The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-12-27
From New Mexico.
Burro Mines, Grant Co., New !
Mexico. Nov. 26, 1870. {

EDITOR OF REGISTER ;--Supplimentary
to our last letter, we discourse a few lines
Typographical of New Mexico. Some of
your numerous readers may look upon
this portion of Uuncle Sans domains, as
being too remote from the great centers
of trade and civilization, to far away from
Boston and the Green Mountain State,
ever to amount to much; as being a
rough, barren, desoate waste, devoid of
beauty, and every inviting feature, and
not deserving the notice and dignity it is
soon to command in the Union of States.
II so, they are partially correct, while in
the main, they entertain mistaken, and
erroneous views. The climate of New
Mexico is rare and beautiful possessing
charms pleasant to experience and con-
trast with some of the more northern
territories. But three seasons proper
mark the changes of tho year, spring,
summer and autumn. About the first of
June rain commences to fall in frequent
intermittent showers, which continue for
six weeks. During this time the grasses
spring up and covers the hills and vallies
until rain falls again. :, In summer the
weather is warm, but never reaches that
extreme, peculiar to some more eastern
localities in the same latitude Spring
and autumn blend so evenly, with the
summer months that the changes are
scarcely perceptible.
The days Of November and the three
following months are mild and sunny,
while the nights are seldom cool enoug gh
to be called cold. The mornings are
rarely chilled with frosts or dews.
The territory embraces an area of 1G0,-
600 square miles Two-thirds of which
is covered with mountains and barren
wastes, but the valies are numerous, un.
folding landscape picturesque in singu.
arity and beauty, and affording oceans
of pastoral wealth. For grazing pur-
poses the field is unlimited and inviting.
The lands upon the Rio Grand are rich
and possessed Of great possibilities but
human infcriority has thrown upon them
the repulsivc habiliments of poverty.
They are occupied by Mexicans mostly,
who are satisfied to work little and raise
less. The lands on the Gia and Rio
Members are very excellent, producing
redtop and timothy, that grows FIVE or
six feet in height These river bottoms
are all paradise for hunters. Dack,
geese, turkies, deer and antelope abound,
beside great quantity of smaller game.
In addition to all these other charming
creatures, exist some of which were ours
ed years ago for being too intimate with
her maiden sweetness, mother Eve. The
ordinary rattesnake are quite plenty, but
are not considered dangerous they sci.
dom bite before giving warning with a
lively shake Of the rear extremity. There
exists another specie Of this enemy to
man, called the side-wiper, so.called, be.
cause when cnraged he makes his attack
sideways, like hog going to war. Tar.
antuas, scorpions, antipedes, horned
toads and Lizards, are sometimes encoun.
tered while camping out, and sometime.
one is obliged to unbutton his shirt collar
and shake out one who has ventured tc
intrude.
But as general thing they are not in.
trusive and not worth noticing.
Dismissing the trihing theme of in.
sects and Lizards, we come next to speak
of mines and mining and noting some
facts and figures indicative of the mineral
opulence and unlimited resources of the
territory. Mining here is comparatively
in its infancy Notwithstanding some
very extensive enterprises of the kind are
carried on. In Elizabethtown ditch 3c
miles in length has been constructed fol
conveying water to the placer diggings
In addition to this they have many
quartz mills in active operation On o
large scale hydraulic mining is carried Oh
at San Mareno, 50 miles from Santa Fee
At Pirros Altos, the county seat Of Gran,
county, at 10 miles from this place there
are some eight or ten good mines, golG
and silver, and upon one lead a tunne
has been run 700 feet long. Sixty miles
south from here, is situated the Santa
Rita copper mine, worked by the Span.
iards many years ago. Ruins of thcil
old works still remain. The stone rim o.
an old eraster is plain to be seen, inside
Of which now stands tree four feet in
diameter. In many sections there i.
every indication Of extensive mining
and that a long period has intervenet
since.
Everything for time seems to have
fallen into the hands of the red man, anc
providentlally, perhaps, that the vas
riches and immense treasures locked W
in the Burro mines, might be kept in re-
serve and used as means at this partic.
ular time to bring men, enterprise and
capital hither. sufficient to accomplish Q
great purpose, and enhance the power OF
great nation forever. Such is the char.
acter Of the Burro mines, that we believe
their influence will be of vast importance
= to the financial world for centuries tc
come.
When ample means have been incor,
ated aud brought to bear upon the miner.
al deposits here, s5O,OOO,0OO per year
will be no extravagant yield. The ia.
nous Comstock ledge, Virginia City, Ne,
vada, has produced over 100000 pei
year for the last ten years; and mine.
upon the ledge have sold as high as 5000
per foot; but when compared with these
it sinks into insignifcance, Here, in.
stead of one ledge ranging from 10 to &C
feet wide, we have three ranging from
30 to 800 feet wide and three or foui
miles in length. One mine, the Gen
Leet, is thrown up 1000 feet above the
surrounding country. Aside from these
mammoth veins, there are as near as we car
judge 100 others, of less magnitude, run
ming parallel with and branching from
the main lodges, forming complete net
work Of lodges, covering an area of Ii
square miles. One almost shrinks from
writing the truth with regard to these
lodges, as it would appear a reckless ex.