New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-08-18
The Mine Of Santa Eulalia.;

! anu many OtneEs ~oulc Oe. allowing fOl
detour. about 400 miles. This would be
nearly the same with the time and dis
tancs from here to Philadelphia With this
reasonable facility Of access through pei
feeted and progressive railroad now ad
vancing from New Orleans through Texas
and Mexico. We give = narrative Of tee
! mines referred 20.
! In 1903 three ma!efactors Of the then
| small town of chihuahua, Mexico, flying
| from 1ustice. betOok themselves TO the sur.
! rounding mountains, and there for several
| weeks lived lite of terror, moving about
| from fastness to tastness in constant dread
| Of the fierce Apaches who occupied the te.-
! ritOry on the one hand, and of their pur-
suing white brethren on the other. One
evening they built large fire in a ravine
| to cook their supper. and when che SUI.
rounding bo widers became heated molten
white metal issued out Of them. The next
| day friendly Indian arrived in Chihuahua
bearing message from the fugitiyes to the
for thei: pardon enough silver TO build a
cathedral, which offer was accepted. Such
the story Of tho discovery OF the siiyeri
mines OF Santa Eulalia.
The State of Chihuahua is in the extrema
northeast of Mexico. 1t is separated from
the State of Texa. on the northeast by the
Rio Grande. and is bounded on the north
by New Mexico apd Arizona. The city of
Chihuahua is tie capital. The mines, of
which there are several, are all situated in
mountain about twelve miles distant
from the city. 1t rises about the surround
ing plain TO a distance Of between 1000 and
1000 feet. and is popularity knOwn as tie
''Silver Mountain of Santa Eulalia.' Won
derful 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 1929. the wear
of the revolution that drove the Spaniards
out of the country. During this period
Chihuahua grew from mere outpost of the
Jesuit missionaries into a city Of sc. 900 in
habitants while the mining village Of Santa
Euialia and another sprang up i'll the gorges
OF the mountain. containing respectively
5000 and 5000 souls. From tax of one
real twelve and halt cents, on every
mark lpOundi of silver. as it came from the
refining furnaces. there was built, between
1888 and 1850. The celebrated Cathedral o,
chihuahua, at q cost of over 5000, 900. and
with the. surplus was erected. another
church in the village of Santa Eulalia at
cost Of $IOO, 900. While Mexico was in DOS.
session of the crown of Spain. the laws
of that kingdom required 0ne-ftth of the
product Of all the mines OF gold and silver
to be paid into the royal treasury. This
made it necessary for the mining proprie.
tors to mako returns of the products of
their mines to the kings officers. These
records were kept with Spanish formslity
in the different mints Of the vice roy atty;
and the records of the mint of chihuahua.
which are still preserved. shO ~ that nearly
S500.000,0 900 were registered in that office.
most OF which was the production of the
mines Of Santa Eulalia.
The revolution. the empire OF Iturbide,
and the establishment of the republic in
VOWED struggle Of fourteen years, which
greatly crippled the resources of the cOun-
try. Ahen, four years later. came tie tx.
puision of the Spaniards, who were the
capitalists. and this was followed by con-
stant internal revolutions, alternating with
wars with Texas. France, iin 1891 tie
United States, growing out OF the anneXa-
ton Of Texas, and the conquest by Maximi-
liam. These and the sayages of the Indians,
who claimed the mining districts, paraiyzed
Mexican industry, and put a long stop to
the development OF riches that had hitherto
been considered inexhanstble. A write.
in Hoype,'S .Moga-i,ae, who visited rhs silver
mountain in 1867, gave glowing descrip-
ton Of the untold treasures that then lay
exposed to any hand of euticient capital
and energy that was disposed 10 grasp
them. The mountain. according to that
WIktcis 40 OUC 5OlAA AdSs "a oAIsCS
ore. averaging from ESQ to $3.50 per
ton. with occasional pockets panning out
as high as $4,000 per ton, and still rarer
finds of pure metal. TIE ore is imbedded
in hard limestone chambers. which are al.
ways entirely free from water. aud never
require timbering. The country being Ok
tremely difficult for the transportation Of
machinery. only the rudest appliances were
ever used. The ore was carried up out of
@do ~ <bo hon oS
men, on primitive ladders. l. was then
either reduced on the epo: OF placed or
the backs OF asses and transported seven
miIes 70 water. The p1oprietors OF |
the reduction works on the ground built !
an aoueduc. OF stone for ths transpOrta-
ton of water TO the mines, thirteen miles |
long. This Aqueduct still exists unim-
paired. and is said to be marvel of
engineering skill and solidity. The furnaces l
used were of the simplest kind. They were
constructed Of adobe mud. and were utterly |
incomplete MT to extract tiths Of the metal !
in the ore. In 1867. writer Of |
the article mentioned saw one OF these rude |
furnaces at work, and narrates that the few !
lazy persons who remained OF the thriving |
village of Santa Eulalia picked up good
living by breaking open the hills OF rOttOn |
alag that renamed after century and
half Of primitive reduction, and gathering
the little Jumps Of silver that filed it in all
directions. The writer descended into all !
the mines III the mountain. anu found them
alike in the quality and universally of ore.
TO of them also cont sined a 'ttIK' which |
.ns Spaniards found useful in smalting.
Before leaving the spot the writer and a
surveyed and mapped out the |
entire district, with the ayoweG view of
uFning it to pecunisry profit. la the con-
,lusiOn OF his article he says that there was !
hen but one man in chihuahua RIGA enough
20 work the mines properly, and he. mer- |
liant. was bitterly opposed to mining: and
hat Americans. English and Frenchmen
lad at various times unsuccessfulIy
to get hold of the mines.
iOwever, the matter seems to have been
lropped until the early part Of 1874, when
dr. William L. Helfenstein visited Chihua
he Santa Eulalia mines. Heat once set on
oot a negotiation for some of tbs principal
mines. and returned to Chihuahua about
he close of last year and concluded the |
eg0tiatiCn. He was accomanied by Judge !
ames II. Bell, of Austin, Texas, who ex-
mined and approved the titles Subse.
uently he acquired additional mines, until
q had come into possession of the entire
mining district. Then, leaving it in charge |
t George l.. McManus, an American gen
leman, twenty-five years resident of Chi
uahua, Mr.. Helfenstein returned to New |
-ork and organized the New York and
anita Euialia Silver Mining Company of |
Mexico; capital $3,0OO,0o0
Meantime, in November last. Mr. HELEN
5ein shipped large'q quantity OF machinery
, the mines. 1t reached the western ter !
minus of railroad transportation in Texas
bout the first of Deeembes Then heavy /
aims set in, rendering cross country travel !
lmost impracticable. and it was not Until /
uril that the machinary arrived at Santa r
ulalia. II May last Mr.. Helfenstein, IN
lmnanv with fha vice nreadent of fhA | Z