Part 4
The moon came up about 11 o’clock, giving enough light for us to keep the trail; once we chased a star for a mile, thinking it was a light in a hut; finally reaching the ranch without accident, or much detention on the way, at 2 o’clock in the morning. Tried to procure horses at once to proceed on to San Diego, but the animals were all turned out in the valley grazing and could not be had before morning. We reluctantly went to bed; and, once in the hay-stack, we slept soundly till daylight.
Made 36 miles to-day.
_September 8._--At 9 o’clock a. m. we left Lassator’s ranch with fresh animals, this time mounted on horses. After a toilsome day’s journey down the mountains, we reached San Diego at 10 o’clock p. m., bringing the first through mail which had reached here in schedule time. I had come myself from San Antonio to San Diego in thirty-eight days.
_September 9._--This morning I despatched the mail from San Diego in charge of two men, with directions to deliver it at Fort Yuma to the party I had left there, who would in turn carry it to the Pimos villages at Maricopa station, or at Tucson, where a coach would be in readiness to carry it on to La Mesilla, at which last place a second coach would carry it to the Presidio of San Eleazario. Each of these parties going east, after delivering their mail, were under instructions to wait and bring back a return mail over that portion of the road allotted to them. [These were the arrangements I had made _en route_, and up to this date they have insured the prompt delivery of the mails at each end of our line.]
When Mr. Birch and myself parted in New York, on the 23d of June, we made an arrangement to meet in San Diego as soon as I could get there; I would then have travelled across the continent, and thus be able to report understandingly about the route, with estimates of expenditures made up to that time, obligations incurred, and promises given. Together we could then estimate for the future, and Mr. Birch was to give me, in San Diego, all the money I needed in retracing my steps to San Antonio, at which latter place he would again meet me on my return. With this understanding, I had promised all along the line, to whomsoever should aid us, that I would return from California with the coin to pay up all obligations. Mr. Giddings also made use of this promise for me during my absence. Under my understanding of this agreement, I was not only very much surprised but embarrassed, on reaching San Diego, to hear of Mr. Birch’s departure from San Francisco per mail steamer of August 20. Neither did I find here any advices as to his movements; furthermore, the coast steamer had left for San Francisco on the 6th, two days before my arrival, and would not be here to leave again until the 21st. Thus I was compelled to entire inaction towards placing the Pacific end of our line in good condition until I could send to San Francisco for coaches, harness, provisions, general equipment, and money. My time, from the 9th to the 21st, appeared to be nearly or quite useless to the line, except in scouring the country for mules, which proved to be not particularly plenty in that section of California.
[Had not Mr. Birch been lost in the Central America September 11, no trouble would have arisen from his not having met me according to agreement. He could have explained everything satisfactorily, and shown, in my opinion, that he had otherwise planned well for the maintenance of our credit.]
_September 13._--To-day I despatched a party of our men with a wagon and saddle mules, under instructions to examine very carefully the mountain passes eastward of San Diego, that we might find, if possible, a better and shorter route for a road than the present circuitous one by way San Ysabel. The county surveyor very kindly accompanied our party, giving us the benefit of his experience; so also did one of the county supervisors, thus showing the great interest which the citizens of San Diego felt in the success of an overland mail. [Our party returned on the 18th, reporting having found a trail which, in their opinion, could be made an excellent road with a moderate outlay of labor.]
_September 21._--To-day I despatched a messenger to San Francisco by the steamer, with instructions to make, as far as possible, all needful purchases of supplies for the western end of the line, and to bring them to San Diego by return steamer. I leave at the earliest possible moment to retrace my steps over the road, as I had promised to be back about October.
_September 24._--I contracted to-day for hay and straw to supply stations we had made on the desert, at Vallecita and Carissa creeks.
_September 29._--To-day I despatched a train, consisting of a coach and wagon, destined for our mail station at Maricopa wells; they were loaded with rations for the men who remain there permanently.
_October 4._--Despatched a relay of ten mules over the mountains to meet and accompany the train of September 29.
_October 6._--Steamer arrived from San Francisco this morning, having on board for us all the supplies our agent had been able to obtain. Commenced at once preparing for my return trip.
_October 17._--To-day I despatched two coaches, with complete outfits of animals and other necessaries. One of the coaches is to run between Carissa creek and Fort Yuma; the other is to run between Fort Yuma and Maricopa wells. I despatched these coaches to-day in order to have them at their stations in readiness to take through any passengers for Arizona or San Antonio which might come from San Francisco by steamer of the 18th. We had advertised in the California papers that we were ready for passengers as follows:
_Office of the San Antonio and San Diego Mail Line._--This line is now ready to ticket passengers through from San Francisco to New Orleans, _via_ San Diego, Fort Yuma, Tucson, Mesilla, Fort Filmore, El Paso, and San Antonio, as well as to all intermediate stations. Also to Santa Fé and Albuquerque, (New Mexico.) For rates of passage, and further information, apply at the office of the company, Kearny street, (opposite Plaza.)
