Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-25

mission of Tumacacurl, DeIWeel S.tic
basas and Tucson, was founded. III
macacuri is on the right bank of the
Santa Cruz, a stately old ruin, has
tened to decay by the vandal hand OF
the very men whose only thought
should have been that of reVerent
preservation.
Around the old pile clings halo
of romance that time only can ellIhlh
ate. 1t is known from the recoruS Oh
the church that a mine was WORKED
profltably by the mission fathers. II
is further known, or at least belieVed'
that when, by force of changed con-
dittons, the mission was finally apan-
doned the secret of the mine Went
with the departing fathers. The only
description of said, location found IN
the records is that during the ran
months of the year, when stanolng
about 4 D. m. at the church door anu
looking in the direction of the Tuna
cacuri mountain, the mine Is imme-
diatelv under the sun" Probably II
was then and is yet, but 1t might as
we'll he on the moon so far as the
point of discovery is concerned.
COMING OF PRIESTS
It is further known that shortly af-
ter the American occupation OF tHe
country three young priests came TO
Tucson. via Santa Fe. From here they
accompanied by a large following OF
Mexican guardsmen, went 10 the oi9
Tunnacacuri mission and by the alu
of n map, unearthed numerous pars
of silver bullion.
This had been secreted on their en-
forced departure from the place. on
their return for 1t they most unooupI-
edly took the entire amount cacHeu'
There are however, people VINO pc
lieve otherwise, and the old MISSION
has been dug into and mutllateu at
almost every point Of the compass.
That there is not and cannot be any
more bullion goes without saying p put
that there Is a mine from which TINS
treasure came goes also in the same
direction. 1t can also be truthtully
stated that there is not an old time
Drospector in the country who has not,
at one time or another, put In many
anxious hours in that hopeless search,
All old mines, of which unooupteuIIy ny
there are many, are supposed TO pe
securely protected by great iron
door. ,o;5or+
| connected with the search for the old
| unnacacuri. There died in Tucson d
few wears ago a man who had passeu
his eightieth milestone, of the name
of Nacario Ortiz, but for the past
| thirty or more years was known as
"Tio Nacario.' He frequently made
trips to the mountains with or In the
| interest of the writer, While so en-
gagged in quest of the old Tumacacurl
| he found an immense iron key, orhd-
mented with cross and crown
He came at once to Tucson to report
his good fortune. Holding the Key
aIoft he exultingly shouted in Span
;sS io "T have the key. 1 have the key,
now all we have to do is TO ma tle nc
door" The poor fellow, disgusted py
like lack of enthusiasm in his Co
workers. threw the key away In dls-
gust. and the opportunity of unlocking
the door, if found, was gone forever
TOWN DATES AWAY BACK
! A few miles north of Tumacacurl
! stands the old town of Tubac. just
when it was settled is now a mere
matter Of speculation. 1t is known
| that Tumacacuri was the first or Ihe
four missions built on the Santa Cruz
Tucson, San Xavier, Tubac and III
macacuri, all within distance or 6O
miles, and that in the year llo4 lneIe
were baptized 157 children, as toi-
lows: Tucson, 81; San Xavier, 81;
Tubac and Tumacacuri Ga. In 1ioz
the Jesuits counted 29 missions IN
Arizona, of which San Xavier del
Bac, San Jose de Tumacacurl, san
! Miguel de Sanoitag, GuevaV, san
| CaYGLdnO ue CdldDdAdS eiiiA
Ana. About that time the incessant
attacks of the Apaches against the
Sabatrijpuris of the San Pedro valley
compelled the "Christianos" to aban-
don their fertile lands and distribute
themselves in the missions of Tucson
and Santa Soanso The Mission san
! Miguel de Sanoitag. founded in May
1751 was destroyed the same year
and the priest, Father Henriquel Ru-
en-, killed by his own people.
One by one the Apaches compelled
the abandonment of the missions. In
1852, as a protection for the missions
on the Santa Cruz, the Spanish gov
| ernment established a preside at Tu-
bac. or Tubaca, where previously stood
a pueblo of the same name, which was
spiritually attended from GuevaVi.
EXPULSION OF JEsUITs
The country to be protected by this
presidio We're the Sapori Roucks, a
! little over two leagues north OF the
presldio; that of Tucubabi, thirteen