Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-07-27
1ARIZoNA's CAPITAL.
What is Known Of Tucson's Pscu-
liar History.
A METHODIST MINISTER'S BIG LUCK.
He Goes there for His Health and viii Re-
tire Rich Miner-American Enter
prise Roofing Out the Old
s-. Spanish Customs.

Correspondence Of the Register.
Tucson. AR1., July 1s.-Tucson is located
in an extensive plain, surrounded in all
directions by blue and purple mountain
ranges in the distance, with the green
Santa Cruz valley lands extending through
the midst. The river itself is non est, so
far as any visible manifestation Of It's ex'
istence is concerned, all of its waters hav.
ing been converted intoi rrigating bitches
aud scattered over the land. appearing
again in the verdure Of grasses and grains
and the luxuriance of groves and orchards
and sparkling in the brilliant tints of
flowers and fruits. Perhaps ii is only the
6ontrast.~ish- the dussy torn that naakss
it appear so, but the verdure in the valley
seems the most brilliant in the world.
There are
Excellent Farming Lands
up and down the Santa Cruz and good graz.
ing lands in all directions which are uti-
lized In the maintenance of vast tlocks and
herds. The origin Of the city rests in OBJ
scurity, but for nearly 2O0 years at least the
pueblo has been in existence. 1t is believed
that it was established about the year 1884
as a military station for the protection Of
the mission OF San Xavier del Bsc. The
country was first explored and made known
to Europeans nearly so years ago, long
before the settlements at Plymouth Rock
and jamestown and even before that at st.
Augustine; but no record of Tucson as then
existing has ever been found, Sd that its
claim as one of the oldest cities in the
Unitel States cannot be substantiated, al
though from the looks OF some portions Of
the town one would judge it to be as
Old as the Everlasting Hills-
The old church of San Xayer del Blc,
niDe miles distant up the Santa Cruz val
ley, is one of the most remarkable Oh the
continent, and indeed is worthy of rank
with many Of the medieval churches Of
Europe. According to the best authorities
it is now one hundred years old, having
been completed in 1877, and begun four
teen years earlier. The original mission
hundred years earlier by the Jesuits,
who erected small adobe church.
After their expulsion from Mexico
by order of the Spanish Govern
ment, the Franciscaas took charge of this
among other missions in what was Sonora,
and in time butt the present church, re.
tanning, however. the original name given
by the Jesuits. The building is well pre-
served and in both architecture and orna.
mentation is a marvel, when one takes into
&C nsideration the age in which it was
erected and its distance from all
Centers of Civilization.
II is Of the Moorish style of Architecture,
being built in the form OF cross with a
dome over the transept and two towers in
front. 1t measures l05 by 81 feet inside
the walls, which are OF stone and brick,
the roof being an arch OF the same ma.
terial. The altars, four Of them besides the
main altar, are elaborately decorated with
columns and arabesques, which are gilded
or painted in gay colors in accordance with
the requirements OF Byzantine art.
Beautiful frescoes representing biblical
scenes are on the walls OF the nave, of the
chancel, OF the chapels, OF the choir and
even OF the dome, all artistic and the colors
GHEtaftlTaRse epTatd Miitne' ''aipaes Of the
pillars and several images OF the saints are
about the altars
The Artistic Excellence
of the frescoes and images executed as
they were, so long since and in country
so remote from civilization, as well as
their wonderful preservation, is a source oil
unCeasing wonder and surprise. Some OF
the images carved from wood are even be-
have religiously preserved both the church
and the sacred utensils through wars and
upTisings and for long years at times when
they have been without the ministrations
OF priest The Indians who inhabit this
region are Papagoes, tribe OF the great
Pima nation. a peaceful. agricultural peo
pie, exemplifying in their lives the beneii.
cence OF the Spanish mission system OF
ciyilizing savagps # indeed they were saw
ages at ,Lat time, by writing them about Q
mission church and teaching them
The Arts OF Peace,
agriculture, stock raising and various me
chanIcai arts, feeding and clothing them
out # the prOcs eds Of their united labor
and devoting the remainder OF the profit
to The building OF churches and houses
and the general good. This beau,ifnl
church, erected in the wilderness AMID
perils and hardships untold, is a monu
inent to the devotion and selt.sacrifcs of
men whose parallel it would be difficult t.
find even under our nineteenth century
civilization. Tucson ia the centre OF
large number Of producing mining dis
iricis which are tributary 10 N, including
he silver Bell. Old Hat, Riverside, Blood
Sucker, Total Wreck, Empire, Wrightso1,
Hsrshaw, La Noris, Washington Camp.
Saerno. Tyndall, Santa Rita, sai others
The trade OF tDeSe uistTlCtS WIZ N"duliy
increase with the progress OF iaeir de.
velopment and will always sustain good
town here.
Recent Discovery
in the Santa Ritas discounts anything be
fore found in this part OF the territory in
mineral richness, both as TO, the qusntity
and quality of the ore. The mali, vein can
be traced for mile and half, and in addi.
ton there are three distinct branches.
There are seven claims located in the
group, the principal one and The one which
is most developed being called the Blue
Jay" There are three distinct classes ol
ore-a chloride interspersed with native
silver and carbonate tnat assays from 800
to 500 a ton in slyer. The most remsrka.
Bile feature of all however Is the fact that
the surface Of the several claims is covered
in places 10 q depth Of several feet With q
black, decomposed ore resembling sol,
which can be shoysled up by the ton aud
which gives an average assay OF 500 q ten.
the lowest OF seven assays giving s2io, 1t
4. . .-o,;gc.tiop IN laarn, in this cOnAeC-