Sierra County advocate., 1894-08-31
H1LsBoRouGH SIERRA COUNTY M, FRIDAY 81
WHERE MONTFZUMA OBJ
Tanned HIS CROWN
JEWELS,

| From Resources OF Southern California.
Among the crown jewels OF
Spain are some remarkably fine
turquoises whose history is of spe-
cial interest to Americans, partlcu-
iarly those living in California and
the west.
Some time ago, when passing
through New Mexico, few San
Domingo Pueblo Indians approach.
ed the train and held up handful
of turquoises, offering to sell them
by an unique measurement, 70
cents for a mouthful, this being
the receptacle in which the gems
were carried.
These specimens of turquoise
are not, as might be expected. re-
markably fine, but among them
real gems are often found. The
point of interest is that New Mexi-
90 is or has been a valuable tur-
quoiss producing district in the
past, and in all probability the
gems. or some of them, were col
lected by the ancestors of those
Indians who today haunt the rail-
way stations to exc out an exist
ence by. selling the cheapest grade
of these stones from the old
mines.
When the Spanish invaders first
came to this country they found
the turquoise favorite gem
among the natives, valued higher
even than gold. When the am
bassadors from Montezuma brought
their treasure to San Juan de Ul-
loa they included four turquolses,
or chalchlhuitls, which were valued
at an enormous sum. Torquema-
da thought the gems emeralds, and
is the authority for the statement
that the stone was offered in the
temple to the Goddess Mathilcueye.
And to further illustrate its value
il is said that when Alvarado and
Montezuma gambled the former
paid in turquoises when he lost
and received gold when he won.
Coronado's visit to Cibola re-
suited in the discovery of certain
turquoise mines which the natives
had worked in all probability for
wears, and that these are the
mines known today as the Tur-
quoise district, Cochise county,
Arizona, and the mines at Las
Cerrillos, New Mexico, there can
be no doubt. In both of these
localities there are ancient mines,
and in the New Mexico district
are the Wonder caves, worked by
the ancients, which were sealed up
and undiscovered. That the
Spsniards took possession OF the
mines and used the Indians as
miners there is good reason to be
lieve. 1t is known that in 1850
the mines caved and entombed
many Indians causing a rise
against the Spaniards. The noun
tain which makes conspicuous the
TURQUOISE mine at Los Cerrillos is
called Chalchihuitl. BY the ordi.
parry observer the mine would
be taken for a gravel pit, into
, which project jagged points OF rock
Carefu. examination shows that
> the work has been carried on for
years. and cavity 300 feet in
depth and 4r0 feet in width has
been worked out. Growing in the
dehris are great pines and cedars
suggestive Of the fact that thC
accumulation was made very many
years ago, On many of the pieces
that lie around stains OF bluisf
, green are found in the rock aso
careful search discloses fine veins
of turquoise.
t In 1880 an American company
took hold of the niue and tried t.
develop it, but the plan was soor
abandoned. When the Pueblo'
found the Americans at work the,
= protested, saying that it was sa
cred place. Finally, when thei
appeals we're not noticed they Of
fersd TO purchase all the turquois