The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-11-12
A MARVELLOUS STORY.
Enormous Mineral Wealth in tho Sierra
Mojadas, Mexico-Hills OF Gold and q
Mountain of Silver In Sight. -


Mojadas, Mexico-Hills OF Gold and g
Mountain OF Silver In Sight.
Following is an extract from letter
written from Matamoras, Mexico, by
Charles S. Williams, formerly of Peoria
ILL.,, to William T. Hubbard, Of Quincy,
Ill.
You have doubtless heard accounts
of the discoveries of gold in fabulous
quantities in the Sierra Mojadas. The
accounts cannot be exaggerated, since
the Imagination cannot conceive, Of
such vast quantity of gold and silver
boarded by nature in one rugged mount.
ain-range. The tallest stories would
not be fabulous in this case. have
been there, and know whereof I affirm.
You know + have been something OF a
traveller; that I have seen the mines oi
California, Australia and among the
Ural Mountains-for, during my wan
derings, ] corresponded with you; but
now here on this planet have ever seen
the same richness in mines-the same
uncounted tons of gold. The very
mountains, lofty and rugged as they are,
seem to be built of gold. Untold millions
of the yellow ores and dust are in sight;
how much there may be hidden in the
heart OF mountains only he who created
all wealth can tell. 81
If I had not been there, and one had
attempted to tell only one-halt of the
II nth in regard to those golden noun
tains, though he had been my nearest
kinsman, or most trusted friend. 1
would not lave accepted his story as
truth. I shall not ask you to. believe
me when I say that there are, in those
wild, almost inaccessible mountains,
great hills of gold, miles in length, hun:
dreds of feet in height, and hundreds Of
yards in width. And yet it is the lit
eral truth. And not far away from the
yer ore, richer than any ores Of Lead
vile, VirginiassCity, or any other bo-
nanza mines yet discovered. This silver
mountain throws in the shade the far
famed hill of Santa Eulalia, in Chihua-
hua, from which 5000, 200, 600 in silver
has been taken. I know you will think
tell incredible stories. I have not
told half the truth.
But why are not these mines worked
developed at once? The answer is
not difficult. They are in Mexico
and nothing is done in hurry, except
changing the government. In the next
place, territorial jurisdiction is claimed
by the three States of Coahuila, San
Luis Potosi, and Chihuahua, The mines
are undoubtedly clearly in the State
of San Luis Potosi; but the conflicting
claims must be settled, as each has q
military force in the neighborhood, and
suppresses ali attempts to carry on min
ing operations. Then the title is in doubt.
Up till within a week before my depart
ure from San Felipe, the nearest pueblo
to tho mining region, it was supposed
that the Mojadas were part of the
public domain. But interested parties
made the discovery that the identical
tract upon which the richest discoveries
have been made was long ago granted
away, in the usual Mexican style Of lib
erality, to the extent of six Spanish
leagues square.
There was much excitement in San
Luis Potosi and Saltillo over the an
nouncement that the great mines were
private property, and, the strangest part
of all, the property of an American by
birth, if living, and his heirs if dead.