Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-02-11
ENGINEERING
AMONG INDIANS
IS DESCRIBED
M. r. Gilmore Gives Inter.
esting Facts About Red
Mans Projects.

Bismarck. N. D.. Feb. 11.-Engi-
neertng projects by the Indians of
North America were extensive, ac-
cording to Melvin r. Gilmore, curator
OF the North Dakota Historical So
ciety, who discussed the work of the
work OF the original settlers Of North
Dakota specifically before the state
chapter meeting of the American AS
ISOLATION Of Engineers here Thursday.
Engineering work by the Indians
varies from the early work of home
building and defense to extended irri-
cation n mining projects. The
irrigation canals were builded by the
inhabitants of the southwest part OF
the United States, located for the most
part in Arizona, where one Of their
canals, cut IN rock to the depth of
twenty feet, is used today by the
white settlers in present day irriga-
ton. Some Of the mines n quar-
ries came within the scope of the
Dakotas and Minnesota.
Through the region Of the Mis-
souri, river" DR.. Gilmore continued.
after discussing the irrigation and
home building Of the southwest. the
villages usually were set upon high
ground near to a running stream for
water supply and forest growth for
firewood. The farming lands usually
were laid out in the alluvial valleys.
The villages were surrounded by a
defensive stockade and ditch. The
stockade by timbers firmly placed
close together, eight n ten feet high
and sharpened at the top. The stock
ade al entered by a gate which could
be closed at night. Very often the
ditch and the stockade contained
ealients. so lookouts could be placed
commanding a view of the approach
to the village.
Describes Nearby Village.
mot more than three miles from
where we are today is a village site
Of which the remains r very plain.
The village site is situated on the top
of a high hill near the Missouri river.
This hill is very steep on two Edes
so that no artificial defense was neces-
sary on these two sides, but the north
/ end OF the hill is gradually sloping
and at the south is open prairie plain.
| Across the north end Of the hill at the
edge of the village WAS constructed
a stockade and ditch such as I have
just described. South OF the valley
there is a ravine extending to the Mis-
souri, river. To the northeast there
is a ravine and several branches. and
from the east side Of the village site
to the head of the ravine at the south
was made another defensive stockade
| and ditch, and in this defense there
| are two salients jutting out from the
line. One commands a view to the
ravine to the s>uth and the other
commands a view of the ravine to the
north and northeast. In the village
site there are rings showing plainly
where the dwellings stood. The houses
of these Missouri river villages were
constructed upon a frame OF b
First there was a quadrangle OF four
large posts standing fourteen to
eighteen feet high upon which 5oists
were laid. Outside of this quadrangle
was set a circle of posts seven or
eight feet high. Timbers were laid
| up against this circle and rafters laid
from the lower joists to the upper and
| all bound together by tying with rope
thongs. Poles were fastened across
| the rafters and the whole structure
was then patched with prairie grass
The structure was then covered will
earth to a depth of a foot and a hall
or two feet. The earth was carried
in baskets r buffalo hides n de
posted the walls and ROOT sc
that VIII ,ished the houses were
secure 4; the weather and were
hemispht dome shaped struc-
lures of hit of from fifteen to
twenty +. i a diameter Of thirty
to sixty t Besides houses and de.
lenses jus. scribed, other structures
which might probably be said to per
tain to engineering skill were the
storage vaults for food supplies and
often reservoirs for water supplies
these vaults and water reservoirs be-
ing made by excavaung under