USA > New Mexico > History of New Mexico : its resources and people, Volume II > Part 4
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Among the men who came to New Mexico and located in Albuquer- que during the early stages of the development of that city and who were eye witnesses of and active participants in its upbuilding for nearly a quarter of a century, was James A. Summers. Mr. Summers was born in Glengarry, province of Ontario, Canada, November II, 1832. His mother was a representative of a New York family, and it was but nat- ural that the son should lean toward republican institutions. He received a good education in the schools of Canada and in the academy at Frank- lin, New York. Leaving home in 1854, he went to California, evidently in the hope of winning a fortune from the gold fields. For some time he engaged successfully in placer mining in Tuolumne county. In 1861 he returned to the east and entered the mercantile trade in Canada; but the great west appealed so strongly to him that he could not resist its call and a few years later he returned as far as Rosita, Colorado, where for three years in the early seventies he served as county clerk.
Soon after the construction of the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad as far west as Albuquerque, the news of the remarkable growth of the vigor- ous young town reached Mr. Summers and he soon after yielded to the temptation to cast his lot with that of the New Mexico pioneers. Arriving in Albuquerque in the spring of 1882, he soon afterward entered the em- ploy of the railroad company in its general offices there. After a service of four years with that corporation he resigned to become deputy probate clerk of Bernalillo county under F. H. Kent, continuing in that position under Henry V. Harris and J. C. Baldridge, occupying the post for eleven consecutive years. In 1898 he was nominated for the office of pro- bate clerk by the Republican party, was elected, and through successive re-elections filled the office until his death, February 12, 1906.
The official records of that office during his régime are, as investi- gation will disclose, undoubtedly the most cleanly kept and the most sys- tematic and business-like of any in the entire territory. During the last three or four years of his public service, following the erection of Sandoval county, which had formed a part of Bernalillo, the duties of the office were most onerous, and the labor devolving upon Mr. Summers and his assistants reached the maximum in the history of the office. In his earn- est endeavor to complete the work of bringing all the records of both counties down to date within a reasonable time, Mr. Summers was com- pelled to overwork, and this, coupled with his somewhat enfeebled health due to close confinement at a sedentary occupation, and an affection of the heart of several years' standing, undoubtedly shortened his life-pos- sibly may have been primarily responsible for his death.
Mr. Summers was a Mason in excellent standing, a member of the Presbyterian church, and highly esteemed for the numerous fine traits of his character. He was an extremely popular man among all classes, not only by reason of the general recognition of his integrity and ability, but also on account of his abounding good-fellowship. He was a stanch Republican, casting his first vote for John C. Fremont in California, in 1856, but a citizen of rare liberality in his view of political matters when considering local affairs. September 18, 1866, he was united in marriage with Jane Robertson, of Martintown, Ontario, Canada, who survives him. Their children are: James A., of Los Angeles, California, a mes- senger in the employ of the Wells-Fargo Express Company; David A.,
James a. Ammmars
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of Douglas, Arizona, an engineer in the employ of the El Paso-South- western Railway; Maude L., wife of F. B. Schwentker, of Albuquerque, manager of the Conservative Life Insurance Company for New Mexico and Arizona; Ida B. and Melville R. Summers, of Albuquerque. The latter is secretary of the John M. Moore Realty Company.
The years of 1901 and 1902 were marked by the construction and opening of the handsome new depot of the Santa Fé Railroad at Albu- querque, followed by the opening of the Alvarado Hotel in May, 1902, and of the Indian Museum and Indian and Mexican Building of Fred Harvey in August of the same year. The hotel, which is generally considered to be the most picturesque of any of the railroad hotels and eating houses in the world, is of frame, covered with gray stucco, and the architecture is of the so-called "mission style." South of and connected with the hotel is the Indian and Mexican Building. The building was not designed by the railway company until after the erection of the hotel, was well under way, and when plans for the latter were being made there was no thoughit on the part of the company or the managers of the great Harvey system of constructing.such a pretentious building for the housing of Indian and archaeological collections. This establishment, which has been the gen- eral headquarters of the Harvey curio trade since its erection, is the great- est institution of its kind in the world, without doubt. In its general architectural style it is similar to the Alvarado, the ancient California missions furnishing the idea to its architect. Since its opening similar places, though their scale is more limited, have been built at Williams, Arizona (1903), and at El Tovar, at the Grand Canyon of Arizona ( 1905), the latter being an exact replica of the prehistoric Hopi houses of north- eastern Arizona. A remarkable feature of the structure at the Grand Canyon is that it was finished entirely by the Hopi Indians, who were largely employed in its construction also. It is built exactly as these Indians build their own homes. not a nail or a hinge being found in the entire edifice.
