Old Tuoson. . .
Estelle M.Buehman
Tuoson, Arizona, 1911

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Copyrighted 1911
By
Estelle M. Buehman

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Preface

In the preparation of this little history of the Old
Pueblo, I have drawn material from Major S. R. De
Long's History of Arizona, Hamilton's Resources of
Arizona, Bishop Salpointe's Soldiers of the Cross,
and trespassed on Mr. Herbert Brown's knowl
edge of early events; particularly for descrip
tion of the building of the walled town and fort,
in presidio times. Of course no one can make up
history and I have gleaned from old newspaper
articles, cut out and preserved for many years —
and here and there whatever I could find. Have had
a great deal of trouble with the dates, as much
trouble with the dates as with the Indians, for
every author has his own; however, have sent
all the dates to the reservations with the In
dians — and if any reader of this book becomes dis
satisfied with the dates given, he may call up the
reservations and obtain any date he wishes, for
they are all there.

Photo by Buehman in 1874
MISSION ESCALA PURA, ON THE SANTA CRUZ RIVER

OLD TUCSON

CHAPTER I.
EARLY DISCOVERIES — ANTE-COLONIAL TIMES.
FOUNDING OF MISSIONS.
WERE one, on the Eastern campus of our
vast domain, to rise in an airship, far
above the lower air currents, and speed
ing his way on favoring breeze, far to the westward,
seeing, where the trail of the pioneer had already
grown obscure, the mystic land of our present
civilization, he would behold Tucson, a pearl set in
a land of blazing sands, of fertile valleys, and lode-
rich mountain treasures, surpassing the wealth of
Croesus, a land where religious warfare, educational
development, and Christian training, against savag
ery and cupidity, had brought to view glittering
spires, pointing the way to higher living among the
influences of schools, universities and churches.
Tucson, the oldest and largest town of Arizona,
on the main line of the Southern Pacific Railroad —
312 miles west of El Paso, and 500 miles east of Los
Angeles, has an elevation of 2,400 feet above
sea level, and its dry, healthful situation, with a cli
mate unequalled in any section of the country,
renders it an enjoyable and famous winter resort;
while the mountains surrounding the city, notably,
Mt. Lemon, 9,150 feet high, in the Santa Catalina
range; Old Baldy, 9,432 feet, in the Santa Ritas;
and Mt. Mica, 8,590 feet, in the Rincons, are equally
unsurpassed as a summer retreat. In all of these

S ODD TUCSON
mountains, within a radius of thirty miles from
Tucson, blankets are a necessity at night, even in
the very hottest of weather.
That our present modern city, under various
appellations of Tuquelson, Tuqueston and Tucson
(sometimes spelled Tuczon, Tuigson or Tuyson)
was for many centuries an old Indian village
there can be no doubt, for more than a quarter
of a century before the Spaniards founded San
Augustine, Alvar Nunez, with two other Span
iards, and a negro, Estevan or Estevancio, had in
the course of their wanderings set foot on Arizona
soil, and finally landing at Culiacan, in Sinaloa,
Mexico, so wrought upon the ambitions of the peo
ple, concerning the seven cities of Cibola (Moqui
and Zuni villages) both for material gain, and the
conversion of the natives, that an adventurous pio
neer, Padre Marcos de Niza, determined to satisfy
himself as to their truth or falsity — so early in 1539
the good Father, with a few followers, and guided by
Estevan, the Arabian negro who later came to grief,
set out in search of the seven cities. They passed
through the country of the Pimas, down the valley of
the Santa Cruz, by the present site of Tucson, thence
across to the Pima settlements on the Gila. Tucson
is a Pima word, and they pronounced it "Chook Son,"
and its meaning is said to be "Black Creek."
Diverging a moment from the direct history of the
town, to see the end of this expedition, we find that at
the Pima settlements the party being furnished with
guides and provisions, pushed on to the North and
East, until they came in sight of the first of the seven
cities. Father de Niza sent forward Estevancio to
notify the chief of their arrival, and peaceful mis-

OLD TUCSON 9
sion, but the hardy negro, falling into the illwill of
the Moqui Indians, who — claiming that he bewitched
their women — clubbed him to death, and the pious
Father, hearing of his guide's sudden demise, con
cluded that the heathen of that section were not in
a suitable frame of mind to receive Christian preach
ing, so set up the cross, naming the country the new
kingdom of San Francisco, and returned to Culiacan.
This Padre Niza was a Franciscan who, aside from
the reason already mentioned in accompanying the ex
pedition, came also for the purpose of Christianizing
the natives, and recording the progress and exploits
of the journey. If his account is true, it is more
than likely that a mission was even then founded at
Tucson, for in April of the following year, 1540, when
Coronado marched out of Culiacan, with nearly one
thousand men, most of them Indians — by the same
route as that taken by Alvar Nunez and his com
panions — he found at Tucson an Indian Rancherio
(settlement). This statement corresponds with the
account I saw elsewhere that a charter had been is
sued by the Spanish sovereign in 1552, for the
Pueblo of Tucson, but the document was mislaid for
a matter of three hundred years, or more, and then
discovered in the archives of the present Church of
San Xavier, which was erected on the site of an older
structure. However, this account may be mythical
in character, though said to be in the handwriting
of the old Padre Marcos de Niza; but while ques
tions of location and settlement may be more arch
aeological than practical in interest, yet when we,
on, or near the Pacific coast, hear about the Dutch
settlers of New York, the Pilgrim Fathers of New
England, the F. F. V.'s of Virginia, and the Hugue-

SAN XAVIER MISSION

Photo by Buehman

OLD TUCSON 11
nots of Georgia, Louisiana and the Carolinas, we
may be pardoned if we tell them that they were a
generation too late to be accounted true pioneers,
and that Arizona is entitled to the honor of being
the earliest European settlement in what is now
the United States of America.
Referring to Hamilton's Resources of Arizona we
find the next exploration of the territory was In
1582, and though no special mention is made of
Tucson, yet being so important a town on the high
way from Sonora to the Pima settlements, we know
that the little village enjoyed its full share of
growth and prosperity. This expedition was by
Antonio de Espejo, who gave the first authentic ac
count of the discovery of precious metals in Arizona,
and was considered the pioneer prospector. But as
these various expeditions were for the purpose —
mainly — of acquiring sudden wealth, like the con
querors of Mexico and Peru, no effort was made for
another century to establish permanent settlements
in what was then called Arizuma.
In 1686 the Jesuit missionary, Francisco Kino,
joined by the Padre Salvatierra, journeyed north
from the city of Mexico, and in 1687, founded the
mission of Guevavi, thirty miles south of Tucson,
and that of San Xavier del Bac (of the water) about
the same time, at a point nine miles south of Tucson.
The first mission building was a very unpretentious
structure. In 1720, thirty-three years after the founding of
these missions, there were no less than eight of
them, all in a flourishing condition, within the pres
ent limits of the territory. Their names, respectively,
were: Guevavi, San Xavier del Bac, San Jose de

12 OLD TUCSON
Tumacacori (which has been reserved by the U. S.
as a national monument), Santa Gertrudis de Tubac,
San Miguel de Sonoita, Calabasas, Arivaca and
Santa Ana.
The converts of these missions, almost entirely
from the Pima tribes, took the name of Papago, which
means baptized. They were a noble monument to
the faithful labors of Fray Kino and his associates.
This good father was a native of the Tyrol, and resign
ed the professorship of mathematics in the University
Ingolstadt to do this unselfish work among the
heathen. These earnest efforts brought forth good
fruit in the peaceful and industrious colonies that
grew up around them. They were taught farming,
and large bodies of land were brought under culti
vation. Sheep and cattle were introduced, comfort
able houses were erected, and order and industry
took the place of savagery and sloth. They were
self sustaining, and doing good work, not only in
teaching the truths of the Catholic religion, but in
developing the material resources of the country.
During the regime of the missionary fathers, flour
ishing haciendos (ranches) at San Pedro, Barbaco-
mari, Arivapa and Calabasas were established, many
prospecting and exploring parties penetrated South
ern Arizona, and rich mines were opened and
worked. Some of the silver ores were reduced on
the ground by simple adobe furnaces, while the
richest were transported to Sonora and Sinaloa,
Mexico. Most of the gold and silver ornaments of
the mission churches came from these mines, and
at Guevavi the remains of sixteen arrastras (grinding
machines) could be seen and counted only a few
years ago.

