The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-04-08


in case Of row. The engine house we
made our fort. and 80 men behind it's
loopholcd walls would make a good
fight of it, But yet we had something
more than powder and lead to depend
upon. If the Yaquis came through the
mountain pass, they would approach
the works two miles distant. by way
of two rayines which led quite to our
doors. In some places these ravines
were only six or seven feet deep, in
others over 80. with stone walls on
either side Under the direction of a
civil engineer powder and dynamite
charges were hidden away in these
walls and buried in the earth and wires
ronDected with the power house and
an electric battery.
Had it been possible to buy the
friendship of the Yaquis we should
have attempted it and thus secured
our safety, but we knew they were
not to be tempted by anything we
could offer. We had been working
full force for three months. with an
alarm now and then. when we learned
why we had not been disturbed by
railing parties. The whole fighting
force of the Yaquis, numbering be-
tween 1000 and 5000. was gathering
for a grand effort to sweep across the
mountains and clear the country to the
Rio Grande. This had been the dream
Of the chief for years, and his people
had been treasuring up rifles and am
10
ready TO move. the Mexican govern
ment was powerless to stop it except
on the north. and it was too late to
send out anything like general alarm.
The 1000 well armed savages. know
ing me- mercy, fell upon prospector,
freightar, hunter miner and villnger,
and not man escaped from their
hands. Almost by accident we got
word Of the movement. and the mine
was CLOSED. the poems were sent away,
and we prepared for a siege. Look
outs were established along both ra-
vines, and we had four days in which
10 hear the tales of panic stricken
fugitlves who passed our way.
The Yaquis had no pity for age. sex
almost defenseless. and when they had
captured village every man. woman
and child was put to the torture. Ev-
cry habitation was burned. live stock
was slaughtered, and even the dogs
and cats were killed. The idea was to
leave nothing alive behind them. The
army did not push forward at swift
oil nd
witnessing the torture of its victims.
We knew when the Indians finally en-
tered the mountain pass. headed
straight for us. and 1t was half an hour
before sunset one evening when we
saw the first of their force debouch on
the plain and begin q close survey of
our situation. We were ready for
them, but we knew that no attack
would be made before morning. They
would have had long march and be
fatigued, and they would wait until all
their force was up. An hour after sun
rise next morning we witnessed spec
tacle that made the flesh creep a bit.
Fully 1000 Yaquis gathered In a COM
pact body between us and the mouth Of
the pass and chanted a wild and saw
age song, and we were only 80 against
them. They sent no flag OF truce to de-
mand surrender. They may have
even hoped we would show fight, as
they had met with no resistance as yet.
AS we had hoped and planned for, the
faquis advanced by the ravines.
body Of about 500 was told off for each
ravine, skirmishers were sent on ahead,
and the main body looked on. Thirty
men with Winchester rifles inside Of q
stone fort are no mean foe, but we soon
realized that In this case we were al
most helpless. So swiftly and steadily
did the Indians advance and so hot was
their fire at the loopholes that we soon
had five men killed and could not reply
except at great risk. Their advance
was within stones throw of us In both
ravines when we resorted to the cleo
trio wires. Few men will ever witness
the sight we did. There was series
of explosions which shook the earth for
miles around. with bursts OF flame and
49, loo w.t,,Sw e.. Aha olo.rAo ond fkor