The morning call., 1893-12-05
COAL IN MEXICO.
Prospect of Lower Prices
for Fuel.
A Stock Company Experimenting on
the Mines With the Object
of Buying Them.

There is a prospect that the people Of
San Francisco will soon be able to buy
coal at a reasonable lrice and that the fuel
will be of the very best quality. This will
be an assured fact if the efforts of Mr..
Henshaw OF Victoria. b. c., are success
full.
1he new coal supply will come from
Sonora, Mexico, and the effect on the man
ufacturing Industries of the coast must
necessarily be great. Anthracite coal now
costs about SIS ton in San Francisco, but
it is said to be possible with the new mines
to sell it for 81 and make big money.
MIR. Henshaw is comparative stranger
in this city, but he has several ships cap.
able of transporting the coal here, and all
he asks is assurance from business men
that he will receive proper encouragement
to make him go on with his preparations.
For several years his vessels have been
taking coal to British Columbian ports
from Australia, but he thinks, since max
ing an iDveS lgatiOn OF the mines iE Mex
leo, that this Will no longer be necessary.
The Mexican Government has offered to
allow all ships loading coal at Guaymas or
Bacocbi bampo to land he goods they have
on board when they arrive free OF duty.
The Santa Fe Railroad Company has
stated that ii will build a connecting ROAD
from Ortiz to the mines as soon as the
work Of digging coal is commenced. The
road Will be over nat country and could
be built in few weeks.
Professor Essen of the Academy Of
Sciences has examined the coal and says
it is an anthracite Of the highest quality
and contains over 80 per cent of pure car
bon. II burns to fine white ashes and
makes scarcely any smoke.
The mines were discover ed several years
ago, but nothing was done 10 ascertain
their value until 1890, and then it was
found that they were rich ana extended
over miles of country. They are located
about thirty miles east OF Ortiz, Sonora,
Mexl co, and a present are owned by four
peotlt, who have given stock company
an option on them. The company has had
the privilege Of sinking shafts and pros
pectiDg in any way which itmay wish. If
satisfied it was to work the mines and give
the owners royalty of % cents ton for
all coal taken out. If lot satisfied ii was
TO abandon the mine and leave the ma
chDery for the owners.
The company has until March 1, 1894. to
40 Its work or make up its mind 10 quit.
From appearances it does not intend to
quit, as ii has been hunting a market for
its product in different parts of the world.
Mr.. Henshaw has received favorable re-
plies to all his correspondence with the
company, and says he knows he can
arrange things there IL he can here. The
details Of what he wanted the business
men of San Francisco to do for him MIR.
Henshaw was not ready to say at present.
Nothing positive can be known before
March l. 1894. on which day the final
agreements between the owners and the
mining company will be made in the City
of Mexico.
Ii the company retains its hold on the
mines the connecting line between Ortiz
on the Santa Fe and the mines will be
built at once, and coal can then be taken
to Guaymas without transfer. The entire
distance will be only about seventy miles.
At Guaymas long pier will be built by
The Mexican Government and coal will be
ready for sale.
The mining company wants to make
some arrangement so that all its product
Will go TO one person or corporation, and IL
is to be hoped for San Francisco's sake