The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-22
side US" Up
m In Mexico
"'

water until II forms kind Of mud
Then mixture of vitriol salt and
quicksilver Is added. and six or eight
oiindfolded mules are driven around
through the mud for hours until the
quicksilver has gone through every
part OF it. AS the quicksilver touches
the particles of native silver in the ore
IL sucks the silver into itself and. when
II is drawn off. IL has the greater part
OF the silver and gold from the mud or
crushed ore The quicksilver is then
put INTO furnace and evaporated the
silver Itself remaining in the fur
mace.
AS saw the mules trotting around in
these big watts OF silver mud. re-
marked upon their sorry appearance.
and was told that only the Oldest and
poorest OF stock were used fo, the
purpose. The reason is the quick ilvcr
and vitrol rots off the hoofs. and after
Il year or so the animals have to be
killed.
Mining rheftS.
am told that great deal 81 silver
and gold is stolen by the Mexican
miners. The average Aztec has but
little Idea OF property rights. and he
takes what he can find as a gift from
God. In some OF the mines the workers
are searched by three different sets of
men. The poems will conceal the metal
under their arms, under their toes In
I 'iitii 'ai = anu, IN IaCt, IN every other
conceivable place. They are barefoot
ed and bareleggcd. and in many cases
work almost naked. wearing little more
than brecch cloth. In some of the
old native mines they carry the ore out
upon ladders In many places they sort
, the ore before It is crushed or treated
with quicksilver
OF the 5000 mines counted by Hum
boldt in 1900, not one was worked
scientifically, and a large part of the
increased product Of the country to-day
comes from the modern mining methods
introduced by the foreigners.
Mexico's Mining Laws.
have received many inquiries as to
the mining laws OF Mexico. They are
simple and practical. Every camp has
its board which looks after the inter
ests OF the miners. and foreigners have
the same right as natives in dcnounc-
ing a claim.
The ordinary mining claim Is called
pertcnancia II contains about 100
square metres or about two and one
half acres and 1t can be held by taxi
ing out the proper papers and paying
at the rate of Sc. Mexican currency for
each twenty-five claims per year The
titles of the claims are recorded in the
department Of Formen;o. and patents
for them are Issued by the general
government. The mining laws are
more liberal than ours: and claims can
be held whether worked or not so long
as the taxes are paid.
Where Pearls Arc Raised on Farms
Mexico is now producing ii goodly
amount of pearls and also Of precious
stones used In the arts. The pearls
come from the Gulf of California; the
oysters being found on both sides OF
the peninsula By native divers and
also being cultivated on farms.
Tho fishing is under concessions
fom the Mexican government, and one
company, which has the largest pearl
farm In the world. is now employing
IN the harvesting season more than
! 900 hands The oysters are planted.
the eggs being placed In artificial chan
nels wncre the young can be protected
from their natural enemies. AS they
grow they are taken into deeper water
and kept in large boxes or cages and
there left to develop The harvest is
ready al the end of two years. AT which
time IL is said that the shells are at
their best and contain the best pearls.
II is also said that the pearls disappear
after that age.
Three kinds OF pearls; yellow. white
and black, are now being found The
yellow ones are of the least value. the
white Cncs come next. being worth
about $3.50 a carat. and the most val
liable are the black pearls. which are
worth 5000 a carat and upward.
One OF the biggest pearls ever found
here was three fourtbs of an inch In
diameter. 1t was taken to Paris and
sold to the Emperor of Austria for
$4,000. A black pearl from this region
valued at $4,000. went first to Madrid,
and was given by Spain to Napoleon
III. Another famous Mexican pearl
was Of rose color. II was found about
200 years ago and was sold In Europe
for $4,000.
Mexico's Opal Mines.
Mexico has mines, OF nne stones. In
GLIDING emeralds. topaaes, Barnets and
amothyats. The most profitable are