The Harvey Curio Rooms contain not only many thousands of dol- lars' worth of modern Navajo blankets, baskets, pueblo pottery, bead work, silver work, etc., but here are also to be found priceless archæologi- cal treasures, the delight of connoisseurs from all parts of the world. At the present time the building contains about twenty collections, some of them being of more than usual interest, and, indeed, rivaling in point of scientific value those in eastern institutions. A large proportion of the objects of the museum were gathered from the standpoint of a scientific collection. These collections have been constantly added to from time to time, as occasion offers, and are being supplemented by other collections. The museum contains no miscellaneous material, nor material which has not been properly identified, both as to tribe and locality, and this forms the basis of the classification. To characterize adequately the existing collections, would be a task of no small proportion. It will, perhaps, be of greater interest to indicate the regions of North America, which are represented, than to give a categorical list of the collections. In this man- ner it will be seen that practically all of the great areas of culture in North America are represented by one or more collections and in a more or less adequate manner.
. . The Eskimo, or Arctic region: This area is represented by a col-
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lection secured many years ago from tribes of Alaska, living in the neigh- borhood of Port Clarence. While the collection may by no means be re- garded as complete, the specimens are all genuine and of considerable age. Of special interest are a group of over twenty-five throwing sticks and about twenty Aleut masks. There is also an interesting collection of basketry, comprising about thirty specimens.
The northwest coast: There are four cellections from this area. Of these the largest is from the Haida. In addition to a number of interest- ing old carved and painted chests, feast dishes and spoons, are several specimens of basketry and about fifteen masks, among which are several exceedingly rare and valuable specimens. A collection of carved spoons is of unusual interest, and has been made by selecting only the best speci- mens from about two hundred. There are also several very interesting and highly carved rattles.
The Tlinkit tribes are represented by over thirty specimens of bask- etry, all old and of native design, among which are several of unusual merit.
From the Kwakintl are exhibited about twenty masks worn in cere- monial dances and all genuine and of considerable antiquity.
Columbia basin: The region just south of and adjacent to the north- west coast county is represented by a collection of some fifty Thompson and Frazer river baskets, and about thirty Klikitat baskets, both of un- usual merit, and by a collection of about two hundred specimens from the neighborhood of The Dalles, Oregon. In this latter collection are to be found nearly every kind of objects used by these people, including a hand- some series of stone specimens, among which are several interesting carv- ings.
California: In the collection representing California, basketrv nat- urally predominates. The largest of all these collections, and perhaps the most valuable single collection in the entire museum, is that from the Pomo. This collection contains a rare and complete series of objects il- lustrating the arts and interests of the Pomo and a remarkable collection of Pomo baskets, numbering about four hundred specimens and compris- ing every known form of weave, design and shape, as well as all the traps and appliances used by the Pomo in harvesting, fishing, etc. Of unusual interest in the Pomo collection is a raft-like boat made of tule, bearing a superficial resemblance to the balsa of Lake Titicaca. The sec- ond in value only to the Pomo collection, and certainly second in the museum in point of beauty and completeness, is that from the Hupa, who occupy a small valley in the northwest corner of California. In addi- tion to the unusually complete collection illustrating the daily and cere- monial life of the Hupa and an especially interesting series of ceremonial ancient costumes, is a collection of Hupa baskets, numbering about eighty specimens, forming, perhaps, the most valuable collection of Hupa baskets in existence.
Other regions of California are represented by basket collections only ; such are the Tulare, Wintum. Maidu, Washoe, Mono, Chimehuevi, etc.
