Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-07-07
SILVER.
report Of Col !. 3. Kiiiebrew upon the copok
gum Mines IN Marco

gum Mines IN MexIco.
Col. j. b. Killebrew was dep,ted
ashort time since to make an exami-
nation OF the Rufugio or CopaIquin
gold and silver mines, and the fol-
lowing is his report to the parties
who have organized company to
work these mines.
To Messrs. X. H. Gardner, w. II. Evans
Jnnoge Whitworth, Z: g. Gordon, A. How,
ell, Judge Z. q. Smith, Polk g. Jobnson
L. b. Fite, 5. H. Moore and others:
In obedience to your instructions
set out from the city of Nashville
ON the 10th day of March. 1854. and
proceeded to Mexico for the pur-
pose of examining the mines i'm the
Copalquin district 1t took me
nearly six weeks to arrive at nv
point OF destination, examining,
however, other mines ON the route
with view of comparison.
COpsdquin mines are located in
tne northwestern corner of the state
OF Durango, Mex, in the very heart
OF the Sierra Madre mountains,
about one hundred and fifty miles
east OF Culiacan, the nearest railroad
station, and about two hundred and
fifty miles southwest of Parral, on
the eastern slope of the mountain.
The topography of the country is
wild in the extreme. High, lofty
peaks and dOmes alternating with
deep canons and barrancas, with oc-
casionally some rolling surfaces, are
the chief and, may say, the only
characteristics of the country.
Down the deep canOns and ravineS
are numerous small streams, drain
ing their waters finally into the
Gulf of CALIFORNIA, supplying an
abundance OF most excellent water,
and in some instances water power.
Chief among these is COpalquin
creek, on both sides of which are
situated most of the mines in the
district. Malaga river receives the
water of this stream, itself carrying
much greater volume of water.
Both streams, however, will fur
nish water power enough to run
ten stamp mill eight months in the
year, and probably longer. The
bed of Copalquin creek is about 81
900 feet above tide water at the
small village of COpalquin, an old
mining town with probably at the
present time fifty inhabitants,
though at one time supporting pop
ulation of several hundred.
There are several mines in the
group which / went to examine,
though there are probably four or
five more in the same district.
shall now take them up in the or
der in which they were examined.
SAN MANUEL MINE.
This mine is situated on the brow |
of the mountain, 900 feet above |
and adjacent to the village of Co |
palquin, and ON the left OF the |
stream of the same name. The as |
cent from the village to the entry |
of the mine is very steep, the angle |
of elevation being at least forty-five
degrees. In following the pathway,
which zigzags up the mountain
side, at least two miles are passed
over to reach horizontal distance
of less than a half mile. There
are several veins, in this place; in
decd, the mountain appears to be
threaded with a large number of
small veins, each one carrying
good percentage OF the precious met
ais. Three tunnels have been run
into the side of the mountain. The
first is thirteen yards long, but lacks
about seven yards of tapping the
San POlenia VEN, which has been
worked still higher up the noun.
tain, and shows thickness of three
feet and over. Another tunnel
bearing due east has been run in
siXty-eight feet below the first for a |
distance of one hundred and sixteen
yards, and only lacks nine yards of
tapping the largest vein Of the |
mine, which is twelve feet in thick
ness, as measured in an old work
ing above the tunnel. These old
workings were deserted because of
water, and are filled Gp with rocks !
which have tumbled down from
above. Another place has been
opened on the same VEN, about Z
twenty yards to the south OF the old |
workings, and worked to the depth !
of twelve feet. The gangue of the |
vein is white and ruby quartz, some ;
of it very hard and difficult to mine.
The ore taken from the last men
toned opening yields, by the Patio
process, three ounces of silver to the
cargo of three hundred pounds and :
One-Sevinth of an ounce in gold. \ 1
third tunnel has been run i'll about y
tWenty-one yards some further q
south, but finally abandoned and o
the work concentrated on the Ion II
gest and lowest tunnel. About s., o
900 have been expended on this >
tunnel, and it is the very best work u
| saw i'm any mine in Mexico. The
tunnel is about ten feet wide and {
eight feet high, with a gentle slope Il
When driven in a few <
feet further, more than one thous- y
and tons of good ore may he taken u
out from il and the mines kept well ;,
drained. u
The San PUlenia vein, which has o
already been mentioned, lies back o
of the main San Manuel vein, and o
may be reached by extending this y
tunnel beyond the main vein about IL
twenty yards. The ore from the Oh
San POlenia vein contains proper "
tiOnately more gold, yielding one 81
half ounce To the Carga of three hun ~
lrcd pounds and about $500 in sill u
yer. W
In running the long tunnel anOth- ST
,r twelve foot vein was cut, the ore III
rom which is said to have yielded, ui
" the Patio process, $500 to the III
on, ne-fourth being gold and the III
silver. T.,
l took specimens from every 10, 10
opening that has been made in the III
IAN Manuel mine without reference %
o quality. In many places | took -
pecimeus where it did great injus-
ice to the mine 10 do SO, for the
ich spot in the race of the vein tn
ad been gouged out by gabbqOc- sic
Mas or mine pirates, who infest ev- by
~ mine that is not worked, and rs
rho are the most expert miners in III
Iexico. All specimens were knock VIZ
Il off the face of the veins in reg pl:
lar horizontal and vertical lines, Tee
ne whole pounded up and about or,
uart taken out and locked up and ter
nally assayed by ThOs. Price, of oil
an Francisco. The result was $l6.- be-
) worth of silver per ton with only an
trace of gold. Samples of ore, OK
ICh as is now taken from the mine sol
nj worked by the Patio process, wei
cnt over $4,000 per ton. cul
REFUGIO MINE. SUI
Lying Immediately west of the az
raggling and dilapidated village III
Dpalquin and opposite the San ,ilt
=, hnnl~ hAnn ,,r SUI