The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-17

i
| sea OF volcanic wonders staggered Us with their
newness and their ma2nicence. Mountains with
gentle slopes others with rugged sides. while again
| turreited and domed monsters tower upward, I'M
pressing us with the power OF the piutonic englnry
below, and the competence OF the great cause
above, which occasioned and permitted the convul-
slons OF nature resulting in Tits grand exhibition.
Inc town OF Villa del Vale nesIes at the foot OF the
mountain and near the edge OF a cultivated plain
thousands OF acres In extent, and 10 q beautiful
place, having population Of 1000 or 100 people.
| IL was recently entered by some OF Aurelano RI
veras forces during the latters first days OF rebel
| llon he then made q forced loan. The route from
thence Estapan del Gro has no features other than
those of the country already traversed which place
We reached after another days travel total dis
Is situated In valley, and there rise the westward,
| but few rods distant chain OF mountains ex-
ceedingly rich In metals. especially gold ana silver.
Here about forty leagues south southwest OF the
city OF Mexico at an elevation Of about 900 feet
above the level OF the sea, new mineral district s
being explored which bids fair 10 emulate the richest
silver mines heretofore discovered in the republic Of
Mexico.
THE MINERAL REGION.
From time tmmemOrla the abundance OF tho
rich which lies here near the surface awaiting
only the Efforts OF the miners and well applied capt.
tai In reasonable amounts has been KNOWN and the
rude methods OF obtaining the metal which alone
were understood BY the people OF the country OF the
sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries,
although employed here elsewhere in Mexico,
have been insufficient TO even fairly explore this
wealth. The revolutions which In the first quarter
OF the nineteenth century prevailed aud the struggle
SO perslstently and at length successfully continued
AGAINST the Spanish resulted SO fatally to all enter
foreign capital on the one hand and by the relentless
conscrtption OF the Indian miners and lab0rers on
the other that the entire mining interests or Mexico
received ut that time staggering blow from which
1t has not recovered except IN certain particular dis
trictE. The subsequent political disturbances have
deferred foreign capitalists from investing their funds
here, and consequently the rich mealiferous hills
ing the paciacation OF the country and the conse-
therein. -.'' = ~ -
TO be hoped that the military forces which have been
employed In their suppression Will be distributed
and likely to be infested with robber and kidnap-
ping bands and that thereby security will be guar
anteed to such as shall employ themselves in reaiz-
ing the great mineral wealth OF the country.
Di0dOrus relates that the shepherds on the Pyre-
nees having set fire to their forests the silver In the
earth was fused and ran upon the ground in numer-
GUS streams and that the natives, not knowing the
value OF the extraordinary substance thus springng
clan traders for OF small value The appreca
ton Of the value OF silver was such among the
AztecS and their contemporaries at the hour OF
Cortexs approach to these shores that happily no ex
tension to our credulity Is demanded such as ID re-
corded above. The vast metallic deposits Of Mexico
began to claim attention about the same period as
those Of South America. Workings were commenced
at Zacatecas in l54s and In Guanajuato 1885, which
latter has been explored over 1000 feet. In the
period Of their history the mines of Mexico produced
according Humboldt from So 000 900 to 500 0O0
per annum. During the eighteenth century the pro-
upon which amount there was great falling or dur
Ing the antSpanish revolution until Of late years.
Chevalier calculates the total yield OF the Mexican
mines, between the advent Of the whites and the
year lS45, be at least 1872 1858, 700 pounds troy
No one doubts that under an era OF peace and
security tbs present annual yield OF silver may be
quadrupled, and under the application Of American
and European capital and enterprise, by this mine
raj, addition OF from $4,000 600 to 900
per annum could be made to the national products
for expectation. The district in the immediate
vicinity OF Estapam del Gro is destined to make up
large proportion OF this increase. The feldspathc
variety OF igneous rocks prevails over the entire
REGION the metaliferous iodes being found in por-
phyry. Volcanic lava or trachyte, In mountain
columns driven up from below through everything
here and there IN this region, and especially near
"vla del valle." some Of the most remarkable mon
tence Of the great upheaving Cause. Trachyte por-
phyry Is abundant and chalcedonlc goodies, with
their hollow crystalline centres furnish evidences
OF the nature OF the geological formation a. being
pensable for the existence abundance OF metafer-
visiting the mines-whch are the property OF James
Sullivan Coin the above mentioned district
saS sy them Of s Would The s: M
doubled but that the company which
They are named Rincon, San Cristobsi, Espiritu
Santo, and Capulin, and were only worked previous
their wealth. The formation, or, In mining parIance,
the county" or ground" in which these particular
ana sn s
feldspar: The ores are argentfero1s iron pyrites
ana suienur Of siIyer native ct silver red syer
In fact traces Of the entire suite OF silver BY
the favorable appearance OF these ores In the mines
and OF the surface proportional small sum win be
sufficient for their Development and by the natural
good position OF the mines in the mountains the ores
drifting few sharts and very little outlay win be re-
quired for machinery. Near at hand Is O suitable
place for the construction Of .benenciatng' works.
stamping The are Of such chemical combi.
nation that no nux Is required other than such az
they and the "ganRue'' stone furnish. Cordwo0d for
charcoal ID convenient In immense quantities at
cheap rates. and labor is cheap, climate healthy and
per day, ana laborers thirty and q half cents
The mines believed TO be on the vein rs those
OF San Pedro del Monte aud Angangneo. The mining
the latter has given their owners, while the former,
though worked but q few months by an English
company, gives promises OF Immediately enriching
all Interested and are but few rods distant. may
say then Of Nncon that the workings have already
exposed two lodes which running about east and
az that they unite In single immense lode at DIS
ancc OF 30 metres one lode having abreadth OF i've
feet and the other OF three and half feet their I'M
ders being six inches in six feet. On the principal
lode shaft has been sunk twenty seven feet and
These lodes be traced tho surface, westerly,
from the SHAFT through the whole mining ground,
sg ch e. w'1 M snUse 91 .ne s 9. ian
I shall speak. Doctor Lamborn says o substance
OF universal distribution in nature and requiring
1t rora its layer In tho solid rock and bring into
form adapted for circulation, silver must retain
worth among men that Will bear steady relation to
tie necessities of life. The silver production OF the
world is at the present time largely concentrated In
the western hemisphere and the richness and abun-
dance OF the OF the Cordieras and Andes PROM
ise prize tempting that the many difficulties
thrown In the way cannot prevent both native and
foreign companies from pushing forward their highly
remuneraiive operations.
SAN cRIST0BlL MINE.
San Cristobal mine lies to the west OF Rincon ana
contains four lodes running cast and west all Of
which may be traced on the surface through the
mining ground their underlie well their direc-
ton or strike being the same those Of Rncon.
There have been some old spanish aud Mexican
workings on three OF these lodea. On the principal
lode shaft has been recently sunk forty feet Deep
commencing at the bottom OF old shaft ninety feet
deep. On the eastern side OF the mountain In the
valley tunnel has been commenced on tho same
lode, In direction towards this shaft, which will
give depth the vein of co.. feet and length OF
1900 to 500 feet At twelve feet nom the mouth Of