San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-14

states OF heAtCOJ IudI IucIe can NC
no successful administration of the
affairs of the nation unless a son of
Oaxaca is filling the presidential chair.
This is due to the fact that Juarez
and Diaz were both sons of this state.
The former filled the office of chief
executive for eleven years and the
latter for thirty-fiVe years and during
these periods the, country enjoyed a
| prosperity such as it had never before
or since, experienced. For this and
| other reasons, the Oaxacans do not be-
lieve that Mexico will ever come fully
into her own until another son of the
state is president.
However, while she specializes in
| statesmen, Oaxaca does not confine
herself to producing presidents alone,
but has turned out q number of the
best lawyers which the country has
ever known and the reputation which
they have built up makes attorneys
who claim. this as their native state
very much in demand in Mexico City
and other sections.
Owing to its isolation and practical
! lack of development by railways and
highways, Oaxaca is one of the most
primitive of the Mexican states. Most
of its transportation, even in ito
| pretty capital, is carried on by carts
with solid wood wheels, hauled bv bulls
yoked by their horns and it is but a
| few years ago that this was the only
means of transportation for picnic
parties to the country. One or two
motor trucks are owned in the state,
but they can be used only around the
city and on few short roads in the
suburbs. The capital, itself, boasts of
several cars privately owned and six
teen for hire. These are the only
motor cars in the state, in spite of IFS
great area. The visitor who ATTEMPTS
to use an automobile for a country
excursion quickly understands why the
state Is not good market for motor
| cars.
Has Few Roads.
The best road leading out Of the
state capital is that to the famous
ruins of Militia, and, though the dis
lance is but 25 miles, it takes three
hours of soul and body-racking endur-
ance to make the trip,
| On account of the lack of communica-
tons by road, though good trails lead
everywhere, the wonderful riches of
the state are but little known. A num-
Der OF good, some of them of great
tame, mines are known and have been
worked for from three to four hundred
| years and others are being discovered
from time to, time, but very little is
known of the true wealth of the
OaXaca mountains, when the unex-
plored area is taken into considera-
| ton. .-I.|.. u
The state possesses practicable no
level land and the greater part Of the
mountains are extremely forbidding and
IN many places almost inaccessible,
making prospecting by foreigners diff
ilcult. These mountains are well
populated by Indians, mostly of the
Eapoteca race, who jealousy guard
the riches of their hills, in certain
sections making prospecting, particular
~ by foreigners, somewhat precarious.
>, cultivation of the Indians with the
IDEA of obtaining. information from
mem as to mineral is fruitless labor,
!hough there is no doubt that they
know where there are many deposits
OF great value. The fruit of a number
OF attempts to induce them to reveal
thelr knowledge indicates that they
are bound by death penalty not to
teVea! what they know and which has
been handed down to them from remote
| times.
Tells OF Treasure Hunt.
Among the archives of the state is
a document which tells of an expedi-
ton sent out by the King of Spain be-
lore the middle of the sixteenth cen.
fury to find out the location of a
ta6ulously rich gold mine in the
Sierra Juarez. The soldiers rounded
up the Indians, questioned them and,
failing to elicit information, tortured
many OF them until they died. but had
to return and report that they could
gain no knowledge of the treasure. This
seems to have given the Indians a
hatred of all foreigners and by common
consent they seem to , have bound
themselves TO keep their knowledge
secret.
But one instance is known Of an
Indian ever imparting information 10
a foreigner regarding the location OF
mineral wealth. An Englishman who
| owned a large hacienda in the noun
talns repeatedly importuned an old
patriarch Of the Zapotecas to tell him
the. location Of n rich gold property
which tradition said was located on
the Hacienda. Each time the Indian
refused, saying that the others would
Kill him if he were to reveal what
mad been handed down for centuries.
FINALLY, under a deep obligation. he
SAID that he had never seen the pron.
erty as It was their custom TO make no
trails TO where they knew there was
mineral, but If the EnglShman wouId
go to certain place and look around
he might be successful. The trim was
a hard one, occupying two DAYS. The
EnglIShman found the place and STAYED
there three days, unable TO find any
mineral, but as he was about IN leovr
suddenly discovered that he was canned
on an old dump. This mineral has
never been worked. but the specimens
taken show ETy high assay. values
Find Gives With Rich Ore
several instances are known whore
caves have been found filled with birF
grade and carefully sorted ore. bnt
thorough search has absolutely faiIol
TO ind the source of the ore. Some
OF those who have made a specially
OF this line of Investigation bpIiev,
that the Indians took this ore out onf
carefully covered all signs of the Mac,
IRON which it come and that. If il !,
ever discovered, it will be bv rure az
cldent. In other cases the mineral !,
Z so abundant that the yeriest on,oto,,,
cannot help but see It. One sucb 10
Cality is known where in a mountair
basin, about seven miles each W.
there are over fifty mines. some q
them of international rPpute and SOM,