El Paso Salt War
The El Paso Salt War, also known as the Salinero Revolt or the San Elizario Salt War, represents a tumultuous chapter in the history of West Texas. Beginning in the late 1860s, this conflict centered around the coveted salt deposits nestled near the base of the imposing Guadalupe Mountains. What initially began as a political and legal dispute among El Paso businessmen vying for control of these valuable resources quickly escalated into an armed struggle. The conflict drew in the Mexican and Tejano residents who populated the communities on both sides of the Rio Grande, transforming a commercial squabble into a deeply rooted social and economic conflict. The El Paso Salt War exposed the tensions simmering beneath the surface of a region undergoing rapid transformation in the aftermath of the Civil War.
The story of the El Paso Salt War is interwoven with the unique geological history of the region. The salt deposits themselves are remnants of ancient seas that once covered this part of Texas. Over millennia, these seas evaporated, leaving behind vast quantities of salt. Subsequent rains in the Guadalupe Mountains would occasionally form shallow salt lakes, known as salinas, in the Rio Grande Valley. As these lakes dried under the scorching sun, they left behind a thick crust of salt. Before large-scale mining operations began, these salt pans were remarkably thick, reaching several feet in depth in certain areas. These salt deposits, strategically located at the base of the Guadalupe Mountains and extending towards San Elizario, southeast of El Paso, held immense significance for the region’s inhabitants for centuries.
For generations, the salt deposits served as a crucial resource for the indigenous peoples of the area. Native American tribes, including the Apache and Tigua Indians, recognized the multifaceted value of salt. They utilized it extensively in the process of tanning animal hides, preserving the precious resources provided by the hunt. Furthermore, salt served as a vital condiment, enhancing the flavor of their food, and as a preservative, extending the shelf life of their sustenance. Salt was not merely a commodity; it held a place of reverence and was deeply intertwined with the cultural practices of these tribes.
The arrival of the Spanish marked a new chapter in the history of the salt deposits. As they extended their control over the region, the Spanish colonists began to exploit these resources systematically. In 1692, Diego de Vargas, the governor of Nuevo Mexico, documented the abundance of salt, noting that the crusts were so thick that they required picks to be chipped away. He further observed the remarkable regenerative capacity of the deposits, as they would reform within days of being harvested, ensuring a continuous supply of salt. During this era, the primary consumers of the salt were the silver mines located in Chihuahua, Mexico, where it played a vital role in the refining process. However, salt also found diverse applications, including preserving meats, making it a valuable trade commodity along the historic El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, the Royal Road of the Interior.
The King of Spain, recognizing the importance of the salt deposits to the local population, granted community access rights to the residents of the Rio Grande Valley. By the 18th century, the people of the area had established a tradition of making regular journeys to collect salt for their needs. They transported it to the communities of Ysleta, Socorro, and San Elizario, all situated in the El Paso Valley. Individual carts and wagons were used for smaller quantities, while larger expeditions, known as caravans, could involve as many as 16 wagons, each pulled by 60 yokes of oxen. These journeys led to the creation of well-defined roads connecting the Salt Flats west of the Guadalupe Mountains to San Elizario. Another salt trail extended northward from El Paso into New Mexico, further highlighting the importance of the resource to the broader region.
Following Mexico’s independence from Spain, the communal rights to the salt deposits were upheld. These rights were subsequently grandfathered in when the region became part of the United States after the Mexican-American War. However, this long-standing tradition was challenged in 1866, during the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. The Texas Constitution was amended to allow individuals to stake claims for mineral rights, effectively overturning the established community rights. This legislative shift laid the groundwork for the El Paso Salt War.
At this time, approximately 5,000 Mexican Americans resided in the El Paso Valley region. They were primarily engaged in farming and livestock grazing, but they also supplemented their incomes by collecting salt. Many undertook the arduous 70-mile journey from San Elizario to the salt beds, a trip that took two days and exposed them to the harsh desert climate and the threat of Apache attacks. They transported the salt in mule-drawn wagons, selling it in Mexico for use in silver mines or to other consumers, including the U.S. Army. These Mexican Americans, who believed that access to the salt was a universal right, never considered the possibility of filing individual or group claims to the salt beds.
