The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-08-22
ROMANCE OF LOST MINES
LURE OF OLD MEXICO
ADVENTURES STILL SEEK VAST
TREASURE HIDDEN FOR
CENTURIES.
lNAM York SUM

II legends and well authenticated
stories are to be. believed there are
more lost mines of vast richness in
Mexico than In any other country il
the world Conditions since the ear
lier history Of that country have con-
tributed to efrace the location OF
mines as we'll as Of buried treasure.
Tradition locates most of the lost
mines-or minas tapadas--in north
ern Chihuhua and Sonora, in the ST.
ezra Madre. This area was until rs
wears ago subject to periodical raids
from Apaches and miners were often
forced to fly for their lives to the in
terror. and shafts and tunnels were
concealed and frequently all surface
improvements destroyed by the min
ers themselves to prevent discovery
until they could safely return. That
many never returned and that many
mines are still tapeda no one ac-
auainted with the history of mining
in Mexico can doubt. In many in
stances the trails leading to old mines
have been totally destroyed during
the rainy seasons, when the face of
nature is sometimes altered beyond
recognition by storms.
Closely Woven With Fiction.
At any peon jacal one hears stories
of lost mines and intellectually rich in
gold ore or bullion, and fiction is so
interviewer with fact that the most
logical mind finds it difficult to tell
where one leaves off and the other be-
gins. 1t Is no exaggeration to say
that millions of dollars have been
srent in pumping out old shafts and
removing debris from ancient tunnels
many Of which no doubt were aban-
doned by the Spaniards themselves as
worthless.
A few old mines have proved rich,
few more of sufficient value to
work at fair profit but 80 per cent
of them are said to be worthless I'M
der present conditions, and none Of
them contained buried treasure in
bullion, though considering the re-
moteness Of the mines and the fact
that shipments of bullion were made
to the ports only once or twice year
It may we'll be that much metal was
left buried when a hegira took place
before the ferocious Apaches.
The Spaniards obtained vast
amounts of silver in Mexico, but lit
tie gold outside the ancient temples.
The patient Indians, content to work
for few centavos day, never dis
closed the location of the supposed
rich placers from which they obtain
ed the gold that adorned the temples
or the few grains they traded for
food and clothing. Brides and tor
lures were equally unavailing to dis
close the source of the coveted metal
except where 1t was found in small
quantities. The Indians insisted that
the gold images were the accumula-
ton Of ages, and time has proved
this true, for no large gold nuggets
nor any rich placers, compared with
California, South Africa, Australia or
the Klondike, have ever been found
in Mexico.
Beautiful Gold Nuggets Found.
The largest gold nugget was found
in Guerrero about 20 years ago by an
Indian who sold it for $500. about
half its value. A beautiful nugget
was found In Sonora that so strik-
ingly resembled the sacred picture OF
"Our Lady Of Guadalupe" as to in
spire great awe among the Pima and
Yaqui Indians. Another, smaller
but equally beautiful, resembles
tiny cluster of grapes so perfectly
that one can scarcely believe that
nature was the sole artificer.
Some Of the most beautiful wire
silver in the world comes from the
famous Batopilas mines which were
worked by the early Spaniards and
recently rehabilitated by the noted
BOSS" Shepherd, once mayor OF
washington, d. c. At Zacatecas, IN
the great veta madre, wire silver with
ruby stain il taken out in great
masses and virgin purity--so beauti-
full and fascinating that 1t Is small
wonder much Of 1t Is stolen by the
miners despite the closest vigilance.
There are many enticing stories OF
lost treasure open to any one VINO
can find the hidden key. but none OF
these offers such temptations as the
story Of the Bollas del Plata mines
The truth of this Is borne out by doc
umentary evidence to be found IN
certain old records Of the ancient
Mexican custom house in operation a
century and quarters ago.
Somewhere between the years 1885
and 1741, when Arizona was In Span
ish territory, Don Diego Armenia a
wandering Mexican miner, reached a
settlement Of the Papago Indians,
situated almost upon the present
boundary line between Arizona and
Sonora, Mexico. The Papagoes VINO
still cover this area, called their set
Element "Arizonac." Don Diego Ar
mendi by some chance came across
a hidden deposit of silver and aston