Arizona weekly citizen., 1884-02-09


 COMMUNICATIONS.
 A large number of letters were re- ceived from pioneers unable to be pres ent, and many were read to the meet ing by the secretary.
 Communications were received from c H Light, Magdalena; l. Ward, sheriff of CoohIse county; W B Benson, Tomb stone; c A Luke, Phenix; John Miller, Florence; E B Gage, Supt Grand Cen trsl mine, Tombstone; Isaac Polhamus. Yuma; Dan Murphy. Logan City; Wm NJ Griffith, President Texas and California Stage Go; Chief Justice c G W French, Prescott; Charley H Brindley, Yuma; s I R De Long, Fort Bowie; Patrick Hamll- | ton, Phenix; A D Lemon. PhenIx; Wm l Fl Kirkland, Stafford; John Carr, Tomb stone; r k Brady, Florence; k E Far rington, Phenix; D c Thompson, liar shaw; J Fl Tevis, Teviston; H M Woods, Tombstone; Thomas H Bush, E Richard, | D $ Murphy, Dripping Springs; Robt | Williams Silver King, Louis Depuy, | Silver King; Samuel Purdy, Yuma; F W Laumeister, Yuma; J M Colton, Phenix; | CT Woolfolk, Pantano; W Knight Lo- gan City; Elias Brown, Tombstone; Dr 5 [ Heineman, Globe.
 Among the dispatches received were the following:
 SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 31.-The Pioneers of Californla send most cordial and fraternal greeting to the Pioneers of Arizona, the founders of new State; another star to our national ensign. Very respectfully,
 >NATHANIEL HOLLAND.
 . s.F as Pioneers.
 PEEscorr, Jao. 3l-Your invitation to meet with pioneers just received. l regret my inability to be present, but congratulate you upon your organlza- ton. r. A. TRITLE-
 SAN DIEGO, Jan. 3l.-Though long absent dear are the remembrances of the old boys and girls. JOHN G. CAPBoN.
 SAN FRAScIsco, Jan. 31.-Your wine card differed from the early times of primitive purity, blue shirts, pork and beans, slapiacks and whisky straight. Now you drink wine which smacks of civilization and an effete aristocracy-I even in Arizona the world Is moving. As you have the material handy, drink to the .old and the new, for time blends both. There Is nothing too good for an Arizona Pioneer. T.. l.. SULLIVAN,
 J. F. EVANS.
 THE ALL-IAPoRTANT QUESTION.
 On motion of Hon. Wm. c. Davis, the following committee was appointed by the chair to fix the date of entrance of those to the territory who shall be ad mitted to the society as pioneers: Wm. c. Davis, Col. .PostOn, Wm. s. Oury, Thom- as Gates, Wm. Zeckendorf, Thomas Hughes and Col Toole.
 The committee after short deliherR- tioD determined upon January l, 1870, as the date, and further that all male children of such pioneers be considered eligible as members.
 Mr. J. S. Mansfield objected tO the date, and moved 1t be changed to April 90, 1871, the date upon which the Camp Grant Massacre occurred. This was a time when the people of Arizona pro ! tected themselves from the Indians. Some people would object to the time because of the unpleasant memories 1t aroused, but We only acted from ne- cessity brought about by the govern ment's neglect to afford us protection. "Gentlemen," he said, "it was bloody year; shall never forget It."
 These remarks brought Wm. s. Oury to his feet, and he said he could speak | from the book; others could only speak from memory. He was there. Since the subject has been open for discussion, be would say that the date named by Mir. Mansfield was a more particular one than many others. The exact date makes little difference, and hence some consid- erstion should be shown to the wishes of the committee. Another matter-Ido not call the affair of 1871. massacre It was a killing of Indians who had been preying upon us. As l was particip- ant. it grates upon my mind to call lt a massacre. I have as much of the milk of human kindness as any one, and do not consider what was simply neces- sary defense against murderous Indians, can be designated by the term hereto fore used" Further the gentleman said he did not think the time should be fixed at an earlier date. The people since then have had little to do with fighting Indians. They have not been called upon to go out upon the prairies for the bones of their neighbor, and hastily digging graves with sticks, bury the remains away from the sight of hungry coyotes.
 Col. Poston, referring 10 Supt. Bean who was present, said that that gentle man had kindly consented to send telegram gratuitously to the San Fran CISCO railroad magnates, asking that pioneers desiring to visit this meeting from distant points, be granted Tree rlde At the tune he suggested the date fixing the status of pioneers upon the entrance of the railroad here, he believed the railroad company with its wealth and increasing prosperity, would be willing to give one free ride to the present white man, under the cir cumstances, as they do to the aboriginal tribes who always enjoy the rights Of the car platform without molestation. Since the telegram Of refusal was received, however, had he ex- perienced a change of opinion, and now believed any previous date better one. He was, however, opposed to date Of the Camp Grant massacre. The history of the Territory has been bloody one. and Tn choosing the date Tn question will only perpetuate one of the many bloody records. He as member of the committee, had the privilege of presenting a minority report, and hence he wodld move to make the date, the Centennial year, 4th of July, 1876.
 F. W. Shortridge favored later date. He knew that many were present who wished to enter the society, but would be unable to if the time was placed so far back. He had heard it argued that if all could be admitted after the rail road entered the territory, the society would be open to the genus tramp, who only comes as a pioneer on the brakes, or along the ties. He thought that in one respect all were tramps. He had tramped it from the HOosier State 5S years ago. and this tramping was the common fate Of most pioneers.
 Wm. 4. Scott, IT,, favored the "rail- road date"
 Judge Osborn opposed the latter pro- position. as the fact of the railroad reaching Tucson had no special signif- canoe to the .territory, and the society will be a territorial and not a sectional
 Col. Toole and l.. c. Hughes spoke favoringly of the centennial project. The latter believed that fl pioneers were only admitted who were in the territory on January l, 1870, or heretofore, the society would soon die out That par ticulRr class of men are growing old. and soon there would be none left to perpet- uate the organization.
 Wm Zeokeudorf believed that Col PoSton's last amendment a reasonable compromise, while General Rice spoke in favor of the railroad opening day. George W. Barter came to the territory when the railroad was a, Deming there fore he thought the date should be fixed at the time the railroad reached ihe far | thest limits of Arizona. The Major | 4k. h.