History of Arizona and New Mexico, 1530-1888, Volume XVII, Part 55

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe, 1832-1918; Oak, Henry Lebbeus, 1844-1905
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: San Francisco : The History Company
Number of Pages: 890

USA > Arizona > History of Arizona and New Mexico, 1530-1888, Volume XVII > Part 55
USA > New Mexico > History of Arizona and New Mexico, 1530-1888, Volume XVII > Part 55

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38 West was at Yuma in Nov. 1861, guarding the ferry and keeping a sharp lookont for rebel messengers and correspondence; for it appears that the Texans were in constant communication with sympathizers in Cal., who sent not only information but aid and men,

515

THE CALIFORNIA COLUMN.

It seems to have been on May 20th that Lieuten- ant-colonel West with the advance of the California column raised the stars and stripes again over Tucson. Captain Hunter had retreated to the Rio Grande, losing several men and much property on the way in a fight with the Apaches. The Californians left a garrison at the Pima villages, naming the post Fort Barrett in honor of the only officer killed by con- federate bullets in Arizona. Forts Buchanan and Breckenridge were reoccupied, the latter being re- named Fort Stanford, but both positions were pres- ently abandoned, as the sites were undesirable and the buildings had been destroyed. A post was also established at what was later called Camp Lowell seven miles from Tucson. There was a hard fight with the Indians at Apache Pass in the east, and there Fort Bowie was established. Early in June Colonel Carleton arrived at Tucson, where in an order of the 8th he proclaimed the news of a territorial organization by congress, and declared the territory under martial law. Good order was easily preserved, the most violent rebel partisans having departed with Hunter, all being required to take the oath of alle- giance, turbulent and undesirable characters being easily driven away by threats of arrest for disunion sentiments, and a few union men finding their way back from Sonora. Some 20 political prisoners were arrested and sent to California, one of the number being no less a personage than Sylvester Mowry, cap- tured at his Patagonia mine, which was confiscated. He was accused of having given aid and encouragement to the rebels; but probably certain personal jealousies and the spirit of the time, requiring reprisals for some of Hunter's acts, were the real causes of his arrest; at any rate, after a long imprisonment he was acquitted on trial, and his property seems to have been at least nominally restored to him.

Carleton was made brigadier-general, and a little later put in command of the department. From June

516

THE GADSDEN PURCHASE.

to August a large part of the California troops were transferred to New Mexico, where they did good ser- vice in the following years in garrison and Indian service. A part of the force was left to garrison the Arizona posts under Major David Fergusson, who was made commandant of the western district, Major Theodore Coult also serving for a time in that capa- city. During this and the following years the soldiers fought the Apaches and prospected the country for precious metals, but there was nothing in their ad- ventures requiring special notice here.89

39 No complete and detailed narrative of the operations of the Cal. col- umn has ever been published so far as I know, though such a work would have much interest as a contribution to the history of the war as well as to that of Cal., Ariz., and N. Mex. I have prepared my resume mainly from correspondence in the San Francisco and Los Angeles newspapers, most of which is collected in Hayes' Scraps, Ariz., i., v., passim, especially v. 325-84. Capt. Cremony's Life among the Apaches contains some details of adventures with the Indians in this campaign; and I think C. was also the correspond- ent of the Alta. See also Arizona Hist. (Elliott & Co.), 74-9, 251-2. On the Mowry mine confiscation, see also U. S. Govt Doc., 38th cong. Ist sess., Sen. Doc. 49.

Among the works relating wholly or mainly to the Gadsden purchase in 1854-63, the most important are those written by Sylvester Mowry, who went to the country as a lieut. in the U. S. A. in 1855, became an enthusiast in all pertaining to the territory's advancement, purchased and worked the Patagonia or Mowry silver mine, was twice elected delegate to congress, but was finally arrested on account of his southern proclivities. The first of his published works was the Memoir of the Proposed Territory of Arizona, by Sylvester Mowry, U. S. A., delegate elect, Wash., 1857, Svo, 30 p., and map. It con- tains a description of the country with its mineral wealth and other resources drawn from the author's personal knowledge and from the explorations of Col A. B. Gray of the boundary survey; an argument on the territory's necd of protection and government; extracts from the corresp. of such men as Poston, Douglas, Oury, Warner, Fitzgerald, and Ehrenberg; and a petition signed by 500 citizens. Next was The Geography and Resources of Arizona and Sonora; An Address before the American Geographical and Statistical Society. By Hon. Sylvester Mowry, of Arizona. New York, February 3, 1859. Published by the Society. Wash., 1859, 8vo, 47 p. This covers in a sense the same ground as the Memoir, but gives more information on early history, on the Indians, and on the state of Sonora, containing as an appendix extracts from the speech of Jefferson Davis in the U. S. senate, Jan. 1859, on the Pacific Railroad bill, favoring the 32d parallel route. The Geography, etc. By Sylvester Mowry, of Arizona, graduate of the U. S. military academy at West Point, late lieutenant third artillery, U. S. A., corresponding member of the American Institute, late U. S. boundary commissioner, etc .... A new edition with appendix. S. F. and N. Y., 1863, Svo, 124 p. The title is self-explanatory. This edition contains besides the original address a preface written after con- gress had passed the territorial bill. The new appendix gives, Ist, the history of the country and its mines since 1859, including the author's arrest and re- lease after six months, with severe criticism of Gen. Carleton's course through- out the campaign; 2d, 'the mines of Arizona,' by F. B(iertu), Feb. 1861, a description of the various mines and their prospects; 3d, about 50 p. on the

