Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1822-11-19
SILVER MINES OF VALENCIA. IN

SILVER MINES OF VALENCIA, IN .
- MEXICO, NORTH AMERICA.
Valenciana, has shaft of 1880 feet,
from whence to bring up the Ore. The
use of machinery, to diminish labor. is
bat Teebly adopted, and, the execution of
those few machines hey construct, is so
bad, that they are scarcely ot,any benefit.
AS the ore is brought from the mine on
the back OF men, it is necessary that tie
descen: should be made very capacious.
That OF the mine Vaencisna. is 1880
Zee in perpendicular depth, and so feet
In circumference. The PIT is dug IN the
sofid rock it is beautifully walled. and
when, completed, having cost million
dollars, may be considered as one of the
greatest and boldest undertakings in the
history even OF Mexican Mining. This
mine las the peculiar properly OF being
free trom water, circumstance OF vast
importance, since other mines, equally
rich. have been abandoned, because The
proprletors have not been enabled to ex-
GUIDE the water where steam engines are
not yet adopted. In. the year 1850. the
country around this mine was perfect
desert. N Obregan, a Spaniard, with
v,hement passion tor mining. with small
capital, but with the confidence of richer
men VINO assisted him, began to excayate.
In 1866, though he had got to the depth
o.260 feet the value OF the produce was
less than the current expenses lie then
entered into partnership with small tra>
dee, named Otero, who bad some ready
money. they continued their operations,
with confidence ia the result, till in I771,
they came to masses Of sulphuretted silver,
mixed with native and red silver From
I'LL to 1904, the nine has yielded
gross produce OF 1888, 900 sterling, and 10
.-s5me Of the most profitable years, the two
pruprietors have each shared the enor-
nous SUN of 1856, o00 sterling. The spot
where these operations commenced was
occupied by few wild goats, and in len
years, it became considerable town,
with 7 or 5000 inhabitants, surrounded
win cultivated and highly productive
hzlds. As the miners have gone deeper
for the ore, the expenses ot raising II have
increased; but the quality has so improved,
thatdhe net profit to the proprietors has
continued the same The expense oil
working this mine amounts annually to
100000 sterling three -tourths of which
aFe'for wages 10 the Iaborers, and the re-
mainder for gunpowder, steel, iron, wood,
leather, and tools of various kinds The
cost Of powder ;or blasting the rocks, "a
moonts to $4,000 sterling annually The
number OF individuals employed is aboui
5000. The principal manager receives a
salary e, 500 sterling, and has under him
several overseers and nine master miners.
These head men visit daily the snbtera-
rseoHs operations on tie pscks OF men who
have kind OF saddle tor the purpose, and
are called little horses, (cabalhtos.)
The whole of the labor OF the mines is
performed by freemen; the labor, though
voluntary. is very severe, and the people
are stimulated TO perform it only by being
paid. not by the time occupied, but, by
The quantity OF work that is Performed
The ore isrcarFied solely by men, who are
30 accustomed TO this kind of labor, that
they remain with a load IRON gao to $40
pounds on their backs, six hours at time,
du ing which they ascend many thousand
steps 10 the pits, in atemperature from II
deg TO a deg. OF Farehhei They pro
ceed in files of so to 60, among whom are
so.ne boys, Of 10 or ls years old, and some
nen. more than sixty, each of them load
ed according to BIS own estimation of his
Feng'h' Ia ascending the stairs, they