10th Arizona Territorial Legislature

Session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature (1879) February 2026 January 2025 10th January 6, 1879 9 Fred G. Hughes 18 Madison W. Stewart 9th 11th The 10th Arizona Territorial Legislative Assembly was a session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature which convened on January 6, 1879, in Prescott, Arizona Territory.McClintock 1916 371 The session was the last to be composed of nine Council members and eighteen members of the House of Representatives.McClintock 1916 333, 371 Background There had been several significant changes to the territorial government since the prior session. First, the territorial capital was moved from Tucson to Prescott.McClintock 1916 330 Second, Governor Anson P.K. Safford had declined a third term to seek his fortune in a number of mining projects.Wagoner 1970 117 Territorial Secretary John Philo Hoyt had been named to replace Safford on April 5, 1877.Goff 1978 66 Then, in 1878, John C. Frémont used his political connections to displace Hoyt and secured the governorship for himself. While Hoyt was well respected, most Arizonans were thrilled to have such a well known personality as their Governor.Goff 1978 77 The Southern Pacific Railroad had reached Yuma on September 30, 1877, providing the first rail service to the territory. They were at the time of the session building eastward across Arizona.Wagoner 1970 162 Legislative session The legislative session began on January 6, 1879. Governor's address Governor Frémont gave his address to the session on January 9, 1879.Goff 1978 78 In it he spoke to the potential for development within the territory.Wagoner 1970 169 To this end he recommended spending US$500,000 on construction of new roads.Wagoner 1970 169 He also proposed using the Colorado River to irrigate the territory's deserts.Goff 1978 78 To assist the territory's mining industry, the governor asked for creation of a territorial assay office and proposed a refinery be built in Prescott to reduce the expense of transporting raw bullion to San Francisco.Wagoner 1970 169 Legislation Governor Frémont's proposals were largely ignored by the session. They instead dealt primarily with issues affecting only individuals or limited sections of the territory.Wagoner 1970 171 To this end an "Omnibus Divorce Bill" was passed which ending the marriages of fifteen couples.McClintock 1916 331 Separate bills granted divorces to two other couples.McClintock 1916 331–32 Other legislation granted name changes to eight people.Wagoner 1970 171 Gambling was another popular topic. An Arizona Lottery, patterned after the Louisiana Lottery, was created. Proceeds of this lottery were supposed to offset the expense of constructing schools and other public buildings.Wagoner 1970 172 A US$300 per quarter fee for gambling licenses, half payable to the county the other to the territory, was also imposed.Wagoner 1970 171 Less serious was a bill presented by Representative J. D. Rumberg of Maricopa County, who had apparently lost a large wager on a slow pony, that would prohibit horse racing within the territory.Wagoner 1970 172 Other members of the House of Representatives, realizing the proposal was likely made in jest, solemnly reported their counties were not prepared for the change and had the restriction limited to Rumberg's home county.McClintock 1916 332 Representative John T. Alsap, also from Maricopa County, then obtained further revisions that limited the prohibition to just Rumberg's ranch.Wagoner 1970 172 While the bill was passed by the session the resulting law was never published.McClintock 1916 332 From the eastern section of Yavapai County was created Apache County.Wagoner 1970 58 Finally, the session authorized US$2000 for Governor Frémont and Judge Charles Silent to travel to Washington, D.C., and lobby to have an order by Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz extending boundaries of the Gila River Indian Reservation into the Salt River Valley.Wagoner 1970 174 Members House of RepresentativesWagoner 1970 514NameDistrictNameDistrictJohn T. AlsapMaricopaWilliam K. MeadePinalJohn H. BehanMohaveE. R. NicolesYavapaiWilliam M. BuffumYavapaiJ. A. ParkYavapaiJohn DavisYavapaiSamuel Purdy Jr.YumaThomas FitchYavapaiJ. D. RumburgMaricopaPat HamiltonYavapaiJames SpeedyPimaA. E. FayPimaJames StinsonYavapaiC. P. LeitchPimaMadison W. Stewart (Speaker)PimaP. McAteerYavapaiWalter L. VailPima CouncilWagoner 1970 514NameDistrictCurtis Coe BeanYavapaiE. H. GrayMaricopaWilliam S. HeadYavapaiFred G. Hughes (President) PimaJ. M. KirkpatrickPimaWinthrop A. RoweYavapaiP. Thomas PinalF. D. WelcomeYumaEdmund W. WellsYavapai References 2 Goff John S. Arizona Territorial Officials Volume II: The Governors 1863–1912 Black Mountain Press Cave Creek, Arizona 1978 5100411 McClintock James H. James H. McClintock Arizona, Prehistoric, Aboriginal, Pioneer, Modern Vol. II S. J. Clarke Chicago 1916 https://books.google.com/books?id=xEQOAAAAIAAJ Wagoner Jay J. Arizona Territory 1863–1912: A Political history University of Arizona Press Tucson 1970 0816501769 registration https://archive.org/details/arizonaterritory00wago Further reading Arizona Territory Acts, Resolutions, and Memorials of the Tenth Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Arizona https://books.google.com/books?id=IjMOAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA137 1879 Arizona Miner Prescott 12310193 10 10 Category:1879 in Arizona Territory Territorial Legislature