REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK. MANCOS, COLO., August 1, 1912. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report on the management of the Mesa Verde National Park for the year ended June 30, 1912: GENERAL STATEMENT. This park was established by act of Congress approved June 29, 1906 (34 Stat., 616). It is situated in the extreme southwestern portion of Colorado, in Montezuma County, and embraces an area of 66.2 square miles (42,376 acres). The park is under the control of the Secretary of the Interior, who, in pursuance of legal authority, has prescribed rules and regulations for the administration thereof. CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY. Mancos River bounds the park on the southeast. The Mesa Verde lies to the west and northwest of the canyon formed by the Mancos River. The Mesa is cut into deep canyons of various dimensions, with many short spurs, forming promontories, capped with a rim rock of colored sandstone and evergreen forest of dense piñon and cedar. The Navajo, Ruin, Moccasin, and Ute Canyons are the principal ones. Ensconced in caves in these stone walls are found the deserted houses of what we know as the cliff dwellers. On top of the promontories are found the ancient pueblos, some of which cover many acres. Within the limits of the park there are some 400 ruins. The highest elevation of the park is 8,574 feet. These figures are taken from the topographic survey made last year. CUSTODIANSHIP. The custody of the park is delegated by the Secretary of the Interior to a superintendent, whose office is maintained in Mancos, Colo., the nearest railroad point to the park, where visitors can find accommodations and care. The superintendent is assisted in his duties by park rangers, who act as guides and police the park. The offices of the superintendent were turned over to me by Acting Supt. Richard Wright on September 29, 1911. ORDER. A high degree of order has been maintained; the ruins have been protected from vandals and curio hunters. 61315-12 5 STOCK AND SHEEP. It has been the custom to lease the pasture lands of the park, which are the very best in this mountain range, to owners of patented lands on the park and others. The lessees residing in the park have been of great aid in caring for the pasture and guarding against fire. No trouble has been given by any of the cattle owners and but little by one sheep owner, whose lease has been canceled. ROADS AND TRAILS. During the years 1910 and 1911 a main wagon road was constructed, under the direction of my two predecessors, from station O to station 166, a distance of 3 miles. On May 6, 1911, under instructions from the department, proposals were asked for the construction of additional road and repairs on the constructed road. The road was built from station 166 to station 343. There still remain to be constructed approximately 6 miles and 700 feet to connect with a line built north from Spruce Tree House, a distance of 6 miles. This whole line must be widened to at least 20 feet. When this is done the Mesa Verde National Park will have a safe road and a scenic highway not equaled in any State in the Union. Authorities granted from the office of the Secretary, dated June 20 and July 1, 1912, provided for the expenditure of $1,575 for the removal of all loose stone lying above the road and repair of the same from station O to station 166. This work will be completed by the end of August, 1912. Under the same authority a contract was let to construct a road, 1,900 feet in length, from station O, on the north boundary line of the park, to the county road running from Mancos to Cortez. This was a difficult piece of road to build, the hillside being very steep and nothing less than a 12 per cent grade being practicable. This work is finished and ready for use. A liberal fund should be set aside for the upkeep of this whole line from the foot of Lookout Point to Spruce Tree House. Roads will wear out, and new roads need repair constantly. The trails are in a sad state of repair, and will require the expenditure of $1,500 to make them traversable. WATER SUPPLY. The springs at Spruce Tree House and Balcony House yield a supply of good water for present use, but inadequate for the future, as travel will increase as soon as the roads are completed. The wells at School Section and Soda Canyons are in excellent repair, and will be of great use during road construction in the future. BUILDINGS. It is my belief that the headquarters of the superintendent should be in the park, and in order to accomplish this proper buildings should be erected at the mouth of Spruce Tree Canyon, where there are 60 acres of beautiful land that can be improved, made into lawns, gardens, and building sites for all future buildings, hotel concessions, etc., which can be under the immediate supervision of the superintendent. The water can be piped to this site from the spring at Spruce Tree at a very moderate cost; the distance is approximately 14 miles. This would obviate the necessity of installing an expensive pumping plant. A reservoir can be built at the spring at Spruce Tree House, and a sufficient supply of water will be available for all the headquarters. When hotels are built it is my firm belief that wells of good water can be obtained on this proposed site. The fall from Spruce Tree Spring to the proposed site is approximately 700 feet. GAME. There are at this time a number of blacktail deer in the park. Several small herds