517

MOWRY, POSTON, AND BROWNE.

mines of Sonora and Chihuahua; 4th, a note on the Apaches, 'devils,' or 'wolves.' The author says 'the Apaches are not a serious obstacle to the working of mines in Arizona. The danger to be apprehended is on the roads; and this can be avoided by ordinary caution ... There is only one way to wage war against the Apaches. A steady, persistent campaign must be made, fol- lowing them to their haunts-hunting them to the "fastnesses of the moun- tains." They must be surrounded, starved into coming in, surprised, or inveigled-by white flags or any other method, human or divine-and then put to death. If these ideas shock any weak-minded individual, who thinks himself a philanthropist, I can only say I pity without respecting his mis- taken sympathy. A man might as well have sympathy for a rattlesnake or a tiger;' and 5th, letters from S. W. Inge, C. E. Bennett, Joseph Lane, John C. Hays, John Nugent, and Miguel A. Otero, on the wealth, population, and needs of the country. A 3d edition is entitled Arizona and Sonora; the geog- raphy, history, and resources of the silver region of North America. By Sylves- ter Mowry of Arizona, etc. Third edition revised and enlarged. N. Y., 1864, 12 mo, 251 p. Besides new notes by the author, this ed. contains a chapter from Ross Browne's work, and an extract from Ward's Mexico. It also in- cludes as one of its chapters a reprint of the following pamphlet: The Mines of the. West. Shall the government seize them? The mining states. How shall they be taxed ? By Sylvester Mowry of Arizona. N. Y., 1864, 8vo, 16 p., from the N. Y. Herald. In the form of this final 3d edition Mowry's Ari- zona is doubtless the best work published down to 1864, and hardly excelled by any published since.

Charles D. Poston was another prominent pioneer, whose writing on his- torical subjects have not, however, the book form. Poston's Narrative, form- ing chap. xxiv. of Browne's Adventures, is an extract from his original MS. journal, describing his first tour through Arizona in 1854. Poston's Remi- niscences, covering in a sense the period from 1854 to 1864, was an article contributed to the Tucson Citizen of April 15, 1884, and reproduced in Arizona History, 207-10. These brief sketches have much interest and value, but it is unfortunate that we have no more complete record of this pioneer's recollec- tions. The author is an intelligent, active, and somewhat eccentric man. The Speech of Charles D. Poston, of Arizona, on Indian affairs, delivered in the House of Representatives, Thursday, March 2, 1865, N. Y., 1865, 8vo, 20 p., is explained by the title. In later years he published The Sun-worshipers of Asia. By Charles D. Poston. Reprinted from the London edition. S. F., 1864, 16mo, 106 p., the materials for which 'lecture were collected during an official visit to India, China, Japan, etc., accredited by the govt of the U. S.' Still Iater appeared Apache-land. By Charles D. Poston, of Arizona. S. F., 1878, 12mo, 141 p., with portrait. This is a poem not without merit, though some of the rhymes and measures would make an Apache's hair stand on end.

