Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-09-09
The Miners Stratagem,


Upper Peru forms an extensiv
territory, situated south and somt
! what east of Lower Peru, with whic
e It assimilates in aspect and produc
h tons In 1778 it was separated b
the Spanish Go vernment, and at
tached to the Viceroyalty of l.
: Plata; but in the course of the lat,
, revolution it was severed from L
7 Plata also, and erected into an indie
pendent republic, under the name O
Bolivar. Potosi enjoys the creates
fame Of any city in this region, but
retains few traces Of the wealth which
gained for it this celebrity. It is
probably, the most elevated city il
the world, being more than $4,000
feet above the sea, consequently high
er than the Peak of Teneriffe. The
mines have been the cause of the
unrivalled wealth of this country.
lhese are situated III the lnmOSt
depths Of the Andes, approached on
ly by steps and perilous roads, and
in mountains which reach the limit
OF perpetual snow The silver noun
tain of Potosi has had 10 equal in
the world. 1t rises to the height of
10000 feet, is about eighteen miles
in circumference, and formed almost
of one entire mass of ore, and APP
pears from the city dyed all over with
a variety Of, met Allic tints, and is
supposed to have produced ESQ.,
100000 since the conquest; yet it
has sunk into sue b state Of decay
that, in ten years endi pg 1929, the
annual produce has not exceeded
G50,00Q Out of 5000 miners
there are, probably, not 100 at work
at the present day, and the silver,
for some years past, has been ex-
tracted from tho piles Of refuse of
the former workings. 1T has been
asserted that the city of Potosi, du-
ring its most Aodrishing state, con-
tanned population Of 100000, and
in its present decline, not more than
10000 inhabitants.
Some years after the commence
ment Of the present century, but
previous to the en- ancipation of Pc
~ from Tie Spanish yoke, Don Jose.
RAMIREZ and Don Miguel Gallardo,
miners, and natives of A ndalusia, left
old Spain, and arrived at theport of
africa, ON their way to Potosi, for the
purpose of working some its MI
merous silver mines, having brought
with them AZ considerable capital, in
cash, goods, quick silver and mining
implements. After a careful survey
of the far-famed ''cerro,'' SO justly
eel bbrated for its riches in Europe,
ead ID purchased eparate mines, and
commenced working them on an ex-
ten sive scale.
After the expiration Of several
yea IRIS, the former became immensely
rich by the result of his labors; but
the latter, on the contrary. become
wrdtchedly poor, having sunk all of
his capital in his mines, and being also
deeply embarrassed with outstand-
ing debts to a considerable amount,
the workings having been unpro-
ductiye. In consequence Of this, he
upon a stratagem to increase
the value of his mine in appearance,
and then sell it to Don Jose for the |
highest price he could obtain for it,
and by sodoing extricate himself from
all his difficulties. With this intent,
he loaded hisgun withsil Nerarnalgam,
(Which by severe press pre becomes
very hard, and containing about one
fifth &C its weight Of the precious
metal,) and, descending to the lowest
part Of his mine, dis hars Cd the
contents into the deepest part of his
workings. The scattered particles
gave the new lode a rich silvery ap-
pearance; and next day be offered it
for sale as intended, to Don Jose,
who ordered the major-dorn no and
heFd manager of his mines to survey
and examineit as to its proba BILE val
ne, and report accordingly. The
rich and glittering silve r ahlalgan
dispersed by the discharge of the
gun stuck hard and fast among the
stones and poor ore Of the vein,
shining like so much native silver
deceiring the unsuspect-
ng manager, who consequently gave
statement of the mine highly favor
.ble, informing his 'Ipatron" it was in
benifco;" having 'fplata blanca Ia
VISTA" and which he considered