The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-05-03
MINING IN CENTRAL AMERICA
W. A. Parrish Departs to Inspect a
Honduras Property.

William A. Parish leaves today for
the republic of Honduras, says the Den
yer Republican. where he goes to ex-
ammo a large mining property of sew
eTdl sialms for a company of capita lists
mat is considering its purchase Mr..
farlsh is accompanied by G. B. West
ana Lope Caldaron, who brought the
proposition TO Denver to secure neces-
sary capital for DEVELOPMENT. IT is on
an immense gold belt. which has been
traced through the neighboring terri
tory or Guatemala and Costa RIGA. 1t
is 81 miles from the Pacific ocean and
is located at an altitude for $4,000.
me ore is free milling quartz aver
aging $50 to the ton, and exists in veins
from 80 to 40 feet wide. The mines
! were first discovered by the Spaniards
shortly after the CONQUEST and have
been worked by the native gambresinos
after the crude methods of the Spanish
/ american until 1920. since which date
they have not been worked regularly.
There is little development of any
consequence in any of the mines on this
Deit. me deepest mine in the country
IS only 800 feet deep. and they were all
worked in the native method by follow
ing the vein in all its turns. and taking
Out the rich ore, which was packed to
the surface in sacks on the backs of the
indians. An immense amount of gold
mas been taken out of these mines but
as no record of production has been
kept the total is q matter of conjecture
| alone. All the veins in the country are
true assures with solid granite walls
The ore is treated in Spanish arastras
mere Is considerable amount of very
rlcn ore. which appears in streaks and
not in punches. When this is found it
is pounded up in mortars by the native
miners and PANIED out
T11a -o1. - A.
derStood from the statement that even
with these crude methods of opera tion
the natives now mining the property
are taking out from $50 900 to $40 600
per month. Mr. Parish was particular
to state that it is no poor mans coun-
try. The conditions are such that large
aggregatlons of capital are necessary
to profit. Besides this. labor is cheap.
the native miners working for very low
wages, and an American miner would
stand no chance of getting profitable
employment down there. The property
IS very large one. and if the company
takes hold of it upon Mr.. Farish's re- |
port. it will be developed into a great
property.
Mr.. West is an experienced miner and |
an educated metallurgist. having gradu- !
ated from the Columbia College School |
or mines. He was engaged in mining in |
Colorado in 1876 and since that time
has been in Africa. South America and |
West Australia. Il have been in all
the great mining camps of the world"
said ne Yesterday. and am familiar
with all the conditions of mining and I
can say with all candOr that [ have
never seen anything which offers as
many Inducements for capital as the
mines of Central America / consider
the country the hest mining region in
the world. The mines all have large
veins with the values running regular
". there is abundance Of wood and wa
Ter and the ore is the simplest for treat
nent that L have ever seen. But it re-
luires a large capital to work them.
With the necessary capital. however.
here is no question that the country
will develop into a wonderfully pro
luctive mining region"
The company for whom the property
S to he examined is composed of Den
-er and eastern capitalists. Mr.. Parish
will be absent about two months.