Chapter 3

The walls where eroded at the ground level are to be underpinned with hard-burned brick, laid in good cement mortar and extending to a depth of at least 12 inches below the original ground level. This work must be carried on gradually and very carefully in conjunction with the clearing out of the débris. The under surfaces of the overhanging walls must be carefully trimmed to afford solid horizontal bearings against the brickwork. The face of the brickwork is to be set back at least 1 inch and not more than 2 inches from the face of the wall, and the brickwork is to be plastered with a coating of cement mortar, 1 to 2 inches thick, bringing it out flush with the outer wall.

3. FILLING IN OPENINGS

The broken-out lintels of openings are to be replaced by wooden lintels composed of squared lumber, 2 by 4 inches in size, laid side by side across nearly the whole thickness of the walls, with not more than 1 inch space between the boards, and of the same length as the original lintels. The broken-out walls are to be trimmed to afford solid resting places for the new lintels, which are to occupy the same horizontal planes that the old ones did. The openings above the lintels are to be filled in in the same manner as the underpinning previously described, the tinder wall surfaces being carefully dressed to afford solid horizontal bearings, the brick work being set back 1 inch from the wall surfaces and plastered with a coating of cement mortar to bring it out flush with the wall.

4. BRACING

One wooden brace and two iron braces are to be put in, as shown upon the plan hereto annexed. The wooden brace is to be of one piece, or of two pieces well bolted together, of selected lumber, free from knots and other imperfections, squared, and measuring 6 by 8 inches in cross section. The iron braces are to be of 1 inch diameter, best quality wrought-iron rods. The bearing plates, four to each rod, are to be not less than 10 inches in diameter, of sufficient strength, and securely and permanently fastened to the braces.

5. WIRE FENCING

Such area as may be determined is to be fenced with the best quality of galvanized iron barbed wire, strung upon posts placed 20 feet apart. The posts are to be of mesquite, not less than 3 inches in diameter and of a reasonable degree of straightness (not varying more than 5 inches from a straight line). The posts are to be at least 6 feet 6 inches long and are to be planted perpendicularly with 4 feet 6 inches clear and at least 2 feet below the ground surface. Three lines of double wire are to be stretched upon and securely fastened to the posts, the first at a distance of 2 feet from the ground, the second at 3 feet, and the third at 4 feet from the ground. Two gateways are to be provided, at such points as may be directed, the side posts to be of squared timber, 6 by 6 inches in cross section, and the gates to be made of sawed lumber 1 inch by 5 inches, hung upon good iron hinges, and leaving a clear space of not less than 12 feet when open, the whole to be executed in the best and most workmanlike manner.

6. ROOF

The building is to be crowned by a roof of corrugated iron, supported in the manner shown in the accompanying plan and sections. The uprights are to be of selected squared lumber 1 foot square, each in a single piece, the lower ends planted at least 3 feet below the original ground level, and to be braced and tied to each other, as shown in the plan. The tie pieces are to be of selected squared lumber, 4 inches by 6 inches in cross section. The roof is to be framed and braced in the ordinary manner, and this framing is to extend beyond the outer wall 6 feet. The covering is to be a good quality of corrugated iron roofing, securely fastened to the framework, and painted with three good coats of the best quality of roof paint. The whole to be constructed and executed, in the best and most workmanlike manner, of good materials throughout, and to be of a strength sufficient to withstand the windstorms to which it may be subjected.

III. PLANS AND SECTIONS--PRESERVATION OF THE CASA GRANDE RUIN, ARIZONA. SCALE OF ALL THE PLANS AND SECTIONS. 0.1 INCH = 1 FOOT

Plans and sections accompanying specifications are as follows:

Plan showing tie-rods, limits of work, and lines of ground sections. [Plate CXVII of this report.]

Three east-and-west sections to show estimated amount of excavation necessary. [Plate CXVIII of this report.]

Three north-and-south sections to show estimated amount of excavation necessary. [Plate CXIX of this report.]

Plan showing roof support. [Plate CXXII of this report.]

Two sections showing roof support. [Plate CXXIII and plate CXXIV of this report.]

IV. OATH OF DISINTERESTEDNESS

I do solemnly swear that the copy of contract hereunto annexed is an exact copy of contract made by me personally with Theodore Louis Stouffer and Frederick Emerson White; that I made the same fairly, without any benefit or advantage to myself, or allowing any such benefit or advantage corruptly to the said Theodore Louis Stouffer and Frederick Emerson White, or to any other person or persons; and that the papers accompanying include all those relating to the said contract, as required by the statute, in such case made and provided.

