November 25, 1904.] 



SCIENCE. 



723 



more serious manner than ever before an in- 

 quiry into the question of how these monu- 

 ments may be permanently preserved and pre- 

 historic relies protected at least long enough 

 to permit of their scientific investigation. 

 During the past few weeks, while pursuing 

 certain lines of research at the national capi- 

 tal, for which the splendid resources of various 

 government departments, bureaus, museums 

 and libraries have been most courteously 

 placed at my disposal, the opportunity has 

 been given me to inform myself fully as to 

 the care which the United States government 

 has exercised over these ruins, is now exer- 

 cising .and stands ready to exercise whenever 

 properly informed. The manifest desire to 

 be informed, and the promptness with which 

 information is digested and acted upon by the 

 departments having jurisdiction over such 

 matters are most encouraging. 



In view of the fact that scientific bodies 

 have come to take a commendable interest in 

 this subject, and that various measures look- 

 ing toward the protection and preservation of 

 our prehistoric ruins have been and now are 

 under consideration and may be brought be- 

 fore the national Congress next winter, it will 

 be helpful in considering such measures to 

 know that a wise and vigorous policy has been 

 developed in the department of the interior 

 with reference thereto. This policy, if vigor- 

 ously pursued, practically accomplishes |he 

 ends to be desired and renders legislation of 

 secondary importance. The following corre- 

 spondence explains itself. I give, first, ex- 

 cerpts from a letter from the Honorable W. A. 

 Richards, Commisioner of the General Land 

 Ofiice, under date of October 5, 1904. 



Professor Edgar L. Hewett, 

 Washington, D. C. 

 Sir: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your 

 letter of September 3, 1904, transmitting a mem- 

 orandum relative to the historic and prehistoric 

 ruins in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and 

 Utah, and, also, of your letter, under date of 

 September 14, 1904, in relation to proposed legis- 

 lation for the protection of such ruins. 

 ****** 



This office fully appreciates the necessity for 

 protecting these ruins and the importance of 



furthering in every way possible, researches in 

 connection therewith which are undertaken for 

 the benefit of recognized scientific and educational 

 institutions, with a view to increasing the knowl- 

 edge of such objects and aiding in the general 

 advancement of archeological science; and it de- 

 sires to aid all such efforts to the full extent of 

 its power, while, at the same time, endeavoring to 

 effectually protect the ruins and relics on the 

 public lands from ruthless spoliation by parties 

 plying a trade in such matters. 



****** 



The need for adequate legislation en this sub- 

 ject has, accordingly, been called to the attention 

 of congress by this department for a number of 

 years, but as yet without avail. 



In the meantime, every effort has been made 

 to extend such protection to the various regions 

 known to contain objects of interest as is possible 

 without the requested legislation. Certain of the 

 tracts have been protected from appropriation by 

 bein^' temporarily withdrawn from disposal under 

 the public land laws. This action has been taken 

 in the following cases : 



In New Mexico: The Pajarito Cliff Dwellers' 

 region, the Jeniez Cliff Dwellers' region, the tract 

 known as El Moro, or Inscription Rock. 



In Colorado: The Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellers' 

 region. 



In Arizona : The tract containing the petrified 

 forest; the greater portion of that part of the 

 district designated by you as the Rio Verde dis- 

 trict which lies outside of the Black Mesa Forest 

 Reserve. This withdrawn area contains, among 

 other ruins, the one known as Montezuma Castle. 

 ****** 



As regards the regions which you mention as 

 containing ruins of known importance, which fall 

 within the boundaries of tracts that have been 

 permanently set apart as forest reserves, or just 

 outside of the boundaries thereof, you are advised 

 that they are, in consequence, under the care of 

 the forest force patrolling the reserves, and that 

 instructions have, at different times, been issued 

 to the forest officers in respect to having a gen- 

 eral care of these ruins. Further and more 

 specific instructions will now be given in regard 

 to their care, based upon the information fur- 

 nished by you. 



The several regions thus under the supervision 

 of the forest reserve force fall within the districts 

 designated by you as follows: 



In the Gila River Forest Reserve, New Mexico: 

 The greater portions of both the Upper Gila Dis- 

 trict and the San Francisco River District. 



