New-York tribune., 1899-03-26
VOLCANO FOR SALE.
sttr OWNER OF POPOCATEPErL, IN
MEXICO. HAS PUT 1T ON THE MAX
KET-RICH IN SULPHUR DE
POSITS-A SKETCH or
IT'S HISTORY.

From The Mexican Herald
The owner of Popocatepet. General Caspar
Sanchez Ochoa. has been negotlatns lor apous
a voar with different parties for the transfer Oh
his magnificent property. Last spring the McNi-
can Powder Company treated for the acquis,I
lion of the sulphur deposits. 1nd the deal IS sun
on foot Last October an EngliSnman' liehI!
E 'raylor representing the lai gest sulphur
manufacturing concern in Great Biltalh' Nls-
lied Mexico for the second time in connection
with this matter, and made an oilcr oI l'"'v"V
for the volcano Tn firm represented by MT
TAYLOR some years ago purchased the SIClnah
deposits in Caiforni, However, General ochoa
has not positively made any transfer ds YET e soI
she different parties negotiating nave 50 Ii'
failed To make the necessary money ucpoSH'
The extraction of sulphur from Popocatepet'
General Ochoa says is bound to be very re-
munorative provided proper machinery IL en-
plovcd for that purpose. 1t used 10 be Naiu'h
at So q ton. but now is valued at from -, 10 10
$40 a ton and with proper apparatus ior tnc tnc
mining and extraction the industry Represents
about 100 per cent of proht.
General OchOa is figuring upon the cohstruc-
tion OF a galloway for the extraction oi the te
sulnhlIr deposits and working model OF the
nroposal cable line is to be seen in the Office ot
Donald Stewart. Mr.. Stewart some time since
proposed 10 General Ochoa that tunhel pe
driven from point about Upo metres pelo" tle
crater to tap the bottom of the sulphur de-
pcsits At that time General Ochoa's idea was
to carry the cable line up to the peak anu over
into the crater project which was imprac-
ticabn on account OF the very slender support
furnished by the narrow hips OF the crater for
the cable supports. and. furthermore because
il would have required considerable power LOT
the hosting of the buckets from the depths oi
the crater and the generation OF ever Is az
most impossible at that height impressed with
the en- cheering Giiicultics General Ochoa now
approves Of the plan suggested by Mr.: Stewart,
10 tunnel the peak and to connect the mouth
of the tunnel with the hamlet Of Tamacas. TO
make the connection between the tunnel aud
the proposed reduction works OF Tlamacas
would require 1000 feet of cable, the longest
galloway in the world.
A GREAT GALLOWAY.
The model represents an apparatus Of the
HalIidc patent. a rope made of crucible steel
wire one inch in diameter with a tensile strain
of not less than 2OOOD pounds To the square
inch The patent is that OF \. = Hallidie, or
San Francisco Cal an old mining man of the
West. who has demonstrated his galloway IN
correction with some of the biggest mining
ventures on the Pacific Coast. Although Gen
cral Ochoa is an invalid and veteran, and
therefore under ordinary circumstances is en-
titled to rest. he is still dreaming of carrying
out this ambitions scheme. He refers to the
fact that when the summit OF Pixies Peak, ris-
ing 1900 feet in the air was reached by a able
line people stood aghast and thought that the
limit OF daring had been attained by American
engineers. If General Ochoa carries out ms
scheme the engineering achievement on Pike $
Peak will pale in importance. for Popocatepell
is 1876 feet above level. or nearly 1000
feet higher than the giant OF the Rockies.
The essential feature OF the cable line. as
shown in the model, is single endless moving
hut one rope employed. and that rope travels
with the loads alta by a clip fixed to the
rope. The ropeway is reduced TO a minimum
OF simplicity.
The entire clip can sustain a load Of one ton
without showing any weakness. Its only wear
ing point is the strap which encircles the cable.
The strap is cheap and can be replaced with a
new one in about five minutes. The buckets 10
he used in carrying the sulphur are self-dump-
ing and are attached by bail and hanger TO
the lugs Of the clips by a bolt and nut The
1rpi.r DEnt ~ Al
capacity is 2D pounds Of ore. The load is fixed
to the rope and travels with it. The carrier is
filled while passing. while the rope Is moving
at speed Of about three feet a second. The
clips can be increased TO any reasonable num-
Der desired in accordance with the necessities
OF the sulphur extraction.
The griD pulley is built Of parts which can be
separated and carried over the mountains on
mucback In conveying the sulphur ore ii is
calculated that the rope 'ravcs 2oD feet min
ute The ore buckets which are leo feet apart.
are as above stated. designed to hold 2tO
pounda The 100 tons a day can be delivered by
the contemplated cable lin.
THE COST OF THE SCHEME.
The gray-hairod OLD soldier is dreamer. but
n practical one. He contends that limitless
quantities pf sulphur promising a minimum
profit Of 100 per cent in addition to GJ per cent
sulphuric acid. bringing eight cents a pound.
with a proportonate profit. will recompense his
endeavOr The plan is estimated 10 cost about
SJOO.0U in Mexican silver as follows:
Tunnel to pierce peak. ....................S2 S20N0
Acid retorts at Tlamacas. ................. $1,000
Low grade ore reduction works at Tia
macas ACCOMPLISHMENTS. 30 0OO
Gable line To Tlam NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 5000
Cog railway to Amtca. the railroad
depot ........................3 300 600
To Americans General Ochoa is a very inter
esting personality. from the fact that he is the
owner of mighty mountain. He Is a man on
the sunset slope Of life. He was born in the
city of Guadaajara. capital of the state of
Jasco. on January Il, 1891. ard was early edu-
Gated as civil engil -er. be ing graduate of the
famous school OF mines I'm 1S:hJ OchOa as a