The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-09-29
A Cod-Forsaken Country where
Cold Ore Runs s25O,OOO
to the Ton.

to the Ton.
We recently mentioned the fact tina
Col. T.. DOMAIN, formerly OF the Raleigh
Sentinel, was astonishing the Mlnne-ot;
miners by his exhibit of specimens col
lected in New Mexico. He, of course
bubbles osef with enthusiasm, and /
any of our readers feel inclined TO graf
their hats and rush for Santa tie, VT
counsel them to study the diverse
side OF the picture, as painted by the
Colonel. Yet he gives many items o1
Interest, and We trust will work up al
enthusiasm in behalf of our Southern
ullneS.
From the Wisconsin Free Lance.
On Saturday last Col. i. Donan ar
rived from the far southwest. He Is
well known to our readers, having from
time to time furnished most excellent
letters for them. The Colonel came up
here with the Arkansas editors IN ISIS,
aud wrote one of the finest productions
concerning our Little city and surround
] ings that has ever been published. We
opened the interview:
He said: Il am always glad to get
back to OcOnomowuc, but was never SO
glad as now. think it under auy cir
cumstances, one of the loveliest spots IN
the world but now, by contrast with
the arid deserts of Mexico, aud the
parched up, dusty regions of Missouri
and southern Indiana. from which |
have Just come, its fresh, green grass
and foliage, its blue ripping waters aud
cool, braclng, primrose scented breezes
seem tentold more delightful.
Colonel, you speak of the parched
up condition of Missouri and Southern
| Indiana: how is it down there p
Terrible, sir. In fact, in some re
! gions, starvation begins t. stare the
people in the face. No rain since the
first of June. Dust four inches deep.
Grass all burnt as if a thousand Sirocco-
had swept over it. Corn cut and shock
ed for fodder, with not q full grown
ear in 4 forty-acre field. The very forest
trees dying with the drouth, the people
hauling water, and in some instances
buying it for their stock. This is y
picture Of . large part OF Kansas, Mis-
souri,, and southern Illinois and In
diana"
"You have been in Mexico what sort
OF a country is it
''In my opinion, the richest mineral
region in North America, and the most
Godforsakea in every other respect. A
region Of endless deserts Of dry, yellow
sands sort Of cross between hell ana
rhs Great Sahara, where you trav-
sometimes for fifty miles without get
ting s decent drink OF water, or seeing
4 living thing except cactus, centipedes,
rsttlesnakes, tarranlulas and jack rab
bits. Yet it has lncalcul4blc riches IN
its yct to- Je-dereloped mines Of gold
silver, copper and precious stones. In
ceding what is now New Mexico and
Arizona to the United States, the Me1i
cans surrendered their richest mipiug
region. From the Ration Pass, where
the Atchison, Topeka and Santa FL
spur of the Black Range Of Mimbres
moustains where New Mexico. Arizous
and chihuahua corners, the whole ter
rilory seems one vast bed Of ores and
gems TuIquoises, agates, carnelisns,
topGZes, jaspers, cnyxes, and beautiful.
Ulood-rcd garnets abound in the noun
tains about Santa Re and Socorro, and
the magnificent turquoise in the Rus
star crown-jewel collection came out Of
= mine in the Csrillos mountains, in
sight of Santa Fe, which is just now
being re-opensd by the TIffanys anu
others, Of New York, after having been
ever since the filling up Of all the mines
in his region in the great insurrection
of the Pueblo Indians against the
Spani.rds in 1880. Gold ore is found
=. tL> (on,rac raonntn. thst rrno
from 500, 600 to $3.50, 900 to the ton,
whereas the Home.take ore OF Dead
wood only runs about 81 to the ton. |
have one specimen Of New Mexican
gold ore in my valiss which will run
$3.50, 600 to the ton, and another that
will go $500, 600. They are genuine
ores, white gold bearing quartz ores
and pot nuggets. Bob InSersOll ano
his associates in the Black Range near
San Narcial. stocked it for So, OOO, 900
in two or three weeks after the notori-
Gus pagan plAgiarist announced that
they had stuck 500. 900 ore. Such an
announcement would have been impos
sible and prsposterous ia any ether re
gion yet known. Ore than runs that
IS about half pure gold. Silver ore that
iauS OOO O,OO0 IL
d~ollars--to the ton il found in mssy
regions Of the territory aud | have
seen many specimens OF leaf, horn anG
wire silver ore that would yield from
10, 600 to 20, OO0 ounces to the ton
that is, it was from onr-third to two
thirds pure silver. Copper ore, whole
mountains OF it. abounds in the Oscuras
Gallinas, Ladroncs. Mogollons. and
many other nouutain ranges, that will
yield from % to - per cent. OF pure
copper and silver enough to pay all ex
penses of handling.
"Wh is it, colonel, tina: with al
this wealth, that region 10 20 little de.
veloped and 30 unknowpf'
Because it has. until the rscest com
plstion of the Atchisoa, Topeka aro
Santa Fe railroad, beer almost inacces
sible, cut Of from the rest of the coun-
try and the world ny vast deserts OIL
burning sand, without water, trees or
grass, and infested by the most savage
and desperate Of all our American 10
dians. the Apsches. Even DOW, th.s.
Indiana virtually hold possession Of tn.
country except . narrow strip right
along the railroad, and within the pas
few weeks they have SHOT many prospec
tors and miners in sight Of the Plaza Of
public squares-of some Of tue pr,nci
nal rAilrOad fOwnsD