The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1906-04-07
MEXICO'S LOST MINES
ANCIENT BEDS or TREASURE THAT
CANNOT NOW DE- LOCATED.

H"f''N't"" nm" 'hnht"E of the
/ Native IndinrS.
Of the many mlnc- which were work
Ell by the Spaniards aud which gave
1 them snch fabulous returns for their
labor scarcely one can be located to-
day Many romantic stories a. 60 their
I whereabouts have been followed up
ouly 10 be met with defeat.
Quo Of the richest OF those mines was
probably TmuSca. about which Hum.
boldt has written. II was worked long
before the Spanards arrived In Mex
| leo. and the gold and silver were made
into ornaments by the ahorlgines \
family IN Quay mas has necklace OF
! Aging Ash purchased from Pima
chief. who said that the metal was dug
from Tarasca. Later the mine was nc.
quircd 10y the crown Of Spain and was
worked. with the exception Of u period
during the Apache war, TN the French
Intervention. when the shafts were said
10 have been concealed by the admin
istrator. Don Juan Moreno. who was
forced TO seek safety IA flight After
the restoration Of peace the location OF
Tarasca was looked for In vain, though
the mine now known As Ubarbo Il sup
posed TO he the same. when rediscov-
cred years ago Ubarbo was found To
have been extensively worked and the
shafts concealed under earth and
brush. Rich pillars OF ore were found
In the drifts, and the mine corresponds
la many respects with the descriptions
OF Tarasca found In the archives OF
the American consulate NJ Guaymss
The fame OF Tarnsca is eclipsed by
the romance which hoycrs around the
lost mine OF 1alopa 4 Mexican or
great wealth who was much Interested
in the subject made a trip 10 Madrid
10 search for data on the subject. lie
found absolutely nothing To prove that
such a mine had ever been worked by
the crown of spain. and there IL moth
Ing IN Mexican archives to esta blish
the facts. Quite rs trustworthy as the
written documents are the traditions
among the Pima Indians. They main.
tain that Taiopa exists and few
claim 10 know Its whereabouts. Small
quantities or very rich ore are occn-
slonally sold az the mountain mining
camps but all attempts TO follow the
Indians to The spot where Il i found
or 10 bride them 10 reveal It have been
unayaillng Their wants are few and
they believe that should they reveal
the secret they would drop dead About
six years ago an old Pima chief fell ill
Ia one Of the valley pucbos and was
cured by a Mexican lady 80 well
known and universally respected that
her statement Is taken without ques
ton The old Indian returned 10 his
tribe aud from time % time sent his
benefaclress rich hits of ore which
assaycd thousands ~ dollars 70 the
ton
All her efforts ID GO him q lead her
10 the mine were fruitlcSs. for the
great spirit would strike him dead for
the oifensc Tho following summer the
sonora went to the mountains ana iiv
ed among the Indians FOR three months.
doctorlng the sick ana giving presents
Of ribbons and gay calico 10 the won
en. She became convinced that the
spot whence the rich ore came was
1aiopa Finally the old chief admitted
that the mine was worked when he
was a boy and gave permission To- two
women Of the tribe TO lead the sonora
within Il few yards Of the mine so that
she might discover II FOR herself and
save him from the penalty of sudden
death for revealing H. The three WON
On Travelled mostly nj night. passing
through deep canyons and over lofty
mountains.
The fourth night some hours after
dark the Indian women led her into a
deep canyon AMI paused before large
rock In the dim moonlight IN old ar
rastra was seen anu across the canyon
4 large ore dump The woman gath
cred bits OF ore from the dump. but
was hurried away ~ the squaws, who
said they would hc Killed If they de
layed beyond thc time mentioned 10y
their chief They travelled tll the
moon went down, rested 4 Few hours
and went on before daylight complete.
Nv baillIng tic Mexican woman as 60
the route they had taken They mr..
rived at the pueblo az nlghtfall. hay
ing taken four days 10 reach the mine
and but one go return. the Obvious con
cluson being that she had been lei In
a circle. Dcspairlng OF gaining more,
the woman returned 10 her home. hut
she hopes at some future time 10 con-
tinue the search
Two other mines which are supposed
10 have been the property Of the crown
during thu spanish occupation and Of
Which there are many romantic tales
are the Resns Mercedes and the Casa
Blanca. Both have been probably re
discovered aud worked under other
names. The fs>ins Mercedes Is sup
posed TO he one Of the rich Conchens
group and the Casa Blanca the Castles
mine. Near the latter In an ancient
mine. now worked by a Mexican com
psny. which has open cuts OH the sur
fare for more than n mile and several
MIKES Of underground wo~kugs. Near
ths InIne who're once a large church
stood. which has long since fallen into
r7iiss. two copper boil. have been
found. They bear the sams OF Guads-
lups de Tsleps. thus leading many 20
fha h<lief that ths IT, To- NINA Il -