Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-10-08
BURIED TREASURE.
4 Scrap of History Two Centuries Old

Scrap of History Two Centuries Old.
In August 1850, the Pueblo Indians and
their more savage allies, in combined
movement, drove the Spanish settlers
from Santa Fe and other points in the
portion of this territory from their homes.
At the same time the missions through
out New Mexico were destroyed, and
Franciscan and other monks slaughtered
whenever they fell into the hands of their
mercIless enemies as were also the ma
tives who had embraced tue Christian
religion and refused to become apostates.
The refugees from Santa Fe and other
points north, when within a few miles
from Socorro, were SO soreIy pressed that
they were about to succumb to their say
age foe, when II large body of men from
this point came to their rescue and de
feated the rebels. The united Spanish
forces retreated To SOcorro, then known
as the mission San Miguel The poor,
| hunted Spaniard7 finding no ohter means
of testyfylng their gratitude named the
place SocuTro, which means succOr or re
/ lief name 1t has ever since borne,
| though the parish continues to be known
rs Sau Miguel.
AccessiOns to the population of Socor-
ro continued TO arrive rapidly from the
various missions which had been des-
troyed and depOpulated by the insurgent
Pueblo7, aud this great increase in their
number made sad havoc with the sup
ply of provisions i'll the place and as the
crops III the vicinity mad been destroyed
it soon became evident that the town
would sooner or later, have to be aban-
boned by its brave defenders. Another
danger also mcnanced the place in the
form of the rapid concentration
of the Indian forces who
having devastated the other settle
ments, were rapidly surrounding Socor-
ro, and would soon present such over
whelming superiority in numbers that
retreat on the part of the people of this
city would be impossible As these facts
became moro apparent council was
called, which resulted in n decision to
withdraw from the place during the night
and retreat to El Paso. No sooner was
! this decided upon than it was rapidly
carried INTO execution, and the church
| treasures, CUnsecratcd bells and church
| ornaments, as well as much pri-
waite treasure, under heavy escort was
conveyed to Il place within the present
city limits and i'll the dead of night were
buried.
The evacuation of SOcorro took place
quietly, and when the sun arose the say
| ages entered the place plundered what
was left, and set fire to the town
| The gallant inhabitants escaped to FL
| Paso andSocOrro remained in its abandon
ment and solitude until the year 1916,
when 1t was reoccupied, principally by
settlers from Bolen. La iowa, and other
points above. Twenty years ago a
MIR. s. Nrain made some effort to recover
the treasures which had been buried so
long, but failed. There is no doubt what
ever us to the fact of this cache having
been made, and sooner or later son cone
moro lucky than the others will stumble
upon this wealth by accident or as the re
suit of systematic search. This will add
several pages to the church records which
will no doubt be recovered at the same
time and throw light on the history of
this part of the territory which is now
wrapped in mystery and oblivion.