Building a State in Apache Land | Page 9

Pompeii. Nevertheless we set to work, cleaned out the quarters,
repaired the corrals, and prepared to make ourselves as comfortable as
possible.
The first necessity in a new settlement is lumber, and we dispatched
men to the adjacent mountains of Santa Rita to cut pine with whip-saws,
and soon had lumber for doors, windows, tables, chairs, bedsteads, and
the primitive furniture necessary for housekeeping. The quarters could
accommodate about three hundred men, and the corrals were ample for
the animals. The old quartel made a good storehouse, and the tower on
the north, of which three stories remained, was utilized as a lookout.
The beautiful Santa Cruz washed the eastern side of the presidio, and
fuel and grass were abundant in the valley and on the mountain sides. It

was not more than a hundred leagues to Guaymas, the seaport of the
Gulf of California, where European merchandise could be obtained.
There were no frontier custom houses at that time to vex and hinder
commerce.
In the autumn of 1856 we had made the headquarters for the company
at Tubac comfortable, laid in a store of provisions for the winter, and
were ready to begin the exploration of the country for mines. When you
look at the Santa Rita Mountains from Tubac, it seems a formidable
undertaking to tunnel and honeycomb them for mines. Nevertheless,
we began to attack with stout hearts and strong arms, full of hope and
enthusiasm. The mines in the Santa Rita Mountains had been
previously worked by the Spaniards and Mexicans, as was evident by
the ruins of arrastres and smelters. Gold could be washed on the
mountain sides, and silver veins could be traced by the discolored
grass.
As soon as it was known in Mexico that an American company had
arrived in Tubac, Mexicans from Sonora and the adjacent States came
in great numbers to work, and skillful miners could be employed at
from fifteen to twenty-five dollars a month and rations. Sonora
furnished flour, beef, beans, sugar, barley, corn, and vegetables, at
moderate prices.
A few straggling Americans came along now and then on pretense of
seeking employment. When questioned on that delicate subject, they
said they would work for $10 a day and board; that they got that in
California, and would never work for less. After staying a few days at
the company's expense they would reluctantly move on, showing their
gratitude for hospitality by spreading the rumor that "the managers at
Tubac employed foreigners and greasers, and would not give a white
man a chance." They were generally worthless, dissipated, dangerous,
low white trash.
Many Mexicans that had been formerly soldiers at the presidio of
Tubac had little holdings of land in the valley, and returned to cultivate
their farms, in many cases accompanied by their families.

By Christmas, 1856, an informal census showed the presence of fully a
thousand souls (such as they were) in the valley of the Santa Cruz in
the vicinity of Tubac. We had no law but love, and no occupation but
labor. No government, no taxes, no public debt, no politics. It was a
community in a perfect state of nature. As "syndic" under New Mexico,
I opened a book of records, performed the marriage ceremony, baptized
children, and granted divorces.
Sonora has always been famous for the beauty and gracefulness of its
señoritas. The civil wars in Mexico, and the exodus of the male
population from Northern Mexico to California, had disturbed the
equilibrium of population, till in some pueblos the disproportion was as
great as a dozen females to one male; and in the genial climate of
Sonora this anomalous condition of society was unendurable.
Consequently the señoritas and grass widows sought the American
camp on the Santa Cruz River. When they could get transportation in
wagons hauling provisions they came in state,--others came on the
hurricane deck of burros, and many came on foot. All were provided
for.
The Mexican señoritas really had a refining influence on the frontier
population. Many of them had been educated at convents, and all of
them were good Catholics. They called the American men "Los
God-dammes," and the American women "Las Camisas-Colorados." If
there is anything that a Mexican woman despises it is a red petticoat.
They are exceedingly dainty in their underclothing,--wear the finest
linen they can afford; and spend half their lives over the washing
machine. The men of northern Mexico are far inferior to the women in
every respect.
This accretion of female population added very much to the charms of
frontier society. The Mexican women were not by any means useless
appendages in camp. They could keep house, cook some dainty dishes,
wash clothes, sew, dance, and sing,--moreover, they were expert at
cards, and divested many a miner of his week's wages