Saltwar

The Salt War occurred in the late 1870's.  It started because of ethnic tensions caused by conflicting opinion over rights to the significant salt deposits at the base of the Guadalupe Mountains.  This is actually about 100 miles east of modern-day El Paso. Persons from both sides of the border would travel to the flats to obtain the free mineral, until Charles Howard staked claim.  He made it  known that the salt was no longer free. This led to mayhem to say the least. When Lt. Tays’ (again, later El Paso's first City Marshal) detachment arrived, they were confronted by a mob, “Mexicans and Tejanos”. Upon being surrounded they were tricked into surrendering.  Charles Howard (Salt Flats “owner”), one local merchant and one Texas Ranger were executed in particularly gruesome fashion. The rest of the detachment was released a few days later. Subsequently, another Texas Ranger detachment was dispatched with a posse. Their mission was to take back control of the Salt Flats. The Rangers’ “posse” consisted of volunteers recruited by outlaw John Kinney... his men.  The "posse's" mission was not enforcement but there intention was to kill any "Mexican" they came across.  This is yet another demonstration of the thin line between the law enforcer and the criminal at that time.  See the next pop-up for more insight into the Kinney Gang.