Central Plateau : From this locality is a single collection made from the Paiute Indians of Oregon, which comprises about forty specimens, all typical representatives of a condition which has now entirely disappeared. The southwest, or Pueblo region: This great area is represented
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by three collections-that from the Hopi being of considerable magni- tude, and importance, and numbering about four hundred specimens. The most valuable single category of objects in this collection is a series of about one hundred and fifty tihus or dolls, among which there are prac- tically no duplicates, and all of which are carefully identified. In the collection is also a large number of interesting ceremonial masks worn by men representing Hopi deities. Also of unusual value is a complete series of costumes, such as are worn both by men and women in ordinary and ceremonial life. The prehistoric life of the Hopi is represented by an interesting collection of about one hundred ancient earthenware ves- sels from ruins lying between Holbrook and the Hopi villages of today. Among these specimens are several of rare form and design.
The Navajos, near neighbors of the Hopi, are represented by two collections, both believed to be unique. The first collection comprises about forty ceremonial trays, containing a large number of designs not ordinarily seen in the so-called Navajo ceremonial basket. The second collection and undoubtedly the crowning feature of the Albuquerque col- lections, both in point of value and of general interest, is the old Navajo blankets, which represent the best and choicest of the thousands of blank- ets purchased by Fred Harvey during a number of years past. All of these specimens have been selected on account of their age, beauty of design and weave. In addition there have been recently purchased and added to this collection three famous collections that have taken from twenty-five to thirty years in gathering. Those who have viewed the blanket col- lection declare it to be the finest and largest in existence. This collection was awarded the grand prize at St. Louis Exposition in 1904.
The Great Plains: From this region are collections which illustrate the life of five prominent tribes typical of this great area. First in im- portance is that from the Arapaho, one of the best known tribes of the plains. This collection is especially noteworthy for the large number of ceremonial objects, such as complete costumes, representing the different orders of the Buffalo Woman's Society and the paraphernalia of the War- rior Societies. These two groups of societies are not exceeded in interest by those of any of the plains tribes.
The Cheyenne, close allies to the Arapaho. are represented by a col- lection which comprises typical specimens of Cheyenne life of twenty years ago.
The most complete representation of the plains tribes is from the Crow, a prominent member of the Sionan stock, living in Montana. Espe- cially interesting in this collection is a large number of objects manu- factured from buffalo skins, such as war medicine shields, medicine pouches and cases, saddle blankets, horse trappings, etc. The Crow collection also includes a large group of objects devoted to medicine.
From the Osage has been secured a collection which is, perhaps, as extensive and as representative as is possible to be made in this tribe today. Of the greatest interest in this collection are two sacred medicine bundles, which it is believed are the only specimens, except one, of this phase of Osage religion, to be found in any museum.
There is a single collection from the Sioux proper, gathered from the Ogallala band, probably the largest and best tribe of the Dakota Sioux. This collection consists entirely of the highest types of beaded buckskin
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objects, and is especially rich in the large number of full-beaded pouclies which usually go in pairs, and were extensively used by plains tribes as traveling cases while on the march; today they are used largely as re- ceptacles for clothing in permanent camps. Many of these are made of elk or buffalo hide.
While some of these collections may be regarded as practically fin- ished, yet every effort is being made to increase in efficiency and value each and all of the collections, and it is expected that they will be supple- mented by other collections equally important and representative of the culture areas above mentioned.
To add to the attractiveness of the museum and especially to illus- trate the manner in which certain ceremonial paraphernalia is employed, there has been installed in the center of the museum a faithful repro- duction of the Oraibi snake dance altar. This is neither the most im- portant nor most interesting ceremony among the Hopi, but it is cer- tainly the most spectacular, and has been visited by the greatest number of white visitors, and hence was selected for production. One of the inter- esting features of the altar is a dry sand mosaic about four feet square, made of concentric squares of four colored bands of sand. Occupying the space and enclosed by these bands are symbols of the mountain lion and of the serpents of the four world quarters. Various accessories of the altar also have been reproduced-such as the bags used by the priests when upon the snake hunt. the jar in which the snakes are confined after being brought into the Kiva or ceremonial chamber, the snake whips used by the priests, both upon the snake hunts and during the public per- formances, the bull roarers and lightening shooters.
