El Paso Salt War

Background

When the area surrounding El Paso, Texas, was part of the Spanish New World empire, the Spanish king had granted villagers the right to collect salt from the salt lakes in the region. In essence, the salt lakes became communally owned. When the region became part of Mexico, the Mexican government continued to grant this right, and it should have continued even after ownership of the region transferred to the United States because of provisions in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the U.S.-Mexican War in 1848. However, in 1866, the new Texas state constitution allowed individuals to make claims on mineral rights, which included the salt in the El Paso salt lakes. Beginning in 1866, various prominent Anglo figures began to assert ownership over the salt lakes, sometimes in cooperation and sometimes in conflict with one another. By 1877, a Virginia-transplant and local political leader named Charles Howard claimed ownership, and he intended to enforce it.

The Salt War

On September 29, 1887, two local Mexican American men, Jose Maria Juarez and Macedonia Gandara, announced their plan to collect salt from the salt lakes, in contradiction of Howard's ownership claims. In response, Howard had the local sheriff arrest the men, then pursued a restraining order against them. Outraged by Howard's actions, Mexican Americans in the region organized several citizens’ committees (juntas) to determine a response. Eventually, the [Page 761]juntas “arrested” two judges who refused to issue warrants for Howard's arrest, then finally took Howard himself captive. After three days as a hostage, Howard signed a piece of paper agreeing to relinquish his rights to the salt lakes, allowing the courts to decide the true ownership. He also agreed to pay the juntas a $12,000 bond and promise never to return to the El Paso area. After signing the document and paying the bond, he was released on October 3.

However, Howard returned to the area on October 10 to murder a political rival, Louis Cardis. It was an act of revenge, because Cardis had encouraged the local Mexican American population to defy Howard's claims of ownership in the first place. After killing Cardis, Howard fled to New Mexico. The Mexican American population of the area was outraged by the death of Cardis, and the juntas threatened to effectively shut down local government. The governor dispatched Texas Ranger Major John B. Jones to El Paso. Jones restored order with the juntas and arranged for Howard's return to the area to face charges. He also recruited a new Texas Ranger company to stay in the area and placed it under the command of Lieutenant John B. Tays.

Howard would never face trial. Under the escort of 20 Texas Rangers, including Tays, Howard was ambushed by a mob of local citizens.

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