The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-07-07
THE MINES OF ZACATECls.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE Of THE HERALD.


Position Of Zacatecas-The Scenery as Viewed
from the Famous Bufa Crest-EIistory Of the
Discovery of Mineral Wealth Around Zaca-
tecns-GeoIogy Of the District-Yield Of Some
Of the Mines-A Visit 60 the Quebradilla
Miue-Immensc and Needless Outiays-Com-
parison with American Mines.
ZAcArEoAs, Mexico, May 1S, 1857.
The city Of Zacatecas situated 20 degrees 46 minutes
north and 101 degrees 81 minutes OF Greenwich.
II its parallel of latitude about midway between
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and is located on the
dividing ridge As you approach the city from the west
the lofty volcanic mountains thrown up the widest
confusion. give grand and picturesque appearance to
the scenery All around you the white boundary stones
Of the numerous mining properties betray the wonderful
richness Of the district while the heaps Of debris that
have been poured from the mining shafts indicate the
activity which has prevailed in the extraction OF the
silver wealth held in the MONTANA Climbing by
steep road the slope Of the sierra and winding
along q precipce the first settlement that
made here, you suddenly look down upon the
city Of Zacatecas, jammcd in among the mountain
gorges Its thirty thousand Inhabitants have built
their houses wherever spot could he found sufficiently
large for tho purpose and the Streets following the
windngs Of the ravines present irregularity that
might mako the city Of Boston envous On the left
you descend into the city is the celebrated Bufa
porphyritic crest that shoots heavenward nearly eight
tn0usanQ Ioet ABOVE crowned
by little chapel The people Of zacatecas are very
proud Of the Bufa, as II is OF the most beautiful
we'll as Of the most prominent landmarks Of the
country. From the summit this lofty peak you find
yourself in the centre Of the swelling mountain masses
that have been thrown up in such wild confusion
point. To the eastward vast plain of fifty miles
In extent you catch sight Of the celebrated mining dis
tct of Ramos the richness Of whose aud the many
millions which IL has yielded having given it historic
fame scarcely second TO any Of the great mining
of Mexico To the another plain ia spread before
you and just upon it's horizon you detect the
hill Of Fresnillo, which, over Of at
least two square miles, has been honeycombed
to a depth Of fifteen hundred feet, and has
given as It is still giving, vast product OF silver.
To the south the whole face of the country up
into deep gorges and ridges, UNTIL in beautiful and we'll
watered valley catch sight Of the agricultural
OF Jeres, containing twelve thousand nhab auts
To the north q series Of low swelling noun.
tans and plains finally losing themselves the dis.
lance Three miles from you, and to the northeast is
the town Of Guadalupe containing six thousand nhabi-
tants, all of whom miners and mostly engaged In the
numerous hacienda works located at this point Tho
mountains which you around you covered
with mesquite acsciaI rees but to-day there
tree to be and the BARE desoe slopes the
most gloomy appearance The wood has all been
tans are obliged to pay high price for the jackass
loads Of wood that broa ght frequently distance
OF thirty miles Transportation ia fortunately cheap
or the cost would be enormous The wood now sells for
about 81 lsilver) per cord.
On the sth OF September 164o Juan de ToIosa Of
the eutenans Corez reached the Zacatecas sierra
without much opposition from the natives. 1t was not
long before he discovered the universal richness
district and induced some of his companions among
them Balthasar rrcmno, Crisobal 0nae and Diego de
Ibarra, to form settlement there with him This was
done on the 2lst Of March, l54s and the mine Of Avado
al fha alahr al Vata Ia lr..
river The llth Of June Of the year they opened
the san Bernabe mine and on the 1st OF November
the 11jas de Pfnu'o-opcn'ngs Of Pinuco. The mines
proved productive and such vigor settle
ment that in 1888 only forty years after the settlement
ceded to Zacatecas and coatof-arms given TO IT, The
first mine that was opened, the Al,ado, was worked
for long time by Fernando Cortos and in tho State
archives are found the books which he kept OF all the
expenses and returns during that period They very
curious old documents and are illustrative OF the
exactness with which all the accounts Of the old
spaniards we're kept in those times.