(Signed) Cosmos Mindeleff.

Sworn to and subscribed before me at Washington, D.C., this 18th day of July, 1891.

[SEAL] (Signed) Jno. D. McChesney, _Notary Public_.

V. BIDS

I

Bid for repairs on the Casa Grande ruins, in Pinal County, Arizona, bidders to furnish all labor and materials according to specifications:

Item No. 1. Cleaning out débris, 60 cents per cubic yard. Item No. 2. Underpinning walls, $1 per cubic foot. Item No. 3. Filling in openings, $1 per cubic foot. Item No. 4. Bracing walls, $200. Item No. 5. Wire fence, 3 cents per foot complete. Item No. 6. Roof, $2,000.

(Signed) T. L. Stouffer. F. E. White.

Florence, Arizona, _January 28, 1891_.

II

Bid for putting a roof on the Casa Grande ruins as per plans and specifications furnished, $3,000.

(Signed) C. D. Henry.

III

Bid for fencing in the Casa Grande ruins: Furnishing the posts and barbed wire, for 100 feet of fence, $7 per 100 feet.

(Signed) C. D. Henry.

IV

Bids for restoring the Casa Grande ruins:

First. Removing débris from interior of the ruins, 320 cubic yards, more or less, $1 per yard; 140 cubic yards from exterior of the ruins, at 60 cents per yard.

Second. Eight hundred cubic feet of brick masonry underpinning, more or less, at $1.30 per cubic foot.

Third. One thousand cubic feet, more or less, of brick masonry to fill in cavities, at $1.40 per cubic foot.

Fourth. Bracing walls, as per plans, $120.

Fifth. Five hundred lineal feet of 2 by 4 square timber at 8 cents per foot, lumber measure.

(Signed) C. D. Henry.

V

Phoenix, Arizona, _February 11, 1891_. Cosmos Mindeleff, Esq., _Tempe, Arizona_.

Dear Sir: I hereby submit for your consideration, in reference to the plans and specifications for the preservation of the Casa Grande ruins of Arizona, bids upon the following propositions, to wit:

First. "Cleaning out the débris." For the removal of 470 cubic yards of material, more or less, at $2.65 per cubic yard.

Second. "Underpinning walls." For 800 cubic feet of brick masonry, more or less, laid and plastered as specified, at $4.25 per cubic foot.

Third. "Filling in openings." For filling in cavities in walls and restoring lintels of openings, as specified, 1,000 cubic feet, more or less, at $2.25 per cubic foot.

Fourth. "Bracing walls." For bracing walls, $85.30.

Fifth. "Wire fencing." Twenty-five dollars and twenty-five cents per 100 feet of completed fence.

Sixth. "Roofing." As per specifications, $4,722.

Respectfully submitted.

(Signed) M. E. Clauton.

VI. INDORSEMENTS

_Contract for the repair and preservation of the Casa Grande ruin, Arizona, 1891_

Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey, _June 6, 1891_.

Respectfully forwarded to the Secretary of the Interior, recommending approval.

(Signed) J. W. Powell, _Director_.

Department of the Interior, _June 20, 1891_.

The within contract is hereby approved.

(Signed) Geo. C. Chandler, _Acting Secretary_.

June 30, 1891. Transmitted by J. W. Powell, Director, to the Secretary of the Interior for file in returns office.

July 1, 1891. Returned for oath.

July 20, 1891. J. W. Powell, Director, transmits amended contract, with bids, proposals, and all original papers attached.

VII. REPORT OF MR H. C. RIZER

Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of Ethnology, Washington, _November 24, 1891_.

Honorable J. W. Powell, _Director of the Bureau of Ethnology_.

Sir: Complying with your order directing me to proceed to Florence, Arizona, to witness the closing up of the work under contract for the preservation of Casa Grande ruin near that place, and to report to you the amount and character of the work accomplished, certifying the amount due the contractors under each item, I have the honor to submit the following report:

I visited the ruin first on October 20, and found the work well advanced. Steady progress was made from said date until October 31, the limitation expressed in the contract for prosecuting it.

In order to ascertain the exact location of Casa Grande ruin and to aid me in the determination of the amount of work performed by the contractors, I employed Mr Albert T. Colton, a civil engineer and the official surveyor of Pinal county, Arizona, within the limits of which the ruin stands. From actual measurements made by Mr Colton, based upon official notes in his custody, he informed me the ruin was located in the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 16 of township 5 south, range 8 east. A congressional township plat on which Mr Colton has marked the exact location of the ruin is filed herewith, marked Exhibit A, and made a part of this report [plate CXXV].

