Bisbee daily review., 1908-02-18

yer, aileSeu to nave come rom El SO
 baro, and he will point to the sacred
 edifice in the dusty plaza, for there in you behold before the altar hand
 beaten frame of nearly seven feet by
 three feet in size from silver from Fl
 Sobaro. You ask the intelligent
 keeper of traditions, old and feeble yet bright in mind, and he will tell you of the rich and powerful gambus-
 sino Sobaro-the valiant Opato Indian from the Sierra Madres-after whom
 the antigua takes its name. He will
 seat you in sight of the bun that
 crumbled at the hand of revolution ary foe and forever shut out the open ing to the richest workings in Arizpe He will tell you that years ago-a century or more-zthat Sobaro was the
 owner of the antigua and that years before him the Jesuits had taken
 sheets of virgin silver from it's bew- els; that the plate of the church was furnished therefrom; that the wealth of Arizpe came from that vein; that Sobarol furnished the funds for many
 revolutions; that he was pious and powerful, gracious and hberal--a no- ble friend and daring foe.
 As you look from the city in the green-clad valley from amid the ir-
 regular cluster of sun-dried adobes- whitehead houses of earth and sand you see the bluff that marks the spot where Sobaro drew forth the silver that made Arizpe famous. On its heights stands a decaying wooden
 cross, in memory of the dead under meath. re-established by the pious peo- pie of the pueblo. In a subdued voice and with gestures profuse-now and then in silent mood-this venerable peon will tell you that before the Mexican revolution in 1912, wherein the Spaniards were driven out, So
 baro, the matchless, operated the mine that bears his name. About the
 year 1906 a revolution was inaugural ed by friends of Sobaro, and. in duty bound, Sobaro gave aid and his ser
 vices. The populace were with him in<spirit, as his wealth and the posi- ton he occupied gave him command of many men. Fate seemed to over take this last expedition, as no sooner did Sobaro enter upon his journey to give aid to his friends in war. to- wards Sinaloa, than men began to meet death in the antigua The cav ing of earth, with rudely worked tun- nels, caught many peons therein. Rob
 bers stole his native silver. Ennis
 sarfes of the governor sought to ere ate dissension among his workmen. ] After many months the victorious gov
 ernor appeared in Arizpe with his fol l lowers-but Sobaro came not. Rumor, verified in later years, told that he was killed in battle. Mystery over took his property. The ceasing or work caused the caying of tunnels and with the final visit of robbers, the workings caught fire. Supersti- tious to high degree, no one visited the mine. Those who passed and re
 passed the caYing works passed in si- lence and fear. The governor, who knew the history of the mine and the character of Sobaro. who fell before him. decided to close the mine forev- CT Revenge, theI sweetest morsel to a victorious Spanish buccaneer, led him on On the high bluff between 1 the lime hill and, the porphyry. sit uated so that the falling rock would | cover the only opening to the mine that provided riches to the commun- | ity that opposed him and revenue to fight him, this daring governor or dered his men to the bluff, and with deep holes filled with explosives shot down high bouldefs and blocks of
 stone, covering forever the opening that led to the riches. Years have
 passed. No effort to uncover the vein of silver has been made. Peons would not work near the bodies of their kind-yet the story of Fl Sobaro lives. Among those who believe and sup port the tradition is that sturdy prospector, Herman Berkhauer, who has trod the trails of Sonora for thir- ty long years-a student of the early history of Sonora, pioneer of the new Mexico, an observer of events, a believer of the great wealth of So- nora and whose future is beyond the
 knowledge of the present generation. To those who read the early history of this uncertain and unfortunate country of few centuries ago, 1t is
 beyond belief the many surprises So- nora has in waiting for you-not alone it's vast mineral and other resources, but it's history and early occupation, 1 its ruins. its abandoned cities, crurl- bling mission walls, and it's old m1nes primitive miners, can but reflect and shade of the falling walls of its many massive ruins, handiwork of pious pio- neers, it's many rude workings by and vassos. He who stands in the
 give a gracious, kindly thought to the l industrious, tireless workers of days
 long since gone by