Arizona republican., 1907-01-20

Of the present San Pedro, California,
and thence crossing the desert to
Yuma i'm August of that year, a rather
warm trail to travel at that time of
the year. BY that time he found that
a company Of Pima Indians had been
formed and entered the service of the
government and that they had selected
his old comrade. w. \. Hancock as
captain. Captain Hancock had finish
cd this service and in 1861 when Mr..
Mowry arrived. was in charge Of the
government farm at Fort Mcdowell.
Mr.. Mowry secured the appointment
of assistant on the farm. In the year
or so that followed the two men gave
up the farm and went to Camp Reno
a few miles east of Mcdowell and
started suffers store. building the
first adobe house in the old camp.
BY this time there was a consid-
cradle settlement here in the valley
along the old Swilling ditch in the
vicinity of what is known as Wells
mills. about four miles east Of Phoenix.
and long since passed away, the name
being taken from the ranch of Major
c. II. Veil of the L. 5. A at that
time and now a resident or Pennsyl-
vania and lifelong friend OF Mr.. Now
~. But the plan of town building
failed at that point and Captain Han
cock had about 1869 or 1870. surveyed
the original townsite OF Phoe-
nix which was decided from the govern
ment to John T. Alsap as trustee.
Messrs. Hancock and Mowry built the
first building in Phoenix which was
utilized as a store and postOffice, con-
Quoted by Mr.. Mowry the captain hav-
ing outside matters To attend to. The
building stood next TO the present Ber-
ryhill corner, about where Lund's
drug store now is. The next building
erected was that now occupied by Gold
berg Bros. store on the corner Of First
and Washington streets. 1t was built
by the late ]. NJ. Gotten, George f
MOwry and the late James Murphy
Though the building has been frequent
" enlarged and remodeled q portion of
the old walls still remain. Mr.. Gotten
later built many houses in Phoenix and
left a considerable estate at the time
OF his death many years ago. Mr..
Mowry has been heard TO say I'm later
years that Gotten tried to induce him
to go into partnership with him and
that ne did not do so was the mistake
of his life i'm a financial way.
About that time Mr.. Mowry succeed
ed Captain Hancock as postmaster and
served in the same capacity in this city
until the Cleveland administration
when he was succeeded by a democrat.
". \. Hall. After a brief lapse Of
time he was employed as a clerk and
thereafter was connected with the
Office TO the time Of his death
in one capacity or another.
This knowledge has often led many to
wonder why Mr.. Mowry did not aCcu-
mulate a competence. The answer is
easy. He could in those days have
made more money at most anything
else than being pos tmaster The Office
was small and the salary smaller for
the service performed. even the rent
and incidental expenses OF the Office
and the clerk hire at that time having
to be subtracted from the salary. But
n was such a faithful and efficient
postmaster that the people would not
permit him TO give up the office even
when he contemplated it. He knew per-
sOnally almost every one who lived
between the Grand Canyon and Gala
basas and the population Of the coun-
try was then more shifting by far than
1 in these days. but every Arizonian
knew that if a letter for him ever got
TO the Phoenix postoffice. odd MOwry'
would deliver it TO him somehow. some
time. The Office was first raised to a
salary somewhere commensurate with
the work. about the time that politics
made Mr.. Mowry a has been"
An equally strong reason for his lack
of accumulation was his personal lib
crafty. for no more free hearted or
sympathetic man ever lived. nOtwith
standing an exterior that seemed rough
to strangers and a personal manner Of
address intended for good humor. that
the unknowing sometimes took for an
affront. Never did n worthy case Of
distress appeal to him when he had
money i'm his pocket that n response
most liberal for one in his circum-
stances was not forthcoming and this
good nature was often imposed upon
most wickedly. Some or his earnings
We're also lost in perfectly legitimate
but unsuccessful mining enterprises,