The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-30
mExICo,s FABULoUs MINES.
Their Richness and how thov are Worked
A Lack Of Enterprise.

FrOnt Me CtnctnNdH inquirer,
CRY or MEXICO, April N.-The mines OF
| Mexico are perhaps the subject most interesting
| to the foreign reader. Jhis grows out OF the
fact that, up to the time Of the rich discoveries
| Of the precious metals IN our own Pacific states,
| Mexico was the great silver producing country
Of tho world, and all DESCRIPTIONS OF 1t, even
those w ordinary school books, dwet larRelV
upon her fabulous productions Of mineral ireas-
ure. There - also Cnarm To the imagination
In the subj 'ct Of the discovery and gaining pos
session Of the precious productions OF nature,
which blindIy governs the mind, and leads men
into courses Of life aud business less governed
by reason than any other avocatton.
The mines Of Mexico are scattered unevenly
over the entire extent OF It's mountain ranges.
They nearly all noted for their vast extent
are found from five TO seven thousand feet above
the sea, IN de ightfui mperatuTe, and usually
veins somstimes iJ6 feet in breadth and many
miles in length. Their depth - unknown, aud
they we're formerly worked until, with their
rude systems OF lifting ~ the ores or getting
rid OF the water. they could be no longer made
profitable. There re so reals. or places where
mines are numerous, In Mexico. ana not less
than 500 veins. But small proportion Of these
are worked now, or have been at any one time.
The names of the richie only arc known IN our
own country, such as the NalenCiann. uuannx-
anita. Real del MOnte, Pachucd, aud few
Others
some Of these have yielded as much as s0,OOo.-
900 year for many consecutive years This does
not seem to be great amount since the inarvels
Of Nevada have been made known, but tends to
Indicate what the sumo ingenuity ana enterprise
That have developed our own silver mines m y
Some q ~ 90 mere. Ihe laws governing all min
ing Interests ofthe country have been very com
pete, md the entire territory divided tuto min
ing districts, with their own distinct Code,
Courts and Elective Council. Although the sole
right in mines Is granted 70 the corporate or in
divuual owners, beginning with the immense
tribute required BY the spanish KING, cert in
lesser tsxes are still exacted, the present being
about ~ per cent for the benefit Of the National
School of Mines. Actual occupation OF IN mes Ia
necessary for ownership, and, being left un-
worked for a short period. any one may " de-
nounce" them, and, upon working them for a
ah,r fiffto "a
Knowing this great difficulty In the way Of in.
Producing Innovations among spanish people,
however advantageous, one Will readily un-
derstand that the old systems Of the sixteenth
century are stili continued in the mines OF Mexi-
Sometimes thirty feet ia height and DIR BREADTH.
and walled with the beat OF masonry. The ores
are loosened with powder, and hoisted some
times on the backs u Indians, and sometimes
In immense leathern BAGS, with rude ma
chinery driven by horses. The mines are cleared
OF water by the same means. Not until recent
~, and in very few cases, has good macni merry
been introduced, and probably not mole than a
dozen nrst- class pumps are in use IN the whole
country. The want OF this machinery has
caused tho abandonment Of many mines that
otherwise would be very profitable. Scarcity Of
son for not using better machines, and also the
difficulty Of transportation. The carriers In
the mines often loaded with from 80 to
$50 pounds, and will for six hours, without
stopping, carry these burdens up starways
| paid, and since the middle Of the eighteenth
century this service has been entirely voluntary,
Notwithstanding the vast amount OF syinDat ny
the world has felt for what has been considered
as slavery In these mines. Two methods Of sep
arating the silver are used-by analgamation
with mercury and by smelling. The old plan
Of erOsteIs, or OF crushing tho ores by an i'm
mense stone wheel turned In circular bed by
mules, rs Is often seen for making brick, Is al
most universally used. Horses and mules To the
number Of several hundred are sometimes driv
| EN- over an immense circular bed covered with
the already partially DuIvcriZed ores, mixed with
mercury, when IN time prod the most per
feet pulverizi atom and trituration Of the entire
mass.
The product Of the single group OF mines at
| GuanaX INTO, since their discovery in lJD6, has
been aDOut one billion dollars, or One.siXth of
! habitant- has sprung up about II. The vein 10
! known to he 5000 feet in length. OF which but
a small proportion has been worked out, and
has been worked to u depth Of 100 feet. a
single one OF this group Of mines has had in
/ EMPLOYMENT more than 5000 miners at a time.
| luis Is the most prOhtab example Of mining
! ia Mexico, while tue other extreme IL a vast
/ multitude Of failures and misfOrtunes. The
] causes OF want of success are the same as are
! found everywhere, with the addition OF insuffl-
! Gent Government protection. out OF which
como forced contributions. robbery, and indian
] deYredatilns. From these causes, which nave
sooner or later broken up a largo proportion II
mining enterprises in this country. foreign capt
tai, that many OCcasil ms has freely offered
itself during the past 100 years, no longer seek
such danger Gus enterprises. the ex erence oI the
past - years IN this direction being little else
/ than series of disasters. Successful mining
requires here, as everywhere else. Immense cap
ital. The need OF running experimental drift,
In order 20 keep track OF tue vein is imperative,
aud the want of capital 10 do this work, often
! Tor long periods unproductiyc, has led To the
aoandonment OF many valuable mines. The
mines Of Pdchuca, neglected for noarly cen
/ tutv. were, by the Introduction OF useful ma
/ chlncrv, recently made to weld profit OF about
a million dollars wear. Til 1873 when the ven
| gave out. In unsuccessful efforts To lind itagait
has been spent since that time as great "A SUN "A.
| were the previous recent PROFITS.