The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-11
TALE OF A MINE LONG LOST.
THE PRlHERs SAID FOR A SPAN
lard AFTER Two CENTURIES.
a Prie.tas Story or Ia Csnauistn Mine I'm New
Mckee and OF tho Revenge OF an Indian
Its site Hidden for 400 Yenrs-vhnt tho


Mexico and OF tho Revenge OF an Tndian-
Its site hidden for o venr.-what the
Priest Round In 1t-Capt. Aorante's Pate.
"In living for nearly n year in Now Mexico I
heard many legends Of the hidden mines and
lost treasure cities OF that antique region. " said
a tourist who recently returned from a long
sojourn In tho far Southwest. But tho event
that gavo the most vivid touch of reality to
these stories was my meeting with Padre Fou-
chard, tho priest Of q northern New Mexico
parish. We wcro fellow passengers travelling
IN the cabooso OF u freight train between Glori.
eta and Las Vegas ono night. The padre sat
down beside me. offered me a cigar. and after n
little preliminary conversation told me that no
had boon spending several days past In the
noiRhborhood Of the old Pecos ruin-the deserted
walled city of the ancient Pecos nation-on an
unusual and interesting orrand. 1t was to re-
discover and explore some lost mines worked
two centuries before. then abandoned and hidden
from human gazo during the intervening timo.
"He had been guided In his search by some
old church records, and had been 30 successful
as to relocate and uncover several of these
mines. Some wero mere shafts from which
probably no orc had ever been ~taken-discovcry
shafts they would be called In these days Of
modern m~ining-others had been worked to a
considerable extent, and much valuable ore evil
dently had como from them. The tools and ap.
plianoes used by the old miners wcro most
primitive; stone hammers and wooden wedges
had been implements in use, and gunpowder
being In their days too precious to use In blast
ing. the method was employed OF heating tho face
Of the rock to DO mined and thon cooling it sud-
denly with water, causing It to crack and
crumble. Every mine had been cunningly hid
den by laying timbers across its opening. Upon
these fiat stones had been placed and the whole
had been covered with earth. IN tho dry New
Mexican climate the cedar or pine timbers had
been perfectly preserved. and tho earth above
them. following the natural conformation OF the
surface. gave no indication Of the mine beneath.
IAN this was picturesque and interesting.
coming from one who had been uncoverlng old
mines during the past three or four days. But
the romantic and dramatic part came when, fol-
lowing the topic further. the padre told me the
story of La Conquista mine. The beginning OF
his narrative went back 800 years to the time
when Juan do Ohato came with his colony OF
Spaniards and Tlascalans from Mexico. up the
Rio Grande. to conquer and colonize the coun-
try. Once established Il at Chama. near the head
waters of tho Rio Grande. with the people of tho
forty or dfty civilized Indian towns subdued or
paciicd, the Spaniards won't to hunting treas
ure in the form of gold. silver. and turquoise;
and La Conc Vista was the richest silver mine
discovered. The traditions OF the tithes TO the
Church and the royalties to tho Crown that
came from this mine during the half century or
more that It was worked go into the millions.
"In the last half Of tho seventeenth century
Capt Diego do Ahranto was comandante OF
La Consuista, and the mine was worked under
his direction. He was a brave. fighting soldier,
who had won distinction in Apache and Navajo
campaigns, and In executing tho mandates Of
royal authority among his own people. He had
the e~xacting energy and the absence OF any mer-
ciful %scruples, to mako him especially useful In
getting the most profitable work from his In
dian toilers in the mine for tho benefit of the
crown. OF his friend. Gov. otermin. who ruled In
the palace at Santa Fe. and Of his own pocket.
He had q Spanish wife and family. but this
did not prevent his taking a fancy
to tho daughter OF the cacique OF
Pecos and setting to work in his own
way to possess her. The matter might have
been arranged peaceably SO far as her parents
went by payment Of presents. but she had
another sutton. Caduco. the young cacique OF
the JemeZ Pueblo, who was not disposed to give
her up even to so great o man as Capt. Abrante.
Caduco tried to carry her of, but his attempt
fell through. and after that he had to look out
for himself. for tho comandante hunted him
relentlessly rs an enemy TO the Church and the
Crown. Caduco had q hard time to keep alive
for the next i've years. but his tribesmen and
@A'SaN' taooo aitu. aAid u CcIApSdh VI
pursuit. Then the great pueblo instruction
of 1880 came to a head and gavo him his inning
with Abrante.
This rebellion has no parallel in the history
of what is now the United States of America.
After enduring over eighty years OF Spanish
under the leadership OF tho bravo and subtle
chief, Pope. organized a conspiracy against their
espprossors that was shared BY every pueblo in
and every one Of the hated Nco who could not
was massHcrod. The spHniSrds in these these ' TWO
towns had q great deal OF fighting TO do before
We're SG not " Killed.. ' to Hss ma %SRR"sG south tn M inio
SS asf for At last; and S,, they cs did not CONC
La conqui.ta on the day of the oatbrsaF. you on
may DO sure. and. not satisfied with killing his
inveterate enemy. Abrante, in some barhSrous
put his body, whore never a Christian prayer
should be said oyer it-and for 400 years tho
they could ind places In which victims OF the
the peace OF their souls, but La Conquista and
Diego do A6rante alike had vanished and could
It seems Incredible. yet 1t Is verified by In.
disputablo. records. that in the twelve years
absence OF tho spaniards the Pueblo Indians
traos OF a mine in %sw M Mexico dS.'1 Th.y esne sHInFy
associated tho mines with the expressions OF tho
already told, and destroyed o s"e% path the or m1 iand.
marx that might lead to their re-traoemont
When We consider that tho capital city. Santa
FS' bad in twelve years boon transformed into
how the Isolated mining settlement Ia
Eonquistn, was wiped from tho faco OF
inaistinTpishaelo from the rest OF tho worlds
surface. IL WAS only under the treaty condition
that they would not mine again for gold or
silver that the Spaniards were permitted 10 re.
turn. They took up tho pursuit. of stock rails.
ms or agriculture. and. except for vague tradi-
tons or The chance jotting In some old mission
record; the mines wero not considered unti In.
tercst In Them was revived by the coming OF the
grihE9s, tho Americana. from the States east
OF The Missouri River.
IL Is consoling in tho story OF this remark.
able rebellion. and it's attendant massacres, to
learn that Caduco, oaciquc OF the Jemez tribo,
captured The daughter Of the PcSos chief. Al that
time tho mistreSs Of AbraII-, and, marrying
her after the rites OF his pcop.e. lived hnnni.SS
with her TO tho end OF their days. md their de-
scendants are numerous in New Mexico. Also
TO nnd that Abrante's wife and Children, thAnLs
70 tho fact thai they were visiting at Tho ralnSs
In Santa Fe, escaped the fate OF The cauIHin nnS
Sent safely southward into Mexico with GOV.
otermin's forces. At this point | will lei Father
touehard tell tho story OLA Conquista mine IN |
his own words:
"'It yna fifteen vsara apn D.. ala ,.,