The Oldest formation found here is the sienitc; and
upon this rests the great slate formation in which,
wards the north, found nearly all the great metal
ferrous veins An occasional OF siliccous sate
gray wackc and other transition rocks are
to be found To south found kinds OF tran.
ston porphyry; but is older than the other the
youngest resting upon the slate and alternating with IL
These formations Of porphyry IN aexico generally
poor In mciaierous veins, with exceptions such
as Pachuco, Real del Monte, Real del Chico, Zmpan,
enincntiy motaferous Upon the sente and slate
found two formations OF secondary limestone; one
the latter being the most extensive.
The metalerods veins found here are almost innu-
merabe and traverse the mountains In all directions
!hey, however as general rule, run east and west.
dipping towards the south 20 clearly they defined
upon the surface that they may sometimes no readily
traced for miles without the aid Of the magnetic needle
while all the phenomena Of parsleiism aud intersection
are seen In the light Of day Although vetagrande San
Bcrnabe and the Cancra the principal mother VEINS
there are many others which known to have pro.
duced large amounts OF silver especially Tecootes
aud Esperanza spur near the veagrandc which has
her aro
thirteen rich mines. The whole district Of Zacatecas
may. however be divided into three great groups Of
veins and their accompanying mines. In the first
found sulphurets OF silver considerable native silver
and very little srgenferous gaeua with pyres OF sui
phur In small cubes To this division belongs the Can.
terra vein and the that are found 10 tn q
south OF II. The second Is composed principally OF
the suphuets and OF little native silver Considerable
ruby silver Is also mot with, and sometimes a little ar.
gentfcrous gaiena IL occasionally found p, res OF sui
phur and splendid arsenferous crystals OF sulphur
sung upon very hard green stone, which is traversed
by nne veins OF quartz and cacspar Under this class
come the san bernsbe and ali the veins that
the great spacs included between the Canera and vtN
grsnde. IL IS the most extensive and embraces the
greatest number OF silver deposits including the rcco-
oies Esperanza spur above mentioned The third and
last consists OF the su,phuets OF silver with sometimes
the ruby silver dominating and or loss native silver
found srgcntferous galenas fine and coarse grained
brown, black and yellow blondes but very abund.
ant, some copper pyftss-al in Quartz-hOrn stone
some calcspar aud brown spar To this NAV he reerrsd
the veagrande and oil the veins TO the north OF a.
vcsagrande is unqusstionaby OF the riches, de-
posts OF Lacstecas not only In toe extent OF ts works
duced since l54s the year In which discovered II
Is situated about four miles north Of the city
given origin TO the town OF Nuesira >eora de Guadalupe
dc Ne.sgrande II has always been regularly organized
mining district With s proper mining population. This
hovever was. until ls2s. subject TO the urisdicti0n Of
Zacsscas but In that year tie local jurisdiction con-
tormity with the general law, became absolute The
great vein s situated directly north Of zacaieca and Is
at The northern extreme OF ridge which, parallel
tho vein, runs from east TO west and separates 10 from
the city on the road from Lscatecss 70 the YOU
pass FIRST. numerous works for tie benelcang OF TIE
ores: then. after crossing several small veins
openings or mines are seen drainage machinery ruins "
old works piles Of debris around shafts and oarhs that
have been thrown out Of the mines MI IN strange
trast TO the Wild ani picturesque SUBMITS and sorges Of
the mountains which iis around you
II difcult 20 ascertain the amount OF silver
that has been taken the Vetagrande and an 50.
pror innate estimate only DO made. The Bordas and
the Ansas who In 1895 worked The points OF san Acsco
Alvarajo aud san Frame &C. took ogt enormous
quantities. Of silver because the account OF these great
Yields ~ still preserved with pride The Nilanesa nine