Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-08-14

| Mr.. Theodore F. Morse, the Geo ogist of the
United States Boundary Commission. gives the
following description ofthe celebrated copper
mines in the Apache country, near the head-wa-
| ters of the ella:
THESE mines. situated near 1O8 deg. longitude
west and 81 deg. 40 m. latitude north in the wes
tern extremity OF Sierra de Mogovon, from the
most authenlc resources, said to have been long
known to the Apache Indians, but were first work.
ed by the Spaniards about the commencement of
the present century, with various success. till
1928, when they fell into the hands of Mons Cour-
ser, and were managed by Mcknight, who was
asoa partner; were at last abandoned about 1897
on account of the hostility ofthe Indians, who cut
otfhe provision trains and killed some of the her
ders. AT one time as many as five hundred men
were engaged in the mnes which are said to have
yielded aDundantly, and made the fortune of the
pro?retors The ground, in t small extent, is
! rddled over with shafts and huge excavations
| There is red OXIDE ofcopper with native conner
disseminated thIoueh 1t, occurring nests and seams
| through decomposed ieldspalhic porphyfy which
rock or gangue IRON its soiines easily worked with
the pick and moods no blasting, tus essentially redu-
cling the cost OF mining. From the purely and easy re-
ductiou OF the ORE the Of PRODUCING the metal
by the smelling operation was small and easily IF ced
in very rude furnace the cinders OF which contain
great deal of reduced copper. A the time the mine
was worked the State OF Chihuahua was coming a
great deal OF copper currency for which they paid
hgh price, and for which purpose the copper from this
ore from its purity admirably suited and supplied
the nnt. An erroneous impression exists that the gold
sad to be contained in the copper paid for its transport
talon to the city OF Mexico, which, however not the
case, as the gold not separated from the copper in
that city Ga examination OF some copper foand about
the furnace, was unable 10 detect trace Of gold.
The mines very ul1cn fallen in, and some of the
works. said 10 be the richest deposits, ave entirely iu
accessible. But, at the English price Of copper ore,
| many thousands Of dollars worth lying il heaps
tho Ie-,r
richly repay the abour of re-wokng. I think, how
ever, at the high price Of provisions and labour the
mines rsh as they seem a: to be, would not yield much
bourhood cultivated labour and provisions will be
cheaper
Within half mile of the preside are several large
and Snow Mountain of Missouri This ore could be-
at small cost, converted into bar iron, heated in a
Catln forge, the hills Astounding in timber fit for fuel
About four miles southwest OF the mine of COPPER
formerly were worked some gold mines, which are said
to have yielded well, but which never extensively
worked, on account Of tine indians. Some of the old
shafts have been recently opened by Americans
who are said to be making an ounce per diem. The
gold in scales and plates, in quartz vein which
very much resembles the aurierous quartz OF Georgia
Parallel with the gold vein is vein OF ulphuret of
lead, [galena,l which, reducing to lead, found to
contain sixteen ounces to the cwt which is considered
rich ore.,
Craig arrived here in January last, there then
standing the ruins of about sixty adobe houses incu-
ding triangular presdlo anked with round towers.
This has been repaired by Col Craig as barrack for
his men, and the best Of the remaining houses have
been repaired for the officers and of the United
States Mexican Boundary Commission, who have es-
abllshed here their headquarters, the material of the
more dilapdaed houses having been used for rebuild
ing the better. The place bears quite an active
appearance trains arriving and departing fequcnt-
ly, and the hum OF voices is now heard where few
months ago none but the Apache roamed
Should permanent post be established here, and
protection thus afforded to the miner and agrculturist
n off tho
States OF Sonora and Chihuahua. az we'll as Ameri-
cans. Never-tailns springs are found among the hills
which are thickly imbered with serub-oak, walnut,
cedar, and lofty pines, fit for fuel and building pur-
poses The valley THE Membres, which, at ITS near
estpoin is seven miles distant, contains many acres Of
land which could be irrigated by that river La the
immediate vicinity of the mines are small patches ca.
pable ofirrgation, fit for garden spots.
SANTA RITA DEL CoBRE, May Is, 1851.