Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1908-01-10


Institute of America to unearth ad-
ditional information relative to the
Cliff Dwellers, one of the most inter
esting and recently extinct OF the pre-
historic races of America, announces !,
the New York Tribune's Washington
CORRESPONDENT. To this end the in
stitute has asked permission OF the
Secretary of Agriculture to explore
the Canyon of the Rito de los Frijoles,
in New Mexico, which cuts through
the region of the country richest In
prehistoric ruins This permission has
been granted, and an expedition VIII
be sent to New Mexico In the near
future.
The Canyon of the Rito de los Fri
joles, which interpreted means the
Rite of the Beans, branches of from
the Rio Grande at a point opposite
Santa Fe. 1t was here that the Span
iards settled in the earliest days OF
Americas history, planting a perma-
nent colony, second in age only to 81.
Augustine, Fla. Directly through TINS
country runs the famous Santa Fe
trail, which was first marked out py
Coronado when he passed from San
Diego, Cal. eastward, being the hrst
European to penetrate what Is now
the southwestern part Of the United
States. The Mexican population, which
still predominates in this region
makes beans its chief article OF food,
and 1t was through the custom In
early DAYS of holding feasts In the
shady canyon that it got its name.
The native Indians still live on the
mesas that adjoin the canyon, wnere
they celebrate many quaint customs
and religious ceremonies, some OF
which are known to have been derived
from the Cliff Dwellers. Among these
Indians is still to be found strain
of the extinct blood, as there was
some intercourse between the TWO
races before the Cliff Dwellers became
extinct. The Indians are, however,
a greatly inferior race. never having
attained to anything like the civiiiza-
ton of the older race.
1t is a generally accepted theory
that the Cliff Dwellers were crowded
by the Indians from the mesas, where
as still found evidences of extensive
irrigation systems. They went into
the canyons and caves for shelter from
the force of numbers of their con-
uuerors. who drove them from their
agricultural pursuits, and then were
exterminated largely through starva
ton. the date of their passing being
set at something near thousand
years ago. The Indians profted IN
no way from the agricultural example
set by their predecessors, and the
irrigation plants fell into decay.
The houses of the Cliff Dwellers
and the caves that in many instances
extend far into the walls OF the can
you have been found ricn in relics Of
the vanquished race. In the must,
corridors of these caves have beer
found many of the mummified remains
of the people who once lived there
These are we'll preserved, but wher
not treated scientifically crumble to dus
, when exposed to the outer air. Man!
. of them have been so exposed ant
, lost by transient curiosity seekers
, who have benefited science littl'
| through their findings. The skull for
, nation Of the Cliff Dwellers, which
, is large and gives evidence of intelli
! gence far beyond that of the Indian
: is however. well known.
{ In the forest reserves and othe
, lands under the control of the govern
!, ment archaeological ruins are no Ions
. er open to the public for excavation
, and special permits are required eve
3 before exploration is allowed. Tn
. authority to collect objects OF ar
|. tiuuity from government propert
III can now be secured only through tn
y Secretary of Agriculture in the cas-
; of the national forests, the Secretar
b OF War on military reservations, an
Z the Secretary of the Interior on a
other lands controlled by the govern
r ment There is careful provision SAT-
Q guarding the public properties agains
: the gathering OF such objects for con
= mercial purposes, or their subsequer
9 purchase by private persons.
!. All remains, utensils or implement
4 of any kind discovered under permit
!. must be deposited and kept In desi
A mated museum open to the public. n
:. monument or building which can
o preserved where it stands may
q mutilated, destroyed. or remove
e Large objects Of historical or scie
d tifc interest on public lands may
!. declared national monuments, and al
Il by that means set aside to be pr
served. Among such monuments al
caves, cliff dwellings, peculiar and u
usual geological formations and sue
n other objects as may be considered
l. public interest or value.
y A large part of these relics of a
- tiquity lie in the semi-arid regions
"a New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Col
o RADIO, where the prehistoric Cliff Dive
. ers and Pueblo Indians had the
. homes. BY preserving them and ma
70 ing accessible such articles as can
:. properly collected in museums, Il
- government is following an enlighte
- ed policy in the interest Of the pu
- lie and of the Investigations, whic
20 II is hoped, will eventually solve &