Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-07
NEW CALIFORNIA.
SIZE Neglected. Gold Fields Along she
GuAsnp River. i'm Central America.


GuA, ape River. in Central America.
cincinnati Enquirer.l
There are tons of gold in the noun
.sins Of Honduras" remarked Colonel
II. S. Davys, who has recently returned
20 the United States after half life
time in the tropics. "United States
capital knows that but there is some
doubt rs to whether it will pay to get
the gold out Just now.
"Jay IIubbell, of Michigan, ispTesi-
Gent Of company which owns most Of
he mineral lands along the Alya and
Blanco rivers, in the Department Of
Olsncho, not far from the coast. Boz
usnza Macksy, Ben. Butler, and such
old mining sharps As Senator'S Jones and
Tabor all have experts now in Honduras
exploring and reporting upon the min
eral resources of the country. So far
IS have heard, the reports agree that
he republic is a vast gold mine
but at the same time there are
so few roads leading into the interior,
and so many precipitous falls in the
courses Of the many rivers which would
otherwise be nsyigable, that, as said,
here is a question as 70 whether sup
plies can be hauled to ard from the
coast at rates that would make the
mining profitable just now"
Just now ?'
Exactly. There IS no question that
Ii the course Of time Honduras will be
& second California, and the cry will be
On to Jalen, or Gusyape or bust, rs
il Was once Pixies Peak or bust
1.-THE only railroad at present in
Honduras IS the lnteroceanic railroad,
which bisects the State, trains running
from the Bay Of Fousecs, Oh the Pacific
coast, to Puerto Csballas, or Port
Cortez, on the Atlantic coast. SIEVE
raj lines Of steamships make regu-
lsr runs from New Orleans to Port
Cortez, occupying about three days
each way, and selling passengers
round-tIip ticket for about 800.
Freight rates are proPortiona:eiy high,
aud everything in the way OF ma
ehinery and supplies has to be pro-
cured at New Orleans and carried ria
ship, rsi'road, and muleback 10 the
mines; you will understand that gold
mining by even the simplest hydraulic
processes will lie an expensive luxury
until Honduras Is more thickly settled
md better provided with NiIrosds and
manufacturing facilities.
"But let NE tell you how the ma
,ives-the mongrel descendants Of the
original Spanish settlers-pick up gold
out of the rivers at tho rate sometimes
If sn ounce day. Nothing but their
unconquerable lsziness and general an
Thrift keeps these natives from becom-
iIg rich in the course Of few years.
at was fifteen years ago, in the au-
t1mn Of 1871, that ran my first gold
washer in the Valley Of Guaysse. |
was riding through the district, on tho
lookout for mahogany, which, next to
gold, is Honduras's most promising
source Of wealth, the republics own
estimate Of the value Of its mahogany
forests being $500, 100000. For about
a mile we had been cutting our way
with maeheses, or knives, through
dense sarsapsrillA thickets, the vines
Of which plant hsd an unholy habit
Of swinging themselves from one high
tree to another, making passage impos-
sible until they were cut away. But
upon approaching the river the jungle
suddenly gave way to open forests oil
pine with an occasional lignumvite- or
dwarfed calabash-tree. The land FELL
away in gentle slopes to the river, and
there we saw . group Of four native
women with their calico dresses tied
about. their waists wading mid-leg
dsep in the water.
Each carried pan made Of raw