CHAPTER II.
THE APACHES — INSURRECTION OF THE PIMAS.
DECLINE OE THE MISSIONS — ERECTION OF
THE PRESIDIOS — EXPULSION OF THE JESUITS.
ARRIVAL OF THE FRANCISCANS — ABANDON
MENT OF THE MISSIONS — PRESIDIO TIMES.
BUT the one great drawback to civilization and
progress in Arizona was the Apache Indian.
He was the omnipresent evil, and like some
people who are never so happy as when they are
miserable, so, the dreaded Apaches were always at
war — even in times of expected peace — stealthy,
treacherous, greedy, too lazy to earn a livelihood
except by thievery, they were a constant menace to
civilization from any source — toward any direction.
They could tell you in a trice if any injustice
were attempted toward them, but utterly callous,
blood-thirsty and cruel. You would think, if there
were not so many of them, that his Satanic majesty
had taken possession of them, and there was plenty
of him to go around.
It was mostly their constant attacks upon the
Pima tribes of Arizona that in 1751, about sixty
years after the founding of the prosperous missions,
drove the naturally resentful Pimas to revolt, for
they knew no release from the harassments of the
merciless foe, and driven to madness, they rebelled;
many of the priests were killed, and several of the
missions were destroyed.
After this insurrection the vice-regal government
erected the presidios of Tucson and Tubac, and

Photo by Buehman in 1874
EAST CONGRESS ST. IN 1S74, WHERE NOW THE OPERA HOUSE, IVANCOVICH, FRED
FLEISHMAN, KITT AND OTHER PROMINENT BUSINESS HOUSES ARE LOCATED

OLD TUCSON 15
maintained therein small garrisons for the protec
tion of the missions.
In 1765 a royal decree from Madrid ordered the
expulsion of the Jesuits from Spain and her colo
nies, but as the order was not carried into immedi
ate effect, it was 1767 before they left this country.
The results of this expulsion, however, were so
severe that the Arizona missions never recovered
from the blow, though in the following year, 1768,
fourteen Franciscan friars arrived in Tucson from
Mexico, to take the places of the banished Jesuits.
Yet a steady decline of the missions followed and
in 1828, by order of the Mexican government, the
missions were entirely abandoned; the colonies
were despoiled by the savages, and the few escap
ing the barbarians, took refuge in the presidios. By
the close of the Mexican War, 1847, these terrible
Apaches had driven from what was then called
Pimeria Alta, almost every vestige of civilization,
and years of precarious living for the presidios of
Tucson and Tubac followed. A temporary chapel in
the presidio, in the early days, was dedicated to the
use of the military and its few other occupants.
The town was walled for many years, probably
not less than one hundred and fifty, and was built
in the form of a square, the wall rising about five
feet above the flat roofs of the houses, affording fine
breastworks for the defense of the Pueblo; the rear
end of the houses was built into, and against the
heavy wall surrounding the little settlement. The
only door allowed was the one opening into the open
square in front. The flat roofs, in the summer time,
furnished fine family sleeping rooms.

16 OLD TUCSON
The little fort was also built in the form of a
square, with a tower at each corner, fitted with loop
holes or small windows for outlooks, and for firing
on the raiding Indians. The old records say that
several times the wild Apaches made well organized
and desperate attempts to capture Tucson, under
their bravest and ablest leaders, and over one thous
and warriors strong, but they were always repulsed,
Tucson, being the most northerly of the Spanish set
tlements, was a constant check upon those cruel
Indian raids, which often penetrated even northern
Old Mexico.
One authority claims that in 1800 Tucson was
garrisoned by about one hundred regular Spanish
soldiers, and consisted of one hundred and fifty adobe
houses, with a population of three hundred and fifty,
nearly all of whom must have been Mexicans and
Indians. During the Mexican war, or near its close, a
small force of Texan soldiers captured the little town
of Tucson, but being pressed for time did not take
the fort. The Mexican commander, when making
his official report to his government, congratulated
himself upon his victory.

CHAPTER III.
TREATIES — CONCESSIONS — AMERICAN OCCUPA
TION — EARLY LANDMARKS.
IT MAY be asked what has such a chapter heading
to do with Old Tucson, and I answer "much
every way," for as the life history of some
great man whose individuality and public spirit have
permeated all progressive movements in the country
or town where he lives, so Tucson, being the oldest,
largest and most important point in Arizona, every
thing pertaining to territorial affairs was transacted
by residents, or men coming to, or going from this
place as a center of attraction and effort.
In 1847, by treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, all that
territory north of the Gila river, now included in
Arizona, was ceded to the United States, while in
the years 1853-1854, under the early administration
of President Franklin Pierce, who desired a further
concession from Mexico, sent the Hon. James Gads
den as minister to that country for this purpose.
His object was to secure a railroad route to the
Pacific ocean, acquire the ownership of Guaymas,
and the control of the Gulf of California. There
were three different propositions submitted, the first
of which, being the most southern, and granting
larger territory, would seem, in looking back now at
the transaction to have been most desirable and
valuable to the United States. This concession,
commencing at latitude 30°, center of the Rio Grande,
running directly west to Gulf of California, and in
cluding one-third of the Mexican states of Chihuahua
and Sonora and the entire peninsula of Lower Cali
fornia, north, to line indicated, for $25,000,000. The

18 OLD TUCSON
second embraced about the same territory as the
one finally adopted, but with the additional advant
age of a seaport at the head of the Gulf of Califor
nia for $15,000,000. But even the last and third pro
position, called the Skeleton Treaty, caused a great
deal of friction in the United States Senate at
$10,000,000, for when urged by some of the broader
minded members the advisability of a port of entry
on the Gulf for the United States, it was answered
that "a port at Yuma, on the Colorado river, would
be all sufficient." A big bluff!
However, the real trouble, back of a seeming penu-
riousness, was the growing spirit of unrest because
the subject of slavery was even then looming upon
the political horizon, and it was feared that South
ern extension would intensify the brewing trouble,
when if it could have been seen that the stupendous
problem of slavery would settle itself in the end,
regardless of extension in any direction, it is likely
that our boundary line on the south would have
been quite different from what it is at the present
time. Be that as it may, the transaction brought
upon Mr. Gadsden much ridicule for the purchase of
that "worthless desert" as it was termed, unknow
ing of its rich mineral deposits, agricultural and
grazing possibilities. It resembled the later pur
chase of Alaska for the United States, by Wm. H.
Seward, for $7,000,000, for that piece of "frozen
land," regardless of the fact that the seal fisheries
alone were well worth the cost of purchase, aside
from its vast wealth of mineral resources as subse
quently developed.
There is a trait or principle in human nature that
seems to make true those lines,

OLD TUCSON 19
"All great men have been sneered at, jeered at,
Before their deeds were cheered at."
Subsequent to the ratification of the Gadsden
Purchase, the territory was attached to the county
of Donna Ana, New Mexico.
The Americans who were in Tucson at that time,
and aided in its acquisition, came under employ
ment of Governor Manuel Gandara, of Sonora,
Mexico, and were engaged in ranching, stock raising
and in building houses for the Mexicans, who were
manufacturing blankets by hand. Those pioneers
were John W. Davis, John Clark, Dr. Colton and a
few others. The general immigration of Americans
began in 1856, and that year the population of Tucson
was about four hundred, some thirty of whom were
Americans, while in 1859 Bishop Salpointe reported
six hundred, an increase of two hundred in three
years, in spite of the Apaches, but the country at
large was now waking up to the importance of
Arizona. In 1855 American troops had taken possession of
Tucson and Tubac. The Mexican colors had been
lowered, and the stars and stripes unfurled to the
Arizona breeze.
Besides the few Americans noted, others whose
names are just as familiar were conspicuous in
early times. Chas. D. Poston, whom many of us
remember in later years, was one of the first arrivals
in 1856. He came for the purpose of opening up
and operating rich silver mines. Hon. G. H. Oury;
Hon. Win. S. Oury; Hon. Estevan Ochoa, from whom
we have Ochoa street named ; the Pennington family,
from whom also we have Pennington street named;

20 OLD TUCSON
Gen'l Stone, who immortalized his name in Stone
avenue; Dr. C. H. Lord and W. W. Williams, the
latter two of whom engaged in the first banking
business in Tucson;- Peter R. Brady, associated in
later years in the Pima County Bank with the
Jacobs Brothers; Wm. Kirtland, who first raised the
American flag in Tucson; Hon. Hiram Stevens, who
was sent to congress in 1875, and served two terms;
Samuel Hughes; Sylvester Mowry, who owned and
worked for many years the Mowry mine, still in
operation; John G. Capron, who with twenty-five
other citizens left Tucson on what proved to be a
filibustering trip to the relief of Ex-Governor Crabbe,
at the time of the Crabbe massacre in Old Mexico,
and interestingly but pathetically remarks that, being
only a sergeant at that time he "had all the hard
work to do"; Solomon Warner, of whom we will
speak later; General Wadsworth; Col. Ed. Cross,
editor and duellist; and C. H. Meyer, from whom we
have Meyer street named. Men — brave, daring and
courageous — many who in different ways distinguish
ed themselves, in the civil war, in public life, or as
wealthy and honored citizens. Many lost their lives
in brave and desperate encounters with the Indians,
for life in Tucson in those days was no sinecure.
There were often captives to be rescued, homes and
lives of the owners, or those of their neighbors, to
be defended; lasting friendships were formed, and
what belonged of helpfulness to one, his neighbor
could count on as his also. The record of those
perilous days cannot be written. In the days of toil
and nights of anxiety no one thought of keeping
historical records, and they are lost in the oblivion
and mystery that surrounded life in this frontierland,

