Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-05-18
The Wealth OF Colorado.

thriving Territories and States and all
this within the space OF few years.
Very many Of the moneyed princes of
the world owe their great wealth to the
mines of Colorado, Nevada aud Cali
fornia. They had faith in the inex
haustible mineral resources the Rocky
mountains, and the result has justified
their faith. In these mountains silver
mining has arrived at the stage OF a
regular and systematic industry an in
dustry of which the United States com.
missioner OF mining statistics says /:
cit is the safest and most profitable of
all industries" 1t is never hurt or
shaken by panics, which are becoming
so frequent, and which 80 often retard
or ruin every other industry.
There is only one class OF persons
connected with mining interests who,
in the aggregate, are 80 unfortunate as
not to make large profits. They are the
discoverers. They are class peculiar
10y themselves; they are in measure
nomads, who, having cut loose, for
one reason and another, from home
ties and the influence OF refined society.
wander up and down over the great
mining districts, seeking for find, and
when once found they sell it for pit.
tance. not knowing how good "they have
struck it," for a lack OF scientific
knowledge, aud 80 they move on for
the next, with the singular ambition TO
be known as excellent in discoveries
Fascinated with the romance, rudencss
and independence Of camp life. they
live up in the grea! mountains, glory in
their priyations, and look down with
pity upon the more eGeminate wellers
upon the plains. They have no money
to develop their discoveries, and have
lost all business habits. il they ever had
any, aud do not know how to deal with
capital seeking investment.
Comstock, the discoverer OF the world
famed Comsiock, out OF which con-
siderably over one hundred millions of
dollars has already been taken, sold il
for $3.50 worth OF groceries. One OF the
discoveries Of the Terrible" out of
which 80 much money has been made,
sold his halt for $500. and the remain
ing half was sold few days later for a
triae more. The great Hercules "
was sold by the diacoverers for mere
song" The history OF mining is filed
with such instances. where these inval-
uable pioneers Of the worlds wealth
have pointed the way to great riches for
others, but have got scarcely anything
for themselves.
Silver mining can bs traced as far
back into antiquity as written history.
In the time OF Abraham, Moses and
Solomon silver was used, and the ga nc
may be said Of the Egyptians, the
Greeks and the Romans. There were
silver coins s95 b. G. The Romans
employed 25. 900 men in q single mine;
the Csrthageniaus, 40,0OO men in the
mines OF Spain. Hannibal took from
one mine 100000 a year; Cato as
much from mines and Helvctius twice
as much. Herodotus says: THE ma
tions subdued by the Persians, except
the Indies and Antioch, paid a yearly
tribute of $4,000, 900 in silver"
Pliny says that in his time silver
mines in Spain were penetrated a mile
and half According TO Prescott, the
historian, Prince Atahulpa, made
prisoner, had gathered 10 pay for his
liberty the value Of SO. 500. 900 gold,
and 5l,6l0 marks, or about 25,s05
pounds of silver. From 1884 to 1927
the great silver mines of Pasco, in
South America, smelted 4,967,Ti0
pounds troy silver. The silver mines
of Bolivia aud Peru yielded from their
discovery by the Spaniards in 1Sl5 :
quantity of silver equal in value $780,
100000. The Grand Potosi, Of Bolivia.
was discovered in 1916. Since then it
has produced e2iO.OOO, 900 in sill
yer.
Humboldt's Essai Pollitique" states
that the mines Of Mexico OF only few
central spots, yielded between the con-
quest and 1906, s2.O27. .952, 600.
The great mining regions OF the
United States have produced OF the
precious metals since the first dis
coveries in California, a little over
thirty years ago, the enormous sum of
not less than $4,000. 600, 600, of which
large proportion is silver.
The mines of Colorado produce
chiefly silver. The vast wealth Of the
great deposits in that State are Just be.
ginning 10 be appreciated. In 1876 her
mines produced about 81, 900. 900. In