There has also been installed an interesting screen, The Balolokong Kihu, Water Serpent House, which is used by the Hopi in an evening ceremony in their various kivas.
Some one has written, "The crowning feature at Albuquerque, both in point of value and in general interest, is undoubtedly the old Navajo Blanket Collection,-the beautiful rose-colored bayettas, the soft old dyes and fine weaves said by experts to have no equal-which represent the best and the choicest of the many blankets purchased by Fred Harvey. In addition there was acquired a year or two ago and added to this col- lection three other famous collections that have been from twenty-five to thirty years in gathering. Those who have viewed the blanket collection state it is the finest in existence. Rare old Navajo blankets are superior in softness of coloring and quaintness of design to the antique rugs of the Orient. Every year old Oriental rugs are imported in large quantities. The old Navajos are practically extinct." The management of the Albu- querque institution is in the hands of Herman Schweizer, who acts as the direct representative of J. F. Huckel, the general manager.
Mr. Schweizer, who has been identified with the Harvey system for ten years, is recognized as one of the authorities on Indian wares and curios in this country. He is a native of Germany, but has resided in this country for seventeen years. Few residents of the southwest are more widely known by eastern tourists. He has been in charge of the Albu- querque house since its establishment.
The Baca family in New Mexico is numerous, and many of its repre- sentatives have occupied positions of distinction. That branch of the
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family residing in the northern part of the territory is descended from Pedro Montes de Oca Vigil de Santillana. Through him his son, or his grandson, Jose Vigil, became heir to the Piedra Lemebre grant of 48,336.12 acres, situated in Rio Arriba county. Jose Vigil, one of the most promi- nent native inhabitants of Rio Arriba county in his day, married Rosa Martinez de Vigil. Their youngest daughter, Rosita, married Jose Man- uel de Baca, and they had the following children : Ramona B., Tafoya, Soledad Romero, Trinidad Romero, Felipe Baca and Jose Manuel Baca. Felipe Baca, who was born in Rio Arriba county, married Dolores Gonzales, a native of Taos county. Their children were : Dionicia Abeyta, Juan Pedro, Lucy. Apolonia Archibald and Grogaria, all deceased, and Catarina B. Salas, of Mora county ; Rosa Padilla and Louis, of Trini- dad, Colorado; Felix Baca, of Albuquerque, and Dr. Facundo Baca, of Park View, New Mexico.
Felix Baca was born in Trinidad, June 7, 1868. He was graduated from the law department of the Northwestern University at Chicago in 1889, and practiced his profession in Trinidad until 1893. In 1893 and 1894 lie was located in Albuquerque, and from the latter year to 1904 remained in practice in Trinidad. Since 1904 he has followed his profes- sion in Albuquerque. In politics he is a Republican. Mr. Baca was mar- ried in 1894 to Ida Wootton, a daughter of Richens Wootton, one of the most widely known pioneers of the southwest.
Wallace Hesselden, contractor and builder of Albuquerque, has been one of the most potential and practical builders of the modern metropolis of New Mexico. Aside from his private undertakings as a contractor he is connected with the Superior Lumber & Planing Mill Company and the Standard Plumbing & Heating Company. Born at Halifax in 1858, son of William and Sarah, he came to New Mexico from Yorkshire, England, in 1883, and first engaged in his trade at Las Vegas, where he erected the San Miguel county court house and the Jewish synagogue. Since 1888 he has been located in Albuquerque. In that city he erected the handsome Commercial Club building, the county jail, the public library building, the Columbus Hotel, the Strong block, the Whiting block, and many of the finest private residences in the city, including those of Hon. B. S. Rodey, Fred J. Otero, Dr. J. F. Pearce, Ivan Grunsfeld, Adolphus A. Keen and J. W. Johnson. He also erected the buildings of the School of Mines at Socorro, the territorial buildings at Belen and furnished the government Indian school buildings at Black Rock, on the Zuñi Pueblo Indian reservation. The character and importance of the work that he has done in this direction is indicative of the prominent position which he occupies in building circles, and moreover stands in proof of his su- perior ability and understanding of the great scientific principles which underlie his work as well as his practical knowledge of the business in all of its details.
