USA > Arizona > History of Arizona, Vol. III > Part 10
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"Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage."
All of these appropriations were payable in currency which, at that time, was worth some- where about fifty cents on the dollar in gold.
Congress was memorialized, first to increase the per diem of the members of the Legislature from $3.00 per day in currency, to $8.00 per day, and that an addition to the salaries of the Gov- ernor, Secretary, and Superintendent of Indian Affairs of the Territory, of not more than fifteen hundred dollars be allowed, and an addition to the salaries of each of the three Territorial Judges of not more than fifteen hundred dollars be allowed, and that the salary of the United States District Attorney be increased to two thousand dollars, and that the salary of the United States Marshal be increased to fifteen hundred dollars, and that the pay of the United States District Clerks be increased to fifteen dol-
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lars per day, and that the pay of the United States Grand Jurors be increased to eight dollars per day.
The salaries received by the officials of the new territory are not set forth in the organic act but as that act expressly adopted all the terms and provisions of the organic act of New Mexico not inconsistent with the provisions of the or- ganic act of Arizona, the salaries of the officials of Arizona were fixed by New Mexico's act in 1850, and were as follows:
Governor, $1,500 per annum ; Secretary, $1,800 per annum; Attorney, $250 per annum; Marshal, $200 per annum and fees, and three justices of the Supreme Court at $1,800 each. The members of the Legislature were to hold annual sessions of 40 days, at a compensation of three dollars for each member, and mileage at the rate of three dollars for 20 miles. In 1854 the salary of the Governor was increased to $3,000, and that of the judges by $500.
The Legislature also memorialized Congress asking that an appropriation of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the placing of the In- dians of the Colorado on a reservation, be made, such Indians being the Yavapais, Hualapais, Mohaves and Yumas, numbering about ten thou- sand, who, the memorial recited, were scattered over an extent of country from the Gila River on the south to the northern boundary of the Territory, and from the Colorado River on the west to the Verde River on the east; that these Indians were roaming at large over the vast ter- ritory described, gaining a precarious subsistence from the small patches of land along the Colorado River, which they cultivated, and from fishing
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and hunting; that when the seasons were unfavor- able to their little farming interests, or the Colo- rado did not overflow to irrigate and enrich their fields, they were reduced to a starving condition, and compelled by necessity to make raids upon the stock and property of the whites, and not infrequently did they ambush the traveler and miner, and waylay and stampede the stock of trains and plunder their packs and wagons.
Congress was also memorialized for an appro- priation of $250,000 for the organization of vol- unteers or rangers in the Territory, to aid in the war against the Apaches, and also for an appro- priation of $150,000 for the improvement of the navigation of the Colorado River from Yuma to the mouth of the Virgin River, from which latter point, the memorial recited, there was a fine natural road, a distance of only three hun- dred and fifty miles to Salt Lake City, and that by this route the Government, as well as private transportation could be furnished in a much shorter time, and at less cost, than by any other route; that if the navigation of the river were improved, it would accommodate the general Government, and greatly increase and hasten the development of the vast mineral and other re- sources of the Territory.
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CHAPTER VII. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S TREATMENT OF ARIZONA.
CONGRESS DISREGARDS APPEALS OF ARIZONA FOR AID SYLVESTER MOWRY'S PROTEST AGAINST GOVERNMENT TAKING OVER MINES-JUDGE HOWELL'S LETTERS-NAVIGATION OF COLO- RADO RIVER-ACTIVITIES OF DELEGATE CHAS. D. POSTON IN CONGRESS-HIS SPEECH IN CONGRESS.
It shows how utterly regardless Congress was of the needs of Arizona when it is stated that none of the memorials set forth in the preceding chapter were acted upon. It was right that the per diem of members of the Legislature should be increased, because three dollars a day in cur- rency did not pay their board in Prescott at that time. Board alone, without room rent, was from fifteen to twenty dollars in gold per week, and the increase in the salaries of the officers asked for was certainly not exorbitant.
