The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-08
haven OF THE MORMODS
Joseph Smiths Disciples in the Rich
Land of Mexico.
Colonies of the Scif-Styled Latter
Day saints Making the Wilderness
BLOSSOM Like the Rose-Perform-
nnccs Of Their Missionaries in
Many Rc;yions-actiNc PROSECUTING.

The Mormons are settling in Northern
Mexico. and are growing prosperous in The
colonies which they have planted There
are now nearly 5000 of them in northeas-
tern Sonora and northwestern Chihuahua
There is steady stream of emigration
from Utah, and the colonies are rapidly
increasing in the number of their popua
ton. The Mormons are coming into ths
republic as rapidly as farming lands car
be secured for them TO settle upon. The,
are an agricultural people and occupy onl.
the valleys where irrigation is possible
Large ranch owners have been AYERS
heretofore to selling them big tracts o
irrgable land, but the Mormons are nov
rapidly securing the favored places il
which to plant their colonies and built
their homes.
The enactment OF laws in the United
States against polygamy brought the mrs.
Mormon immigration to Mexico When
plural marriage was pronounced .iiieSa!
there were many Mormons who preferred
10 leave Utah rather than surrender any oil
their religious principles or reiinquish an!
of their wives. Mexico appeared to them
an inviting country in which to settle. pro-
vided they could secure the assurances they
needed from the Mexican Government. The
climate of chihuahua and Sonora being
similar to that of Utah, only milder. and
the topography being the same, it only re
manned for those who proposed to emigrate
10 secure in advance the necessary con-
cessions from the authorities of the coun-
try into which they were about to move
The proposal of the Mormons TO settle in
northern Mexico met with instant encour-
agement, since they were known to be In
dustrious and thrifty and well adapted TO
the work of developing new country.
Mexico wished TO encourage them particu-
larly because they were agriculturists.
Mining companies and ranchmen especially
welcomed them because they would readi-
ly supply the camps and cattle haciendas
with provisions and farm products. for
merly imported at considerable cost Next
co encouraged the movement of the Nor
mons by admitting all their household eff
fects building material, and objects of use
in the erection of their homes free of Gus
toms duties. They received other conces-
sions and privileges.
The country into which they removed
was practically a wilderness. Here and
there were large ranches, with now and
then a mining camp. There were few
Mexican villages. at intervals of fifty or q
hundred miles The country was arid,
treeless and inviting. except in the valleys,
where rich soil only needed irrigation
and cultivation TO return ample crops of
fruits and cereals.
The first colony was planted in 1889. and
called Colonla Juarez. 1t was established
In the valley of the Casas Grandes River,
sixteen miles from The old Mexican town
OF Casas Grandes the present terminus OF
the Rio Grande, Sierra Madre and Pacific
Railroad, constructed in 1897. The settlers
arrived from Utah in covered wagons
They lived in tents until they dug irriga
tion bitches and made their first crop
Then they began to erect their homes. Be
sides their teams and camping utensils ana
a few agricultural implements. they hat
nothing but muscle and religious enthusi.
assn. At tina; time the nearest railroad
was at Ell Paso. Tex. while a sandy desert
almost impossible. interviewed. The noun
tains. too, held rowing bands OF renegade
Apaches that occasionally raided the new
settlement and drove away cattle ant
horses. However. they were happy 10 fine
themselves unhampered by any legislative
enactment against polygamy.
Only One Legal Wife Allowed.
AS to the practice of polygamy in the
the law of the land recognizes but one
legal wife. The second or third wife has
no legal status and her children in the
eyes of the law are not legitimate. After
the first marriage the law has nothing to
do with the matter Of a MorInon's increas-
ing the number of his wives. except that
second or third wife may not be taken
unless the fret wife gives her consent. But
the Mormons are guided by their relig--
ion. not by the law. in the Institution of
marriage A Mormon in Mexico never or
seldom takes c second or third wife until
he is able to support more than one family
IL is part of their religion for the first
wife to assist her husband in finding an adj
ditional he.pmate: and il she is unwill-
ing for him 10 marry another woman, as
sometimes happens when human nature Is
stronger than religion or superstition,
deputation OF elders call upon her, and
show her the path of duty The Nor
mons do not generally admit the practice
of polygamy in Mexico, for the reason, it
is believed. that an agitation might be
started against it; but it is true, never
theless, that with few exceptions each Nor
mon has two or more wives.
The Mormon with more than one wife
usually provides a separate home for each
family. II the two or more families do
not mingle together tremendously they are
placed in different colonies, and all Jaf
the families might encounter is removed.
When there is no disagreement among the
wives and children they mingle freely to-
gether, assist one another in making the
gardens, churning butter, or canning fruit
Then the children by one wife call the
other wife aunt and the two wives adj
dress one another as SISTER" and the
husband as husband All Mormon men
call one another brother"
Reridec pnpspinp many
OF the Moroons are freightes for various
mining companies. They use their teams
TO haul ores from the mines TO the rail-
road. The ore of the Pilares Mine. tire
richest silver shaft In northern Mexico lie
hauled 120 miles by Mormon teamsters
They have sawinills in the Sierra Madre
Mountains sixty miles from Colonia Jau-
rez, and bring out the lumber TO the vari-
Gus colonies and to the mining camps in
wagons. They also haul the products of
their farms to the mines. The regular
Mormon freighter usually establishes a
family in different colonies so that he Is
nearly always at home.
The women work hard. especially in the
vegetable gardens and in the care OF Cows.
The make butter and cheese and gather
the fruit crops. Nine out Of ten OF the
Mormon men are industrious. They work
with energy and enthusiasm. But some.
times shiftless one appears, who is will
ing to live by the labor Of his women. Re-
Gently Mormon arrived In one OF the col
onies with two young wives. They were
strong and willing to work. Instead OF do
Ing anything himself he sat from one days
end TO another and watched the two labor
with hoe or mattock. Finally he became
tired Of the colony and expressed wish to
return TO Utah, whereupon the two wives
sold their products and shipped him away.
They remained, however, to look after the
crops Of their little farm.