The border vidette., 1934-01-13
OF ARIZONA NEWS

Tucson. Ariz.-Among recent
gifts received by the Arizona
Pioneers Historical Society at
| the Uriversity Of Arizona is :
directory OF the city of Tacson
dated 1880. . donation of Manuel
Elias of Tucson. The directory
contains q brief history OF the
town, minutes Of all town meet.
ines from 1870. and lists Of mu
nicipal officers.
Included in the booklet are
three verbal descriptions Of Tue
son, labelled past" present."
and. future" The present"
description is particularly anus
ing and while it does not present
a very vivid picture of the Tue.
son Of 1880. one may read much
between the lines:
The city has an estimated
population of 10000 souls, most
" Mexicans and English speak
ing people. Besides this large
nun Der. there is certain fow
of floating population. who come
and go hence. and another class
of semi. citizens, who come in
rom the surrounding mountains
periodically and make this place
their point Of connection with
civilization for a few weeks at .
time. The population maintains
as good order IS in any other
city Of equal size 10 the United
States, and our leading citizens
take = justifiable pride in the ad
vaDcement OF every legitimate
public interest.
THE stranger who arrives
and takes his week of observa-
ton on the streets is apt to re
main 10 ignorance OF the fact
that Tucson has q we'll defined
qualification of good society.
Therein he would be in error.
for it is we!l-known that the
ladies and gentlemen reside here
who we're recognized ornaments
and leaders in the best society
of their former places of resi-
dence: and with, this class ss 3
natural conse quence. oil the
usages OF culture and refinement
are in common practice. In mat
ters of dress, the formality OF
calls, the selections Of talls and
private parties, in general social
intercourse, 10 the quality OF
manners and responsibility the
best society of DO eastern city
can excel the better class of so
ciety in Tucson. The churches
and societies add greatly to the
moral tone OF the city"
In addition to the 1880 direc
tory. the Society has just re
ceived Of late q number of other
valuable donations. These in
clude . photograph OF the Tue
son of 1880 taken from "A"
Mountain, . gift from Sam Mans
field It is 3 clear proof that
10, 600 was far too liberal esti
mate of the population. The
picture shows that there were
absolutely no buildings 90 the
east of the railroad tracks. The
old Spanish mission Of San Jose
de Tucson. of which there is now
hardly q trace, was in q fairly
good state of preservation. Ooe
Of the most interesting facts
about the scene is that there was
absolutely 20 river bed for the
Santa Cruz river, but q much
wider strip of fertile land. which
probably suffered from frequent
floods.
Other gifts received recently
include an autographed copy OF
The Log of an Arizona Trail
Builder" q gift of the author,
John A. Rockiellow. former pro
fessor of agrenomy at the Uni
versity of Arizona, and q hand
made carving set.. with hsndes
of Arizona onyx, in 90 elaborate
case of inlaid Arizona wood.
The latter was gift of A. M.
Franklin, and was made in the
1e80's by prisoners in the old
territorial prison at Yuma.
Election of officers was held
by the Society on December 20.
Sam Mansfield was elected pres
ident; Mrs George F.. Kit. sec
retary, and Rudolf Z,peda. trea
surer. Mrs. Kit announced that
during 1888 the society had re-.
ceived 2lO books and phamph.
let's. 80 magazines and news
paper subscriptions, 1913 pictures,
46 relics. and many maps, letters
and clippings.