The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-05-27
MINING IN MEXICO.
PRIMITIVE METHODS IN THE
WILDS OF SIERRA MADRES.
How the Miners Get the Ore From
the Bowels of the Great Noun
tains-opening Old Spanish Work
ings-Risky Work.
Special Correspondence of the Globe

Special Correspondence of the Globe
Democrat.
Batopilas. Mexico.-The science Of
mining in the isolated camps of tina
! vast mountainous region of Mexico
known as the Sierra Madre has not
attained. as may be readily supposed
! that degree Of perfection which dis
tinguiSheS the work of the modern
miner in less remote and more aces
! sible regions. In these wild parts the
/ ingenuity of man is taxed to the eX-
/ IRENE limits to supply the deficiencies
and correct the vagaries Of mother na-
ture on the one hand and to mold the
conditions which surround him into
some available form on the other The
! work IS not only arduouS and difficult,
but is often risky and fails in many
cases to reward the hard and deserv-
ing efforts bestowed upon it. The diff
ficulties which besed the adventure
some miner who has descended into
the wastes and depths of the great
range in search of the precious metals
which are known TO abound there are
numerous and varied. Nothing but the
most untiring perseverance and a cour-
age never failing will bring the miner
in the Sierra Madre success. These
conditions, which are so necessary 10
pensable here.
When peace seemed TO have returned
TO Mexico to scay and confidence in the
future Of that country was restored,
the Old World capitalists, and, later on,
the Americans, sent agents into the
country to look up good chances for
investment. Mexico, being essentially
mining country, these investments
were principally made in old mines of
nd In
promise. This infusion of foreign cap
ital. with its concomitant of outside
faith, energy and Intelligence. caused
the revival of the great mining indus
try in the Sierra, which had laid DOR
nant for long term Of years. To
most of the newcomers the field was
a dlsheartening revelation, and the
properties changed hands several times
before getting into active and profitable
operation. Experience, however, and
those staying powers which are pecu-
Asr 10 the Anglo-SaXon races, over
came all difficulties, and the practi-
cabiiity of mining in the Sierra Madre
TO profit was satisfactorily demon
strated. Many of the old methods had
10 be retained; others were modified
or improved upon, and such machinery
as could be made available was intro
duced and applied
Let us look in upon this work and
observe the manner in which it is con-
Quoted. 1t is 6 o'clock in the morning
and the night shift is Just coming out
OF the mine They are q grimy and
sweaty set Of men, and they blink their
eyes as they emerge from the dark
tunnels into the light of day There is
suilen look about the most of these
underground workers. standing pro-
TEST, no doubt, against the great hard
ships of their calling. They are stark
naked exce2t for 8 breech cIout. Some
wear handkerchief around their head
10 Keep the dust and grit from their
PAR On their feet they wear the regu-
lation 'guarache." a sandal made of a
piece of sole leather. which is fastened
about TIE ankles with leather thongs,
AS they come out of the mine they take
their sandals off and hold them in
view. They come out single The floor
keeper stands at the mouth of the tun-
mel and searches each one as he passes
out. The man in hand is made to
stand on two blocks of wood set wide
apart and a thorough search of his
or the man is made to talk so that he
may not carry off any silver in its
cavity His ''guaraches" are slapned
together and critically examined. The
handkerchief on his head is removed
and the fingers run through the hair.
nod Of the head OF the searcher notj-
mes the miner that the examination has
been completed, and he HES himself
away to wash and put on his clothes
NO one who works in the mine escapes
tPe ordeal except the time-keepers and
higher class Of employees. Those who
are subjected to il have become cal
Ioused or Indifferent and offer no OBJ
lection to the operation. The Mexican
miner, or "operario,' as he is called, to
distinguish him from the unskilled la
borers or poems" holds il as his creed
that the earth was made by God. and
that that which is inside of it belongs
to the first man who finds It, This be- !
yet relieves him Of any moral scrunles |
against the theft of silver or gold in q |.
mine And while he may BE perfectly I
honest in every other act of his life. /
ne will steal metal wherever he has an /
opportunity and never feel the weight
IF it upon his conscience, whether the
amount be an ounce or ton. This ex- I
plains the necessity for a close search {
whenever he leaves the mine. which is
)nly allowed him at the end of his
shift. Punishment is of no avail and
Is good miners are scarce in Mexico a
engthy imprisonment would work a
greater injury to the mine owner than
he delinquent miner himself For this
'eason they are never punished for the
,ffense.
As the night shift departs the day
shift struggles in. They leave their
'lothes in charge of the ''montepiero.'
man whom they all contribute to
'ay for taking care of their clothes.
These clothes. by the way. are in most
asses scant enough, but it is not I'M
Usual to see a barefooted Mexican With
. $50 hat upon his head. They take
-reat pride in possessing one OF those
road brimmed, tall-crowned mon
trosities, profuSely covered with gold
II silver braid. This hat, as a rule .
asses its best days in pawn shop,
,ut il comes out periodically and is
araded by its proud owner for a few
ours on Sunday. after which transient
isDlay ii is returned to the obscurity
f the pawnshoD, where it resumes it's
ollateral function on basis of u per
entum per month.
Each parade" as it marches into the
lines is furnished with the working
consisting of one set of
ne-inch octagon drills, ranging in
ength from one and a half to five feet,
nd two eight-pound striking hammers.
he steel is even weighed TO prevent
tealing. They are also furnished with
ght in the shane of short sperm can
les on miners lamps fillel with lard or
ocoanut oil. a "Darada" is composed
two men. a striker and drill holder,
sch by turns. They plunge into the
arkness of the tunnel. holding the
andle between their fingers in such a
-ay as 10 guard the flame against the
raft with the palm Of the hand. They s
zach the crossing at which they must {
Urn in order TO get to the particular
orkings 10 which they have been de-
allied. They go up or down, as the {
ase may be, on single pole ladders, i
a " for he Fnn /
, rest upon. The spot is reached. The
cad miner has nraA-ionslv marked off | .