Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-09-10
The silver Begiou> Of the World
VALUE or the MINES AND HOW THEY ARE
WORKED.

VALUE or The MINES AND HOW THEY AXE
WORKED.
In 1850 Nevada was not reekoned
among the silver producing regions. Mex
icJ and South America In that year pro-
ducdd $3j, ,0o0 600 worth-nearly i've times
the amount obtained in the same year from
Europe Asia ard Africa. The production of
Piedmount in that year was greater than that
of anv other section of the Eastern CONT
nent and was about 81, 800 900. Austria was
represented by about 81 200 900. while Rus
sia. Norway, Saxony, Spain, the Har;z
Mountains, and Deyonshire and Cornwall,
in England, produced the remainder.
India has often been represented as desti-
tute OF silver, but We have statements from
Sir Roderick M1rchison and other travellers
that the kulu Valley Is 80 rich IN ore and
metallic silver that 1t might be made to
Weld enormous revenues tor ages TO come
" hat was once known as the silver country
OF the Vazurs in kulu comprise, the noun
famous country lying between the Beas,
SAinji and Parbutti rivers. The mines, al
though in the palTy days OF India worked
to considerable extent, are now almost
forgotten, surely by the inhabitants OF tho
region itself The ManIkarn mines IN the
same valley are known to be incaiculably
rich. but are now unworked. The Indian
D
Law every obstacle ln the way OF develop
irg them for fear OF impoverishing the
country.
In the first three centuries after the dis
covery of America it has been computed
that 100, eco tons of pure silver were export
ed from Mexico and Peru alone. Tnls would
be sufficient to form solid globe OF silver
one hundred feet in diameter. Considering
the rude manner Of working ores at that
day this i no trihs The difference between
mining in Peru and mining In Mexico Is
only in the climate OF the SILVER regions.
The Poto,i mine. which has yielded enorm-
Gus quantities of silver, is at an elevation
as great as that OF the summit OF Mont
Blame, in a region of perpetual snow The
mines of Mexico are On the middle lands,
where neither frost nor great heat Is felt
The vast mineral wealth OF Peru has been
developed by the patient industry OF the
native indians. They live almost entirely
on cocoa. Their wages per week average
about 81 50 in our money.
A very romantic story Is told OF the Sal
cado mine, which has been lost for hun
dred wears Salcado was young SpaniarG
who iell in love with and married an Indian
girl. whereupon she revealed to him the
location of silver mine of fabulous rich
ness and as vet unworked. Salcado, with
the aid of his wife, found the mine, and
making friends with the Indians he CON-
menced work upon it. In a few years be
was enormously rich. The Spanish Gov
ernor learning his prosperity, and design
ing to secure the mine to himself. caused
charge of conspiracy to be made against
him, under which he was arrested, tried
and conyiced. although the charge was en-
tirely fictitious.
When awaiting execution he promised
the Governor, De Lemos, that If he would
allow the proofs to be sent to Madrid and
be inspected by the King. there should be
paid to him hundred pounds Of silver
every day until the vessel should 20 to
Spain and return. As the voyage one way,
in those days, consumed about sixteen
months it is readily seen that the ransom
offered was enormous. Salcado was execut-
ed The ayaricious Governor FASTENED to
to the mine, but the mine was gone. 1t has
never been found. The widow and her de-
voted Indians had determined that the mur-
derer should never be rewarded Tor his
crimes. and they had flooded the mine and
buried il in such a manner tina. discovery
was impossible.
The richest silver mine in the world prob
ably is the Pottochi. or. in our vernacular,
Potosi-the Chollar-Potosi being named
from it. 1t is near La Plata, and was dis
covered in 1915. 1t has always been work
ed in a rude manner, but yet it is said to
have already produced $3.50 GOO, 600 worth
of the precious metal For many years six
teen hundred Indians were employed in it.
and being slaves. so cruelty were they
worked that they deeimated rapidly and
their places were filed by Others. At the
! present time two thousand paid men are
employed, and the mine yields well and
shows no signs OF exhaustion.
The total silver production 10 the world