Adventures in the Apache country: a tour through Arizona and Sonora, with notes on the silver mines of Nevada. By J. Ross Browne, author of, etc. Illus- trated by the author. N. Y., 1871, 12mo, 535 p. (292 p. on Arizona), is a work which, though describing a visit in 1863-4, belongs historically here, since it describes the country's condition as it was after the disasters described in this chapter, and before the work of regeneration had made much progress, besides narrating incidentally many events of the preceding years. The work was first published in Harper's Magazine, xxix .- xxx., 1864-5. The author accompanied Poston in his tour as Indian agent; his skill as a writer is too well known to require notice here; and though his ridicule aud sarcasm, as applied to certain matters, have been regarded by some as injurious to the interests of Arizona and Nevada, yet no other work gives so vivid and inter- esting or more accurate account of the country as it actually was. Of it, in conclusion, he says: 'I believe it to be a territory wonderfully rich in min- erals, but subject to greater drawbacks than any of our territorial possessions. It will be many years before its mineral resources can be fully and fairly de- veloped. Emigration must be encouraged by increased military protection; capital must be expended without the hope of immediate and extraordinary

518

THE GADSDEN PURCHASE.

returns; civil law must be established on a firm basis, and facilities of com- munication fostered by legislation of congress. No country that I have yet visited presents so many striking anomalies. With millions of acres of the finest arable lands, there was not a single farm under cultivation; with the richest mines, paper money is the common currency; with forts innnmerable, there is scarcely any protection; with extensive pastures, there is little or no stock; with the finest natural roads, travelling is beset with difficulties; with rivers through every valley, a stranger may die of thirst. Hay is cut with a hoe, and wood with a spade or mattock. In January one enjoys the luxury

of a bath as under a tropical sun, and sleeps under double blankets at night. There are towns without inhabitants, and deserts extensively populated; vegetation where there is no soil, and soil where there is no vegetation. There are Indians the most docile in North America, yet travellers are mur- dered daily by Indians the most barbarous on earth. The Mexicans have driven the Pápagos from their southern homes, and now seek protection fro:n the Apaches in the Papago villages. Fifteen hundred Apache warriors, beaten in every fight by the Pimas, Maricopas, and Pápagos, keep these and all other Ind. closed up as in a corral. Mines without miners and forts with- out soldiers are common. Politicians without policy, traders without trade, store-keepers without stores, teamsters without teams, and all without means, form the mass of the white population.'

Across America and Asia. Notes of a five years' journey around the world and of residence in Arizona, Japan, and China. By Raphael Pumpelly, pro- fessor in Harvard University, and sometime mining engineer in the service of the Chinese and Japanese governments. Third edition revised, N. Y., 1870, 8vo, 454 p. (67 p. on Arizona), illustrations and maps. The author went to Ari- zona in 1860, to take charge as mining engineer of the Sta Rita silver mines, and was driven out by the Apaches in ISol, many of his companions being killed. As a description of the country visited, as a narrative of personal experiences, and as a philosophic view of topics connected with Indian affairs, social conditions, etc., Pumpelly's work merits high praise. On the Indian question he writes: 'One cannot but look upon the history of our intercourse with the original owners of our country as a sad commentary on the protes- tant civilization of the past two centuries. .. The example of duplicity set by the early religious colonists of New England has been followed by an ever- growing disregard for the rights of the Indian ... While our forefathers made at least a show of paying the natives for the land taken from them, there is now not even a pretence of such compensation ... As by far the greater number are solely hunters, the area necessary to their support is out of all proportion to that required for the subsistence of an equal number of agricul- turists. With the influx of a mining population, the Indians, unable to encroach upon the territory of neighboring tribes, are gradually driven to the most barren parts of the mountains, and with the disappearance of game are reduced to the verge of starvation. Whether they oppose bravely at first the inroads of the whites, or submit peacefully to every outrage until forced by famine to seek the means of life among the herds of the intruder, the re- sult is the same. Sometimes hunted from place to place in open war; some- times their warriors enticed away under peaceful promises by one party, while a confederate band descends on the native settlements, massacring women and children, old and young; they are always fading away before the hand of violence. No treaty or flag of truce is too sacred to be disregarded, no weapons too cruel or cowardly to be used or recommended by Americans. Read the following quotation from a late work [Mowry as quoted in this note]. I have quoted this passage because it expresses the sentiment of the larger part of those directly interested in the extermination of the Indians, who are exercising a constant pressure on the govt, and making healthy and just legislation in the matter impracticable. If it is said that the Indians are treacherous and cruel, scalping and. torturing their prisoners, it may be an- swered that there is no treachery and no cruelty left unemployed by the whites. Poisoning with strychnine, the wilful dissemination of the small-

519

COZZENS AND DUNBAR.

pox, and the possession of bridles braided from the hair of scalped victims and decorated with teeth knocked from the jaws of living women-these are heroic facts among many of our frontiersmen.'

