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themselves a form of government suited to their immediate wants. The constitution of the "State of Deseret," for so they styled the new nationality, was similar in its general aspects to the constitutions of the other states of the Union; it recognized a Governor, a Legislature and Judiciary, and gave the suffrage to all citizens of a proper age. In its provisions it was essentially liberal and contained no sectarian prohibitions. The destiny of the country, however, was to be decided by Congress: and in virtue of its authority, that body passed an act defining and organizing the "Territory of Utah," which received the President's approval on the 9th September, 1850. It has since been carried into effect.

The government as organized under the above-named act, and which is the same as that applied to the Territory of New-Mexico, secured to every free white male inhabitant, above the age of 21 years, who was a resident of the territory at the time of the passage of said act, the right to vote and of eligibility for any elective office at the first election, but the qualifications at all subsequent elections are to be prescribed by the Territorial Legisla

ture.

The Legislative Assembly consists of a Council and House of Representatives. The Council consists of 13 members, elected for two years, and the House of Representatives, of 26 members, elected for one year. The apportionment of Councillors and Representatives is based on population. All laws passed by the Legislature are to be submitted to Congress, and if not approved, will be of no effect.

The Governor is the chief executive officer, and is appointed by the President for four years, and until his successor is qualified. He must reside within the Territory, is ex-officio Superintendent of Indian Affairs, may par don offences against the Territorial laws, and grant reprieves to offenders against the laws of the United States, and he appoints to all offices created by the Territorial Legislature. A Secretary of State is appointed in like manner, and in the absence or disability of the Governor this officer acts in

his stead.

The Judiciary is vested in a Supreme Court, District Courts, Probate Courts, and in Justices of the Peace; the justices are appointed by the President, and have in general the same extent of jurisdiction as like courts in the District of Columbia. The township and county officers are appointed or elected as the Legislature may provide.

A Delegate to Congress is elected by a plurality of all qualified voters. The same act appropriates $20,000 to the erection of public buildings, and $5,000 for the establishment of a library.

The metropolis of the Territory is GREAT SALT LAKE CITY, situated 22 miles south-west of the lake from which it takes its name, and about one mile and a half east of the Jordan River, 4,300 feet above the level of the sea, and in 40° 45′ 44 north latitude, and 111° 26' 34" west longitude. It is laid out in large squares, and one acre and a quarter of land is allotted to each family for garden purposes. A council house has been erected; and the citizens have it in view to build another temple, larger and more magnificent even than that of Nauvoo. The houses are as yet small, but very commodiously built, the material being adobes, or sun-dried brick. The population of the city is about 6,000, but it is so laid out as to admit of its becoming one of the largest and most convenient cities in the world. Being on the highway to California, thousands of emigrants from the states find in this settlement a place to rest themselves and cattle, and recruit their stores of provisions, previous to entering the desert they have to cross

before reaching the goal of their desires. Some settlements of Mormons have also been made on the borders of Utah Lake.

The prospects of these settlements are very encouraging. They are on all sides surrounded by a labyrinth of mountains, which are supposed to be very rich in mineral wealth. Rock salt is very abundant in the neighborhood, and the Great Lake is saturated with salines, which concrete spontaneously on its shores and incrust its bottom. Otherwise they are possessed of vast resources. The soil is exceedingly rich, and when irrigated, which is of easy accomplishment, yields fine crops of grain and other agricultural staples. Add to these natural advantages the industry to appropriate them, which is a portion of the religion of the settlers, and what shall stay the onward progress of this colony, the location of which within a few years was scarcely known to civilized man?

TERRITORY OF NEW-MEXICO.

NEW-MEXICO, as now established, consists of the country which has from time immemorial been known as such, and the southern half of the great interior desert of Alta California, which is temporarily attached to it. It is bounded north by the parallel 38° latitude north, as far west as the Rocky Mountains, and from thence to the California line by 37° latitude north; west by the eastern line of California; south by the Rio Gila, and the 32d parallel, and east by the 103d meridian west from Greenwich. In its greatest length it is 720 miles, and in its greatest breadth 417 miles; and its surface has an area of 210,744 square miles, or 134,876,160 acres.

New-Mexico west of the Rocky Mountains.-This portion of the Territory lies principally in the great California basin, which has been fully described under the head of "Utah Territory." Outside the basin and towards the Rio Gila, the country is generally hilly and broken, and along the whole line of that river there are but few spots susceptible of agricultural improvement. As yet, however, little whatever is known of the country, and hence it seems most proper to forego a further consideration of it in this connexion. It has no stationary population.

