Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1901-10-26
SANTA FE, N M. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 1901
ESTABLISHING THE
ARIZONA GOVERNMENT
Colonel ]. Francisco Chavez Commanded
the Expedition Which Escorted the New
Territorial officials in 1858.
THE SITE OF PRESCOTT
CHOSEN The NEW CAPITAL

On Thursday evening, Governor
Otero, accompanied by Colonel j. Fran
cisco Chaves, superintendent of public
instruction, Adjutant General w. H.
Whiteman, and Land Commissioner A.
A. Keen, left for Phoenix to attend on
the part of this territory the state
hood convention of Arizona taking
place today.
This is the second time Colonel Chav-
es has accompanied a governor, in an
official capacity, to Arizona. Colonel
while serving as lieutenant
the First New Mexico VOL
W -palry, was detailed ii Octo-
bar, 1868. TO take charge of Il ..Iititary.
detachment to escort the newly ap-
pointed officers of the territory of Ari-
zona to the future capital of that ter
ritory to be established by those Off
cials. Arizona had just then been
created territory out of the western
part of the counties of Rio Arriba,
this territory.
Preparations for this trip took about
six weeks and about the middle of De-
cember, 1868, Colonel Chaves in COM
mand of detachment of two compan-
les of the First California Infantry,
Captain J. H. Butchers company of
the Missouri infantry and ten men of
Captain Rafael Chacon's Troop Z Of
the First New Mexico Volunteer Cav
airy, started from Albuquerque with a
train of three ambulances and about
so to 66 mule wagons.
The following were the officers ap-
pointed for the new territory that ac-
companied the military expedition and
were to establish the new territorial
government of Arizona: Governor,
John H. Goodwin; secretary of the ter
ritory, Richard c. Mccormick; chief
justice, VIM. F. Turner; associate JUS
tees, Howell and Chas. P. Allyn;
surveyor general, Levi Bashford; Unit
ed States district attorney, Alvin
Gage. A brother of Surveyor General
Levi Bashford, former governor of
Wisconsin, also accompanied the par
ty The trip from Albuquerque to
Navajo Springs, in northern Arizona,
and to the present site of the city Of
Prescott, took about two weeks. The
route was over what was known then
as eel Canine del Obispo," it being
the road followed by Bishop Zubiria Of
Durango in 1888, when he went to the
Zuni villages to baptize the Zuni In
dams. The road passed by old Fort
Wingate, now the town of San Rafael
in Valencia county, crossing the Zuni
mountains, via Aqua Fria Pass, going
thence to the Ojo Pecasdo, via the Zuni
villages and by st. Jacobs Springs to
Navajo Springs. At the latter point,
which was within the new territory,
all the territorial officers took the oath
of office, which was administered by
the chief justice on December 81, 1863.
The first military camp was establish
ed couple of miles south from the
present Navajo station on the Santa
Fe-P Pacific railway. Several reconnois-
sances were made and finally what
was then known as Granite Creek Dig
gings, a small mining camp containing
three log houses and a few huts and
tents, was chosen as the site of Pres
cott as the new capital was named
The military camp at Navajo Springs,
known as Camp Whipple, was broken
up and re-established as Whipple
Barracks about a mile from the new
town of Prescott and 1875 miles from
Navajo Springs. Colonel Chaves re.
manned there for a couple OF months
and after the post was fully establish
ed and the territorial government fell
itself safe, he returned to New Mexico
with Butchers company of Missouri
Infantry and the ten men Of Chacon'
| Troop z of the First New Mexico Cav
airy. Being in the middle of winte
and having good many horses an
mules in the expedition that had to b
guarded closely through hostil
Apache and Navajo Indian country
1.-THE Journey proved a very hard on
and while there was plenty Of waite
and timber along the route, there wa
also plenty of snow and nothing bu
rough trails. The carriage used b.
Bishop Zubiria in 1888 was the frs
that ever went over that country. H
was bishop of Durango, and Chihua
hua and New Mexico were in his apos
tolic Jurisdiction. Upor returning, Col
onel Chaves resumed his command a
post commander at old Fort Wingat'
where four troops of the First Me-
Mexico Volunteer Cavalry were sta
toned, the captains being Rafael Cha
con- Eben Everett, Roman A. sBaca an
Shaw.
Charles D. Poston, superintendent
Indian affairs. was the first delega'
:, to congress, elected in 1864.
Governor Goodwin was elected terri
torial delegate from Arizona for tW
terms Richard c. Mccormick SUI
ceeding him as governor and who ais
served three terms as delegate fro
Arizona. In 1868 the trip from Abb
uueroue to Prescott was made In tv
. weeks On Thursday last Colon
: Chaves left Santa Fe at $50 in the e'
ening and arrived in Prescott durir
the afternoon of Friday. This Is II
way times are changing in New Mex
CO and Arizona.
A fine stock of Pima Apache baske
and plaques at Colds Old Curiosi
= Shop.
Professor Brady Rssigns.
- -~I<