The daily gazette., 1877-12-18
THIRD EDITION.
FIGHTING AT Ell PASO.
TWENTY TEXANS BEsIEGED BY A
MOB OF THREE HUNDRED MEN.

A Frantic Appeal Jor Relief to Saue them from
Afassacre-AU Available Troops Ordered
10 the Scene-Ihe Trouble Gr0Wtpg
out of The Title TO the Salt Lakes.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 17.--At about
midnight last night Congressman Mills of
Texas received the following dispatch
from Gov. Hubbard at Austin, Texas;
The Sheriff of Ell Paso county tele-
graphs tonight that our State troops are
surrounded and will be massacred unless
relief can be had at once. Ask the Sec
retary of War to please order his troops
in New Mexico to make forced marches
! for their relief. They are American
| citizens. Answer.
In reply TO the above, Mr.. Mills, by
authority of the Secretary of War, this
evening sent the following:
Troops are now moving under orders
from here with all possible speed from
Fort Bayard, Fort Stanton, Fort Davis
and Santa Fe. Relief must soon be had.
The War Department received intor-
nation this morning that the local diff
culties in Ell Paso county, Texas, which
grew out of the question to the right and
title to certain salt mines, has assumed
threatening aspect. The few United
States and State militia in the county
have been surrounded, ,and unless reliev-
, ed very soon it is feared they will be
cut to pieces. The despatch from Gov.
} Hubbard, asking assistance, was referred
! to Gen. Sherman, who telegraphed Gen.
Sheridan to send all the troops he could
, The latter replied this morning that he
= had ordered troops as follows: From Fort
: Bayard, n. NJ, distance eighty miles to
2 Ell Paso, four companies of cavalry, 125
: men, and one company of infantry, %
!, men. From Fort Stanton, y. M, dis
i tance about fifteen miles to Ell Paso, three
: companies of cavalry, 107 men, and one
. company of infantry, 80 men. From
Santa Fe, distance thirty>fve miles to
FL Paso, one company of infantry, 2S
men. All of the above troops are from
Gen. Pope's command, and he has no
others within 500 miles.
= 1t is believed that the troops from Fort
= Stanton have already reached FL Paso
: and will proceed to San Elizario at once
g and will probably be able to relieve the
e troops now surrounded by the mob
Il Troops have also been ordered from
Fort Davis, Texas, distance OF about
$50 miles, as follows: One company Of
o. cavalry, 81 men; three companies of in
4 fantry, 95 men. Total number of troop;
e ordered, 500 men. They are ordered tC
It proceed with all possible dispatch. The
# route from Fort Davis is almost deser
J. way, and the march in warm weather
e will necessarily be very slow. Tht
y troops from Fort Bayard will no doub
IS reach San Elizario tomorrow, and will
II those from Fort Stanton will be suffi
20 cient to keep the peace.
n 1t is the intention of the Government
= to settle this salt question permanently
u hence sufficient force has been ordered
to The scene of disturbance. No inter
national complications are likely to grow
out of this disturbance. 1t is purely
'e local affair, in which the supremacy o
y the local and State laws is involved. Tht
II Mexicans who have come over from tht
IS south side of the Rio Grande and Joined
y the mob on this side, are believed to bt
= relatives of MeXicans living III Texa
,t and Others, who have for years beel
a gathering salt from the lakes il Ell Past
4 county without restrictions of any kind
r Ii there should be fight between tn
L troops and the mob, and any OF tn
MeXicans from the south side should b.
W killed, the Government of Mexico viii
= not likely make any fuss over it. Thes'
i salt lakes have been a source OF trouble
dating back almost to the first settlemen
A. of Ell Paso county.