The new legislation allowing for individual mineral rights claims opened the door for El Paso businessmen to attempt to privatize the salt deposits. W.W. Mills, Albert J. Fountain, and Louis Cardis sought to acquire title to the salt deposits, a move that would have required the Mexican Americans of the valley communities to pay a fee to collect salt.
W.W. Mills formed a group known as the Salt Ring. Albert Fountain, after a disagreement with Mills, became the leader of the opposing Anti-Salt Ring and was elected to the Texas Senate with the intention of securing the salt deposits for the people of the El Paso area. However, Louis Cardis and Father Antonio Borrajo of San Elizario fueled opposition to the scheme. Tensions between the two factions escalated into violence with the killing of Judge Gaylord Judd Clarke on December 7, 1870, prompting Fountain to relocate to New Mexico.
In 1872, Charles Howard, a Missouri lawyer and former Confederate officer, arrived in the region. He aimed to restore the Democratic Party to power in West Texas and allied himself with Louis Cardis, who controlled the Hispanic vote in the area. Howard was elected as a district judge in 1874. However, he later betrayed Cardis by filing a claim on the mineral rights himself in the summer of 1877. This act infuriated the Mexican citizens, who believed the salt beds were public property under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. They saw the transformation of the salt beds from communal to private ownership as a threat to their survival. Cardis and Father Borrajo supported the Mexican people in their opposition to Howard’s claim.
Charles Howard, asserting his ownership of the salt, offered to pay residents for any salt they retrieved at the prevailing market rate. However, the Tejanos of San Elizario, encouraged by Father Borrajo and supported by Cardis, defied Howard’s claim and continued to collect salt.
In September 1877, Howard sparked a riot by arresting two San Elizario residents who attempted to gather salt. An angry mob searched for Howard, found him in Ysleta, and marched him back to San Elizario. He was held prisoner for three days before being released after posting a $12,000 bond, vowing to relinquish his claim to the salt beds, and agreeing to leave the area.
However, Howard retreated to Mesilla, New Mexico, and soon returned to murder Louis Cardis in an El Paso store on October 10. He fled back to New Mexico, but the Tejano people demanded his arrest. Although Howard was apprehended and arraigned for murder, he was released on bond to appear in court in March.
In early December, wagons from both sides of the border journeyed to the salt lakes. Howard, upon hearing this news, filed suit and traveled to San Elizario to press charges. On December 12, accompanied by 20 Texas Rangers, they were besieged by an angry mob, resulting in the deaths of Charles Ellis and C.E. Mortimer.
After a two-day siege, the Rangers surrendered, believing that Howard would be released. It was the only instance in history where a Texas Ranger unit surrendered to adversaries. However, Howard remained sequestered and did not surrender until the fifth day. On December 17, Howard, his agent, Texas Ranger Sergeant John E. McBride, and merchant John G. Atkinson were executed by a firing squad composed of men from Mexico. Their bodies were then mutilated and thrown into a well. The Rangers were disarmed and expelled from the town, and the mob looted San Elizario.
In the aftermath, detachments of troops and a posse of American citizens arrived in San Elizario, killing four men and wounding several others. The leaders of the mob and many of their followers fled to Mexico. In total, 12 people were killed, and 50 were wounded. Indictments were issued against some of the mob members, but no one was ever arrested or brought to trial.
As a consequence of the unrest, San Elizario lost its status as the county seat, which was relocated to El Paso. The 9th Cavalry of Buffalo Soldiers was dispatched to re-establish Fort Bliss to monitor the border and the local population.
Ultimately, the Salt Flats were claimed, and the Mexican community was forced to pay for the salt that they had once collected freely.
The El Paso Salt War, which began as a local dispute, escalated into a 12-year struggle that garnered the attention of the Texas and federal governments, with newspapers across the nation covering the events. At its peak, the conflict involved as many as 650 armed men, resulting in the deaths of up to 30 people and numerous injuries. The El Paso Salt War serves as a stark reminder of the complex interplay of economic interests, ethnic tensions, and political maneuvering that shaped the American West.