The New York Herald Newspaper, August 21, 1875, Page 3

THE POLICE COMMISSIONERS, Strong Charges Preferred Against Mat- sell, Voorhis and Disbecker. . THE POSITION OF THE MAYOR ‘The Democratic Politicians Jubilant and the Republicans Despondent. ‘The statement made in the Heraup on Thursday that charges were to be preferred to the Mayor against three ‘of the Police Commissioners yesterday was borne out by ‘the arrival at the City Hall, early in the forenoon, of Mr. John D. Townsend, the counsel to tho Legislative Committee on Crime, who formally told Mr. Wickham that he would, during the course of the day, prefer charges in writing against Commissioners Matsell, Dis- becker and Voorhis, True to his word Mr, Townsend handed the charges to the Mayor in the afternoon, The intelligence that they had been actually placed in the Mayor’s hands did not create much EXCITEMENT AMONG THE POLITICIANS, for the statement in the Hezaxo in the morning that they were to be preferred, added to the full confirmation given it by Mr. Townsend’s first call upon the Mayor, had, ina measure, prepared them for what was to follow. ‘Tho democratic Aldermen were quite jubilant over the news and seemed to consider that, as the charges came from the Counsel to the Committee of the Legislature on Crime that fact atone would give them additional weight with the Mayor. Still some of them shrugged their shoulders and re- marked that it was a useless task to try to get rid of the | Commissioners because the Governor would STAND IN THE MAYOR'S Way, as he has thus far in the case of the Fire Commission- ers, The republican Aldermen pooh-poohed the whole thing as a dodge on the part of the democrats: to scare Matsell and Disbecker into resigning, so that Tammany could do as she pleased with the appointment of the election inspectors and contro! things to suit on election day, A Henan reporter called on the Mayor shortly after the charges were handed to him. He did not know at | the time that the members of the press had already re- ceived copies of them, and when reference was made to them he simply contented himself with saying: WHAT THB MAYOR SAYS, “T have received a document that purports to con- tain charges against certain of the Police Commission- ers, but of course 1 have not yet read them, and so can- not tell what they really are, At any rate, I shall not give them for publication, as in my opinion that would be prejudging the case in the minds of the public before the parties against whom the charges are made have had time to be heard in their own behalf. The charges, ‘whatever they may be, will receive due consideration.” SCARED, Itis pretty certain that the friends of the accused Commissioners are considerably exercised over the situ- ation of affairs, and one of the very first persons to call upon the Mayor after the charges had been handed to him was Commissioner Voorhis. He looked calm and collected as he entered the Mayor's office, and by no means Jike a man who feared that his official head was in dan- ger. Isaac H. Bailey, President of the Commissioners of Charities and Correction, also dropped in soon after Mr. Voorhis, The latter remained with the Mayor for upward of an hour, but what the conference, if there ‘was any conference, was about, did not transpire. All during the afternoon the chief theme of diseus- ion among the small become in the corridors of ‘the Hall was the probable removal of the three Commis- sioners, The general imprestion in political circles last evening seemed to be that their fate is sealed. CHARGES AGAINST THR POLICE COMMISSIONERS. Yo Hon. Wiitiam H, Wicknam, Mayor of the City of New York:— Sim—The people of this city are entitled to a police force that is competent and willing to protect their in- teresta, While it may be conceded that as a class the rank and file of the patrolmen and inferior officers of the Police Department of this city are equal in character ‘and competency to any police force in this country, yet recent developments have fully shown that it is so mis-- governed as to render it utterly inefficient for the pro. tection of toes and property and useless for the pre vention and d¢ ‘tion of crime. It heer ar beyond peradventure, that, utterly neglectful of the'lawful demands made to them for the protection of citizens, blind to the glaring misdeeds of Many members of the police force, careless of the repu- tation of the officers placed under their charge, partial and unjust in administoring the rules for the guidanco of the force, ignorant or disobedient to the law in mak- ing and construing such rules and regulations, bicker- jng and quarreiling among themselves and apparently ‘without respect for themselves or each other, the pres- ent Commissioners of the Municipal Police of the city of New York have given to the inhabitants of this city just and full cause for apprehension of their personal ‘afety and the security of property; have brought con- tempt and ridicule upon the Police Department, ‘Doth at home and elsewhere. To one member of tho Commission, Genéral W. F. Smith, it would be unfair to apply these charges. His distinguished character as a soldier and citizen, the comparatively short time he has ‘Deen a member of the Police Commission and his plainly evident distasto of his associates and their acts, but re- cently illustrated, justly relieves him from the imputa- tions, To the end that action may be taken toward tne | removal of the present Board of Police Commissioners, | I make the following charges:— CHARGE ONE. It is the duty of the Police Commissioners to make Yules and regulations for the guidance and government of the police force im consonance and conformity with the existing laws of the State and ordinances of the city | of New York. The present rules and regulations, as published and announced by said Police Bourd, are not in conformity and are in certain important instances contrary to the State laws of 1873. ‘Specification 1.