New-Mexico Proper. The general aspect of this portion of the country is mountainous, with a large valley in the middle, running north and south, formed by the Rio Grande del Norte. This is generally about 20 miles wide and bordered on the east and west by mountain chains-continuations of the Rocky Mountains. The height of these south of Santa Fé, may, upon an average, be from 6,000 to 8,000 feet, while near that city and further north, some snow-capped peaks are seen which rise from 10,000 to 12,000 feet above the sea-level. The mountains are chiefly composed of igneous rocks, as granite, sienite, diorite, basalt, etc., and are highly metalliferous. On the higher ranges excellent pine timber grows; on the lower, cedars and sometimes oaks, and in the central valley, mesquite, etc.

The main artery of this country, the Rio Grande, is a large and long river. Its head waters are found between 37° and 38° latitude north, in the recesses of the Rocky Mountains. Its course is generally south and south-east; and its principal affluents are the Chames, Pecos, Conchos, Salado, Alamo, and San Juan. The length of the river in a straight line is

about 1,200 miles; but from the meanderings of its lower course it runs at least 2,000 miles-from the regions of eternal snows to the almost tropical climate of the Gulf of Mexico, which it enters in 25° 50′ latitude north. The elevation of the river above the sea is 4,800 feet at Albuquerque ; 3,800 at El Paso; but at Reinosa, 300 or 400 miles from its mouth, only 170 feet. The fall of the river is seldom used as a motive power. The principal advantage at present derived from its waters is for agriculture, by a well managed system of irrigation. In its upper course it is shallow and interrupted by banques and sand bars. The lower course of the river, however, is open to navigation, and steamboats ascend up it as far as Laredo, 700 miles from the Gulf.

The climate of New-Mexico is generally temperate, constant, and salubrious. Considerable atmospheric differences, however, are experienced in the mountain districts and in the low valleys of the rivers. In the latter it is often confined and sultry, and the summer heat frequently rises to 100° Fahr., but the nights are always cool and pleasant. The winters are comparatively of long duration, and in the mountains severe. Owing, however, to the condensation of the moisture on the frozen hills, the sky is always clear and dry. The months of July and October inclusive, constitute the rainy season; but the rains are neither so heavy nor so regular in their annual returns as on the more equatorial parts of the continent. Disease is little known, except some inflammations and typhoid fevers, which prevail during the winter, and the general salubrity of the climate is substantiated by numerous cases of longevity. According to the census of 1850, there were in the territory 314 persons between 80 and 90 years of age; 90 persons between 90 and 100, and 40 persons over 100. Of those over 100, one was 103, one 106, two 110, and one 130-the last was Candelario Agular, a farmer in Valencia county.

The mineral resources of New-Mexico are various and very extensive. Gold, silver, iron, and copper abound. Gold is found in the Santa Fé dis trict as far south as Gran Quivira, and north as far as the Rio Sangre de Cristo. Mining, however, has been long neglected, and many of the placeros, which were formerly worked, have been entirely deserted. The mines in the neighborhood of Santa Fé are the only ones worked at the present time, but gold has ever been collected from the mountain streams, and many poor persons are still engaged in such occupation. Silver mines were worked by the Spaniards at Avo, at Cerillos, and in the Nambé Mountains. Copper is abundant throughout the country, and iron is equally so. has also been discovered in a number of places; and gypsum, both common and selenite, are found in large deposits-the common is used as lime for white-washing, and the crystalline or selenite instead of window glass. On the high table lands between the Del Norte and Pecos Rivers are some extensive salinas or salt lakes, from which all the domestic salt used in the country is procured.

Coal

The celebrated copper mines near the head waters of the Rio Gila, are thus described by Mr. Theo. F. Morse, geologist of the Boundary Commission on the part of the United States. "These mines," he says, " situated near 108° longitude west, and 32° 40' latitude north, in the western extremity of the Sierra de Mogovon, from the most authentic resources, are said to have been long known to the Apache Indians, but were first worked by the Spaniards about the commencement of the present century, with various success, till 1828, when they fell into the hands of Mons. Coursier, and were managed by McKnight, who was also a partner; but were at last

abandoned, about 1837, on account of the hostility of the Indians, who cut off the provision trains and killed some of the herders. At one time as many as 500 men were engaged in the mines, which are said to have yielded abundantly, and made the fortune of the proprietors. The ground, in a small extent, is riddled over with shafts and huge excavations.

