592 GENERAL VIEW OF ARCHEOLOGY OF THE PUEBLO REGION. 



toric landmarks must cease. Especially iioteAvorthy is the emj^hasis 

 laid by the Commissioner of the (jeneral Land Office on " the im- 

 portance of furthering in every way ])ossible researches with a view 

 to increasing the knowledge of such objects and aiding the general 

 advancement of archeological science," Every thinking man will 

 uphold this policy most cordially. 



As above stated, practically all that has been accomplished thus 

 far has been through the exercise of powers inherent in the executive 

 branches of the Department of the Interior. This authority is read- 

 ily invoked, and in the past has responded with great promptness to 

 every reasonable recommendation. By this means the following pro- 

 tective measures have been secured : 



1. Through the General Land Office : 



(a) All ruins on forest reserves'* have been placed under the care 

 of the regular forest rangers. This includes the vast number of 

 ruins on the Gila Forest Reserve, the Black Mesa Forest Reserve, the 

 San Francisco Mountains Forest Reserve, and a considerable num- 

 ber on the Grand Canyon Forest Reserve. 



(h) The Pajarito Park, in New Mexico; the Mesa Verde Park, in 

 Colorado, districts containing vast numbers of prehistoric ruins, and 

 a tract on which stands El Morro or Inscription Rock, in New Mexico, 

 a most important historic landmark, have been withdrawn from dis- 

 posal under the public-land laws and reconnnended for permanent 

 preservation as national parks, as has also the petrified forest in Ari- 

 zona, withdrawn primarily for preservation as a natural wonder, but 

 also containing important ruins. 



(c) The proposed Jemez and Taos forest reserves, in New Mexico, 

 and the proposed Rio Verde Forest Reserve, in Arizona, have been 

 Avithdrawn from entry or disposal. This will incidentally preserve 

 a vast number of important ruins. 



(d) The ruins situated on unappropriated public lands have been 

 held to be subject to the authority of the Department of the Interior 

 and orders have been issued through special agents prohibiting injury 

 and unauthorized excavation. 



2. Through the Office of Indian Affairs : 



(a) Special custodians have been appointed for ruins in Canyons 

 del Muerto and de Chelly on the Navaho Reservation in Arizona; 

 for those on Mesa Verde on the southern ITte Reservation in Colo- 

 rado, and for those on the Zuhi Reservation in New Mexico. 



(h) The office prohibits all unauthorized persons from entering 

 Indian reservations and despoiling ruins or carrying away remains 

 of antiquity. 



a Jurisdiction ovei- forest reserves trausferrod to Bureau of Forestry, Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, February 1, 1905. 



