In the shadow of the eagles: Sonora and the transformation of the border during the porfiriato

780 Pages·1997·1.84 MB·English

by  Miguel Tinker Salas

In the Shadow of the Eagles
Sonora and the Transformation of the Border during the
Porfiriato
Miguel Tinker Salas
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS
Berkeley · Los Angeles · London

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Page iv
University of California Press Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
University of California Press, Ltd. London, England
(c) 1997 by the Regents of the University of California
Parts of this book were published in earlier versions. Introduction:
"Sonora: The Making of a Border Society," Journal of the Southwest
(Winter 1992): 429-56. Chapter 5: "Del crédito al contado: cambios
en el comercio de Sonora después de 1850," Revista del Colegio de
Sonora (1994): 65-77.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Tinker Salas, Miguel.
In the shadow of the eagles : Sonora and the
transformation of the border during the porfiriato /
Miguel Tinker Salas.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographic references and index.
ISBN 0-520-20129-9 (alk. paper)
I. Sonora (Mexico : State)-History. 2.
Mexican-American Border Region-History. 3.
Mexico-History-1867-1910. 4. Frontier and
pioneer life-Mexico-Sonora. I. Title.
F1346.T56 1997
972´.17-dc20 95-39423
CIP
Printed in the United States of America
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements
of American National Standards for Information Sciences-
Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-
1984.
Page v
Para mi madre Luisa Amelia,
mi esposa María Eva
y nuestras hijas Rosa Elena y Ana Luisa
Page vii
Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Maps xiii
Introduction 1
1. "Dust and Foam": Life in the Mexican Northwest 17
2. Merchants, Miners, and Labor in the Northwest 36
3. "The Repose of the Dead": Conflict and Power on the 58
Frontier
4. Sonora and Arizona: A Legacy of Distrust 79
5. Sonora and Arizona: "A New Border Empire" 101
6. "To Be or Not to Be": The Coming of the Iron Horse 127
7. Between Cultures: Towns on the Line 149
8. "The Greatest Mining Camp in Northwest Mexico": 176
Minas Prietas and La Colorada
9. "The Yankees of Mexico" 201
10. The Politics of Scapegoating in Porfirian Sonora 223
11. "The Wine Is Bitter" 239
Page viii
Conclusion 255
Notes 263
Bibliography 319
Index 337
Page ix
Acknowledgments
Intellectual activities are seldom individual ventures. In the process of
researching and developing this work I incurred many debts. Above
all, I am beholden to Ramón Eduardo Ruiz and Natalia for their
constant support and encouragement. Don Ramón's knowledge of
Mexico and his own research served to guide and direct my efforts.
John Hart and Allen Wells took time to read the entire manuscript and
provided meaningful insights. The work benefited tremendously from
their input and the comments of the anonymous reviewers. William
Beezley examined several chapters and suggested avenues of
research. Arturo Rosales challenged my assumptions, leading me to
reconsider many issues. I would also like to thank Michael Monteon
and Eric Van Young at the University of California, San Diego, for
their earlier counsel.
At different points in this work, I received financial support from the
Organization of American States, the President's Fellowship at the
University of California, and a Faculty Research grant from Arizona
State University and Pomona College. Their assistance proved
invaluable.
In Hermosillo, the staff of the Archivo Histórico del Gobierno del
Estado de Sonora and its former director, Sr. Gilberto Escobosa
Gamez, allowed me unlimited access to this valuable collection. Their
prompt and courteous assistance greatly facilitated my work. Don
Gilberto also facilitated access to municipal archives at La Colorada
and elsewhere.

Page x
At the University of Sonora, I am grateful to the staff of the Museo
Regional de la Universidad de Sonora and its former director, Maestro
Ismael Valencia Ortega, who also graciously shared his own research
on land tenure and commerce.
The socios of the Sociedad Sonorenses de Historia in Hermosillo and
former presidents Lic. José Rómulo Félix Gastelum and Dr. Arturo
Arellano welcomed me to their meetings and eagerly recounted their
experiences. Arq. Jesús Félix Uribe García provided important
insights into the urban growth of Hermosillo and the development of
transportation in Sonora. Researchers at the Instituto Nacional de
Antropología e Historia and the Colegio de Sonora in Hermosillo
allowed me use of their resources. At the Hotel Kino, St. Armando
Benard kindly permitted me to examine his personal collection. Dr.
Manuel Santillana and Graciela, as well as Humberto Pérez Valle,
opened their homes and always welcomed me to Hermosillo. I am
extremely thankful to these and all the Sonorans who shared with me
their history and their friendship.
In Mexico City, the staff of the Archivo General de la Nación
(Gobernación) and the Porfirio Díaz Archives at the Universidad
Iberoamericana provided gracious assistance during my research in
the capital.
In Nogales, Arizona, I am thankful to the Pimeria Alta Historical
Society and its former director Susan Clarke Spater who provided
access to their excellent collection on border history. In Ambos
Nogales I also benefited from the advice and counsel of ingeniero
Eduardo Robinson and the opportunity to consult his valuable
collection of Sonoran documents. The comments and knowledge of
Alberto Suarez Barnett also proved invaluable. The staff at the Special
Collections of the University of Arizona and the Arizona Historical
Society in Tucson were always helpful. Chris Marin, archivist at the