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


parture from the custom. as the GOVERN.
inehl participates in the profits of no
other mine.
AFTER the enterprise has declared a div
idend of 10 per cent. it is to nav to tba
government two and one half per cent. of
the annual net receipts; and after 10 wears
from said time must pay as much as five
per cent. of the net receipts from tbe
river Jalan. But if reports are true, Mai.
Burke and his company can well afford to
Go so, for within the limits of the grant
ed territory there is an abundance of gold.
Inc Honduras Gold Placer Mining CO..
is registered in London with capital of
SUI, ooo pounds, with shares of one pound
each. The property it acquired comprises
Tie Two enormous gold gravel and
river claims that were coded to General
T. A. Lever of the Honduras army as a
reward for the faithful service he had rem
dered that country. One of these conces-
Siohs embraces an area of 60 square miles,
including Is miles of the river Poves.
winch alone is said to contain immense
riches in gold. The other coyers5 square
miles on the Guyate River, including sew
era! promising gold quartz veins AS
proof OF the richness of these immense
gravel deposits, it is pointed out that
hundreds of women have been making
hVlng Tor years past out of the gold thew
saved from gravel washed in the crudest
manner, in wooden bowls and gourds. 1t
would seem therefore that the experience
ed miner, with an unlimited supply Of
water regulated by machinery, with tim
Der and every other requirement at his
command, cannot fail to realize large re-
turns. The concession also exempts all
machinery, ETC., from military duty, and
all employees from military service.
Most interesting of all to us is that
named the NEW York and Honduras
Rosario Mining Company incorporated
under the laws of New York, which works
its mines at San Juancito, little St.
John,) 3Omiles from Tegucigalpa. Though
now only years old, it is the best estab-
llshed and most extensively operated mine
IN Honduras. The busy little town of San
Juanclto, with several thousand inhabi-
tants, who are all gaining their livelihood
IN one way Oh another from this American
enterprise, is situated in the midst; and
its unusual prosperity and evidences of
comfort forecast what Honduras NAV ex-
pect when her mineral wealth has been
properly developed-as it never will be bv
her own citizens. Perhaps you may re-
member that :. few years ago considerable
excitement was created in the United
States about the gold fields of Olancho in
the department of Tegucigalpa Interest
ed parties in search of capital to work the
mines, circulated rosily- painted accounts
through the newspapers and by private
letters and oral statements. The result
was that hundreds of men came here with
out any money, greatly TO their own dis
advantage and that of Honduras. This is
emphatically not "a poor mans mining
country" Gold is here, but it cannot be
picked up or panned by the wayside 1t
requires not only hard work, patience and
privations, but money, to obtain it. No
man, OF company OF men, who has not at
least $50, 900 of hard cash in hand, should
come to this country with any expecta-
tons OF getting rich at mining. If poor,
they will inevitably lose their little all in
a vain search and be plunged from the
high hopes with which they came into the
depths Of despair; and leaving the country
they are apt to scatter gloomy and unjust
reports concerning it, thus doing double
damage by running themselves and inur-
ing a country which is really promising
under the right conditions The mining
laws in themselves are as liberal as could
De reasonably desired, extending as many
empting from duties the exports of bull
lion and the imports of all mining sup
plies, besides conceding to each mining
claim a distance of $50 varas in length to
LOU VafaS IN WIDTH, With all needed wood
and water rights without tax or govern
ment charge for anything. The exclusive
right is also allowed for an indefinite time
to each mine denounced on condition
that not less than four men are employed
in working it--a wise provision, both to
secure good faith in announcement and
giving the holder ample time to organize
his capital. But it must be remembered
that most of the gold deposits in Honduras
average 30 feet in depth, with the richest
portion near the bed rock This necessi-
tates heavy machinery, the transportation
of which is very expensive in a roadless
country. While the Honduras government
extends a warm welcome and all needful
courtesies and protection, it does not fur
nish capital as well; and while the coun-
try is prolific in spontaneous productions,
upon which the poor man ''to the manner
born may sustain life after a fashion of
his own, the traditional ''lasses pond
with bordering of fritters' does not exist
here for the impecunious foreigner.
FANNIE BRIGHAM WARD.
In March, 1889, when Mr. Harrison
took possession of the White House, the
interest heariuC debt Amounted to SS4