Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-10-08

Damm's rapid rise to the distinction Of
the CrOesus of Durango Is the story of
the Pr0mOntorio mine. That IL q proper
ty OF which the mining market never
heard. 1t is known to Durango people
because they see the OK carts and mule
wagons come creaking in with 600 tons
Of ore monthly. The mine is 100 miles
north Of the city, and the ore must be
hauled that distance in carts and wagons.
Int ore il quartz, n all that ID thus
transported 10 of a grade which yields
$50 ounces to the ton. The monthly ship
ment from the Promontorio il 10000
Sonf seoo g s'lye oonc In a year this r. w amGun t.
Mexican Y money 1l si.soo,ooo. . ln M N Amer m
lean money $65O.OOO. But this shipment
OF ore at the rate Of GOO tons il not all
OF Mr.. Damm's product. From his own
works at the mine he makes every day
9 bar Of silver weighing 1000 ounces. A
bar OF silver worth 1920 in Mexican
money n half of that In American mon
ey is not very formidable in appearance.
1t Is only is inches long by 4 inches in
breadth and thickness. Every day one
of these bars is turned out at the mine,
brought down to Durango and added to
the stack of treasure in Maximiliano
Damm's warehouse. The mint officials Of
the United States will have al opportuni-
ty to handle a collection of these bars if
free coinage becomes the law.
The present product of the Promontorio
is l,36O.OOO ounces a year, worth 81, 49,
4OO in Mexican money, and to be worth
that in American money If Ii to l pre-
walls. This is n mans mine. That is,
perhaps. the reason SO little has been
heard of it.
About ten years ago., when silver be-
gan to go down, the Promontorio began
to uncover its richness. With his rep
utation established as the richest man
in Durango, Nj. Damn does not admit
that he has done any mining. He has
simply been developing what there is in
the PromontOri0, blocking out the masses
of ore to be removed when he gets down
to the real business of mining. But
is taking out incidentally ore which
yields him 100000 ounces of silver
yearly. A assure vein which gives him
this ore carrying $50 ounces of silver
to the ton is from 18 inches to 5 feet
wide. While developing his property,
Mr.. Damn has taken out a third-class
OF ore which has not been shipped to the
smelter or treated at the mine. He now
has a dump containing $4,000 tons of
such ore which, he says, will average 60
ounces to the ton. That means 3,OOO,-
600 ounces more, to be worth $3,S2O,-
600 when the United States declares
for unlimited silver.
Maximiliano Damn can furnish all
OF the silver the minis of the United
States will be able to coin into
dollars during five weeks of opera
ton at their present full capacity.
Open .Mints Cheaper silver.
"Why is It that in a silver country,
with unlimited coinage. bullion does not
go to the Mexican minis to be coined
into dollars. but is shipped out to be
sold in another country where it has a
f1uctuating value and where SO much of
it as would make a dollar in your mints
is worth now only half a dollar?'
This was submitted, during the rest in
the saddle of Las Mitras, to the owner
of the mines below, from which the Mex
leans were trOtting forth in n~ever-ending
file with their sacks of ore. The mine
owner chucked a pebble over the preci-
plce, and shook his head. as if the ques-
ton was too much for him.
swell, why do you send your own
bullion to the United States to be sold
at bullion value under the gold standard
instead of having it minted into dollars
which are worth 100 cents ON the silver
basisY'
The mine owner got out his pencil and
figured. He took the exchange. the cost
of transportation. the 377 grains of fine
silver in the Mexican dollar, the sri
grains in III American dollar, the ounce
value. and made elaborate calculations.
At length his face frightened.
Silver" he said. "yields today 4 cents
an ounce more when sold in the states
as bullion, after paying freight charges
and brokerage commissions. than it
would If taken to the Mexican minis and
coined into dollars"