Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-01-01
MEXICO.
OUR NEIGHBoR's MINERAL AND AGRI-
CULTURAL WEALTH
The Importance of Extending Our Com
mercial Relations with the Republic
Some Practical Views.

By the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, in
lS4s, and the Gadsden purchase, in 1858,
the United States acquired from Mexico
the territory now in the States of Cali
fornia, Nevada and Texas, the Territories
of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, andth
southern part of Colorado. 1t extends
from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific
Ocean, from the twenty sixth to the forty
second parallels of north latitude, and in
cludes within its boundaries 967, 45l square
miles of land. 1t is safe to assert that no
other portion of our country has made such
tremendous strides in wealth and impor-
lance during the past quarter of century.
When Incorporated into the Union it was
without population or commerce 1t did
not possess mile of railroad, town of
any size, settled population or trade
Now it is
THE WEALTHIEST,
The most prosperous and the most pro-
gressive section of the United States. 1t
produced from lS4S to 1876 gold and silver
to the value of 81, 1893, 372 lS5. 1t is now
producing from $50, 900, 600 to so, 900, 600
annually, and the richest deposits are yet
comparatively untouched. The wheat crop
of California and Texas is worth $40, 000,-
900 each year. The cotton crop OF Texas
is worth S35, 900, 000 annually, and its corn
crop is valued at $50, 600, 900. There are
within the limits of this territory not less
than 100000 cattle and 100000 sheep.
In 1850 it did not possess mile of rail-
way. In 1875 it had 1000 miles. In now
possesses over 6,0G0, and is building more
extensively than any other part of the
country. Its wines, fruits, wool, silk,
wheat, barley, corn, cotton, gold, silver,
quicksilver, copper, lead, sulphur, borax
and thousand other products, mineral
and vegetable, are unapproachable in quail
ity and exhaustless in quantity. Yet this
vast and rich territory, that under the
vivifying influence of
AMERICAN ENTERPRISE
Has developed into an empire of almost
fabulous wealth, was considered at the
time of its cession by the Mexicans them
selves as the most insignificant portion of
their wide domain, and as such was readily
yielded to the conquerors. The present
territory of Mexico, though smaller in ex-
tent than that surrendered to the United
States, is unquestionably richerin resources.
At the time of the Spanish conquest the
natives possessed gold and silver in abund-
ance, and their mines had doubtless been
worked with profit for centuries. Since
that time they have poured flood of the
precious metals into the channels of trade.
The best authorities estimate the total
product of gold and silver from 1921 to
1876 at So, 49S, $40, 600. The present an
nual yield is nearly $50, 900, 900. 1t would
be very much larger if a stable government
and modern system of transportation al
lowed the business of mining to be pursued
in thorough manner. All authorities
agree in pronouncing the mineral wealth of
the Northern States of Mexico
INEXHAUsTIBLE.
Wards official report to the British Gov
eminent says 1.-THE States of Durango,
Sonora, Chihuahua and Sinaloa contain an
intinity OF mines hitherto but little known,
but holding out, wherever they have been
tried, promise of riches superior to any
thing that Mexico has yet produced" The
| Mexican Committee on Mining Taxes re-
ported in 1868 that g the mineral wealth
of the States of Durango, Sonora and Chi
huahua is greater than all the rest of our
! territory" Dr. Wislizenus, in his work on
Northern Mexico, says "The silver mines
of the State of Chihuahua though worked
| for centuries, seem to be inexhaustible.
J. Ross Browne, in his report on mining
statistics in 1865, says " Durango is very
rich in silver, but its wealth was not known
until Just before the revolution, and there
has been comparatively little exploration
since" In paper read before the Royal
Geographical Society of London in 1859 by
Charles SEWN, 1t is stated that sin space
of two square leagues all the mountain of
Santa Eulalia, Chihuahua, contain silver"
The total yield of the Santa Eulalia mines
is estimated at 1880, 100000 Great as has
been the yield of these mines, the opinion
is general among those best acquainted
with them that not only is their wealth
not exhausted, but that their richness has
not even been fully tested. The surface
has only been scratched, and in most in
stances the ores have been worked in the
crudest and most primitive manner. With
such machinery and system as prevails on
the Comstock lode, the product of these
border States would be incalculable.
ANOTHER STANDARD AUTHORITY
Says of Sinaloa "The State of Sinaloa
is said to be literally covered with silver
mines. Scientific explorers who visited
the Sinaloa mines in 1872 reported that
those on the Pacific slope would be the
great source of supply of silver for the
next century" In the palmy days of
mining, before the revolution, when by
wise and liberal laws that industry was
encouraged and protected, the city of
chihuahua had a population of 10000.
Anarchy and misrule, and the want of
railroads, have destroyed this prosperity
and the town now contains no more than
u, 900 people, but the mines are still there
and need nothing but American enterprise
to restore them to all their former pro-
ductiveness. Santa Eulalia, too, has sunk
from its former magnificence, and since
1888, when regular operations were in
terrupted, it has not retained more than
l 800 or 1000 of its population. These,
however, as well as the inhabitants of the
surrounding country, are wholly supported
by its mines, which now, under the most
discouraging circumstances, turn out a
large and steady yield. But compared
with the agricultural wealth of Mexico,
its precious metals sink into insignificance
With its favorable climate and vast extent
of fertile soil there is no commodity de-
manded by commerce that it cannot
produce
CHEAPLY AND ABUNDANTLY.
Even under existing circumstances, with
an indolent population, no railroads, aud
no improved machinery, the yield of corn,
wheat, sugar coffee and cotton is enor-
nous. Ii its broad plateaus were trav-
ersed by railroads, connecting with the
American system, the stimulating effect of
the demand thus created would develop
production until no portion of the earth's
surface would yield such returns. Coffeeand
sugar are two articles in enormous demand
within the United States, and for which
we must always 60 beyond the limits of
our present territory. Mexico can easily
supply any possible demand for these ar
tlcles. 1t produces at present enough
coffee for home consumption and a surplus
for export. The chaotic condition OF the
Government makes it impossible to get any