The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-08-25
SILVER.
Interesting racls ana s.a,isIIcs.

/ The San Francisco Chronicle says:
In 1850 Nevada was not reckoneG among
the silver-producing regions. Mexico
! and South America in that year produced
S35,0G0,0O0 worth-nearly five times the
amount obtained in the same year from
Europe, Asia and Africa The produc-
ton Of Piedmont in that year was greater
than that of any other section of the east
ern continent, and was about 81 800, 600
Austria was represented By about 81, 0O0,-
600 while Russia, Norway, Saxony,
Spain, the Hartz mountains, and Devon
shire and Cornwall, In England produc-
Ell the remainder. India has often been
represented us destitute of silver, but we
have statements from Sir Roderick Muir
Gibson and other travellers that the Kulu
valley is so rich in ore and metallic sill
yer, that it might be made to yield enor-
nous revenues for ages to come. What
was once known as the silver
country of the Vazurs in Kulu,
comprises the mountainous coun-
try lying between the Beas, Sainji
and the Parbutti rivers. The mines,
although in the palmy days OF India
worked to considerable extent, are now
almost forgotten, even by the inhabitants
Of the region itself. The Manlkarn
mines in the same valley are known TO
be incidentally rich, but are now I'M
worked. The Indian authorities, and
even the people themselves, lay every OBJ
stacle in the way of developing thom
for fear of impoyerishing the country.
In the first three centuries after the
discovery of America 1t has been COM
putcd that 100000 tons of pure silver
were exported from Peru and Mexico
alone. This would be sufficient
to form u solid globe OF silver
one hundred feet in diane
ter. Considering the rude manner of
working ores at that day, this is no tride.
The difference between mining in Peru
and mining in Mexico is only in the eli
mate of the silver regions. The Potosi
mine, which has yielded enormous guam
titles OF silver, is at an elevation us great
as that of the summit OF Mont Blanc, in
a region OF perpetual snow. The mines OF
Mexico are on the middle lands. vince
neither frost or great heat is felt. The
vast mineral wealth Of Peru has been de
yeiopcd by the patient industry of the
native Indians. They live almost entirely
on cocoa. Their wages per week avcrag
sbou; 81 80 in our money.
A very romantic story is told of the
Sulcsdo mnc, which has been lost for Il
hundred years Salcado was young
Spanjurd who fell in love with and mar
rird an Indian girl, whereupon shs re-
vyalet L. him the location of II silver
mine of fabulous richness ana AS yet UNI
worked. Salcado, with the aid of his
wife. found his mino, and, making
friends with the Indians he commenced
work upon it. In u few years he was
enormously rich. The Spanish Cover.
nor learning Of his prosperity, and de-
signing 10 secure the mine TO himself,
caused charge Of conspiracy to be made
against him. under which he was arrested,
tried ana condemned, though
the charge was entirely fictitious.
When awaiting execution he
promised the Governor, De Lemos, that
if he would allow the proofs to be sent to
Madrid and bc inspected by the King,
there should be paid t. HIM 100 pounds
OF silver every day until the vessel should
70 and return. As the voyage one way
i'm those DAYS consumed about sixteen
months il i readily seen that the ransom
offered was enormous. Salcsdo was exc
,Ucd. The avogicious Governor fastened
t. the mine, bat the mine was gone. 1t
has never been found The widow and
her devoted Indians had determined that
the murderer should never be rewarded
for his crime, and they had flooded the
mine and buried il in such manner that
discovery was impossible.
The richest silver mine in tho world,
probably. is the Potocchi, or, in our vcr-
nacu!ir. Potosj-;hc Chollar Potosi be-
ing named from it. It. Is near In Plata,
aud was discovered in 1915. 1t las
ALWAYS been worked III rude manner,
hu, yrt is SAID to have already produccd
$50 UO0O0O of the precious metal. For
many yeas sixteen hundred Indians
were employed III il, and being slaves. so
crGplly were they worked that they died
RAPIDLY. and their places wcro immedi-
at6lv i.lrd Ly others. At the present
time two thousand paid men are en-
plnyrd and the mine yields well, and
shows no sign OF exhaustion.
The total silver production in the
world. from the wear 1850 to 1875, has
been estimate to be $l,O25, 100000, the
United States producing one-tenth of the
,alua amount. The yield of Mexico Is
1T pre-en. AZ the rate Of $2O,OOO,O0O an
uua.jy. Peru Is falling gradually behind,
~" yicl3 for the year 1874 being but lit
Il. -ynr s. 100000. The mines of Chill
and Bolivia are being rapidly developed,
and will soon furnish material item in
the annual production. In 1861 Nevada
proudly pointed To q yield of $4,000
coo. In 1869 The production was hardly
half as much. The production for the
present year Will probably exceed $50
6O0uto. The annual production Of
the Idaho mines i about e3,OOO,0O0, or
"a much as the famous mines OF Peru.
Colorado, in 1874, is estimated to hav"
nryGurrd bullion to the amount Of