The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-09-24

laborers in the mines as herdsmen,
few native establishments are kept IN:
limited scale and in the rudest manner.
afford little indication of the real capabjl-
tiles of the mines. The intelligent traveller
in Honduras is saddened by the present
aspect of this once richest jewel in the
Spanish Crown. Scattered all over the
country are hundreds of abandoned mines.
filled with water, every one of which
might be profitably worked by the appl-
cation of proper machinery. But as there
are very few roads over which machinery
could be transported, most of them must
country to become of any value; and in
these lands of poverty and laziness, ''de-
velopment' is q plant of exceedingly slow
growth. The rough, narrow mule trails
leading from both oceans over the noun
tains to the interior are lined in the
neighborhood of the ports with rusting
fragments of expensive machinery, which
men, more enterprising than prudent
have vainly endeavored to introduce into
the country-enduring monuments OF that
blind energy which neglects necessary
ends. Roads are the first prime necessity
of Honduras. General Luis Began, the
late president OF the Republic, pursued
more enlightened policy than any of his
predecessors. Through his efforts the
good work OF road-making was bravely
begun, and Americans and other foreign
ers were induced to interest themselves
in the mineral wealth of the country
Though silver is the chief mining inter
est, gold is not lacking. Some of the
'washings' neaI the western coast being
50 Iich that no reduction is necessary;
and there is also enough copper, iron, coal,
zinc, tin, asbestos, platinum, chalk, mar
BILE, opal, amethyst, and what not to en-
lich any country populated by energetic
Northemers. At present nearly all the
mining capital OF Honduras is held by
citizens Of the United States to the grand
total Of many millions of dollars. | can
not tell you much about their assets, for,
like other Wise Men of the East having
got hold of good thing they are not anx-
ious to advertise it to the world at large,
not even in the columns of The Repub-
lican journal, but are as reticent on the
subject as the Hudson Bay Fur Company
concerning its business. Among the more
prominent companies is the ''Hondon of
Chicago, with placer mines in the depart
ment of blanche. They squandered about
SO, 600 the first year in tunnels and fumes,
which We're washed away by the high
water Of the first rainy season; but with
added experience they have had better
luck, and Judging from the degree of
their reticence, they must be doing very
WELL indeed. The Hondo and San Miguel
placer mines belong to Mr.. James Rector,
an American, who has invested a good
deal of money and presumably meets with
fair returns, as he keeps it up and de-
clines to admit any partners. The
Cambell Reduction Co., incorporated I'M
der the laws of New York, have a
quartziferous mine of free milling gold
ore Near the town of Minas de Orc are
placer mines owned by Messrs. Paine,
Smart, Atchison and Nesmuth, all
Americans. They have lately introduced
hydraulic machines. The Los Angeles
Mining and Melting Co. of New York
City own the ''Animas," about p miles
east from Tegucigalpa, blanket vein,
four yards thick, with an average yield,
so far of about 70 ounces to the ton.
The Santa Rosa Milling and Mining Co.,
and the Rio Chiquito Co, both incorpo-
rated under the laws of New ork, are
located near the healthy little town OF
Santa Lucia, only miles from Tegucigalpa
and thousand feet above it. Then there
is the San Marcus, about 80 miles from
the Pacific coast, owned by Virginia
gentleman; the San Bartolo, Ell Plomo,
Velaya, San Jacnto, and many others,
''AAN-
held by Americans. The largest conces-
sion of placer mines ever made IN Hondu-
ras was that made to Major Z. A. Burke
of New Orleans, in 1886 1t includes
many miles OF the Guaypi River, with a
distance of 800 varas width on each side
of the river vara is the Spanish yard,
about one quarter short of our measure
| ment. The number of miles is not spe-
officially stated, but The boundaries in
dictate so or more. There was also con
ceeded to the same party about 80 miles
of the river Jalan, with distance OF 6oo
| varas width on each side. This concession
is noticeable not only for its magnitude,
but from the fact that the Honduras gov
eminent gets much larger direct consid-
| Grafton than it has yet obtained from any