Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-01-05

As oAAAIA III
600, put an American foreman in charge to
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 Batopilas
rather disheartened, to meet one of tho
greatest pieces of good luck that has ever
befallen a ~favorite of fortune. In his alb
sence his foreman had s'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 a comfortable working surplus for flu
ture development.
Then Boss Shepherd blossomed out as a
bonanza king. He devoted all his master
ful genius and tireless energy to develop
ing the property he had and acquiring
more, and pretty soon had control by abso-
Lutte ownership of a kingdom greater in ex.
tent and far richer in venue than man,
an hereditary monarchy famous in the
worlds history. And he ruled and still
rules like a king, or perhaps it would be
more correct to say like one of the feudas
barons of old, who were more powerfulthap
the kings to whom they owed nominal a!
legiancel
Like the barons of old, he built him q forti
fed castle, or rather an absolute fortress, for
it's stone walls, which are IS feet in hei. lit.
inclose 100 acres of land and are strength
>ened with some of the most approved an
planes 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 posses.
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 gen
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 the
most partSwith broad, comfortable veran-
"das and standing in the grateful shade of
trees. BOSS mansion is quite luxurious
IN It's appointments, and there is q special
house for visitors. A big hotel taccommo-
dates several hundred Mexican miners and
other hired men, and the huge stables are
hlled with whole. droves of animals a
umb Of small parks ornament the in
closure and furnish breathing places for
the employees. who rarely 20 outside the
walls except on special business or to cele-3
brate some great national or religious fes.
tival.
All the work of the mine is done within
the fortress. The huge stamp mills are 90
1ngd day and night, and the ore is crushed.
amalgamated, refined and cast into bars of
pure silver, weighing $50 pounds each.
winch are sent every fortnight over the
mountains to Chihuahua city by carefullv
guarded pack trains. The output 81 The
mine averages s25O,OOO a month, and it is
all spent on improvements. Upward Of
$lO, oOo,OOO has been so expended, and the
work Is not yet by any means completed.
Ohe OF the improvements is a great tunnel
nat runs straight into the mountains for a
mile, 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 chat ore can be brought out in
Train loads, then Governor Shepherd saws
ne VII! begin working the ore that pays
MY !iOo to $50 a ton, and the mine will
De q dividend payer for at least 100 wears.
Inc boss never expects to visit his native
eana again. He has been in the United
States but once since he became q Mexican
slver king, but keeps himself well posted
on events Il here, getting what news he can
dally ~ private wire from Chihuahua ana
'~paerontzing American publishers of news.
liberality. 1o