On October 29 Mr Colton at my instance took measurements of the brickwork in underpinning and filling in cavities in the walls and of the excavation done by the contractors. His estimate, based upon these measurements, was submitted to me in writing. It is filed herewith, marked Exhibit B, and is made a part of this report.

I find from these measurements that the contractors excavated and removed to a point 100 yards from the ruin 570 cubic yards of débris, 271 cubic yards of which were removed from the interior and 299 cubic yards from the exterior walls of the building, within an area of 10 feet of said walls.

I also find the amount of underpinning done by the contractors to be 919 cubic feet, and the amount of filling in openings to be 1,161 cubic feet. The underpinning is done with hard-burned brick laid in good cement mortar extending to a depth of 12 inches below the original ground level. The face of the brickwork is set back from 1 to 2 inches from the face of the wall and plastered with a coat of good cement mortar, making it flush with the outer wall.

In filling in cavities more than 500 lineal feet of 2 by 4 inch squared lumber was used to replace broken-out lintels and laid side by side across nearly the whole thickness of the walls, with not more than 1 inch space between the boards. They occupy the same horizontal planes as the original lintels, and the walls are trimmed to afford solid resting places for them. The openings above the lintels have been filled in the same manner as the underpinning, with hard-burned brick set back 1 inch from the wall surfaces and plastered with a coating of cement mortar, bringing it out flush with the original wall.

I further find that the contractors have placed one wooden brace and two iron braces as designated in the specifications. The wooden brace is constructed of two pieces of good, clear, squared lumber 6 by 8 inches in cross section, well bolted together, secured by plates of boiler iron three-eighths of an inch thick and 14 by 18 inches square. The specifications provide for this brace to run from the south side of the south wall through the center room with a plate on each side of the south wall and one on each side of the wall on the north side of the center room. The contractors have deviated from these requirements in having extended the said brace through the entire length of the building and placed the plates that were specified for the north wall of the center room on the respective sides of the extreme north wall of the building. While this deviation adds nothing to the security of the south wall, it is doubtless as effective as it would have been had it been placed as contemplated in the plan. It may in some degree strengthen the north wall, and I recommend that it be accepted as in compliance with the terms of the contract. The two iron rods called for in the specifications are of wrought iron 1½ inches in diameter, secured by boiler-iron plates three-eighths of an inch thick and 12 inches in diameter, securely fastened as required in the specifications. There was a necessary deviation from the plan as to the place the rod nearest the east side of the building should be placed. Early in the prosecution of the work a portion of the debris in contact with the eastern wall was removed. During the night following this a section of the south end of the east wall fell, carrying with it that portion of the wall between the south and east rooms to which the plan required said rod to be attached. In consequence the contractors placed the rod so as to connect it with the portion of the wall still intact. As a brace to the south wall it is placed advantageously. In excavation, underpinning, and filling in the contractors have exceeded the limitations prescribed in the contract, and have therefore performed an amount of work for the remuneration of which there is no provision. The following table shows the amount of work authorized in each of the four items with reference to which the contract was drawn and the amount actually performed by contractors:

Item |1. Excavating and clearing out débris. | |2. Underpinning walls. | | |3. Filling in cavities. | | | |4. Braces. ----------------------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+ Maximum authorized | 350 cubic | 750 cubic | 825 | 1 wood | | yards | feet | cubic feet | and 1 iron| | | | | | Performed by | 570 cubic | 919 cubic | 1,161 | 1 wood and| contractors | yards | feet | cubic feet | 2 iron | | | | | | Excess | 220 cubic | 169 cubic | 336 | | | yards | feet | cubic feet | | | | | | | Contract Price | 60 cents | $1 per | $1 per | $200 | | per cubic | cubic foot| cubic foot | | | yard | | | | | | | | | Maximum allowances | $210 | $750 | 825 | 200 | under contract | | | | | | | | | | Amount contractors | 342 | 919 | 1,161 | 200 | claim to have | | | | | earned | | | | | | | | | | Excess of contractors'| 132 | 169 | 336 | | claim over amount | | | | | authorized | | | | | ----------------------+-----------+-----------+------------+-----------+

From this it will be observed that, taking the rate of compensation provided for in the contract as a basis, the contractors have performed work in excess of that authorized to the amount of $638 [$637]. They are fully advised that there is no provision for the payment of this excess. The requirements of the contract are, in my opinion, fully met in the quality of material used and the work performed.

The preservation of the ruin is incomplete. There are six places where lintels have disappeared and not been replaced and a corresponding number of cavities that should be filled. Deep seams have been cut in the walls by the action of the elements, and unless far greater provision is made for its protection the work already done will be of small avail.