The gathering in of the Indians along the Colorado River upon one reservation where they could be protected from the aggressions of the whites, and which would have afforded the whites protection against the raids of the Indians, was certainly something which Congress should have acted upon immediately, for while Congress set aside seventy-five thousand acres on the Colo- rado for an Indian Reservation, it made no provision whatever, so far as I can find, for a survey, the digging of canals for irrigating and the settlement of the Indians upon the reserva- tion, consequently, for all practical purposes the
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S TREATMENT. 145
setting aside of the land was useless. The In- dians were left to roam at will over their former territory, and, being without means of subsist- ence, were compelled to prey upon their white neighbors, which resulted in the uprising of what Carleton called the peaceful tribes and the in- auguration of a war which for ferocity and bru- tality is not paralleled by the war which ended in the subjugation of the Apaches, and lasted for at least ten years until they were finally con- quered by General Crook and placed upon the reservations. Had Congress acted upon the ad- vice of Arizona's delegate, thousands of lives would have been saved and millions of dollars worth of property have been preserved to the white settlers and that part of the country would have been more rapid in its development.
The exploration of the Colorado River by Lieut. Ives was undertaken by the Government to ascertain if a feasible route could not be found by which Salt Lake City could draw her supplies from the head waters of the Colorado. This was demonstrated, and the town of Callville, near the Virgin River, was established, and was a forwarding point into Salt Lake City for many years, but Congress would appropriate no money to improve the navigation of the Colorado River, nor did it act upon the petition asking for an appropriation of $250,000 to aid in subduing the Apaches, notwithstanding at this time the United States troops were practically withdrawn from the Territory, and the defense of their homes and holdings was left almost entirely in the hands of the settlers.
It will be seen by the correspondence of Gen- eral Carleton that he advised the taking over of
10
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mining properties in Arizona and New Mexico by the government, and leasing them to oper- ators, and also, by the Governor's message, that he advised the Legislature to enact a law that any prospector who discovered a mining property, should locate a claim adjoining the discovery claim for the Territory, this claim to be sold and a sum accumulated therefrom for the raising of militia to operate against the Apaches. At that time there was a good deal of discussion over this matter in Congress, prob- ably arising from the letters of General Carleton.
Sylvester Mowry, in a letter to the New York World, under date of April 25th, 1864, says that: "In July, 1863, the President of the United States directed the United States Mar- shal for the Northern District of California to take possession of the New Almaden Quicksilver Mine. General Wright, commanding the De- partment of the Pacific, was ordered to furnish troops to enforce the seizure. The Marshal and the troops proceeded on their errand, and found the mine fortified against attack. Did they seize the mine ? By no means. The excitement throughout the State was intense. The present Governor, F. F. Low, leading bankers, mer- chants and capitalists, telegraphed to Washing- ton, 'For God's sake, withdraw the order to seize the New Almaden, or there will be a revo- lution in the state,' and the President of the United States recalled the order."
In the same letter Mr. Mowry says: "A reso- lution has been introduced in the House of Representatives authorizing the President of the United States to take possession of the mines of Colorado and Arizona. Various other propo-
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sitions have been made, all looking to the best mode of devising a revenue from the mineral lands for the support of the general govern- ment." He vigorously protested against the seizure of the mines by the government or the imposition of any unnecessary and burdensome taxation, and, pertinently, asked the question : "Why does not the resolution include the State of California and the Territories of Nevada, Idaho and New Mexico. In all these the pre- cious metals are mined to a great extent on public lands. If the President is to take possession, in the name of the United States, of a mine in Ari- zona or Colorado, it follows by inevitable logic that he must do so throughout all the public lands."
This letter was followed by one to the "New York Herald," printed May 4th, 1864, upon the same subject, in which Mr. Mowry particu- larly referred to a proposition made by Sen- ator Conness of California, proposing that a tax of 5% be levied upon all bullion, gold or silver, refined at the mint, coupled with a law prohibiting the exportation of unstamped bul- lion, which amounted to a tax of five per cent upon the gross proceeds of all mines.
