The Repair of Casa Grande Ruin, Arizona, in 1891 | Page 5

action
of flying sand, and at the same time would not disfigure the ruin by
making the repairs obtrusive.
The broken-out lintels of openings were to be replaced, and the cavities
above them filled in with brick faced with mortar similar to the
underpinning.
The south wall, which was in a dangerous condition, was to be
supported by three internal braces, as shown in the plan, plate CXVII.
The longest brace or beam was necessarily of wood, as the wide range
of temperature in this region, even between day and night, would
produce so much expansion and contraction in an iron rod 60 feet long
that without some compensating device the wall would be rocked on its
base and its rapid destruction necessarily follow.
EXECUTION OF THE WORK

Appended to that portion of the sundry civil appropriation act approved
March. 2, 1889,[1] in which certain expenses of the United States
Geological Survey are provided for, is the following item:
Repair of the ruin of Casa Grande, Arizona: To enable the Secretary of
the Interior to repair and protect the ruin of Casa Grande, situate in
Pinal County, near Florence, Arizona, two thousand dollars; and the
President is authorized to reserve from settlement and sale the land on
which said ruin is situated and so much of the public land adjacent
thereto as in his judgment may be necessary for the protection of said
ruin and of the ancient city of which it is a part.
[Footnote 1: 25 Statutes, p. 961.]
On the 12th of April, 1889, there was a conference between the
Secretary of the Interior and the Commissioner of the General Land
Office looking to the execution of the law, and on the 16th of that
month the Commissioner submitted a statement on the subject, calling
attention to the fact that the appropriation would not be available until
July 1 following, and suggesting that a special agent should be sent out
to examine the ruin. This suggestion was approved, and on April 27,
1889, Special Agent Alexander L. Morrison, of the General Land
Office, was instructed to proceed to the ruins for the purpose of
investigating and reporting as to what method should be adopted for
their repair and protection. Mr Morrison was further instructed to report
"all the facts obtainable as regards said ruins of 'Casa Grande,' in order
that appropriate action may be taken by the Department for its
preservation."
On May 15,1889, Mr Morrison submitted a report to the Commissioner,
describing his journey, the location of the ruin, the ruin itself, and other
ruins in the vicinity. He stated that danger to the ruin was of three
kinds--(1) by vandalism, (2) by elements, (3) by undermining. He
recommended the construction of a roof and an underpinning of stone
for the walls. Finally, he gave some historical notes, and closed with a
peroration.
Mr Morrison's plans were found impracticable, as their execution

would require an expenditure of many times the sum appropriated, and
on September 23, 1889, all the papers in the case were transmitted by
the Secretary to the Director of the Geological Survey, "for appropriate
action under the clause of the act referred to, as being within the
province of your Bureau." It was ordered that the work be commenced
without the least delay, and November 27, 1889, Mr Victor Mindeleff,
of the Bureau of Ethnology, was detailed by the Director and ordered to
proceed to the ruin and report on the best means of repairing it and
protecting it from further destruction. He was also directed to make
other investigations in the vicinity, which have no relation to the
present case.
On July 1, 1890, Mr Mindeleff submitted a report. He described the
ruins of which Casa Grande is the type, and also Casa Grande itself. He
also made a statement of the condition of the ruin and suggested that
the main destruction "was due to the undermining of the walls, and
stated that much damage had been done by tourists. He recommended
(1) that an area about the ruin be fenced in; (2) that a man be located
permanently on the ground to watch the ruins; (3) that the ruins be
cleaned out; (4) that the walls be underpinned with brick instead of
stone, as previously suggested; (5) that the tops of the walls, after
removing several inches to afford a good bearing surface, be treated
with a coping of cement. It was regarded that this plan, if carried into
effect, would afford sufficient protection against the weather, but a plan
for a roof was submitted should such a structure be deemed desirable
and practicable. Mr Mindeleff also recommended a number of tie-rods
and beams, the replacement of the broken-out lintels, and the filling of
the cavities above.
This plan was approved in its