"The ore is a red oxide of copper, with native copper disseminated through it, occurring in nests and seams through a decomposed feldspathic porphyry, which rock or gangue is, from its softness, easily worked with the pick, and needs no blasting, thus essentially reducing the cost of mining. From the purity and easy reduction of the ore, the expense of producing the metal by the smelting operation was small and easily effected, in a very rude furnace, the cinders of which contain a great deal of reduced copper. At the time the mine was worked, the State of Chihuahua was coining a great deal of copper currency, for which they paid a high price, and for which purpose the copper from this ore, from its purity, was admirably suited, and supplied the mint. An erroneous impression exists that the gold, said to be contained in the copper, paid for its transportation to the city of Mexico, which, however, is not the case, as the gold is not separated from the copper in that city. On examination of some copper found about the furnace, I was unable to detect a trace of gold.

"The mines are very much fallen in, and some of the works, said to be the richest deposits, are entirely inaccessible. But at the English price of copper ore, many thousands of dollars' worth are lying in heaps about the premises, and the old slags and scoria would richly repay the labor of re-working. I think, however, at the high price of provisions and labor, the mines, rich as they seem to be, would not yield much profit. When some of the fertile valleys in the neighborhood are cultivated, labor and provisions will be cheaper.

Within half a mile of the Presidio are several large hills of magnetic iron ore, similar to the Pilot Knob and Iron Mountain of Missouri. This ore could be, at a small cost, converted into bar-iron, heated in a Catlin forge, the hills abounding in timber fit for fuel.

"About four miles south-west of the mine of copper, formerly were worked some gold mines, which are said to have yielded well, but which were never extensively worked, on account of the Indians. Some of the old shafts have been recently opened by some Americans, who are said to be making an ounce per diem. The gold occurs in scales and plates, in a quartz vein, which very much resembles the auriferous quartz of Georgia. Parallel with the gold vein is a vein of sulphuret of lead (galena), which, on reducing to lead, I found to contain sixteen ounces to the cwt., which is considered a rich ore.

"When the command under Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Craig arrived here in January last, there were then standing the ruins of about sixty adobe houses, including a triangular Presidio, flanked with round towers. This has been repaired by Colonel Craig, as a barrack for his men, and the best of the remaining houses have been repaired for the officers and men of the U. S. Mexican Boundary Commission, who have established here their headquarters; the material of the more dilapidated houses having been used for rebuilding the latter. The place now bears quite an active appearance-trains are arriving and departing frequently, and the hum of voices is now heard where a few months ago none but the Apache roamed. Should a permanent post be established here, and protection thus afforded to the miner and agriculturist, this region of country will attract many

from the states of Sonora and Chihuahua, as well as Americans. Neverfailing springs are found among the hills, which are thickly timbered with scrub-oak, walnut, cedar, and lofty pines, fit for fuel and building purposes. The valley of the Miembres, which, at its nearest point, is seven miles distant, contains many acres of land which could be irrigated by that river. In the immediate vicinity of the mines are small patches capable of irriga tion, fit for garden spots."

The soil of New-Mexico is generally sandy and looks poor, but by irrigation it produces abundant crops. Indian corn, wheat, beans, onions, and fruits are raised in large quantities, and the grape-vine is largely cultivated, producing wines of excellent quality. The most fertile part of the valley begins below Santa Fé, and it is no uncommon occurrence in the southern districts to raise two crops in the year. The general dryness of the climate and aridity of the soil, however, will always confine agriculture to the valleys of the water courses. The inhabitants have no system in their farming -the plough is a rough machine and made entirely of wood, and the fields are generally without fences. The best cultivated lands are those of the estancias or large estates; these are apparently a remnant of the old feudal system, and were granted, with the Indians and all other appurtenances, by the Spanish monarch to favorite vassals. The inhabitants pay considerable attention to cattle-raising, and are possessed of large flocks and herds. In 1850 the live stock of New-Mexico, in the several counties, consisted of:

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These, however, are generally of small size. The pasturage is extensive in the wild country, and thousands of stock graze thereon the year round. The Indians prove the greatest enemies to the farmers, and frequently carry off whole herds.

Previously to the taking of the census of 1850, the population of NewMexico was variously computed at from 60,000 to 90,000. At that period it was ascertained to be 61,505, or one person to every 3.4 square miles of the whole territory; and the distribution of the inhabitants to the several counties was in the following proportions:

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