Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-11-12
YAoUI INDIANS ARE
FIGHTING FOR EXISTENCE

From the Albuquerque Journal.
Our mines are in one of the Wild
est sections of the republic" said Mr..
Morley last night. "One in particular
is within twenty miles of the Yaqui
river just beyond which the country
is infested with the savage Indians
For hundreds of miles the country is
is absolutely without a wagon road.
mail and supplies being carried
chiefly afoot by couriers from the far
away stations on the extension OF
Stillman's Orient railway. Colonel
Greene's southern extension and
branches of the Southern Pacific. For
heavier burdens pack mules are used
and these mule and foot trails
through the mountains are the only
avenues of transportation. The com.
pletion of the railroads now building
by the interests mentioned will grid
iron the region between the gulf of
California and Mexico City, and Quad
alajara and Ell Paso and will make
accessible vast region which is
really still a primeval wilderness.
The ruggedness of the country is be
yond description and the stamping
ground of the Yaquis is perhaps as
wild region as there is on the con.
tinent"
Mr.. Morley says that the Yaquis
side of the story of the massacres
and terror has not been told and
while the Indians are doomed to the
same fate as has befallen the Indians
OF the United States-exterminat
slow but sure-they are at present
at bay practically in their mountain
Businesses and fighting for their ex-
istence.
The Yaquis have been crowded
back by the soldiers of the republic
within an area roughly speaking OF
100 miles square," said Mr.. Morley.
1t is bounded on one side by the
Yaqui river. which runs from near
the Arizona line to the Gulf of Cali.
tornia, on the south by the railroad
building from the west coast inland
and on the west by thin strip of
settled country lying along the rail
road which runs from Nogales to the
gulf. Just across this strip is Her
mosillo. the capital of Sonora and
one of the large cities of Mexico.
Railroads now building will hem the
faquis in this territory on all sides.
The depredations of the Indians
are confined entirely to this little sec
ton into which they have been
driven. AT our mines, twenty miles
east of the Yaqui river, | am as safe
as in New York. If | go beyond the
river and start across the dead line,
take my life in my hands. That is
the situation. 1t is like a pasture
with bull in it. If he sees you, 1t
is all off. If the Yaquis see you they
will shoot you down as a matter of
course.
They will kill white man on
sight without ceremony just because
he Is a white man and has come into
their country, realizing that 1t is
fight for life. and they give no quar-
ter They have been prosecuted by
the government without doubt and
have retallated with terrible atroci.
ties. But they have committed abso-
lutely no outrages outside of the
dead line.' 1t is said they are stir
making sallies up to Arizona line and
securing arms and ammunition in the
American camps. AS to that can
not say. But l have been living
within twenty miles OF their self.
chosen reservation and have never
seen or heard Of trouble. n1p ,gu
Qf''apse nvmhersiof them are bein
taken down Into Yucatan by the gov.
ernment and set to work In the plan. |
tations in the marshes where, thew
speedily die Off II the country where |
they have retreated Is to be opened