The national Republican., 1867-12-28
OUR NATIONAL DEBr.

The resources OF this country and its mineral
wealth are questions which are now ATTRACTING
the attention OF all thoughtful men; and the as-
velopment OF the hidden wealth which " kaosyn
to exist In the bowels Of the earth v becoming
matter OF much Importance, as u bears upon our
nations prosperity, and particularly as It re-
lates to the payment oe our national debt. In
conversation with some Intelligent gentlemen
from the Territory Of New Mexico, some time
since they stated to Us that In New Mexico
alone there waa a sufhciency Of yet undeyeloped
mineral wealth to pay our debt, or even several
4ueh debts.
We have been accustomed TO look upon this
Territory as sterile, uninviting, and unproduc-
tive region, giving no great promise Of mineral,
agricultural or manufacturing wealth. These
gentlemen assured us that we were mistaken,
particularly in regard TO the mines OF that eoun-
try, and they gave us many reliable facts and
data, all of which clearly demonstrate that New
Mexico Is one OF the richest countries In r.ip-
eral wealth on the globe.
We now lnd on our table the Santa Fe ,,s-r,,.
which contains large mass OF testim ony upon
this point, and we shall proceed to give some
extracts from this paper which yesr upon the
question we are here considering.
In the paper we find very interesting letter
from General James II. Jarieton, an ofieer in
the United States array, who has been, until
recently, I'm command Of the Department Of New
Mexico, and has mad, therefore, good opportuni-
ties for aseertaipia the real state Of the country
in respect to Its nining wealth.
Gen. Carleton gives an account Of a Journey
made by himself and several other gentlemen TO
different mines. After an introduction the Cen
cral proceeds to speak As follows Of the country
near and around Fort Bayard:
Port Baysrd, as yet, is only an assemblase Of
four companies. II was intended to- build dg tSe ~
fort Of a more durable material. some stone
foundations for the permanent quarters have al
nies Of cavalry and two OF Infantry at this place
would be strong enough soon 20 drive of or de-
great an obstacle to the hiling up BY farmers,
stock growers and miners Of this Important part
"This post is about half way between the
santa Rita copper mines and the town OF Pinos
Altos by roads you are obliged to travel II you
mines are nearest. As the crow nies Pinos hItos
Is about eight miles west Of Fort Bayard, and
wardly from the post. The Hanover copper
mines Ia about seven miles In an air line In A
Of hs ase es. rso% The
and say three miles distant to eight or ten miles
west o. Pinos Altos, there is a belt Of country,
west by ten miles Sfoad, that is Known 10 be-
allied with rich veins Of gold, silver copper lead,
of this tract II 10 believed, there 10 an Abundance
Of mines just as valuable; but that part OF the
the tract here described The whole hlaed of this n
country is weIi wooded and covered with ane
pasturage, and there are several streams OF per.
and for ssme weeks after Il is overGnesriy All
Of the arroyos have more or less Of water In
aOn the 10Th OF June, We went to Pinos Altos
and staid there until the 22nd. We were hospit-
S nir. IN ey me and they took
relation to the town and the minss. The history
Of the place may be summed up in q few words
In May, lsoO, Colonel Snivcly and a party OF
California miners camo to this region and dis
covered gold near the present site OF the town OF
In June OF that year, people commenced coming
to work n Pidesrs. In December 1880, there
sonora, Texas, and from California. They. AZ
that time, averaged to the hand, some ten Or fif-
,SS teen SSIiSI3 per day Other gulehe. were dis
covered Si Nj LSoms. Ms.tin with par party g,s Of
Mime. il runs through the hill, or mountain,
rather, which constitutes the divide OF the con,
tinent, and has been worked on each slope OF that
= Gen. Carleton, in giving some account
Of the Mexican mining company, gives some In
terestng facts in regard to the modas opsrandi OF
mining expenditures, and profits, &C., as follows
"The cost OF an ls-horse power steam engine
with 10 stamps complete, put up upon the ground,
"The cost OF a suitable building to cove, sAis
machinery, &c. will be, say not over $4,000 total,
$4,000.
or $4,000 In goods to sell to hands and to people
who come to wash placer gold. This contem-
plates capital to stGIt on of from 10000 to
10 run your mill night and day you want two
engineers whose wages wiz be y per day each,
"er San .sf a sessrs at
10 H,s25. You want two plate tenders whose
This Is equal 81 per ann I'm These
ders wheel in quartz and shovelth taiiings from
for each day OF twenty-four hours' run. This
wiz cost delivered too per day, or y, 2,737 50 per
nm the nf res tb hsnSe the wood and
ployed. The cost OF lard, tsmpling, candles, sc.,
win be- say us so q PCT day THIS equal per
Year, would be s75, Including losses. The cost I
the same delivered at the mill Is " per tom The he
mill willcrush nine tons every twenf -four ours
Rss' Pes SS %Ss teS
wear and tear Of machinery and aili q sssckoDed
ths, this Is az very iSe, Si,Swa1ss s "a ons
year this will amount % $50.
Recapitulation Of annual cost:
Wages of two engineers... ....,,...... S2p2o 90
Wages Of two feeders. ZOE 90
Wages u TIVE plate tendefs............. i,loo 90
Lard, tampiHg, candles, &c............... @ oia,SS
9ulcksilVcr. ''';.'............."...... 1900
Interest on cost OF mill at pc. cent, 800 90
wear ald tear oi mili.. li...,.:............. 1900
S3i,57S.OC
The following Is the result of fve small runs
through the E4ill OF the New Mexican Mining
Company, made by Dr. Michael Steck, the pres
eat supe rintendent;
- tons yielded per ton. ..:.............. 5000
10 tons yielded per ton. 5000
lGtons yielded per rton.................. 200
Gtons yielded per rton................. 33.?3l
tons yielded per ton........."......- R.00
That is to say, sixty-three tons produces
sl,7O7.GI or an average OF S2T 10 per ton. Mucl
Of this ore was refuse ore, which was cfushe,
mainly TO get It out Of the way. The regula