OLD TUCSON 21
but we know enough to believe that the bravery and
hardships of those early settlers would equal the
heroism of any age in the world's history. Not only
from Tucson, but from one end of the territory to the
other, their only epitaph the eloquence of bleaching
bones and ruined homes.
In March of 1856 Solomon Warner opened the first
store in Tucson. He brought in thirteen pack mules
from California, laden with merchandise for this
purpose, and for many years much of the necessary
supplies for Tucson were brought in that way from
Guaymas and Hermosillo under the protection of
troops. These pack mules were commonly called
burros, and must have been a left-over legacy from
the extinct civilization of bygone ages, since I've
never heard of their introduction to Arizona. They
seem to have been a native production, and like
Topsy, to have just "growed." The burro is never
too early nor too late in the world's history to be
both useful and interesting, and is so unique in ap
pearance, behavior and characteristics, that he de
serves a chapter by himself, but content myself with
the insertion of the following sympathetic descrip
tion which I found somewhere:
"Burro is the Spanish name for the animal known
in English as the ass. The term itself (burro) is a
corruption from our word borrow. The people were
exceedingly poor (although pious), and the only
luxury they could indulge in to any extent was bor
rowing. But the people had in fact nothing but
asses and rosaries, and as they must borrow, the
former being constantly in demand became such
common objects of borrowing, that the beast finally

FREIGHTING STEAMERS AT SILVER KING MINE

Photo by Buehman

OLD TUCSON 23
took the name of the custom, and fell heir to its
present perverted name of burro.
"We could wish that a more expressive and correct
term than either burro or ass had been applied to
the animal. As they perambulate our streets daily
and hourly, loaded to the muzzle with their burdens
of wood or small boys, with their ears erect and their
countenances suffused with a perfect glow of deep
study and concentrated inquiry into the nature and
origin of this world, we have sometimes thought they
deserved a better name. We look among all the
beasts here and we think we find none so useful and
worthy of commendation as the burro. He is so
adapted to the wants of the poor. His original price
is small and he costs nothing to keep. Pastures
which from its barrenness, would give a sound
horse the staggers, and cure a mule of kicking, will
produce contentment in the bosom of the burro, and
he will grow fat on cold adobe walls, made with
straw. "But the most pleasing feature of this docile crea
ture is his humility, his meekness and his submis-
siveness. Whether he gets these qualities from the
ancestor who bore his Godlike burden over the
spread garments and palm branches into the high-
gates of old Jerusalem, we know not. It may be.
And the glorious fact may have tinged with blissful
contentment the blood of all his race, even unto this
day. It is sometimes said he is stubborn, but if
those who say this could know, as the burro knows,
the everlasting height, and depth and length and
breadth of the consummate meanness of the human
race, they might also, after a few centuries of en-

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Photo by Buehman
OLD TUCSON 25
durance, exhibit something resembling stubbornness
or slight uncertainty in their actions.
"Besides his cheapness and small attendant ex
pense, the burro more nearly meets the demands of
the poor than any other animal. He bears his burden
on his back. He needs no gaudy attachment of
chariot, or harness or stable. He rarely strays. He
supplies the poor man's fire. He furnishes his frugal
living. After warming and feeding his task-master
he completes his usefulness by singing that master
and his household to sleep. How he will sing! Verily
he lifts up his voice and howls. One burro can
rend the air and make the welkin ring. There is
only one thing which the burro cannot do. He can
not stop braying after he has once commenced until
he has finished the tune. He is all right as long as
he totally abstains from braying, and has the most
perfect control of all his faculties. But let him once
cross the Rubicon of his bray, and nothing short of
instant death can help him until he has finished.
We have seen a burro with tears in his eyes, and his
whole form convulsed with a futile endeavor to cut
a bray off just one or two notes short. It was use
less. He can do most anything else. He can wag
one ear at a time. He can wag both ears at once.
He can wag his tail and one ear at a time. He can
wag his tail and both ears in unison. He can wag
his tail and not wag either ear. But what satisfac
tion is there in all these graceful accomplishments
when he can't manage his bray. He is so ashamed
of his weakness that he sometimes gets desperate,
and so you will frequently see him braying and run
ning at the same time. This is caused by a foolish

26 OLD TUCSON
idea on his part that he may possibly run the end of
the bray down.
"But all in all, the gentle burro has not his equal
among the beasts of the field. His lot is humble,
and yet he has borne a God upon his back. His task
is lowly and still so well performed that if we can
all make the same showing at the going down of our
sun, it shall be well with us, notwithstanding what
may be the dictum of stoled priest or high altar, or
misinterpreted Book."
It was Solomon Warner also, who later built and
owned the flour mill, the ruins of which are still to
be seen on the west bank of the Santa Cruz river,
and in .fact, the village at that time was located in
what is now the southwestern part of the city — as
from time immemorial "Old Tucson." One authority
claims that it was situated a half mile further up
the river, while another locates it a mile further up,
but the old mill is a pretty fair landmark, as well as
the old mission Escala Pura, in the valley also, on
the west bank of the river. The presidio, or fort,
was in the vicinity of Levin's park, west of the
old Zeckendorf store.

CHAPTER IV.
EFFORTS AT TERRITORIAL ORGANIZATION — SE
CESSION — CIVIL WAR — INDIANS — MAIL FA
CILITIES.
FROM the time of American occupation of Tucson
and the territory in 1855, to 1887, was a period
of trial, anxiety, expectation, bloodshed and
transition, and the part that our town and territory
took at this stage of affairs becomes very interesting.
Two problems of exceptional interest and import
ance, whose results were outreaching and lasting,
occupied the thoughts and attention of the people
of those early times, and they were almost simul
taneous in their demand for wise and prompt action.
Whether the course they took in relation to the
second problem, that of the civil war, was advisable,
may be more accurately determined in the light of
subsequent events than at that early day, but that
the effort to secure territorial organization was both
wise and important can not be questioned. Friends
of the territory in the United States Senate and the
House of Representatives made efforts to attain this
benefit, yet were unsuccessful. Also within the ter
ritory — at Tucson, as early as 1856 — a mass meeting
had been called, and Mr. Nathan P. Cook chosen to
represent Arizona at Washington, in an effort to
secure recognition as a distinct territory, but his
credentials being unauthorized by a formally organ
ized territory, he could not be admitted to congress.
It was like telling a boy to stay away from the
water till he had learned how to swim. However,

28 OLD TUCSON
his errand was considered in the House of Repre
sentatives in 1857, and referred to the Territorial
Committee, who reported adversely because of "that
sparsely settled section," yet acknowledging the un
fortunate conditions of a people with no recognized
government, recommended the passing of a bill to
form a judicial district south of the Gila river,
appoint a surveyor general, and to provide for rep
resentation of Arizona at Santa Fe, New Mexico, to
gether with other measures. Such a bill was passed
in the Senate, but did not reach the House before
final adjournment. In the same year President
Buchanan recommended in his message a territorial
government for Arizona, and Senator Gwin intro
duced a bill to organize such a government for the
Gadsden Purchase under the name of Arizona. Vari
ous petitions from various people and states were
also sent to Congress. Being attached to New Mexico,
any violators of the law in Arizona had to be taken
to Mesilla, the county seat of Donna Ana for trial,
and Arizonans in general, and Tucsonans in par
ticular, craved a home government, though there
being in those days no edict against carrying con
cealed weapons every man armed himself to the
teeth against surprise of any kind, and did as he
pleased. In an election, held in Tucson, September, 1857,
the citizens prepared a new petition, choosing Syl
vester Mowry as delegate to Congress. Mr. Mowry
was not admitted; neither did the bill of Senator
Gwin find favor in the halls of Congress. Again in
1858-1859 Mr. Mowry was sent to Washington. It
has been said that Mr. Mowry "invented Arizona,"
and Congress was memorialized in another effort, but

