New-York tribune., 1907-11-17
4 VOLC1NO FOR Sale.
Sulphur Deposits Of PopocatcpcH
IN MARKET.

Mexico City, Nov. 1G Special. Fopocatepcu
volcano is for sale. This announcement ought
TO attract the attention of dealers in volcanoes.
While it has been said that no legitimate bus-
ness proposition is too big or daring for Arncrl-
can investors to tackle. Popocatcpeu volcano
seems to be exception to this general rule.
American promoters have been trying for many
years TO float companies t" take over and oper-
ate the property for its sulphur deposits and 10
establish other interesting features in connection
with the giant mountain whose snow capped
head overlooks the valley of Mexico. The lat
est of these projects has failed, and the famous
volcano has passed back into the hands of Gen
eral Casper Sanchez Ochoa OF this city, who
came into its possession many years ago.
General Ochoa thought that he had got rid of
tie monster volcano three years ago to a syn
dicate of Americans. headed by Captain Charles
Holt, formerly of New York, but resident of
Mexico for several years. Captain Holt pur
chased the volcano for a reported consideration
Of $50OOOOO United States money. which is
equivalent TO $1OO00Oo0 Mexican money. 1t
was his plan to organize a company with a
capital stock of $1OOO0,OO0 gold for carrying on
various kinds of operations upon the mountain.
In addition to mining the sulphur which is
stored in the crater of the volcano inclined
railway was to be built from its base to its sum
init, this city was to be supplied with ice from
the perpetual ice field that surmounts the noun
tain and at its base the primeval forest was to be
converted into park hotels were TO be erected
and il WAS to bc made an ideal resort for Amer
lean tourists.
Captain Holt was unable to finance the big
proposition, and after three years of effort in
that direction the project abandoned and
few days ago the title to the mountain
Herted to General Ochoa. 1t is stated that Cap
tain Holt is still interested in the park and
hotel features of the original plan and that Gen
eral Ochoa and other men of means con
nected with the other projects.
1t is a dizzy proposition to think of mining
sulphur at altitude of eighteen thousand
feet. But ii is claimed by experts who have in
vestigated and reported upon the feasibility of
the plan that the physical difficulties which
stand in the way can be overcome by the appli-
cation Of engineering ingenuity, backed by suf-
fcient money to carry it through
a commission of mining experts appointed by
the Mexican government made exhaustive
study and investigation of the sulphur deposit
contained in the crater of Popocatepetl volcano
a few years ago. This official report states that
not only is this sulphur deposit the largest in
the world, but that this native non-metaIlic ele-
ment is absolutely pure as il exists in the crater
tme the investigation made there were ap-
7roximately 14S.0OO 600 tons of sulphur in the
crater within depth of five hundred feet The
manufacture Of the sulphur by the forces of
Eature is going on constantly and, according to
thc estimate made by the government experts
fhis annual increase amounts to approximately
1,4S0,000 tons Astounding as these figures may
appear, they amply verified by measurements
made from year to year.
At average market price of $50 gold ton
the value of the sulphur stored in the crater of
the volcano is fabulous to be beyond the
comprehension of the average man. 1t was the
ambitious plan OF Captain Holt to supply big
part OF the world with the product. He claimed
that it could be mined and placed on the market
in the United States at an expense of not ex-
ceeding $40 gold ton. This would have left a
big margin of profit if his figures were correct.
The mining of the sulphur in the crater of
Popocatepetl has been carried on intermittenty