The Tomahawk., 1916-06-01

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~ ARRAL, Mexico, which recently
- was the scene of tragic happen
ings in connection with the ar
Il rival there of General Per-
shing's punitive expeditionary force, is
in the heart of the fabulously rich gold
and silver mines district of the south
ern republic, mines which were among
the first discovered by the Spanish
conquerors and which began pouring
their streams of wealth into the cof-
fers of the monarchs of Aragon and
CASTLE as early as 1547. This town,
which has a population of less than
10000, has been the center of Francis
co Villas operations for several years,
says bulletin issued by the National
Geographic society.
Situated on the banks Of the semi
dry Parral river, at the foot of the
Sierra de la Cruz, Parraps whole his
tory centers below ground, in the mar
velously rich Veta Colorado (red vein)
which runs from north to south
through the Parral mining district, in
cluding Minas Nuevas and Santa Bar
bara.
AS early as 1900, before the first
permanent English settlement in the
United States, there were 1000 miners
employed in this district, bringing
from the depths of the earth the yel-
low metal destined to sustain in splen-
dor, for a time, the opulent court Of
the then most powerful monarch in
Europe. From that day up to the pres
ent Parral has continued to enrich the
world from it's seemingly inexhaustible
store of silver and gold, the only in
terruption having been caused by re-
bellion of the oppressed natives, who
on one occasion flooded all the mines
of the district and then deserted the
city by the thousands.
The richness of the ore in this Sec
tion is shown by the fact that Ameri-
can mining companies find it profitable
today to smelt the tailings or refuse
of the old Spanish works.
Indian Kept His Secret.
One of the most interesting Incl
dents in the early history Of Parral
centers about a time-stained church
known as La Iglesia de la Virgen del
Rayo, the favorite place of worship
among the Indians of the district. In
1890 devout native began the con-
struction of the church, paying his
helpers with ingots of pure gold, which
he produced mysteriously once week.
During the twenty years required to
build the structure the pious Indian
baf1led the spies commissioned to dis
cover the source of his treasure, but
when his work was finished the Span
ish commander summoned the miner
before him and demanded that the To-
cation of the mine be disclosed. When
the Indian refused to tell he was tor
tured to death, carrying with him to
the grave the secret which 200 years
of search have failed to reveal.
One of the 'sights" Of Parral is the
palace of a multimillionaire mine
owner, once a humble peon. In this
house, which is shut in by adobe huts
and narrow streets, there are big draw
ing rooms and museums with luxurious
carpets, over which the owners fight
ing cocks are allowed to roam at will,
it is said. Twenty pianos are among
the most highly priced possessions OF
this simple, public-spirited native, the
source of whose wealth is La Pamilla
Qittle palm) silver mine, which he dis
covered many years ago.
:. Parral was not always the chief city
Of this mining district. In 1880 the
nearby town of Santa Barbara was the
seat of government for a vast region
equal to one-third the area of the
United States today, exclusive OF
Alaska. The country over which 1t held
sway embraced the territory now COM
prising Chihuahua, Coahuila, Sonora,
Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Califor-
MIA and Colorado.
Durango Also Rich in Mines.
Parral lies only a little north of the
borders of the state of Durango, which
is surpassed in the number of it's min
ling properties, aggregating more than
N4,OOO, by only two states in Mexico
Chihuahua and Sonora. It's natural re-
sources include silver, gold, lead, tin,
copper, sulphur and rubies. The states
wealth is not confined to minerals,
however. for there are extensive for
ests of valuable timber and the agri-
cultural resources are capable of al
most unlimited development, while l.
100000 head of stock find rich pastur-
age on it's fertile tableland.
The Nazas river, which empties into
Lake Habas, is the principal waterway
.pf the state. 1t is known as the Nile
Eof Durango In the spring, as the
snow melte the river mandates its val
ley, leaving a rich deposit of silt
brought down from the mountains.
After the waters have receded the land
bursts into bloom like a miniature
Egypt, cotton, barley and wheat grow