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August 19, 2000 <br />To Whom it May Concern: <br />My comments pertain to historic and prehistonc sites on approximately 6,000 acres of Colorado <br />State School Trust Land located 6 miles south of Pueblo, Colorado, and recently leased by the state to <br />the Rio Grande Portland Cement Co., for a proposed cement plant and strip mine. <br />I was invited to walk the area of concern south of Lime Road along the Greenhorn Creek and the <br />St. Charles River by Judy Pierce about 10 years ago as there were several sites she wanted me to see. <br />We followed what is now the Burtwngton Northern Santa Fe Railroad tracks and focused our attention on <br />the area east of the tracks and along the bluffs. We saw lime kilns and building remains that t judged to be <br />from the nineteenth century in origin. These appeared to be associated with the Brno kin industry and of <br />an individual entrepreneurial activity rather than as part of a large company operation. All of the kilns and <br />associated buildings were located along the bluffs east of the rail road tracks and on the terraces <br />overlooking the streams. <br />I have also done historic research in the archives of this area and found evidence of human <br />settlements in the nearby area. One plat I researched included a horse race track, and I have heard reliable <br />reports of a cemetery, possible Hispanic, somewhere in the area of the confluence of the St. Charles River <br />and Greenhorn Creek. There are also reports of other burials and campsites in the general area. including <br />the land being teased by Rio Grande from the state. <br />Bas on my research, I know there is evidence of historic settlement throughout the area of the <br />pr^c.,aed cement plant arid strip mine. I Ce" ' ,M Baer: a rrz y prehi`:xic sites as well There Is <br />little Lance that on a 6,000 acre ate there are no sites wkxttay of uwv gatlon. <br />A thorough survey should be made ct °°*a Land the state is leasing before srp rr. ::°lrg and <br />p;o ,:o on- related activityetroy these va;ua :4e sties. Once Tey are destroyed, they w4I be cione <br />forever, and no one wig ever know what was lost. The walk - over conducted by Rio Grande's consultant <br />(V. Ruth Pinney) reporting that nothing was fc jxid an the large parcel of leased land should not be <br />re.abte, aburrw.'rl e i e: or n man aready nc' id in t wee. <br />Sinwrety, <br />William Buckles, Ph.D. <br />