Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-02-22
ALEXANDER r. SHEPHERD.

600, put an American foreman in charge t.
get things in some kind of shape and start.
ed for the Rio Grande border to negotiate
with American capitalists for money with
which to back up his undertaking. He did
not succeed in getting as much money as
he wanted, and returned to Batoplas
rather disheartened, to meet one of the
greatest pieces of good luck that has ever
befallen fayorite of fortune. In his ah-
sence his foreman had ''struck bonanza"
as the miners say, and within 80 days had
taken out of the mine over $500 900 worth
of silver or enough to pay for the mine and
leave comfortable working surplus for fu-
ture development.
Then Boss Shepherd blossomed out as
bonanza king. He devoted all his master
full genius and tireless energy to develop.
ing the property he had and acquiring
more, and pretty soon had control by abso-
lutte ownership of kingdom greater in ex-
tent and far richer in revenues than many
an hereditary monarchy famous in the
worlds history. And he ruled and still
rules like king, or perhaps it would be
more correct to say like one of the feudal
barons of old, who were more powerful than
the kings to whom they owed nominal al
legiancel
Like the barons of old, he built him forth
fed castle, or rather an absolute fortress, for
its stone walls, which are 81 feet in height,
inclose 100 acres of land and are strength
ened with some of the most approved ap-
pliances Of the modern science of fortifica-
tion. Revolution is indigenous in Mexico,
and in. the state of Chihuahua, and partic-
ularly in that part of Chihuahua wherein
Governor Shepherds mines are located, it is
almost perennial. He has needed the warn
ing conveyed by the fate of his predecessor
in the ownership of the first mine he bought
and the greaser guerrillas who next at
tempt to confscate the property will have
to do something more than demand possess
sion.
There is but one entrance to the fortress
through heavy iron gates guarded day
and night by armed sentinels and opened
only to those who have the password Mil
itary discipline obtains throughout the
little city built within the walls. The
streets are patrolled continually by gem
darmes, and every precaution is taken
against treachery from within or surprise
from without. A small army of employees
of various kinds is quartered there, and
fidelity is assured by constant watchfulness
and strictest regulation.
The houses, of which there are many. are
one story adobe structures, built for tho
most part with broad, comfortable veran.
das and standing in the grateful shade of
trees. The boss mansion is quite luxurious
in its appointments, and there is n special
house for visitors. A big hotel accommo.
dates several hundred Mexican miners and
other hired men, and the huge stables are
filled with whole droves of animals. A
number of small parks ornament the in
closure and furnish breathing places for
the employees, who rarely 90 outside the
walls except on special business or to cele-
brate some great national or religious fes-
tival.
All the work of the mine is done within
the fortress. The huge stamp mills are 60
ing day and night, and the ore is crushed,
amalgamated, refined and cast into bars Of
pure silver, weighing $50 pounds each,
which are sent every fortnight over the
mountains to chihuahua city by carefully
guarded pack trains. The output of the
mine averages S250,000 month, and it is
all spent on Improvements. Upward of
sl0,000,0O0 has been so expended, and tine
work is not yet by any means completed.
One Of the improvements is n great tunnel
that runs straight into the mountains for
mile, and another is an aqueduct five miles
long, built of solid masonry.
Only the highest grade ore is worked at
the present time, but when the tunnel is
done, so that ore can be brought out in
train loads, then Governor Shepherd says
he will begin working the ore that pays
only 500 to $50 a ton, and the mine will
be dividend payer for at least 100 years.
The boss never expects to visit his native
land again. He has been in the United
States but once since he became Mexican
silver king, but keeps himself we'll posted
on events here, getting what news he can
daily by private wire from chihuahua anil
patronlzing American publishers of news
papers, magazines and booSs with great
l.berality.