Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-01-14
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
Especial CORRESPONDENTS or THE MoNIToR.l
WAsuINnrnN Ian 8 1879

public at the Friday cabinet meeting.
and Is substantially as follows: The
origin of the trouble was mainly local,
but many Mexican citizens unquestiona-
bly, came across the Rio Grande and
participated Northern Mexico and
States adjacent to Texas have long drawn
their principal supplies of salt from the
lakes in dispute. about loo miles from
Ell Paso. 1t has always been free here
tofore to all and the traffic gave en-
ployment to many hundred people In
1868 clause was inserted in the Texas
constitution. permitting private parties
to locate salt lakes, provision since
utilized by politicians of Ell Paso county
in obtaining the votes of such as could
be tricked into the arrangement on the
promise to obtain for those thus voting,
absolute titles to the salt lakes. Pesti-
lent Office seekers have thus often been
elected. only to repudiate their part of
the contract and to leave their dupes
under the impression that they had been
grossly cheated. These lakes fell into
the possession of the Texas Pacific Co.
when the State granted their road the
right of way through it; and hence it
could no longer issue letters patent for
them nor could they be located on State
certificates. The road having only been
completed to Fort Worth the Company
could not obtain sufficient certificates
to supply the trade. and they conse-
quently command high price. An
Austin Company finally succeeded by
some sharp practice probably in locat-
ing the lakes in such way as to give
it some shadow of title, more or less
valid, and entrusted their care to local
agent Severe measures were at once
adopted to deter Mexicans from coming
for further supplies of the saline pro-
ducts. The then highest authority in
the county was the County Judge, a
Mexican, who is supposed to have been
under obligations to the agent, for his
election, and decided every question
relative to the property, in his favor.
By his orders several parties were ar
rested on complaint of the agent, not for
actual trespass, but because they had
threatened it. The Mexicans were con-
sequently much inAamed against both
in consequence the agent claimed the
Sheriff's protection against the Mexicans
who had run down and imprisoned the
Judge; they then besieged the house Of
the Sheriff who temporarily left to put
his wife in place of safety and who
was not allowed to return. The agent
: was captured and given his choice t.
either sign a paper. making the lakes
, free to all desiring to use their product.
, until their ownership should have beer
determined by competent authority. o.
9 to leave the country within "a hours af
ter release, never to return, or remain il
8 custody. After three days he complied
t with the conditions. being warned by
q priest that he would be killed if b
!, held out longer. They imposed no re
8 strictions on the Sherlff's movement
It after the agents capture. The agen
# soon returned to Ell Pass, and almos
l. Immediately met Cards, the leader @
d the Mexican mob american citizens c
% Mexican birth or extraction, with fe'
IL Mexican citizens) and killed him.
l. was generally believed that Cards ir
ir stigated the mob in their acts. Howar
eluded his pursuers, going to New Me,
leo, and returned Dec 2. In Novembt
- Mr.. Jones under State authority recruit
ed a company of Rangers go men)
- aid the Sheriff in enforcing law an
preserving peace. Dec. 18th Howal
= left Ell Paso, under Ranger escort, wit
- writs of sequestration against the salil
= contents of many Mexicans carts retur
- ing to San Elizario from the ticks, al
- to arrest those found in possession
= the salt. On his arrival he conduct
himself in way almost certain to p1
cipitate conflict with the Mexic'
!, residents, calling them .greasers' al
- other opprobrious epithets,' and daril
them to combat. This conduct appea
as unprovoked as his insults we're gr
: tuitous, being probably prompted
the previous indignities to which he W
subjected, and based on the suppositi
:, that his force was superior to any th
could be mustered against 1t. In t
- morning they found themselves 81
:. rounded by the Mexican residents a
others come to assist. After four da
siege both parties displayed white ia
the Rangers first. Howard. Atkins
ks and Mcbride Howard sub-agent) W,
cr- induced to visit the Mexicans with I
es- promise that if they should do SO. m
tor tiers could be readily adjusted. III
ate were at once taken out and shot. I
We balance of the command had meanti
re- surrendered, but were next morni
the released from confinement. their hor
ec- returned to them. but not their arms.
ing The veterans and recruits of the
Or. male suffrage cause are gathering fir