C. McLAUGHIN, _Agent_. R. E. DOYLE, _Superintendent Western Division_.
_October 22._--This morning I despatched two more coaches and fourteen animals heavily laden with every description of supplies for the line. They go round to Carissa creek by the road, while I shall take the shorter mountain trail to-morrow.
_October 23._--Left San Diego on horseback this morning, accompanied by Mr. Doyle and one of my through passengers, of whom I had several.
_October 25._--Passed the day in the mountains at our corral, branding a mulada of seventy-five animals, which I had purchased for the line.
_October 27._--Reached Carissa creek, the place of rendezvous, early this afternoon, with our _mulada_; found the coaches waiting. My party now consisted of twelve men, with three coaches, seventy-two animals, and everything necessary for our stage purposes. Our progress to Fort Yuma was slow. We left Carissa creek the 28th October and reached the fort November 2d; the delay arose from the fact that fifty-nine of our animals strayed away, detaining us two days in finding them in the desert.
_November 5._--To-day the mail came in from the east, bringing to me the melancholy news of Mr. Birch’s death. This intelligence very naturally alarmed the parties at Colorado city, who had been furnishing our men with supplies. Feeling myself perfectly sure that Mr. Birch’s death would have no influence in disarranging the affairs of the line, I assured the parties of my determination to continue, as I had planned, to San Antonio, and to see that the business was properly cared for. Mr. Doyle, who had accompanied me thus far from San Diego, joined with me in assuring our creditors here that we would both continue in as vigorous a superintendence as ever of the interests of the mail.
The Steamer General Jesup came up the river to-day with a cargo for the quartermaster at the post. This steamer is one of two boats owned by Johnson & Co., who are the government contractors for transporting all supplies from the mouth of the river to Fort Yuma. This boat would be a credit to her owners and builders by comparison with steamboats anywhere.
_November 7._--Left Fort Yuma to-day; had with me two of the coaches with which I originally started, loaded with supplies; I had also seventy-nine of the mules. Left coach and relays at the fort.
_November 9._--To-day we left Peterman’s station, (on the bank of the Gila,) consisting of a log house and excellent corral, built since I passed here. Peterman told me he had built this station, which he intended making his permanent residence, in order to obtain the business of the mail line. I purchased of him several tons of mezquit beans, besides contracting for a supply of hay.
The soil in this neighborhood is excellent. Already this enterprising pioneer has contracted with a party of Mexicans to build a main irrigating ditch from the Gila, with branches sufficient to enable him to cultivate several hundred acres of land. The Mexicans are now at work. I made such arrangements for him, by writing to an agent at Fort Yuma, as would secure the necessary barley for seed, making at same time a conditional purchase of all his crop. He felt confident of gathering a good harvest the present season. Peterman originally came up here from Fort Yuma to execute a contract for several tons of mezquit beans, made with the parties who are contractors for hauling the ore of the Arizona Copper Mining Company to Fort Yuma. From the fort this copper ore is carried by steamer to the mouth of the Colorado river; thence by sailing vessel to San Francisco.
Had conversations with two other men to-day, who said they were half determined to open stations on the Gila for our accommodation; they anticipated also the chance of selling supplies to emigrants, and trading for cattle.
_November 11._--Came this morning to the ford where the road usually crosses the Gila. One of our men stripped and swam across the river. I could see plainly that the current was too swift and the volume of water too great to justify the risk of attempting to cross our coaches without unloading them. We preferred making a long detour over the hills rather than attempt fording. The bottom of the river at these fords is a sort of quicksand, likely to prove troublesome when the river is swollen by rains, as it is now.
_November 12._--Came to the other ford of the Gila at Oatman flat, but preferred not to attempt to cross.
_November 13._--To-day we were on the _jornada_ between Tezotal and Maricopa station; found plenty of water, the rains having been recent and very heavy.
_November 14._--Beached our station at the Maricopa Wells to-night, after getting bogged in the mud and having to send to the station for assistance. No one could see the road, for the night was very dark. The sagacious instinct of my mule here did me good service. Giving her the reins, she took me through mud holes, around pools of water, on the road direct to the station, where she remembered having been fed with corn a few weeks before.
