Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-06-01
MitLG "the Place of DEATH,
Burial City Near OaracO

The ruins OK ancient cities. rem
nants Of dead civilizations. have
fascination FOR most people. BE they
scientists Of great renown or mere
mortals of more common clay. some
how something stirs within them AZ
the touch Of antique things. The
average tourist seeking surcease from
the daily grind, whether OF the coll
lege lecture room or of the constant
chase Of the elusive dollar In trade
and traffic, who finds himself in some
strange city and learns that not far
of are the weather beaten walls of
an ancient temple shrine. or palace
whose history Is a mystery ana whose
builders are unknown hies himself at
once 90 that place He touches the
crumbling stones, traces the grotes-
que figures and queer designs. and
marvels that such things could have
been $50 many years before he came
on earth. perhaps even before the
very civilization Of which he Is
buaRtful part came into existence
Mexico is fun Of such ruins as
these In Yucatan alone there are
some seventy on more Approach to
some OF these is too arduous to most
tourists but ON the southernmost
shore OF the republic lies the state
.ot OuNacu, whose capital Is easily nc-
cessiblc "oaxaCa city is reached
from Puebla by The Mexican south
ern, according TO statement in the
latest pamphlet on Mexico. issued boy
the pan-American Union OF Washing
ton. ID g. "The distance is 228 miles
aud the trip takes twelve hours It.
H 2sS miles from Mexico city and
tho same distance from Vera Cruz
lN population is 10000 II was the
curly home of both PorfIrlo Diaz. FOR
mer president and Benito Juarez. the
patriot and national hero Its age
makes IL very attractive. hut II Is quite
modern 100 many ways. possessing
tram ears. electric lights. telephones
and other factors OF comfort. Another
feature connected with Oaxaca is the
/ faci that from the city the excursion
H made about twenty-five miles TO
the southeast 60 the ruins OF Militia
some Of the best preserved prehistoric
remains of am Mexico"
Militia is "a contraction or corruption
of the word Mctlan. meaning The
Place Of Death The modern village
and the ancient ruins occupy the cen
4 ter 90 an arid plain or valley sur
rounded On am sides By equally arid
hills. ON the highest summit of
which are the Well preserved remains
uf great fortress. whose walls are
of rough construction and without
ornament If any kind Nearly In the
center of the plain five great groups
1 of buildings stand out completely cx-
posed. Many of them are now nearly
Hhapelcss mounds and masses of ruins.
Two great groups. however. are in
comparatively perfect preservation. a
third is incorporated with an old
church and o fourth the great sacri-
lcal mound. IS surmounted by the
ruins Of very ancient church The
principal buildings are of stone ma
sonrF a condensed description Of
one viii give am idea OF the others
The hall of pillars. the northern
most building % the north group. is
/ "a great room l25 feet long and TWEEN
ty-three feet wide interior measure
ments The height of the walls is
about twelve feet. the thickness vary
ing from three feet two inches on the
sides to four feet six inches for the
front wall The entrances are three
/ doorways nearly eight feet wide. each
I composed Of three members, two enor-
nous monolithic door lambs about
seven feet high six feet wide and
two feet thick The most striking fea-
ture ~ the room is row Of six mono.
iiihie columns running lengthwise OF
The room, each column standing elcv-
on feet one inch above the floor. which
is covered with cement Their circum-
I ference Is each nine feet six inches
They are slightly tanered at the ton
which Is perfectly flat. The interior
walls are perfectly plain. while the ex-
lierIur are covered with rich deenra
ton Of panels o. mosaic work. sur