The Tucson citizen., 1902-12-04
Reports CT YdQui OutrdU6s
Denied bv American Miners

The reports to the effect that the
Yaqui Indians have seriously interfered
with mining operations in the southern
part OF Sonora is emphatically denied by
American operators. The latter have
gone so far as to recently publish Sc
ries of interviews in the eastern papers
to the effect that the current rumors
about murders and the unsafe condition
OF the country were entirely without
foundation, and what few and rare Incl
dents there were had been grossly exag-
gerated,
The interviews referred to have been
extensively published lately in eastern
journals, as it was considered that the
false reports tended to retard the devel-
opment of the country and interfered
with mining operations. 1t is not only
claimed that many who have been re-
ported dead have subsequently ap
peared, but that whatever depredations
that have been committed can be di-
rectly traced to limited number of iso-
lated bands of bandits. Further, that
the Indians not only are not opposed to
the American miners, but encourage
their advent into the country, as they
give the Indians work in the mines,
which the latter are glad to do when not
on the warpath. Again, it is said that
as class the American operators are
more inclined to give the Yaquis a
chance than the Mexicans, who enter
tain prejudice, owing to the redman's
past record. -
The last rumor that gave rise to the
reports that are now being denied was
embodied in dispatch sent out from
Tucson. This dispatch was that several
mining engineers and American pros
pectors who had gone into the country
south of Cananea had been killed. Two
of them it was understood were in the
employment of the Yaqui River couD-
| try. Persons interested contradicted the
statement this week both in the Denver
and Chicago papers.
| s. E. Gerson, q mining man who has
spent the past five years in the Yaqui
country. was in the city yesterday on
his way to Texas.
"I have travelled through the noun
tains of Mexico for several years." he
said, "and have never had any trouble.
II it is not knowD~that you are carrying
large sum of money, I do not think
there is any danger at all. The Yaquis
have been fighting the federal troops
and not the American miners or the
peaceful Mexicans believe at present
more prospectors in Mexico lose their
lives by wandering off into an unknown
and arid region where the perish from
want than from the bullets of outlaws.
| The government has adopted vigorous
policy and is fast exterminating the
bands of robbers that formerly infested
the Sierra Madres. Tt will not now be
long before they are completely wiped
out. Once and awhile an inexperienced
man falls into the hads of treacherous
gu de who would kill him for few PEN
MES. But the man himself is largely
to blame for this for not having used
more care and judgement.
81 consider that the false reports
W hich have been circulated have been
very detrimental to the mining inter-
ests. A short time agoI had deal
almost closed for promising property
near Santa Barbara, chihuahua. The
man with whom was negotiating came
out west for the expressed purpose of
looking at the property. He heard
some of these reports and | could not
get him any further than Ell Paso,
and consequently the deal finally fell
through.
! sit is wonderful, continued Mr.. Ger
/. son, "the progress that has been made
in mining during the pact. two years.
This is true both OF Chihuahua and So
nora. Capitalists are beginning to have
faith in Mexico. They will now invest
thousands of dollars where formerly
they hesitated about venturing even as
many hundred. Heavy shipments of
expensive machinery are going into the
country, and extensive development
work is constantly in progress have
myself two gold ledges OF good pay ore
which am developing. The ore assays
from 500 to $50 ton and the width of
the vein is increasing with depth. am
now down about sixty feet. I am on
my way to my old home near Dallas,
where expect to form company to
work the property"