Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-06-07
SOME SPLENDID SPECIMENS
New MexicO's Mineral Wealth Shown
in a Great Exposition Exhibit.
ITS WONDERFUL NATURAL WEALTH
The Precious Metals and Vast Vari-
ETY. of Rare Minerals-The Old
est Bell on the American
Continent.


tory of New Mexico at the exposition"
says the Nashville American.
"Amerlcan" reporter yesterday inter
viewed Manager J. j. Leeson, who i: also
commissioner for New Mexico, regarding
the exhibit and resources of that terri
tory and learned that the mines of New
Mexico were comprised in mineral belt
uneq ualled on the face of the earth, for
variety, quality, quantity or extent.
Four hundred miles of gold, silver, cop
per, lead, coal and other valuable and
rare minerals from this empire of the
precious metals and industrial minerals,
extending from the Colorado line on the
north to the republic of Mexico on the
south. The main range of the great
Rocky mountains embraces the mining
counties of Colfax, San Miguel, Taos,
Santa Fe, Bernalillo, Socorro, Sierra,
Grant and Lincoln.
The value to the business OF the world
of these enormous deposits of the money
metals, constituting an unbroken chain
of gold and silver throughout the entire
400 miles, becomes therefore apparent
and form standing invitation to capital
lists, miners aud prospectors unexcelled
anywhere else, even if equalled, when the
work of prospecting and mining can be
carried on through the entire year, with
out inconvenience from the seasone.
The question naturally arises among
many, Why is New Mexico SO far behind
in building up with all this vast wealth
of minerals, climatic conditions that with
out superior and the best of agrIcul-
tural facilitiess
The problem is easily explained. 1t is
because the territory of New Mexico is
handicapped by being a territory and par
ticularly by the alien act, which prohibits
foreign capital from investing in its
mines or lands. By repeating that act or
giving New Mexico statehood, New Mex
loo would be placed on an even footing
with the states of this great Union.
Rich in mineral, rich in soil, and
climate that ia unsurpassed on the eonti-
nent, what New Mexico needs is capital,
intelligent, progressive farmers, manu-
factors and wideawake business men.
These constitute the American.
1t is the display at the Centennial
grounds, however, which is of present IN
terest.
Upon entering the main door of the
New Mexico building, the visitors are
amazed at the grand display of its min
erals. The showcases are filled with rich,
rare and beautiful specimens If gold, sil-
yer, copper, lead, zinc, -troA plaLnGm,
tin and other precious metals, and stones,
which are seen in all their various for
nations, colors and shades, from the
sand carbonates to the sulphides and on
to the beautiful and delicate crystaliza
tions.
The malachites, azurites, bornites, GER
usites chalcopyrites, pyrophylites, cal
cites, foerspars, vanadinites, rubiites,
clnnibarwolfromite, may be mentioned
among scores of other rare minerals. Tue
wire gold and silver are beautiful and
cause all to wonder at the great works of
nature.
These are all 80 arranged in the cases,
on counters and shelves that every speci-
men can be plainly seen at glance.
There are several fine exhibits yet on
the way--a large shipment from the Max
we'll Land Grant company, whose gold
fields are now drawing the attention OF
the mining world. Sierra county has
also fine collection on the road, Copper
and Water canons and the great Graphic
mine of Socorro county will also add to
the exhibit. When these arrive it will be
the largest and best display of minerals
ever placed on exhibition.
In addition the minerals, there will also
be an exhibit of the building stones,
clays and abrasines, such as gray and red
granite, trachyte, porphyrite, sandstone,
quartz,te, limestone, calcium anhydrides,
mica, gypsum, freclay and tripoli. Large
coal measures are found in several coun-
ties.
In addition to the above there is on the
road a large and beautiful display of tur-
quols, also Navajo blankets, which are
noted for their beauty, workmanship and
durability. When all of these have been
placed, the Tennessee Centennial and Iu-
ternational exposition can truthfully say
that it had the finest, richest, and most
beautiful exhibit of minerals ever dis
played on the American continent at an
exposition.
The agricultural and horticultural dis
play, especially vegetables, fruits and
grapes, owing to the soil, climate and ir-
rigation, will demonstrate the fact that
for size, beauty and flavor they have no
ca usl. There is an old saying out in the
far "wild and wooly west" and it is
termed, "that the farmer who irrigates
commands, but the farmer who depends
on rainfall obeys," and it is true one.
The sugar beet industry is at present
absorbing the attention ofsnot only the
people of America but of all Europe. Re-
cent tests made by the government Of the
United States and also by expert chemists
of California and Europe have demon
strated the fact that the sugar beets of
New Mexico, especially those of the
great Pecos valley and the Rio Grande
valley, possess from to 13 per cent
more sugar per ton than beets raised in
any other part of the globe, which fact is
now causing complete revolution in the
agricultural industry of New Mexico.
This, with cheap lands and never failing
crops, is offering to the intelligent and
progressive farmer most inviting field
for speculation and prosperity, taken
with climate that is soon destined to
make New Mexico the sanitarium of
America.
Among other exhibits, New Mexico's
old bell is leading feature Of attraction.
This old bell was made in the year 1919;
in 1880 the church was destroyed by the
Indians; in 1874 it was dug out of the
ruins of Grande Quivera, a ruined Span
ish city of size, many claiming for it over
10000 population, and 1t was taken to
the San Miguel chapel at Socorro. This
church was also destroyed by the In.
dians in 1881 aud the people were driver
out of the country and retreated as far al
Isleta, which is now near Ell Paso, Tex
In 1906 a colony of some 40 familiet
came from Belen on the Rio Grande river