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MEMOIR OF THE PROPOSED TERRITORY OF ARIZONA.

BY

SYLVESTER MOWRY, U. S. A., DELEGATE ELECT.


WASHINGTON: HENRY POLKINHORN, PRINTER. 1857.

"The NEW TERRITORY of ARIZONA, better known as the GADSDEN PURCHASE,
lies between the thirty-first and thirty-third parallels of latitude,
and is bounded on the north by the Gila River, which separates it from
the territory of New Mexico; on the east by the Rio Bravo del Norte,
(Rio Grande), which separates it from Texas; on the south by Chihuahua
and Sonora, Mexican provinces; and on the west by the Colorado River of
the West, which separates it from Upper and Lower California. This
great region is six hundred miles long by about fifty miles wide, and
embraces an area of about thirty thousand square miles. It was acquired
by purchase from Mexico, during the mission of General Gadsden, at a
cost of ten millions of dollars. In the original treaty, as negotiated
by General Gadsden, a more southern boundary than the one adopted by
the Senate of the United States in confirming the treaty, was conceded
by Santa Anna. The line at present is irregular in its course, and cuts
off from our Territory the head of the Santa Cruz river and valley, the
Sonoita valley, the San Bernardino valley, the whole course of the
Colorado river from a point twenty miles below the mouth of the Gila
river, and, worse than all, the control of the head of the Gulf of
California, and the rich and extensive valley of Lake Guzman, besides a
large and extremely valuable silver region, well known both to Mexicans
and Americans--the planchas de la Platte. General Gadsden's line
included nearly all the territory south of the Gila river to the
thirty-first parallel of latitude--all the advantages above
mentioned--gave us the mouth of the Colorado river, and probably a port
near the head of the gulf at Adair's Bay. We have no accurate survey of
the west coast of the Gulf of California, but I am strongly of opinion
that the original line conceded by Mexico would have thrown a portion
of the gulf into American hands, by cutting off an arm of it extending
east and north from the main body of water. A port on the gulf is of
great and immediate necessity to our Pacific possessions. Of this
hereafter.

The proposed boundaries, of the Territory of Arizona, are the 34th
parallel of latitude, with New Mexico on the north, from the 103d
meridian west to the Colorado; Texas on the east; Texas, and the
Mexican provinces of New Mexico and Sonora on the south; and California
on the west. The new Territory would thus contain within its borders
the three largest rivers on the Continent, west of the Mississippi--the
Rio Grande, Gila, and Colorado of the west, and embrace 90,000 square
miles.

The Gadsden purchase is attached by act of Congress to the Territory of
New Mexico. At the time of its acquisition there was scarcely any
population except a few scattering Mexicans in the Mesilla valley, and
at the old town of Tucson, in the centre of the territory. The Apache
Indian, superior in strength to the Mexican, had gradually extirpated
every trace of civilization, and roamed uninterrupted and unmolested,
sole possessor of what was once a thriving and populous Spanish
province.

Except the report of Col. A. B. Gray, there is scarcely anything in
print with reference to the early history of Arizona, beyond the scanty
but valuable notes of Major Emory and Hon. John R. Bartlett, in their
reports, and in the appendix to Wilson's late book, "Mexico and its
Religion." To this last I beg to refer any reader who desires accurate
information respecting the Northern Mexican provinces, presented in a
straightforward common-sense style.

In the possession of the writer of these notes is a map drawn in 1757,
just one hundred years ago, presented by the Society of Jesuits to the
King of Spain. The original of this map is now in the archives of the
Mexican Government. It was copied, with the notes relating to the
Territory, and to Sonora, Chihuahua, and Sinaloa, by Capt. C. P. Stone,
late of the United States Army. The map bears the inscription, "Carte
levee par la Societe des Jesuites, dediee au Roi d'Espagne en 1757."

The copy of the map and the accompanying notes are certified as
accurate by the officer of the Mexican Government in charge of the
archives.

My information, therefore, upon the early history of this comparatively
unknown domain, is accurate and reliable. As early as 1687, a Jesuit
missionary from the province of Sonora, which, in its southern portion,
bore already the impress of Spanish civilization, descended the valley
of Santa Cruz river to the Gila. Passing down the Gila to its mouth,
after exploring the country, he retraced his steps, penetrated the
country north of the Gila river for some distance, and ascended the
Salinas or Salt river, and other northern branches of the Gila. The
explorations of this energetic priest did not stop here. Proceeding
east, he explored the valley of the San Pedro and its branches, thence
along the Gila to the Mimbres, and probably to the Rio Grande and the
Mesilla valley. Filled with the enthusiasm of his sect, he procured
authority from the head of the order in Mexico, and established
missions and settlements at every available point. In a report to the
government of the viceroy of Spain, made during the early settlement of
the province, I find the following language: "A scientific exploration
of Sonora, with reference to mineralogy, along with the introduction of
families, will lead to a discovery of gold and silver so marvellous
that the result will be such as has never yet been seen in the world."