—That in an examination and public @iscussion had on the 10th day of June, 1875, before the | Assembly Committee for Investigation of Causes of Crime in the City of New York, George W. Matseil, the President of said Board, elected by a majority thereof, has shown ignorance, both of the State laws directly bearing upon e Municipal Police force and of the existing rules and regulations of the Police Board, and was unable to ex- jain certain gross discrepancies between the said State ws and said polico rules and regulations, and by way of excuse for such discrepancies said that his Board cannot do everything in such a short time, meaning a period of over two years since the passage of the char. | ter of 1873, or a period of about one year since said | Matsell had occupied the position of President of gaid ; | | Municipal Police Board, Specification 2.—That said Mataell, as such President, could not give any idea or opinion as to the require- ments of the police force either as regards« its quality or its number beyond a readiness to engage in experiments of one kind or another by way of trial, Specification 3.—Contrary to the provisions of section 44 of article 7 of chapter 385 of the Laws of 1873, eatd Board have allowed forms of affidavits to remain in practice whereby the requirements of the law are not enforced. Specification 4.—-Rules to prevent the undue detention of prisoners have not been passed by the Board, con- trary (Wo section 52 of the same act, CHARGE TWO, The Police Commissioners are intrusted by law with | the appointment, direction and control of the members | ‘of the Municipal Police force. In order to discharge ‘this high trust the Police Commissioners should possess such moral character a8 would elevate them above vice and crime and enable them to create respect in the force under their command. Said Matsell is devoid of such moral capacity, and with a knowledge of his character said Police Board have elected him their President, Specifieation 1.—During a period of years he has been the editor of one of the most immoral’ periodicals pub: lished in the country, a sheet catering to the taste for vice and crime, © Specification 2.—That the said Matsell, while Superin- tendent of Police, with utter disregard of law and mor- als, conspired with one Hugh Gardner, then a Commis. wioner of the police force of this city, and other members of the department at ‘present in the department, for the purpose of injuring and degrading a police captain then and now on the police force of this city, and in pursuance of such conspiracy induced and caused one Teresa Clifton, then a child of about twelve years of age, to make affidavit in his pres. ence and in his private room, in which affidavit she was made to charge said police captain, to wit, Edward Waish, with having seduced her. Specification 3,—W hile Captain Edward Walsh was in command of the police boat said Matsell, as Pol ‘Commissioner, caused him to be removed from his said Post or command on several occasions between the «months of April and November, 1873, contrary to law, without the consent of the Police Board or any formal | order of said Board, &nd without any cause whatsoever, except that said Maisoll disliked eaid Captain, and did ase wish to meet him when taking a sail on said police it, Specification 4.—About six weeks ago one McMahon, an employé of the firm of Lord & ‘Taylor, delivered some goods to Commissioner Disbecker at the Metro- politan Hotel, in New York city. Suid Disbecker re- eeived the goods, when he was informed by said Mc- Mahon that he was instructed not to leave said goods except paid for on delivery, Said Disbecker thereupon violently assaulted said’ McMahon, abused him with most filthy language, and beat and struck him in a brutal manner, without any provocation on the part ot said McMahon, and {rom mere wanton malice, and re- lying upon the impunity said Disbecker enjoyed ‘Mrough his office as Police Commissioner, CHARGR TURK, The discipline of tho force and the conduct of its members are to be regulated by means of trials had be- fore said Police Board. ‘These irials have been denied ments nave been inflicted with partiality, and the min utes of said trials have been mutilated and tampered with. ‘Specification 1.—The imputation of having seduced said Teresa Clifton still rests upon said Edward Walsh, and yet he has never been tried on this charge, and is re- tained as a captain of the Manicipal Police. Specification 2,—There is abundant evidence in exist- ence, which has been and is now entirely accessible to the Commissioners of Police, of embezziements and lar- cenies committed upon the Police Department by pres- ent and past officials therein, and yet said Board have made no effort to recover the property or bring the depredators to justice. ecification 3,—Said Board have exhibited either “ut- ster ignorance of their duties or wilful neglect of them in not discovering, exposing and bringing to trial at an earlier date the gross outrages and misdeeds committed ‘by many members of the police force, which, commenc- tng before the advent to oftice of the present Board, still continue, With no such power at their command ag have the Police Commissioners, an investigating committee, appointed by the Assembly, have unearthed such an amount of villanies committed by members of the Police Department, now holding office, as has created in the minds of the public a feeling of utter dis- trust in the efficiency of the police force. Specification 4.—Upon the trial of Captain Killilea before the Police Board one Fritz Kassefang testified as & witness; and in the testimony given at said trial, on file in the oilice of the Clerk of the Police Board, it does not appear that suid Kassefang was exaioined as a wit- ness on said trial, ‘cYfication 5.—The instances are too numerous for specification where the same fault has been pun- ished with different penalties in different cases, Specification 6.—So also slight neglects have in many instances been visited with beavier fines than were ii- flicted in other cases for grave offences, Specification 7.