National Republican., 1883-07-05
ANCIENT SANTA FL.
A City Whose Traditions Run Back Three
Centuries.
Her EyentfuI Story Of Wars and occu-
patiooa
The Character Of the Present Celebration-A Curicu;
Blending Of the Old and the New.
Tho Oldest Church on tho Continent
Strange Scenes and Strange People.

Cab eca de Baca was the first European to
set foot in New Mexico. 1t was in 1881, after
serving with Narvaez in Florida, and wan
dering westward, that after thrilling adven-
lures he reached New Mexico. Ten years
later the country was partially explored by
an expedition in search of treasures, and nine
years after this the town of Santa Fe, one Of
the three Oldest cities in this country, was
founded. This was only twenty-nine years
after the conquest of Mexico by Cortez.
jamestown, Va, formerly had the honor of
being the most ancient town in the United
States. After Florida was annexed st. Au-
gustine held that distinction, but since the ac-
quisition of New Mexico st. Augustine has
given place to the city of Santa Fe in that terri
tory. The citizens of New Mexico win
this month celebrate the three hundred
and thirty-third anniversary of the found
ing of Santa Fe. Tho two chief features
of the exhibition will be the display OF
the historical treasures of the territory
and of material resources. New Mexico
is very rich in both, and especially in the
former 1t contains tribes of Pueblo Indians
living in the same manner as they existed
when Columbus discovered America. The
pueblo at Taos, a building five stories high,
stands as it did centuries ago. New Mexico
also possesses antiquities of the stone age,
and of the Spanish conquest. Descendants
of the ancient Spanish families yet reside
there, and they will lend many relics Relics
of the old American trappers and scouts will
also form part of the exhibition. A special
building will be dedicated to the antiquities.
Another building will contain the exposition
of the mineral and agricultural wealth of the
territory. New Mexicos exhibit of gold,
ell rniaa nd nth
minerals at the recent Denver exhibition was
the most creditabe one there The exhibit
tion will last during the entire month of
July, delightful season in New Mexico.
Twice q week there will be special days de-
voted tosome interesting purpose. One day
there will be a representation, in which 1,500
persons will take part, of the entry of Span
iards into Mexico. Another day there will
be performances by the Pueblo Indians.
There will also be excursions to the interest
ing cave dwellings in the vicinity.
The official history of Santa Fe begins in
1851, Tho report of the revolt made by
Sergt Maj. Luis Granillo, magistrate and
solicitor general of the corporation of the
city of Santa Fe, to the governor and captain
general of the kingdom, Antonio Otermin,
still exists. 1t is dated Sept. 16, 1881, and in
it is stated "that at the same time and hour
there was general revolt of Indians through
out the provinces. They attacked the city of
Santa Fe. The siege lasted over nine days
the Spaniards lost over three hundred killed,
of all ages and sexes; the Indians did not
spare even the children at the breast; the
prelate, the head of the church, eighteen
priests, and two lay brothers were killed; the
Indians burnt the temple and images, and
destroyed the sacred vessels; the Indians lost
over four hundred killed their force was es-
timated at 5000; the Spaniards were COM
PEELED to abandon the place for want of pro-
visions and water, and returned to Ell Paso
del Norte; the revolt took place OH tho
tenth day OF August, 1850. For twelve
years the Indians were free from Spanish rule.
From 1892 to 1704 Diego de Vargas was captain
general and governor. He reconquered the
territory, aud in 1896 put down the second re-
bellon, in which over 1000 Indians lost their
lives. In the year 1704 he reports to the Duke
of Albuquerque, the viceroy of all Spanish
Mexico, as follows: 81, the Marquis de 10
Nava Brazinas, conqueror, pacitier, and settler
of this kingdom of New Mexico, its governor
and captain general, recently reappointed by
his majesty and the royal audience of the
court of Mexico and Castillo having at my
own cost, in the year 1892, through divine
favor, restored this kingdom to his majesty
reports of which facts have so far duly
transmitted, l gave statement of the fam
lilies under my charge who came from Galcia
and Viscaya with the soldiers of the garrison
of Santa Fe. There were with me at the
same time seventeen priests, including the
heV. fatner SalVauOr ue ANTONIO, Wnere inc
people of Thana had a city at Santa Fe, well
fortified in 1862, the date 1 was happy
enough to conquer the same. The
town was inclosed by breastworks and
trenches, with four towers, two on the
south and two on the north. with but
one entrance. Some of the houses were three
and four stories high. There were estufas in
me, about 1900, entered the town and took
possession of it," This is Diego de Vargas
description of Santa Fe in 1892. The fact
that three and four story houses existed then
and there shows the place to have been of
great atiquity in 1892.
The Spanish population in New Mexico in
1898 was 1850. 1t was somewhat reduced by
casualties in Indian wars, and in 100 there
were but 1856 souls on the official registers,
Diego de Vargas died at Bernallies in 1904,
while organizing an expedition against the
Apaches. 1903 the population was $4,000,
one-third of whom were Pueblo Indians. All
in all, the records show forty-eight captains
general from 1860 to 1916. All of them re-
sided and held court in the old governors
palace at Santa Fe. Manuel Armijo was the
last Mexican governor. On Aug. 10, 1886,
Gen kearney took possession of Santa Fe and
the territory of New Mexico for the United
States.
The city of Santa Fe is situated in valley
among the mountains of the Sierra Madre, and
nearly 1000 feet above the level of the sea,
looks down from its lofty perch upon a COM
paratively barren and desert country. Yet do
all of them possess plain evidences of having
been built by the same race; the same Ian
guage is still spoken by many of the inhabit-
ants, and similar traits of character and modes
of living prevail in all to this day.
The capital of New Mexico lies on both sides
OF a tiny stream that empties into the Rio
Grande to the westward, and is called after
the name of the city, which contains probably
between 1000 and 5000 inhabitants About
three-fourths of these arc of Spanish or Mexi-
can descent-many possessing strong ad-
mixture of Indian blood. Like all Mexican
towns, its buildings are mainly of adobe or
sun dried brick, the mud, mixed with gravel
and chopped grass being pressed into large
cubes, about twice the size of our ordinary
bricks, and then left to bake in tho hot sun.
In this dry climate, where so little rain falls
throughout the year, these adobe structures
stand the weather excellently for an indef.
mite period, y of the buildings being, ac-
cording to tri don, over 300 years old. Alta
short distan{ rom the city the majority of
the housesa churches are undistinguishable
in colpr fro the bare hillsdes, causing one
to instinct gely wonder where the place is
until he is almost upon it.
Starting now to make tour around the
main portion of this old, historic city, which
owing TO American enterprise is rapidly
changing its appearance every year more aud
more, we soon come to the famous plaza, in
the heart OF the business portion of the town,
where the Indians in 1850, after obtaining
possession of the place and DESTROYING the