The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-12-01
Santa Eulalia.
TIE MOST PRODUCTIVE MINE IN THE
WoRLD-$500,OOO,O 900.


WoRLD-$5O0,OOO,OOO.
| In 1908 three malefactors of the
then small town of Chihuahua, Mex
leo, flying from justice betook them
selves to the surrounding mountains
. and there for several weeks led life
of terror, moving about from fastness
to fastness in constant dread of the
fierce Apaches, who occupied the ter
ritory on the one hand, and of thei,
pursuing white brethren on the 9th.
er. One evening they built a large
lire in ravine to cook their supper,
and when the surrounding bowlders
became heated, a molten white metal
issued out of them. The next day
a friendly Indian arrived in Chihua.
hua, bearing message from the flu
gltives to the priestly authorities, Of
fering as a condition for their pardon
enough silver to build a Cathedral,
which offer was accepted. Such is
the story of the discovery of the sill
yer 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 north east BY the Rio Grande
and is bounded 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 a mountain, about II
miles from the city. 1t rises above
the surrounding plain to distance
of 1000 and 1000 feet, and is popu-
larly known as the "Silver Mountain
of Santa Eulalia." 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 to
1922, the year of the revolution that
drove the Spaniar,ls out of the coun-
try. During this period chihuahua
grew from mere outpost of tue Jes-
nit Missionaries into city of Sc, 600
inhabitants, while the mining village
of Santa Eulalia and another sprang
up in the gorges of the mountain,
containing respectively 5000 and s.
600 souls. From a tax of one real
COY cents on every mark (pound)
of silver, as it came from the refining
furnaces, there was built between
1888 and 175O, the celebrated Cathe-
dral of Chihuahua, at a cost of $780,
600. While Mexico was in posses
sion 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 nee
cssary for the products of their mints
to be reported to the Kings officers.
These records were kept with Span
sh formality in the different mints of
,he Vice-royalty, and the records of
The mint of chihuahua, which are
still preserved, show that nearly
$500, 100000 were registered in that
'iiice, most Of which was the produc-
ion of the miners Of Santa Eulalia.
The revolution, the empire of It,
lrbide and the establishment of the |
Republic involved a struggle Of four |
cen years, which greatly crippled
The resources Of the country. Then,
our years later, came the expulsion,
IF the Spaniards, who we're the cap
talists, and this was followed by
constant internal revolution, with
vars with Texas, France Gin '39) the
United States, growing out by the
of Texas, and the con
quest by Macmillan. These and
'avages Of the Indians, who claimed
he mining districts, paralyzed Mex
can industry, and put long stop to
The new development of riches tha'
lad hitherto been considered mex
iaustible. -[ Nevada Independent.
WHEN the President refused to
send the troops there was left no