West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-08-15
THE GREAT SOUTHWEST.
Our Arizona Correspondent Writes
an Interesting Letter in Regard .
to the Indians and Msxicans
Of Tha. Section.
Some Valuable Observations On the
Pre-. Historic Inhabitants
OF Arizona
specIal corre.ponaence OF Tnr Anau..

1
PHGNIx, ARIZONA, Aug. 6, 1895.
Almost everyone has read more
or less about the Indian, yet we be.
lievo a majority OF the people have
never seen him in his nativity;
consequently great many have
wrong idea as to their nature and
habits. l find that there is as much
difference in the nature and habits
OF the different tribes of Indians as
there are in the different nationali-
ties of people who inhabit the globe.
You will not find two tribes whose
habits are the same. We have in
Arizona several tribes, of which
some are very peaceable and are
enlightened to considerable ex-
tent, while others are almost say
ages yet and know nothing but to
hunt, fish aud prowl around the
country and steal whatever they
can get their hands ON. The
Apaches, for instance, are the
dreaded enemies of the whites, and
the presence of United States troops
is all that keeps them from com
uniting depredatlons. While the
Pima and Maricopa tribes are very
friendly and industrious, too, as
they all have farms and are we'll
supplied with horses, or rather
ponies; have their wagons and are
fairly fixed III the line of farming
utensils. They even have sewing
machines, and some of them are
better fixed than some white people
that we know. This tribe, We be.
lieve, owe their existence TO. day to
the white settlers who first settled
In and around Phoenix. The
Apache and Pima tribes have been
bitter enemies ever since they have
been known by the white man. The
Apaches being the stronger of the
two tribes, of course the Pimas were
at their mercy, and it is pretty gen.
orally known that an Indian don't
show much mercy toward an enemy.
Consequently once year the
Apaches made raid on the Pimas
and took by force horses, cattle and
what grain and other things they
wanted, and then let them live in
peace for year that they might get
another crop the next fall. The
Maricopas being a weak tribe also
and was troubled the same way by
the Apaches, were willing to make
friends of the Pimas, which they
finally did, and joined forces. Then
they were better able to protect
themselves. Then war was waged
in earnest, and the Apaches were
gradually DISCRIMINATING both the
other tribes. but it was about this
time we are not able to give the
exact dats) that the white man
came on the scene. The Pimas
were wonderfully alarmed, as the
Apaches were making extensive
preparations for war, and the Pimas
believed that unless they could get
assistance from the whites their day
had come. They came to the viii
lage and told their troubles. The
few white men in Phoenix and the
immediate vicinity went to their
assistance, and the consequence was
that they overpowered the Apaches
and have never been bothered by
them since, but while the Marioopas
and Pimas are our best friends, the
Apaches are our bitteresJ enemies,
and to-day lone white man is in
danger of losing his life if he is
found on or near their reservation.
They have been a terrible annoy-
ance to prospoctors and hunters
ever since their last war with the
Pimas.
1t is now something more than
two years since | first came in con-
tact with these friendly Indians,
and my views as to their future
have materially changed since then
OF course at that time / knew moth
ing about them, except what | heard
from others, and / find that many
people have allowed themselves to
become prejudiced simply from
stories they have heard years ago.
They don't look at the Indian as
he stands now, but look at him as
he was twenty years ago and Judge
all the tribes at present by the worst
at that time. While we admit that
there are some tribes that are vet
far from being civilized, this is
scarcely a fault of theirs. Why
should We expect them to drop ali
their hatred toward us and become
civil and friendly all at once, when
they have been taught for more
than a century that the white man
was their worst enemy and was try
ing to shove them in the Pacific
ocean =?
1t has become second nature with
the present generation, and it will
take years to overcome it. While
we believe that there are some tribes
that won't stand civilization, there
are others who will in a few years
lead several nationalities who have
been for ages counted among the
enlightened and civilized people
Of the world. The advancement Of
the pupils at the Indian school at
this place goes to show that they
are a bright, intellectual people. I
am surprised at the progress they
have made in the last two years.