The record-union., 1893-05-12
MEXICO'S ANCIENT MINES.
Americans Falling Heir to the Aban-
doned Bonanzas.
What Sacramentan Has to Say About
the Mines-A Glance at the
Old CarrizaI.

which has caused it to cling to the old
fashioned ways of centuries past, and to
seemingly avoid advancement, are themes
that all visitors from more progressive
lands are most prone to write or talk
about when they return to their own
country. But when we consider that for
many years the Mexicans have been sub
jected to a life of slavery, it is not sur
prisng that we find them thus involved
in darkness. They should be subjects OF
pity, rather than of censure. Let it be
said, however, to the credit of the Mexi-
can Government, that it is now using
every means to bring the people out of
that dormant state, and make them men
and women of the nineteenth century.
If the inhabitants of Mexico have been
ignorant in many respects, they were
certainly skilled in one thing. and that is
the art of mining, the proof of which eX-
lists to-day in those grand monuments of
their labor, the ancient mines that are to
be found in all parts OF Mexico.
Exactly how old these mines are no
one can tell, but we do know that many
of them were in existence before Mexico
was known to the world, and inhabited
only by the native tribes of Indians. The
AZtecs were the most civilized, or the
least nomadic of the latter, having walled
cities and a certain form of government,
the head of which was the King. Their
last monarch was
MoCTEZUMA, A POWERFUL DESPoT,
And character well known in history.
nder his management his people Hour
ished, and the treasury was kept over
flowing with silver. To procure this
precious metal he dispatched his subjects
here and there all through the mountains
to mine and compelled them to offer up
1.-Two l.traTV, ann
or what amounted to the same thing-to
himself.
During MocteZuma's reign Cortes came
from Spain, and, having defeated the
AZtecs, he took possession of the coun-
try, contiscated all their silver and estab-
lished Jesuit missions in every town
throughout the land. The church became
the head of the Government, and the
chief priest OF each town was also the
Chief Magistrate. Most of the churches
in use to-day are the same that were
built centuries ago, and marvels of archi-
lecture they are, while the same Identical
bells are rung for services now that were
rung so many years ago.
AFTER THE JESUITS
Came into control systematic plan o
obtaining silver was instituted. Two
principal divisions of labor were made
one the agricultural and the other the
mining. The former constituted by far
the smaller class, and their fields of oper-
alton were in the valleys, planting and
reaping grains and weaving cloth, while
the latter took to the hills and continued
work on the mines the Aztecs were
obliged to abandon The agricultural
people were compelled to give up large
tlthing of the product OF their labor, and
this in turn was distributed among the
miners for their sustenance.
And the miners, thus supported by the
Government or church, gave up to the
priests all the silver that they extracted.
The church records show that the amount
thus obtained was immense, and it was
in this way that the old Jesuits enriched
themseltas.
Naturally, such prosperity could not
last forever, but in the revolution that
ensued the Jesuits were put out of power
and given only two days in which to
leave the country. They did not leave,
however, until they had concealed many
of their mines, with the idea that some
day they might return and resume work
where they had left off, and besides they
were not anxious that their enemies
should reap the benefit of their work.
Their method of
CONCEALING a MINE
Consisted in leveling the dump and COW
ering the mouth of the shalt with tim
bers, upon which Were thrown rock and
soil, so that in a short time no evidence
of work would be visible. 1t is rumored
which are bars OF refined bullion that the
Jesuits left in their hurry. 1t is needless
to state that these mines have had their
Jasons.
THE APACHE sCOURGE.
Many of the old mines were redis-
covered and work once more resumed in
them. But it was not long before another
danger Threatened and work had to be
abandoned, for the ApacheS made their
appearance and men were forced to leave
the mountains and seek protection in the
villages. The depredations and massa-
cres that the Indians committed were
terrible, and the numerous little mounds
of stone which one may see along the
trails, and which mark the spots where
some of the unfortunate victims met their
deaths, are visible evidences of their
awful work.
FOREIGNERS ON DECK.
When peace was again established, the
miners renewed operations with increased
vigor and the mines began to attract the
attention of foreign capital. Improved
methods for the extraction and reduction
OF ores were introduced and competent
men employed to superintend the work.
ings. The result is that Mexico is now
known to all the world as a great mineral
country, producing not only silver, but
also almost every element known TO
mineralOgy.
IN ANCIENT TIMES
The methods for working the mines were
necessarily crude and progress slow, as
they were commenced long before the
time OF powder. Some idea of the an
tiquity of the mines may be had from the
fact that copper-poiuted drills have been
discovered in some of them, and il is well
known that the process Of tempering cop
per is an art long since lost.
At first the mines were worked by en-
ploying heat as an agent OF deconlposi-
ton y fire was made in the face of a
DRIFT, against the rock, and allowed to
burn continuously for two or three days.
The intensity of the heat caused disinte-
grafton OF the rock, forming sort of
Stag, which was easily removed by pick
ing and scraping.
IN THE NEXT EPOCH
Lime was used TO break through the
rock Holes were drilled and filled with
lime, which was then saturated with
water, and the expansion of the lime
caused the rock to break. Then came
the age OF drills and black powder. The
drills used were very much larger than
those now employed, and instead of be-
ing made entirely OF steel, We're COM
posed OF simply a steel point welded onto
a bar of iron. At the present time the
very best powder and drills are used
and in many mines the latest devised APP
pliances Tor drifting through rock have
been introduced, the electric diamond
drill in particular.
sACRAMENTANs' BONANZA.
It has been my fortune to 60 through
the workings of one of these old mines
the Carrizal-a mine that is considered
one ofthe most ancient, and from which,
IL abs nh, l.,