OLD TUCSON 29
no territorial organization resulted. In 1858 the leg
islature of New Mexico also passed resolutions in
favor of giving Arizona a separate organization, but
as though blood-drenched Arizona didn't have Indian
troubles enough of her own, they wished to remove
all of the New Mexican Indians to Northern Arizona.
Determined to have some form of home government,
the leading citizens of Tucson held in 1860 a so-called
constitutional convention, composed of thirty-one
delegates from the entire district, which at that time
included the Rio Grande country. They organized a
provisional government to remain in effect until Con
gress should give them a territorial government, but
no longer. General Wadsworth was president of that
convention, which chose L. A. Owens (now of Texas)
as provisional governor, who was to appoint subordi
nate officers. A legislature, consisting of nine sena
tors and eighteen representatives, was to be elected
and convened upon proclamation of the governor, who
appointed Ignacio Orrantia for Lieutenant Governor;
James A. Lucas, Secretary of State; Mark Aldrich,
Treasurer; Samuel G. Bean, Marshal; District
Judges, Granville H. Oury (Chief Justice), Samuel
H. Cozzens and Edward McGowan (Associate Jus
tices); Major General, W. C. Wadsworth, who com
manded the militia, and upon his staff were Col. W.
S. Oury, of Tucson, and John G. Capron. In this
year Mr. Mowry got out a map, dividing the terri
tory into four counties, as follows: On the west,
what is now Yuma, he named Castle Dome. Our
county of Pima he extended eastward to Apache
Pass and called it Ewell. Mesilla county eastward to
the Rio Grande, and Donna Ana county eastward
from the Rio Grande to line of Texas. The remain-

APACHE HOME

Photo by Buehman

OLD TUCSON 31
der of what is now Arizona, being inhabited by wild
Indians, probably the Navajoes, was left to New
Mexico — nobody wanted the Indians.
Mr. Mowry was again sent to Washington, but as
before his errand proved unsuccessful. It was claim
ed, and probably with justice, that the reason all these
efforts in behalf of territorial organization were un
successful, was because of the approaching civil war,
and the extraordinary events then taking place in
Washington. The opening of this most lamented war had caused
the entire withdrawal of the Federal troops from
Arizona, and though both Confederate and Union
forces alternately occupied it, yet they seemed like
passing waves of the sea, for their absence again
placed the Apache Indian to the front, and in their
ignorance, thinking that the soldiers were1 ^withdrawn
out of fear of them, they took every advantage of
this exposed condition, and advanced to the very out
skirts of the village, as close as the present site of
the Palace Hotel on Meyer Street, and everywhere
they carried death and destruction with them.
These conditions lasted for about a year, when in
February, 1862, a company of Confederates (a por
tion of Colonel Bailey's command from Mesilla, on
the Rio Grande,) arrived in Tucson, under Captain
Hunter, and took possession of the territory in the
name of the Confederate States. The majority of
the white population were in sympathy with his
cause,, and perhaps for this reason the Federal troops
had been withdrawn. Anyway some time before his
arrival the citizens of Tucson held a meeting (those
of Union sentiments, probably as a matter of discre
tion, observing silence) and with all the solemnity

32 OLD TUCSON
which the occasion demanded, passed an ordinance,
proclaiming the secession of Arizona from the Union.
Hunter held possession until May, when the ad
vance of the California column, under General Carle-
ton, changed the order of things in a very short
time. Hunter, claiming that he did not possess suf
ficient force to meet General Carleton in battle,
withdrew into New Mexico, though one account says
that Hunter sent out a small detachment as far as
Mount Pecacho, forty miles west of Tucson, and that
there was a skirmish of some kind, resulting in the
killing of one commissioned officer and several men
from the California column, though of course the
victory was for the Union arms.
Major S. R. DeLong, Colonel James H. Toole and
Captain G. C. Smith, for many years leading citizens
of Tucson, were officers in this famous California
column, and it is from Major De Long that we
gather these facts. Colonel Toole, whose family we
all knew, built and owned the large square house on
the corner of Stone Avenue and East Ochoa Street.
Capt. G. C. Smith was later stationed at Fort Lowell.
On June 8th of this year General Carleton, in Tucson,
by general orders, placed the whole territory, since
they had seceded, under martial law, until such
time as a civil government should be organized under
the jurisdiction of the United States. Probably for
the few inhabitants then in Arizona, a military gov
ernment being more direct in its methods, was for
the time being, the best, yet the General was very
sensitive to criticism, and it was impossible but that
he should be criticised for this coercive measure,
however well meant, and we shall see later, when
the territorial government came from the east — not

OLD TUCSON 33
on a water wagon, nor yet on the band wagon, but
in a wagon train — that this criticism cost Tucson the
capital. In 1857 a line of stages operating between San An
tonio, Texas, and San Diego, California, made bi
monthly trips, stopping at Tucson, and the Pima
villages, as they passed back and forth. In 1858 this
line was merged into the Overland Mail Company,
which operated between St. Louis, Missouri, and San
Francisco, making bi-weekly trips, and carrying
United States mail. These facilities were a great
help to Tucson, for it became a flourishing trading
post for many, and some extensive mining concerns,
thus connecting Tucson with the commercial centers
both east and west; but with the breaking out of the
civil war the property of the line was confiscated by
some of the states through which the line ran and
unfortunate Tucson, being isolated, was without mail
facilities for several years. The first public mail
that reached the town after the war, came on horse
back from California, September 1st, 1865, and the
first through mail from Eastern States, Barlow,
Sanderson & Co., reached Tucson, August 25th, 1866.

CHAPTER V.
TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT  LOCATION OF CAPI
TAL — FIRST PRINTING PRESS — EARLY MINES.
MORE INDIANS, AND THEIR FINISH.
FINALLY in 1863, President Lincoln signed the
bill giving Arizona a separate and distinct ter
ritorial government. Hon. John Gurly was the
first appointed governor, but as he died in New York
City before the other officials were ready to leave
the east for their western post of duty, the Hon.
John Goodwin was appointed to the vacancy. Rich
ard C. McCormick, appointed first territorial secre
tary, become our second acting governor.
In the distribution of official trusts, Hon. Charles
D. Poston, though he had been a good friend of the
territory, and a pioneer miner since 1856, was left
out, and when he made complaint of the omission
he was told that he might be superintendent of In
dian affairs — certainly an unenviable position, but
then it was an office.
In December of this year the official staff reached
Navajo Springs, under escort of troops sent out by
General Carleton. Whether he accompanied the
troops or not in person, he was responsible for the
location of the capital in Northern Arizona, for
though as yet the valuable, undiscovered mining
properties in that section had not created a
town, yet General Carleton thought it no harm to the
territory to have two thrifty growing centers of
trade instead of one, and the formal organization of
the territory took place at Navajo Springs, forty

OLD TUCSON 35
miles northwest of the famous Zuni pueblo. Upon
the raising of the flag, Secretary McCormick an
nounced the sovereignty of the United States, and
made an appropriate speech. It seems peculiar that
Governor Goodwin is not mentioned as taking any
part in this observance.
The party soon moved westward as far as Fort
Whipple, where General Carleton had erected bar
racks for the protection of miners and stockmen, and
while the official staff remained at the barracks,
Fort Whipple was the seat of government. Again
moving westward, but determined to humiliate Tuc
son for her criticisms of his proclamation of martial
law, General Carleton, though knowing that Tucson
was the intended capital, halted at the present site
of Prescott, and there the capital permanently re
mained for a number of years. In 1868 however
Tucson came into her own, the capital being moved
here, where it remained for nine years, then was
transferred again to Prescott, and later still, as being
more central, to Phoenix.
Just at the time that negotiations were pending
concerning the Gadsden Purchase, and prior to its
transfer to the United States, Major Emery, of the
United States Survey Service, was stationed in the
immediate vicinity of Tucson, and gives the follow
ing interesting description:
"Tucson is inhabited by a few Mexican troops, and
their families, together with some tame Indians. The
town is very prettily situated in a fertile valley at
the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Some fine
fields of corn and wheat were ready for the sickle,
and many varieties of fruits and vegetables were to
be had. The Indians, under direction of the Mexi-

BASE OF SUPPLY FOR THE HAY MARKET

Photo by Buehman

OLD TUCSON 37
cans, do most of the labor in the fields. While in
camp we were the recipients of every attention and
civility from Captain Garcia, who commanded the
place. "I saw in Tucson a fine specimen of meteoric iron
from the Santa Rita Mountains, which is used as a
blacksmith's anvil."
Later I learned that this specimen was sent to
the Smithsonian Institute at Washington, where a
model of it was made, and sent back to Tucson, and
this model may be seen in the museum at the Terri
torial University.
While all these things had been going on, there
was also another little wave of interest taking place,
showing how even in the trails of civilization, men
look to intellectual development and intelligent edu
cational facilities.
In 1858 John Wrightson brought the first printing
press to this region, presumably Tucson, since
everything else, including Indians, came to Tucson,
and the Weekly Arizonan was established at Tubac,
with Mr. Ed. Cross as editor.
Over this press some trouble occurred, and a duel
was fought between Mr. Cross and the traveled Mr.
Mowry, after which it became the property of Mr.
Mowry, who left it in charge of Mr. Oury at Tucson,
where a Mr. Pierce, good writer, but unfortunate
drunkard and borrower, got out a few copies, then
left for parts unknown, and Mr. DeLong purchased
the press, assuming the editorship for that year. He
then put it into the hands of one Dooner, who, chang
ing the politics into that of a Democratic sheet, so
disgruntled the Republican supporters of the Weekly
Arizonan that Major DeLong sold the press to John

