Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-31
NJ EXICAN SILVER MINES.
Dr. Francis Merchant Tells of Ex-Governor
Shepherds Work.
Packing Eleven Tons of silver on
Mules-iov. Shepherd on u Silver
RatfO-The Mines.

this city last Thursday with Mrs. Alex. X.
Shepherd and Miss Shepherd, is very well
known in this city, where he lived as a
boy. OF late years he has been associated
with ex-Gov. Shepherd at the latter's mines
at Batopilas, Mex, eight days journey
from Chihuahua, the nearest point on the
railroad He is consequently in a position
to speak of the governor and his plans.
Talking to a Star reporter today Dr.
Merchant said:
I'VE left Batopilas October 6, with a
conducta' of sl53,0O0. To transport this
immense amount of bullion-about eleven
tons-there were required ninety-two mules
and a guard of twenty-six men, These
eleven tons of silver have to be removed
from the pack saddles at night and re-
placed in the morning. This was the larg-
est single conducta that has ever left Ba-
topilas in the history of the mineral, and
Gov. Shepherd was correspondingly happy
The silver is minted in Chihuahua, where
We have practically free coinage, for there
is only the federal tax of 1-2 per cent upon
the silver and state tax of per cent
Then the owner of the bullion can have 1t
minted and receives his quota of silver dol
lars from the mint. The plan works very
WELL Silver is the only currency in use in
Mexico. The state banks must have suffi-
cient silver dollars in their vaults to cor
respond to the number of their notes in
issue. and there is a regular monthly in
spection by the government examiner of
the condition of the banks.
Gold is very scarce. During a residence
of four years in Mexico 1 have only seen
one twentydoliar gold piece and several
ten-dollar gold pieces. During the recent
financial depression in the United States
there was failure of only one bank in
Mexico. The government of Mexico, al
though -laboring under the greatest of dis
advantages from the depression of it's only
currency. silver. met its obligations and
paid the interest upon the debt in gold.
"And it will continue to do So Mexico
has wise administration in that of Presi-
dent DiaZ. and he has a cabinet composed
of men OF great sagacity. which includes
such men as Mariscal, Romero RubiO. and
others.
You ask whether the decline in the pro-
duction of silver affects Governor Shep-
herds business. Up to the present time he
has not felt very much Inconvenience, for
he has been occupied in paying off the
Mexican debt. and of course the silver has
been received dollar for dollar, but now
that the silver has to be exported to meet
obligations in the United States. and for
the purchase of mining machinery. &c. the
shoe begins to pinch, for a Mexican silver
dollar is worth only fifty-seven cents at the
present time, although its intrinsic value is
the same as that of the United States
silver dollar
Twenty to One Ratio.
Governor Shepherds idea as to the best
method of arranging the matter is by
means of universal bimetallism. imag-
ine giving silver it's value as money as
compared with gold at ratio of sixteen TO
twenty to one. 1 have often heard him say
hat ha he. cnpta tel x.-itl
one, just to get something settled, and do
away with the finctuation which is now so
damaging to all business, and especially to
that of mining. He, however. Is not going
to be left on the silver business as any of
his friends may feel sure. He is not that
kind of d man.
Mexico has a great deal of gold, but it
has not been developed in that direction,
for everyone has wanted silver. Now.
however, that silver is down, there is con-
siderable exploration work going on in the
gold fields, and Gov. Shepherd is among
the explorers, and is putting through
scheme to get a concession from the Mex
lean government for gold zone, which
will probably be as large the silver zone
do not think that there will be any doubt
about his getting it. for the reason that
President Diaz has always extended all the
aid in his poHer TO men of Mr.. Shepherds 3
calber. of whom, as the president himself
has remarked, there are too few in Mexico.
President Diaz remarked upon one occa-
sion that with five such men as Gov Shep-
herd in the country they would have a rev.
olution, but not of the kind to which they
We're formerly accustomed. but a great in
dustrial revolution. which would place the
country in condition second to none in
the world, for IL is a country of great un-
developed resources.
The Batopilas Mines.
'The Batopias business is In fine condi-
ton 1T present. and things are shaping
themselves that in few years it will
be the most productive minerald field in the
world. as it is now the most productive in
Mexico. In the old mine of San Miguel
from which the greater part of the silver
has come in the last month. the silver is
being found at level of 400 feet below the
level of the river. The ancient idea was
that the silver was only found nesting
around the grass roots.
Gov. Shepherds works have been prin-
cipally done in lower levels of the mine. for
with the great common sense which is his
characteristic he said that his idea was
that toward the center the best fruits would
be found. and time and hard work are prov
Ing that he was right, as they have done in
regard to his improvements in Washington.
The other mines of the company are in good
condition.
MIR. Shepherds health has been fairly
good, and he has by close attention to the
laws of hygiene avoided the infrmities
which are prevalent about him all the
time.
lie fully intended paying visit to the
worlds fair. but. seeing the critical condi-
ton OF the silver question, resolved that it
was his duty to stay by his business. and
having made such a resolve II would be i'm
possible to move him. l expect that he will
come to the states next year
My visit was very unexpected and 7 re-
turn to Mexico Thursday, where | will re-
main until Mr.. Shepherd decides to come
out"
A TELEGRAPH BOARD.