34G REPAIR OF CASA GRANDE lU'IN [eth. ann. 15 



tioiis; and in JSS'.l, in ifS]Hinso to a pulition Ironi several illustrious 

 Americans, tlie Cougress of tlie United States, at the instance of Sen- 

 ator Hoar, of ]\rassa<'linsetts, made an aiJix-oprJMtion of 82, (»()(» for tlie 

 imrjioseof undertakiiij;- the pieservation of this ruin. This ajipropria- 

 tion was exjjended in works urgently recjuired to prevent the falling of 

 the walls and tinal destruction of the ruin ; they included metal stays 

 for the walls, with brickwork for the support and protection of the 

 walls at their bases. Subsequently an area of about 480 acres, includ- 

 ing the rum, was reserved from settlement by Executive order. A 

 custodian was also appointed, and, as this office has been informed, 

 has been continued down to the iiresent. This action on the part of 

 the legislative and executive branches of the Government can only be 

 regarded as indicating a desire and continued intention to preserve the 

 ruin for The l)eiiefit of the people of the United States. 



The expenditures thus far authorized for the preservation of Casa 

 Grande ruin have been made in such manner as to meet tbe most urgent 

 needs (mly, and without them the structure would i)iobably have been, 

 before tliis time, beyond the reach of preservation. The preservative 

 works were undertaken as emergency measures, rather than as steps in 

 carrying out a well considered plan. From the outset it has been 

 understood by architects and archeologists and others familiar with the 

 structure that preservation can be insured only by throwing a roof 

 over the entire ruin in such manner as to protect the walls from the 

 tierce raiiistoriiis which occasionally occur in the (rila valley. Xo 

 lesser work will preserve the ruin more than a generation or two; aud 

 unless this work of roofing is contemplated and is undertaken within 

 a few years, the emergency work will be of little avail and the money 

 expended therein will be lost. Accordingly, assuming a desire aud 

 ciiiitinued intention on the i)art of the Government to preserve this 

 noteworthy relic, no hesitation is felt in recommending that a suitable 

 roof be placed over Casa Grande ruin, at such time as may be expedi- 

 ent; and, in view of the rapidity with which destruction is now in 

 progress, there is no hesitation in saying that the work should be 

 undertaken at the earliest i)racticable date. 



It sliould be added that neither the Director nor any of the collabo- 

 rators in the Bureau of American Ethnology have visited Casa Grande 

 ruin for some three years, and accordingly that there are no data in 

 this office to indicate whether there is especially urgent necessity for 

 undertaking preservative work at this time; but much confidence is 

 ])laced in the. judgment of the custodian, lieverend Isaac T.Whittemore, 

 who is known to several collaborators in the Bureau. 



The subject of the preservation of Casa Grande, in many respects 

 the most noteworthy ruin in the United States, is deemed im])ortant; 

 and if the Secretary of the Interior desires more specific information 

 concerning the present condition of the ruin, as a basis for further 

 action or Judgment, it will be a pleasure to have an officer of this I!ureaa 



