MEXICAN SILVER MINES.

Inangahua Times, 14 January 1880, Page 2

MEXICAN SILVER MINES.

o ' [OOBBESPONDBNT OTAGO DAXIT TIMES. J^ I hare alluded to the riches of the Mexican mines, but I refrained from writing about them hitherto because of what appeared to me to be fabulous reports. However, the facts are too well authenticated now to be doubted, and indeed Mexican and Spanish records attest that equally rich silver mines were worked in tho Santa Rita range, in what is now Lower Arizoua, near the old Spanish town of Tucson, which has been revivified by Yankee energy, and is now a considerable mining and business centre. A piece of native silver, weighing 1000 pounds, was taken from the Santa Rita and sent to the King of Spain, whose letter acknowledging its receipt, and commenting upon the great riches of the country, is in the archives of Mexico. Perhaps the shortest and most satisfactory way of telling the story of Sierra Maja9s mineral discoveries, not quite six months old, is to copy the following from La Sonora, Tucson paper, It agrees with statements in New Orleans and Mexican papers. The writer says : — ' I returned yesterday from that marvellously rich country. I brought with me a few trifling specimens, such as a traveller might carry, and sold them at my own price, realising a "handsome sum. My com* paniofi, Mr Bravo, brought some pieces

of silver— one pounds)— and 339 p9^^^^^^^^| While we were there at^^^^^^^| of native silver, weighing found. Up to the time of iny^^^^H there were over 200,000 peo^^^^^M mines. There were thousands the valley and along the fod^^^^H mountain. The valleys and the^^^^H well as the ridges of the eutit^^^^M abound in gold and native sil^^^^H latter is in the form of rocks th^^^^J to haye been much worn by wal^^^f rents. Trains of waggons arrive «^H day, especially of foreigners, and n^H pariiealarly of Americans. The StJH of JTuevo Leon, Chihuahua, and Duranl are almost deserted. Multitudes V waggons, carts, and carriages are to bq seen in the immense valley of La Mesj del Sur. I counted a thousand te^ along the edge of the mountain, to^H nothing of those that are scatt^H everywhere m all directions. li^H thought that further in the interior f^H may be still greater treasures thai^^l one that is now attracting so u^H attention. A man found in one of^H river basins a piece of gold in the form™ a lion. It weighed sixteen pounds, afl was sold for double its value on accotfl of its peculiar form. The gold is ffH 19 to 21 and 22 carats fine, and the sii^H thousandths. The richest silver, as well as gold, has been found where the moan* tain is most exposed to the sun. The rooks and the whole region .bear the ap* pearance of having been the scene of a volcanic eruption. Besides the main mountain, there are various spurs lying to the north and east, all full of gold and silver. Sierra Mojada is a second California as regards the gold discoveries. As for fche silver, I believe no such richness has ever been found in the known world* A train of waggons bound for ZacsMeeas carried p. way 6.000.C00 dols in gold and silver, and one for Durage and Chihuahua treble that quantity, to ssy nothing of those than left for Nue*o Leon and San 1 Luis Potosi, and the isolated amounts that cannot be estimated taken by individuals. I was amazed &t the bars of bullion I saw *in the warehouse. One pile alone was four yards high and ten yards in thickness The sacks of gold were no less as-, tonishing.," „