Arizona weekly citizen., 1886-09-25
Burned Treasures.
JOHN LAMBiE.
fSo-orrn Bnl ion.

(Sooorro buiion.l
 In sugust, lGS0, the Pueblo IDdIans and .heIr more savage allies. n a com biued movement. drove the Spanish settlers from Santa te and ether points in the northern portion ot this territory from their homes. At the EaIns time the missions throughout New Mexico We're destroyed, and The Franciscan snd other Monks slaughtered shenever they fell into the hands of their nerciless enemies, as were also the natives who had eIn braced the Christian religion and refused tO become apostates. The reiu gees from Santa ke and other points north, when but few miles from Socor- 10. were SO sorely prt ssed that they were about tc succumb to their savage foe, when large body of armed men fr n this point came to their rescue. and defeated the rebels. The united Spanish forces retrested to SOcorro. then known as the Mission of San Mi guel. The poor hunted Spsniards, find ing no other means of testi'yIng ibeIr gratitude, named the place "Soeorro," which means succor of reliei-a name it has ever since borpe. though the psrish continues tn ns known as that of San Miguel
 Accessions to tine population of So- corro ,niinued to arrive rapidly from the various missions winch he'd been destroyed and depOpulated by the in- surgent PuetiCs. and this great in crease n theIr number made sad havoc with the supply Of provisions Tn Ghe place, and Gs the crops ID the vicinity had been destroyed, 1t sOou became evident that the town would sooner or later have to be abandoned by its brave defenders. Another danger also men sced the place. in the form of rapid concentrstionsof Indian forces, who. having devastated the other settlements, were rapidly surrounding SOcorro. and aud would soon present such sn over whelming superiority m numbers that retreat on the part of the people of this city would be impossible. As these facts became more apparent. s council IS called. which resulted in a decision to withdraw from the place during the night and retreat to Fl Psso. No sooner was this decided upon than il was rap idly put into execution, and the church treasurers, oonsecrated bells and church ornaments, as well as much prIva,e treasure, under heavy escort, was con veyed to point within the present e'ty limits, and in the dead of night were buried.
 The evacuation of Socorro took placs quietly, Rnd when the sun arose the say ages entered the plsce, plundered what was left and set fire to the town. The gallant inhabitants escaped 10 Fl Paso and Sccorro remained in its abandon ment and solitude until the year 1916, when it WAS reoccupied principally by settlers from Belen, La Joys and other points above. Twenty-Five years ago 6 Mir. $. Vrsin made some efforts to re- cover the treasures which had been buried 30 long. but failed. There IS no doubt whatever as to the fact of this cache taving been made. and sooner or later some one more lucky than the others will stumble upon this wealth by accident. or as the result Of systematic search. This will add several pages to tue church records, which will DO 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.