The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1893-05-14
SQUAW Or CASTILIAN ?
ARIzONA'ss BARONESS AND THE
PERALrA LAND GRANT.
1t WIN 30 Tried by the Land Court in
San Francisco-A Claim to the
Most Valuable Portion
of ARIZONA,

The celebrated Perslta grant was again
brought to the attention OF the public
by the convening in this city on Wednes-
day, says the San Francisco Chronicle of
Saturday, OF the United States land
court appointed by congress to try this
and about $50 other claims in Colorado,
Arizona and New Mexico.
The court has been in session at the
appraisers building for the past two
days, with Justice Joseph Z. Reed pre-
siding. The government was represent
ed by United States Attorney Matt G.
Reynolds, and the. petitioners by James
o. Broadhead, the ex-congressman re-
Gently appointed minister to SWitzer-
land. James FL. Reeder is clerk OF the
court.
The session was devoted to the taking
Of testimoney presented by the petit
TONERS and intended to establish the
identity OF Dona Sofia Loretta Macuelo
de Maso- Reavis y Peralta de la Cordova,
otherwise known as Mrs. James Addi-
son Reayis, SO the great-grand- daughter
OF the Baron and Baroness PeraltR.
There is also another suit in which
about 100 persons present claims as the
heirs of Baron Peralta, but the Reavis
claim is the one being considered by the
court at the present time.
The value of the grant claimed by
Mrs. Reavis is over 500, 100000. It en-
braces region of country in Arizona 40
by 100 miles in extent, as large an area
as the states of Rhode Island and Con-
rzoctioUt uTbiz1ocs.
Many of the most promising and -four
iehing towns OF Arizona are within the
condnea Of the grant. On the western
boundary, and near the southern corner.
Maricopa is situated, the point where
the Southern Pacific railroad enters.
Standard, another railroad town, lies in
the southwestern corner. Phoenix, one
of the most furnishing towns in the ter
ritory, is in the western part, and the
lively town of Globe is located in the
center and toward the north.
Among other cities and towns en-
braced in the grant are Tempe, Hayden,
Marysyille, Sweetwater, Casa Grande,
Cottonwood, Pinal, Florence, Dudley
vile, Camp Goodwin, Pioneer, McMil-
lenvilIe and Riverside.
No section of Arizona is so we'll favored
as regards water and means OF irriea-
ton. The ella, Salt and San Pedro
rivers run through the grant, while
small streams flowing into the larger
ones honeycomb the whole property.
The undeveloped mineral wealth of
the district is untold. The most cele-
brated mineral belt OF Arizona, that OF
the Pinal range, ia situated in the CEN
ter OF the grant. There are also several
Indian reservations on the grant.
Reavis fret made the claim in his own
name, but afterward substituted that of
bfo xzrffo Rovnwaoe IA Ia Nrr1Ouo ~
he asserts, is the great-granddaughte Of
Baron Miguel Peralta de Ia Cordova.
This old gentleman went to Mexico in
1880 as one of the commissioners Of the
Spanish crown to investigate alleged
Interpretations of silver from the
mines of Sonora by the Jesuite. In con-
alteration of his valuable services, Mrs.
Reayis aesents, he was given the pro!
perty in Arizona to which she now lays
claim by the Spanish vice-regent. Soon
after coming into this property Peralta
married Sofia Ave Maria Sanchez.
from which union Mrs. Reayis claims to
be in direct descent.
Those who oppose the claim of the
Arizona baroness assert that she is the
daughter OF squaw by man named
Treadwell, q good-for-nothing fellow
who used to loaf around Woodland.
When the daughter reached sufficient
years she served as maid-of-all-work in
the different families of the town.
When she was about is years old
Reavis came to the town from Missouri,
and falling in love with the dark
skinned maiden he married her.
Be this as il may, Reavis succeeded in
forming syndicate OF capitalists who
had faith in his GLAZING, and it iH said
that upward of 100000 has alrsady
been expended in sn attempt to estab-
lish its validity. Roscoe Conkling at
one time acted ss attorney for the syn
dictate, and the names of John H. Ben.
son and J. Harvey Brown have at diff
ferent times been associated with il.
In February, 1890, Surveyor-General
johnson of Arizona reported to the in
terror department. at Washington that
there was no legal claim to the alleged
grant, whereupon Land Commissioner
Croft held that no grant of the character
claimed was ever made and ruled
against the petitioners at every point.
When the new land court was created
by congress the Peralta grant and a
large number Of other claims were re-
fefred to it for trial. The court went to
Los Angeles last evening, where it will
hold a naeai0n