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. Richard C. McCormick, appointed first
territorial secretary, 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 Indian 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 miles northwest of the famous Zuni pueblo. Upon the
raising of the flag, Secretary McCormick announced 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 barracks 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 Tucson 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 Mexicans, 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 Territorial 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 Wasson (afterward Surveyor General) who in 1870 founded
the Citizen.
In 1875 R. C. Brown became a partner. In
1878 John Clum bought and m oved 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 established
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.
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 (above) is that
of the first shipment 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 breaking 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, the citizens, driven to
desperation, rose in their might and took swift and just vengeance. One
notable instance of this was the Camp Grant massacre, 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 rations, 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 I 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 headquarters, 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 Papago Indians and five Americans, who went forth in just
defense of their homes and lives. Arriving at 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 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,
operated in the vicinity of Benson and Tanque Verde, and from tracks
seen they were thought to be lurking 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 corne. 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.
These pages on Tucson history are from the book "Old Tucson; a hop, skip and jump"
by Estelle M. Buehman available on Amazon.
Local Tucson Books
 "Treasures of the Santa Catalina Mountains,"
by Robert Zucker. The legends and history of the Catalinas– the Tucson
Gold Rush, the Iron Door Mine, Buffalo Bill's mining camp, and the story
of mining the mountains for gold, silver and copper. Read chapters
online, download a free sample PDF of the book and purchase on
Amazon. |
 "Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades,"
by Robert Zucker. Covers the local music and entertainment scene from
the 1950s through the end of the 20th Century. Interviews with local
musicians, original photographs and stories published in local
newspapers. Read chapters online, download a free sample PDF of the book
and purchase on Amazon. |
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