The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-22
ny FRANK q CARPENTER.
NeSico CIV

Q NICE 1 came 20 Mexico my eyes
have been bullying at the stories
hear OF the lost treasures of
Mexico They come from old pros
pectors. from mining engineers and
rom mon posted as to the NcXican
mineral territory. Al the College OF
Mines, in this city. YOU may see gold
aud silver from workings which once
turned out millions. but are now filled
with water. and in the government
records arc notes of vast properties
which have long since been abandoned.
when Alexander Humboldt, the srcat
scientist. Travelled over Mexico. more
than century ago. he counted 5000
mines. and am told that fully 1000
of these are now in existence. or
some the very records have been lost,
and they are now known only by ira
,iiticr.
Nnandon,d Mines.
When Mexico got its independence by
overthrowing the rule OF Spain IL en-
ucd upon an era OF revolution which
lasted for years During that time some
Of the most profitable mines were
abandoned. The water rushed in. their
works were destroyed. and for a time
their very cXistcnce was blotted from
tho knowledge OF man There are still
many old dumps and the remains of
old workings. scattered here and there
throughout the whole Mexican terri
tory. Some OF these old dumps arc
said 10 contain fortunes. II used to
he tina; "A mine haG TO produce ut least
$50 to tho ton Ia be worth operating
So that rich ore only was taken and
tho poor left on the side We have in
The United tSates mines which are now
paving we'll AT less than So per ton
and the cyanide and new smelling pro-
cesses are bringing out tens of mil
lions OF dollars worth of gold and
silver that formerly went TO waste.
The Treasures of the Aztccs.
MANY Of the mines OF the Aztecs are
still TO ne found. When Cortcz had
conquered MontesuIna he got him to
send his taNsatherers out over the
country to make records OF the loca-
lions % the best mines. They brought
back an itemizcd list, but it is doubt
IL! whether il was a true one. Cortez
was even less successful in his at
tempts TO End where the Aztecs had
buried their treasures. He tried to
screw this Information out of Guate-
nozin, the nephew of Montezuma and
MS son-in- law. This prince was tor
tured by FIRE 10 make him disclose the
secret He At first claimed there was
no treasure, but finally said that the
gold had been thrown into tho waters
Cortez then searched the lakes about
Mexico City. but his divers found moth
ing, although they dug up disc of pure
GOLD as Dig as n cart wheel out of the
garden of Guatemozin.
The treasures OF Montezuma are still
undiscovered. They are said to have
been worth $4,000, 00O and there are
documents, In picture language, which
itemize the shields. helmets. sandals
and plates of solid gold and the gold
grains and dust which were worth this
great sum. One tradition locates the
burial site of the treasure at Coyoacan
far from, NfeSiCO civ
Whnt Cortcz Got.
There is no question as to the extent
of the precious metals OF the times Of
the Aztecs. The king who preceded
Montczuma was miser. and he had
collected a treasure which. Cortez says
was greater than that possessed by any
monarch of Europe. Much OF this con-
sisted OF grains and nuggets of gold
and gold utensils and trinkets. Cortez
had a great part OF il melted and cast
into ingots Tie sent one fifth of the
things gold cannon which the Aztccs
cast for him, and "A platter Of gold So
big that 200 pound hog could have
been served upon 1t. He describes how
gold was sold in birds Guills as an ar
ticle OF merchandise at Montezuma' 6
capital ana eNpiates upon the great
beauty OF the shields, helmets and
plates which were carved by the In
"lHnS
Old Workings Which Now Pay NIL
Some OF the best mining properties
OF to-day are old workings which have
been pumped out and re-opened Take
Tie Real del Monte near Pachuca. in
the state OF ifidalgo. That mine was
Welding millions when we were tieht-
ing with King George as to the tax