The Washington herald., 1913-08-02
PERUS MINERAL
WEALTH UNTOLD
American Explorer IN Andes
and Upper Amazon Jungles
Narrate Experiences.
ALTITUDE CAUSES FEAR
Mines Of Precious Metals Are Worked
CEadely BY Natives Capital
Il Required

Denver, Colo, Aug. L-Samuel J,
Hallett, former State Senator from
Pitkin County, present regent Of the
University Of Colorado, mining engf'
neer, and explorer. has just returned
from his second tour TO south America
As on his previous journey SIX years
ago, when he penetrated INTO the
trackless jungles of the Upper Amazon
and explored the headwaters of that
great river with the riotous expanse
of ebony, mahogany, and rubber
forests. Mr.. Hallet travelled far from
the beaten paths of white men and
saw much of what he says is valuable
from an chronological standpoint.
This time he made Peru the object
of investigation. leaving Denver early
last November to confirm or disprove
with his own eyes the ancient tales
of its fabulous wealth: and he brings
back the tidings that the half OF
Peru's story has not been told to the
world.
Centuries Behind Time.
Peru for the larger part" he said,
still lives in the sixteenth century
as far as the development Of its re-
sources is concerned. WGheard much
and read more of Peru's wealth, but
civilized world were associated with
legendary annals. / have now seen
something of that bleak interior and
a richer country has never been
known.
Every known mineral is to be found
in Peru. The precious, rare, and base
metals exist there in abundance, but the
crude methods of mining employed by the
natives and the Indians have held the
methods of mineral extraction, transpor-
tation, and treatment will bring an in
fiux of almost uncomfortable wealth from
that republic
Peru needs railroads, mining machin-
cry, and American brains. There Is but
one cyanide mill in the entire republic
For the greater part the silver ores are
run through an astra mill of the ancient
Spanish type, roasted with salt, and
leeched with hyposulphite Of soda The
singular fact is that every class OF silver
ore carries gold, and in many instances
the gold values are higher than the sill
yer; yet the gold goes over the dump into
the tailings. The average saving, in one
property that 1 examined, were 50 per
cent Of the silver and Is per cent OF the
gold.
Surface Il Scratched.
I'm following the ancient Spanish
methods the present native operators In
a number of sections merely mine the
surface outc-opping-the oxidized ores.
No attempt is made to get depth. / saw
one small zone pitched here and there
with shafts of an average Of sixty feet;
vet from these surface outcroppings
81 500, Ooo, 600 were extracted by the Span
ish pioneers"
Mr.. Haliett, describing the topography
of Peru, says that a costaI plain ex-
tending for 100 miles abuts the PACING
ocean, but that irrigation Is necessary
back toward the first mountain range,
known as the Black Cordilleras. so called
because they are barren, and have been
without rain since 1865. This range ex-
tends the full length Of Peru and Chiie
l36 miles back from the coast. Crossing
this range the traveller reaches a plateau
with an elevation of from l2.eOo to 1900
feet and from fifty to 800 miles wide:
On this plateau Mr.. Hallett says that
he discovered ancient cities which would
nrove interesting to the Archaeological
He also found a race Of Indians who
live at attitudes of from 1900 to 1000
feet. and whose chests are distended-
These Indians" said Mr.. Hallett, can
not live in the lower attitudes.
Railroads Are Needed.
at an altitude OF 1850 1eet' sain Eli.
Hallett, there are banks OF cement ard
placer gravel. In one of the banks ar
engineer measured up sls7. 100000 in gold.
tut there is no way to work it. On the
eastern side of the range. down 1o,cp
feet, You are in a jungle and must hew
YOUR way through. Here is where you:
find the mineral farms The natives have
placed large pan-shaped rocks in the pc tn
of the torrents. tilted at such an angle
rs to catch the finer gravel The clean
up is placer gold.
AS to railroad facilities Peru Is IL
sore need. There are several short lines
radiating from Callao and Lima. thu
capital The most important line vas
constructed years ago by Harry Meiggs,
Californian. who left California under
a cloud of debt, took his family to Aus
tralia and later TO Peru. where he made
fortune. paid the obligations and be
uueathed an estate of sS5,0oO.0oO to his
family.
Peru. above all. is not the place for
the poor man. Those who go there mrst
have money for development of the re.
sources If a bolt in the machinery
breaks you must send to the States for
n duplicate. But the government Is
friendly to the United States and main