Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-11-24
Read InUifes All
" Historians to Aid
in Finding Truth


The Editor OF the Albuquerque Morn
Ing Journal. 4tt
sirl For the benefit OF the public
kindly publish the following letter. OF
statements
II Is the peoples right TO know the
truth In history as In all other public
matters II historians disagree when
the proofs are al hand duty compclf
them 10 compare authorities with the
view 10 establishing the truth regard.
ing the various historical errors here
toforc published as facts. fl
Among the important errors thus
published is the error that onaie
founded the first colony In New Mcx-
leo. In 1893. on the west side Of tlae
lilo Grandc, naming Il San Gahfieii'
II Is true that the difference on this
particular point. bcfwcon historians
lies IN ascortainIpg on what side o.
the Rio Grandc did Onate make his
first settlement. The importance CT
identifying. az nearly as possible, the
precise location Ia seif-oyident. prlr-
clpaIly because the state may some
day, as believe Il will. decide 10
monument that and other historic
places
My dissenting colleagues. In affirm
Ing that San Gabriel was the first
colony. rely wholly on Father Ce-
ronlmo Zarote de salmeron, that au-
thor being the first TO state that onaie
had made his first settlement between
the Rio Grande and the Rio chamo
(Zama. az salmeron calls 10. But
SaImeron, evidently, never saw the
first authorities. for ne not only falls
10 clte or mention as his authority.
Villagra. Onate, or any one else, but
Is so extremely brief and confusing
tmore 10 oven than T0rqnomada),
that as my'colleagues will have to ad-
nit upon n full discussion. he does
not even by Inference. mention San
Gabriel nor the Pueblo Of San Juan.
Until tho 9Th inst | had given up
all hope OF ever obtaining Salmeron's
account In Spanish. of Onate's con-
quest. The English translation there
OF. most excellent one, too, by Or.
Charles h. Lummls. the we'll known
and highly reputed historian, is ac-
ccssible Ga copy was kindly furnished
me by Rev. Father zophyrin. o. y. NJ,
historian OF tho order of ST. Francis.
Of California. same appearing also In
Or. Ialmmle book, Tho land of sun
M
Inst few days before the 18th Of
the present month ! had rcceiYod q
communication from one Of my Span
ish agents. from Barcelona, Spain, adj
vielng mo that salmeron's book could
not be found; but on the aforesaid
date the much desired data reached
me by registered package from my
other agent at Madrid. although I had
already, through tho Kindness Of Dr..
Charles i. Lummis. located one Of
the few books, containing the same
Information in the City OF Mexico.
This priceless acquisition enables me
to confirm what have published in
my New Mexico histories regarding
the location Of New Moxlco's first col
ony: Il gives me- additional data 10
prove, ~, that The colony of. San
Is
(2l, that the first colony WAS found
cd on the east slde OF The lilo CYANIDE
and was named "cudad do san Fran
ciseo De los Espanolcs:" t31. Tint the
first church was built In tho Pueblo
OF San Juan In August and Soptem-
Der. ihas CD, that Salmeron wrote
his work on hearsay, as he frankly
nj he ~ I.t
ports Of Onate, or of any of Onate's
captains OF missionaries. with all of
which said reports salmeron dis
agrees; go, that some Of Salmeron's !
We. from our own personnel
OF the topography and ser
ography Of the country, can unhos- /
Iatlnely pronounce inaccurate aud
greatly exaggornted. especially what (
he says regarding the mineral riches 7
81 New Mexico.
| am further prepared TO confirm. I
with first source OF authority, indie +
pendent OF the statement made by shs |
lunl indian governor here in Santa
re in 1888, what have said in my
'aid histories about Cabeza de vaca's
Visit to zunl
Helieving, as l do. that we owe II
o truth and justice to settle the dis
'uted facts amongst ourselves (the /
historians and history students) IN /
rider tn prevent our children and the Il
eadlng public from reading, ewhat
heretofore has passed as facts. 7, as
hartman OF the committee on his
orc dates, of the Archaeology So-
lety of New Mexico, hereby invite
II authors and history students who
Infer with me, to meet with me and
ny said committee. for the stated
purposes, In Santa Fe. or at any other Il
lace as may be agreed upon.
To accomplish our object meet
ne Of said committee will be called
s soon as tho wishes Of the invited
uthors, etc, are communicated TO
~. /.
Respectfully. II
BENJAMIN NJ. READ.
santa Fe, n. NJ, Nov. "a, 1911.
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