The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-08-06
MINES OF
PAUClRTAMBO
E. Miranda Says They Are
Not in a Place Of Desert
and Death.
Property Protected and the Min
ing Laws Much the Same
as in Mexico.
He Quotes a Noted Geographer in
Regard to Some Features of
the Country.

Yesterday in regard to the gold minss of
Paucirtambo, Peru, gives some further in
formation Of considerabe Importance in
view of the unusual interest in the mines
there Mr.. de Miranda was in a measure
amused but largely indignant at the
stories published in some papers of this
City alleging that there was no gold there ;
also that the region was fearful desert ;
that neither property nor life was safe ;
that, in Tact, many persons could not live
in tine extraordn ,rily rarefed air.
There was much more Of the same sort,
all of hicn Mr.. de Miranda denounced as
malicious and false.
He has lived many years in Peru and
Is interested in many great enterprises
there. He is one of the owners of several
mines which he has operated for more
than fifteen years. Besides this he is one
of the large owners in the French Petro-
Ieum Company operating in different
parts OF South America and having offices
in Grau ana Callso. 1t should be borne
in mind that these mines are not new.
what has particularly challenged my
attention. said Senior lie Miranda, twas
a weird story in morning paper setting
forth the alleged horrors of life in the par
ticular portion of Peru where these mines
are located. The tales of sickness and the
insecurity to properly together with the
general Disadvantages of life in that
country are qui e horrible as outlined, but
are utterly untrue IN fact. The writer of
the article says that the mining laws OF
Peru offer no security to holders of that
kind O. property, but that this is incorrect
will be seen by the TACT that Peru adopted
the mining laws OF Mexico of I'll, the
very laws by the way that the 49.rs of
California adopted. Now these laws are
strictly and vigorously observed-relig-
iously, you may say, and the possession OF
minins and every other sort OF property
has for its foundation the constitution of
Peru. Property cannot be taken away
from an individual except for publ uses,
and then there must be commission to
duly inspect and place a just value upon
il, which is PAID to the owner. Nobody
down there ever heard OF miner losing
his property, or of his being inconveni-
enced IN any way by any one interfering
with his rights.
"Now about whether there is gold there
or not, many mining engineers have in
spected the mines OF the country and the
richness OF these mines has teen fairly
esta blished. 1t has been said that there
was no development of these mines. In
March, 1896, the sailing ship Barring
Brothers carried from San Francisco TO
that district SIC, 0G0 worth OF mining ma
chinerv. Bes des this lots of machinery
have gone there from New York. would
ike 10 refer any douoteT as o the richness
OF he mines to Eu ogio Delgado, who was
formerly Minister of Finance OF Peru, and
who il an intimate friend of the Graces oil
New York. He is now in New York, has
samples of the gold with him, and will
corroborate any hing that l have said.
NJ. Delgado is skilled mining engineer.
Now little something about The al
I>leged desolate character of the country.
Elsee Reclus, great authority on geog-
raphy and the author OF "Nouvelle Geo.
graphic Universelie." has described the
Hulcamayo RIVER, which penetratos the
gold region. This river, he recounts, rises
in the very SUBMITS of the mountains at
An altitude of 4313 meters. about IA, OH
feet, and falls in northwest direction 10y
gradual decent to S.cuani, the terminus
of the railroad 10 Areluipa. From there
it descends from a height of 1852 meters.
about II, 479 feet through most beautiful
country, one of the paradises, in fact, he
saws of Peru. In that part it is bord cred
by beautiful trees, and a little below, &C.
cording to him, the Indian corn fields and
orchards begin to appear, while ever and
anon are attractive villages, terraces and
trees.
Arequipa was perhaps most amusing OF
all. Why, it is common expression tn at
a man won't die there. Invalids are sent
there from all over the world for lun
trouble. The altitude is about 800 feet.
None OF these places that have been al
luded to are unhealthy. 1t is nonsense 10
say that they are. When you get up
10000 or 1000 feet of course the air is
quite light or rarefied, and for two or three
days a man will feel little discomfort,
the same a he would in a high altitude in
the Sierras or in the Rocky Mountains"
Mr. de Miranda spoke Of the healthful-
ness OF Lima and other places, as well as
Areauipa and the loftier places in Paucir-
tam DO. He gave the ATTITUDES and other
details regarding them, and said there
were no healthier places TO be found any
where He says, however, that the mines
that have been alluded to in Paucirtam-
DO are not new.
Richard Averdieck, who is engaged in
mel lntie business at 206 Sanscme
street, was present when Mr.. de Miranda
made his statement. Mr.. Averdieck has
spent eight years in Peru. He was with
the firm OF Otto r enter and also with
Yriberry. Harrison & Co.
"Mr. Richter, when | was with him, 4"
said he, chad mines that were steadily
producing from $20,0 to $4,000 per
month. 1t is true that the product was
mostly silver, but this will be an answer,
at least, to the assertion that there is no
in TACT many mines which return large
profits"
Many persons who have thought OF GO
ing down there WILL however, wait till
the report of the American Minister IS
made 10 the State Department..