The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-01-15
A NEW Ell DORADO.
THE FABULOUS MINERAL WEALTH OF
THE LOWER CALIFORNIA PENINSULA

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THE LOWER CALIFORNIA PENINSULA.
Assistant Surgeon Thomas N
Streets, in his report of the survey Q
Lower California, says of the minera
wealth of the peninsula
The silver-bearing veins of Triunt'
are two in number, and they run in
converging direction northerly an,
easterly. The present company pro
duces bullion to the amount of $50,
600 per month. They have sufficien
ore in sight in the mines already open
ed to treble or quadruple that sum
The mines are particularly rich. Ii
our own country all the silver-bearine
veins have been found on the eastern
slope of the Sierra Nevada range
This fact has been adduced as a proc
that this range of mountains is contin
uous with the mountains of Lower
California. IF this be the case, We
may look to see gold being found Oh
the western slope; as in Alta Califor
MIA. The copper mines of Purgatoric
and Providencia are being very active
ly worked at present and are yielding
large quantities of very rich ore.
Another source of wealth is the guano
islands, and of these the principal il
Isla Raza. A company commenced
working here two years ago, and up to
the present time they have removed
10000 tons of the fertilizer. 1t is
computed that there is in all 10000
tons upon the strand, which is three
quarters of mile long and half a
mile wide.
Assistant Surgeon Edward Evers of
the United States Navy also submitted
a lengthy report upon mineralogy,
botany, salt deposits, etc. He says /:
The mineral wealth of Lower Cali
fornia is wonderful, and embraces rich
deposits of silver, gold, iron, copper,
anthony, alabaster, etc. Traces of
silver are found almost everywhere,
and though few of the mines are work
ed, they are numerous and rich.
He refers to the richness of the
mines of Triunfo, and says:
The majority of the miners are
Mexicans, though there is goodly
proportion of foreigners. All the
officers of the company, the chemist,
the assayer, the captains of the mines,
and the foremen, are Americans or
Europeans. The ore is brought from
the mines on pack mules over distance
of from six to twelve miles to the
mills, which are constantly in
operation, being stopped only for re-
pairs. The silver bars are sent to La
Paz by wagon, and thence shipped to
San Francisco by schooner. Other
mines could be worked with equal
profit, but the high duties and the
arbitrary and tyrannical measures of
the Mexican Government prevent for
eigners, the only persons who could
possess the requisite capital, from in
vesting there. Next to silver, copper
ore, which is perhaps more abundant
than any other metal, has been worked
most successfully. The best mines
ire at Purgatorio and innerno, whence
the ore itself is transported to the sea
shore on pack mules, sometimes many
eagues, to be shipped to San Francisco
md to Europe. How wonderfully
productive these mines would become
N the hands of an energetic and
enterprising people, sure in the pro-
,ection of good government. But the
want of security to capital and the,
want of protection to labor,
S the great curse of that country.
At the Island of San Maris, above |
Mulege, is rich mine of alabaster,
which, if properly worked, ought to
yield an immense profit. The salt
agoon at Carmen Island is an interest
ng phenomenon in more than one re-
pect. 1t is so rich that the whole
,arth may be supplied by it for ages,
f. indeed, it is not inexhaustible. 1t
5 a mile and half in length and half
mile wide, while its depth has not
ret been ascertained. This salt
leposit is no doubt due to the evapora-
ion of sea water, for it is connected
With the ocean, distant from it 400
ards, by three or four underground
treams. The salt itself is perfectly
,ure and beautifully crystalined.