The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-09-28


dale. but interior to Portland.
Among the metals which have been
;ound are quicksilver, tin. zinc. lead,
copper and platinum. These have been
discovered by mineralogists. Whether
they exist in paying quantities is C2-
known.
Gold, the curse of Spain, is believed
to exist in large quantities throughout
the islands. Under any other admins
tration it would be the basis Of -four
ishing industry and in every probabll-
ity the source of vast wealth. But the
Spaniards will not work themselves,
nor permit foreigners to come in and
carry off the profit. The Visayas are
too intractable, the Negritos too savage
and the Tagals too poor and indolent to
engage in the hard labor of mining.
Chinese labor is excluded by law. So
the mines remain undeveloped. The
only men who profit by the mineral re-
sources are the thrifty Chinese, who go
about the archipelago and obtain gold
dust and nuggets from the natives when
no Spaniard is in sight. Yet under
these auspices steady stream Of gold
flows from the Philippines to Hongkong
and to Canton. In northern Luzon there
is ledge of gold bearing quartz which
is worked by the natives. They build
fire on the rock, and when it is nearly
redhot they throw water upon the
surface, which Immediately cracks and
crumbles. The brittle pieces secured in
this way they pound between two
stones until reduced to dust and then
wash the latter to obtain the finely di-
vided gold distributed in the powder.
1t is very slow and laborious work, and
yet it supports several Tagal tribes and
number of Visaya communities The
industry has been going on for at least
200 years, and although constantly IN
terrupted by soldiers and other inspect
ors it gives enough profit to insure its
continuance indefinitely.
The Spanish law prohibits all mining
without first indulging in q large
amount Of red tape. The miner must
locate his claim and have it surveyed.
AS there are no official surveyors in the
mining country this compels his send
ing to Manila for professional. The
map and claim must then be submitted
to the department. Of mines and forests
and to the bureau of mines. The pro-
ceeding is slow aud expensive. Besides
these difficulties the claimant is liable
to have some dishonest official or un-
scrupulous half caste politician file a
protest for claim Of prior discovery or
some church follower bring forward an
ecclesiastical title to the territory. If
the mine is in the least valuable, there
is bound to be one or more lawsuits,
and justice in the Philippines is not
bandaged, but is afflicted with vision
which sees only the color Of gold.
How much gold there is in the Phil
ippines will never be known until a
different government controls the terri
tory. All that is certainly known is
this: First, there are at least 500 square
miles where there is placer gold, and,
second, there are so places where gold
bearing quartz in true fssure veins has
been discovered f.1d traced from 5 feet
to 500 feet each. The ledge worked by
the natives in north Luzon has been e1-
amined by English assayers in Hong
kong and found to range from $40 to
500 ton. An American mining expert
has assaved an ore from Mindanao and
reported it as running $3.50 to the ton.
Among the places where gold in paying
quantities has been discovered is Para
Gale, in the province Of north CANA
rines Here no less than six veins have
been found and traced considerable dis
tances There is large vein at Pangot-
cotan, in the province of Benguet.
Third. the mines in north Pangasinan-
There are both placer and quartz mines
in the Malaguit mountains, in north
Camarines; placer mines at Mont Alban
in Manila province; fine gold veins in
northern and central Suragaoand. in
east Mindanao; auriferous and argensif-
erous quartz IN Zebu; gold quartz in
Negros island, and placer mines in
Panay. There appear to be large de-
posits of petroleum in the subterranean
depths of Luzon, Panay and Mindanao.
There are also silver, quicksilver, lead