At the station to-night we numbered so large a party that many of us had to sleep out of doors; what with mail men waiting to go to Tucson, mail men waiting to return to Fort Yuma, Maricopa agent, our herdsman, three passengers for Tucson, seven through passengers, cook, and one or two travellers who always make our station their stopping place, added to my own party, and all of us particularly well armed, we felt ourselves to be rather formidable enemies to the Apaches.
_November 15._--Quite a change has taken place since my passing here on the 1st of September. At that time I left two men, with two mules and accoutrements, a few rations, a little cotton cloth, and a few beads for barter, also a little money. Now I found a comfortable house built by putting upright poles in the ground, thatching them with tules, and covering the sides with the same. The agent had also put up a decent brush corral in which to keep our animals safe at night, for we are liable here to inroads from the Tonte Apaches.
Had a conference to-day with the Indians, who had been for a number of weeks around our post enquiring anxiously for my coming. They now squatted to have a smoke and get some presents. They informed me through an interpreter, who spoke very decent Spanish, that all the grass and the water and the land around us belonged to their tribe; that I must pay them for protecting as well as for feeding all of the many mules they saw grazing about there daily, which they found it convenient to consider as mine personally. I had promised them, when going west, that on my way back we would have this talk, and as far as possible prepared myself for them at San Diego. I gave such of them special presents as had particularly aided our agents during my absence. I fed the principal, gave all the warriors plugs of tobacco, beads, and cotton cloth, and presented the head chief and interpreter with suitable presents of shirts and fancy colored handkerchiefs. About sunset, finding that the talking, smoking, and feeding was over, and realizing the certainty of procuring no more presents to-day, the Indians shook hands with us and went off. Such of them as had horses rode them bare back, but the bulk of the warriors were footmen.
_November 16._--Left the Maricopa station, on our way to Tucson, with three coaches, forty-nine animals, and twelve men. To-day met the mail of October 24 from San Antonio.
_November 17._--Reached Tucson at 11½ p.m. Found train from La Mesilla waiting for the mail.
_November 19._--Started from Tucson with three coaches, forty-six animals, and sixteen men, including our passengers. I also had in charge the mail of November 9 from San Diego, for which I had waited at our Maricopa station. I was now retracing my steps to La Mesilla, through the same country I had passed over in August, and, with a few unimportant variations, by nearly the same road. Then it was the rainy season, with showers almost every day; now it was the commencement of winter, with occasional northers. On both trips I found the gramma grass excellent in quality and abundant in quantity. There is plenty of water for our purposes, with wood enough for cooking, and comfortable sleeping on the ground in our blankets.
_November 24._--I met Mr. Hutton at Ojo La Vaca; he is engineer of the El Paso and Fort Yuma wagon road expedition, and was examining the country very carefully to select the best line for a road, and was progressing finely.
_November 25._--Met the mail coach going west with the mail of November 9, from San Antonio; also passed to-day the working party of Colonel Leach’s expedition, who were building a road up the cañon, from the valley of the Rio Grande to the top of the Mesa.
_November 26._--Reached Mesilla at 10 a. m., and immediately despatched the mail for San Diego by a messenger in waiting to carry it to Buchanan, one hundred miles below the Mesilla, where the train was waiting to carry it on to San Antonio. We have stocked this one hundred miles along the Rio Grande valley chiefly with horses; when we have a light mail we can express it through. I remained in the valley of the Rio Grande, passing to and fro in the course of business, from November 26 until December 24.
During my absence in California, Mr. Giddings had done every thing possible for the line; I must say he could not have done more if he had been an owner. Furthermore, I am satisfied that few men could have done so well for us. At his agency in El Paso he came in contact with the mail men, who were running from San Antonio to that place, and did much to place things in order which had been neglected at San Antonio. On leaving Mr. Giddings I had promised him, upon the faith of the understanding that Mr. Birch was to meet me at San Diego, that I would bring back with me the cash necessary to pay up all claims against the line; but, as before explained, Mr. Birch did not meet me, I could not reach the supplies of money required, and was consequently compelled to return to the Rio Grande empty handed, relying on selling my drafts to cancel large amounts due to creditors in the valley. When I crossed the Rio Grande going west, on the 23d of August, I had twenty-four mules and two poor carriages; fourteen of these twenty-four animals belonged to Fort Davis.--(See journal, August 12.) When I recrossed the same river, November 27, coming east, I had left behind me quite a different state of things.