38 OLD TUCSON
Wasson (afterward Surveyor General) who in 1870
founded the Citizen. In 1875 R. C. Brown be
came a partner. In 1878 John Clum bought and
moved it to Florence, but in 1879 the Citizen
again appeared in Tucson, when R. C. Brown became
its proprietor and was for many years identified with
its interests.
This press is now in Tombstone, and was, until
recently, used in printing "The Nugget" of that city.
We would recommend that it be sent to the Smith
sonian Institute, along with the old meteoric anvil,
a model of it returned to the Territorial University
Museum, or turned over to the Pioneer Historical
Society in Tucson.
The Arizona Daily Star was first started as the
"Bulletin," March 1st, 1877, by L. C. Hughes, Esq., and
Mr. Chas. Tully, then almost immediately changed to
the Tri-Weekly Star. In August of the same year it
was issued as a weekly, with Mr. Hughes sole pro
prietor. This paper, like the Citizen, has, for the
most part, issued both daily and weekly editions. In
politics the Star is Democratic, yet the interests of
the people, and the development of the resources of
the territory, have been paramount. The various
stages of successive growth of both papers is a
reflex of the increasing business activity and wonder
ful growth of this section of Arizona.
El Fronterizo, published in Spanish, and ably edited
by its proprietor, Don Carlos I. Velasco, was estab
lished in September, 1878.
The Daily Journal, independent in politics, and the
Weekly Mining Journal, devoted to mining interests,
were both issued from the office of their founder, E.
P. Thompson,' Esq., in June, 1881.

Photo by Buehman
FIRST OUTPUT OF BULLION, VALUED AT $50,000.00, FROM
THE CONSOLIDATED TOMBSTONE MINES

40 OLD TUCSON
Evidently Tucson has no reason to be ashamed of
her press advantages and privileges.
Soon after the Gadsden Purchase was effected, the
Cerro Colorado mine, under Col. Charles D. Poston,
the Ajo, and later, the Silver King, Quijotoa,
Copper Queen, Clifton, Morenci, Bradshaw, San
Xavier, and other mines, were opened and worked.
Companies organized in New York and Cincinnati
operated extensively in these districts. The rich
mines were lodestones drawing population westward
to Tucson, Prescott, Globe and Tombstone.
The picture here shown is that of the first ship
ment of silver bullion, valued at $50,000, from what
is now the Consolidated Tombstone Mine, and which
was sent by stage to the Safford, Hudson & Co.'s
bank on West Congress Street, Tucson. The stage,
an old time Concord coach, was guarded, externally,
by armed outriders, and internally, by men armed to
kill any would-be robbers. It presented a comical
appearance, with loaded guns sticking out on all
sides, and the whole town turned out to witness its
arrival with its load of princely treasure. The wealth
of this mine was fabulous in early days — the product
in 1882, alone, being $1,440,895.
After the withdrawal of the California volunteers
from Tucson in 1866, and their places filled by regu
lars who didn't seem to understand ambush methods
of Indian warfare, Arizona suffered many heart break
ing experiences. Mistaken sympathy for "Lo, the
poor Indian," among Eastern philanthropists, ex
tended also into army circles, and leaders of troops
were prone to go into camp as soon as they struck
an Indian trail, and there remain until the scoundrels
had escaped their so-called pursuers. Sometimes,

OLD TUCSON 41
the citizens, driven to desperation, rose in their
might and took swift and just vengeance. One
notable instance of this was the Camp Grant massa
cre, which came about in this way: In February,
1871, a band of Apaches, known as the Aravaipa, or
Pinal Apaches, being short of rations, came into
Camp Grant, on the San Pedro, and made a verbal
treaty by which they were to be supplied with ra
tions, and were to live in the vicinity of the camp
It was then expected that depredations around Tuc
son and San Pedro would cease, but instead, the In
dians became worse and worse, and what looked
worse than ever, the trail of the marauders when
ever followed led directly to the Indian camp in the
vicinity of old Camp Grant. When this was known
public meetings were held in Tucson, resolutions
were passed, petitions were sent to military head
quarters, then in Los Angeles, setting forth the
facts and asking assistance, but no action was taken
Parties upon traveled roads were attacked, robbed
and killed; ranchmen and stock driven from their
ranches, and a man named Wooster and his wife, on
the Santa Cruz, killed, as well as others, and all the
trails led to this treacherous Indian camp. To settle
the matter beyond doubt three Papago trailers were
hired to follow these depredators, without being told
what it was for. Three trails were followed, three
reports made, and all agreed as to the place — to the
very Indians whom the United States were supporting
with rations to prey upon the struggling settlers.
This was too great a wrong to be borne, and silently
an expedition was organized, consisting of fifty Papa
go Indians and five Americans, who went forth in
just defense of their homes and lives. Arriving at

42 OLD TUCSON
the Indian camp at break of day, Sunday, April 30th,
1871, they completely surprised the murderers, and
made an end of the lot, about eighty-seven, and not
one of the expedition was killed, or even wounded.
Among their camp effects were found the murdered
Mrs. Wooster's dress and Mr. Wooster's leggings,
with his initials upon them — also seven horses from
Tucson, or its vicinity, one a very recent theft.
Of course this total extinction of a camp, though
well merited and entirely justifiable, made a great
commotion in the. East, and Gen. W. T. Sherman, then
commanding the army, and not knowing of the con
stant depredations carried on against the white set
tlers, recommended that all the parties engaged in
the affair should be tried for their lives. Accordingly
all were arrested and tried in our territorial court
in this city, for Tucson was at that time the capital.
Judge Titus presided, and every man was acquitted,
for no jury in Arizona at that time would convict
parties for killing hostile Indians. At last the gen
eral government was compelled to take notice, and
Gen. George Crook was put in command, arriving in
the territory in June, 1871, and came prepared to
take summary action. However, through influence
of eastern philanthropists, tue soothing methods went
on, but the scourge becoming unbearable, General
Crook took matters in his own hand, and with
scouts and troops punished the rascals until they
were glad to submit and humbly begged to be allowed
to settle upon reservations. This was done, and
peace and quiet reigned for a while, and the entire
territory, with its rapidly growing towns and pros
perous mines, made great advancement. Yet the
spirit of unrest and desire for pillage and bloodshed

OLD TUCSON 43
stirred the Indians of San Carlos reservation, and in
1885 a small band, under Geronimo, one of the cruel-
est of savages, broke loose from the agency, and
went on the warpath. They terrorized ranches, op
erated in the vicinity of Benson and Tanque Verde,
and from tracks seen they were thought to be lurk
ing around Tucson.
About this time when returning to the San Pedro
after bringing his family to Tucson, the brother of the
late W. C. Davis was shot on the new county road,
just then built between Tucson and the settlement of
Reddington, on the' San Pedro, from which place
they had come. Then General Miles was sent to
Tucson and following the depredators with scouts and
trailers, he captured Geronimo and a part of the
band in the Chiricahua Mountains, and the balance
promised to come in, which thing for once they felt
compelled to do. Geronimo and some others were
sent to Fort Sill, from whence it was proclaim
ed that he was sorry for his sins and was teach
ing a class in Sunday school, but civilization preyed
upon his health, and he petitioned the White Father
at Washington — fearing he would go into a decline —
to be allowed to return to San Carlos Reservation
to recuperate; but at last the United States govern
ment had its eyes opened, and Mr. Geronimo had to
remain at Fort Sill until he died. It is to be hoped
that his old spook didn't meet the shades of those
he had tortured and murdered in Arizona, as the
interview might have been unpleasant for parties on
both sides.

CHAPTER VI.
IMMEDIATE TUCSON  ITS MUNICIPAL GOV
ERNMENT AND GROWTH — SCHOOLS AND
CHURCHES.
BECAUSE of its antiquity Tucson has had in
earlier years many points of interest, some of
which continue unto the present day. Besides
the old San Xavier Mission already mentioned, there
are the ruined walls on top of" Tumamoc Hill, just
west of town. By whom or by what race the fortifica
tions were built is not known, but the lines of defense
are still plainly visible. Many large boulders with
eastern face are covered with hieroglyphics of a lost
race, whose meaning still remains unsolved. For
many miles north of the Pueblo, in the Santa Cruz
valley, lie scattered evidences of dead cities, with a
mile square of buried foundations There is also
the abandoned government post, old Fort Lowell,
which was built and occupied by the military force
whose near presence on the Military Plaza in the vil
lage was not deemed of longer necessity, though for
reason of liable attacks, from Indians to the number
of many thousands on reservations still in the terri
tory, it was not safe to dispense with their presence,
within immediate call.
Levin's Park is also worthy of some description,
having been for many years a very popular resort in
Tucson. Here the San Augustine fiestas were held,
celebration of both American and Mexican indepen
dence, and was the scene of many a revelry. It was
the constant care and pride of Alexander Levin, who