The reports of the immense mineral wealth of the new country, made by
the Jesuits, induced a rapid settlement. There are laid down on the map
before me more than forty towns and villages. Many of these were of
considerable size. There were a few north of the Gila, and several on
the lower Gila, near the Colorado. The Santa Cruz and its tributary
valleys teemed with an agricultural and mining population. Thousands of
enterprising Spaniards cultivated the rich valley of the San Pedro, and
scattered settlements flourished at every suitable stream and spring at
the foot of the mountains towards the Rio Grande. The notes before me
say: "All these settlements and missions were founded in fertile
valleys, and by streams and springs, which produced luxuriant crops of
wheat, corn, and beans, and in many parts grapes and other foreign
fruits were cultivated."

In the western part of the Territory were the missions of St. Pierre,
St. Paul, St. Matthias, St. Simond, St. Francisco, Merci, the ranches
of Eau Cheri, Eau de la Lune, and others; on the Santa Cruz the
missions of San Xavier del Bac, Santiago, San Cayetano, and San
Philipe, the towns of Tueson, Tubac, Reges, San Augusta, and many
others. San Xavier del Bac is still in existence. It is a mission
church of great size and beauty, magnificently ornamented within; forty
thousand dollars in solid silver served to adorn the altar. Upon the
San Pedro river were the missions of St. Mark, San Salvadore, San
Pantaleon, Santa Cruz, and the towns of Quiduria, Rosario, Eugenia,
Victoria, and San Fernando--the latter at the mouth--with many more. To
the east some small settlements were found on the Valle del Sauz, on
the Mimbres, at the copper mines north of the Mimbres, and to the south
the immense grazing and stock-raising establishment of San Bernardino,
where since have been raised hundreds of thousands of cattle and
horses. The Indians in the vicinity of the missions were reduced first
to obedience by the Jesuits, and then to slavery by the Spaniards.

The notes referred to above contain the names and localities of more
than a hundred silver and gold mines which were worked with great
success by the Spaniards. The survey of the Jesuit priest about 1687
was repeated in 1710 with renewed discoveries, and consequent accession
of population. From this time up to 1757 the conquest and settlement of
the country was prosecuted with vigor, both by the Jesuits' Society and
Spanish government.

The missions and settlements were repeatedly destroyed by the Apaches,
and the priests and settlers massacred or driven off. As often were
they re-established. The Indians at length, thoroughly aroused by the
cruelties of the Spaniards, by whom they were deprived of their
liberty, forced to labor in the silver mines with inadequate food, and
barbarously treated, finally rose, joined with tribes who had never
been subdued, and gradually drove out or massacred their oppressors. A
superior civilization disappeared before their devastating career, and
to day there is scarcely a trace of it left, except scarcely visible
ruins, evidence everywhere, of extensive and hastily-deserted mining
operations, and the tradition of the country. The mission of San Xavier
del Bac, and the old towns of Tueson and Tubac, are the most prominent
of these remains. The labors of the Jesuits to civilize the Indians are
still evident in the mission Indians, the Papagos and Pimas, who live
in villages, cultivate crops of corn and wheat, and who, in the
Christian and human elements of good faith and charity, are, to say the
least, in no way inferior to the Mexicans. After the massacre of four
of Crabbe's unfortunate party near Sonoita by the Mexicans, the Papago
Indians buried carefully the bodies to which Mexican inhumanity had
denied this last charitable office. It is a curious and suggestive fact
that the latitude of places upon Gila, Santa Cruz, and San Pedro,
determined by the Jesuits about 1750, has lately been verified by the
observations of Park Michler, and Emory. The instruments used by the
Jesuits were constructed by them, the lenses being made from pebbles.

From 1757 down to 1820, the Spaniards and Mexicans continued to work
many valuable mines near Barbacora, and the notes in my possession
speak of many silver mines, most of which contained a percentage of
gold. "The San Pedro gold mine in 1748 was worked with extraordinary
success." Among the mines anciently worked, as laid down in the
authorities heretofore referred to, were the Dolores, San Antonio, Casa
Gordo, Cabrisa, San Juan Batista, Santa Anna, (which was worked to the
depth of one hundred and twenty yards,) Rosario, Cata de Agua,
Guadaloupe, Connilla, Prieta, Santa Catarina, Guzopa, Huratano, Arpa,
Descuhidara, Nacosare, Arguage, Churinababi, Huacal, Pinal, and a great
number of others which it would only be tedious to mention.

The most celebrated modern localities are Arivaca, (also anciently
famous as Aribac,) Sopori, the Arizona mountains, the Santa Rita range,
the Cerro Colorado, the entire vicinity of Tubac, the Del Ajo, or
Arizona copper mine, the Gadsonia copper mine, and the Gila river
copper mines. These last are situated directly upon the Gila, only
twenty-five miles from its mouth. The writer assures the public that
there is no room for doubt as to the authenticity of these statements,
or the immense resources of the new Territory in silver, copper, and
probably gold. As late as 1820, the Mina Cobre de la Plata, (silver
copper mines,) near Fort Webster, north of the Gila, were worked to
great advantage; and so rich was the ore that it paid for
transportation on muleback more than a thousand miles to the city of
Mexico.