—Seth C, Hawley, the Clerk &f said Police Board, has been accused ina public examination before the Arsembly Committee on Crime, on the 29th day of July last past, by @ number ot witnesses, with having appropriated the property of the Police Depart- ment to his own use, and having employed the officers and employés of the department for his private benefit, and he bas not been put on trial for those charges, although those witnesses are within reach of said Police Board, and is still in charge of all the important papers in the department. CHARGE Four. Being repeatedly and fully informed of the existence of unlawful places and pursitits, said Police Board have not taken any proper action thereupon, nor caused the Superintendent, captains or other oflicérs of the police to do their duty in the premises, Specification 1.—-The members and representatives of the Citizens’ Protective Associations of the Eighth and Fifteenth wards of the city of New York have made re- penteds urgent and specific complaints to said Police joard ‘about the existence and voleration by the cap- tains within said wards of numerous disorderly houses, aud their complaints have beon atterly disregarded by said Police Board, although so well founded that seventy-four indictments were found upon the same Statements within one year by several grand juries, and although said information was given in compliance with section 41, chapter 403 of the Laws of 1864, impos- ing the duty upon the police to act upon such informa- tion. Specification 2—One Arthur Pennoyer, a victim of the panel house game, has given full information to saxt Police Board both of the robbery committed on him and of the intentional neglect of the detective officers of the police to arrest the robber, and no action has been taken by said Board either toward securing the criminal or toward correcting the action of their officers. Specification 3,—-According to the rules of the Police Board quarterly or semi-anuual reports aro made by the captains to the Superintendent of Police*and filed at headquartegs, of all gambling bouses, houses of prosti- tution, panel houses and policy shops existing in their Precincts. By section 41 of chapter 403 of the Laws of 1864 it is lawful for the Superintendent of the Police, upon such report, to authorize in writing any member or members of the police force to enter such places, who may forthwith arrest all persons there found offending against law, and no @thers, and seize all implements of’ gammg or lottery tickets or lottery policies, and convey any per- son so arrested before a magistrate and bring the arti- cles 80 seized to the office of the Property Clerk; and it shall be the duty of said Superintendent to cause such arrested person to be rigorously prosecuted and such articles seized to be destroyed as the orders, erules and regulations of the Bourd of Police shall direct. As lato as June 30, 1875, such reports were ordered by-general alarm from all police captains. A large number of places suspected to be kept or used for com- mon gambling, lewd purposes and the sale of lottery tickets or policies have been returned, in pursuance of said order, by the several captains in these, as in pre- vious reports, The same premises have been enumer- ated in many successive reports. Either the gaid Police Commissioners have neglected to asvertain whether the reports were made as ordered, or, knowing that they were so made, said Commissioners have neglected to sce that their subordinates did tbeir duty under the law, as most of those places exist as heretotore. All of which is respectfully submitted. JOHN b. TOWNSEND, New Yorx, August 19, 18’ WALL STREET NOTES. THE FAILURE OF BERTZ & CO.—-THE TRUNK LINES RAISE THEIR RATES-——PROSPECTS OF WESTERN RALLROADS, Messrs. Ferdinand Hertz & Co, yesterday gave notice to the Produce Exchange that they were unable to meet their liabilities. The failure of this firm was yesterday announced in the Heganp, Messrs, Hallgarten & Co., bankere, at the corner of Broad street and Exchange place, were waited on by the writer and received the following information from a member of the firm:—‘Hertz & Co. were ship- pers of produce, and we acted simply as their brokers; we gave them credit forall sums paid into us, and naturally charged them with all moneys difbursed. When we had cash belonging to them we paid {t out ; when they no longer had credit, we refused to dispense. The story that we retained moneys to meet unsettled differences on unpaid debts, we simply deny.” The firm’s liabilities are understood not to be large, and but few people will be the sufferers by their suspension, The firm did a large business in purchasing tobacco a few years since for Messrs, Fourd, the eminent con- tractors with the French government, but it is suppesed they have lost lately in injudicious speculations, Later a representative of Hertz & Co, told the Hanaup re- porter that Mr, Ferdinand Hertz was quite ill, but that the liabilities of theg firm were not great, and that a brother of Mr. Hertz in Europe had telegraphed to him yesterday, asking what amount they needed to bridge over their difficulties, intimatang that the same would be immediately supplied. ON THE PRODUCE EXCHANGE the feeling was one of undoubted sympathy for the un- +fortunate firm, and but little doubt was expressed that the house would resume business very shortly. Mr, Burt, the assignee of Albert Dodge (lave Chamber- lain & Dodge, No. 709 Broadway), stated yesterday that the preliminary statement of the affairs of the concern was nearly completed and would be filed, according to law, early next week in the County Clerk’s office. THE RAILROAD MAGNATES RAISING RATES, Yesterday there was a meeting of the representatives of the New York Central, Erie, Pennsylvania Central and Baltimore and Olio railroads at the Grand Central depot—otfices of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad—to take into consideration the advance in freight und passenger tariffs over their respective roads. ‘The meeting was har- monious, and although the agents did not agree to publish the advanced schedule of rates before Monday next, and it was understood the prices would be atrifle beneath those established by the memorable Saratoga compact, enough was learned to warrant the statement that rajes were advanced considerably above the figures previlling during tbe late ruinous warfare between the Baltimore and Ohio and Pennsylvania rail- roads. It is believed that the new tariff (taking Chicago ‘as a basis) will show an increase of about $3. The fare to Chicago will be $20, or $20 50 as against $22, according to Saratoga rates, and that much above the $18 20 charged during the war between the roads above named. THR WESTERN RAILROADS yesterday reflected the news set forth in these columns as to increase of business, brightening crop prospects and the certainty of a bond dividend in St. Paul Rail- way (preferred) stock, almost the entire Western list advancing, the particulars of which will be found in the proper column, ANOTHER SAN PRANCISCO DESPATCH in regard w the injury to the Pacific Mai! steamship City of Peking was received in this city yesterday stringers to ru up to main deck and all defective rivets to be replaced. 