Arizona weekly citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Ariz) 1880-1901, 1896-02-22
THE ANCIENT AND HONORABLE.

; THE ANCIENT AND HONORABLE
Hon. Sam Hughes, who has lon
made close study Of the esrly histor
of Tucson, is authority for the state
ment tn It Tucson was an Indian villsg
at the time the Spainsrds came to Ariz
ona, and that 1t then bore it's presen
name. The main portion OF the villag
was in the Osborn addition on th'
southern line OF the present corporate
limits. The various Indian towns, az
and down the valley, had to submit Il
a remaining by the Spanish priesthood
asd Tucson was called San Augustine,
but notwithstanding that st. Augustine
was the tutelary saint OF the town, 1t was
not found possible to displace tho OLD
name, because of the distinctive name
of the spring from which the village
drew its water supply. Not so, howeV-
er, with other towns on the valley, OF
| which there we're quite number. n
large town, eighteen miles northwest OF
this place, succumbed to Los Angeles
and the town four miles north OF Tue
son to Santa Catalina, and both IN the
course of time disappeared from the
map OF the country. But not 80 with
Tucson. 1t not only survived the con-
quest but maintained it's ancient name.
According to the results reached by
Mr.. Hughes the fret Spanish settlement
established Oh the Santa Cruz was i'm
medistely north of where the interna>
tional line now runs. Later they moved
down the river and finally made pernan-
ent settlement in the Indian town of
Tucson. A conflict OF authority arose
between the two orders Of the Romish
priesthood, the Jesuits and Franciscans.
Tucson was under control OF the former
and from that stronghold they dominat-
ed the surrounding country.
Referring to the old mission build
ings, to which the CITIZEN made refer
ence yesterday, on the west bank OF the
river, Mr.. Hughes states that it was or
Iginally built for educational purposes,
and bore the name of Senora Escu-
pola. UGder the influence OF the
Fathers these wild nomsdic In
disns were induced to migrate in body
to this valley. AT that time the mission
at San Xavier was in course of erection
and the Apaches applied for labor and |
but the Papagos, q power
full branch of the Pima tribe, refused |
affiliation and the Apaches were COM
palled TO withdraw. The authorities |
then decided to build the mission Escu- |
pola, in the erection of which Apache |
labor was almost wbolley employed. A
large house, the ruins OF which are still |
visible, known as Casa de Padre, was |
also built in the town OF Santa Catalina |
about the same time. Had the good /
priests been able to MAINTAIN their as
cendancy over the minds Of the natives
there would have been no Indian wars
aud the history Of Arizona would not
have been written in the blood OF its
people as it has been since, but a great
act of treschery on the part of the Span
iards drove the Apaches back to the
hills, and from willing slaves We're trans
formed into implacsble enemies.
With the suppression Of the Jesuits
by the state all mission buildings we're
abandoned, and the small towns on the
San Pedro, Sonoita and Santa Cruz
shared no better fa'e. Tucson had in
the meantime, as head Of q great church
syst. N, risen into commercial import
snce, and to it the Inhabitants OF the
smaller missions and towns hocked.
The Apaches, always warlike people,
had forgotten the softenipg influences
Of the cross, in the wrongs suffered, and
harried the settlements and compelled
even Tucson to fortify itself for protec-
ton. The town had, however, almost
from the date OF Spanish settlement,
been occupied by garrison, and in 1927 |
when Spain relIrquished her western
treasures, the new government found
it necessary to protect it's interests in
Arizona by an armed force. The latter
was withdrawn only when the country
passed to a new master and the stars
and stripes hoated over the old settle
meHts.
Such is brief history of Spanish
on the Santa Cruz and of
the early settlement of Tucson, the an
cient and honorable pueblo, as gathered
by Mr.. Hughes from ancient records
and traditions among the Mexican peo-