ODD TUCSON 45
set out the rows of trees, and watched their growth
from slender saplings to trees of great height ana
size. The entire area of the park, about seven acres,
was shaded by their foliage. Benches and tables
were provided for the guests, and refreshments fur
nished from a restaurant on the grounds. A high
fence made it safe from improper intrusion, and a
gatekeeper held the premises in charge. A skating
rink, shooting gallery, bowling alley and dancing
pavilion were prominent attractions. Music was dis
coursed every evening by a first-class string band,
and concerts every Sunday afternoon were much fre
quented. Its pleasant shade and cool breezes were
blessings in this village on the Santa Cruz, and a
visit to Tucson was not considered complete without
taking in the old mission, Levin's Park and Fort
Lowell, which as long as invested by the military,
divided honors with the park as a resort for the
social set of early timers.
The first public school in Tucson was taught in
the winter of 1868-1869, by Mr. Augustus Brichta,
who quite recently died. He came from Prescott,
where he was assistant clerk of the legislature, and
in the absence of the chief clerk, says that he con
vened the first assemblage of that body after its
removal to Tucson. After the opening of the Legis
lature he resigned his clerkship and taught school
for four months in an adobe building formerly occu
pied by the government, on the little street leading
to Levin's Garden or Park. Mr. Brichta found it
difficult to obtain suitable books, notwithstanding
the Spanish-speaking boys learned rapidly to speak
English, and became quite proficient in the three R's.
The next public school was taught by John Spring,

Photo by Buehman in 1874
LEFT HAND CORNER OLD GOVERNMENT BUILDING, WHERE LATER A. C. BRICHTA
TAUGHT THE FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL— IN THE DISTANCE LEVIN'S PARK

OLD TUCSON 47
on Meyer Street, in the vicinity of the old Palace
Hotel. Mr. Spring enrolled one hundred and thirty-
eight boys, the majority of whom were Spanish.
In 1870 St. Joseph's Convent Academy started up
with the arrival in Tucson of seven sisters, and this
institution, keeping pace with the general growth of
the city in forty-one years, will bear favorable com
parison today with any similar school on the Pacific
Coast. All honor to those self-denying women, who,
casting aside the pleasures of the outer world, are
devoting their lives to the educational and moral ad
vancement of those committed to their care.
In the summer of 1872, Mrs. L. C. Hughes opened
a school for girls, in a house in Levin's Park. This
school was well attended and proved very beneficial.
In 1873, Miss Harriet Bolton, afterward the wife
of Gen. John Wasson, and Miss Maria Wakefield,
who became the wife of our esteemed townsman, E.
N. Fish, took charge of the school, and were excel
lent teachers.
In the fall of 1874, Prof. W. B. Horton, afterward
Superintendent of Public Instruction, became princi
pal, with two assistants, Ignacio Bonillas and Miss
Packard. Later the lamented Willis B. Horton also
conducted a post tradership on San Carlos Reserva
tion, and was brutally shot in front of his own store
by an Apache. However, swift vengeance overtook
his slayer, for the Indian scouts immediately gave
chase, and shot the Apache, who died about the
same time as the man he murdered. Although suf
fering cruelly Mr. Horton said to his associates with
in call, "I can't pull through boys— until I have bid
you all good-bye."

48 OLD TUCSON
Mr. Horton was a personal friend of the writer's
family, and their eldest son, Willis, was named for
him. Remonstrating with him for accepting so
dangerous a position, he answered, "That it was the
safest place from Indians in the territory."
Succeeding teachers in early times were Miss
Nesmith and Mrs. Aquerre, whom we all knew and
loved; Miss Nora Smith and Miss Sallie Wood. By
1882 there were enrolled three hundred and fifty
pupils, with seven instructors, viz.: Professor Hall,
Miss E. J. Monk, now Mrs. Guild, who still teaches,
Mrs. Martha White, Miss L. A. Royce, Miss Lizzie
Borton, Miss Sallie Wood. Instructor in music, Miss
Jessie Medbury, and teacher of Spanish, Chas. H.
Tully. In 1881-1882 the first kindergarten in Tucson was
established by Miss Estelle Morehouse, who taught
the little ones in the then unoccupied Presbyterian
Church on Court Plaza, which is now the Congrega
tional house of worship.
Thus we see that, even in that early time — before
streets were graded or lighted; when sidewalks went
up hill and down, nor even thought of being curbed,
but furnished sleeping quarters for the Mexican
population in hot weather, pedestrians being obliged
to walk out into the street to avoid walking over
somebody's boy or girl; when we had to buy water
by the bucketful, as we now buy milk by the pint or
quart, the water being brought from springs just north
of Carrillo's Gardens — there was a strong feeling in
favor of educational measures. That idea seems to
lie at the foundation of American life and institu
tions. Educate the rising generation, then we have
men of nerve, character, ability and standing to

OLD TUCSON 49
handle the stirring questions of government, prob
lems of ways and means, and all the perplexing and
knotty questions of daily life and toil. Educate and
train our girls to think high, aim at lofty ideals, and
fit themselves to be good home keepers, domestic
wives and helpmeets, and careful, intelligent moth
ers of those intrusted to their care.
It has been said, and truthfully, that the western
pioneer builds, first a school house, and then a
church, and our little village was no exception. St.
Augustine Church, first established near the old
cemetery on Alameda Street, and known as the
Church of the Presidio, was afterwards relocated
in a small chapel near the corner of Congress Street
and Church Square. In 1866 the foundation of the
structure, now known as San Augustine Hotel, was
laid and completed for worship under Bishop Sal-
pointe in 1869.
The old Presbyterian Church, located on Meyer
Street and Court Plaza, was begun in 1878 and com
pleted in 1879, Messrs. Fred Austin, W. W. Williams
and W. C. Davis being trustees. Rev. Mr. Anderson
was the first pastor. The organization had previous
ly met for worship in the City Hall.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in
October, 1879. Rev. W. G. Mills was the first pastor,
and services were held for some time in the old
Court House. Their fine lot on the corner of Penn
ington Street and Stone Avenue, was purchased in
1881, and church erected and dedicated the same
year, with Rev. G. H. Adams, Superintendent of
Methodist Missions in Arizona, for permanent pastor.
Its cost was nearly $5,000, while the parsonage, now

50 OLD TUCSON
removed, and lot occupied by Mr. Steinfeld, was built
in 1882 at a cost of $1,800.
The First Baptist Church of Tucson was organized
at the residence of Mr. Ev S. Dodge, April 7th, 1881,
with six members, besides the pastor, who was Rev.
Uriah Gregory. Charles D. Poston and Benjamin
Goodrich were members of the board of trustees.
In May a lot was purchased for the church and par-
isonage, consisting of one hundred feet on .Stone
Avenue and sixty-six feet on 8th, now called Council
Street. On May 15th, recognition services were held
in the Presbyterian Church. Rev. J. W. Osborn of
Nebraska preached before the council at 11 a. m.,
and Dr. O. C. Wheeler, Moderator, made the evening
address, and three new members were added by
letter. The new chapel was dedicated in January,
1882. The First Congregational Church of Tucson was
formally organized on November 20th, 1881. The
services of recognition, by courtesy of the M. E.
Church, were held in their house of worship, under
the direction of Revs' L. H. Cobb, D. D., of New
York, and J. H. Warren, D. D., of San Francisco.
There were nine original constituent members. The
Rev. L. B. Tenny, of New Hampshire, was acting
pastor for the summer of 1882, but in December of
the same year, the Rev. C. B. Sumner, of Massa
chusetts, became regular pastor. Arrangements
were at once made, and money pledged for the pur
chase of the church on Meyer Street and Court
Plaza, formerly built by the Presbyterian Society,
that church having dissolved its organization, though
in later years it reorganized and is at the present

OLD TUCSON 51
time one of tbe most prosperous churches in modern
Tucson. The Congregational Church was for a number of
years a Home Missionary Church, as indeed were all
the others in those pioneer days — that society aiding
the church to the extent of $3,000 on its purchase
price of $5,000. All of Tucson's churches are, at the
present time, self supporting.
Grace Mission Episcopal Church was organized
September 1st, 1882. Services were at first held in
the Probate Court room in the new Court House.
In connection with the mission there was a guild
for religious and charitable purposes. Pres., Mrs.
Grace Manlove; vice-pres., Mrs. Adelaide James;
treasurer, Mrs. Sallie A. Buell; secretary, Rev. C. J.
Hendly, B. D.
In 1871 the citizens of Tucson organized a village
government, with Major S. R. De Long as mayor;
councilmen, Samuel Hughes, W. W. Williams and
W. S. Oury; treasurer, Hon. Hiram Stevens; recorder
and assessor, W. J. Osborn. During that year inquiry
was made by the council relative to a congressional
donation in 1864 of land for a townsite, when it was
learned that though such donation had been made,
yet it had lapsed through failure of Tucson to make
it available.
In 1872 the same gentlemen served in town offices,
except that E. N. Fish was treasurer, and in this
year the sum of $1,600 was paid the government for
United States patent to two sections of land for the
townsite of Tucson, and in August of the same year,
the village authorities began to issue deeds to pur
chasers of lots, and to donate land for school and
church purposes. In 1873 the same gentlemen

