The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-04

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Ito $500. They are valued according 70
their weight, purity, brilliancy and shape,
the pear-shaped being the most valuable.
This industry could be doubled or trebled
IL properly worked. At present some M
ling is done by machine pumps, a yearly
tax Of $500 being levied on each diving.
pump. About thirty such pumps are now
working.
"A Land of Gold.
There is no doubt but that the 1sthnus
contains precious metals. II was not far
K from the Gulf Of Darien that Bulboa was
buying gold of the Indians. when one OF
them knocked the scales from his hands,
saying that If the white man cared for
such stuff he could show him land over
tho mountains where gold was SO cheap
that the common people ate and drank
out of vessels made from It. The Indian
referred to the mines Of Peru which al
tcrward made Spain rich.
There are to-day mines about the Gulr
of Darlen. One is being exploited by an
the Darien Gold Mining Company,
Limited 1t is now working q thousand
Jamaican negroes, and producing in the
neiEhborhood of million dollars worth
OF gold a year. In 1903 more than 5000
was taken out o, Its mines. and t1nblo
Pinel, the manager, tells me tnut the
mines are now more profitable than ever.
Gold is also found in the Verngua and
Cocle Districts, and nearly every river
on the Isthmus shows more or less color.
I have heard of a negro who loafs about
Colon the greater part of his time WITH
out any visible means of support, When
he gets hard up he takes trip INTO the
mountains, washes gold from the streams
and brings back about 500 or more after
a FEW weeks work. So farno3 ono knows
where his placer mines are.
Mahogany and Rubber.
The forests of Panama are especially
rich, having many valuable woods, m
Guiding mahogany. a Grand Rapids
company has been shipping mahogany
from here to Europe and the United
states, but understand It has recently
sold lis concession and its, timber lands
arc now being exploited by others. This
company had an option on b2,o00 acres OF
| forests, lying on q river about tWcnty-
Ave miles from Panama. The trees we're
| SO located that the logs could DO hoated
| down to the Pacific Ocean, ana thence
carried to the docks at La Roca. whence
| they were shipped across the isthmuS
on the Panama Railroad. The trees made
logs from twenty to forty inches IN
| diameter, and were of such quality that
they commanded from SIS Ito 500 a
| thousand feet, It Is estimated that there
were about ninety million feet In that
concession. TWO of the chief owners
have been here during my stay, but one
Of them narrowly escaped death by yell
low fever, and 1t may be that this has
Influenced him in selling the property. !.
The whole isthmus has all sorts Of
hard woods, and, in addition. trees which
| produce rubber for export. Rubber fIan-
! tations might lbe set out here, and that
I more proAtably, probably, than in Mcxi-
/ CO. where such exploitation Is now car
| ried on,
Business in Panama.
The merchants of Panama are making
| money. The most OF the stores are gem
eral stores, dealing In all sorts Of goods,
4 and that at high prices. Clothing costs
more than In the States, foodstuffs are
4 higher and two prices are charged for
j everything. This Ia especially SO y tbs