The Marvellous Country; or, Three Years in Arizona and New Mexico, the Apaches' home. Comprising a description of this wonderful country, its immense mineral wealth, its magnificent mountain scenery, the ruins of ancient towns and cities found therein, with a complete history of the Apache tribe, and a description of the author's guide, Cochise, the great Apache war chief. The whole interspersed with strange events and adventures. By Samuel Woodworth Cozzens. Illustrated by upwards of one hundred engravings. Boston, etc. (1874), Svo, 532 p. The author visited the country in 1858-60, being interested in mines and taking some part in politics. He seems, however, to have drawn much of his matter from other sources, and the book is of a somewhat sensational type, written mainly to sell, though not grossly inaccurate.

American Pioneering, an address before the Travellers' Club. By E. E. Dun- bar (N. Y.), 1863, 8vo, 45 p. The author was interested in the Ajo copper mine from 1855-6. 'I escaped out of Arizona, a territory teeming with the precious and other metals, in the spring of 1858, and came to Washington, believing in my verdancy that I should be able to excite some interest for that most important but suffering and neglected frontier. I encountered a member of congress from one of the eastern states. He was puffing a cigar and toasting his feet before a good fire at Willard's Hotel. I approached this member of congress in my most bland and winning manner, and after begging his pardon ... recounted to him in thrilling tones and impressive manner the trials, difficulties, and dangers we were encountering in opening the new ter- ritory to civilization. The member of congress quietly heard what I had to say, and then coolly turning to me, inquired: "What the devil did you go to such a God-forsaken country for ?" This tells the whole story of my Wash- ington experience in attempting to excite an interest on behalf of Arizona.'

CHAPTER XXI. POLITICAL ANNALS OF ARIZONA.

1864-1887.

ORIGIN OF THE NAME ARIZONA-TERRITORIAL ORGANIZATION- A MIGRATING GOVERNMENT-AT NAVAJO SPRING-GOVERNOR GOODWIN AND CON- GRESSMAN POSTON-FIRST LEGISLATURE-SEALS-POLITICAL AFFAIRS- RULERS-THE CAPITAL QUESTION-PRESCOTT VERSUS TUCSON-ORIGINAL COUNTIES-MAP-BOUNDARY DISPUTE AT YUMA-STATISTICS OF POPU- LATION - IMMIGRATION - MORMONS - POWELL'S EXPLORATION OF THE COLORADO-WHEELER'S SURVEYS-FLOODS AND EARTHQUAKES-LISTS OF FEDERAL AND TERRITORIAL OFFICERS-MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND ASSEMBLY-RÉSUMÉ OF LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS.

Now that we have at last reached a period when our territory has legally a name of its own, it is well to devote a few lines to that name, mainly for the purpose of correcting prevalent errors respecting its origin. Arizona, probably Arizonac in its original form, was the native and probably Pima name of the place-of a hill, valley, stream, or some other local feature-just south of the modern boundary, in the mountains still so called, on the headwaters of the stream flowing past Saric, where the famous Planchas de Plata mine was discovered in the middle of the eighteenth century, the name being first known to Spaniards in that connection and being applied to the mining camp, or real de minas. The aboriginal mean- ing of the term is not known, though from the common occurrence in this region of the prefix ari, the root son, and the termination ac, the derivation ought not to escape the research of a competent student.1 Such

1 Prof. Alphonse Pinart told me that he had discovered the derivation of the name, hut I am not acquainted with his conclusions.

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521

THE NAME ARIZONA.

guesses as are extant, founded on the native tongues, offer only the barest possibility of partial and acci- dental accuracy; while similar derivations from the Spanish are extremely absurd.2 The oft-repeated assertion that the original Spanish form was Arizuma has no other foundation than a misprint in some old book or map. The name should properly be written and pronounced Arisona, as our English sound of the z does not occur in Spanish. Suggestions for the legal name were Arizuma, Arizonia, Pimería, and Gadsonia. Pimería would have been in some respects more appropriate than Arizona-as being of provin- cial and not merely local application-and quite as euphonious.

The territorial act having been passed by congress in February 1863, and officials appointed by Presi- dent Lincoln in March, the whole party of emigrant statesmen, headed by Governor John N. Goodwin of Maine,3 started in August for the far west, leaving Leavenworth on September 25th, Santa Fé Novem- ber 26th, and Alburquerque December 8th, under the escort of troops from Missouri and New Mexico. It was on the 27th that the party crossed the merid- ian of 109° into Arizona, and two days later in camp at Navajo Spring, the government was formally organized in the wilderness. The flag was raised and cheered; a prayer was said by H. W. Read; the oath

2 Of the former class may be mentioned the following: ari, 'maiden,' and zon, 'valley,' from the Pima; ara and sunea, or urnia, the sun's beloved, from the Mojave; ari, 'few,' and zoni, 'fountains;' ari, 'beautiful,' and the Spanish zona: Arizuma, Aztec for 'silver-bearing;' Arezuma, an Aztec queen; Arizunna, ' the beautiful;' Arizonia, the maiden queen or goddess who by immaculate conception gave being to the Zuñi Indians; also the meaning 'little creek ' is given. Of the second class we may note arrezafe, a country covered with brush-wood; árida zona, or an arid zone or region; and narizona, a big-nosed woman ! Accurate results are rarely, if ever, reached by the favorite method of seeking for similar sounds in various languages.