The mail line had now nearly or quite two hundred head of mules west of the Rio Grande, stationed at San Diego, Carissa creek, Fort Yuma, Peterman’s, Maricopa wells, Tucson, and La Mesilla. At each of these places agencies or stations had been established, with abundant supplies of grain everywhere. We feed corn to all our working mules. I had made contracts for hay wherever the grass was likely to be short the coming winter. We had thirty-five mail carriers and agents along this part of the line; all well-armed border-men, carefully selected for their familiarity with this kind of service. We had seven coaches on the road, and three more building in San Diego, so that we could already take passengers through from ocean to ocean in stage coaches. I felt that I had carried out in spirit the agreement with your department to place a creditable service on the line, besides having complied with the letter of the contract in carrying the mail.
I was met here in the valley by unexpected difficulties, which should not have been thrown in the way of the line.
The following advertisement was put in the San Antonio papers and came to El Paso about the time of my arrival:
SAN ANTONIO, _November 20, 1857_.
Whereas Julia A. B. Birch, of Swansea, in the county of Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, administratrix of the estate of James E. Birch, of the town and Commonwealth aforesaid, has sold, assigned, transferred, conveyed, and set over unto Oltes H. Kelton, of Charleston, South Carolina, for a good and sufficient consideration, all the stock of the mail lines and post routes from San Antonio; Texas, to San Diego, California, and from El Paso to Santa Fé, in Texas, so far as the said James E. Birch, deceased, has any interest in the same; and whereas the said Oltes H. Kelton has appointed the undersigned his agent and attorney, by power of attorney duly acknowledged, to take charge of and superintend his entire interest in said routes, as his sole agent: Now, this is to notify all whom it may concern, that all contracts and acts made by any person otherwise than those that I may appoint, touching the interest of said routes, will be treated as a nullity.
ABNER BARROWS.
[Mr. Giddings also received a letter from Mr. Barrows, stating that Mr. Kelton had appointed him as sole agent in Texas, at the same time requesting Mr. G. to continue in charge of the line at El Paso, sending the mail forward to California as he had been doing under my superintendence. This was an awkward dilemma. It seemed clear to myself and friends that if I gave up my situation of superintendent the line must stop. If I once discarded the charge, the property would be seized by the creditors. Wages were due to the men, and accounts had been made with merchants for advances of every kind. A line through remote settlements must have a good credit. In this aspect of things, having received no letters from Mrs. Birch nor any of her friends, and no revocation of my authority having reached me, I applied to Simeon Hart, esq., of El Paso, to advance me the necessary funds to carry on the line until I could reach New York. I exhibited to Mr. Hart my original authority from Mr. Birch, together with all the subsequent facts since his death, so far as I knew them. I consider that we are indebted to Mr. Hart for the present existence of the line. He went in person to the different merchants whom we owed for advances, recommended them to take my drafts on New York, stating that he had examined the matter and was perfectly satisfied. Mr. Hart himself did more: he loaned the line ten thousand dollars, which enabled me to not only pay up the more pressing claims of the mens’ wages, but all the outstanding obligations of the line, excepting the drafts before referred to on New York, and the amount due to Mr. Giddings. When I turned my back on the Rio Grande valley, the credit of the line stood well. I felt satisfied that I had done right; I am now more than satisfied.]
_El Paso, December 24._--The mail of December 9 came in from San Diego at 10 a. m.
_Presidio, San Eleazario, December 25._--Mail from San Antonio came in at 1 a. m. I reached our lower station on the Rio Grande, a new place which we have named Birchville, at 8 p.m.; I was _en route_ for San Antonio. Here I found that the up mail of December 9 had been caught in a snow storm west of Fort Davis. Five mules had been chilled so they were unable to go on with the train. The conductor was compelled to leave the coach and nearly all the mules at Fort Davis, coming on to Birchville with six mules only, bringing the letter mail. He was most fortunate in being able to borrow a buggy for this purpose. The conductor who brought up this mail of December 9 should have returned at once to San Antonio with the down mail; but as he was unable to do so for the reason which I have stated, I carried out an intention which I had formed at El Paso, and determined to take the mail through to San Antonio under my own charge. I had a coach and twenty-two mules, and four passengers. To perform the actual labor of this trip, I had two clerks of mine now out of employ by my discharge. Mr. Giddings accompanied me, with two hired men.
_December 26._--Birchville, at 10 a. m., weather very pleasant.
_December 27._--In our second drive this morning we ascended the cañon leading from the valley of the Rio Grande to the high table lands of this portion of western Texas. We found a change of climate apparent at once. The whole of our journey, from the summit of this pass till we reached Devil’s river, in the course of which we had descended from this table land, was cold and uncomfortable, though by no means to the extent of any personal suffering; I may except very cold fingers, while driving, before sunrise.