5 docked and bottom examined. The imports of dry goods for the woek are $2,709,032, and amount marketed, $2,774,084, ore and wit; two bulkheads to bh STARTLING STABB A SLASHED BY AN ALLEGED PARAMOUR. At an early hour yesterday morning the vicinity of Cedar street and Hackensack Plank Road was the scene of an affrighting combat between one Jacob Bosse and Catharine Gilger. They emerged from a liquor shop at the corner of Cedar street shortly before three o'clock and startled the neighborhood with volleys of oaths and curses, A quarrel arose between them, and they bad not gone far when the woman drew ‘forth a knife and plunged it into his right shoulder, infiteting a wound nearly two inches in depth. He immediately screamed out, “My God, Tm stabbed.” ‘These words were heard by Justice Gerlich, who juinped from his bed and hurried into the street. On his approach the woman threw the weapon into « pool of water and ran away. Chase was given by the Justice and Constable Kohl, who caught her, and had her, as well ag the wounded man, locked up’ all night Medical aid was rendered to Bosse, and his injuries were Pronounced not to be fatal, They were sentenced for a term of thirty days each, and after that period Mrs. Gilger will be held to bail to await the action of the G AFFRAY, “and neglected when rightfully demanded, and have been conducled unlairly, unjusvy wud improperly, punish Grand Jury. The woman 18 said to bea rival of Mrs, Fiviom Whe 6 iA LUG ABEL ab UC ly through the European Telegraphic Agency, at the cor- ner of Wall and Broud streets, The following is a | copy -— Sax Froxorsco, Angust 19, 187 Cargo of Peking not all discharged; survey not fully c pleted, Surveyor estimates damages at $150,000, steerage decks to be repaired with irc AZTEC RUINS. The Land of Prehis- torical Obscurity. | A VISIF TO THE AZTEC SPRINGS |Description of an Ancient Semi-Civilization. Is Camp, Frve Mices East or Ure Movntary, Souruwesr Covorano, July 30, 1875, By examining a map of Southwestern Colorado (Col- ton’s is as complete and correct as any yet published) it will be seen that the three northwestern tributaries of the San Juan—the Animas, La Plata and Mancos— flow in a generally parallel direction. Although the three are separated by but fifteen or twenty miles, the La Plata is elevated 1,500 feet above Animas and about 1,200 above the Mancos, The differ- ence in the climate of the La Plata and the Mancos is quite perceptible, although only fifteen miles apart at the points where we crossed them, Along the banks of the latter vegetation grows even more luxuriantly, and in the sandier districts the hardy sage brush (avfemisia) suffuses its aroma through the air, Humming birds flit around in myriads and build in the low, bushy willows which mark the courses of streams, On the La Plata we discovered five of these beautiful Little nests, euch with its two tiny white eggs, and on the Mancos they appeared even more abundant. ‘Tho ness is invariably built on a willow twig, not more than four feet from the ground, and the little proprietor will remain upon it until one approaches within a foot of her, There is one cabin already on the Mancos, the property of John Merritt, who has a good garden and a promising farm in this fertile valley. In a few weeks several more immigrants are ance of the river bottoms is replaced by sand and steril- ity; the beat of the plains is intense, and nothing can survive bat the so-called horned wad, which seems to subsist on the heated air, We are entering the land of the yucca, cactus, sage brush and rattlesnake, At every short distance we pase around or cross through a deep aroya or dry bed of what was once a turbulent stream, made long ago by violent floods, which have now ceased to rage, Many of these are thirty feet deep and their vertical sides are as much apart, and they wind and twist and creep under natural rock arches throngh the surface of the land for miles and miles. SEMI-CIVILIZATION. ‘The first evidences of an ancient semi-civilization which we noticed wero a few fragments of pottery, weather stained and decaying, which lay along the sides of the trail, increasing, however, in abundance as wo advanced. In certain places, however, there seemed to be a greater abundance of it, and upon examination it was discovered that flakes and chips of flint, quartz, agate and jasper were numerous, among which débris we found some arrowheads in various stages of per- fection, These were undoubtedly the arrow works of the ancient Ute Indians, a tribe who vanquished the originators of these ruins, and about whom more will be said hereafter, Scattered along the plains occa- sionally we found more stone heads, and presently we passed what had evidently been many centuries ago a burial ground. Single graves were marked by a row of flat sandstone élabs stood up on edge and crumbling be- neath the covering of dry lichens, The jagged tops stood up from two to six inches above the surface, and the enclosure was about six féet sqnare, Further on we saw a large collection of tombs, numbered by scores and perfectly defined, many lying side by side with a row of adjoining stones at their heads and another at their feet, In one spot an aroya had cut a section through one of these graves and exposed the interior. It was much worn and wasted by the elements, but we could dis- tinctly trace the general shape of the tomb, and at the bettom, some six feet from the surface, discovered heaps of pottery decomposed by ex- posure, For twenty-five miles we