Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1907-01-24
ONCE A COAL. PAS;SER| :|
CARLOS ROMERO, MEXICAN NOW
WORTH MILLIONS.
Started With $500, Bought Abandoned
Mines and Made them Pay
Riches Have Not Turned
His Head.

Hostotipaquillo, State of Jalisco.
Mex.-Three years ago Carlos Romero,
of this place, was employed as helper
an a locomotive of the Mexican Cen
trail railroad, at $40 per month, Next.
can money, which is equivalent to $40
United States money He is worth
to-day more than $4,0O0,OOO, all made
in mining. A few weeks ago he paid
100000 cash for group of mines in
this district. He owns a number of
rich mines which are adding to his
fortune every year at the rate of about
$1,500,000 every year. The Cabrera
mine, one of his properties, was oper-
ated by the Spaniards more than a
century ago, and it has a record of
having produced more than $5O,O00,OO0
during it's early history. Its rich ore
bodies were only touched on the sur
face and Mr. Romero is taking out
great quantities of ore that runs high
in value.
Mr.. Romero was born of peon par
ents. He worked at odd jobs at few
cents day until he obtained situa-
ton on the Mexican Central as coal
passer on one of the big locomotives.
Romero saved from his wages,
small as they were. He could live
cheaply, and $40 per months was big
sum to him. His run was through
mining region, and he came into con-
along the line of the road Year after
year passed and Romero's pile of earn
ings increased until he had about $500
saved.
He then began to look around for
safe investment for his little for
tune. One day he learned that the
ancient Mololoa and Tamara gold
mines in this district could be bought
for trifle The ore in the mines was
thought to be exhausted. Romero got
lay-off for few days and made a
personal examination of the mines.
He decided that they might still be
worked with some profit He bought
the mines, making the first payment
with his few hundred dollars. He quit
his job on the railroad and went to
work with his pick in the lower work
ings of the Tamara mine. He had
been at 1T only few days when he
uncovered bonanza of ore. 1t was
the richest strike ever made in this
district.
He got out enough to make the first
shipment, which brought him a draft
of more than $4,000 from the smelt-
er. A large force of men was en-
ployed, and both mines were placed
in regular operation. A rich body of
ore was also discovered in the Mololoa
mine. Everything Romero touched
seemed to turn into money. The two
old mines netted him more than 81 ,000,-
900 during the first year of their oper-
alton under his ownership. He bought
other mines and they produced rich
quantities of ore, which added to his
fortune.
Mr.. Romero's head has not been.
turned by his rapid rise to fortune.
He lives in the simple, plain way that
he did when he was earning $40 per
month. He has developed remark
able business ability, and no man in
the state of Jalisco stands higher as
shrewd hard-headed man of affairs
than he. He contemplates erecting
here magnificent palace for home.
1t is said that it will surpass in grand.
| eur the famous marble palace of Pc
dro Alvarado, the multi-millionaire
mining man of Parral, whose meteoric
| rise to fortune has not been unlike
that of Mr.. Romero.