These resolutions in Congress failed of pas- sage, and are only noted here to show the convic- tion at that time, which was shared in by General Carleton, that the government could raise suffi- cient money from the operation of the placers and other mines of Arizona to pay the National debt, and it was only natural that Governor Goodwin should share to some extent in this feeling, and desire that Arizona should derive a large income from her mines through the sale of
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HISTORY OF ARIZONA.
claims located by every discoverer of a mining property.
It is a fact, I think, that can hardly be questioned, that those who accepted office in Arizona under the Federal Government, did not do so for the meagre salaries allowed, but ex- pected to grow up with the country and to estab- lish their individual fortunes through the ac- quisition of mining property. To one of them this certainly was an incentive, as the following letters written by Judge Howell, the author of the Howell code, to his friend in Michigan, show :
"Territory of Arizona.
"Office of the United States Supreme Court. "Tucson, 19 Feb. 1864.
"Hon. Wm. A. Richmond,
"Dear Sir :- Your favor of Nov. - from New York reached me by express, en route from Fort Whipple to this place on the 13th inst.
"The express contained several letters for John, whom I left at the fort for the purpose of going into the mines with Surveyor-General Bashford. The Walker mines where they go are so destitute of water, that I think they will soon return. John has a full three months' supply for any place.
"I tendered him the Clerkship of this (First Judicial District) and before I left he informed me he would accept, and be here within four weeks. I think he can make it worth a thousand dollars a year, and will enable him to make a standpoint to emerge from when circumstances justify.
"This country is fabulously rich in gold and silver, but by far the richest portion is kept from
JUDGE WM. T. HOWELL.
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being worked by the hostility of the Indians. Should a systematic, effective policy of protec- tion be adopted, the world would be astonished at the result. The treasures are untold, and the government can safely issue five hundred millions more of 'Greenbacks' and look to this region for their redemption with confidence, if the miners can only have the privilege of protecting them- selves by an organization to be known as 'Miners' Corps' and furnished with ammunition and rations, without wages, and placed under the general charge of competent superintendents.
"They would clear the country, (say 2,000 men), pay themselves from the earth, and prove more efficient than three times that number of armed troops.
"Theorize as much as you please, and some such measure must be adopted before it will prove effective.
"The presage has gone forth that the Apaches are unconquered, but the miners have 'cleaned them out' wherever they have gone in force, and they are the only men that have ever succeeded in doing so.
"As I cannot answer half the letters of in- quiry I receive, I may yet write on the subject for general information.
"Very truly yours, "W. T. HOWELL."
"Tucson, 9 March, 1864.
"Hon. Wm. A. Richmond,
"Dear Sir :- Your favor of the 4th January is just received by express.
"As I informed you in my last, John is yet in the mines, but I expect to hear from him daily. He has the refusal of the Clerkship here, worth
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more than all the other Clerkships in the Terri- tory.
"Now for minerals: I have travelled five hun- dred miles in the Territory, and been fifty days on the road. While Indian hostilities continue, the silver mines of the southern portion are much surer and safer than any other, as we have suffi- cient protection to work them. Every day fur- ther develops their richness and extent. South- ern Arizona and Sonora contain the mother de- posits of silver on this continent. A silver mine once opened and tested is a safe and permanent investment. The deeper you go the wider and richer. Gold leads are apt to run out, break off suddenly, and become 'spotted,' as it is termed.
"Now for the modus operandi:
"Mines are discovered, tested, found rich and stock immediately created and sold in such a di- luted condition that the investment is unprofit- able. For instance, the expense of travel agen- cies, discovery, testing and all would not exceed from ten to twenty thousand dollars by non- residents. If the stock was made from one to two hundred thousand dollars, according to the test, it would be profitable, but instead of that it ranges from a quarter to two millions of dollars, and the whole profits absorbed in the first in- stance. Now for a 'peep behind the curtain.' A resident here having the facilities can procure a mountaineer or miner to furnish him a lead for which after it is opened and proves good, he will have to pay him from one to four hundred dollars. A shaft can be sunk fifty feet from 4 to 7 dollars per foot. The depth of thirty feet se- cures the mine against all the world, and at that
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depth you can judge of its extent and richness. If you proceed, a simple machine and two mules, which will test and pay as you go, will be all that is necessary. If all is right at thirty feet, at fifty you have a mine the stock of which at one hundred thousand dollars, would be worth more than dollar for dollar, and be permanent.
