The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1881-10-06

Taken from the Primitive Pachuca MIines
In Mexico. In thirty Years.

IN Mtkirus IN IntftN NtuEa-
lPachncA Cor. Boston Hsraldl
Far more than three hundred years
the mines of Pachuca have been worked
by the Mexicans- first by the Mexicans
pure and simple, then by the Spaniards
and iiow again by Mexicans, who would
.scorn the name Of Spaniard, though his
blood mingles in their veins. Here in
this very town was discovered the pro.
cess Of amalgamation now in use to-day,
by which all the precious ores dug from
the mountain are made TO yidld their
Silver. Yes, more, the very hacienda is
still worked, and profitably, in which,
in 1857, Senior Medina, made that dis
coyery 30 valuable to Mexico. Senor
Medina has passed away, ii is presumed,
but his memory still lives. The English
colony comprises about three hundred
and fifty men, women and children, from
the mining district Of Cornwall. The
first Cornish miners came here about
fifty years ago, Introducing English ma
chinery and modes Of working the mines,
much to the benefit Of the owners.
Some of the original number are still
living, though very few, and all here now
agree as 70 the healthf1lness OF the eli.
mate as place Of residence for English
people. Though some Of them have ac-
! qnired wealth and some have retired TO
old England with enough and 10 spare,
the majority have earned little more than
o living. -Preearious ypropertyare these
mines, except in exceptional cases. The
most noteworthy Of all the instances Of
poor men striking it rich is that Of the
Santa Gertrudis mine, which is now :. in
bouanz9." ut had been isnccessiyely
worked and abandoned years and years
ago, and was finally pronounced "-or
taken TO work-by Cornish man, who
has just died. Forming o small COM
! pany in 1877, he commenced active
work. After twas proved that the mine
was paying he sold out his share-nine
twenty-fifths $4,000. Since then,
one tIcIity-fifth has sold for $50, 900, the
present price per bana or share. This
would give at that rate $720, 900 for what
he got but $4,000 for. The mine has
been Gin bonanza" now for three years,
and is yielding about 5000 cargas Of 800
pounds each Of metal weekly, and Civ.
ing a clear profit Of 81 900 per day.
From June, 1877, to March, 1881, the
mine produced 81, 800 600, and declared
thirty.two dividends Of go, 900 each
S64O,000. In June, 1877, there was but
one shaft Of sixty varas-a vnra is little
less thnn "a yard-now the deepest shaft
is ITO varas there is powerful pump
ing and Shoisting engine, many large
buildingsl and all the appurtenances OF 6
mine in this section, all paid forg With
all this profit present and prospective,
all the ore obtained here is sent to be
reduced to Regla, distance Of seven
leagues. This mine, which is located
less than two miles from the center ol
4 Pachuca, is owned principally by men
who were poor at the time they com
menced To worlfit There are, it is said
two distinct lodes, running parallel and
i at less than fifty yards from each other
At first the vein worked was only vars
wide, but as, they, wen I. down they iouni
q cavern filed with metallic mush,
twenty-four feet vide. They were d
FIRST compelled to timber around greai
deal for the sake Of economy, taking ou
merely enough-to meet current expenses
What remained was "pure black sui
| phmets, wbiclfashtmed globules Of no
tive silver when exposed to fire." On
can trace the silver lode as it crops ou
!, above the surface aud runs diagonall,
across the hills, and, il appearances ar
good for any thing, the two new mines o
DIR. Skilton, the Santo Tomas ell Nuev
and, the Santa Catarina, To the west Q
Santa Gertrudis, are right in the silve
track. We visited these latter, whicl
are at present operated by the old-fash
ioncd Mexican mode, the metal bein
brought up in bullock-skins by means Q
long ropes Of magney fiber wound abou
large drum operated by mules Q
horses. The whole district abounds i
picturesque features, but none more 5
than these primitive Mines One hur
dred million dollars taken from one min
in thirty years This is the amount d.
clared on good authority to have bee
extracted from the Rosario Mine since
was started in 1885,. and the books sho
that there has been paid $500, 600 pc
4 fhare in dividends lAi N
r tH rF