Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-09-12

fused together; so l can readily see how
the present OF solid native silver could have
been made. In 1880 Il royal decree ordered
the collection of all data for history oi
New Spain. and u special commission ol
scientists was ordered by the Viccroy and
Royal Tribunal of Mines to report upon the
Batopilas district. There is but one copy
of the report extant. which / traced to
the records OF the city of Chihua-
hua. The commission states that the
silver extracted from Batopilas in
short number of years amounted to $50
0OO.OCO. not including that which was
surreptitiously taken out to escape the
heavy imposts levied by the crown, and
which must have been enormous. The most
famous period of "Bonanza" for the Butop-
ilas District was during the last fifty years
of the eighteenth and tho first fifty years OF
the present century. During this time the
famous mines of Pastrana, El Carmen, Ar
bitrios. and San Antonio were discovered,
and yielded the fabulous returns which
have been variou5ly estimated ut from S6O,-
0C0.0O0 to SS0.OO0,0O0. From the outset OF
the Mexican revolution. in 1870 period OF
decay sot in which reduced Batoplas
greatly aud almost caused its ruin. The
many revolutions, together with the Won
doiful discoveries OF very rich gold and
silver mining districts adjoining this one.
depopulated it to such n degree that II
counted but ten resident families in 1916
From this time the reaction which has
made Batopilas the richest silver district in
the world may be said to da.e. The old
mines were again opened and n W ones dis
covered. Tho measure OF success did not
compare with that attained In the time OF
the Spaniards however. owing to the lcssei
energy displayed. but proved amply suttl.
cient to repay the timid efforts oil the native
SPECTATORS. Not until the year 1862 did
American enterprise direct its efforts in sc
promising n direction. A purchase was of.
fected by an American company mostly
composed of gentlemen interested In Wells
Fargo Il Co.. whereby tho property en-
bracing the famous veins OF San Antonio
and l.! Carmen passed into their hands
They operated with great success in the
lace of many difficulties until the year 1879
when tho property again changed hands
and was acquired by q stock com pany which
has held and worked them to the present
day.
Since the present company has had con.
rrol over 100 miles Of openings hayo been
made. the detail of which would be toe
long ana uninteresting to give. Tho most
important is the great Porlirio Daz tunnel,
to be three and one-halr miles in length
and when completed ono of tho longest and
most important mining tunnels in the
world, cutting over sixty well-known veins
ut the rivers level. IL is now in l,GOJ feet
and being driven by modern machinery AT
the rate OF fifty feet week. This almost
infant American industry started with less
than Sl5O,0O0 capital. Governor Shepherd
told me, and in seven years, after paying
fair dividends. had been able to put Sc. .5OO,-
700 back into the mines to develop them
It is now ilrst-class mining camp, and as
none OF its stock is on the mark ct for sale in
any way am not afraid to give it the credit
1t deserves as an American undertaking
that has done moro TO make the American
uamo respected in Mexico than all tho
diplomacy tnat has been enacted since the
two countries became republics.
No Mexican can look at tho great mills
the big aqueduct OF enormous masonry
eight or nine miles long that will take up
all the water of the Batopilas River. nor
can they look at the town of Batopilas, the
most active / saw in Mexico, now six thou-
sand strong and less than five hundred
when Americans took charge, and the
thousand and one other signs of activity,
without respect Tor the nation that sent in
such people, whatever may be their out
ward signs or talk in the matter. Such,
then, is brief and. hope. interesting nc
count OF tho largest silver mining company
in the world and the greatest American
undertaking in Mexico. of which, / think
nine tenths OF my readers have heard moth
ing, owing to its inaccessible position in the
worry heart OF the Sierra Madre range. From
Batopilas, north o. south, this mighty
range OF mountains lower in height. while
the big harrancas do not cut so deep into
their flants anywhere else us here. giving
the hnNst Al pine scenery 10 be found IN
this part of the continent. The Mexican
Government has generously ackno wledged
its great work of department. and has ac-
corded it a mineral concession of sixty four
square miles directly surrounding the
mines.
Some six miles from Batopilas is the gold
mine OF Cerro Colorado reputed to be the
largest in the world. and only discovered
last year. That it should have remained SO
long unknown to any prospector in such
rich silver mining district is one OF the
marvels of the age, and even u far greater
mystery to me than that the existence o
living cliff and cave-dwellers on the rough
mountain tails leading thereto should
have been kept quiet so long. Cliff -dwellers
or angels in the air above them. or cave
dwellers or demons ip the earth under them
would not have attracted much attention