Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-10-17
From the N. 0. picayune, Oct. OH.
if,Ae SILVER Line Of the pacific r. aIIrOad


The silver Line of the Pacific Railroad.
We have before us the report of the Sonora
Exploring and Mining Company, made to the
stockholders. in the month of September. 1t
is very handsomely printed pamphlet, and is
Illustrated by maps and drawings, representing
the mineral regions on the proposed Southern
Pacific Railroad route, through the GadsdeB
purchase in New Mexico. II is full of inter
esting and important information, and its pub
LEGATION, think, authentic the state
ments and facts put forth in il, must have the
effect of giving impulse to the progress of
the great work, by the completion of which
the benefits of all this yet TO be developed
wealth can alone be made to enure to our own
country.
The Sonora Exploring and Mining Company
was formed as private association, in March,
1856, at the Instance of some gentlemen who
had then spent several years in Northern So
nora and the Gadsden purchase. The object
proposed was the purchase and the develop
ment of more OF the old mining
ranches, that had been abandoned by the Mexi-
cans, in consequence of Indian difficulties
and insufficient government protection. After
several months of exploration, under the di-
rection of experienced mining engineers, the
agent Of 'the company, last December, con-
cluded the purchase of the Arivaca Rancho,
near Tubac, in New Mexico, and established
the headquarters Of the company at the old
= mining town of Tubac, On the Santa Cruz
River, and near the Santa Rita Mountains,
and the northern spurs of the Arizona Range.
OF these localities the pamphlet before us con
tains beautifully executed eDgravings, showing
the country, in the vicinity of the Arivaca
Rancho TO be not only exquisitely picturesque
but aboundii g in agricultural resources of the
most valuable character. The engineer re-
ports the meadow land to be of the best kind,
for thousands of cattle, and valuable woods,
for farming and mining purposes
The company, it seems from this interesting
report, have opened twenty four veins of sill
yer ore in the Santa Rita Mountains, twenty
nine more seven miles to the northeast of the
AriVaca Ranche, and two to the southeast of
Tubac. The mountains northeast of the Ari-
Vaca are represented as containing not only
mines OF silver ore, but also of gOld-bearing
quartz, copper, lead, iron and coal. In all,
we lind that the company have possession OF
eighty mines and nearly twenty thousand acres
of land; and these it is estimated, will furnish
occupation and subsistence to five thousand
laborers for indefinite period of time. The
report states that water power is sufficient for
all that is needed in working the mines, and a
wagon road from the town of Tubac to them
can be made and put in good order for a trif-
ing sum.
The company, whose operations form the
subject of this report, is the pioneer in the
great work Of developing an extensive terrific
ry OF our country, that cost the Governments
ten millions of dollars, and which is now, ex-
cePt so far as this company is operating, lying
worse than idle.
Bot its importance is immensely enhanced
when considered as the great highway along
which will be the route of the Southern Pa
cfc Railroad. The Southern Pacific Railroad
surveys lie directly through Tubac, the head
quarters of this company. In this reg. I'd,
the facts disclosed in the report before us have
much higher significance than as the mere
exposition OF private cOmpany's successful
operations. They open up to the eye of the
patriotic citizen new, wide and rich field for
the fuller development and expansion of the
industrial energy and enterprise of the coun-
try. They disclose to his vision the dazzling
and yet certain prospect of 8 till further in
crease of wealth, power, Importance and in
huence among the nations of the earth.