The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-05-26
\ MEXICAN CRESUS.
AN Illiterate Poems Wonderful Ac-
emulation of Riches.
stumbIeA Upon an outcroppIng of SAL
yer Quarts and I'm Four Years
Time Has a Fortune of
Forty Million Dollars.

piano in each room, carrying thou
sands of dollars ON his person as pin
money" guarded day and night by 30
armed men, and worth fully $4,000,
600, is an illiterate Indian mine laborer
whose home is in Parral, Mexico.
Four years ago Pedro Alvarado
was penniless, except for the rs cents
a day he earned by ten hours toll
underground. Three weeks ago he
offered to pay the national debt of
Mexico, reports the New York World,
of recent date.
A little more than three years ago
Senior Alvarado, who was then just
plain Pedro, was wandering over the
mountains near Parral in the half
hearted hope that he might find some
sort of mineral showing that would
justify him in stalking a claim. which
he might sell for few dollars.
Ia "a lonely canyon an outcropping
of quartz attracted his eye. With a
small bOwlder he broke off a piece
of it.
Through the white quartz in every
direction ran lines of native wire sill
yer. He realized that he was a rich
man!
All the latent ambition of this
shrewd toiler was awakened. Powers
that he himself had not realized were
aroused in him. He staked his claims
and, unassisted, commenced the de-
velopment work on his property. 1t
paid literally from the grass roots.
\ l.
larging his operations. The prospect
became a small mine and then a big
one.
Through all its steady growth Alva-
RADIO remained its executive head.
Though practically without even the
rudiments of a school education he
developed remarkable business sagaci-
ty and foresight. Every detail of the
operations came under his notice, and
he proved able to handle them while
grasping unerringly the big ends of
the rapidly growing enterprise.
That is how PEDRO Alvarado became
worth $4o,OOo,O0o in less than four
| years.
Moreover, this remarkable silver
| producer is still outputting an enor-
nous amount OF high-grade ore, and
the wealth of the mulli-millionaire
| peon 'of Parral is still growing like
magic.
With the acquisition of great wealth
| Alvarado did not lose his head or lis
heart. He became great philanthro-
| pist and he spends almost as much time
in planning ways of using his great
wealth for the good of his countrymen
as he does on the management of his
mine.
He built at Parral a great cathedral.
and on its completion gave it to the
Roman Catholic church, of which he
is dlevout member. He seeks the poor
and needy and gives to them freely.
If there is real distress or suffering
anywhere he is always ready to re-
spond literally.
Senior Alvarado is coming to the
United States before long. He has
a great admiration for Americans. a
fact which makes him the victim of
a great many tramps and vagabonds,
who flock to Mexico during the winter.
He is very anxious to see New York
and other large cities of which he has
heard much. He will travel in state
and it is said his encourage will be of
unique magniticence.
Recently Alvarado dictated a long
telegram 20 the Mexican minister of
finance, Senior Ives Jose Limantour.
asking to be Informed of the exact
debt of his country and expressing
willingness to pay the debt himself.
i stand ready to make my offer
good at any time the government gives
me the word" said he. Il have my mil
lions. 1t all came out of the ground.
got my title to the ground that pro-
dmced these millions from the gov
eminent. Why should l not help my
benefactor? The least can do is TO
pay the debt of my government. That
would not be much for me to do. l
hope it can be arranged"
But Minister Limantour could not
see it in that light. He at once advised
the philanthropist that his generous
plan was impracticable, but that the
offer was none the less appreciated.
Thus the matter stands and the
money continues to pile up in the
Golfers of the peon of Parral fill he
is at loss to know what to do with
his wealth, and often, in his worry
over the great responsibility that has
fallen upon him he wishes that the
mine might peter out" leaving him
time to get his head above the golden
flood.