Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-04
tETTER FROM MExICot =
The Mines Of Batopilas and Their
n =, Worth.
AN INFORMANT AND AUTHENTIC STATEMENT FUR
NlSHED ,BY GOV. A. R. SHEPHERD TO THE MEXI-
CAN school OF MINES.

~ 49, n
Correspondence Of THE EVENING STAR.
'tE BAT0PILAs July 16, 1888.
Your correspondent succeeded to-day in OBJ
tanning a'coN Of very interesting statement
OF the mines his wonderful district, which
had Just been t3Hpared by Gov. A. R. Shepherd
for the Mexican school Of mines. This is the
first statement ever made by Gov. Shepherd as
to the Locality "a which he is operating, and it
Will serve to show your readers throughout the
United States something of what American en-
terprise is doing away down here in the heart
OF the Sierra Madres. The letter is as follows:
BATOPILAs. July 10Th, 1885,
Governor Luis Te,rdzds, President. and Senior
tomas MdcnanuS, Committee of the Mexican
Society Of Miners, chihuahua:
Gentlenen:-I am in receipt Of the communfca-
ton of Don Tomas Macmanus of date of June
$50, 1883, asking tor detailed information as to
the mining district Of BatOpilas, and take great
pleasure in furnishing such data as is in my pos
session and available for the purpose indicated.
First submit a Typographical sketch of the
real OF Batopilas and the surrounding mining
district.
Commencing at the extreme southerly point,
as shown In the sketch. you will note the
i'DEsCUBRIDORA"
hacienda, and adjoining, the mines Of the Des-
cubrldOra. This hacienda and mines are the
property Of the "Descubrdora Consolidated Sill
yer Mining Co.," of New York and Mexico, Of
which Mr.. George W. Quintard. Of New York,
is president, and the subscriber vice president
and general manager. The hacienda consists of
afive-stamp mill Of $50 lbs. stamps two frue van
ners, two amalgamating pans and settler. retort,
water pilas, Lama pilas, and is now in complete
working order. The capacity of the mill is ten
tons daily, and the hacienda comprises in addi.
ton, a Tienda de Raya, dwelling-house for
superintendent, employees and workmen,
steam steam pump pump and boiler for forcing
mill, and occupies about ten acres of ground.
The cost of the mill and improvements and hac-
enda has been about $50 600 Directly above the
hacienda site. and to the north of it. is the De-
scubridora tunnel; which is o cross cut tunnel,
with direction little east of north. This tun-
mel is nearly 800 feet long, and was driven for
the purpose OF cutting the veins in the property
The property consists Of four full pertenencias,
IN which are located a vast number of silver
bearing veins: The principal ones are the San
men. "Pyramid' and ''Guadalupe." The two
first have been cut by the tunnel and some work
done upon them; shaft has been driven from
the surface to connect with the San Francisco"
vein in the tunnel for ventilation and explora-
ton; between 800 and 400 tons OF ore. varying
from 1900 to $50 per ton, have been extracted,
and are now being benefciated at the mill. The
total workings Oh this property are about ], 800.
feet and its promise for the future is most excel
lent. The class Of silver comprises white black
and ruby, with considerable petauki. These ores
are all treated by amalgamatiOn in the pans.
and yield readily to that treatment, portion of
the richer,netaf, however requiring to be roasted
before amalgamation. The amount expended in
the development Of these mines to the present
date is about $4,000. - IT.
Going north the next property is the -
CARNEY MINE,
which is owned by Mr. Byron Ford. This mine
has been worked but little, and has yielded some
silver. Adjoining these two properties are nu-
merous Veins, some of which have been pros
pected, but too Insignificant for more than mere
mention.
Between the Descubridora and San Antonio
arroyos lays the ..,. -.
SAY FRANCISCO" NINE,
an Old mipe. viii ch Yields an excellent quality
OF iron ore OF value in smelling. This mine is
the property of Me5srs. Beccara Brothers, of
Unique, aid is highly esteemed By them. Some
of the orc from this mine has been used at the
hacienda of San Miguel IN smelling furnace, and
found to make most excellent fux.
Crossing the DescubridOfa arroyo into the
arroyo of San Antonio, in nOrtherly direction,
you will fnd the
''CAMUCHEU DEL SUR"
a property owned by Messrs. John Burns, Robert
Duff, Alex. t. Shepherd and l.. H. Stevens
This is a property of promise. but the workings
are inconsiderable Across the arroyo Of San
Antonio are the mines of
''sAN ANTONIO AND CAMUCHEr,"
two OF the largest and the best defined proper
ties in the mineral. These properties are owned
by the "Camuchei Consolidated Silver Mining
company" of New York and Mexico, with the
same officers as those of Descubrldora The
hacienda consists Of several dwelling houses.
Tienda de Raya and quarters for the Workmen.
The workings on these mines consist principally
OF three large tunnels viz The George Wash
ington tunnel the Andrus 3. Stone tunnel and
the Camucheu tunnel, and together are nearly
2.00O feet in length. There are shafts connect
ing these tunnels with the surface for ventila-
tion. which comprise about 1000 feet more
This property contains vast number of Veins
lying in the two pertenencaS which compose it.
The class of metal found is largely native silver,
the higher grades running from 81. 900 to 81 coo
a ton in value. and the low grades from $50 to
SljO a ton. These mines are now yielding q
great deal of ore, and promise exceedingly we'll
There being insufficient water In the arroyo
for the machinery, the ores are treated at the
hacienda San Miguel. and are all free amaigama-
ting ores The total amount of money expended
on this property to present date has been
$4,000. In the same arroyo are the following
mines: The 'Peralta' and "San Gutfprrcs."
owned by Senior Jesus Alvarez: the ''Pitahaya,"
tHc leAcaahia, owned oy MI. byron Ford,
and the San Jorge owner unknown
Crossing from the arroyo of San Antonio
northerly into the arroyo Guasimo you will find
two undeveloped mines--.'El Burro'' and lei
Caballo, the latter owned by Messrs. j 0rgensen
and Guerra but little save possession work has
been done on these properties
Again crossing from the arroyo Guasimo into
the arroyo Dolores you will find the old mine
DOLORES"
which is now being worked by the "Montezuma
Silver Mining Co.," of New York and Mexico,
of which Mr.. A. Morris is the superintendent.
A cross-cut tunnel, some 800 or 400 feet in
length, has been driven on this property for the
purpose of cutting under the old workings of
the Dolores mine. Some silver of fine grade
has been found in the prosecution of this work
and some $4,000 expended upon it, Follow
ing down tine arroyo Dolores we find the
Valencia" mine, owned by the Ramirez Bros.
OF BatOpilas. which consists of several perte-
nencias. These are new announcements, and but
little save possession work has been done upon
them. The next property to this in the arroyo
is the lDsowned property of
'ROXCEsvALLES" AND ''sAN DOMINGO"
the workings oftwhich consist OF two main tun-
nels Of some 1,eoO feet in length, with several
n, foot Of i'm nh