"All this would cost not to exceed fifteen hun- dred dollars by a resident here and not more than one thousand if lucky the first trial. This is the real-the Wall Street speculators the ideal.
"Keep out of Wall Street, as the fountain head can be reached much cheaper through the right channel.
"This information is for your benefit-not to be made public, but to those only who wish to try their luck.
"The best way to reach here is by water on the Pacific side. From San Francisco to the near- est port on the Gulf, and then by land. As this country has been overrun by Indians until now, and, consequently, produce is scarce, I cannot advise a large influx of population unless by way of California, and they should bring their sup- plies with them from that State.
"As our express does not go east under ten weeks, I send this via San Francisco as an ex- periment. Will attend to any matters and ren- der any assistance in my power.
"Yours very truly, "W. T. HOWELL."
In our day the author of such a letter would be subject to indictment for fraudulent use of the mails.
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HISTORY OF ARIZONA.
Vein mining at that time was little understood. Holes in the ground in Nevada, in the Reese River and other districts, not over ten feet deep, were being sold at from fifteen thousand and to fifty thousand dollars each, and, naturally, the furore extended to every territory where min- eral was found.
The Governor in his message called atten- tion to the navigation of the Colorado River. As before stated, a memorial was passed by the Legislature asking Congress to appropriate money for its improvement, which, like every- thing else coming from Arizona in the way of a petition to the Government, to alleviate condi- tions there, was passed over in silence. The Colorado River, as is seen by the memorial, was navigable as high as Callville, a post established near the mouth of the Grand Canyon, which was the shipping point for several years into Utah. Mining, as we have seen, was being prosecuted to a great extent along this river up to Bill Will- iams' Fork.
About the latter part of the year 1863, or some time in 1864, the date not being fully established, Capt. W. H. Hardy, one of the pioneers of Mo- have County, established a ferry and toll road, and also a store, at Hardyville, which, for about nine months in the year, was the head of naviga- tion on the Colorado River, and which was about 150 miles from Yuma. Freight was discharged at this point and transferred by team to Prescott and other points in the north.
The town of Ehrenberg, first designated as Mineral City, according to Hinton, was founded by an association in March, 1863, of which Her- man Ehrenberg was elected surveyor. In 1867
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it was resurveyed, and called Ehrenberg. A ferry was established there in 1862, and from this point goods were transferred to Weaver and other points in Arizona.
In order to encourage the California Volun- teers to make a little money on the side, General Carleton, in a communication to the Adjutant- General of the United States Army at Washing- ton, D. C., said :
"I have sent four companies of California Volunteers to garrison Fort West, in the Pinos Altos gold regions. I beg to ask authority to let, say, one-fourth of the command at a time have one month's furlough to work in the gold mines on their own account. In this way the mines and the country will become developed, while the troops will become contented to remain in service where the temptation to leave is very great."
Comparatively little is generally known of the activities of Charles D. Poston, Arizona's first Delegate to Congress, but the Congressional Globe, covering the 2d Session of the 38th Con- gress, shows that the "Father of Arizona," as Mr. Poston was known lovingly to his contempo- raries, did all that was possible for one in his position, and secured from an unwilling govern- ment everything possible for Arizona. On De- cember 13th, 1864, he introduced, by unanimous consent, a bill to provide for the settlement of private land claims in the Territory of Arizona ; which was read a first and second time by its title, and referred to the Committee on Private Land Claims. On December 21st, 1864, he intro- duced, also by unanimous consent, the following resolution, which was read, considered, and agreed to :
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"Resolved: That the Committee on Foreign Affairs be directed to inquire into the expediency of making an appropriation for the purpose of colonizing the Friendly Indians of Arizona on a reservation to be selected from the public lands."