Mr. Hesselden was one of the organizers of and is a director in the Commercial Club, and was at one time president of the Fair Association, and for two years was a member of the Albuquerque city council. He is also a charter member of the Elks lodge, and his identification in these various organizations indicates the character of the man and his interest in those measures which are a matter of civic pride and lead to substan- tial improvement.
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Ben Myer, now a member of the real estate firm of Wootton & Myer, is one of the oldest and most widely known among the pioneer inhabitants of Albuquerque. He was born in Germany, and at the age of seventeen years came to the United States. In 1862 he was a resident of Louisville, Kentucky, but soon after his arrival his relatives in that city sent him to California to prevent him from following his inclination to enlist in the Confederate army. In Solano county, California, he was engaged in mer- chandising for twelve years, and during his residence there was married in San Francisco in 1872. In the fall of that year the gold excitement at Denver attracted him to the latter city, where he established a grocery store. Soon afterward he sold this business and went to Trinidad, where for a few months he bought wool for the firm of Nusbaum & Epstein. In the summer of 1874 he drove to Santa Fé and thence made his way to Old Albuquerque in August of that year. For several years he continued to buy wool for the Trinidad firm, and in the meantime, in 1876, he estab- lished a general store on the Rio Puerco, twenty-five miles west of Albu- querque, where he remained until 1882, being the first of the eastern men to locate in business in that vicinity.
In the fall of 1882 Mr. Myer returned to Albuquerque and entered the real estate business in the growing new town, and four years later began acting as attorney for numerous individuals who had claims against the United States government on account of Indian depredations. Since that time he has handled about six hundred thousand dollars in claims of this character, and has secured many adjustments in favor of his clients. Claims aggregating about two hundred thousand dollars are still pend- ing before the United States court of claims.
Mr. Myer is a charter member of the Masonic lodge, in which he is a past master.
Rev. William Daily Clayton, a retired minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, now living in Aubuquerque, came to New Mexico in 1883. He was born at what is now Clayton, St. Louis county, Missouri, in 1838, the town having been named in honor of his father, Ralph Clay- ton. who gave one hundred acres for the county seat, and who lived there, a most respected citizen, for sixty-three years.
The children of Rev. Clayton are: Dr. Edmund Mills Clayton, of Albuquerque : William Moore Clayton, a practicing attorney, and a daugh- ter, Delia McKnight, at home.
Rev. J. D. Bush was the first regular Methodist Episcopal minister in the new town of Albuquerque. Rev. Clayton prepared for the ministry in New Mexico, and is a graduate of Dickinson College of the class of 1863. He came to New Mexico in 1883. A few years afterward he en- tered upon the active work of the ministry and preached in New Mexico. He was located at Gallup for four years, at Cerrillos for two years, and was presiding elder of the district for three years. He afterward had charge of the churches at Watrous and Wagonmound (one charge), and later entered into superannuate relations of the church. Rev. Clayton was the first man to join the New Mexico conference, and is the only survivor of its original members who, up to the time of the organization, had been members of the Colorado conference.
Albuquerque Foundry and Machine Works, at Albuquerque, New Mexico, were established in 1884 by a stock company, and came under
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the present management in 1887. The present company is a close corpora- tion, consisting of R. P. Hall, his wife and daughter, Mr. Hall owning and controlling it completely. He came into New Mexico from Missouri twenty-six years ago, or in July, 1880. He was born in New York, and for some years was a resident of Wisconsin. When he arrived in the Territory he was employed on the construction of the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, and so continued up to the time that he purchased the foundry, in 1887. At one time the plant was greatly injured by fire, but he imme- diately resumed business, and the same spirit of determination and enter- prise has been manifest throughout his business career. The foundry gives steady employment to about fifty men the year round. Mr. Hall was a county commissioner for two terms. being nominated for the office 011 threc tickets, and many progressive public movements were instituted and carried through during his term of office.
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