COLLECTION GUIDE
Prepared by Ruth Olivera, May 1987.
This is a collection of reports and other papers which assesses the potential values of certain silver, gold, lead or copper mines and are aimed at attracting investors. They originate with English-speaking engineers and entrepreneurs. Most of the mines are in northern Mexico, but one group of mines is in the Philippe Islands and several in the United States. Included are typewritten, handwritten and printed reports, a lengthy letter and a quit-calim deed. The location, transportation and communication facilities, presence of wood and water, labor availability and pay scales, previous working and development of the mines, improvements, general geological features and assay reports are topics mentioned to varying degrees. some documents have sketches, photographs or maps.
Mexican Mines
Folder 1
1864, April 1. ALS G.R. Carter, San Franciso, California, to Mr. Carlos
Pierce. The writer tries to persuade an investor to buy stock in a
gold and silver mine, the Sangre de Cristo, in the state of Chihuahua,
Mexico. In doing so he traces the history of the mine and its former
colorful Mexican owner Ignacio Ariola; he describes the "primitive"
and "crude" mining methods of the Mexicans and their penchant for
gambling; he makes a sketch of the mine and proposes an infusion of
American capital into the operations.
Folder 2
1864, June 1. An unofficial, unsigned quit-claim deed issues in San
Francisco, California, in which Erwin Davis and Leonard L. Treadway of
San Francisco sell to Richard Austin Robertson of Boston, for an
unspecified sum, their 13/24 interest in the Sangre de Cristo gold and
silver mine of Chihuahua, Mexico.
Folder 3
1884, June 1. Printed reports of the Zubiate silver mines in the district
of Hermosillo, state of Sonora, Mexico, belonging to the Monteverde
family. It quotes earlier reports from 1880 and 1881 and describes the
history, condition and potential of several different mines. It was
prepared by Charles R. Miles. This 14-page report is referred to in a
later undated, unsigned 5-page typewritten description of the same mines.
More profitable ways of extracting and processing mineral than the Mexican
traditionally employ are suggested.
Folder 4
c. 1884? An undated, unsigned 3-page typewritten report, in the same
style as the above report, which describes the Mina Grande and Santa
Teresa lead-silver mines also near Hermosillo. Although a mine called
Mina Grande is of the Zubiate mines, this Mina Grande may or may not
be the same one. It consists of a series of natural limestone caves,
which along with other nearby mines promises "a good profit".
Folder 5
c. 1890? An undated, unsigned 4-page carbon copy of a typewritten report
on the Las Animas group of mines near Altar, Sonora, Mexico. Lead, gold,
silver, and cooper are present in the quantities "well worth developing on
an extensive scale".
Folder 6
c. 1890? A handwritten unsigned 5-page report on the El Caneleño cooper
mine of Sonora whit colored drawings of both the ground plan and
incline plans. Also a carbon copy of a 2-page unsigned typewritten
report of the Canelelena cooper mine of Sonora, obviously the same
mine.
Folder 7
1899, February 1. A carbon copy of a 4-page typewritten report by R.C.
Jacobs M.E. about "a Mexican Gold Mine" in Pinos, state of Zacatecas.
When the mine is "Americanized and properly equipped" it would
"easily" bring a profit of 40% annually. Included is an extract from
Mexico's mining laws of 1892.
Folder 8
1899, March 23. A 4-page typewritten report on the El Tiro and Yaqui
gold mines in Altar District, Sonora, signed by Ricardo Johnson of Los
Angeles, California. "Chunks of pure gold" seem to be frequently found
in these mines.
Folder 9
1911, July 25. A 5-page typewritten report on the placer mines of the
Sonora Gold Placer Company located in Sinaloa, Mexico, submitted by Geo.
E. Wilcox M.E. in Mexico City. Included is a daily record of gravel washed
from 21 Oct. 1910 to 16 May 1911 with the results and value. A yield of
$1000 daily could be realized after the installation of a proper plant,
"without any risk".
Folder 10
1923, November 30. Two typewritten reports on the Miramar gold placer
mines of Baja California of 9 and 5 pages in the form of letter to
prospective investors. One is from Charles Milton who prepared the
report, the other from G.O. Bigelow who made a synopsis of other
reports. Milton states that "this porperty should pay enormous profit".
Folder 11
1927, March 25. A 20-page typewritten report on the geology of the Noche
Buena ore deposit in Sonora, submitted by Raymond J. Leonard of Tucson,
Arizona. The writer goes into great detail in describing the geological
formations of an area not yet extensively developed in the production of
silver and lead.
American Mines
Folder 12
c. 1890s? A 6-page typewritten report by Mining Engineer Hebert Lang on
the Cliff Copper Mine in Custer County, Idaho. Gold and silver are also
present.
Folder 13
1895, October 5 and 1896, August 28. Carbon copies of 18-page typewritten
reports submitted by Mining Engineer Theo B. Comstock of Prescott, Arizona
and by R.N. Dickman of Chicago about the Blue Dick Mine of Yavapai County,
Arizona. The second report disagrees in some respects with the first
report but given a qualified recommendation to would-be investors in this
silver mine.
Folder 14
1903, June 14. a 2-page unsigned carbon copy of a typewritten report on
the Dunlap Mine of Fresno County, California. The engineer does not
believe there is sufficient gold per ton to pay for operations.
Philippine Mines
Folder 15
1928, May 14. A carbon copy of a 9-page typewritten prospectus of the gold
claims in the island of Cebu in the Philippine Islands belonging to the
Toledo Gold Placer Syndicate, compiled by G.H.W. Murrén. In addition there
are 6 pages of photographs of the claims and the countryside and 2 pages
of maps.
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Last updated: October 24, 1996