
region that lies within our state, the |
Colorado society covers its field, and |
the Southwest society that portion |
lying within Arizona and New Mexico. |
Through the kdness of Colonel E /
A. Wall. president of the society, who |
backed the expedition financially, the /
society was able to carry out it's plans
and undertake. the work undar tho i ]
rection of Professor Edgar L. Hewett, /
who is not only the director of Amer /
lean archaeology of the institute but |
also connected with the Smithsonian |
Institute and with the bureau of eth
nOlOgy at Washington. and considered |
an authority on American archaeology.
The expedition had two main objects |
in view: the exploration and mapping |
Of that portion of the San Juan and |
its tributaries that lie within Utah.
and the making of a survey and a care
full exploration Of the region around |
the natural bridges located in White
canyon, in the Colorado drainage, fifty
miles northwest of Bluff.
All of the canyons leading into the
Sar Juan river from the north were
explored and mapped and ruins locat-
ed, and We planned to visit the region
south Of the river. but the waters of
he San Juan were so high this season
hat we were unable to get any one
10 take us across until Professor Hew-
stt was so pressed for time that we
could not accomplish what we desired
)y going now, so concluded to leave
hat piece of work for a future trip.
White canyon and the wonders of
he great natural bridges were ex-
olored thoroughly; and wonders in
Iced the natural bridges proved to be-
Great. massive arches of sandstone, |
spanning hundreds of feet and sur
'ounded by wild and rugged cliffs
hat have been worn into all sorts of
shapes by the surging of wind
Ind flood, present a series of pictures
hat the canvas can describe far better
han the printed page, and even then
he rich coloring is lost and one must
zee the originals to fully appreciate
heir grandeur and beauty.
Utah does not fully appreciate
What she has within her borders
IT she would be heralding them
broad to the world and build
ng a macadamiZed road to them.
ohn c. Brown and Fred Scranton
made a careful survey of the bridges
md the territory in their Immediate