Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-27
4 visit TO the Rio Tinto Mines o.
Spain.

To the Editor OF tie Dispatch:
The neighDorhoOd OF iiuelYa Is interesting
10 the traveller and TO one who wishes to
make an econOmico-scIentliic examination Of
the mineral industries Of spain. In i've or
SIX miles OF the town arc PalOs, whence
Columbus sailed on bis first VOYAGE OF dis
coyerv, and the convent OF Ribida, where
he found an enthusiastic friend, who was
influential in securing the favor and support
OF Isabella, the Catholic for his daring en-
terpriSe. These can be reserved for an
other letter In connection with what Spain Is
proposing for the celebration Of the four
hundreGth anniversary OF the discovery.
Flfty.three miles from Huelva. and connected
with il by narrow.gauge railway, trAYersing
O most rOmaslIc country, are the Rio Tinto
copper-mines, which cover an area OF about
$500 acres.
BY singular fatality, an antecedent Meme
sis, SPAN WAS the Mexico and Peru OF the
ancient world, which despoiled her % she
robbed aud impoverished her American coll
ouies. Precise dates OF occupation and
working Of the mines in earliest times are
not asceIt0Dable. but 1t is strongly probable
that the PbGncigns aud positively certain
that the Romans knew OF these mines and
extracted copper from them. Some antigua
rians locate Tgrshish and the gardens OF
HesDerides in the peninsula. The name
ESpdQue is claimed TO be PhGnician; Hotter
at least, IN bis History u Chemistry, pub
lshed in Parts in 1912. quotes Vsrro, StrabO,
and Piiny in proof OF tue chronological theo-
rs. Pliuy mentions lead, IRON, copper, sill
yer, gold, "preciOus metals aud esculent
fruits" as Astounding IN Hispania. The Ro-
man praetors carried on system OF rapine
and depreciation upon the remote aborigines.
In 1872 a stone was found at. one OF the
mines with an inscription which, amplihed,
reads:
IMPERATORE NERVE, ClEsARI AUGUsro
POCTIFICE MAxNO, TRIBUNTIs
PoTEsTATIs. PATBI PATRIE, CONSULT III.
AUGUsTO LII. PUDEUs AUGUST LIBERTAs,
PROCURATOs
SUO PosUIT.
In one OF the shafts l was shown an old
Roman wheel which had been buried for
centuries. A piece OF IL aud a photograph
OF the whole were obtained for the Rich
mond College Museum.
The mines were worked q long time by
Spain with the usual result OF governmental
attempts 10 make money. The present COM
pany, composed largely OF Englishmen, OBJ
tanned a concession or purchased from the
Government at a cost OF 81, 2J0, 900, or about
$40. 25O, 900. The par value Of share vas
llO aud Is nov worth G21. About 1000
operatiyes-men, women, and children
chiefly Spanlards and Portuguese, are en-
pIoyed in the mining. A few English
obosses" superintend the workshops.
About 20 per cent. OF these laborers can read
and write-10 per cent. well, 10 imperfectly,
so per cent. not at all. Within the sphere
OF mining operations there are l02 miles OF
railway, with 40 locomotives. About 80
miles OF rail are underground. The mineral
rock is apparently Of volcanic origin aud the
copper Is widely distributed, not in lodes or
veins, but In pockets. The rock has As per
cent. OF sulphur, 40 OF iron, and only from
a TO 7 OF copper.
A visit TO the mines is OF wonderful int
rest, especially under the guidance and with
the intelligent explanations OF chemists, en-
gineers, and managers. The hills contain
Ing the ore are perforated by galleries, which
are reached by rail or by perpendicular
shafts. In the mines are storerooms, black
smith.shops, and engines for driving the
drills. The intricate labyrinths are rs dark
as Erebus. Occasionally may be seen glim-
mering lights, fitting here and there like
"jack.o'- LANTERNS or the Piutonian hres Of
the modern Yulcans repairing the tools OF
the workmen. At times the atmosphere 10
close and hot, and the subterranean life
could not be endured BY the workmen were