The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-12-16
SANTA EULALIA-THE MOST PRO-
DUCTIVE MINE IN THE WORLD
$5O0.0OO,000.
[From the Nevada Independent

In 1903 three malefactors of the then
small town of Chihuahua, Mexico, flying
from justice, betook themselves to the
surrounding mountains, and there for
several weeks led life of terror, moving
about from fastness to fastness in cons-
tant dread of the fierce Apachos, who
occupied the territory on the one hand,
and of their pursuing white brethren on
the other. One evening they built a
large fire IN a ravine to cook their sup
per, and when the surrounding boulders
became heated, molten. white metal
issued out of them. The next day q
friendly Indian arrived in chihuahua,
bearing message from the fugitives to
the priestly authorities, offering rs a
condition for their pardon, enough
silver to build 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 ex-
treme northeast of Mexico. It is separat-
ed from the State of Texas on the north
east by the Rio Grande, and is bound
ed on the north by New Mexico and
Arizona. The city of Chihuahua is the
capital. The mines, of which there are
several, are all situated in mountain
about twelve miles from the city. 1t
rises above the surrounding plain to
distance of 1000 and 1000 feet, and is
popularity known as the ''Silver Noun,
tain of Santa EulaIia. Wonderful
stories are told of the wealth of these
mines. They were constantly worked by
the old Spanish proprietors from the
time of their discovery in 1903, until
1922, the year of the revolution that
drove the Spaniards out of the country.
During this period chihuahua grew
from mere outpost Of the Jesuit mis-
sionaries into a city of Sc, inhabit-
ants, while the mining village Of Santa
Eulalia and another sprang up in the
gorge of the mountain, containing res
pectively eight thousand and 1000 souls.
From tax of one real (203 cents) on
every mark (pounO of silver, rs it came
from the refining furnaces, there was
built, between 1873 and 1850, the
celebrated cathedral of chihuahua, at a
cost of 800, 600. While Mexico was
in possession of the crown of Spain, the
laws of that kingdom required one-fifth
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 mines to be report
ed to the kings officers. These records
were kept with Spanish formality in the
different minis of the vice-royalty and
the records of the mint of Chihuahua.
which are still preserved, show that
nearly $500, 100000 were registered at
that office, most of which was the produc-
ton of the miners of Santa Eulalia.
The revolution, the empire of Itur-
bide and the establishment of the repub-
lie involved struggle of fourteen years,
which greatly crippled the resources OF
the country. Then, four years later,
came the expulsion of the Spaniards,
who were the capitalists, and this was
followed by constant internal revolu-
tons, with wars with Texas, France Tin
1890, the United States, growing out OF
the annexation of Texas, and the con-
quest of Macmillan. These and the
ravages of the Indians, who claimed the
mining districts, paralyzed Mexican in
dustry, and put long stop to the new
development of riches that had hitherto
been considered inexhaustible.