The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1894-10-04
The Incas of South America
Very Successful.
A ROOM FULL OF GOLD AS A BRIBE
The Indians Excellent Mining En-
gineers-Nlany of the Canals and
Slufces Constructed by Them
for Use in Hydraulic Mining
Still i'm Existence In Peru,

| The Incas, Of South America, are
among the most ancient Of gold miners
Tho amount OF gold and silver produced
by them is amazing. Athulapa, the last
of their chiefs, bribed Pizara for release
from prison by offering to fill with gold
as high as he could reach room 22xl7
feet. These Indians were very success
full mining engineers. Many OF {he
canals and sluices constructed by them
for use in hydraulic mining still exist in
Peru and show surprising ingenuity.
Many of their copper mining tools have
also been discovered. For washing the
metalliferous dirt they employed So
called 'batea," or wooden "pan,' differ
ing from the miners pan Of Arizona only
in having conical bottom, at the apex
OF which cold was collected by dexterous
handling. These Indians were also ac-
quainted with the process Of collecting
gold by quicksilver rifles.
The Amazon Indians used dugout
canoe, it's bottom futed with transverse
grooves. This they tipped on end, turned
on some water, and then rocked it to and
fro, gathering the gold in the grooves
and at the bow OF the boat. These
antique tools and mining works were
displayed in the South American sections
OF in the archaeological division of the
main mining display at the worlds falr.
The rich mines Of gold and silver in the
mountains Of Mexico have been worked
since prehistoric times by the ancient
Montezumas. Their process OF treating
the ores survives to the present day
The ore is packed to the producing es-
tablishment, called haciendas, is assorted
and then pulver1zed in the arasta. This
consists OF a large round vat, like q
mortar, with grinding arrangement
consisting of three granite stones Of an
oblong shape. These are to be tied to
pole, connected with an axle, and turned
by mule walking around in circle
blindfolded.
The somewhat famous "patjo process"
was invented by Barthlome de Medina,
Mexican miner, about 1861. Within two
centuries it was generally used through
out Mexico and then adopted in Europe,
only to be replaced by more modern
methods. The process derives it's name
from the patio, or yard, at the month nf
the mine where the operation is usually
conducted. The pasty mud taken from
the arasta mills is thrown upon hard
stone floor, and after being filled with
quicksilver ard salt, is called soup. After
undergoing evaporation for several days,
the mass is stirred up by the feet of
horses and men until it is we'll mixed.
when it Is called cake or mud. The
silver Is washed and then
placed in canvas bags.
The mercury is squeezed out by pres
sure and the residual silver is purified in
furnace and then run OF into moulds,
Mexico still furnishes some Of the old
fashioned Catalan forces for iron
making with their crude hammers and
water blasts. Catalonia was a province
in Spain where this antique implement
was first employed, and from which
skilled ironmongers were exported to the
new world. In New Mexico and Arizona
The Aztec mines, worked by poems hun
dreds OF years ago, are still to be found,
and in the state of Sonora Senator Tabor
of Denver lately purchased and re-
opened one of these known from carly
history as the Santa Maria or Holy
Mary. These mines extend northward
TO the Colorado line and some of them
are very rich,