The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-11-26
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In ll03 three malefactOrS Of tie
then small town of chihuahua, Mexico,
flving from justice, betook themselves
to the surrounding mountains. and
there for several weeks led life of
terror, moving about from fastness to
fastness i'm constant dread of the fierce
Apaches, who occupied the territory on
the one hand, and of their pursuing
white brethren on the other. One ev-
ening they built large fire in a ravine
to cook their supper, and when the
surrounding bowlders became heated,
a molten white metal issued out OF
them The next day friendly Indian
arrived in chihuahua bearing q mes
sage from the fugitvies to the priestly
authorities, Offering as condition for
their pardon enough silver to build a
Cathedral, which offer was accepted
such is the story of the discovery OF
the silver mines Of Santa Eulalia.
The State of chihuahua is in the
extreme northeast of Mexico. 1t is
separated from the State of Texas on
the northeast by the Rio Grande, and
is bounded on the north by New Mexico
and Arizoi a The city Of Chihuahua
is the capital, The mines, of which
there are several, are Ill situated in
mountain, about twelve miles from the
citv. 1t rises above the surrounding
plain to a distance of Loco and 2,00O
feet, and is popularity known as the
"Silver Mountain of Santa Eulalla. "
Wonderful stories are told ofthe wealth
of these mines. They were constantly
worked by the old Spanish proprictors
from thetime Of their discovery in 1908
until 1922, the year of the revolution
that drove the Spaniards out OF the
country. During this period Chihua-
hua grew from 4 mere outpost OF the
Jesuit missionaries into city Of 56, coo
inhabitants, while the mining village of
Santa Eulalia and another sprang up
i'm the gorges of the mountain, con-
tanning respectively 5000 and 5000
souls. From taxi sof one real COG
censs) on every mark (pound) of silver,
as it came from the refining furnaces,
there was built, between lI3S and 100,
thecelebrated Cathedral of chihuahua,
at a cost of 800, 900 While Mexico
was in possession of the crown of
Spain. the laws of that Kingdom re-
uuired one-ffth OF the product OF all
the mines of gold and silver to be paid
into the Royal Treasury. This made
it necessary for the products Of their
mints to be reported to the Kings Of
fcers. These records were kept with
Spanish formality in the different mints
of the Vice-royalty, and the records OF
the mint of Chinhuahua, which are
still preserved, show that nearly 5000
OoO. 900 were registered in that office,
most Of which was sproductlon oi
the miners of Sante Eulalia.
The revolution. the Empire oil 1tnr-
hide and tie establishment of the Re-
public. involved struggle Of fourteen
years, which greatly crippled the re-
sources of the country. Then, four
wears later, came the expulsion oil The
Spaniards. who were the capitalists,
and this was followed by constant III
ternal revolutions, with wars with
Texas. France Tin '39), the United
States. growing out of the annexation
of Texas. and the conquest by MAXI
milan. These and the ravages OF the
Indians. who claimed the mining dis
tricts. paralyzed Mexican industry,
and put long stop to the new devei-
opment of riches that had hitherto been
considered ausLible.-Necddd m
dependent.