The Winslow mail., 1921-07-29
EAST AND WEST HIGHWAY ACROSS NORTHERN
navajo COUNTRY NOT PRACTICAL PRESENT TINE

to Shiprock,-an Indian school trad
ing post and headquarters OF the
Inolan Agent at present of the Ma
valo Indian Reservation. Mail is
carried over this route at present
time from Cameron Bridge to Ka-
yenta via Tuba
After leaving Shiprock proceed 70
Pennington, Aztec, Durango, Cortez
Mesa Verde, Mancos, then over tho
Won Creek Pass to Montn Vistn
Alamosa, La Veta Pass to Pueblo.
Colorado Springs, Denver; or go via
Durango, Silverton, Montrose Sagu-
ache, Salida, Canyon City, Colorado
Springs and Denver.
FROM Shiprock to El Tovar Hotel,
Grand Canyon, 263 miles The pre-
! sont used route from Shiprock to
Grand Canyon is 393 miles. The
proposed route would cut off about
l30 miles. The total distance from
Denver via Colorado Springs. Pueb
10, Monte Vista, Wolf Creek Pass.
Durango, Pennington, and over the
proposed route to the Grand Canvon
would be 1862 miles. The climate
conditions the year round allow au-
tomob1le travel without interference
from snow or any other causes. ex-
cept IN the mountains of Colorado.
Flelds OF uranium ore near Keet
Seel The chief industry in the
country thru which this route would
pass is wool raising for both mar
keting and the manufacture of the
famous Navajo rugs, also horse rails
ing. Part of the population raise
corn for domestic use. Several fields
in Chinchilbetah and Tse-nos-pos.
Ch1nle and Kayenta have wonderful
soil that will produce corn. small
grain, fruits, or any other crop that
Will grow at attitudes between 450O
and $500 feet elevation However.
the only assurance of extensive de-
velopments along this line would be
by producing artesian wells, which
| seems feasible owing to the fact that
there is an occasional, flowing well
in these fields now.
There is also mineral near Bee
lahbeto, about 21 miles west from
Shlnrock in the northern end of the
Carrizo mountains Tons of silver
grade ore taken out AZ miles from
Shiprock. This route would pass
over ladium bearing ore whl.h car
be traced for 80 miles nort, nd
south of the La Platte sandstone
formation and the working of which
& company is now operating il 4
small way Several SAMPLES of ore
were taken which seem 70 compare
| favorably with that produced in
Paradox field. From general obser-
vations there seems to be no end to
the supply of ore; approximately 18
miles in northerly direction from
Kayenta. which is about 112 miles
from Shiprock, another deposit Of
this radium bearing ere is equally,
if not greater, than that above de-
scribed according to statements
made by residents of that locality
Numerous other prospects were
mentioned which would probably
demand development if the proper
transportation could be secured.
such as this road project would pro-
vide.
Am not familiar with the laws re-
! garding mining in the Indian Reser-
vations, but it is evident that some
claims are now being worked and it
is understood that negotiations are
now under way for development of
the uranium mines.
Not much coal-the only coal in
evidence is 16 miles west of Ship
rock, which can be traced for sew
eral miles along the stream bed
known as Red Wash. There is also
an abundance of coal in La Plata
County, Colorado
In Betatakin Ruins is a dome a.
bout 100 feet high, $50 feet wide,
in natural sandstone cliffs, and ex-
tends back about 100 or $50 feet
John Wetherell took 214 mummies
out of one room. In the Keet Seel
Ruins are also some mummies which
they do not allow touched. The Be
tatakin Ruins are built round in a
circle: about these buildings there
is sort of fort resembling bal
cony; only way to get up there is
by climbing pole, which is still
we'll preserved Inscriptions all over
walls Mesa Verde has several ruins
of different ages
Trip is not only scenic but edu
cational. Route is feasible and pra-
teal At present country traversed |
has no communication with adjacent |
territory which has great prehis-
toric scenic and educational attrac-
tions. coal and mineral possibilities
This highway would also furnish the
most direct route between Califor-
MIA and southwestern Colorado and
northeastern New Mexico. We were
informed that there is a good road
between Grand Canyon and Los An
gees Most varied and possibly the
greatest number of scenic attrac-
tions in the shortest distance in the
u S. may be seen in travelling from
Grand Canyon, Arizona, to the San
Juan Basin, Mesa Verde National
Park San Juan Mountains to Ouray,
Colo. a distance of 410 miles.
This route would provide means
whereby the Indians in their re
spectiye reservations could develop
agricultural, grazing. mineral and
coal possibilities and market their