3 See official list at the end of this chapter. Of the original appointments, John A. Gurley of Ohio was governor, but died Aug. 18th, aud Goodwin was appointed on the 21st, Goodwin being succeeded as chief justice by Turner. John Titus of Penn. was the original district attorney, his place being taken by Gage before starting. The surveyor-geu., Bashford, was appointed May 26th.

522

POLITICAL ANNALS OF ARIZONA.

of office was taken by the officials; and a proclama- tion of Governor Goodwin was read, in which the vicinity of Fort Whipple, established only a month earlier by Major Willis of the California column, was named as the temporary seat of government; and here all arrived on January 22, 1864. In May the fort was moved some 20 miles to the south-west, and near it by July a town had been founded on Granite Creek to become the temporary capital. It was named Prescott, in honor of the historian.

Meanwhile the governor made a tour of inspection in the south, and other parts of the territory; by proc- lamation of April 9th three judicial districts were created, and the judges assigned;4 the marshal was instructed to take a census; and an election procla- mation was issued on the 26th of May. Accordingly, at the election of July 18th, there were chosen a council of nine members, and a house of eighteen ;5 also a delegate to congress in the person of Charles D. Poston.6 The legislature was in session at Pres- cott from September 26th to the 10th of November. Besides attending to the various routine duties, and passing special acts, some of which, for this as for other sessions, will be noticed elsewhere, this body adopted a mining law, and a general code of laws, prepared by Judge Howell, and called in his honor

4 The 2d district included all west of long. 114°; Allyn, judge, court at La Paz; Ist district, all east of 114°, and south of the Gila; Howell, judge, court at Tucson; 3d district, all east of 114°, and north of the Gila; Turner, judge, court (fixed a little later) at Prescott. On May IIth the gov. at Tucson appointed municipal officers for that town.

" See note at end of this chapter for members of this and later legislatures. 6 Poston, as supt ind. affairs, had not come to Ariz. with the rest, but by way of California, whence in company with Ross Browne-see Adven. in Apache Country-he made a tour for the inspection of the friendly Indian tribes, and the distribution of supplies furnished for the govt, subsequently continuing his tour for electioneering purposes. Poston seems to have been nominally a union candidate, and Charles Leib was another, W. D. Bradshaw being the democratic candidate. The customary charges of trickery and ras- cality, of secessionists masquerading as union men, of rebels, Sonorans, and Pápagos allowed to vote, while loyal teamsters and soldiers were denied the right, etc. There was also much hostility to the new government, the gar- rison at Ft Whipple in April signing a set of resolutions in which the terri- torial officials were accused of various shortcomings, such as selling for their own profit stores furnisheu by the govt. Hayes' Scraps, Cal. Politics, vi. 150; Id., Ariz., i., passim.

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THE LEGISLATURE.

the Howell Code, being based mainly on the codes of New York and California.7 It also divided the ter- ritory into four counties under the aboriginal names of Pima, Yuma, Mojave, and Yavapai;8 and adopted a territorial seal, though for nearly 20 years a dif- ferent seal appears to have been in use. Both are shown in the annexed cut.9

It is not my purpose to attempt any minute résumé or analysis of legislative proceedings. Much of the most important legislation was connected with Indian affairs, mining, and other subjects that will be noticed in other chapters; and at the end of this will be found a note, in which a few of the more notable measures adopted at the successive sessions are cited. In the same note is given a list of all federal and territorial officials from the beginning to 1885, together with the names of members and officers of both branches of the legislature at its thirteen consecutive sessions.10

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History of Arizona and New Mexico, 1530-1888, Volume XVII, Part 55

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe, 1832-1918; Oak, Henry Lebbeus, 1844-1905 Publication date: 1889 Publisher: San Francisco : The History Company Number of Pages: 890

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe, 1832-1918; Oak, Henry Lebbeus, 1844-1905
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: San Francisco : The History Company
Number of Pages: 890