New-York daily tribune., 1858-11-19
THE MINES or SAN S1LFADOR.

IA pry..e letter, communicated ioI IsE TRIBUNE
Ia UNION, June 3, I5j5.
To C.pT. Dow, stssmshp Coambns
DEAR SD, In agswer to your request tor some
account of the principal mines of San Salvador,
with much pleasure send you SHIRT and rough
extract frosr my Journal, of late rist to the rich
mines in the range Of the Lomo Grsode, situated
about twelve leagues from the pleasant city Of San
Misuel pclaling the Credit !MOtttscr works at the
Encuentras, she Quartet belonging to or late Pres.
ident Cabanas and the principal object Of our VISIT
the spendd works of Monte Mayor. be property
of Mtssrs. Orettano, Membreno and Lezano.
On the l;St Of March, we left San Miguel IN
rou,pany with Tie three gentlemen above mentioned
shortly after dawn, to AVOID az much as posslbie
the severe heat Of the plains, and after couple OF
hours pleasant s.ding, reached the hacienda santa
Ana four leagues from the city, well kn<Wn rest
jpg place famed good breakfasts aud It's beautiful
hnstss. Shortly after leaving this, We entered on an
extensive Uiccsrsl, ard passing through a gap in a
small range Of sandstone nils arrived NJ San Jago,
small Insignificant Pueblo. Here begins the limestone
region in varieties of which most Of the silver veiDs
are found. From here the Rain road, nearly level
the whole wav Through well cultivated "hIpas,
Irdgo and Plantain patches with here and tsse one
Of those picturesque -LLanOs," crowded with ia. cat
tie, nearly wild with good living and who sometimes
reverse the Spanish custom Of lbatng, by ruping
down some unfortunate passenger, who may orend
either by the glaring scarlet color Of HE gay Phor
or by quick riding across the plain.
Tie small quantity Of Indigo produced here IL OF
interior quality, arising only from the poverty Of the
nlabtants The forest ire. in the vicinity consist OF
two varieties Of Oak, the Pslonegro Zaponillo and
Seiba or cotton tree. Al THE season the road u
Lordered with Towering EspnO-negro, and Eblanco
THE gum arabic tree, while IN every shady1ook the
fragrant FloripoDdia sheds its perfume on all sides
Woe to the poor traveller who sleeps under its
branches.
- frnr Gar lac ua ee1
very primitive imekilns, the owners sometimes col
lecng n little silver from the burnt lime, 20 the right
of which are situated certain mines belonging to Don
Manuel Zepeda. The ore contains silver and gold.
and averages by barrels, - to marks with half an
ounce cf COLO, 10 the m0nt0ne OF 2,25O pounds. The
metal s in cacareOns spa!, some of The BrOsas con-
sistipg @ large proportion Of Pyri'es containing the
gold This u.ne has been worked but little, from the
want of good machinery. Il s, with several others,
sitnated near the Tabauco, for sale.
Shortly alter leayiug for Zepcda, we crossed
rather deep and rapid stream, and entered the Plain
of SocIedad, where we rested compile OF hours
during the extreme heat and at 4 O'Clock, after a
troublesome ride over the lower hills Of the Lomo
Grande, reached the Pueblo Of socedad, well tired
with thirty miles exercise. For the last two
bours our climate had mat erally changed Instead Of
the hot and nearly sagDant atmosphere Of the plains
near the volcano, delicious and fragrant breeze re-
vived the energies Of both m Il and beast, and al
though much in want OF some substantial refresh
ment, decided on proceeding couple OF miles
further, and supping at the lngenio Of Don Leon
Lozano whose family expected our arIval. While
debating the subject the short twilight failed US, and,
as is usual in these latitudcs, soon in per-
feet darkness. The mosso sent for pine
wood for torches. and scramblug up
the rugged path leading 10 the works, which we
reached in an hour.
The house is pleasantly situated on an eninence,
overlooking, as should always be the case, the
patio, ingeDo, and Offices The ingenio consists a.
usual, of q mill with horizontal wheel, a set of four
barrels and of two small patos not exceeding twenty
wards square. The whole is rather a small scale
but in admirable working order, the owner being
man Of much practical intelligence, and a miner OF
many years standing.
AT a future period will give you correct and in
teresting account of the whole process of extraction
at these works, also some hints on analgamation,
from the experience Of some old Mexican and Peruvian
" Azogueros.
At present, ! will mention the principal mines of
this range with the product and average value Of ore
Their location forms nearly o circle, beginning and
ending few leagues from San Miguel.
e \ f-.k