At many places where the débris came in contact with the wall disintegration seems to have resulted. At a slight touch it frequently crumbles. Owing to this fact two sections of the wall fell during the progress of the work when the debris was removed--one from the east wall, described above, and one from the south wall near the west extremity. These breaches maybe observed as shown in two of the six accompanying photographs [plates CXX, CXXI]. These photographs were taken ten days before the work was completed. There being no professional photographer in that vicinity I was compelled to take advantage of the kind offer of Mr H. H. Burrell, an amateur photographer, who happened to be there at that time. Thus the views I secured failed to show all the brickwork done. The coating of mortar was not applied until after the date on which the views were taken, in consequence of which the bare bricks are shown in the views.

During the progress of work in removing the debris a number of articles of interest to the ethnologist were found at various depths and localities. They have been packed by the contractors and will be sent to the National Museum.

The floors in the center, north, and east rooms were found to be about 8 feet above the ground surface. The material was similar to that of which the walls are composed. The west and south rooms appeared to have had floors at one time on the same level, but the surfaces had disintegrated, and there was a mass of loose earth, which was removed to a depth of 6.9 feet below the floors of the other three rooms, where another floor was found slightly less firm than those.

Reverend Isaac T. Whittemore, who has been designated by the honorable the Secretary of the Interior as the custodian of the ruin, rendered me valuable assistance in the performance of my mission. He has manifested a zealous concern for the preservation of the ruin and has given time and labor to that end. There is no provision for his just compensation. I therefore recommend that if any funds be found available after the payment of the amount due the contractors the same be ordered paid to Mr Whittemore for his services.

Very respectfully, H. C. Rizer, _Chief Clerk_.

SUPPLEMENT

CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORT RELATING TO THE CONDITION OF CASA GRANDE IN 1895, WITH RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING ITS FURTHER PROTECTION

I. _Letter of Reverend Isaac T. Whittemore, custodian of Casa Grande, to the Secretary of the Interior, recommending an appropriation for further protecting the ruin_

Florence, Arizona, _July 25, 1895_. Honorable Hoke Smith, _Secretary of the Interior_.

Dear Sir: It is with great hesitancy that I write to add to the burdens of one so busy and burdened as I presume you to be. But it is not for myself but for others that I write, and will try to be laconic.

Can you embody in your next report to Congress an appeal for an appropriation of $7,000 or $8,00[0] to roof the Casa Grande ruin, to fence 40 acres, and make excavations of all the mounds in the vicinity for the purpose of learning the history of the wonderful people who once lived here and erected the buildings and built canals? * * * * * Very sincerely, yours, Isaac T. Whittemore, _Custodian Casa Grande_.

II. _Indorsement of the Mr Whittemore's by the Acting Secretary of the Interior_

Department of the Interior, _August 7, 1895_.

Respectfully referred to the Director of Bureau of Ethnology for consideration of so much of within letter as relates to the Casa Grande ruin, and such recommendation as the facts may warrant, and report.

Wm. H. Sims, _Acting Secretary_.

III. _Letter of the Acting Director of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Interior suggesting an examination of Casa Grande with a view of its further protection_

Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology, _Washington, August 28, 1895_.

Sir: Your request of August 7 for a report concerning a recommendation by Reverend Isaac T. Whittemore, under date of July 25, that provision be made for further protecting Casa Grande ruin, near Florence, Arizona, by the erection of a suitable roof, has been under consideration.

In many respects Casa Grande ruin is one of the most noteworthy relics of a prehistoric age and people remaining within the limits of the United States. It was discovered, already in a ruinous condition, by Padre Kino in 1694, and since that time it has been a subject of record by explorers and historians. Thus its history is exceptionally extended and complete. By reason of its early discovery and its condition when first seen by white men, it is known that Casa Grande is a strictly aboriginal structure; and archeologic researches in this country and Mexico afford grounds for considering it a typical structure for its times and for the natives of the southwestern region. Many other structures were mentioned or described by the Spanish explorers, but the impressions of these explorers were tinctured by previous experience in an inhospitable region, and their descriptions were tinged by the romantic ideas of the age; very few of these structures were within the limits of the United States, and nearly all of these situated in the neighboring republic of Mexico disappeared long ago; there is hardly a structure left, except Casa Grande ruin, by which the early accounts of Spanish explorers in North America can be checked and interpreted--none other of its class exists in the United States. Casa Grande ruin is, therefore, a relic of exceptional importance and of essentially unique character.