The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1911-11-17
RESTORING OLD CITY
Monument Of Southwest Is NOW
in Hands Of Government.
Casa erande. Near Florence Ar'z''
Repaired as Far as Possible
Built Like Present Day
Cement House.

nenver. Colo.-One Of the most re-
markable of the monuments uhde'
control of the national government
tho Casa Grande, near Florence. Arlz
has been restored and repaired as far
as uossible and an effort will be made
npyt wear to provide better facilities
for persons wishing 10 visit 1t.
discovered in 1894 by Padre k1no'
one Of the missionaries sent TO the
now world by Spain, the Casa Grande
is considered typical structure OF the
ABORIGINAL natives Of the southwest,
and i, is the only structure mentioned
by the early Spanish explorers that
can he checked and interpreted down
to the present day
II was originally an extensive group
Of buildings and no doubt served a
considerable community as place OF
defense against the wandering tribes
of the desert-ancestors OF the war
like Nayajos and Apaches. The name
Casa Grande, in Spanish meaning
great house" was applied originally
to the large single structure standlns
in the southwest corner of the area
covered by the entire collection or
buildings. The total area at one time
covered with buildings is about sixty
five acres. Mounds and scattered de-
bris show where the buildings stood
The building known as Casa Grande
was one of the smallest of the struc'
lures, but for some reason its walls
remained in a much better state OF
preservation than the walls OF the
larger buildings. The walls rise to a
height of Is feet. The area covered
and inclosed by the standing walls is
43 feet by So feet. Evidently the build
ing was three stories in height The
main building rose to two stories. but
a central tier rose another story
The construction of this house Is
unique, 1t is not of adobe. but Is what
is known as "cajon,' or puddled clay
nodded into walls. The cajOn. In huge
blocks from three to five feet long.
two feet high, and from three to four
feet thick, was manufactured on the
spot, much as cement makers manu-
facture the material for modern &C.
ment houses, Walls made of cajon are
even harder than adobe, and. as long
as there is a roof on the structure
made of such material the wind and
rain have little effect. Without pro-
tecting roof the cajon will wear down
gradually. 1t is by this process that
most of the buildings near the Casa
Grande have been worn down.
After an extended investigation and
report by scientists in the employ OF
the government, it was decided to
brace up the tottering walls with
brick Most of the bad effects of ero'
sion were visible at the base OF the
walls, the falling water from heavy
transforms having eaten great holes
close to the ground The northeast
and southeast corners had fallen. and
large blocks Of cajon were strewn
about the ground Other walls were
tottering. and 1t was unsafe to come
near the structure
Masons were set at work and braced
up the walls with gricks, detractine
somewhat from the appearance Of the
building, but preserving the remains
for future generations. A corrugated
iron roof was put over the entire
structure as a last resort. This de
stroys the picturesque effect Of the
ruin, but 1t practically assures its
preservation for generations to come