Cenizo Journal Summer 2014 | Page 19

The El Paso Salt War by Bob Miles Photo courtesy: Vicki Gibson Site of El Paso Salt War Resentment over private control of the Salt Lakes in this region, often called  Guadalupe Lakes, in 1877 led to the El Paso Salt War which entailed the  loss of many lives and much property. S alt, long used in seasoning and preserving foods, is a necessity for the health of humans and ani- mals. Obtaining salt, however, led to the El Paso Salt War, one of the blood- iest chapters in the early history of the El Paso area. The war actually took place in the town of San Elizario, then the largest settlement in the El Paso valley.  By 1877, a combination of fac- tors had escalated into a volatile pow- der keg.  Political rivalries, drought, crop failures and Apache raids all com- bined with friction between Mexicans and Anglo-Americans. The Mexicans found themselves in a strange and con- fusing world of these newcomers, now in control of their country after cen- turies of Spanish and Mexican rule. Some 70 miles to the East of San Elizario near the Guadalupe Mountains lies a vast salt flat which Spanish law said belonged to every- one.  The poor farmers could always rely on the salt in times of need. Under the new American laws, the salt deposits were claimed as private prop- erty by Judge Charles Howard for his father-in-law. A fee would be charged to gather salt there. Howard’s former political ally Luis Cardis, an Italian immigrant who had served in the Texas Legislature, and Father Antonio Borrajo, stirred up the population of San Elizario and vicinity (many from the Mexican side of the Rio Grande) in opposition to Howard. After several fist fights between Howard and Cardis, Howard shot Cardis in the chest with a shotgun as he sat in a rocking chair in Solomon Schutz’s store in El Paso, thus lighting the fuse on the powder keg.  At the time, there was no military presence in the area. The nearest army posts were at Fort Davis and at Fort Bayard in New Mexico.  A hastily recruited Texas Ranger force, Company C of the Frontier Battalion, was put togeth- er. The available recruits were not ideal choices by any means, but some law enforcement body was needed. Under Lieutenant John B. Tays, they occupied an adobe house in San Elizario. Howard was determined to prose- cute a group of salt gatherers who had failed to obtain his permission or pay the required fees.  He went to San Elizario on December 12, 1877, under Ranger escort.  That night a growing mob attacked and killed Charles Ellis, a storekeeper and friend of Howard’s. The next morning, the mob attacked the Rangers’ house where Howard was being held for his protection, killing one of the sentries and firing on the house. The siege continued for four days.  Word was sent that if Howard would surrender and give up his claim to the salt, no harm would come to him.  Howard agreed to speak with the leaders of the mob, despite protests from Lt. Tays and Howard’s friends John McBride and John Atkinson.  Lt. Tays accompanied him to the home where Chico Barela, leader of the mob, waited.  Atkinson joined them as a translator. An agreement was reached and Atkinson returned to the Rangers to inform them of the agree- ment. They, too, joined Lt. Tays and Howard, where they were locked in a room, becoming the only Texas Ranger body to ever surrender. However, Barela had lost control of the mob and Howard was escorted outside to a vacant space between two houses.  Five men, all Mexican citi- zens, formed a firing squad.  When Howard realized that further talk was useless, he himself gave the command to fire.  One of the mob, a known horse thief, ran forward to finish the job with a machete, missed and cut off two of his own toes!  Others hacked at the body.  Again over Barela’s objection, McBride and Atkinson were taken out and shot.  The mutilated bodies were dragged away and thrown in an old well.  Fortunately for the Rangers, Barela regained control of the blood- Cenizo thirsty mob and they were released to return in disgrace to El Paso. Colonel Edward Hatch took charge of army troops brought from Forts Bayard and Davis. Sheriff Charles Kerber assembled a posse of hard characters, mostly from Silver City, New Mexico, to help restore order.  Heading for San Elizario, the posse committed rape and murder en route.  They remained in San Elizario until Christmas, “quarrel- ing among themselves and shooting at each other when no better prospects for homicide were available.” A congressional investigation board met in El Paso in January of 1878. They estimated that some $12,000 in property damage had been done, but others put the figure at $31,000.  An El Paso County grand jury indicted Chico Barela, Sixto Salcido and four other leaders of the mob, but they lived out their lives safely and peacefully on the Mexican side of the river.  Little was made of the international aspects of the affair, even though many mem- bers of the mob were known to be Mexican citizens.  The incident did lead to the reestablishment of a mili- tary post at El Paso. A new agent was appointed for the salt flat property, permission was sought by the salt gath- erers and required fees were paid. Peace came once more to an often troubled border, but the wounds were slow to heal. Third Quarter 2014 19