Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1886-10-29
HONDURAS, CENTRAL AMERICA.

Statements Concerning the Wealth
and Other Features Of that Re-
public as Cleaned from q CONVEX
satiOn with an ex-Eurekan Who
lHR Just Returned from There.
The SENTINEL reporter had an interest
ing conversation yesterday with Mr.. Frank
Robbins, formerly Superintendent Of the
Eureka Con. and other mining properties
in this district, concerning Honduras,
Central America. Mr.. Robbins is Super
intendent of some valuable mines in that
country belonging to a New York syndicate
OF capitalists, and having come to San
Francisco to purchase machinery he de-
| cided on q visit OF q couple of days to his
old stamping grounds on the Range. He
Ia quartered at the Jackson House, and
will leave on this mornings train for New
York City. The following information
CLEANED from Mr.. Robbins remarks will
undoubtedly prove of interest to the
SENTINEL's readers: The population Of
Honduras ia about 400, 600; the two prin-
Opal towns are Tegucigalpa. (mesning
Silver Mountain the capital, populated
by some $4,000 people, and Camaigus,
with probably 10000. The latter was
until recent years the capital Of the Re-
public, and both contain many handsome
churches, universities, residences and
ribean sea, or north coast, are Poerto
Cortez and Truxillo, both OF which have
fine harbors. Two lines OF steamers run
TO these ports from New Orleans. On the
south coast there is but one port, which Is
on the Bay Of Fonseca. 1t is at the island
Isla del Tigre. and is named Amspala.
Supplies from San Francisco. Panama and
Germany are transferred from vessels at
Amapala to barges that run up the Bay of
Fonseca to the two principal landing
places, San Lorenzo and La Brea. From
there they are transported by teams or
pack animals, according to the season and
condition Of the roads, to Tegucigalpa, a
distance Of rs miles, and other interior
towns. From the north coast inland for
about 60 miles and from the Bay Of
Fonseca, on the south, q probable distance
OF ten miles. the country ia rather fiat,
hot and full of mosquitoes. Beautiful
orchards Of tropical fruits Of all kinds
are to be found there, also tropical grains,
such as coffee. The mountains ascend
gradually from the plains and are covered
with pines and vegetation. In many re-
spects they remind the traveller Of portions
Of the Sierras on the California side. The
valleys and plateaus ct an altitude are
very productive, and will grow anything
from potatoes to pine apples. The climate
there is healthful and equable, the Their
mometer ranging the year around from rs
to IS degrees In the shade. There are two
seasons only, the wet aud dry. The for
mer commences about the 1st Of May and
continues until the latter part of October.
The rains fall in heavy showers and gen.
orally during afternoons.
The syndicate Mr.. Robbins represents
holds valuable concessions from the Gov
eminent, in order to encourage their
large operations. Quite a number OF for
eigners are operating there extensively
with improved machinery, but the majority
OF the mines are owned and worked by
natives, whose processes are not so crude
az they are small. Many OF The COM
panies are paying good dividends, but no
definite results OF the amounts produced
annually can be learned. The archives OF
the country show that before 1t became q
Republic in 1921 the royalty OF one-ffth
OF the production paid TO the King OF
Spain aggregated up into billions OF dol
lars. An immense and grand cathedral in
Tegucigalpa was built entirely ct the ex-
pense OF o priest from the proceeds OF q
mine that he, individually. owned
While the soil of the country is very
productive and in many places excellent
for grazing. the chief interest thus far is
mining. The principal sections where
this industry is carried on are Yors, Santa
Barbara and orlando, where gold quartz
lodges and placers predominant. and at
Comayagus, Tegucisgalps and Pariso
are found, gold, silver. copper and lead.
The country Ia generally Of g volcanic
character, and lodges and veins Of all sizes
and richness are found.
The accommodations for travelling
through the Republic are poor, but Mr..
Robbins says before long q railroad will
be constructed from Poerto Cortez on the
north coast to the Bay Of Tonseca on the
south that will connect as closely as pos
sible with the richest interior sections Of
country through which it passes. He does
not advise i~mpecunious miners or other
classes TO 90 there at present, unless ii be
to enter & guaranteed position. All such
be says are fortunate. for he believes the
country has a great future. There ia
every indication of il.