Photo by Buehman
COSMOPOLITAN HOTEL IN 1874, NOW SANTA CRUZ HOTEL

OLD Tt.'CSON 53
served as town officers, and in 1874 the same, except
R. N. Leatherwood took the place of C. T. Etchells.
In 1875 the mayor was Estevan Ochoa; councilmen,
P. Drachman, C. T. Etchells, Samuel Hughes and
R. N. Leatherwood; treasurer, E. N. Fish; recorder,
C. H. Meyer. In this year the salary of marshal
was fixed at $20, but could be increased in special
seasons. Artesian wells were also projected and
contract awarded, but it was found that artesian
water didn't materialize so readily. Also in this
year the village purchased a wagon, harness and two
good mules for town use, but later sold them as
being too expensive to operate.
The old cemetery was abandoned this year as a
place of burial, and ten lots were donated by the
village for a new one, also lots for a Catholic ceme
tery. Village lots were offered free to all persons im
proving same to the extent of $100, and residing
thereon for six months. Hospitalities of the village
tendered to Gen. A. W. Kautz and staff this year.
In 1876, mayor, J. B. Allen; councilmen, Samuel
Hughes, R. N. Leatherwood, C. T. Etchells, P. Drach
man; treasurer, E. N. Fish; recorder, C. H. Meyer.
This must have been a hard year for the Old Pueblo
for a petition was presented to the council asking
that an election should be held to get the sense of
the community as to whether the village should dis
incorporate and merge again in the county organiza
tion. At such election the people decided in the
negative. Board of Trade (note the improvement)
was permitted to erect a powder magazine at a safe
distance from town. The place selected was just off
what is now North Main Street, but in later years it

54 OLD TUCSON
blew Itself up and nothing was ever seen of the
powder magazine again except a big hole in the
ground. Hospitalities of the village tendered to the Mexi
can general, Mariscal, and staff. The planting of
trees along the streets was officially encouraged, but
nothing accomplished in that line, for though Tucson
had soil and sunshine, it takes both work and water
to make things grow.
Gen. Phineas Banning conferred with the mayor
and common council concerning the right-of-way and
depot grounds for the Southern Pacific Railroad,
which was in process of construction somewhere.
In 1877, J. B. Allen, mayor; councilmen, R. N.
Leatherwood, Samuel Hughes, Isaac E. Brokaw and
A. G. Buttner; treasurer, E. N. Fish; recorder, Joseph
Neugass; with a Board of Health as well as a Board
of Trade.
A new charter for incorporating as a city was
drawn and granted by the Legislature, and with the
council meeting of February 7th, 1877, Tucson ceased
to be a village, and henceforth assumed the duties
and responsibilities of municipal existence. At the
first city election in 1878 Col. James H. Toole again
became mayor; councilmen, R. N. Leatherwood, Paul
Abadie, C. R. Drake and P. Drachman; treasurer,
W. W. Williams; recorder and police justice, W. S.
Edwards. Total debt of the city, January 8th, $1,188.
Municipal election of 1879 — mayor, Jas. H. Toole;
councilmen, Chas. R. Drake, Alexander Levin, R. N.
Leatherwood, P. Abadie; treasurer, W. W. Williams;
recorder, W. J. Osborn. On May 6th Mayor Toole
tendered his resignation, which was unanimously
not accepted by the council.

OLD TUCSON 55
By this time railroad matters had made commend
able progress, and at a special election held on June
21st, the citizens voted solidly that bonds to the
amount of $10,000, should be issued by the city for
the Southern Pacific depot and grounds, right-of-way,
etc., and it was done as ordered. Rights and privi
leges for feast of San Augustine sold by the city for
$600, but thereafter were not allowed within the city
limits, but annually resort to San Xavier for their
festival. In 1880, a very important year for Tucson, R. N.
Leatherwood, mayor; councilmen, M. G. Samaniego,
C. T. Etchels, Alexander Levin and C. R. Drake; re
corder, C. H. Meyer; treasurer, P. R. Tully, surveyor,
G. J. Roskruge.
On March 10th a celebration of the connection of
the eastern and western lines of the Southern Pacific
in Tucson took place with a banquet, and the grand
est display the little city had ever witnessed. More
than a hundred citizens acted on committees; many
eloquent speeches and addresses were made, and
general good feeling prevailed. Many telegrams had
been sent concerning the affair, and congratulations
in reply were read, one of which was of special in
terest, purporting to have come from the Pope, who
sent cordial congratulations, but inquired whether
Tucson were not in the other world.
In this year railroad bonds 1, 2, 3 and 4, amounting
to $2,000, were paid up, while in 1881 the balance of
the bonds, amounting to $8,000, were cancelled by the
city fathers, which speaks well for the little city.
At this time the city property, consisting of forty-five
blocks and parcels of unsold land, was valued at
$25,000, and the authorities had in contemplation the

Photo by Buehman
ZECKENDORF & STAAB, AND E. N. FISH'S STORES IN 1874, ON
MAIN STREET

OLD TUCSON 57
building of a commodious City Hall, which should
house the entire municipal government.
In 1884, the Arctic Ice Company, owned by ex-
Surveyor General Royal A. Johnson & Co., bought
out two local concerns, manufactured, and for many
years supplied the city with this cooling necessity.
The Territorial University, established by an Act
of the Thirteenth Legislative Assembly, of 1885, at
Phoenix, completed and opened for students in Octo
ber, 1891, belongs rather and fully to new and greater
Tucson, yet its beginnings were in a period of great
transition for the Old Pueblo. The bill was intro
duced into the council by Hon. C. C. Stephens, car
ried through the house by the able efforts of Hon.
S. M. Franklin, of our city, and approved by Gover
nor F. A. Tritle, March 12th of that same year. Third
Street, now the handsome boulevard, electric line and
driveway to the University, was then still in the
brush, and was only thought of by the inhabitants of
Buell's addition, in that vicinity, as the winding trail
to the gruesome graveyard, northwest of town.
Students and their friends, first going out to the Uni
versity, went by several cut-offs, across by the old
depot, striking 9th Street at several different angles,
and if by vehicle, were in danger of being found
standing in the arroya, with the cart before the horse,
by reason of the steep hills and deep gullies. Had
automobiles been in fashion then, they would have
jumped from one hill to another, or turned turtle at
the bottom.
Tucson, in early days was honored with many dis
tinguished guests, United States senators, ambassa
dors to foreign countries, barons and baronesses, so-

58 ODD TUCSON
called, earthquakes and even presidents of the United
States. In March, 1880, President Hayes arrived, and
was entertained with much enthusiasm. The presi
dential party and invited guests dined at the resi
dence of Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Williams. In later
years President Harrison also passed through Tuc
son, and held an informal reception for the business
men of the city from the platform of his private
Pullman. Senator J. J. Ingalls, in one of his published letters
concerning his visit to Tucson wrote: "I regret that
I did not come earlier. It is said to be hotter than a
crematory in summer, but the winter weather is cer
tainly incomparable — if what I have experienced so
far is a sample. The dryness, the stillness, the
brightness, the inexplicable charm of mountain, plain
and sky; the hues of sunset and dawn, the splendor
of the stars, the vague, blue mystery of the horizon;
the odd, quaint town, with its queer people and their
habits; its gambling dens open on the main streets,
day and night; its cowboys and miners and tramps
and toughs and gentlemen, all make a scene of inde
scribable interest and endhantment; Mexicans, Indi
ans, negroes, Chinamen and Americans, with half a
dozen different languages and lingoes, make up the
constantly changing population, that, for all its vices
and immoralities, is as quiet and orderly as any
Kansas hamlet."
Hon. Whitelaw Reid in the New York Tribune,
says, concerning the air of Arizona: "The atmosphere
is singularly clear, tonic and dry. I have never seen
it clearer anywhere in the world. It seems to have
about the same bracing and exhilarating qualities as
the air of the great Sahara in Northern Africa, or of

ODD TUCSON 59
the desert about Mount Sinai in Arabia. It is much
drier than any part of the valley of the Nile north
of Cataract."
The baron and baroness mentioned were J. A.
Peralta Reavis and his wife, who in those days trav
eled in great state, for they had back of them capi
tal furnished by men of great wealth, Robt. G. Inger-
soll, Roscoe Conkling, Collis P. Huntington, John W.
Mackay, Chas. Crocker and many others.
Reavis planned, and barely failed of success, in
perpetrating one of the most gigantic frauds against
the United States government that was ever con
ceived. The government paid over $100,000 in de
fense. Reavis was convicted of conspiracy to defraud
the government, his scheme was exploded, and his
sentence was two years in the penitentiary of New
Mexico. His object was to establish right to a vast
grant of land, through inheritance of his orphan
girl-wife, from an extinct family of Spanish nobility.
They came to Tucson to have certain documents
photographed, and to prove title, and probably to
see the land — which was situated on the Gila river —
consisting of 12,500,000 acres, computed at $100,-
000,000. Its western border rested upon the eastern
line of the Pima reservation. When coming to
Tucson they would send word ahead to reserve the
entire upper part of old San Xavier Hotel for the
use of themselves and retinue. Though Reavis was
a villain, and his wife no better, yet it is the lot of
the historian to chronicle the bad as well as the
good. On May 3rd, 1887, the year following the close of
our Indian troubles, Tucson experienced her first
and last earthquake of any moment, for Arizona has

