The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-13

tending; by waters teeming with fish,
they know naught of hunger, and
have much time left for amusements-
such as dancing and public rejoicings
on the smallest occasion, music, for
which they have a natural talent, so
that there is scarcely commune with
out a fairly trained brass band-and
gambIingi Cockfghting is the national
sport, and no mean source of revenue
to the authorities. Almost every native
owns a fighting fowl, which is as dear
to him as her lapdog to European
lady. He carries it about with him and
bets his bottom dollar on its perform
ance in the arena.
There is no doubt that mining for
the precious metal was practiced in the
islands long before the advent of the
Spaniards. In fact, it may be that the
alluvial deposits, accessible to the Chi
nese and Malay traders who had inter-
course with the islands long before they
were known to Europeans, have been,
to a great extent, worked over and
over again. The tools which the ma
tives use-a washing board and a
wooden bowl-are of great antiquity,
and form a prominent feature in the
household utensils of all native villages
in the auriferous regions. Boulders and
occur in many alluvial deposits in the
islands, and it is not likely that the ma
tives would have thrown them aside
without endeavoring to extract the
gold. This they probably did, as they
do it even now, by pulverizing the
quartz by hand and washing it like
they wash the auriferous gravel and
sand. The only improvement on this
rude process was the introduction by
the Spaniards in some districts of the
Mexican 'arrastra,' a block of rock
moved by buffalo power like a mill
stone on a neither block. The charge of
an arraStra is about $50 pounds. Float
gold and auriferous pyrites are lost in
the process. 1t is doubtful whether to
this lay the natives are aware of the
auriferous character of the pyrites,
which almost always accompany the
auriferous quartz, sometimes in not in
considerable proportions.
The most serious impeachment to
mining in the Philippines is the utter
absence of practicable roads. The ma
ties with their primitive ways of work.
ing do not feel the want of roads. They
trudge contentedly single file laden
with their simple implements, through
the trackless primeval forests, cutting
their way patiently through endless
tangleS of lianaS and swaying laby-
rinthS of luxuriant greenery, which
would make botanist's heart swell. In
many parts vehicles of any kind are
unknown; in others, their only repre-
sentative is the creaking country car,
drawn by pair of stolid buffalos.
Gold is found in many other islands
of the group. Senior Abella found
traces of alluvial workings in Cebu
Mindoro, which is but little known, is
said to be rich in gold. Panaon,
small island north of Mindanao, has
at least one well defined vein of aurif-
erous quartz, whilst Mindanao itself
is the center of a considerable trade in
alluvial gold. From specimens brought
from that island, the occurrence of rich
quartz veins cannot be a matter of
mere conjecture. Mindanao, though the
first discovered island of the group, is
the least known, and least settled of
all. Many points, especially on the
south coast, are etill held by Malay sui
tans and rajahs. who, whilst acknowl-
edging the suZerainty of Spain. have
not the power nor the inclination to
keep their lieges from their traditional
piracieS.
THE coal which up to the present
times has been found in the Philippine
Islands is not true coal, but Ignite,
and of a variety which can scarcely
be distinguished by the eye from true
coal. There is no reason why true coal
found and worked in Japan, whose ge-
illogical formation has much in common
with that of the Philippines. There
has been no systematic search made in
these islands for coal, and wherever it
has been found it has betrayed it's
presence by outcrops. Thus, in the
island of Masbate a local steamship
owner drew his supplies from bed Of
coal which is SO tilted as to have the !
of a vein. He supplied him !
self as long as his native laborers could |
get the coal with crowbars. Mr.. Hilton, |
who examined this bed cursorily, esti- !
mated the available quantity of coal at |
about 100000 tons in that particular /
concession. He is, however, of opinion !
that very much larger quantities are
available in adjoining concessions |
These mines are practically untouched, |
and, as they are situated within a few |
miles of the coast, they can be worked /
at a profit by wlOmSoever should VEN /
ture to introduce the necessary capital !
Few outside the comparatively mar |
row circle who are directly interested in /
the commerce and resources of the /
Philippine Islands know anything of |
them. The Philippine merchants are a !
rather close community, which only in |
the last decade or so has expanded its /
diameter little. There are a NUMBER, |
of very old established firms amongst /
them, several Of them being British. /
them also are firms-perhaps, /
as far as wealth and local influence go, !
the most important firms-whose chiefs /
are partly at least of native blood In |
the old days money was made more
easily than nowadays. 1t used some
how to flow into the merchants Golfers /
without any particular effort in direct /
ing the flow on his part. But those !
times are no longer. Cables, weekly /
mails and the influx of younger men /
with modern ideas have disturbed the
somnolent complacency of the old |
times. And the fall in the value of the /
dollar has added its own particular |
to the trouble caused by the !
inroad of competitors and by the equal |
ization of chances by the tale-telling
cable. Nevertheless, the field is still a |
good one, and, with the era of progress
which seems to have set in in the /
there will be room for
many more"
ETHEL GILL'S MURDER.