January 25th, 1865, was a busy day for Mr. Poston. On that day, by unanimous consent, he submitted the following resolution, which was read, considered, and agreed to :
"Resolved: That the Committee on Public Lands be, and they are hereby, instructed to in- quire into the expediency of adopting the code of mining laws passed by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Arizona hereto appended."
The papers accompanying the resolution were ordered to be printed.
On the same day, Delegate Poston presented the memorial and joint resolution of the Legisla- tive Assembly of the Territory of Arizona, ask- ing Congress to increase the pay of members of the Legislative Assembly and Territorial Judges, and other officials; which were referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and or- dered to be printed.
At the same time Mr. Poston presented the memorial of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Arizona, asking of Congress an ap- propriation of $150,000 for placing the Indians of the Colorado on a reservation; which was re- ferred to the Committee of Ways and Means, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Poston also presented the memorial of the Legislative Assembly of Arizona, asking an ap- propriation of $150,000 for the improvement of the navigation of the Colorado River; which was
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referred to the Committee on Commerce, and or- dered to be printed.
He also presented the memorial of the Legisla- tive Assembly of the Territory of Arizona, ask- ing of Congress an appropriation of $250,000 in aid of the war against the Apaches; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, and ordered to be printed.
He also presented the following resolutions and memorials of the Legislature of the Terri- tory of Arizona: Requesting arms; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs and ordered to be printed. Resolution request- ing mail facilities; which was referred to the Committee on the Postoffice and Post Roads, and ordered to be printed. Joint resolution instruct- ing the Delegate from the Territory to ask of Congress the appointment of commissioners to fix the boundary line of the Territory of Arizona and other Territories; which was referred to the Committee on Territories, and ordered to be printed. A memorial asking for a change of the boundary line between Arizona and the State of California, which was referred to the Committee on Territories, and ordered to be printed.
On February 3rd, 1865, Mr. Poston, by unani- mous consent, introduced a bill for the organiza- tion of the Territory of Arizona into a land dis- trict; which was read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee on Public Lands.
In the discussion on the General Appropria- tions Bill, on the 2nd day of March, 1865, Mr. Poston moved to amend the bill by inserting the following clause :
"For colonizing friendly Indians in Arizona on a reservation on the Colorado River and sup-
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plying them with implements of husbandry and seeds to enable them to become self-sustaining, the sum of $150,000, to be extended under the direction of the Commissioner of Indian Af- fairs," and, on the same day, Mr. Poston made the following speech in Congress :
"Mr. Chairman, Arizona, more than any other Territory of the United States, rises to the dig- nity of historic fame; it is even prehistoric, reaching far back into the dim traditions of the Aztecs. As everywhere else on earth, the his- tory of man is here distinctly marked by the struggle between civilization and barbarism. The Aztecs lived in continual warfare with the barbarous tribes of the mountains, and their de- scendants to this day maintain the warfare be- queathed to them by their ancestors. The Az- tecs were peaceable, industrious Indians, living by the pursuits of agriculture, dwelling in com- munities, and exercising a system of government with eminent principles of justice. The barbar- ians of the mountains were their natural foes and finally drove them into southern Mexico, leaving only a few degenerate descendants in the north.
"The Spanish explorers found a very interest- ing race of Indians in that part of the continent now belonging to the United States and desig- nated as the Territory of Arizona. A knowl- edge of this remote people was first given to the European world by the romantic expedition of Cabeza de Vaca, who crossed the continent from the savannas of Florida, to the mountains of New Mexico in 1538. In these remote regions he found a people bearing evidences of European origin and practicing many of the arts of civili-
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zation. They were supposed to be the descend- ants of the colony of the Welsh Prince Madoc who sailed from Wales for the New World in the eleventh century-celebrated in song by Southey. They are now called Moquis, and I beg leave to call attention to their present condition as de- scribed in an official report of Colonel Christo- pher Carson, first cavalry, New Mexican Volun- teers.
" 'Headquarters Navajo Expedition, " 'December 6, 1863.
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