Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1875-09-16

Interesting Facts and Statistics.
From the San Francisco Chronicle

[From the San Francisco Chronice.]
In 1850 Nevada was not reckOned among
the slver-pl oducing regions. Mexico ano
South America in that year produced $780,
600, 900 worth-nearly five times the amount
obtained in Africa. The production OF Pied
mont in that year was greater than that OF
any other section of the eastern continent,
and was about $1,5OO,0OO. Austria was re-
presented by about Isl, 900, 600, while Russia,
Norway, SaXony, Spain, the Hartz noun
tains, and Dcvonshire and Cornwall, in Eng
land, produced the remainder. India has
often been represented as destitute of silver,
| but we have statements from Sir ROderick
| MurchisOn and other travellers that the kulu
valley is so rich in ore and metallic silver,
that it might be made to yield enormous
revenues for ages to come. What was once
known as the silver country Of the EaZures
in Kulu, comprises the mountainous country
lying between the Beas, Sainji and the Par
butti 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
Manikarn mines in the same valley are known
to be intellectually rich, but are now unwork-
ed. The Indian authorities, and even the
people themselves, lay every obstacle in the
way of developing them for fear Of impover-
ishing the country.
In the first three centuries after the discoy-
cry Of America it has been computed that
100000 tons of pure silver were exported
from Peru and Mexico alone. This 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 is no trihe. The difference between
mining in Peru and mining in Mexico is only
in the climate of the silver regions. The Po-
tosi mine. which has yielded enormous guam
titles Of silver, is at an elevation as great as
that of the summit of Mont Blanc, 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 so in our money.
A very romantic story is told of the Salcado
mine, which has been lost for hundred
years. Salcado was young Spaniard who
tell In love with and married an Indian girl,
WhercupOn she revealed to him the location
of a silver mine of fabulous richness and as
yet unworked. Salcado, with the aid of his
wife, found the mine, and, making friends
with the Indians, he commenced work upon
it. In a few years he was enormously rich
The Spanish Governor learning of his pros
perity, and designing to secure the mine to
himself, caused a charge Of conspiracy to be
made against him, under which he was ar
rested, tried, and condemned, though the
charge was entirely fictitious. When await
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 100 pounds
of silver every day until the vessel should go
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 executed. The ava
ricious Governor hastened to the mine, but the |
mine was gone. 1t has never been found. |
The widow and her devoted Indians had de- |
termined that the murderer should never be |
rewarded for his crime, and they had flooded |
the mine and buried it in such a manner that !
discovery was impossible.
The richest silver mine in the world, prob
ably, is the Potocchi, or, in our vernacular,
Potosi-the Chollar-Poto being named from
It. 1t is near La Plata, and was discovered |
IL 1915. 1t has always been worked in a
rude manner. but yet is said to have already
produced $3.50, 100000 of the precious metal.
For many years sixteen hundred Indians
we're employed in it, and, being slaves, so
,ruelly were they worked that they died rap
dly, and their places were Immediately filled
~ others. AT the present time two thousand
,aid men are employed, and the mine yields
we'll, and shows no signs Of exhaustion.
The total silver prou ction in the world,
rom the year 1850 to 1875, has been esti-
mated to be 81 ,O25, 100000, the United States
one-tenth of the entire amount.
The yield of Mexico is at present al the rate
If $40, 100000 annually. Peru is falling
gradually behind, the yield for the year 1874
oeing but little over $3,O0O,OOO. The mines
If Chill and Bolivia are being rapidly deyel-
'ped, and will soon furnish a material item
n the annual production. In 1867, Nevada
proudly pointed to yield of $12, 500, ,OOO In
S69 the production was hardly half as much.
The production for the present year will
probably exceed $25,O00,0O0 The annual
production of the Idaho mines is about $3,-
'OO, 900, or as much as the famous mines of
Peru. Colorado, in 1874, is estimated to have
produced bullion to the amount of 81. .OOO,OO
Richard Grant White says: 81 have re-
marked one fact which haye never seen