The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1898-06-25
| IN A MEXICAN s.:
s.: MINING CAMP

western lanu company, ana my duties
necessitated considerable travelling
about the country. On one occasion be
ing detained in 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 newspaper man would give his
ears to get hold of.
"One of the closest shaves / ever had
was about ten years ago down in q
Mexican mining camp, not many miles
from the border. When an agent came
along claiming to. represent big min
ing concern that was obliged to dis
pose of valuable property, owing TO a
lack of ready money, / just jumped at
TIE 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
al expenses. II at the end of that time
we found the property as represented.
we 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.
I'VE reached Fl Paso, where l found
a telegram awaiting me, which necessi-
tated an immediate return to Silver
City-the point from which we hal
started. ~
"a week later found me again in III
Paso, this time ready to start across the
border. l was somewhat disconnected
by hearing some ugly rumors concern
ing the probable fate OF Americans en-
Geavoring TO locate in the district for
which we were bound. But ii was then
too late to be deferred by any rumor.
however well founded i experienced
much difficulty in securing a guide,
aud after much bickering set out with
a picturesque-iooking ruffian, who re-
joieed in the name of Jose Maria.
"After an unesentful journey of four
days over the mountains we reached the
samp of my friends.
II lost no time in acquainting them
With the reports which / had
heard in Ell Paso. They were inclined
TO laugh at my fears, I
swell, as far as the mine went. we
found everything as represented; fine
vein, paying anywhere from $500 to
$1,000 per ton; comparatively easy of
access. and plenty of cheap labor on
The ground. We worked the mine the
liiotted time, but, despite the satisfac-
tory results, we could not ignore the
Iact that there was trouble brewing
among the miners.
I'VE questioned the foreman-an
American named Camp-in regard to
the trouble, but he was either unable to
ell or obstinately silent. Another pc
suliar thing was that since the day of
,ur arrival we had seen nothing of eth
r the agent or the owners of the mine;
md had beard nothing from them,
+, :, =" 'ne sAcep.ion Oh pohte note from
he latter. saying that in case we were
'leased TO take the mine they would |
meet as at little town so miles fur
her dowa the country.
When the last day of the time
greed npon came we summoned Camp
-.
{ ouI 'ena 20 receive 'he money due the
.,i ne saa hothing, put looked
a'ne 'rouoiea as ne took the canvas
80 :. ~ n's rahus ana walked down
~ l.slne 70 the cluster OF tents where
- : easeis were cainpea.
Fesen'iy lamp returned, the money
ags Sun IN ms hands, his face white
snec'. without waiting to be
shea' he told us that the men aosolute-
refused TO take the sum offered. and
nat u we wanted TO leave the place
r loo -