The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-11-11

among the ricLest IN tte so0r1d, and il Soan-
ish times sffOfded large reyenue." Upon
what authority Cotton makes this statement
he docs not say, nor are there any recoros
now accessible by means of which the ex-
act locality of this old mine can be ascer7
tanned. 1t must be remembered that what
was once called the district or department
of San Saba included an indefinite tract of
country west of the Colorado, and extend
ing quite a distance moth and south of
the old mission, and that, after the
massacre spoken OF above, the In
dians held undisputed possession of the
country for long period. 1t is probable,
however, that some mining WAS done IN
this region during the early part of''the
present century - perhaps continued at In
tervals up TO the war of Texan Independ-
ence, at which time, and since, all explora-
tions by Mcxicans or Spaniards ceased. i
am of the opinion that the ''0ld San saba
Mine, !" discovered in 1852, was not far from
the Old Mission, and either in Menard or
Mason county, and it is quite probable that
more than one locality was worked, and
that ''mihes." instead of ''miDe," would be
the proper word to use. have heard of
at least two old shafts or mines in that
locality where considerable work bad been
done--one about seventy-fiye feet deep, l
and another where over two hundred steps
are cut in the rock by means of which the
miners descended and ascYnded the mIne.
Instead of using hosting apparatus like
the English and American miner, the span
imds, employing the cheap labor ofsthe
Mexlsa an Indians, or poems, who were little
less than slaves, caused the mineral Aid re-
fuse dist and rock to be packed from the
mines in sacks or baskets upon the backs
LII. II -
workings descending perpendicular, bat
oil liquely, and by steps.
La 1881 Col. James Bowie is said to have
obtained some reliable information as TO the
locality of this mine from an old Mexican,
who proffered to guide him to the spot.
Accordingly, in November of that year,
Col. Bowie, with party OF ten Others, left
San Antonio in search of the place. They
arrived within six miles of the old mission.
where they were attacked by large body
of Indians, and after desperate fight, in
which one of the party was killed and two
or three wounded, were Obliged to relin-
quish their expedition and retrace their
steps. 1t is also stated, on very reliable au-
thorty, that Col. Bowie, at some other
time, discovered a rich silver mine on one of
the upper branches of the Sandy, in LIanoi
county, whence he carried considerable ore
yielding considerable silver. During the
Texas revolution Col Bowie and many of his
friends were killed at the Alamo, and 1t is not
probable that any survived who could point
out the exact locality of his old silver mine.
Yet there are those who say they can find
the place now. There is no question that
Bowie did discover q rich lead, on one of
the branches of the Sandy, not far from
Enchanted Rock. Near there l also have
the authority of Capt. Lew Wells, now 1iv-,
ing in Llano county, to the effect that some,
years since, while ON an Indian scout in that
vicinity, piece of gold was picked out of
branch, which was taken to San Ante
nio and sold for sixty dollars. The locality.
is favorable one geologlcally for both gold
and silver, the formations being granite,
trachytic and metamorphic. Somewhere in
this vicinity it is SAID that two, men were
riding across the country in the night.
time -preferring night rather than daylight
on account of Indians-when, hearing a
noise at a little distance, like that of one
picking in hard dirt, they rode toward It,
when they discovered an old man at
work in a hole some seven or eight
feet deep, having only dim lamp
with which to see by. When discovered,
and feeling assured that he was not talking
TO desperadoes or robbers, he stated tnat he
was working for and finding placer gold,
and that he worked at night so as not to be
discoveled by the Indians, retiring to u
cave near by in the daytime. He said he
had visited the place before, and then had
about all he could carry away, and W. uld
soon leave there with ''enough to do him.
cannot vouch for the truth of this story,
but it is certain that at a former period
much gold was disposed of at San Antonio
and other places, which was Supposed to
have come from the vicinity of the waters
of the San Slba,or the Llano. BIr. Balm,
the well known jeweler in Austin, once pur
chased about one hundred dollars worth of
small gold from a countryman, who said he
obtained it in that region, and he, showed
me some of it, which, presume, he still
retains. l have myself washed a little scale
gold from several places, but seafched for
it very little. saw one piece obtained this
last summer from near Red Mountain, on
Comanche creek, branch of the Sandy,
that was worth about fifty cents Mr.. James
w Wilson, now living in Cole creek val
ley, some twenty-five years agowashed con
siderable gold from branches of White creek,
also tributary of the Sandy. At one place
he obtained flour gold in every painful OF
dirt at the depth OF sixteen feet from the
surface. In all be thinks he obtained sew
entyefve dollars worth of fine gold, but did
not make ii pay. Small soht gold has also
been found on the Sandy, near the old
-Starke ranch, by Mr.. John Chapman. some
ttwtnty-two years ago, and recently by Dr.
/ G. s. Smith OF LIano. Another person
| finds gold on the Crabapple, an upper
brunch of Sandy. But do not think any
one in recent times has struck what might
be called s'pay dirt" | am by no means
j - q hot A,r-fH vat
be obtained somew here in this region in pay
ing quantity. a 9lissa
lS/Tne following old records bear every evil
dence of authenticity, and l believe are
worthy of credit. They were published in
1868, by j. "A. Quentero:
4ili TUE SAN SABA SILVER MINES
.if The following documents concerning the
San saba Silver Mines were given me in
1858, together with collection of histofi-
cal documents in reference TO Texas, Lou
isiana, New Mexico and California, 10y my
| iII-fated friend, Manuel G. Rijon, then Sec
| retary of State of New Leon and Coahuila.
Said documents had been for long time
| in the archives of Monterey.
1t seems no steps were taken to explore
said mines owing to the abd:catlon of the
Emperor Iturbide, which occurred March
10, 1923, nearly two months after the Di-
rector OF the Spanish Military Academy al
Monclova made his report as hereinafter
set forth.
The following are said documents:
..afExIco. sIsy IS, 1922.
ITO His Exrellenev. the kmpetOr;
s.Saivadur Carrasca, the humbIest sub
& iect of your Majesty, win profouBd respect
says: That about forty leagues, more OF