Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1859-02-02
Sonora and Chihuahua.

an in favor OF the occupation oil these Me,
can provinces by the U. S. troops and the r
: cent departure OF Mr.. Rose and McCulloch
that region, charged, as is reported, with in
portant powers from our government, hs,
called public attention strongly in that dire
tion, and given rise to pretty genera! impre
sion that the Territory in question will short
be added 10 the United States. Many inqui
les are made in regard to the resources of Il
country. The following description Of Il
country is abridged from the most rel,sb
sources:
Sonora is the most northwestern of Il
States Of Mexico, its western boundary ben
the Gulf Of California. Area. 1913, ,467 soua
miles; population in 1854, l47,233; popul
lation TO the square mile, l.l3. Sonora
thus the largest and most thinly settled of II
Mexca States. The population is suppose
to consist of thrcc.fflhs indigenous, one.thir
only of the remainder pure European, and III
balance mixed European and Indian. Th
climate is warm but agreeable, and much ,
the soil fertile. A great variety of natnrs
productions is exhibited, although the quant,
is mcHgre. The principal port is Guayama.
which has the best hnrbor in the Gulf Of Cali
fornia, and which is said to be Mr.. Buchanan
favorite terminus for Pacific Railroad.
| Chahuahnn, lies east of Sonora, occupvins
a central position in the northern States O
Mexico, Area, 100 26O square miles; popula
tion IN 1850, l57,60O; population to the square
mile, l52. The population is estimated al
from 100000 to 10000, with an exceedingly "
small percentage Of the pure Castian race
Much of the country is elevated, with de.
lightful climate. The principal productions
are corn, wheat, beans, peas, and pepper, an.
pies, peaches, and in the less elevated regions
figs. granntes, melons, grapes, &c.
But the raising of stock is more important
than agriculture, as the country, on the whole,
is better adapted to it.. Mining is also exten.
sivcly followed. The annual average amount
of silver and gold produced being estimated at
s1,Oll PSI, besides considerable quantity
smuggled out of the country. There is well
managed mint at Chiahuahua. the capital,
which has population of $4,000.
The San Antonio Ledger is indebted to Mr..
Macmanus, of Chiahuahua, for the following
in regard to Chiahnahua.
The city Of chihuahua is situated in a
mos! beautiful valley, distant $50 miles from
the Rio Grande river, and about 100 east of
SierraNladre mountains. There nre many
very rich mines in the vicinity. San EuIalio
is situated twelve miles east of the city; here
some ten or twelve mines are being worked in
rather small way, they not having the ad.
vantage of machinery, or the facilities which
late improvements have afforded; many Of those
mines have been worked upwards of 100 years
by the Spannrds, md up to the time of their
expulsion from the country, their operations for
mining were very extensive. To give an idea
of III" wealth Of those mines, a very magnifi.
cent church was built in the city in the year
l743, which is said to have cost between sew.
en- and eight hundred thousand do lars. This
amount was raised by tax levied on the sill.
yer gotten from the mi:.es, of one rial or 12
2 cents per pound.
The valleys bordering on the rivers Concho,
Florida and San Pedro are very fertile, aud
well adapted to the production of wheat, corn
and cotton. There are two cotton factories
now in operation in the State, one of eight and
and the other of fifty looms; they manufacture
n very good article of brown sheeting and find
quick sales for all they can manufacture.
Parrul is mining town situated l60 miles
south of Chiahuahua, and in one of the most
wealthy mining districts of the State; they
produce annually about $4,000 without
the aid of machinery. Bring machinery to
bear upon those mountains, worked by Anglo
Saxon enterprise, and the products would be
beyond all calculation The mines of Cosa.
li'as are now being worked by Jose Maria Zulo-
aga, brother of the President of Mexico. These
mines are worked with less expense than any
others in the State, and yield very handsome
profit. They are situated about 200 miles
west of the city of Chiahuahua, and immedi-
ntcly on the route of the proposed Railroad
from New Orleans via San Antonio to Gunya.
mas.