Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-06-23
sloo,OOO,ooO.
Taken from the Primitive Pachuca
Mines in Mexico in Thirty Years.
Boston Herald.

Boston Herald
For more than three hundred years
the mines of Pachuca have been worked
by the Mexicans-frst by the Mexicans
pure and simple, then by the Spaniards
and now 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 yield their
silver. Yes, more, the very hacienda is
still worked and proftablv, in which,
IN 1857 Senior Medina made that dis
covery so valuable to Mexico. Senior
Medina has passed away, it is presumed,
but his memory stilllives. The English
colony comprises about $50 men women
and children, from the mining district
of Cornwall. The first Cornish miners
came here about fifty years ago, intro
ducing English machinery 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 to the health
fulness of the climate as place Of resi-
dence for English people.
Though some of them have acquired
wealth and some have retired to old
England with enough and to spare, the
majority have earned little more than a
living. Precarious property are 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
bonanza" it had been successfully work.
ed and abandoned years and years ago,
and was finally "pronounced"-or
taken to work-by Cornishman who
has just died.
Forming small company in 1877 he
commenced active work. After it was
proven that the mine was paying he sold
ont his NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
$4,000. Since then one-twenty- tiftt
!: has sold for $50, 900, the present price pei
bana OF share. This would give at tina
rate $72O, 900 for what he got but SIS, OO'
for. The mine has been "in bonanza
now for three years, and is yielding
about 5000 cargas of 300 pounds each o
metal weekly and giving clear prof
! of $1,000 per day. From June, 1877, t
J March, 1881, the mine produced $4,000
900 and declared thirty-two dividends {
$40, 900 eacl-S64O, 900. In June, 1877
! there was but one shaft ofsixty varas
vara is little less than yard); now til
deepest shaft is 100 varas. There is
i, powerful pumping and hoisting engine
D many large buildings and all the appu
L. tenances of mine in this section, a
re paid for. With all this profit, preser
" and prospective, all the ore obtaine
ii here is sent to be reduced to Regla,
in distance of seven leagues. This min
which is located less than two mill
from the centre of Pachuca, is owne
principally by men who were poor
IN IN the time they commenced to work
CO There are, it is said, two distinct lode
running parallel and less than fifty yar'
= from each other at first the vein wOr]
ed was only vara wide, but
ID they went down they found a caver
ID filed with "metallic slush" twenty-fo1
n feet wide. They were at first compellt
= to timber around great deal for Il
~ sake of economy, taking out mere
It. enough to meet current expenses. VIII
OF remained was "pure black sulphur
he which exhumed globules of native silv
a. when exposed to fire." One can ira
ii, the silver lode as it crops out above t.
~ surface and runs diagonally across t
hills; and if appearances are good
en- anything, the two new mines of l
de Skillton, the Santo Tomas ell Nuevo a
I +. the Santa Catarina, to the west of San
Gertrudis, are right in the silver trac
c. We visited these letter, which are
present operated by the old-fashion
- Mexican mode, the metal being broug
49, up in bullock skins by long ropes of MI
,e,. ney fibre wound about large drum
~,t Grated by mules or horses. The VIII
re. district abounas in picturesque featur
Ivy but none more so than these primiti
ALL mines. One hundred million dollars tt
out en- from one mine in thirty years! l.
mo is the amount declared on good author
nc. to have been extracted from the Ros
mine since it was started in 1850,
:. the books show that there has been p
$500, 1000 per share in dividends.
w. IINfv son Won had better tarry,