The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-29
PERU,S NEW GOLD MINES.
The Cnrabaya Country Apparently Worry Rich.
but Hard to Get At.

Los ANGELES, Nov. GA resident OF Los
Angeles has just received a letter from a friend
in the Carabaya district Of Peru, whence have
come the recent rose-hued accounts Of new gold
fields. The writer had been In the region several
weeks looking into the opportunities for invest
ment In gold mines, and had studied the country
carefully. He says:
I'm the first place, 1t would be folly for indi-
vidual miners, unless backed by plenty Of CAPT
tai. to come here to dig gold. Nevertheless. tho
country is very rich. and there is not n stream
in 1t that does not carry gold. Comparatively
speaking 1t has not been opened up at all. Veins
and deposits exist everywhere. But the district
Is extremely difficult Of access. Some portions
of the latter part of the way in are impossible
on muleback. In the dry season you walk up
the river beds in water that 10 rarely above
your hips. In the wet season you take to the
hills, where the paths are very slippery and bad
To cross some Of the rivers q single iron rope is
stretched firmly across, and q carrier, suspended
from pulleys, is rolled from side to side. The
tropical vegetation Of the trans-Andean region
constitutes a great impedime nt.
The country, moreover. is exceedingly diff
forest growth, SO that tho mines of to-day are
discovered from the rivers, and mountain
bring down 10 washed to see IL it contains gold.
II 1t does. tho stream is followed up and its banks
THE only mine of any conseauesce now being
worked is the Santo Domingo, which was re.
Gently purchased by an American company for
$2s0,000 cash In American money. Many other
mines have boon taken up, both washingB and
veins, but 80 far nothing Of Importance has
been done with them. The amount Of gold that
has been taken out OF the Carabaya district dur
ing the last year and q half can be put at about
$500 pounds. but most of this came from the
famous Santo Domingo mine.
On account of tho sale OF the Santo Domingo
for SO good a price evory owner OF q mine thinks
he has something worth millions, but before in
vestinR money 1t Is well to inspect the mines
and the country, and consider tho cost of get
ting machinery into the district. To get ma
chinery from tho nearest railroad station to the
Carabaya region costs about $3.50 q ton, Ameri-
can money. Stamp machinery is divided into
small sections, so that it can be packed on the
backs OF Indians where tho way is impossible
for mules. The climate is very good. Although
the rainfall is heavy and the climate tropical.
fevers are unknown. The temperature varies
from about 70 degrees Fair. in the evenings to
90 degrees in the shade and 100 degrees in the
sun in the daytime. Food has to be carried into
the district on the backs of Indians.
THE ore In nearly all parts OF the district Is
very similar, and usually occurs in a slate for
nation. The vein OF the Santo Domingo varies
from eighteen inches to eight feet In width, and
carries gold in all parts. varying from 8 to 800
ounces to the ton. In some instances almost
pure streaks Of gold have been found. The vein
can be traced about three-fourths OF mile, but
probably goes much further. Most of the work.
mon employed at present arc sent out on con-
tract from tho nearest towns by tho authorities.
and receive 40 cents q day. Bolivian money.