Semi-weekly herald., 1913-11-24
SH|PROCRIllII' ':;;;;';;;;s9l Sc!
WONDER OF WEST
Beautiful Grounds and Buildings Of the Agency
and The Wonderful Rock from Which the School
is Named Will Attract Tourists to the Southwest

The letter from Mr.. John p. Dods
published in The Herald Tuesday i.
certainly refreshing. He puts it sc
plain-that the Spanish Trail-Granc
Canon highway is the natural one be.
tween California and the east. In a
few years from now Durango will be
on the favorite route between the
east and the west. We have more
attractions to offer than any of the
northern or southern routes. As Mr.
Dods infers, We are not alive to wha,
we really possess.
This leads us up to various points
along the route. We have heretofore
referred to wonderful Pagosa hot
springs, the Mesa Verda National
park, the Aztec ruins, etc, which will
be drawing cards, but have overlook
ed Shiprock which will prove one of
the most interesting places between
the two coasts. The fact that the
government is building a bridge
across the San Juan river at Ship
rock means that travel will neces-
sarily be via Shiprock both going and
coming-and it will be worth the few
extra miles necessary.
1t was the pleasure of the writer
to visit Shiprock short time ago,
making the trip via Aztec and Farm
ington by automobile. For the past
ten years it has been our ambition
to visit the most attractive and bust
ness-like Indian school in the United
States. We had heard so much about
the beauty spot and the work Super
intendent Sheldon was doing for the
Indian that we determined to make
the trip when opportunity offered in
stead of waiting until the annual fair
when something might prevent and
1T was well for heavy rains prevented
so many of our citizens enjoying the
trip the first week in October.
Shiprock is located on the San
Juan river, between 50 and 90 miles
from Durango. Most people probably
imagine that the famous mound of
rocks shaped like ship touring L.
600 feet above the level of the ground
are located adjacent to the school,
but such is not the case, being about
IA miles distant. The immense rock,
however, is seen to splendid advant-
age from the agency. 1t tours al.
most perpendicular from base to top
and at no place is it possible to as.
cend and with its cragged peaks even
an aeroplane would not be able to
land and explore. AS the rock is
about the same in length and breadth
as it is in height many conjectures
as to its formation have been made
1t is sure marvel and well worth
the time of the tourist. There is
very little timber along the lower San
Juan river and when one nears the
agency grounds he is confronted with
an apparent forest, long avenues be
ing lined with huge cottonwood trees,
the agency grounds utilizing several
hundred acres. To Superintendent
Shelton belongs the credit of land
scape that equals that of the vast es-
tates along the Hudson river. In the
center is a large court or campus,
rather, surrounded by trees, the sur
face being as level as floor and rad
liant in its covering of lawn grees
kept well cropped. Surrounding this
campus of several acres are the main
school buildings which are Of late
design and built of brick. Back of
the main school buildings, domitor-
and work shops, for, let us state, this
agency is not only for the purpose of
teaching the Indian children along
educational lines but the more use
ful and practical everyday knowledge
especially along agricultural, horti-
cultural and stock growing, each de-
partment being complete and up to
date in every way. 1t was our mis-
fortune not to find Mr.. Shelton at
home but as he had telephoned his
secretary and one of the head lady
teachers, Miss Lewis, to look after our
wants and show us around, our party
was enabled to put in three hours Of
inspection and sightseeing that
would require many columns To de-
scribe, but at this time our survey
must be general. While the boys
have their regular book course they
are given instruction in carpenter
ing, the shop being provided with ma
chinery, blacksmithing, engineering,
dairying, care of stock, including
cows, horses, pigs, bees, all kinds of
poultry, etc. The dairy building was
inspected and found scrupously clean.
The milking barn is well ventilated
and is thoroughly scrubbed and flush
ed every morning, thus removing
every order that might in any way
contaminate the milk. The Indian
boys Of 10 to Is do thia work and