The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-09-11
RANCHMANS HUNT
FOR CATTLE LED
TO MESA VERDE
Greatest Of American Prshis-
torio Ruins Escaped Discov-
cry Until 1888 When Stray
Steer Led Way.


II appears strange that the great
est OF American prehistoric ruins,
those now lnclosed In tho Mesa Verde
national park in southwestern Colo
RADIO, shouia have escaped discovery
until fsSS. Years before, innumers
able ancient ruins left In several
other states by the ancestors OF the
pueblo Indians had been described
ard pictured. They had oecn the
subjects OF popular lectures; they had
been treated In books 90 science and
books of travel; they had become a
familiar American spectacle. Even
the ruins in The Maacos canyon in
Colorado we're explored as early ~
1874. Mr.. W. II. jackson. who I.
the government party. found there
many small DWELLINGS broken down
BY the weather. The next year he
was followed by Prof. W. n Holmes.
later chief OF the bureau Of American
ethnology, who drew attention 20 the
remarkable stone lowers 90 charac-
teristic OF the region.
but these discoveries attracted lit
tie attention because Of their infer
iOrlty to the better-known ruins Of
Arizona and New Mexico. Had either
% the explorers followed up the side
canyon Of the Maacos they would
have then discovered ruins which are,
IN the words Of Baron Gustav Nor
d~ensklold. the talented Swedish ex-
piorer. 80 magnificent that they sur
pass anything Of the kind known in
the Unlted States.
This explains why delivers IN iisrar-
ief find 50 little about the Mesa
Verde. Most books aad magazine ar
ticics we're written when clin dwell
ings were a novelty.
Raroa Nordenskiold thus describes
In his hook The Gin Dwellcrs % the
Mesa Verde" the discovery Of the
wonderful dwellings In this side can
yon Of the Mancos;
Monument of Rygone Ages.
"The honor Of the discovery or
these remarkable ruins belongs to
Richard aad Alfred wethcrili. Of
Mancos. The family own large herds
Of cattle. which wander about on the
Mesa Verde. The care Of these herds
often calls for long rides on the mesa
and itg labyrinth q canyons, During
these long excursions ruins. the one.
more magnificent that the other. have.
been d~isrovered. The two largest
Here found hy Richard Wetheriii and
Charley Mason n December day In
1855. as they were riding together
through the pinyon wood on the mesa
In search Of a stray herd. They had
penetrated through the dense scrub
to the edge Of a deep canyon. In the
opposite elm. sheltered by a huge
massive vault OF rock. there lay be-
fore their astonished eyes a whole
town. with towers and walls. rising
out OF a heap OF ruins. This grand
monument of bygone ages seemed 10
them well deserving Of the name Of
the Clln Palace. Not FAR from this
place. but In a different canyon, they
discovered. on the same day. another
very large clln dwelling. To this
they gave thS name OF Spruce Tree
House, from n great spruce mat iut-
ted from the ruins.
During the course 81 years Rich
ard and Alfred wotheril have eV-
piored the mesa and its canyons %
al directions. They have thus gain
ed n more thorough knowledge Of its
ruins than anyone. Together with
their brothers. John. Clayton. and
Wynn. they nave also carried out ex-
cavations during which a number of
extremely interesting funds have
been made"
Americas First Apartment HOUSE.
The ancient Puablos built their
homes IN the side ~ walls o. great
valleys. which prehistoric floods
washed TO the depth sometimes 81
thousands Of feed IN the great nla-
teau of the American Southwest. such.
o valley. Cor example. is tho Grand.
| Canyon ~ the Colorado. but the
Grand Canyon was mot frcquentrd 70,
the cliG dwellers Uader %overhanR-
ing cliffs. protected alike from fur
i0us sun above and from human en-
emies below. tho perched their val
leys ana cities, approacha able only by
difficult trails and series ofladders,
In many cases the word dwelling
b misleadiny. FOR most ~ these build
inca we're Villages spruce Tree
House. for instance. was und0ubtedir
n town - importance or. II you