The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-06-09
IN A MEXICAN So:
IS: MINING CAMP

~ III al OiiiNASiA dPhNlbN WIN Il VI
western land company, and my duties
necessitated considerable travelling
about the country. On one occasion be-
ing detained in a small settlement, sew
eral of us were exchanging tales in the
one frame hotel of the place.
well, boys" said one big drummer
from Chicago, you've been spinning
some pretty tall yarns; but I'll wager
! can discount your fiction any day in
the week with the plain, everyday
truth. I've lived in this country of
and on for 20 years, and I've seen sights
that a newspaper man would give his
ears to get hold of.
lone of the closest SLAVES | ever had
was about ten years ago down in
Mexican mining camp, not many miles
from the border. When an agent came
along claiming to represent a big min
ing concern that was obliged to dis
pose of valuable property, owing to a
lack of ready money, l just jumped at
the chance.
Il succeeded in interesting four men
in the scheme, and we struck bar
gain. We were to take the mine and
work it ourselves for 80 days, paying
ell expenses. If at the end of that time
we found the property as represented,
I'VE were to take it at the owners price.
There were six of us, including the
agent, a couple of capitalists from
Chicago, friend of mine, Col. Dunn,
and a young Englishman in tow of the
capitalists.
1--WE reached FL Paso, where l found
n telegram awaiting me, which necessi-
tated an immediate return to Silver
City-the point from which we had
started. ~
"A week later found me again in FL
Paso, this time ready to start across thu
border. | was somewhat Disconnected
10y hearing some ugly rumors concern
ing the probable fate of Americans en-
Geavoring to locate in the district for
which we were bound. But it was then
too late 10 be deferred by any rumor,
however well founded. | experienced
much difficulty in securing guide,
and after much bickeri1g set out with
a picturesque-look rutfian, who re-
joced in the name of Jose Maria.
after an uneventful journey of four
days over the mountains we reached the
ramp of my friends.
Il lost no time in acquainting them
with the reports which [ had
heard in FL Paso. They were inclined
10 laugh at my fears, l
'Well, as far as the mine went, we
found everything as represented; fine
vein, paying anywhere from $500 to
$1,000 per ton; paratiyely easy of
access, and plenty of cheap labor on
the ground. We worked the mine the
allotted time, but, despite the satisfac-
tory results, we could not ignore the
fact that there was trouble brewing
among the miners.
eve questioned the foreman-an
American named Camp-in regard to
the trouble, but he was either unable to
Tell or obstinately silent. Another pc
culiar thing was that since the day of
our arrival we had seen nothing of eth
er the agent or the owners of the mine;
and had heard nothing from them,
with the exception of polite note from
the latter, saying that in case we were
pleased to take the mine, they would
meet us at a little town SO miles fur
Their dowa the country.
when the last day of the time
agreed upon came we summoned Cam.
to our tent TO receive the money due the
miners. He said nothing, out looked
rather troubled az he took the canvas
bags in his hands and walked down
the ravine to the cluster of TENS where
the greasers were camped.
"Presently Camp returned, the money
bags still in his hands, his face white
as q sheet. Without waiting to be
asked, he told us that the men .olute-
~ refused to take the sum offered, and
that if we wanted to leave the place
with any degree of comfort we would
better quietly accede their requests.
aor we were completely in their power
AT this juncture the Britisher-who
had been going through the deadly
stages of blues since hostilities as
Tumed more open front-said, in
Navering voice: Why, blawst it, man,
"hdt III w -dW-lel-
abs want? They've got their-aw-
coin, don't you know; what more do
hey want"
Camp shrugged his shoulders and re-
oiled sullenly that they modestly de-
nanded that VIC should pay them ex-
brilliant sums due them as back wages
rom the prcprietors of whom we were
intending to purchase. TIE unpar-
alleled audacity of this demand took our
.reath for moment. Then Col. Dunn
carefully explained to Camp, with
more force than elegance, that in the
first place we were not prepared to
pay out any more money at present.
In the second, we were not assuming
the liabilities of the present owners,
and last, but not least, that if we were
literally swimming in money, we would
yot be bullied into giving them more
'har their dues,
Camps face was unmoved during
Dunn's heated eXpostulation, and he re-
piled in a cheerfully impersonal way
hat he had only done his duty in warn
ng us of our danger and that the result
rested entirely with ourselves. After
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