pushed on through a broiling eun without finding a drop of water, Occasion- ally we passed small mounds of earth, covered with slabs of rock and fragmentary pottery, marking the site N 104 FEET IN LENGH DIAGRAM OF AN AZTEC BUILDING. ty HAGIMNi L334 09 | expected, among them some women, and next spring quite a colony will be started, Our camp on this river was infested with human vermin in the shape of Indi- ans. These miserable beggars call to one’s memory the ludicrously romantic representations of the noble red man to be seen in front of cigar stores, or fill one’s mind ; With the absurdity of such idealities as a historical, self- sacrificing Pocahontas, or the beautiful heroine of a Cooper, if, however, such characters ever existed, save in the imaginings of love-lorn brains. Oh, ye shades of noble forefathers, how might ye blush could ye bat witness the degradation of your pos- terity! Our souls refuse to soar aloft in singing the raises of a Pocahontas, bedaubed with paint and soil of long accumulations, clothed in filthy, greasy rags of buckskin, with distorted features, matted hair, un- washed skin and slipshod feet, Our hereine refuses to stir our romantic blood when she turns ner hideous, brazen fate upon us to beg a piece of bread, and we vnconsciously wonder “could things havo ever been so different in the | days of our grandfathers?” In describing the ruins which we are about (o visit in our travels, and in giving in detail the results of our investigations into the manners, modes of living, building, burial, &c., and the reconstruction of the implements of these obscure races, it will be impossible to present the facts in any methodical manner; therefore they will be given in the order in which they oveur to us, so that these accounts will appear more of the nature of a narrative than a asciontific classification. Thus it will be possible to complete letters periodically, and will not be necessary to wait until we have collected all oar information to complete some proof or to obtain suf. cient material to establish somo fact yet in doubt. By this plan many adventures, experiences and descriptions of objects foreign to this subject may be interspersed which may not be wholly irrelevant, ‘THE LAND OF THR YUTTA CACTUS. Instead of passing down the Canyon of the Mancos, which abounds tn rattlesnakes and interesting ruins, our course took us ina southwesterly direction, over ® well worn Indian trail, The country here ‘was undulating and open, forming valleys between the ends of mesas, which stretched away for miles on either sida, And now the characteristics of the country change again, but very abruptly, Water ceases to exist Awave in stale pools at long Msiances apart: he Luxuri- of some ancient abode; but we observed no well marked walls or foundations, Our camp was made about five miles east of Ute Mountain and the same distance north of Aztec Spring, Water was pointed out to us by an Indian camping in the vicinity, in some pockets along a side gulch of one of the canyons. The water was warm, strongly alkaline and exceedingly disagreeable, but it wag all that was to bo had, ap the climax, tho smail tanks were exhausted by the first three or four mules, and for a while things looked unpromising indeed. But finally an old Indian volunteered to take us to aspot near their camp Where our stock could be watered on the payment of certain articles, The mules drank until they were bloated like frogs, but the water seemed to produce thirst lustead of queuching it. AUTRG SPRINGS, The next afternoon three of us rode over to Aztec Springs to examine the ruing which exist thore, We found these to be very extensive, covering an area, ap- proximately, of 600 by 800 feet. We could trace the | foundations of hundreds of buildings in the débris and ridges of crumbling rock, but in all this number the walls of but two stroctnres remained in any state of preservation, We found the rock out of which they were built to be mostly calcareous sand- stone, which had been taken from the bluff a fow miles across the valley, and 2,000 feet high, which was literally ful) of fossils, bacculites, many spe- cies of shells, bivalves, univaives, &cv, beautifully and perfectly weathered out, many of the former measuring | eight inches in diameter. We found only the north walls of the two buildings standing, Uhat of the drst or western measuring eleven foot at its greatest height, | and the other eight and a half. The stones had been cut | into rectangular blocks averaging a foot in length, four to six inches in thickness and half a foot in breadth, evenly chipped on the faces and ‘cemented together by a light yellow clay, ‘The edges of the stones and the mortar had been worn off for many centuries—how many, who can tell? The plan of the western enclosure was a parallelogram con- taining twenty-one rooms, as nearly as we could deter: mine from the faint vestiges of walls which remained. Along the north and south sides were eight small rooms, each eight by fourteen feet, with the exception of the corner rooms, which were eight feet square, At the east . NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1875..—WITH SUPPLEMENT. SSIS a LSA ASR ete a bea hae #4 in dimensions, and between these, as is shown tm the diagram, were three larger rooms, Just back of this immense building bubbled up the mineral waters of Aztec Springs, which were enclosed in another house, and as the water escaped it flowed down into the next enclosure, and emptied into a gigantic reservoir or well, supplying the inmates with all necessary moisture, This second enclosure, which was the most extensive in the city, was evidently designed as a fortress, or, at least (considering the peaceful disposition of the people}, a place of safety for many hundreds of persons. The | whole structure is 180 by 200 feet, ar- ranged very similarly to the first, with the exception of the well, fifty fect in diameter and the surrounding square, which was probably not roofed in, but formed an open, interior yard. The par. | titions of the small rooms we could trace, at least on the north side, but we could merely distinguish the di- rection of foundation on the others, and it would appear that