Show RIM F M ak PV k 4 shaft of a mexican mine prepared by the national SO 8 doty 1 U C atule IE report that tile the worlds richest gold mine has been 1 found recently in mexico even if literally true would add only a chapter to medicos Mex leos cos volume ot of mining history under spanish domination the country poured out a seemingly inexhaustible stream of wealth and save during acute political disturbances tur bances the now flow has haa continued since cecil rhodes who knew something of the mineral wealth of the world prophesied of mexico that from tier her hidden vaults tier her subterranean ter treasure houses will come the gold silver copper and precious stones that will build the empires of tomorrow find and make future cities of this world veritable now jerusa lems guanajuato has been the great treasure bliest of mexico its huge supply of silver was first tapped 08 years before the alie pilgrims landed in plymouth and by 1507 1557 the wonderful mother lode the veta madre had been found boron von writing at the beginning of the eighteenth e century assorted asserted that guanajuato had yielded one fifth of the total amount of silver then current in tile tho world the actual mint and government records allow a production of gold and silver from the veta madre in ex cess of one billion dollars but wo are arc traveling too fast lot let us halt to get our bearings and locate this eldorado on the map then rest awhile and enjoy that which it has to offer the state of guanajuato Is in the south central part of the lie republic of mexico ohp estimated population la Is it Is the most important mercantile center in the country tile tho total trade being valued at OW per annum the leading industries are mining agriculture and cattle raising the city of guanajuato capital of the state Is picturesquely situated nestling in a small basin surrounded on all sides by the sierra de guanajuato the canada de marfil affords a pass to the city through tho the cordon of hills from the fertile valley lands of stine a station on the line of tho mexican central railroad 14 miles to the west the railroad grade from the blinn rises rapidly following the tortuous course of the rio de guanajuato to an elevation of feet where poised high in tile the cordilleran plateau Is in this historic city of people because of the revolt and brigandage of recent years a wasted shadow of its former greatness scones scenes in guanajuato in the soft sunshine of summer days the first vista of the city la Is striking indeed churches of magnificent proportions ancient and modern architecture strangely blended in the same edifice stately buildings imposing markets stores of all descriptions and dwelling places rudely bare variously colored with neutral tints of calso mirie their grated windows ond and open doors exhibiting to all the sparsely furnished interior where bird beast and huma buna neat and live together the sordid squalor of the many contrasts strikingly with the oppressive opulence of the few the cobblestone streets are crooked and narrow so BO narrow in fact fac that caballeros caball cros must take to the sidewalk to ro permit of the passing of any kind of vehicle the dingy tram cars cara are drawn by relays of mules three abreast abr Vast beaten into subjection by the stinging lash or coaxed into action acion by the curses of the youthful drivers whose vernacular Is wonderfully expressive and effe effective etive guanajuato la is a city rich in tits his torte record in its mines in its natural beauty oil and in its architecture to describe even briefly tile many things of interest would occupy more space than thab could bo be criven to this firt lele but mention must be made of it few el 1 I juarez e faces the plaza pinza in the center of thu the city it la Is an imposing pile perhaps out of keeping with its ita surroundings but guana junto Is a city wherein tho the cletur elque and strictly practical are irreconcilably reconell ably mixed together the design la Is modern and lilg highly lily decorative built of the lie local green tuft tuff and sandstone the superb portico with its eight bronze figures Is borne on 12 ionic pillars tile thu imposing steps with stately flambeau henu the wrought iron grille work the spacious foyer the richly decorated interior by ferrara errora are anre truly magnificent cradle of liberty the do prison Is its as constantly full as the theater Is 13 empty it Is one of tile the most historic buildings of tile tho republic and will aiwas be remembered its aa tile the place the first blow was struck for the liberation of mexico from spanish rule at each corner Is a large hook from which in the days of the struggle for independence were hung bung four iron fron cages containing the heads of the great liberators tho the patriot priest hidalgo hla his military chief allende Allen dc and his coin comrades rades aldamiz Ald amii and jimenez here they lung hung for years until removed by a worshiping nation to the altar of kings in tile the cathedral in the city of mexico after the do de dolores and tile the first ringing of tile bell of independence hidalgo and tits his followers moved on to guanajuato Gunna juato stor stormed nied tile the improvised pro fortress of and killed till all the spanish troops that had taken refuge there this was the beginning of the eleven years war of independence on the summit of the cerro del trozada Tr ozada to the west of the city la is the pantheon the tour four high walls surrounding the cemetery consist of vaults tier upon tier in which the remains of the dead are placed pro tern tem or in perpetuity according to the ability of trie the surviving relatives to pay the rent for a small fee the attendant will admit tile the visitor to the chamber of horrors A winding stair leads to the crypt where ghastly remains are placed in a ghostly row the mining history of guanajuato vies with that of the nevada camps of our days only that instead of the unsubstantial mushroom growth typifying the american mining booms permanent and lasting monuments were rill raised sed and remain as mute though eloquent testimony of former industry and wealth in the year 1600 there were men at work along the mother lode A few years later the sierra vein system was found the deepest shaft on the mother lode until very recent years was the tiro general at the valenciana Valen clana mine it was sunk by obregon fat at a R cost of apesos pesoa but the bo nanza it uncovered yielded over three hundred hines its cost it to Is 1807 1807 feet deep 12 feet in diameter octagonal in section and lined hoed with solid masonry for the first feet in striking contrast to oui our modern shafts not a stick of timber was waa used to support the walls walla Hol hoisting sting was so ac complIs bed by mule power |