Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-02-04
psttsvllle chronicle, january 1eth.

SuIOnlClt} lJtus
A year or more ago, an old copy of
Hd1pe1's Magazine for May, 1856, hap
pened to fall under the notice of some
gentlemen of Schuylkill county and they
read therein of the almost fabulous wealth
of Honduras, and especially of the Guy
abilla mine, which had been worked at
different periods with great success. The
magazine article went onto say that GER
tain Mr.. Bennett came there in 1888, with
q party of Cornish miners, and reopened
the mines which had been closed for
many years in consequence of the politi-
cal troubles of the country. The wealth
of silver he obtained exceeded all expec-
tation, some of the ore yielding MS much
as $500 ton. Nothing like it had ever
been known before. MIR. Bennett being
called away on business to the coast, he
and his son took the fever, and both died
suddenly. After this the mines filled
with water, and there beingno machinery
at hand TO pump the water out, they
were abandoned in 1916. An in
vestigation made by the gentlemen
mentioned, soon satisfied them that the
writer in Harper's Mdgasine had not told
half the truth, and company was formed
of which Mr.. Thomas J. Foster of Shen-
andoah, was chosen secretary. The
agency for the sale of bonds was taken by
Mr.. f. F. Yelling, and during the past
wear he has sold $S5, 900 of the bonds
and a like amount of the stock. In the
county altogether there were sold about
$4,000 of the bonds and also an equal
amount of stock. II will be remembered
TINT the machinery for the mines was
manufactured by Robert Allison of Port
Carbon, and shipped to Honduras in
charge of some of his workmen. 1t may,
therefore, be expected that considerable
interest is felt in the enterprise in this
community. 1t is for this reason we call
attention to the matter at this time. Per-
sonally we have no interest whatever in
the mine. We do not own one cents
worth of the stock or bonds. Our
attention has, however, been called to
the following dispatch from Mr.. j. p.
Imboden, the superintendent of the work:
s.Yuscaran, Honduras-D December 23d,
1885, Have struck very rich orc in
Trinidad vein, assaying $3.50 per ton in
silver. We slip bullion per next steamer.
A strike of rich ore has been made in the
Santu Elena" In view of this good news
for the stock and bondholders, the in.
uuiry will naturally arise is this informa-
ton of Mr.. Imboden to be depended on
Prior TO his engagement with the
Honduras company, he was superinten-
dent of valuable gold mine in Georgia,
Gentlemen of this vicinity visited Wash,
iuoion City and from Secretary Bayard
and others learned that Mr.. Imboden was
conscientious, competent and thor
oughly reliable mining engineer. His
reports, therefore, ought to be en-
titled to full credence. Our atten
tion has been called to several ot
these reports furnished by Mr.. Imboden
after he arrived on the ground and be-
came conyersant with the situation. Ii
one of these reports he says 81 find tht
old works were abandoned with immenst
quantities of, TO us, very rich pay ore. IL
another report he gives something of tht
history of the mines learned from the na
tiyes: s'About the year 1771 the mines o.
the present Honduras Company were frs
worked successfully by the old Spanish
family aArienal" The family alone il
snid to have taken ont of Guayabilla and
The Riyus veins from $12, 900, 900 to Sl4,
OOO. 900 of both gold andsilver Therevo
luton of 1921 drove this rich and power
full family ont of possession of the prop
erty and ont of The country. Then for
period of years the property was worke'
by number of different parties,all doini
we'll and making large sums of money
variously estimated at several millions o
dollars. As has been reported befor
Mr.. Bennett came into possession, and
said to have made % to 8 millions O
money ont Of his workings. After MI
Bennett came MIR. Collier and his assc
ciates, who were also rewarded by grea
success. General Xetrueh held the min
for number of years reaped rich re
turns, extracting several millions fror
( the same old mine. During his time tn
a mines were so famously rich that huI
dreds of people came over from Teguc
qalpa Of various times to rich banquet
given by the owners. On one occasion {
great rejoicing each guest was presente
with stamped nugget of gold nnd silve
weighing about one pound each.
General Xetruch informed Mr.. Imbode
that he spent his own and his brother