The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-05-05
AFTER 900 YEARS.
Rsdiseovsry Of Old Minss In New
Mexico Known TO the Spaniards.

All New Mexico and Southern Col
orado are excited over the rediscovery
near Santa Fe, of rich gold mines
that were worked by the Spaniards
more than three centuries ago and
were lost during the Pueblo insurrec-
tion in 1850, when the Indians, op-
pressed beyond endurance, suddenly
arose, massacred the priests, de-
stroyed churches, and drove the last
Spaniard out of the country. The
Spanish masters had compelled the
Indians 10 work in the mines, and
that labor was SO hateful TO them and
its results seemingly so useless-they
attached no value to gold-that when
they had expelled the Spaniards they
filled up the shafts and tunnels, re-
moved the debris and utterly obliter-
ated all traces of mining.
All the white men who knew the
exact location of the mines were
killed during the insurrection, and
when De Vargas reconquered New
Mexico in 1892 none OF his men could
find the mines. Men have spent their
money and their lives In searching
for them, and SO futile has been the
search that the history OF them has
come TO be regarded as mere legend
and fable. But the old Spanish peo-
pie Of New Mexico have always stout
ly asserted that the Pueblo Indians
have preserved in their traditions the
secrets of the mines, and that they
know TO this day the locations of the
old workings.
So jealous of this knowledge are
the Indians that they punish with
death any one OF their number who
so much AS hints at the location OF n
mine to an American or Mexican.
! The richest of the ancient mines
were known to be in the vicinity OF
the Cochiti and Sandia pueblos, and
the present inhabitants of these vii
lagos are supposed to know the exact
location of the old works. The Sandia
Indians have n deeply worn trail in
the mountains that is supposed to
lead toward the mines, but they guard
it very carefully, and Mexican neigh
bors who have attempted to follow
them secretly have always found the
Indians on the alert and have been
batfled every time.
The mines of Cochiti have been re-
discovered, not with the assistance
of Indians nor through traditional in
formation, but by plain American
prospecting. The Indians could fill
up the old shafts, but they could not
conceal the groupings of mineral
veins. Two men of Jemez, named
Eagle and Dorsey, have been knock
ing about in the mountains near the
Cochito pueblo for about four years,
and last fall they stumbled upon
some groupings that assayed high.
Other prospectors heard OF the find
and went into the district and now
they have found mineral belt that
has set the country wild with excite
ment.
The veins are true assures in por-
phyry, running north and south
along the slope Of the Jemex noun
tains, parallel with the trend OF the
range. The rock gives high assays III
gold and silver, and runs on average
lots from eight-foot veins have re.
turned $50 ton. The lead has been
traced in an unbroken line for eight
miles, and claims are staked out for
five miles. There are several parallel
veins, all Of them assaying high. Old
miners who have been in the Cochiti
camp declare that the strike is the
biggest that has been made i'm fifteen
years.
OF course the usual comparison
with the Comstock is made, some
times to the disparagement Of the
latter. The Cochiti Indians view
with wonder and bewilderment the
procession Of prospectors through
their ancient plaza and have not yet
quite got it through their heads that
their precautions to conceal the old
Spanish mines have been in vain. -
San Francisco Examiner.
CONTINUOUS LIGHTNING.