Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1916-05-08
ROMANTIC TALES
Of SILVER MINES
IN OLD MEXICO


tory Of this country has fully justified
Humboldt's famous description OF it
as the treasure house of the world"
according to a bulletin issued by the
National Geographic Society Of Wash
ington, which says:
"A close contender with the United
States for the first place in the pro-
duction of silver-the two having pro-
duced nearly 20 per cent Of the worlds
output in 1914-and ranking fifth as a
gold producer, Mexico Is easily main
tanning its position as one of the
worlds richest nations with respect to
minerals, a position 1t has held since
the Spanish conquistadores first began
to extort gold from the vanquished Az
tees.
when Cortez landed in Mexico he
told the natives that the Spaniards
suffered from a disease which only
gold could cure and the chivalrous,
credulous Aztecs. it is said, sent the
Europeans great wheels of precious
metal as well as ornaments OF all
sorts. which, reckoned in values of to-
day, were worth $30,000,000.
Immediately after the conquest the
Spaniards began to work the gold and
silver mines of Mexico, but many min
eralogists are of the opinion that there
are gold mines which were known to
the Aztec and worked by them but
which even to this day have been hid
den from the white man, the Indians,
actuated by superstitions keeping
their secret. AS If to substantiate this
attitude Of the natives, the handhom-
est monument that graces the City of
Mexico between the capital and the
castle Of Chapultepec stands to the
memory of Chauhtemoc, the Aztec
prince who refused to reveal to the
conquerors the source of the peoples
wealth. even though his torturers In
their endeavor to make him disclose
the whereabouts of this vast wealth
burned the soles from his feet.
THE modern taskmaster OF social
and industrial conditions paints drah
pictures of the natives in some of the
Mexican mines, but these are bright
pages compared with the black chap
tiers of the early days in the rich mines
OF Guanajuato. where the laborers
under cruel taskmasters, toiled from
great depths up notiched poles, bear,
Ing 100 pound bags Of ore on their
backs, and then were driven back af.
ter scarcely time for breath of fresh
air. 1t was not until about the time
of the death of Shakespeare, whose
tercentenary was celebrated last
month. that law was passed forbid
ding the branding of slaves on the
face
Brutal taskmasters did not always
escape unpublished, however, for in
stance, In the Valencina mines, which
produced $30O,00O.O0O worth of silver
In so years, the slaves rose In 1850 and
massacred every white man in that
region.
IAN apocryphal story. strongly re
miniscent Of the Peruvian tale of 9
fire built against an overhanging sill
yer boulder, Is told of the discovery Of
the rich silver deposits of the Guiana
jUato district. II Is related that 6
band of mutineers discovered in the
neighborhood one morning the glitter
OF refined silver In the dead ashes o.
their campfire.
"All the stories OF early mining CD
erations in Mexico are not blotche,
with the blood of poems. There Is tn,
interesting authentic account of tn,
famous Avino mine, worked as al
open quarry and decided by the owne
to all the white men who build thei
homes close together for mutual pro
lection against the hostile tribes. Thi
was the beginning Of the prosperou
City of sunshine Durango.
ut Is Of the Durango vicinity. Incl
dentally. that one of the most patheti
stories Of an ancient prospector'
blasted hopes Is told. Thirty year
after the conquest, wealthy Spar
lard. hearing of mountain of soil
silver, started on journey of explore
ton. He travelled for days, hopin
each morning that tho rising SUI
would reveal gigantic peak of giis
ening treasure. At last Il came 4
View. He fastened on; but when h
reached the base of the mountain h
discovered that II was iron instead G
silver Crushed in spirit, he campo
that night at the foot Of the mass q
ferrous ore. indians foil upon hi
band and some of his followers wer
killed while the leader himself wa
MORALLY wounded. He died Will
making his way back to the capita
This adventurers name ia perpetuate
In the famous mineral mountain, Cerr
de Mercsdo. one OF the richest outcro