60 ODD TUCSON
not been within the memory of men living, or of any
known history, one of seismic misfortunes. That
at some remote period it was the very center and
outcome — as now presented — of great internal con
vulsions, the whole aspect of the country demon
strates, but it would seem on this one occasion that
Tucson, as usual, trying to be a little ahead of her
neighbors, sprung a surprise even on her own resi
dents; for though the vibration lasted only three
seconds, yet during that time houses rocked, walls —
even that of the Congregational Church — were
cracked, and many thought the end of the world had
come. Hanging lamps swung violently, boxes were
jarred off of shelves in closets, and dishes from
shelves in stores. People who got out of doors, and
looked around them saw the track of the quake as it
went over the Catalina Mountains, leaving a cloud
of dust that many imagined was steam from boiling
volcanoes. No one was hurt, and very little damage
rendered, but it opened the hearts of our citizens to
the sufferings of afflicted San Francisco when news
flashed around the world of her terrible misfortune
by earthquake in 1906, for they made a donation of
$5,024, and Governor Pardee of California wrote an
appreciative letter of thanks to Mr. L. M. Jacobs,
through whose hands the gift passed.
From 1875 to 1895, various and numerous franchises
were granted for artesian water, plain water, gas
and gas lighting, electric lights, street railways, street
grades, and improved sidewalks. Also for naming
streets in extended districts, numbering houses, and
telephone service. Even in 1905 a franchise to
build, maintain, and operate street railways, on cer
tain streets, was granted to three different parties —

OLD TUCSON 61
all necessary and well meant improvements, showing
how the best and highest were reached out for, some
of which were accomplished, yet some expiring by
limitation, crowned with disappointment many ef
forts. Yet like the ever rising tide, each effort ap'
proached more nearly to success, for from the Tuc
son Post of March, 1906, edited by Mr. Herbert
Brown, we extract the following: "The noisy clang
ing wagon, distributing steel rails along Stone Ave
nue, caused many smiles of intense satisfaction on
the faces of our citizens, for they feel it to be an
other step in the evolution of our city." And surely
it was a prophecy of things to come, sewerage being
extended the same year.
The Tucson Citizen of same date announces, "That
women will be allowed to vote at school elections,
provided they are parents, or guardians, of a child
of school age, residing in the district, or if they have
paid a territorial or county school tax." This is
evidence of two noble traits among our men: one,
that they recognize the mental status of women; and
the other, that they place a premium on motherhood.
During these years P. R. Tully served a term as
mayor, and a water franchise was granted R. N. Leath
erwood, who sold his right to Parker & Watts, Jos. R.
Watts, manager, and they erected water works,
piping filtered water — first from the Santa Cruz
above town — then digging wells in the bed of the
river, thus supplying the city with as good, cold
water as could be found anywhere, and as the city
grew, more wells were dug. Also Chas. M. Strauss
served as mayor, and with his councilmen, whose
names cannot be learned, created valuable regula
tions and ordinances relating to Fire Department and

SHOWING OLD MILITARY PLAZA

Photo by Buehman

OLD TUCSON 63
Police Force, and the division of the city into Wards
Nos. 1 and 2.
W. E. Stevens and F. Maish also served as mayors,
the latter of whom inaugurated the curfew — relating
to children being on the street after 8 p. m. — and
granting franchise to the Western Union Telegraph
Company, and enacting ordinance looking to the em
ployment of vagrants for street work.
In 1893-1894 W. I. Perry was mayor; T. A. Judd, re
corder. Mr. Perry's administration was character
ized by great economy, for when it closed the city
was out of debt and there was money in the treas
ury. Thus the city government ran along, picking
up lines here and there, yet still with most of the
streets ungraded, which, with lack of capital, was
probably responsible for failure of street car fran
chises, and the sidewalks were neither graded nor
curbed. From 1895 to 1899 Henry Buehman, mayor; Chas.
T. Connell, recorder, we find the following ordinance
enacted, and carried out in spirit and letter, by his
very capable corps of councilmen, consisting of
Frank Russell, Chas. F. Schumacher, General Wilson,
L. D. Chilson, Chas. Burkhalter, Messrs. Whalley and
Miltenburg: "Be it enacted by the mayor and com
mon council, that the street commission are hereby
authorized and empowered to establish the width, fix
the grade, and prescribe the width of the sidewalks,
of the whole, or any portion of the streets, and alleys,
and to order the whole, or any portion, to be graded,
paved, graveled or macadamized, in such manner,
and with such materials as the public good and con
venience may require." Also the fighting of fowls
and animals was prohibited and Congress Street ex-

64 OLD TUCSON
tended to the westward. Likewise, ordinances passed
relating to the widening of Congress Street by the
removal of the wedge, the purchase by the city of
water works and sewerage mains, the latter of which
was ably carried out in the succeeding administra
tion, under Mr. Gust. A. Hoff, whose councilmen
warmly seconded his efforts in that and other meas
ures for the public welfare. The removal of the
"wedge" was a big consideration, and though auspici
ously for the city, was finally accomplished, yet re
quired the earnest and energetic work of several ad
ministrations, among whom were C. F. Schumacher
and Gen. L. H. Manning, all of which is in the mem
ory of present city residents.
But we can hardly close this little history of the
Pueblo without a sympathetic glalice at the old mule
car street railway system, with its plodding motive
power — not at all responsible for its grizzled appear
ance, yet was a big step in transportation facilities
for the social set of Tucson, though seldom that it
could be caught for the return trip, as darkness often
settled before it made an appearance.
The University boys from town, though able to
reach the scene of their daily toil on foot in advance
of the car, yet, unless too late to make the cadet
drill at 8 a. m., generally preferred to "take the
car," in order to chat with the U. of A. girls, going
out at an early hour for the class in domestic science.
When, by reason of the jeers cast at them — for even
mules are not so unfeeling as one might think — they
lost their equanimity, and ran the car off the track,
the fun loving, yet good hearted boys would jump
off, and putting their shoulder to the wheels, lift the
car, girls and all, back onto the track, then cheer the

OLD TUCSON 65
mules on, as sort of an apology, and to make up for
lost time.
This street railway system was one, also, of ac
commodation, for the patronage being slow, to match
the mules, if the conductor saw across the plaza, a
prospective passenger frantically waving her hands,
the kind hearted man would wait a full ten minutes,
and perhaps lose several passengers from other di
rections, who being in a hurry, couldn't await the
starting up of the car, and proceeded on their ways
by biped trail. Sometimes in coming from the Uni
versity on foot, and trying to cut off space, one would
lose his way, and find himself standing in the arroya,
under the Stone Avenue bridge; but why mock at the
mules, even though they were the city's joke, and
the humiliation of the burros, standing on the street
corners, already ashamed of their old fathers and
mothers? Now that we have installed the modern electric
trolley line, which goes whizzing by, making one al
most imagine himself in New York or San Francisco,
we should not forget the humble way by which we
climbed to the present accomplishment.
Now that our citizens are preparing the way for
great railroad enterprises which will materially in
crease our population, it seems that the next improve
ments from a monetary standpoint would be invest
ment of capital, in the hands of big companies or
moneyed syndicates capable of handling large pro
jects, like raising artesian water, or water that does
not necessarily lie so deep, yet is below the surface,
awaiting only the action of vast machinery to make
it the principal factor in the development of Ari
zona's abundant resources. There is no doubt but

66 OLD TUCSON
that mighty subterranean rivers, that once blessed
this land in upper flow, still exist, sunken in beds
of sand, like the Santa Cruz, or stratified rock,
like the huge bulk more than a thousand feet
below the surface at Tombstone, , in Cochise
County, that seems to have quenched a mighty
mining enterprise. Canals or water tunnels,
costing perhaps millions of dollars, tapping the sur
face and rocky caverns, possibly a hundred miles
away, might lead that water to the irrigation of mil
lions of acres, in its onward sweep to the sea.
Then similar companies to build fine roads, and
trolley lines to the top of our loftiest mountains,
there to erect summer hotels and also to build and
own hotels in the city, so that whatever the change
of season or temperature, the same builders would
always be sure of patronage to cover their heavy
investments. " 'Tis silent effort moves the world,
Not noise, nor show, nor strife."
ADIOS !

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