Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1892-12-14
Fxirainia cfree gress.
". ". b. GALLAHER. Editor.
Jila larlestolcn jefferson County. West "a.
December II, 1892.
Letter From MericO.
CnIHuAmuA, Nov. 9th, Is

CHIHUAHUA, ANDN. -ibhi io"-'
Dear Free Press: We made the occasion
of visit to US the excuse for
another trip to the mines yesterday, and
they unite in declaring it one of the expert
ences of lifetime. As wrote you an ac-
count of the journey 4 year ago | viii just
supply the missing link now You remem-
Der you wrote that told you how got TO
the mines and how we came away, but eit
out the important item OF the mines them
selves Well, couldn't tell you that be
cause they were then shut down and we
could not get in. Yesterday we stood upon
a small platform, four of lis at a time, aud
were wound down into the recesses of moth
er earth to a distance ofs900 feet have
never experienced any of the sensations
usual TO high ,r low ATTITUDES breathe ~
comfortably at 500 feet above ground a.
900 feet beluw-but did feel while passing
down that shaft, as if some power had Ia
ken possession of my cais and shut them up
entirely. This all passed off at tue bottom,
AS the ventilation was excellent We car
ried our candles in front, above aud at each
side to see the rocks around us parkle with
minute crystals, but none OF our party, ex-
cepting the genllcman who had Charge oI
IL. could have discovered any traces of the
precious metal. The silver here * sui
phate with some iron, and is dark grayIsh
blue in color When the ore was oxidizcd
it came off in our hands n fine powder,
not unlike emery We wandered around
through the various passages, pleasing our
selves with the idea that we were 20 tar
from that par: of our planet that common
folks have the right to walk over, with the
added JOY OF feeling Of terror AS from
time to time we glanced at the great bonl-
der. overhead. apparently tumbed together
like iackstraws. AMI Is likely 10 slip out OF
place TO the discontinue ot ihe daring
mortals thus intruding on their eternal sol
itudes. The most awe-inspring sight was
an immense cavity made by the Spanlards
who bepar the workings of this mine two
hundred years ago The tradition Is that
in 1897 some deserlers from the Spanish
regiments stationed in the small town OF
chihuahua fed to this part Of the Sierras
and discovered the silver while cooking
their food. 1t was mined down from the
surface to depth Of over 800 feet, the ore
cut out and carried up on the shoulders oil
the Indians who worked for their Spanish
masters as slaves under the lash until l6h
when Mexico becamr free from foreign
rule. One of our gentlemen crossed by
lower passage, candle in hand, to the oppo-
site side while we stood trembling on the
brink and tried To pierce the gloom below
and The heights above There wa' not a
gimmer of light, excepting from those We
carried. and we began to understand what
outer or utter darkness means. OF course
we came back with pocket full OF rocks
wish could send them to you 10y mali
We left home at q. m, took our breakfasts
at ). and di,gusted The romantic member OF
our party 10y enjoying lunch OF bread and
meat and hard boiled eggs a. we swept
down thrt wonderful railway ihHt brought
US out of the cloud to our proper level aud
the ordinary run of everyday life
AY w.