Every exploration within the past few years has confirmed the
statements of the ancient records. The testimony of living Mexicans,
and the tradition of the country, all tend to the same end. Col. A. B.
Gray, Col. Emory, Lt. Michler, Lt. Parke, the Hon. John R. Bartlett,
late of the United States Boundary Commission, all agree in the
statement that the Territory has immense resources in silver and
copper. Col. Emory says in his report:

"On account of the Gold Mania in California I kept the search for gold
and other precious metals as much out of view as possible, scarcely
allowing it to be a matter of conversation, much less of actual search.
Yet, enough was ascertained to convince us that the whole region was
teeming with the precious metals. We everywhere saw the remains of
mining operations, conducted by the Spaniards, and more recently by the
Mexicans."

The report enumerates at considerable length the various localities
examined by Col. Emory's party, and others, of which there could be no
doubt.

In view of these authorities, it is hoped that those who will not
believe upon any evidence, will be content in their own incredulity.
The most authentic reports of these immense mineral resources have been
used as authorities against their existence. The authors of these
denials either have never read what they pretend to quote, or think no
one else has. The Hon. T. Butler King, who was the first to reveal to
an incredulous public the wonders of the California gold mines, has had
the singular good fortune to be also among the first to publish correct
and authentic information relating to the silver treasures of Arizona.
His report upon the resources of the new Territory has all the charm to
the reader that his California report had, and its brilliant
predictions will be as fully realized. To Gray and Emory is the country
most indebted for the earliest and most important discoveries.

The agricultural resources of Arizona, are sufficient to sustain a
large mining population, and afford abundant supplies for the great
immigration which will follow the development of its mineral resources.
The whole valley of the Gila, more than four hundred miles in length,
can be made with proper exertion to yield plentiful crops. The Pimos
Indians, who live in villages on the Gila, one hundred and seventy
miles from its mouth, raise large crops of cotton, wheat, and corn, and
have for years supplied the thousands of emigrants who traverse the
Territory en route to California. These Indians manufacture their
cotton into blankets of fine texture and beautiful pattern, which
command a high price. They also grind their corn and wheat, and make
bread. In fact, the Pimos realize in their everyday life something of
our ideas of Aztec civilization. A town will probably grow up just
above the Pimos villages, as there is a rich back country, and the
streams afford a valuable water power for running mills.

The valley of the Santa Cruz traverses the territory from South to
North, sinking near the town of Tueson, and probably finding its way to
the Gila, as a subterranean stream. This valley, of the richest land,
is about one hundred miles long, in many places of great width, and has
on each side of it many rich valleys of limited extent, watered by
streams from the mountains, which flow into the Santa Cruz. The valleys
and Ranches of Arivaca, Sopori, Calabazas, and Tueson, are those at
present most thickly settled. These produce all the fruits known to a
Southern clime--grapes, wheat, corn, and cotton in great abundance. The
San Pedro river and valley is also one of great richness, and is
reported by Lieut. Parke as capable of sustaining a large population.
The Valle de Sauz, still farther East, more limited than the San Pedro
or Santa Cruz, can be made available for a considerable population. The
Mimbres River also can, by a small outlay, be made to irrigate a large
surface and supply a moderate settlement. The various springs laid down
by Gray, Emory, Parke, and Bartlett, will all afford water for small
settlements, and their supply can be much increased by a judicious
outlay of money. The Rio Grande valley is very rich, and in places of
great width. The Mesilla valley already contains a population of about
five thousand souls, and there is ample room for many more.

If, as proposed, the Northern boundary of the Arizona Territory should
enclose the Northern branches of the Gila, an agricultural region will
be opened to settlement sufficient in itself to sustain the population
of an immense agricultural State. Col. Bonneville, who is now at the
head of a large force exploring this region, writes to the Secretary of
War that it is the finest country he has ever seen, "valleys capable of
sustaining a population of twenty thousand each, teeming at every step
with evidences of an immense population long ago-and an ancient and
superior civilization." The Hon. John R. Bartlett says of the
"Salinas," one of the Northern branches of the Gila, that it alone will
supply food for a great State. It must be recollected, in this
connection, that the great mineral wealth of Arizona will call for and
amply repay for the redemption and expensive cultivation of all the
available lands, and that irrigation produces immensely greater crops
than the other method of planting. Throughout the whole of Utah,
irrigation has been resorted to with the greatest success. The soil in
Utah, in no place that the writer saw it, could in any way be compared
to that of the bottom lands of Arizona.

Captain Whipple in his valuable report of exploration for the Pacific
Railroad, published by order of Congress, crossed the upper part of the
region alluded to, and which is watered by the Rio Verde and Salinas.
He fully sustains me in my remarks on those rich valleys.

"We are in the pleasantest region we have seen since leaving the
Choctaw country. Here are clear rivulets, with fertile valleys and
forest trees. The wide belt of country that borders the Black Forest,
and probably extends along the Rio Verde to the Salinas and Gila, bears
every indication of being able to support a large agricultural and
pastoral population. The valley of the Rio Verde is magn