Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1825-06-09


al measures of great importance to the
Western Country, discussed during the
last Session of Congress, was, our inter-
course with the Internal Provinces of
Mexico. This measure was introduced
in The Senate by Cot BKNToS, and
supported with that industry, zeal and
ability which drew the attention of the
general government to il, as an object
worthy Of their protection and encour
.sgement. Whether the protection al
ready extended by the Government,
will place this infant trade on a footing
which will secure its maturity without
further aid, a little experience will de-
termlne; but we are confident from
the disposition manifested by the Co
vernment, if time should disclose the
necessity of any further steps, they will
be promptly taken. Notwithstanding
all the embarrassing circumstances un
der which the trade has been carried on,
Missouri has been greatly benefited,
and our citizens are every day becom-
ing more sensible Of the Importance of
a Tree and interrupted intercourse with
the New Republic. That there is i'm
mense treasures in the country, is a fact
which will not be denied; and we ask, is,
that our fellow citizens may, uader the
regulations of the Government, be all
lowed a free access to the mines of
Mexico.
Our coun.ryman, PIKE, in speaking
of the Province ofNew Biscay, remarks
|-"This Province abounds in silver and
gold mines, which yield an immense
quantity of those metals. but not so
great a revenue to the King as those
which are nearer to the mint, and con-
~sequently present a greater facility to
coinage. l am not acquainted with the
proportion of the metals which the min
eral yields in any instance, except in
one Of the silver mines at Chihauhau,
which belonged to a friend Of mine,
who informed me that his mine yielded
him 1873 dollars per cwt. | one day
! with ROBINSON went through many Of
those furnaces and noticed the n
which they pursedin analyzingt the min
eral and extracting the metals, but, as
l had previously asked several Spanish
officers to accompany me, who had all
declined or deferred it to a future peri
cd, l conceived it probable it was too de-
licste a subject to make a minute inqui-
ry into. however so far observed the
process as to learn that the mineral
was brought from the mines in bags, on
mules, to the furnace: it was then
ground or pounded into small Jumps,
not more than the size of a nut. and
precfpitated into water, in a seive which
permitted the smaller particles to es.
cape into a tub, through several pro-
gressive Operations. From the small
particles which remained at the bottom
of the tubs, after it had purified of the
earthly qualities, there was aproportion
of metal extracted by a nicer process;
but the larger parts were put into a fur
mace similar to our iron furnaces, and
when it was in a state of fusion, it was
let out into a bed of sand prepared for
il, which formed it into bars about the
size of our common pig iron, averaged
lin value at about 1850 dollars. The
gold was cast into a mould similar to a
bowl and stamped, as was each bar of
silver, by the kings essayor OF metals,
with its value. They were worth from
8 to 10000 dollars.-These masses of
silver and gold are then received into
the kings treasury in payment, and in
fact have a currency through the king
dom; but there vast speculations made
on the coinage, as people who have not
large capitals prefer selling their bullion,
in the Internal Provinces, at a consi-
derable discount, TO being obliged to
transport it TO Mexico, in order to have
lit converted into specie. Ths present
c., Twas informed, was enga-
ged in this traffic, on which, from The
Province o Sonora, he sometimes made
a5 per cent. Numbers Of The proprie-
tors uho hare no Immediate use for their
bullion put 1t isto their cellars, rhsre 1t
remains piled up for their posteriiy, Of
no serpics to themselves or Meycommuni-
tq.-There are at Chihuahua and its vi.
ciniiy fifteen mines, thirteen silver, one
gold, and n copper, the furnaces of
all which are situated round the town
and suburbs, and present, except "a
Sundays, volums of smoke arising, TO
the eye in every direction, which can
be seen from a distance long before the
spires ofthe city strike the view. tits
incredibly the quantity of cinders which
surround the city in piles ten or fifteen
feet high: next the creek they had form
ed a bank of il TO cheek the encroach-
nanis &c tie stream. and IL nIesenfs an