have been seen by the rangers. A herd of 23 was counted by one of the visitors (Mr. Galceran). Great care is taken to prevent still hunters, like the Southern Utes, from hunting and destroying them. TRAVEL. During the past year 230 have registered at the camp at Spruce Tree House; no heavy traffic can be expected until roads are completed. REPAIRS. The cliff dwellings need repairs. A sum of money should be set aside to build stone steps to the Balcony House and Cliff Palace, so as to make them easy of access, as well as repair the walls and kivas that are damaged by falling rock and seepage. LANDS. The patented lands within the limits of the park should be acquired by the Government at as early a date as possible. The exchange of lands with the Southern Utes should be consummated as soon as possible. Patented lands within the park are as follows: Patented lands in Mesa Verde National Park. [All in T. 35 N., R. 14 W., N. Mex. principal meridian.] Acres. H. E. 915, made Feb. 20, 1900, by Albert Prater, for SE. SE. sec. 18, 160 160 40 C. E. 395, made Oct. 15, 1889, by George M. Comfort, for NE. NW. sec. 26, patented July 14, 1891 40 H. E. 0354, made Sept. 11, 1903, by Ellen Elizabeth Waters, for W. NE. and W.SE. sec. 28, patented May 15, 1911_ 160 H. E. 1021, made Feb. 16, 1900, by William F. Prater, for SE. SE. 19, and E. NE. 1, NE. SE. 1, sec. 30, patented Aug. 10, 1906– sec. 160 Total__. 720 DEVELOPMENTS. The tract covered by the Jordan lease has not as yet produced coal in any amount. This lease has been transferred to W. A. Jackson, a resident of Cortez, Montezuma County, Colo., who is engaged in building roads and other improvements at this mine. The mine operated by George S. Todd has produced 661 tons and 1,925 pounds of coal. RECOMMENDATIONS. I recommend that Federal control over the 5-mile limit or strip surrounding the park be relinquished, as this territory contains no ruins of any importance, and it is very difficult to police this territory with the limited force at hand. This A wagon road should be built down Navajo Canyon to the mouth of Spruce Canyon, to the building site, a distance of 9 miles. road will be easy to build most of the way, as the grade does not exceed 5 per cent. A concession should be granted for a hotel at the site of the park headquarters. When the road is completed the present camp will be inadequate to care for the traveling public. A telephone line should be built from Mancos to this proposed headquarters, a distance of 16 miles from the main line running from Mancos to Cortez. This work has been estimated at $125 a mile. I can not too urgently recommend the building of a headquarters for the park on the site proposed and the removal of the office from Mancos at an early date. Very respectfully, Superintendent. S. E. SHOEMAKER, APPENDIX. ACT OF JUNE 29, 1906 (34 STAT., 616), CREATING THE MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there is hereby reserved from settlement, entry, sale, or other disposal, and set apart as a public reservation, all those certain tracts, pieces, and parcels of land lying and being situate in the State of Colorado, and within the boundaries particularly described as follows: Beginning at the northwest corner of section twenty-seven, township thirty-five north, range sixteen west, New Mexico principal meridian; thence easterly along the section lines to the southwest corner of the southeast quarter of section twenty, township thirty-five north, range fifteen west; thence northerly to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of said section; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of said section; thence northerly to the northwest corner of section twenty-one, said township; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of said section; thence northerly to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of section sixteen, said township; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of section fifteen, said township; thence southerly to the southeast corner of said section; thence easterly to the southwest corner of section thirteen, said township; thence northerly to the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of said section; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of said section; thence northerly to the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of said section; thence easterly to the northeast corner of said section; thence northerly to the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of section seven, township thirty-five north, range fourteen west; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of said section; thence northerly to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of section six, said township; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of section four, said township; thence southerly to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of section nine, said township; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of said section; thence southerly to the northwest corner of section twenty-two, said township; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of said section; thence southerly to the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of said section; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of said section; thence southerly to the northwest quarter of section twenty-six, said township; thence easterly to the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of said section; thence southerly to |
