Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1865-03-02

ceedlngly fertile, and often yield two
crops in one year. The plafeaus afford
excellent pasturage; and in former
years, before the incursions Of the In
dians, it was not unusual for the great
proprietors to have from 100000 to So
600 head Of cattle on their estates.
The cereals are cultivated with sue
cess; and cotton has been grown with
profit in the south part of the State.
THE MINERAL PRODUCTIONS
Of the State, however, constitute the
chief sources of wealth. Mines Of native
iron, silver, lead, copper, mercury, arse
mic, bismuth, cobals, sulphur, and salt,
abound in every portion Of the State.
It's silver mines, which have been cele-
brated for more than two centuries, are
among the most productive in Mexico.
Before the incursions of the Indian
hordcs, which for more than thirty years
have disturbed the peace of that coun-
try, between eighty and ninety mines
were in full work. Most of these have
been abandoned in consequence Of the
devastations Of the savages. The rich
est silver deposits are found at the cas-
tern base Of the mountains; but broad
zone of the precions metals stretches
across the western part OF the State,
through the entire length Of the Sierra
Madre, distance of about 500 miles,
and nearly 100 miles in width.
THE PRODUCT
Of the silver mines, during period Of
twenty-four years, from 1888 to 1861,
was $2s, ,2s5,293. The aggregate amount
of the production of gold and silver in
the year 1886, was 81, OBJ, ,250.
SONORA.
The area of this remarkably rich State
is 1S6,855 square miles. It contains
population Of 147, 900 souls The chief
towns are Ures, (the capital Guaymas
and Villa del Fuerte. The coast is in
dented by several fine bays, that of Gu
aymas being the most important. The
State possesses every variety of climate
found between the tropics and the Arctic
regions. In the low country the heat is
very great and constant in summer, and
variable at other seasons.
| THE MINERAL WEALTH
of Sonora is very considerable, but the
mines have always been worked in a
wasteful and inefficient manner, and
many of them have been abandoned In
consequence of Indian devastations. All
kinds of grain are raised in the State,
and sugar cane, coffee, and different
kinds Of fruits and vegetables are culti-
waited with ease and success. The State
has suffered terribly from incursions by
the Indians, and many once fourishing
ranches and towns have been completely
desolated and deserted.
CINOLA.
This State contains a population OF
10000 souls within the area Of about
$4,000 square miles. 1t lies mostly west
of the Sierra Madre though spur from
that claim extends over portion of the
southeast, and the surface, low on the
sea shore, rises rapidly toward the east
ern border The principal rivers are
the Rio de CulIican, the Rio del Fuerte
and the Mayo. Soil Of the low-lands
toward the coast is exceedingly fertile
where it can be successfully irrigated.
The lower terraces of the mountains are
unwooded, or only covered with shrubs
and stunted trees but toward the Sler-
ra Madre there are dense and lofty
forests. Many cattle are raised in the
State, and the hides and flesh are ex-
ported.
DURANGO.
Durango, or, as it was formerly some
times called, New Biscany, is an inland
department of Mexico, with an area Of
/ 10000 square miles, and population
in 1851 of 1862 900, The surface of the
country is rocky and mountainous, being
traversed by the range Of the Sierra
Madre, which unites the plateau Of the
Anhuca with the Rocky Mountains
There are no large rivers in this State,
and but few streams. The valleys
through which they run are generally
very fertile The mountains furnish
gold, silver and iron in large quantities,
and could be made to yield much larger
dividends by efficient mining.
LOWER OR OLD CALIFORNIA.
The long and narrow peninsula called
Lower or Old California, which stretches
more than 100 miles southwark from
i Upper California, is region of volcanic
origin, and is traversed throughout its
entire extent by the Sierra Nevada
range of mountains, which in some
places attains to an elevation Of 5000
feet above the level Of the sea. These
mountains are mostly degolate and bar