Arizona weekly citizen., 1894-01-06
TIE GOOD OLD TIMES.
Judge Meyer Tells of Early Ari.
IONA Finances.
His Perilous Trip to Tucson-Tacking
Green backs on the WalI-Fancy
Priced Tobacco. Hay and
Beef.

swell boss, these are pretty hard
times; eh?' The foregoing Is almost
invariably Judge Meyers greeting,
generally ending With, sand l don't see
what's going to make it better soon.''
From anyone else the foregoing would
be Set down as croaklng, but the Judge
has right to complain of hard times.
He was here when Arizona was truly a
golden land. When $40 pieces were
more plentiful than silver dollars are
half or quarters elsewhere.
Judge Meyer was one cf the first
Americans to get to Tucson who has
survived to the present time. He got
here in 1858. The two or three who
preceded him are Solomon Warne, Sam
Hughes and A. Lazard, they coming in
1856. ''Frencly" as Mr.. Lazard is best
known, is now suffering what may be
his last illness. 81 came with a party of
twenty-five men, and started from San
Antonio, Texas said the ole judge OF
the whole party but fourteen got to
Tucson, and all of them are now dead
but me.
''One first loss were four men killed by
Comanches On the other side of the
Pecos river, in Texas. They we're
~ A Oh e r.
rest of US. They said there was no
danger Bnd rode Oh. The Injuns 100 of
them, surrounded the boys and they
never had chance to fire gun. Their
bones may be on the mesa yet. The
Injuns came after Us next. We had
made a barricade though, and they
didn't get US. We pu, the wagons end
to end III circle, with the mules inside.
Then we pile: up the -four and grain,
and got behind it. We had plenty of
arms aod ammunit on, and then We
were ready for them They would have
got lis though, for we had not much
water, only party of forty dragons
came along after the Iniuns and releas-
ed US.
FRONTIER DUEL.
"Our next killing was a duel. We al
ways hung our pistols on the hind
wheels of our wagon when we were in
camp, Two of the men quarrelled over
tin plate eff beans. They both jumped
for their pistols and shot at the same
lime. Each killed the other.
Then We lost two men-picked off
by the Apaches.
"We finally got to Tucson with four
teen men, and all of III IN are gone but
me-"
The old judge tells of some Indian
trading done by one of his party, Cap
ia n Way. Way saw there was money
in it and made trading pest at Apache
Pass. He bought all the guns, old aud
new, he could get in Tucson, and laid in
a big supply Of tobacco, whiskey and
mescal. He was then ready for business
Way, the judge says, soon supplied most
of old chief Cochise's Apaches with
arms, and came near being hung for 1t.
He lad finally to go out of the business
on that account.
He would give little piece of navy
plug tobacco for Mexican dollar, the
usual coin. One day the overland stage
with eight men aboard was held up. ali
the men killed, end $500 in gold secured
HIGH PRICED TOBACCO
In day or two an Indian came to
Way and wanted a large piece of
tobacco, presenting $50 piece. "Huhl"
said Way. mo good" He took the
piece very gingerly, bit it, looked at it,
and pushed it back. This performance
fooled the Apache. He wanted what
tobacco it would buy. Way gave him
half as much as he gave for a Mexican
dollar. Soon he had forty $40 gold
pieces. The Indians would bring in
green backs and Way would spurn them
Finally be took to mailing them on the
wall. This gave the Indians the
impression he wanted, and be got their
plumber for trifies in tobacco aud
powder.
WAYS CATTLE BUSINESS.
When the mob compelled Way to
quit the trading business Judge Meyer
asked him what be would do.
20, I'll get me frying pan and
rope, and go irto the cattle business"
he replied. ''In "a year," said the judge"
he had herd of 300 head of stock. He
would catch a steer on the range.
down it, heat his frying pan and just
bum it over the brand That would
obliterate the brand end he would
slap on his own mark"
One old time butcher made money in
the meat business. HIS had a man on
the range who work was to secure
ether mems stock, for $3.50 head.
beef the butcher would sell for
twenty-five cents or a pound. Beef, at
one time IN Tucson, was three bits
pound.
Those We're the good old times when
Buchaman's democracy was in power
and when there was DO duty on Sonora
cattle measure the Wilson bill will
probably revive. Some of the old timers
had beef contracts at Calabasas, on
which they made big motley. They
wou d buy cattle iu Sonora for so
head bring it to Caiabasas and sell il
to the military for about 1000 per cent
profit.
Hay had big money in it, in those
yond old times. 4 contractor would
have Mexicans cut block grama,
gro ing luxuriGnt'y two Or tn ee feet
nigh. between here and the t,ilito, for
5l5 load. This be would hand over
TO the quertermaster, Uho woul give
1im an order for to tors. Th- |
contract price with the government was
800 a ton.
"Ah bossr' said the judge, fhase are
pretty hard times; Ell? Nothing like |
he times We used 10 have here; eh?"