they had been constructed of adobe clay, which now lay in a modnd of dust. The ruins were almost covered with a dense growth of vegeta- tion; sage brush, coarse, tall grass, and a few stunted cedars appeared from the crevices of the moul- dering heaps of rubbish; but the spring was dry, and its past existence was only marked by a hollow sur- rounded by acircle of rocks, around which a denser, greener sedge and some scrubby trees still lingered. Thus we stood in the city of the dead, awed by the thouslits which surged through us and the many conjec- tures which presented themselves to our minds. Could we but behold the busy streets and thronging houses peopled again with their bustling inmates for but one half hour, and ask them whence they came and whither they went, the riddle might be solved; but we could only stand and gaze on the works of their hands, and feel a sadder tinge creep over our spirits as the sun drew his rays quietly down behind Ute Moun- ‘taing and left us alone in the dusk of the ruined city. TH ANCIENT POTTERY. About four miles north of Aztec Springs, near the head of the McKlmo Creek (which, by the way, is per- fectly dry at present), stands another important and well preserved rain, Lt is the remains of a tower, fifty feet in diameter, whose circular walls now rise twelve feet above the rock on which tt is built A very erro- neous idea has becn eirculated by correspond- ents in regard to the abundance of the broken crockery strewn over the plains and through the canyons, Many persons are led to believe that this may be shovelled up by the cart load in any locality thronghont this country. ‘The fact, however, is that it is only met with In spots, and sometimes one may ride for miles without observing a fragment It is usually seen tn the vicinity of ruined edifices, and then only in SS A ap Re gM Bart SSPE EtIeT Waar AS MOE DENT Na ent Pe aE GSO CRD EI | historical obscurity ! scattered quantities, Occasionally a heap of it may be fonnd, but very rarely, However, it ts diffwsed over a great extent of territory, and there ts no doubt, from all indications, that immense quantities of ft were man- factured, and for this purpose there must have been many burning kilns throughout the land, and the greater portion was evidently made by skilled workmen and, per- haps, by rude machinery. It is dificult to find a piece large enough to indicate the size or accurate shape of the original vessel, bus somo times a fragment may be picked up six or eight inches square. From the general contour and curves of differ- ent specimens tt would seem that the forms of the original articles closely resembled our own culinary chinaware; thus, we can see that there were cups, saucers, bowls, pots, jugs and pitchers, We find among the rabbish spouts of teapots or similar vessels, lids of jars and handles of jugs. The majority of this pottery was ornamented with designs painted on the surface, before the glazing was admfnistered, in black or brown. There is one singular fact to be observed, however, and that is, that there are no animate objects represented in any of this ornamentation, the height of the art consisting im the ‘production of parallel and intersecting lines, curves, squares and other geometrical figures, We find different grades and styles of work- manship represented, just as in tho crockery of our own day. There are the plain burnt-clay utensils, either black or brick red; there is the thatched variety, mostly of a raw clay color, in which little scales overlap each other as on a fish; and it ts perfectly evident that these vessels wore Gnicbed by band, as each indentation on the surface perfectly retains yet the impression of the maker's thumb, Advancing farther in the ascending seale of the art, we come to the highly glazed va- riety, which resembles more a stone ware than & clay material This is exceedingly durable, and much of it has resisted the attacks of time probably “these four or five centuries. Occasionally wo find a piece which has been perforated in one or two places, showing that it had been tied together and pnt to farther use after having been broken. Another fact is noticeable in the interesting study of these fragmentary remnants, Wherever it is evident from the curve of a piece that i has been a shallow, flat vessel, the interior only has been ornamented, as the under side will not show. When the original jug has been tall and narrowing at the mouth the exterior only has been painted, but where tt has been a crock or bowl, whose interior and exterior surfaces are equaily visible, both have been tnvariably decorated. As we get farther into the ruins and becomé more familiar with new forms and varieties, many other peculiarities of this ware will no doubt be discovered, ‘THE SAN JUAN RIVER, ‘march will take us down the dry bed of the McKimo and the probabilities are that we shail have to travel forty miles at one stretch (as far as the San Juan River) before we can camp near any water, At our present camp we discovered an Indian skull, “and, subsequently, in the roeks near by, a bloody Navajoe blanket, cut full of rents, There has evidently been a murder committed here in the past few years, and the victim probably a Navajoe Indian, The perpetrator was andoubtedly a Ute, but the circumstances will through all time be veiled in mystery, We are certainly in a land of pre- What might the troes and rocks revea) could they speak of the events of the centuries of the past! FIRE DEPARTMENT. ‘A special meeting of the Board of Fire Commissioners was beld yesterday morning, when the following ap- pointments, transfers and promotions were made:— Avporntwents.—W. H, Rash, as fireman of Engine No. 27; John Fitzpatrick, as fireman of Engine No. 14; C. B, Jones, as ladderman of Hook and Ladder Company No. 17; Edward Heismann, as assistant engineer of Engine No. 43. ‘Traxsrrrs —Assistant Foreman Robert Olmstead, from Engine No. 6 to Engine No, 31; Assistant Kogineer of Steamer Jameg Delaney, from Eng 3 to Engine No. 4; Engineer of 1 inney, fon Engine No. 40 to Engine No. 34; Engineer of Steanter John Howe, trom engine No. to Engine No, 40; Pireman John MeDervitt, from Engine No. 16 w Engine No, 1; Fireman W. J. Colby, from Engine No. 4 to Engine No. 23; Fireman Joha Powers, from Engine No, 11 to Engine No. 15; Fireman James McManus, from Engine No. 16 to Engine No. 11; Fireman James R, Harway, from Hook and Ladder ‘0, 5to Engine No. 30; Engineer A. McKeever, from Engine No, 30 to Hook and Ladder No. 5, 7 ProMorEp.