El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-04-10
SUGGESTS FL PAS0 AUTO TOUR
To RUINS Of PREHISTORIC TINE
c. Clements Praises the Roads in the Estancia Valley
and Says the Historic Surroundings Are Such that
They Are Worth Visiting Says Scenery There
Is Also Most Beau tiful in Character

8 hundreds Of years after the Spaniards
came into the country and who knows
/ for how many hundreds of years be
I fore by the prehistoric dweliers IN the
/ prehistoric cities which dot the foot
! hills Of the Manzano mountains but a
few miles away.
Death of Otero Recalled.
in this particular battle Manuel B.
Otero, member OF one Of the most pow
erful Of the Spanish families OF the
state met his death Several others
were killed and still many others
wounded
Attacked by Catdemen.
"As the story is told by some Of the
old-timers who lived in the district at
the time Otero was attempting TO
hold possession Of the Estancia springs
under the provisions Of a grant which
was disputed by the cattlemen, who
needed the good grass and the abun-
dant water in the vicinity in their
business.
This was not the only encounter
staged at the famous resting place
during the many years il was resorted
to by travellers over the trails from
north. south, east and west which con-
Verged at the spring. but It was, per
haps, the most notable because OF the
number Of men involved, because OF
the standing Of the OterO family in
the state, and because of the import
ance in the business circles of the state
New Mexico Land and Cattle company,
said to have been an active partici-
pant in the festivities. Whitney was
severely wounded during the melee &C
cOrding TO the stories told.
Not the Only Spring.
Another spring which became IA
nous as a resting place for the cara
van Of ranchers going 10 and from the
settlements on the Rio Grande and the
ranches on the great grassy plains in
what is now known as the Estancia
valley, was the OjOs los BerrendOs, or,
as il is now known, Antelope Springs,
a few miles northwest Of the Estancia
Springs Here, also, great adobe
houses were built~for the accommoda-
ton Of travellers and for years the Il
O5oS los BeTrendOs divided, with the
earlier known springs at Estancia, the
business Of ministering to the men and
beasts which passed that way
Has Romantic History.
The occurrences referred to thus far
were in comparatively modern times.
The history Of what is now known as
the Estancia valley may be divided
into three periods or epochs-four
would be better; the ancient. OF pre-
histories; the period Immediately fol-
lowing the Spanish occupation, in the
early part Of the 18th century; the re
occupation by the Spaniards, in the
latter part of the 18th century, and
the period following the building Of
the Santa Fe Central railroad. which
caused the great valley hitherto used
for the pasturing Of focks and herds
TO be thrown open to settlement by
farmers
known to ArchreOIOgfsts.
Wv lille those interested in the arch
aeolOgy and anthropolOgy of New
Mexico have for years known Of the (
existence, in Torrance county. Of which I
Estancia is the county seat. of the
ruins of a number Of once great cit
les, which had been the abiding places
o. prehistoric races. il will doubtless
be new TO thousands of New Lexicans .
and other readers of the Santa re New
to learn that here. in Estan-
cia, or near il. may be found the most 4
extensive ruins Of prehistoric cities in
the state, rubbing elbows, so to speak.
with the most extensive Of the very 1
newest attempts to convert the pas