The times., 1899-03-27


To Americans General ochoa Is very
| interesting personality. from the fact that
he is the owner of a mighty mountain. He
is a man on the sunset slope of life. He
was born in the city of Guadalajara capi-
tai Of the State OF Jalisco. on January 8.
1897, and was early educated as a civil
engineer. being a graduate of the famous
school of mines. In 1855 Oehoa. as a lad
| almost, Joined the leaders of the Ayutla
revolution, Comonfort and Degollado
serving on the corps of engineers. Always
a liberal at heart, on principle he fought
against the conservative and clerical par
ties. He placed Puebla in a condition OF
defence, and later, following the fortune
of the republican party. at Vera Cruz was
wounded and captured. but succeeded in
making his escape, joining General Diaz,
who had also very cleverly escaped from
the French in Puebla. He participated in
the dramatic defence of MaZatlan with a
few Mexican troops against the French
man. of-war La Cordeller, an action which
was dramatized in later years by Col
Ireneo Paz. Later Oehoa became Cover
nor of Sinaloa, and went TO San Francisco
to raise a loan of s10.0 600 for the repub-
lican cause He assumed command of the
federal troops under President Leredo de
Tejado, and was faithful TO that President
even when deposed by General Diaz
escorting him in safety to the coast on his
Diaz assumed the Presidency he appointed
Ochoa Chief OF the Engineering Depart
ment in the War Office, and ne organized
the department and placed upon prac-
tical working basis the Mexican Military
Academy of Chapultepec. The time-toss
old veteran lives in bachelor retirement in
comfortable suite of rooms at the Itur-
bide, indulging in day dreams of the con-
quest by steel and steam. of the uncon-
quered peak of Popocatepetl.
Early Work on Mexican Deposits.
Ignacio Reyes, of Amecameca, was the
first to make business of sulphur extrac-
ton. He began work in 1886. Later on
Juan Mugica Osorio put up ovens at
Tlamacas, and the industry was taken up
by General Ochoa. a royalty used to be
paid to the poems of u cents per arroba,
and they earned sometimes $3.50 a day.
The extraction in the early days used to-
be about 1000 arrobas, or 173,000 pounds, a
year. The present owner has taken out in
a single year 100000 pounds. The con-
sumption of sulphur in the Republic during
1898 was calculated at 100000 quintaies
ChundredweighD, and OF this fully nine
tenths was imported. The sulphur product
of Popocatepetl is practically limitless. The
present EXTRACTION has been practically
suspended. as il is too costly when con-
Quoted according to the old methods. Upon
the completion of the system contemplated.
General Ochoa believes he will be able TO
mine the sulphur and pack il and deliver
to the market at 81 per hundredweight.
implying a very declarable profit The
sulphur precipitates on Popocatepetl rs it
does at Aetna The fumes issue hot, and
on striking the cold air they condense.
They are sublimed on all sides of the era
ter and on the floor below, and in quality
the sulphur is almost pure. containing no
arsenic or iron. The market price of sui
phur ranges from s55 to $40 u ton and sui
phuric acid s cents a pound. Ice also used
to be brought down. and before railroad
days used to bring % cents per pound. but
now brings only 80 cents an arroba, or
about cent pound. 1t is manufactured
in the City of Mexico, but II the Ochoa |
Railway is constructed it can profitaby be |
shipped TO Cuautla and other cities in the |
Mexican tropics.
Aside from the commercial value of this |
vast possession General Ochca is very proud /
of Popocatepeu on account of its scenic !
magnifcence, and here his mind takes in |
the possibilities of the peak as point |
for tourists to visit. AT present the ascent |
of Popocatepetl requires an expenditure of
SIS to $25, two three days time and an
immense amount OF exposure and hardship !
II the Ochoa railway is built the trip from
Mexico to the peak and back again can be /
easily accomplished in ten hours time. OF !
course, the volcano under such practical /
conditions would lose much OF its charm |
People would miss the horseback ride from |
CASTORIA forInfanis and Children. ! !
The Kind Y0u Hava AlWavS B0ught