Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-10-10
MARIA ROMAN MINE.
The Old woman Oath of Secrecy Anent a
bonanza.


Monterey correspondence san Francisco Chroni-
cle.l
The excitement over the discovery Of the
.upposed Maria Roman mine is still IN
crossing. Several parties left to-day aud
Iuapvothers are making preparations TO GO.
The mine is located about thirty miles
from here. near the bend of the Carmel
river. and "a good waeOn-rOad leads 10
within six miles of whore the mine Is 10
Gated. Those who have come from there
say that q large number OF claims have
been taken up. Many people are arriving
daily
There seems 10 be conflict Of opinion
among the old residents here IN Monterey
many refusing 20 believe that the old mine
has been discovered. According 10 The
story of the old Indians old Aunt Maria,
as she is called, would leave the mission IN
the morning ard would often return the
same dav. bringing with her large guam
titv of silver ore. The mine which has
been discovered IS about thirty miles from
the mission. IN "a rough country. and II
would be impossible for any one 10 m0he
the trip Oh foot in less than three days.
Old " Aunt Maria" is still living M Car
mel, and is now over elghty-hye years OF
age. When seen hy q C'Topic'c correspond
emit and informed Of the discovery Of the
DlIllf tiAf bNtAtAi' ~ eNif NfAN tt'''f
was several minutes before she could be
induced TO speak. as she seemed TO be IN p
state of fear. On being Informed as TO the
location of the mine she seemed 10 be
greatly relieved. and remarked in Spanish:
"They are fooled 4 great many ques-
tions were put to her in regard to the
mine. but she seemed 10 be IN great fear
when the word mine would be- men
toned. and nothing could be learned from
her. With a smile she will tell OF the good
old mission padres and the vast amount
of lands which they had. Although she is
over cightv-hye years Of age she often
visits the old Carmel mission, walking the
distance of eight miles.
From Francisco Rico, an old citizen Of
Monterey. the following information Is
cleaned. In 1853 old Aunt Maria -
brought a large amount Of silver ore to the
store OF David Spence and exchanged II
for calico and provisions. Mr. spence was
astonished at the rich ore and tried IN
every manner to induce the old woman u
tell him where she found the rock. but
could get no information. That same year
Mr.. Spence sent a large amount 81 the ore
which he had purchased at different times
10 Peru by Captain Cooper TO have II as
saved. and il was reported that 1t yielded
50 900 a ton.
Mr. Rico. when he heard the report Of
the ASSAY. went TO Mrs. L. Amestle, one OF
She leading ladies Of this place, and who
was great friend Of the Indians. and tried
to get her to find out from old Maria the
location Of the nine. She TOOK her TO an
old house whore she had a furnace and
also large quantity of rock. and showed
her how She got the silver out. She seemed
10 he willing to give her all that she had
and bring her more silver, but would not
diyulge the secret which the old mission
padres had advised her to keep. IL appears
that whenever the Indians discovered or
heard of anything important their
first thought was - lay 1t be-
! fore the mission padres. and they
would act under their advice. Accord
ing 10 the statement OF old Maria Roman.
when she discovered this mine she at once
went to the padres, who advised her never
10 reveal it, not even 10 her children.
They informed her that on account Of Its
great richness if il were known throughout
/ the world large numbers OF white mon
would food the country. kill all the pa
dres, destroy the missions, and kill and
drive the Indians from their lands. Sne
1 accordingly took an oath that she would
never reveal the location, and seems to this
I DAY TO live in fear Of her life lest the mine
/ may be found and the prediction OF the
padres come true.
! She has time and again been offered large
amounts Of money 70 reveal the where.
abouts of the mine, aud always gives the
same answer II promised the padres
never to tell, and don't want to he killed. y
! She will 90 on and describe the great ex-
/ element which would follow and how the
/ Indians would have TO run away to save
| their lives.
In 1864, Rico, who had never given ny
hone of discovering the mine, finally in
| ducei son of old Maria, who had often
gone with her to the mine and who Is the
only one besides her who knows its loca