Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-09-16
FABULOUS WEALTH
In GOd-F Orsaken New Mexico
Gold Ore $250,0OO
to the Ton.
Why and how the Indians Hold
Possession.
Colonel Pat Donan Returns With
Trophies and Samples.
Oe0nOmowOo Mis.l Froe Pcs. lO.l

olAAhCN ~ bnC LOMunCuQ lOuoC AlOhl
the far Southwest. He is we'll known
to our readers, having from time to
time, furnished letters for them. The
colonel came up here withthe Arkan.
saw editors in 1879, and wrote one Of
the finest productions concerning our
little city and surroundings that has
ever been published. We opened the
interview with the following ques-
ton
Colonel, it has been some time
since you paid us a visit; how does it
seem, to be onc more in the City of
Lakes2"
He said: II am always glad to get
back to Oconomowoc, but was never
so glad as now. | think it is, under
any circumstances, one of the loveliest
little spots in the world, a perfect gem
among all our charming watering
places; but now, by contrast with the
arid deserts OF Mexico, and the
p~arched-up, dusty regions of Missouri
and Southern Indiana, from which |
have just come, its fresh, green grass
and foliage, its blue ripping waters
and cool, bracing, primrose-scented
breezes seem tenfold more delightful
than ever before. The wonder to me
is that you have room enough in all
out-of-dOors te hold the people that
come here for the summer delights.
You wouldn't have, if the world knew
and appreciated tho full charms of the
place."
Colonel, you speak of the parched-
up condition of Missouri and South
ern Indiana; how is it down there?"
Terrible, sir. In fact, in some
regions, starvation begins to stare the
people in the face. No rain since the
first of June. Dust four inches deep.
Grass all burnt off as if a thousand
Siroeeos had swept over it. Corn cut
and shocked for fodder, with not a full
grown ear in a forty acre field. The
very forest trees dying with the
drought, and people hauling water and
in some instances buying it for their
stock. This is a picture Of a large
part of Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky
and southern Illinois and Indiana"
You have been in Mexico for some
time; what sort of a country is lt?"
I'm my opinion, the richest mineral
region in North America, and the most
God forsaken in every other respect.
A region of endless deserts of dry vel
low sand-a sort of cross between hell
and the great Sahara, where you travel
sometimes for fifty miles without get
ting a decent drink Of water, or seeing
a living thing except cactus, cent
pedes, rattlesnakes tarrantulas, and
~iackrabits. And yet, it has infinite,
inealculable riches in its yet to be de-
veloped mines of gold, silver, copper
and precious stones. In ceding what
is now New Mexico and Arizona to
the United States, the Mexicans
rendered their richest mining regions.
From the Baton Pass, where the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe rail
road enters New Mexico, to the last
spur of the Black Range, or Mimbres
mountains, where New Mexico, Ari-
IONA and chihuahua corners. the
whole territory seems one vast bed of
ores and gems. Turquoises, agates,
carnelians, topazes, jaspers, onyxes,
and beautiful blood red garnets abound
id the mountains about Santa Fe
and SocOro, and the magnificent
turquoise in the Russian crown
jeweled collection came out of a mine
in the Cerrillos mountains, in sight Of
Santa Fe, which isjust now being re-
opened by the Tifanys and Others. of
New York, after having been closed
ever since the filling up of all the
mines in this region in the great insur-
rection Of the Pueblo Indians against
the Spaniards in 1850. Gold ore is
found in the White Oaks region of the
Oscuras mountains, that runs from
100000 to $250,000 to the ton, where.
as the Homestake ore of Deadwood
only runs about 81 to the ton. have
one specimen Of New Mexican gold
ore here in my valise which will run
500, 600 to the ton, and another that
will go Sl5O,000. They are genuine
ores, white gold bearing quartz ores.
and not nuggets. Bob Ingersoll and
his associates in the Ivanhoe mine. in
the Black Range near San Marcial.
stocked it for $1,000, 900 in two or
three weeks after the notorious pagan
plagiarist announced that they had
struck 100000 ore. Such an an
nouncement would have been impos-
slble and preposterous in any other
region yet known. Ore that runs that
is about half pure gold. Silver ore
that runs from 800 to 5000 ounces
that is dollars-to the ton is found in
many regions Of the territory; and /
have een many specimens of leaf, horn
and wire silver ore that would Weld
from 10000 to 10000 ounces to the ton
that is, it was from one-third to two
thirds pure silver. Copper ore. whole
mountains of it, abounds in the Os-
curas, Gallinas, LadrOnes, Mogollons.
and many other mountain ranges. that
will yield from Is to 70 per cent of
pure copper, and silver enough to nav
all expenses Of handling. In short.
the wealth Of that country is abso.
lutely fabulous, incredible to n who
has not examined it, and I'm afraid
you will set me down as a modern
Munchausen or official bulletin if /
tell you anything more about it,"
why is it. Colonel, that with all
this wealth, that region is so little de
veloped and so unknown"
Because it has, until recent COM
pletion Of the Atchison, Topeka and
Santa Fee railroad, been almosts in
accessible, cut off from the rest Of the
country and the world by vast deserts
of burning sand, without water. trees
or grass, and Infested by the most
savage and desperate of all our Amer
lean Indians, the Apaches. Even
these Indians virtually hold posses.
sion Of the country except a narrow
strip right along the railroad, and
within the past few weeks they have
killed many protectors and miners in
sight Of the Plazas-or public squares
of some Of the principal railroad
towns"
why arc they not swept out Of the
Way2 How can they hold such a coun.
try against the whites?"
"They are infinitely better soldiers
than the Indians Of any other tribe:
they are s~plendidly armed and
mounted; they are dead shots, reck-