The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-08-31
Silver Mines In South America.

Silver Mines In South America.
A correspondent OF the Newark
Advertiser, writing from the San
Antonio Mines, 100 miles from Cal
dera, February S, 1852, gives the
following account of the silver mines,
there, which he visited in. company
with Don Bernada69d 9deccdo, the
owner Of them1
The mines vastly different from
anything lnad conceived. For
three hours was led by ono of
the miners through horizontal shafts
around vast chambers, along winding
gallaries, down steep drifts, up crook
ed staircase, cut i'll the rock, back
wards, forward, to the right, to the
left, and in every direction, until i
became completely bcwildered, and
should never have been able to
find my way out again, had L
been left to my own guidance. When-i
iereriwe came to q large chamber,
there We were told had been
great wealth in silver. In one Cham.
ber; theyetold me a million and q
souartee pf dollars & ef silver ore lind
been ssfsrlls they g me ssst
sletige aiid told Inc 10 eiSlissS or IL
piece to carry hcine. One Of these
days will send you the result of
my knowledge OF the use Of a big
hammer. The loud reports Of blast
ing going on in different parts Of the
mines were terrific, and the appear
ance of the miners, halt:naked, dri-
wing away at the solid stone, was
Il sight. The natives carrying out the
ores and refuse in hide bags on their
backs, and up steep crooked shafts
three hundred feet deep; gives one an
idea OF labor only to be found in
place like this. After spending
three hours in this great mine, which
has been worked for twenty-five
years. came out at the top of
the mountain, having gone in ut the
base. Taking few moments to
breathe, We commenced the descent of
another mine, belonging to Don
Bcrnado, which is close to the first, and
from which they are now getting much
rich ore; aud vixen we came out we
were tired enough assure you. When
we arrived, we found the cook and
steward of the establishment drunk
and in bed. This being Carniy-
al week, most Of the natives are
enjoying it.
You can imagine the wealth of
this mine, which is located in u
narrow steep ravine about one
mile from the river valley, when |
tell you, there is u village OF some
size at the mouth of the rayine,
occupied by Poems and the natives OF
the country, which has been built
up and entirely supported for years
by the stealings of persons employed
in the mine. suppose that one.
tenth of rich ore is stolen; there is not
a native miner in Chill who will
not steal if he has a chance, and
boast Of it afterwards When the
mines are rich, the owners employ a
foreman for each miner, to overlook
him while mining, but um told tha,
the foremen are as bad as the
ulSll, lllCtc ID iO ucpetluCllCS 10 Dt
placed in any of them. The own
ers seldom 90 near the mines, and
when they do they rarely 60 into
them. .ss.r
Don Bernado has owned the
mine for eight years, having given for
it 100000, but has never been into
it, except just few feet at the
lower entrance. He owns large shares
in many other mines at Chanrello
and Tres Puntas, one to the north and
the other to the South of this place,
both Of which have promised him to
90 and see. He wishes me to become
an owner in the mines, and offers to
give me shares in his mines it will
only stay iii the country: but tell
him cannot stay, and have no fancy
for mining. He gives me fine speci.
men Of silver orc every time ] see
him. His family live in great style in
Lima and his possessions.are immense.
Besides his Peruvian mines and estates
he has also two large, handsome houses
Copiapo, one large silver ore mill in