—Asssistant Foreman J. J, Eagan, tobe engine No. 23; Fireman James ¥. Tayior, to be assistant engineer of Engine No. 23; Fireman ee Burns, to be assistant engineer of steamer Engine Yo, 8. FLREMEN’S PAY. The Mayor yesterday morning signed the warrants for the pay of the firemen for the month of June, aid it is ood that the department will receive their moury FIRE IN BROADWAY. A fire broke ont at an early hour yesterday morning in the basement of No, 585 Broadway, occupied by Oswald Giehl as a barber shop. The damage done to stock and fixtures is set down at $500. The first floor | of the building, occupied by F.@, Butler as a fratt store, was injured to the amount of $50. The fire was caused by a heater In the barber shop becoming over. heated. "All parties are fully insured. DISHONEST DRAYMAN. Thomas McMurray, a drayman, was arrested by the | Sheriff on Thursday and committed to Ludlow Street Jail, He was in the employment of Powers & Greacen, boot and shoe dealers, at No. 36 Warren street, He is charged with forging orders of receipts for goods pur, porting to be forwarded by different express, railroad and steamship companies, On these receipts it would appear that certain goods bad arrived for the frm on which freight @harges should be paid. The cashier of Powors n handed those charges to MeMurray at differ. ni and, it is stated, the drayman pocketed the money, Which, itis said, amounted to nearly $2,000, An order of arrest was as ging out of the Supreme Court, and McMurray was held to bailin the sam of $1,000. ‘The prisoner, according to a statement made yesterday to the Sherifs official, will refand the embegaied money, afer which all civil proceedings will be discon. woud, and west ends were imo yoams ejuht by thirky tye feat ) tam RAPID TRANSIT. Are the Commissions Likely to F'ailP ers Sir Edmund Watkin’s Address on the London Underground System. Mr. Roosevelt Makes Some Startling Statements as to the Commissioners’ Powers. + The same secrecy and mystery that for several days: have characterized the Rapid Transit Commission were: observed yesterday, and a number of lawyers were for several hours closeted with the commission, The members carefully avoided reporters, and none of the, attachés would give the names of the parties admitted to private interviews. Among them, however, was ex-Assemblyman Smith Weed, who is said to be, with, Genoral Husted, author of the bill under which the commission was raised, the private counsel of the Greenwich Street Railway Company. Mr. Weed has been there for two days, and to the Heratp reporter stated that he was not interested in the proceedings of the commission, ‘Those who profess to be familiar with the influences at work in the last Legislature most emphatically declara, that Messrs. Weed and Husted are counsel for the road, and that tt was to whip in the republicans in favor of the Husted bill that it was taken out of the hands of Assemblyman Daly, of the Fourteenth district, and placed under the engineering of the “Bald Eagle of Westohester.” Ge that as it may, it is certain that Mr, Husted’s law partner is daily closeted with the com- mission and is permitted to pass in and out without @ challenge from the officer guarding the door. It is evident that the Commissioners are at last satis- fied that they cannot agree upon @ route; hence the ap- plication made on Thursday to the Common Council for Permission to select a route, It is no longer a secret that the members ate divided upon the route, at least one member being in faver of one that will make ita feeder to the Boston and Montreal Raitroad, in which the knowing ones declare he is largely interested. It casually leaked out yesterday that this member had prevailed upon Mr. Mott to make an examination to- day of the route trom Mott Haven along the line of the Boston and Montreal Railroad, in the company of the ‘engineers of the Board, Messrs, Newton and Shreeve. Mr, Newton, on being informed that such was the pro- gramme, stated that he had not been notified of the pro- posed visit to Westchester county, but if such was tho intention he would likely be notified later in the day, Sir Edmund Watkin, member of Parliament and President of tif Metropolitan (London) Underground Railway, was before the commission yesterday, and stated that the London Underground Railway had al- ready sixteen miles in operation, and before many months they will have not less than twenty miles in com- picte operation, with the intention of extending their lines, as the exigencies of the occasion require, thronghout the entire city, The average rate of fare is about five cents in American currency, and last year some 70,000,000 pas- sengers were transported, By a sytem of commutation the laboring classes can ride at about ono penny sterling per mile, They run 1,000 trains per day, averaging 1,000 passengers each, emptying and filling the trains in about one minute, The road cost £1,000,000 per mile, the larger portion of the cost being for property dam: ages, &c, Their average rate of spoed is about twenty miles per hour, including stoppages. The presence of Sir Edmund gave rise to af unfounded rumor that he was here to advocate an underground plan and to guar- antee sufficient English capital to build it. Mayor Wickham stated to a Heraup reporter that he did not think, from a casual examination of the law, that it was necessary for the commission to receive the consent of the local authorities to a route previous ta their decision, and that wher the resolution was for- warded to him he sent it in, accompanied by @ message, as @ matter of duty ano form. When ‘informed that inventors wei bitterly complaining of the secrecy thrown around the proceedings of the Board, and while Stpreasing confl- dence in the honesty of Messrs. Mott & Delamater, had declared that, in their opinion, there was some under- hand influence at work, the Mayor expressed