Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1889-10-05

fused together; so 1 can readily see how
the present OF solid native silver could have
been made. In 1850 a royal decree ordered
the collection of all data for a history OF
scientists was ordered by the Viceroy and
Royal Tribunal Of Mines to report upon the
Batopiias district. There is but one copy
of the report eXtant. which I traced to
the records of the city of Chihua-
hua. The commission states that the
silver extracted from Batopilas in a
short number OF years amounted to $780,
100000. not including that which was
surreptitouSly taken out to escape the
heavy imposts levied by the crown. and
famous period of Bonanza" for the Batop-
ilas District was during the last fifty years
of the eighteenth and the first fifty years of
the present century. During this time the
famous mines of Pastrana. Ell Carmen. Ar
bitrioS, and San Antonio were discovered,
and yielded the fabulous returns which
have been variously estimated at from $780,
100000 to SS0.0OO.000. From the outset of
the Mexican revolution. in 1870 a period of
decay set in which reduced Batopilas
greatly and almost caused its ruin. The
many revolutions. together with the won
derful discoveries of very rich gold and
silver mining districts adjoining this one,
depopulated it to such a degree that it
counted but ten resident families in 1915.
From this time the reaction which has
maze bdCOplldS the silver IN
the world may be said to date. The old
mines were again opened and new ones dis
covered. The measure of success did not
compare with that attained in the time of
the SpaniarOs. however, owing to the lesser
energy displayed, but proved amply suffi-
cient to repay the timid efforts OF the native
spectators. Not until the year 1862 did
American enterprise direct its efforts in so
promising a direction. A purchase was eff
fected by an American company. mostly
composed of gentlemen interested in Wells,
Fargo & Co., whereby the property en-
bracirg the famous veins OF San Antonio
and El Carmen passed into their hands.
They operated with great success in the
face of many difficulties until the year 1879.
when the property again changed hands
has held and worked them to the present
day.
Since the present company has had con-
troll. over 100 miles of openings have been
made, the detail Of which would be too
long and uninteresting to give. The most
important is the great Porfirio Diaz tunnel,
to be three and one-haH miles in length,
and when completed one Of the longest and
most important mining tunnels in the
world. cutting over sixty well-known veins
at the rivers level 1t is now in l.e00 feet.
and being driven by modern machinery at
the rate OF fifty feet a week. This almost
infant America industry started with less
than S15O.OO0 sapital. Governor Shepherd
told me, and in seven years, after paying
fair dividends. had been able to put SIS, 5OO,-
300 back into the mines to develop them.
II Is now first-class mining camp. and as
none Of its stock is on the marketfor sale in
any way I am not afraid to give it the credit
it deserves as an American undertaking
that has done more to make the Americn5
name respected in Mexico than ali the
diplomacy that has been enacted since the
two countries became republics.
No Mexican can look at the 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 4 activity,
without respect for 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 ac-
count Of the 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. lowing to its inaccessible position in the
very heart of the Sierra Madre range. From
Batopilas, north or south. this mighty
range Of mountains lower in height. while
Sne big barrancas do not cut 30 deep into