The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-06
OLDARTONAASSIONS
Built by Jesuits 200 Years
Ago, Now in Ruins
TALES OF HID TREASURE
Romance of PuebIitOS and the
Lost San Isabel,

New York, Aug. ga contributor to the
New York Evening Post sends the fol.
lowing from Tuscon, Arizona:
Seven Jesuit missions of Arizona are the
scenes of stories of adventure such as
are not to be found in Spain itself In the
days when the Captain-General, unknown
except to the trusted members of the or
der. decided to wrest from the hands OF
the rulers both the political and religious
power Of the enW world, the work was be-
gun on the western coast, and wonderful
feats Of valor and self-abnegation were
performed by its jealous and adventurous
soldier-priests. From AIazatla, Mexico.
far up into the deserts OF Arizona they did
their work, though the only evidence still
remaining OF the more northern missions
IS found in caved-in roofs ana crumblins
walls. succumbing to the ravages OF time,
though they were able to withstand ths
deDredations Of Indian foes.
For the last 200 years the history Of San
Xavier del Boo has been well known. 1t
hiss been said to be the Oldest of all the
mission structures, as 1t is the best pre-
served, but there is another about which
clings still more mystery. 1t is known to-
day as the mission OF the Puebutos,
though its true name is hidden somewhere
in the archives Of the Jesuit order in far
OF Spain. The legends fthe Indians say
that 1t was built several years before San
Xavier, and it is known to have been in
ruins since 100.
The ruins stand about two miles south
west of the city OF Tlson on a mesa over
looking the river, and are in the last
stages OF decay. The roof has long since
tumbled in, and the walls OF stone and ce-
ment have fallen down, leaving great gaps
through which the cool winds from the
canons Of the Santa Ritas blow. The
plaster has fallen from the walls, and only
now and then can a trace OF painting be
seen. though at one time they must have
been handsomely decorated with images
and designs. Fingers. arms and pieces of
the bodies Of the images may yet be found
In the loamy soil around the walls. They
indicate great ability in the sculptor who
carved them. though his name. like that
OF the edifice he assisted to adorn is lost
in the lapse OF years 49, s..... r.-
The Jesuits came to Arizona, then a
part Of New Spain, In 1855 and i-nmedIate-
ly began missionary work among the In
dams. The seven missions, San Xavier,
Tumocacori. Santa Ana, Tubac, Calabasas,
Guevavi, and the lost one Of Pueblitos.
were at once erected or put in process of
construction. None OF them, however, ex-
cept possibly Tumocacori and Pueblitos,
was ever completed. and today they are
crumbling piles of brick and stone.
About the year 100 and outbreak occur
red that reached from Bazatlsn to the eK-
treme northern missions Of Arizona. The
fields ere laid WASTE, the cattle were
driven off. such furniture Of the churches
as was not buried by the priests was de-
stroyed 1t was at this time that the lost
mission OF sana Isabelle In lower Californ-
Ia. about which 50 much has been written,
and the site Of which no one has been able
to find, was dismantled. and It's priests
killed.
Probably Pueblitos met its fate at the
same time. At all events fits priests were
slain, the affairs were torn down, the i'm
ages broken. and every paper within its
walls that might have thrown any light
on its history was burned. Or It may be,
some have thought. that the fleeing
priests hid the rocrds in some rocky gorge
OF the Santa Rita mountains, and that in
time the pick Of a miner will break Into
the vault and discover both Its tragic his
tory and its treasure.
This Indian warfare lasted for several
years. and only the priests from Guevavi,
near the line of Sonora succeeded IN es-
Gaping. When peace was declared the or
der OF Jesuits was overthrown, and its
followers banished from the country, and
as far as It Is known, none of them ever
returned. \ few years later the Francis
cans took up the work their predecessors
had been compelled to abandon. and many
Of the missions were brought to something
like completion. The arms of the San
franciscan order are to be seen today, in
the wall over the main entrance OF San
Xavier as in the others before they tum-
bIed down. Pueblitos was not rebuilt. and
the site Of Santa Isabella could never be
found. so that these two churches were
entirely abandoned.
For leo years the Franciscans labored
among their charges, for whom they did
much good. Their herds ranged the valley
Of the Santa Cruz: the desert was con-
verted into fields OF wheat and corn; or
chards bearing delicious fruits and gardens
with the sweetest OF tropical flowers sur
funded the missions. which were enclosed
by high stone walls to withstand the at
tacks Of the enemies. IL was during this
100 wears OF prosperity that the churches
were ornamented with such beautiful
works OF art and the affairs enriched by
49, -