Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-04-22

not been hearing tales OF lost mines
al my life, and how many has there
ever been rediscovered none as far
as know. It's all bunk.
but senior. this Bravo del Norie
/ gave great riches of silver To the
| Spaniards more than 100 years ago:
, do not the records OF the little church
| across the Rio Grande, In Pilarcs.
show that the mine was once worked
| and produced quantities OF ore? Have
not seen with my own eyes the ruins
of the antique smelter In an arroyo
| OF the Nieja mountains whore the ore
from the mine was treated ?"
"It Il like all other lost mine
st1rie- that ever investigated--a
myth. / have no doubt" Miller de-
clarcd
Lewis listened attentively Ca the
story ma by Pedro IL was a tale that
many people in the upper border re-
gion Of Texas have often heard. but
u was new 20 Lewis. lie came To the
Chispn section several weeks ago after
working as civil engineer on the con-
struction OF the Kansas city. Mexico
and orient railroad. lie met MIR MIL
ler here. and. ms the latter was about
20 start out on one OF his periodical
mine prospecting trips through the
mountains of this region. he arranged
to go along. Pedro. the Mexican SER
want. IL a native OF Pilares. "A little
town of Mexico overlooking the Rio
Grande. about ATTY miles south Of
here. Tie has often tramped through
! the mountains that fringe the lnterna-
| tional mountain stream.
sitting upon the ground. with the
| nickcring light of tho camp ere play
| ing upon his bronze face. Pedro re-
lated the tradition of the Bravo del
Norie mine
IT was long. long time ago" he
said when the good padres came up
| from the distant capital of Mexico.
and located a mission church At Pill
ares. Following these brave and de-
vout fathers there came men who
/ sought the gold and silver OF the
| mountains who II was that discov-
cred tho rich mine OF Brave def Norte,
do not know. but II Is all put down
in the parish records, whore II may
De read b. YOU. seniors. II was known
g. the fortune hunters OF those days
| that their lives might be taken by In
| dams at any time. 50 In the records
at Pilares is "a description Of the loca-
ton of the ancient mine, but. indeed
II 80 indefinite that no one has been
able Ia go by IL and find the hidden
/ treasure"
Pedro talked on and on. relating the
! failures OF many expeditions That had
gone In search Of the lost mine dur
ing his lifetime.
"a a L.. A.
had heard similar tales In every min
/ ing camp In the southwest. In his
youth hc had hunted for the clusiv,
wealth. only 10 meet with disappOint-
menis.
The imaginative mind of young
Lewis was stirred by the story told by
Pedro.
- shall search for the Bravo del
Norte. and Pedro shall go with me. y
he announced 20 Miller.
You are going on wild goose
chase" the old man replied.
Several days later the three men
arrived at PilHres. Mr.. Lewis was
courteously shown the archives OF the
church by the Catholic padre. and by
means of the good mans help he mad,
a translation OF that chapter which
related to the Bravo del Norte mine
According to this historic account oi
the mine, It was discovered In 1856 by
"a spaniard named Juan Noriento. VIII,
Interested other men OF his national.
ity IN the development OF the properly
For more than fifteen years II pro-
duced enormous quantities OF rich sill
Yer ore, the output during that per
Tod being given In the records as si7,.
000.00 A large share of this wealth
went 10 tho spanish crown and th'
remainder 10 the owners. In the fai
OF 1905 a band Of hostile Indians mad,
an attack upon the camp and massa
cred every living human being at tbs
mine. including the principal owner
Noriente
The description of the mineN loca
ton. which forms "A part Of the his
torio account OF the property, IN q cop,
of the document, which was sent 1,
the nome government ~ spain. and u
now said 20 be among the archives Il