The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-03-18
SONORA SILVER.
Strange, Weird Tales of Vast Treas.
ure In Arizona.

Many traditions exist, says the ArI-
IONA Record, among the natives of So.
nora, concerning the maryellously rich
discoveries of silver and gold in Arizo-
ma and Sonora. The writer, during a
recent stay IN Sonora, was privileged
to examine mass of old manuscripts.
the work of the ancient Jesuit mission
aries. Some of these, referring to the
mineral wealth of Arizona and Sonora,
were so interesting that the writer made
several foundations. One of the most
interesting of these relates to the story
of mines of marvellous richness discoy-
cred near the "Real de Arizona" by an
Indian.
The treasure was found close to a
mountain whose SIDE extended nearly
half league until it arrived at ra-
vine, which wound through the ada
cent hills, and is the bed of a running
creek during the rainy season, but the
remainder of the year is perfectly dry.
To this point all the population rushed
in great hopes and found treasure
enough to satisfy their desires. On the
whole side of the mountain and In the
rsvine were found pieces, large and
small, many like balls of silver, others
half silver, the remainder being COM
posed of other kinds of metal. The
weight of these pieces averaged from q
half to one and a half drrabos 25
pounds). This discovery ATTRACTED
from ali parts the Spsnisrds, who, with
the work only of moving little dirt
from one place to another, found Jumps
and masses of silver of prodigious size.
A poor man who had travelled from
the city of Guadsjars, a distance of
more than 800 leagues, had the good
fortune to find lump of silver weigh
ing 525 pounds. Notwithstanding his
luck he never received any benefit from
it, for it was confiscated by the govern
ment officers. Others in their discov-
cries were more fortunate, finding
masses of greater weight and size, but
what was most remarkable in these dis,
coveries was, that little distance from
the surface a mass of pure silver was
encountered, according 10 the account
least exaggerated, that weighed 40 ar
robas, which resisted all attempts to
divide 1t, and being so large and heavy,
the finders were obliged to melt it by
the force of fire, and even after that
operation nine arrsbos of silver were
refined from the ashes, and afterward
on second refinement, notable guam
tIty was extracted. "Persons curious
in these matters" says the father "as-
sure me- that the amount taken out in a
short time, and with no expense,
amounted 20 400 arrabos of pure sill
ver."
At the report of such notable discov-
cries, the commander of the nearest
preside doubted whether so much sill
yer was produced from the veins CT
mines, and suggested that it was hid
den treasure recently discovered, be-
cause in cases of mineral veins the sill
yer belonged to the finders after paying
the royal dues, but if it was treasure
his most Catholic majesty appropriated
the major part, and very lite was left
tor the finders. Until this point could
be settled by competent authority,
the presidio attached the whole of the
silver discovered reporting Immediately
to the Viceroy of New Spain. In Mexico
various we're the opinions respecting it,
but the most favorable prevailed. The
attachment was withdrawn and the sill
yer was returned to the order.