the hope that no such opinien would prevail in the community, and reiterated his confidence in their ability to give the masses practical rapid transit. The legal points that have consumed so much of the time of the Commission in discussion are still the stumbling blocks in their way, over which they daily trip in their efforts to agree upon a route. Jud; Emott and Mr. Lowery have given legal opinions to the effect that the Commission are given sixty days te select a route, and that the proceedings in the court te confirm such selection can follow after. Hence, as the 8th of September, when the sixty days will expire, ap proaches, they seem to be in no hurry, and devote their time to efforts toward uniting their opinions on a feasibie route. Yesterday a Heratp reporter called upon Mr. C. Roosevelt, who, as secretary of the People’s Rapid Transit Association, organized in mass meeting at the Chamber of Commerce in January last, secured the names of the Droperty owners necessary to empowel , the Mayor to appoint the present Commission, hes questioned as to “his views on the work of the Commis sion, Mr, Roosevelt said he had watched them closely and vy needed some one to advise them. For him self he had become convinced that the Cornell plan was | the cheapest, simplest and most practicable, and several members of the Rapid Transit Association had approved it. The only objection he could see to it is the route through property, and that, in his opinion, 1s entirel; obviated by the fact that the company, when orpantaed, has the power, under the General Railroad act, to ac- quire a right’ of way through private property, independent ef any duty that is obligatory upon tl Commission, The Commission bas not got consent to go through private property. That is a matter for the courts. But to go through the streets they must get the consent of one-half of the property owners and the local authorities as well. Section 4 of the Husted- Daly bill provides that within sixty days after organiz- ing the Commissioners shall fix the route of the rail- way, provided that the consent of one-half of the property owners on the line and also of the local authorities is given. If that consent cannot be obtained, said Mr. Roosevelt, then the General Term of the Supreme Court on a proper application may appoint three commissioners to determine that question, and it they determine that the route ought to be laid out independent of the consent of the owners and the Court coufirms their determination, then the Commissioners can fix the route, and that, too, imdependent of ail parties, All that has to be done within sixty days. The only way they can do it is to immediately resolve that they propose to lay out a certain ronte, then draw up aform of consent, and get 200 or 300 men to go over the blocks, present it to the roperty owners for their signatures or refusal, and then, if they havea majority, proclaim it and fix the route. If they find they have not a majority, they can ask the judges of the Supreme Court, General Ts w come in and sit specially for the purpose of appottlieg the three commissioners, get these three commissioners to sit immediately, serve notice upon every property owner interested to show cause why the consent should not be granted; then have the General Term reconvened to contirm the report, if in favor of granting the consent. Then, after the Gen- eral Term confirms the report the commissioners must ‘& resolution declaring that to be the route. “Not antil all this is done,” said Mr. Roosevelt, “is section 4 complied with. Unless all that is accom- plished between now and September $ the present Com- mission is out of office, and all their subsequent acts will be null and void. This is certainly the meaning of the law, and I wish the Commission understood it, io mere naming of a route within sixty days is not a com- pliance with the act, It must be oilicially proclaimed."? It was ascertained yesterday that conferences havo been had between certain street car officials with a view of raising money to induce smail property owners on the line of any route selected w refuse their con- sent, and it is understood that certain property owners interested in rapid transit will apply to the courts for an injunction to restrain the Commissioners unless the routé is not legally proclaimed before September 8, and. prevent them tampering with the matter further, ‘The following letter was yesterday sent to the Com- mission by the Messrs. Cornell in refutation of state- | ments made vn Thursday in the Board of Aidermen:— New Yora, Au; 20, 1875, Hon. Josxra Sxucmax, President of id Transit Commission :— Dear Sin—We understand that it is publicly asserted that our object in proposing a route and plan of co: struction for a rapid transit railway ts to commit t Commission to our route and plans and then to refrain from their execution, as \t is said we are acting in con- cert with one or another well known parties who are in- imical to the establishment of rapid transit in ite fullest sense, especially on the east of town; and that these false statements are made as an argument the adoption of our proposition by the Commission, In view of the foregoing, we 6 the opportunity to write to the Commission, assuring them that all such statements are without the slightest foundation in fact; that have no connection whatever with any organization or with any individual or individuals whose vested interests would be affected adversely by the establishment of rapid transit over the route we have proposed, to the fullest extent our proposition would lead any one to expect—that is to say, to the fullest extent possible, We bave made our proposition tn faith. «Ifthe Commission find it ad to modify our route or plans to better serve the public interests, or if they bave plans of construction them which are better than those presented by us, we shall be very glad to adopt them. Our ambition 1s to build and operate a first class rapid transit railway, east of and as near to Broadway ag practicable, and we believe that the only prospect of doing this is under the Husted bill aod tlie Commission now in session We aro, very rey ree our obedient servants, Bas col wn”