The National tribune., 1903-07-02
WASHINGTON c., THURSDAY

calling (his name 1 had not yet hit upon,
and the metal plate probably bearing his
or his owners name, had become detached
from his collar in his wanderings) brought
him back. Like phantom Of night he
had come, like n ghost fleeing from the
light of day, he had disappeared!
| learned later on at Tubac that about
a month previously party of officers from
some fort had been hunting in the Santa
Rita Mountains, and that they were ac-
cOmpanied by numerous dogs.
TUBAC IN 1868.
Arrived at Tubac, we placed our mer-
chandise in the store; of the mules we dis
posed, one by one, to occasional buyers, and
the wagon we sold to one ThoS. Yerkes,
who alco had small store at Tubac, n
steam Touring mill and did considerable
| freighting, besides being the local u S.
Postmaster. Capt. Owen departed the
next day upon his Legislative duties, and
l took charge of the store (WoOSter's),
where l had much leisure time on my
hands, which l dedicated principally to
the serious study of the Spanish language,
occasionally hunting ducks along the Santa
Cruz River, while Wooster was generally
out looking for hay, wood and grain con-
tracts and doing general trading.
lnaSmuch as the population of Tubac at
that time did not exceed 800 souls, two
thirds of whom were living in great pow
erty, it appears to me necessary to explain
here why four stores existed in that small
adobe town; for, besides ours, there was
the store of the aforementioned Thos.
Yerkes, also that of one Maj. Richardson,
at one time holding the position of Harbor
| Warden at San Francisco. Cal. Behind
us was the store of Goldtree & Tapie.
Opposite to our store there also lived one
Henry Glassman, honorably discharged
| from the California Volunteer Cavalry that
| nj IN bn Winto,- Of 1S(.S-'eE aG ii.
military post of Calabazas, on the Santa
Cruz River about II miles south of Tubac.
| He kept bar-roOm, did some butchering,
and traded principally in flour and beans.
of which two articles he generally kept a
good stock on hand.
| Now. along the Santa Cruz River there
existed about 20 farms, principally cult
waited by hardy American frOntiersmen,
who with the help of Mexican laborers
produced grain. worth then from six to
| seven cents, gold coin. per pound. The
store keepers advanced to these farmers
the necessary provisions for putting iii
their crops, cultivating-i. e. irrigating-
and harvesting it. A liberal profit was made
on all merchandise thus advanced. and, be-
sides. the recipient of the advanced goods
would give note of hand payable at har
vest time, bearing interest at the rate of
two per cent. per month till paid. Such
Mexican farmers as were known to be
Industrious and Trustworthy and cultivated
small fields on their own accounts We're
also given credit under like conditions. At
harvest time the storekeepers, who gen
orally managed to obtain contract for
grain to he delivered at Tucson. Fort Crit
tsnden. Fort Walker. Fort Calabazas or
Fort Bowie or Fort Lowell, or at least
sub-contract, received the grain at the pre-
viOusy stipulated price from the farmers
and good profit would have been
made all around as rule, if the
military posts had been stable and
if the Apaches had not cut figure, very
great figure, in the carrying out of the con-
ditions established between traders and
| farmers
This narration will show how great and
detrimental that figure was little later
on.