New-York tribune., 1867-05-27
SANTO DOMINGO.
AMERICAN ENTERPRISE THE AMERICAN MINEs-A
TRAIN OF CAMKIS.


From Our Special Correspondent
SANTo DOMINGO. May ., 1861
The rainy season is setting in. and was caught in
drenching tropical shower while in pursuit OF knowledge
in wild places the day before yesterday afternoon but
was well repaid for the wettng by the sight Of genuine
specimen Of natlve.bOm American enterprise.
We had started from Paonque little turn by Cam
ba to have passing lsOk at some coal mines said to
have been discovered in that pleasant but sleepy little
hamet We crossed the broad belt Of savanna so green
and st that along tie foot OF the Copper HIS
from the Nigua to the Rivera in the fresh and breezy
morning We followed the road track from Pacnquc
Bay to the American Mines these people rather in
definitely term district 10 or 70 miles square, in winch
struggling into life, and of which this new ROAD
| to be the common path to the sea. .- ., .
The coal mines had come expressly to see turned out
not 10 be condition 10 receive company. We could
not ride TO IL in It's rocky nest deep In the hills ana walk
TO it we would not when learned that u was neany
league from any passable bride path what specimens
had been taken ont were already given sent away; but
lot Of magnite iron ore, with an mpregnaton OF cQlr
paraded out silver ore the very same as that IN
the great South American mines the brown htte al
assured with much grandeur OF tone ana gesture
How did you come 10 ud lt! We inquired WIN some
interest for the native D0mncans are not much given TO
tho labor of digging for mineral or anything else. ~
"Oh, in cutting through the new ROAD from thc ASH
ingtOn NINE, the engineer came upon tins mine. .,
Did he tell you u was silver ore = we asked dublousy
&" Where is this Washington silver miner
"The Washington is not silver mlne. II Is an Amer
lean copper mine. lt was Spanlard one one VINO KNOWS
II is an amusing fact that these natye, or many
| o
manage copper nines, ana that only Spahlads can
succeed with gold mines.
The road being solely and distinctly an American
enterprise was SUFFICIENT tcnptatlon TO lead us @ oyer
the hills through the mountain dehes tonake another
visit the mines Of the NIgua will not speak OF what
has done since threaded the then almost trackcss
wilderness to visit these mines last August Neither VIII
repeat-though these labors have greatly changed The
to the DOmnlcansthe enthusiastic declarations Of vaIi-
era lately discovered copper lodcs but VIII state what
interested me beyond anything have yet seen IN santo
Domingo.
We reached through the rough and narrow last
section Of the road, the cut Of TO the Wash
cut through the forest winding path
climbing up a steep Hill, after crossing the rapid
adt The Wild but would have been bcauti-
fu had not the sudden darkcnS OF the SKY and the pat
teng rain drops. warned TO seek shelter As We hur
ed 70 the creek crossing, 10 get 70 the mining shelter
tall camel suddenly swaycd It's heaC ont OF the leafy
turn on the OppOr side and then another and another
and others still, came slipping swiftly but Wdrlly down
the decvty across the foang creek, ana up me Oihc
bank In steady unbrOken hc until the whole train had
passed before us up the hill ana keced IN order, each III
It's place. at word from the camel chief, alsSithOut the
slightest hesitation disorder This appantion of train
DOMINGO SO Interested me that never Thought of the
pouring rain until il had swept passed us Neither did
the camels for they continued kncehne quietly in
their paces-only tho two ,rearward worked
and brOwsed them IN a sober, leisuicly way, as
dallyiDg with cigar. The leader, tall, massive fellow,
dark bay in color remained in silent patience only
ing his head from time TO time with an inqurng air
if ask why this delay about loading his party They
did not have to wait long FOX their burdens In Of
the pauses In the ranetOm the CirOOns each holding the
twentieth part OF tOn brought forth and placed
the packsaddes. When all were loaded the word
given, and they rose one after tho other and fell ia
place, fling down the steepest turns OF the noun
road In perfect order, with pace OF about
miles hour and without seeming 10 regard the rain,
the creek crossings, the rODgh accVitcs Our hOes
made very much more ado about carrying ne down 10
SaDtO Domingo those roads, than the cames did
with their 600 pounds OF each the track
positively In love with these ugly, awkward charm
ing cainels Is not this factiOr H. il simple fact
worth knowing to those who are traversiDg the vast
pTaIries Gr the West.
The brig Edwin Rowe landed 70 fine burden camcls
from the Canary Islands at Santo Domingo about April
~. They picked animals IL is presnmed since they
brought here expressly carry from the mines Of
the SantO Domingo Copper Company, situated at the
confluence OF the Majagua and Niagua Rivers TO the
mining port Of Palenque-4 miles distant This they
pec TO make in day with average load of 600 pounds
That is down 10 the port In day and return the
nextthree trips week II IL novel enterprise but IL
j. 80 far that every OF the 20 camels Capt
Meas took ON board at the Canares landed here in
perfect health, and the train saw moved on. far
ed observe as easily and rapidly with their 600 pounds
OF ore as before they loaded but those counted
light loads Tho camel will be great to santo
Domingo, but ltw be OF still greater value in the vast
ana Hl-wateled plains OF the far West. &. NJ