The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1841-01-20
From the St. Louis Gazette
CHIHUAHUA

ene of the most interesting portions Of North
America with which we are connected, by the
proximity of territory, or by the course of trade
is Chihuahua, pronounced Che-wah- wa lying
in the centre of Mexico, nearly due west from
New Orleans. Although in the latitude ofs0,
the elevated and mountainous character of the
country renders it cool and healthy. The prin-
cipal importance of this region, arises from its
numerous mines of silver, which are of meal
culable value, one of them producing from 1924
to 1928, more than eteUen Millions OF dollars.-
The direct trade between st. Louis and Chihua-
hua is not very extensive, but large amount
of goods sent from this city to Sante Fe, are
forwarded thence to Chihuahua. Within the
last year, goods have been transferred from the
head of navigation on the Arkansas, along a
level country, across the head streams of the
Red river Trinity, Brassos, Colorado, and Rio
Grande, to Chihuahua, better route in many
respects, than any at present travelled. When
this route becomes better known than it is at
present, when our government. permits draw
back on goods for that market, so that our mer-
chants may come in competition with English
traders, anu when the mines are worked by
steam power, as they will be, unquestionably,
within few years, it is not improbable that
| an extensive direct trade may be carried on be-
| tween this city Chihuahua. From the Pacific,
| from Matamoras, or from Santa Fe, the country
| is mountainous and the passages difficult, but
| from Fort Smith, on the Arkansas, the surface
| is generally level, healthy, and Astounding
with springs and streams of water, which rem
ders this a far preferable route to either of
| the others referred to.
To present to the mind the distance and bear
ing of Chihuahua from this city,it may be remar-
ked. that it lies at the same distance-about one
| thousand miles-in southwesterly course that
Boston does in the opposite point ct the COM
pass, and that line drawn from Boston to
chihuahua would pass within a few miles of
ST. Louis. Some readers may, lperhaps, ina
CINE that in the next paragraph we shall express
the probability that at some distant day the
Boston and st. Louis Railway will be ex-
tended to Chihuahua, and we expect after we
have published the Gazette about 25 years, to
announce that, yesterday the train of cars ar
rived from the Mexican mines with seventeen
tons of silver in bars, consigned to John Smith
& Co.," but we shall make no suggestion of the
kind.
Toshow more fully the facilities furnished by
the Arkansas route, and the importance of the
trade, we annex the following interesting infor-
nation, given by merchant engaged in bust
ness in that country.
"Chihuahua is rich in silver mines. During
period of four years, fIem 1924 to 1928, a sin
gle mine situated on the great chain of noun
tains to the east of the city, of chihuahua, pro-
duced more than eleven millionsIof dollars in
silver But this was rare product. Atpresent
from two to two and half millions are obtain
ed annually from the mines of this district, the
greater portion of them being paralysed on ac-
count of the very high prices efquicksilver. A
large portion OF the precious metal thus yielded
is shipped from the ports of Mazatlan and Quay
mas, on the Pacific ocean, in exchange for goods |
brought from England; the rest is exported by |
way of Metamoras or some other ports on the |
Gulf Of Mexico.
There are SIX chief mining towns in the de- |
partments of chihuahua, in which there are Up |
wards of four hundred shafts of mines; the few
that are now worked employ from twelve to
fifteen thousand workmen. Their duration is
said to be incalculable, and as the country is
explored mere and more, new mines are discov-
cred. 1t is the opinion OF the writer that the
application of steam power to the working of
the mines would greatly facilitate operations
and render the business more profitable. The |
system of large companies, it thought, would |
also be an important Improvement in the mode
of conducting the business, as at present the
mines are mostly in the hands of men oflimited
means who are not able to undertake large I
system of arrangements
With regard to the trade of that region, some
useful information is given, going to show that |
by an interior route from the State of Arkansas |
10 Chihuahua, the mining districts of that de- |
partment might be better supplied with goods
than from the ports of the Pacific. The annual
consumption of chihuahua does not fall short
ofthree millions; the supplies come mostly from |
England, although the nearest seaport on the |
Pacific is six hundred miles distant and the
TRANSPORTATION is over difficult country. The |
writer gives an account of an expedition which |
he undertook with two other merchants in |
April, 1887, with caravan of five hundred
mules and seven wagons, from chihuahua 10
the frontier of Arkansas. He says:
eWithout any track whatever, and trusting
solely to chart and compass, with which we
obstacles to the passage ofcarriages, and were
prepared with iron instruments for the purpose
of removing them. We feared that we should
meet with water only at great distances ana
that we and our animals would suffer greatly
from thirst. What was our surprise, However
and with what pleasure did we see the ROAD
level firm and covered with pastures, with