The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-01-19
WEALTH IN VOLCANO
PoP0CATAPETL, MExIcO's FAMOUS
 MOUNTAIN. FOR SALE.
Scientists Claim that Its Yearly In- crease of suiphur Will sup-
 ly the Markets of the World

ts World.
 Mexico City Dispatch to Los Angeles
 Herald.
 The Popocatapetl volcano is for sale. This announcement ought to attract the attention of dealers in volcanos. It has been said. with much truth. that no legitimate business proposition Is too big or. daring for American m. vestors to tackle. The Popocatapeti volcano is an exception to this gen. eral rule. American promoters have been trying for many years to float companies to take over and operate the property for its sulphur deposits, and to establish other interesting features in connection with the giant mountain, whose snow-capped head overIooks the valley of Mexico. The latest of these projects has failed. and the famous voi- cano has passed back into the hands of Gen& Caspar Sanchez Ochoa, of Mexico City. who came into its possession . great many years ago.
 General Ochoa thought he had got rid of the monster volcano by selling it to, syndicate of Americans, headed by Capt Charles Holt. formerly of New. York. but resident of Mexico for sev- eral years. Captain Holt purchased the volcano in 1904 for reported consid- eration of $5.0oo.ooo United States money, which is equivalent to S1o.o00,- 900 Mexican money.
 Captain Holt's Plan.
 It was planned by Captain Holt to organize a company with a capital stock of st0.00o.eo0 gold for the pur- pose of carrying on various kinds of operations on the mountain. In addi- tion to mining the sulphur which Is stored in the crater of the volcano. an incline railway was to be built from its base to its summit. this city was to be supplied with ice from the per- petuai ice field that surmounts the mountain. and at It's base the principal forest was to be converted into a beau tifu1 park, hotels were to be erected, and 1t was to be made an ideal resort for American tourists.
 Captain Holt was unable to finance the big proposition and after three years of effort In that direction the pro- feet was abandoned. and a few days ago title to the mountain reverted to General Ochoa- It is stated that Cap tain Holt is still interested in the park and hotel features of the original plan. and that General Ochoa and other men of means are connected with the minor projects.
 14ey0O0,00O Tons of Sulphur.
 It is a dizzy proposition to think of mining sulphur at an altitude of 1s,000 feet. But 1t is asserted by experts who have investigated and reported on the feasibility of the plan that the phys teal dificuIties which stand in the way can be overcome by the application of engineering ingenuity. backed by suf- ficif1ent money t. carry 1t through. S
 A commission of mining experts. ap- pointed by the Mexican government, made an exhaustive study and investi- gation of te sulphur deposits contain cd in the crater of the Popocatepti vol. cano few years ago. This official report states that not only is this sul- phur deposit the largest in the world. but that this native nonmetallic ele. ment absolutely pure. as 1t exists in the crater of the Popocatepetl volcano. The report shows that at the time the investigation was made there were approximately 14S.0o0. 900 tons of sulphur in the crater, within 6 depth of 500 feet.
 the influences of nature Is going on constantly. and. according to the esti- mate made by the government experts. this annual increase amounts to ap- proxinately 1.4S0.000 tons. Astounding as these figures may appear. thcy are amply verified by measurements made from year to year.
 Enough to Supply the World.
 The annual consumption of sulphur in the United States is . little more than 100000. tons and all of Europe consumes annually less sthan 100000 tons. Most of the commercial sulphur Is known as seconds, or 30 per cent pure. The annual increase of sulphur in the crater of Popocatepetl is suffi- cient to supply the markets of tho world. it is asserted.
 The greatest sulphur-producing coun- try in the world is Italy. which has an annual output of about 550,000 tons, according to the most reliable figures sulphur comes from the Island of Sin- lily. The Unied States. France. and Japan produce all told less than 100.- 900 tons annually.
 At an average market price of $20 gold a ton, the value of sulphur stored in the crater of the volcano in fabu- lous. It was the ambitious plan Of Captain Holt to supply a big part of the world with the product. He said It could be mined and placed on tn" market in the United States at an OK pense of not exceeding eI0 gold 8 ton This would have left a big margin of profit, if his figures were correct.
 Mined for 400 YeaYs
 The mining of sulphur in the crater of Popocatepetl has been carried on in termittently for 400 years. During the time of the conquest, when Hernando Cortez was in power, the deposits were mined in a primitive way by the Span iards. Since then great quantities of sulphur have been brought out of the crater on the backs of Mexicans and carried down the mountain and thence to the market.
 The daring of some of tthese native sulphur miners is remarkable. They do not hesitate<to go to the very rim nf the hole which comes up through the incrusted deposit of sulphur and which leads far down to the ever-seeth. Ing caldron of the volcano. The crater is about 1000 feet in diameter, and the fumes which constantly pour forth through the ventway are dissipated in the air above before they extend to any harmful degree over other parts of the crater. In most places the walls of the crater are perpendicular. The descent from the rim of the crater to the top of tho sulphur deposit Is a sheer 5s0 feet.
 The natives who engage in mining the product in a desultory way for General Ochoa reach the mine by means of rope ladders, bringing tho product out on their backs. Enormous blocks of pure sulphur are scattered about the mine. Some of these chunks weigh 150 pounds each.
 The temparature in the crater is comfortably warm. On the outside or top of the mountain IS an area of snow and ice, witch extends far down its sides.
 Ascent of Volcano ia Difficult.
 It requires a great amount of endur- ance and no little spirit of daring to