Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-04

the old days of the Tezones nuggets of gold large
as mans head taken from this wonderful
region and that one huge lump of the yellow metal
taken from Montana Espantosa was kept at the
capital city for the trial of those persons who
accused of certain crimes. If the accused could lift
the lump of gold, his innocence was unquestionably
demonstrated and he was permitted to go free; but
if he could not lift it he condemned death. 1t
is said that the nugget was so heavy that
possessed the strength to raise 1t from the ground;
but that the gods always interviewed on behalf of the
innocent, endowing them with supernatural strength
to toss it into the air like feather.
One will search the map of Mexico and the United
States in vain for the name of this region of
chantment but careful comparison of many differ
ent legends current in the Southwest and in Northern
Mexico, and of obscure references made to
tain of that name by early Spanish writers have
established the fact that Montana Espantosa is
identical with Santiago Mountain, located in Texas
about twenty-five miles from Marathon, the
Southern Pacific railroad, not far from the Rio
Grande River, which makes great bend that
point. The mountain is about seven thousand feet
high; but is steep and rocky that it is all but in
accessible
About a year ago George Caen of San Antonio re-
turned from prospecting expedition in search of the
traditional lost mine with many specimens of deCom
posed porphyry containing fair values in gold. How
ever he not content to work prospect, but
declared that he would keep hunting until he
succeeded in locating the old mine worked by the
slaves of the Montezumas if it took him twenty
years to accomplish his obj His enthusiasm has
the present time there are at least half score of
prospecting parties exploring the canons and gulches
of Santiago in search of the legendary treasures
Montana Espantosa. No Mexican, on either side of
the international boundary will approach even the
foothills of the enchanted mountain, believing that
untold misfortunes would fall upon him; but if there
is gold in Santiago, it will take more than host of
legendary devils to keep the American prospector
from finding it.
Another Famous Mine
MORE widely known than the lost mines of Mon
A'A tana Espantosa is Tarasca which no less per-
sonage than Humboldt visited and described. 1t was
worked long before the Spaniards arrived in Mexico,
and then acquired by the crown of Spain, and,
with the exception of short interval during the
Apache war, worked continuously until the French
intervention The patriot administrator Don Juan
Moreno then concealed the shafts and sought safety
in flight. After the execution of Macmillan and
the restoration of tranquility, the location of
Tarasca was sought in vain Don Juan Moreno
dead and of his assistants or laborers could be
found.
now known Ubarbo opened up. The former
workings were found to have been very extensive,
and the old shafts had been carefully concealed un-
der brush and earth Rich pillars of ore were found
in the drifts and the mine corresponds in many par
ticulars to descriptions of Tarasca found in the
archives of the American consulate at Guaymas.
Some believe therefore, that the lost mine OF IaraSca
is worked under the name of Ubarbo while
others assert that there is unquestionabe evidence
that Tarasca was at least fifty miles distant
The fame of Tarasca is eclipsed by the romance of
the lost mine of Taiopa A Mexican of great wealth