Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-02
MEXICAN MINES.
Interview With q Returned TeDues-
seean.
A Rich, UndeveIOped Country.

ANPOA JObbCA q III - ShA
man who has been at the Santa Rosa
(Mexico) mines with the Santa Ger.
trudes mining comrany Of Nashville.
Tennessee, from whom some interest
ing items were obtained. This com
pany was organized about six year:
ago, with a paid up capital Of from
fifty to sixty thousand dollars. The
mine, however, had been worked years
before. During the last two years a
shaft was sunk at a depth of $50 feet.
from the foot of which a drift $50 feet
was run to strike the vein below the
old works. The drift is now beyond
and below the old works, and no new
metal has been struck. This work
has, therefore, been abandoned, and a
shaft is being sunk on the upper vein,
which was originally worked. 1t is
stated that the vein on which this shaft
is being sunk is very rich, and ASSAYS
from sixty to one hundred and odd
ounces to the ton. The deposit is very
large. No metal is yet being taken
out, however. The company have
already expended between thirty and
forty thousand dollars at the mines,
and under the superintendent Of j.
N. Judson, mining engineer and as
sayist, the company are hopeful Of yet
realizing largely from their enterprise.
There are many other mines in this
district which is rich in silver and
has plenty of coal, wood and water.
None Of the mining companies have
as yet declared a dividend, but the
San Rafael expects to yield dividend
in the course Of this year.
The Lipan Indians, of which tribe
there are now thirty or forty warriors
in the Santa Rosa mountains, have re-
Gently been doing all manner of devil
ment in the vicinity Of Santa Rosa.
They have killed a great many Mexi-
cans, men, women and children, and
have stolen horses. They generally
come into the Santa Rosa valley on
foot and ride out on horseback. They
come down at every full moon, The
Mexican government now has two
companies of soldiers in the valley,
instructed to hunt them down and ex-
terminate them. The soldiers arc a
great protection. They recently
caught three squaws and several chill
dren, which were sent to Monclova to
be disposed of by the Mexican gov
eminent.
The people do not seem to know
where the railroads will cross the RiC
Grande, but the people of Laredo are
hopeful Of receiving one road. The
Laredo people still expect to get the
Corpus Christi road.
Mexico is in a more prosperous con
ditiOn than for seme time. There has
boen no instruction to amount tC
any thing for over two years. and con.
fidence in the goverrmen is much
stronger than for many years. Il
point of progress, however, the north
ern frontier appears to be stationary
The masses know nothing about rail
roads, hence do not know what to ex
pect from them, and do not know
what preparations to make for thei
coming. Very few have even an ide.
what railroad Is, but there IS a grea
deal Of tak about the ferro earrll,
Men possessed Of enterprise woulC
make a fortune in the country, a
affairs are still conducted on the mos
primitive principles. The plows 0
the farmers are cheap and common
Any farmer can get one-they grow Of
trees, and all they have to do is h
chop them off. The beam aud plo7
are one solid piece, the plow poin
being the fork Of a limb, whore tn
beam terminates, The beam is abou
fifteen or twenty feet long, at the heat
of which the oxen are yo<ed. By thi
method 10 fOrrows are turned, but tn.
ground is simply torn or scratched h
a depth Of from three to four inches
It is plowed one way and then across
1t cannot be said that the Mexican
peasant stands between the handles O
the blow, as il has but one handle to il
The country about Santa Rosa il
under fair Mexican cultivation. TIT
farmer does not buy land, but so man,
days Of water for the month or year
All the farms are irrigated. TN,
richness Of the farmer is estimate,
according to the extent Of the wate
privileges he enjoys. They produc
corn, wheat and cane, principally, bu
produce no potatoes in this section
The cotton worm is very d~estructiv
in this region. and the staple is no
cultivated. Fruits and vegetable
grow well. and are produced in abun
dance. The climate about Santa Ros
is delightful,