Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-05-08
GREAT GOLD MINE.
THlRTY-THREE MILLION SAID TO
HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM 1T.


George Il. Wchber. Ir. for The past
seven years superintendent VI the III
Cullado gold mine. situated some IuO
miles above the mouth Of the Orinoco
river In southeastern Venezuela. and
thirty miles inland arrived Ia san Fran
CiscO Il few days ago ON his way to the
South African gold fields as an expert
for the Ruthschids Of London. to exam
inc Into aud report upon the prospects
in the Trnnsyanl. The story told to an
Examiner reporter by Mr.. Wehber about
the discovery Of the IN Callndo aud its
extraordinary gold output would seem
like page from the Arabian Nights
u IL had not been fortified by facts. In
1865 some Jamaica negroes. hearing
some stories about gold to he found on
the big river on the South American
coast, sailed over 10 the Orinoco, as
ccaded It, aud stopped near where some
natives and Americans Were "plarcring,
They worked inland AMI soon acquired
rs much information about placer dig
giugs rs the rest Of the miners, and grad
uilly, when il became known TO them
that the formation was quartz, cut their
way with mntchOtes through the mos
quite aud chuppnral until they found the
groupings Of II ledge prolific in gold.
II WAS not more than forty feet long
and from eighteen TO twenty four inches
hAAff uuA was ~ AAAh IA NllNiNAiHk HNll
that II assayed 81 to the pound. Much
of this ore on the surface went up into
the thousands. but was worked In .
rude aud imperfect why. The ,lamaicnns
divided the territory among themselves
into numerous little companies, and when
the extraordinary yield Of their work
went down to the traders on the river,
they called the source from which II
came III Calljslln-the mysterious. In
that way the camp became known To
the rest Of the world. The unexampled
prosperity OF the negroes brought trouble
not only TO themselves. but on the nu-
thorities. and the project Of the district
finally compelled them to sell out their
claims TO q number of Coisicau traders
several hundred miles on the river be-
low. The Corsicans were men of superior
intelligence. but knew nothing about the
mining business, and Il cost them when
they took charge Of the mines 5000 n
ton 10 extract asd work ore. which IN
California would not cost more thnn
So ton. Notwithstanding this and the
fact that In lS0O-i2 all Of the machinery
Ia work the mines came from Mexico.
operated by arastas, the rough method
which literally means dragged around
in misery"-the mines yielded pnorulnuslv
and up to 1870 produced Sl5. 900 UH
the great bulk of which was pure probt
The phenomenal yield Of the mine In
1870 attracted the attention Of the Roths-
childs. The great fnanciers sent Inc
California expert, Hamilton Smith. who
frum 1865 to 1870 had been snperin.
teudent Of the North Bloomfield. 10 nero.
tiute for the purchase Of the mine. Mr.
smith offered on behalf Of the Roths.
childs, S2,ul0,Op0 for the mine Tbs
offer WAS refused because The owners III.
ieyed they could lind another bonanza
lower down. The same year the oifer
was refused the mihe turned ont 81 On
900 in gold In 1878 Mr.. smith. nftrr y
trip 70 London, came back and offered
S3,O0oW0 for H. which WAS amin re-.
fused, and that year the mine turned AM
Sl,vOoNp, o.ie-half Of which was nrn,it
IL Is said BY gentlemen familiar Win
mining operations that Mr.. Sniih made
report attcr that 10 the effect tltnt ill.,.
lqne was ntcring out. mud no fnrther
negouauons Tor the sale II the MIN.
were atiempted. but certainty Nj smith
made 9 third and successful attemn1
e pntehase The mime Ia 1888, payine ~
" Tue ronni sum Of SS.OiOtN6 mn,
m nun Up t. that tine had pro,ineed sin
yvo'rn. The Rothsehiifls ineortar 'sis
coy INSTITUTION a. SlO.0cO.oOo, aud he