Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1889-11-29
The BATIPOLAs MINES.
LIeut. sohwatl,a In tbe Roporter.

NoAANAs
The big Batipoas Mining company
owns and pper,tes over sixty mines. 1t is
owned ia y W York, Washington, Boston
and Philadelphia, and under the manage
ment Vi * Governor A r. Shepherd, Of
Washington. It is without any
doubt the most important American min
inc venture 10 Mexico and the one which
has the greatest difficulties to contend
with.
There is no other mining camp in the
world NOR difficult Of acUpss, and the es-
tabli,hment Of business of sach enor-
nous magnitude 10 the heart Of the Sierra
Madre IN so short a number Of years is an
accomplishment suggestive of great cour-
age, energy and teuacity This compan,
owns all Of the famous old mines which III
the time Of the Spaniards yielded tb>se
fabulous bonanzas which caused the
astoni.hment Of the world. but 1t
has had TO repair the follies which frem
scientific stand point, we're committed by
several generations Of inexpert and short
sighted mining. It has had to clear the
old mines of immense masses OF rock and
dirt which had accumulated during many
decades Of abandonment quitting and
scalping" as the miners say. Since the
present company has had control, over
100 miles Of openings have been made.
the detail Of which would be to long and
uninteresting to give. The most import
ant is the great Por6rior Diaz tunnel TO be
three and half miles IN length. and
when completed one Of the longest and
most important mining tunnels in the
world, cutting over go we'll known veins
at the rivers level. 1t is now in 1000
feet and being driven by modern mschin-
cry at the rate so feet week This al
most infant American industry was started
with less than $780, capital, Governor
Shepherd told me, and IN seven years, af-
ter paying fair dividends, had been able
to put IS. 500, 900 back into the mines to
levelop them. 1t is now 6rst-class min
ing camp, and ~ none ol its stock is on
the market for sale in any way am not
afraid to give It the credit it deserves as
an American undertaking that has done
more to make the American name respect
ed in Mexico than all the diplomacy that
has been enacted siuce the two countries
became republics.
No Mexican can look at the great mills,
the big aqueduct of enormous masonry
light or nine miles long that will take up
ny all the water Of the BatipoIas river,
nor can they lool; at the town of BaGpo-
las he uost actjye saw in Mexico now
5000 strong and less than 500 when
Americans took charge, and the thousand
aud one other signs of activity without re-
Specl for the nation that seut in such peo-
Pile whatever may be their outward signs
or talk in the matter. Such then is a briel
md hope interesting account OF the lar
gest slyer mining company in the world
and he greatest American undertaking il
Mexico, Of which think, niue tenths Of
m, readers heard nothing owing to it's IN
| accessible position in the very heart OF the
Sierra Madre range. From Batopila'
north or south. this mighty range oi
mountains lower in heigth, while the big
barn aecas do not cut so deep, into then
hanks anywhere else as here, giving the
finest Alpine scenery to be found in thi'
part Of the continent. The Mexico gov
eminent has generously acknowledged its
great work OF department and has accord
ed it a mineral concession of GA square
miles directly surrounding the mines.