Evening star., 1903-07-21
SCORE Of o. SKELETONS
Unearthed in Old Working Of
Mexican Mine.
FOUND 1N'BED OF ASHES
SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN THERE
$50 YEARS.
Former Senator John p. Jones Tells an
Interesting Story Of Re
cent Journey.

Former United States Senator John P.
Jones Of Nevada, before leaving Washing
ton this morning for New York. told an in
teresting story of the unearthing In an old
working of the Asuncion mine. near Mon
terey, Mexico. of a score or more OF skele-
tons evidently the remains of victims of
mine disaster that occurred probably not
less than $50 years ago. The report Of the
discovery was made while former senator
Jones was at Monterey several weeks ago.
Tons of rock and ore covering the pile OF
bones bore testimony to the character OF
the tragedy. Mr.. Jones was discussing the
story told by Dr. T. B. Mohun of this city,
who was the surgeon of the Wellman polar
expedition. and who, while in the state OF
Sonora, Mexico. a few weeks ago. discov-
cred the skeletons of 800 or 400 women in
the basement of a deserted monastery.
How the Discovery Was Made.
1.-The skeletons near Monterey were dis
covered while following what appeared to
be rich vein of ore said the veteran
statesman and miner from Nevada. The
value of the veins ore proved to be all
that was expected and the finding OF the
remains of the dead men also developed the
fact that the man who made the discovery
for their location Of the skeletons fndi-
Gated that they, too, were following the
same ore body when their lives were
crushed out by the falling rock.
1.-The attention Of the superintendent of
the mine was attracted to the spot where
the men died by bits of ore scattered at
the base of shoulder In the side of the
mountain. The wall behind the spot is al
most perpendicular and the vein Of ore
they were following leads into the noun
inst above q in a direction al.
most parallel to the face of the wall. It
was evident that the bits of ore were not
In a part of the natural deposit.
Prompted by Curiosity.
Curiosity caused the superintendent to
make a thorough examination. Broken
rock mixed with bits of ore. seemed to in
dicate that a slip had occurred at some
time. Fragments of rock that were lying
beneath a portion of the debris were re-
moved and bones were seen protruding
from the mass. 1t was then discovered
that an area Of about ten square meters
was covered with great slabs of rocks.
They were blasted away and the work OF
eXhumatiOn was begun. Almost every piece
removed disclosed the bones of the men on
whom 1t had fallen. In not a few cases
the skeletons were found intact. In no
case were the bones of the skeletons found
scattered except as they were thrown away
by the blast Bone by bone they were
heaped in the pile they now form at one
side of the spot where they have rested
for centuries.
Not particle of clothing and no tools
were found with the bones. but the indis-
criminate manner in which the skeletons
were lying and the fact that their covering
weighed more than 1t would have been pos
sble to have been placed over them leaves
little room for doubt that they were the
victims of accident.
In a Bed Of Ashes.
ha nd
large quantities of dried leaves of the
maguey plant. But the real bed of the
dead was a pile of ashes no less than d
foot deep. Why the maguey leaves were
there is a matter of conjecture. but the
ashes may be accounted for by the fact
that in the olden days the method of ex
tracing ore consisted largely in roasting.
A fire was built beneath the mixture of
rock and ore. The limestone was In that
manner converted into lime. from which
could be pried loose with sticks any
other similar primitive tool.
THAT doubtless the manner in which
the workmen procured the from the
Mitre mountain vein The spot was prob
ably selected on account of it's proximity
to the vein. The remains of set of stone
steps leading in the direction of the vein
We're also discovered within few feet of
the scene of the ancient tragedy.
Reports to the King of Spain in 1850 sup
plemented by traditions, seem to indicat te
that the AsuncOn mine, at least the
mine now called by that name (for the re-
ports do not specify it by any name) is
one of the oldest in the Monterey district
Spanish Captains Report.
"The first report of which a record is
known is that made by two Spanish cap
tains They told of work being done in
the San Antonio mine and one other in
the Mitre mountain.
Regarding the mine to which they gave
no name they stated that the ore ran about
six ounces of silver to every twenty five
pounds of ore. Since the recent opening
Of that vein the assays show about the
same percentage
This fact. in connection with the ira
ditions regarding the antiquity Of the mine
has caused the belief among many per-
sons who are familiar with the conditions
that the Asuncion is the other mine men,
toned by the two Spanish captains in their
report
Washington Grove Items.
Special Correspondence II The Evening Star.
WASHINGTON GROVE, Md. July 20. 1903.