SAN RAFAEL MINING & MILLING COMPANY CORRESPONDENCE

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, April 9, 1889.

From Honduras.

SAN RAFAEL MINES, March 16, 1889.

Mr. J. H. Howard:

   DEAR SIR:—I received your notice of the meeting of the Board of directors on Feb. 13th, and as I did not get the notice until some days after that, I could not of course be there to attend them, but hope you had a quorum and did some big business.

   We are pushing the mines along as fast as the nature of things will allow.

We have just discovered a big mine on our property that is immense. It shows a better washing of gold in the spoon than any I have ever seen. We have not made an assay yet but will in a few days. I think it is the best property we have got.

   Prof. Sornberger will tell you more about the situation here than I could write in a day, and so I will leave it to him. This new mine is in the same direction as the one he and I went to look at one morning, but is about as far again away as the one we looked at. Mr. Gifford thinks it a bonanza, and I think his judgment is right. Yours respectfully,

   E. P. SCHUTT.

NACAOME, HONDURAS, March 17, 1889.

San Rafael Mining & Milling Co.

   GENTLEMAN:—I have the pleasure to report to you the discovery of very important ore in the San Antonio grounds, not previously known. I have been looking for it for a long time but only got on to it recently. One important matter is the uncovering of a broad, strong vein crossing San Antonio and reaching into Conception. This vein, in its course, cuts several veins. We have begun opening it, and in my opinion it will prove the mother vein of this section of the district.

   The other matter is the unearthing of an old Spanish mine and reduction works at the extremity of the same end of the district. Five months ago I spent some time on this hill, but did not succeed in finding what I wanted, but since that time have kept my eye on it and encouraged the natives in the hunt; finally the dropping or the leaves opened up the view and we got it.

   In a hill adjoining the mountain El Gobernador Grande is the old mine. A tunnel runs in from near the foot, but is fallen in, but is so low and so filled with bats, and probably snakes, etc., that the stench will not admit one to breath. On the top of this is an old hole which we have cleaned out and in which we are at work taking out better gold ore than you have yet seen from these mines. It is a reddish yellow, rotten, quartzy clay, or clayey quartz—the gold in fine and coarse particles and wire.

   From the tunnel at the foot of the hill extend numerous dumps of waste and low grade ore. A level place at the foot has been leveled off and on this are the remains of an old Spanish or Indian "Ingenio," or reduction works. What remains entire is a great stone of a ton or more weight, well worn on three sides from the grinding it has done. One end of this stone is worked off to a kind of central point in which is a hole where the power of mule or man has been attached. There is also a center structure from which evidently extended the arm to which this stone was attached to make its revolutions.

   Near here is a good mill sight, and it now looks very favorable to putting the mill there.

   I consider these later discoveries of great importance and not inferior, and perhaps superior to any part of the mineral. The brick[s] will be completed this week, 20,000. 5,000 tile are ready and the remaining 15,000 will be commenced as soon as the brick is finished. Will begin putting up houses for the men next week as the signs of rain are growing and we had a light sprinkle on the 12th inst. These rains begin in storms at long intervals, gradually becoming more frequent, but not molesting except in uncovered work or wetting the people in brush shanties till June or July. By July the thirsty ground has got somewhat filled, and if there is much rain, mud will begin in low places.

   Mr. Sornberger will remember the place of the recent discoveries. It is on the side of the mountain where we went with the Indian to look at some prospect holes. The mine Tititiero is just across the little plane. These grounds are included in the original claim of San Antonio.

Respectfully submitted,

   J. E. FOSTER.

SAN RAFAEL MINE, 17th March, 1889.

J. E. Foster, Esq., Nacaome.

   DEAR SIR:—I am very pleased to inform you that on further examination of the Tititiero property, I find there are two strong veins traversing the same mountain and on the other side of the same mountain there are several other veins traversing in various directions, and is also in Tititiero property which is owned by Don Roman Parales and bounded by the river and as I understand it, your rights must also be bounded by the same. This being so, you have quite a mineral in Tititiero alone.

   The river is similar to that of El Transito. No water flowing at present, but here and there are pools. Timber is abundant and good for building purposes. I hope to see some miners here to-day so that we might resume the San Rafael cut.

   Yours obediently,

   WM. GIFFORD, M. E.

   [The San Rafael Mining & Milling Company had established headquarters in Cortland, N.Y.—CC editor.]

PAGE TWO/EDITORIALS.

   The Cortland Standard of last week says: "If potatoes can be raised in this country at 15 cents per bushel, they can be raised abroad and brought in for 10 cents or less—and would be but for the tariff, which "a good, solid Democratic administration" would remove in a hurry, if it could."

   When our neighbor was writing the above he was evidently trying his pen to see if it would make a mark, for no man of ordinary common sense would ever write such trash for publication. If potatoes can be "raised abroad and brought in for 10 cents or less," why is it that potatoes are never imported except when the price of potatoes here is as high as 75 cents per bushel? According to the Standard’s claim which we quote above, the importer of potatoes might make a fair profit by importing, even when potatoes were worth only 30 cents in the markets in this country, because if they "can be raised abroad and brought in for 10 cents or less," even with the 15 cents duty added there would be a fair profit, but the editor of the Standard never heard of potatoes being brought to this country to be sold in the market when the price here was 38 cents or even double that amount. The Standard man undoubtedly intends to stick to his original story even though the heavens fall.

   At the charter election held in Ithaca last month John Barden, democrat, was elected mayor. The city charter gives the mayor the power to appoint all the city officials, and the board of aldermen have the power to fix the salary or pay of these officers. During the administration of the late republican mayor, the policemen were paid $14 per week for their services. When mayor Barden came into office last month it devolved upon him to appoint a new set of policemen which he did, and as he had a right to do, he appointed democrats. The majority of the board of aldermen are republicans and they at once reduced the pay of the police force to $1.25 per day. Of course it was impossible to get efficient men to take the office at such a low figure and the force resigned when they found what their pay was to be. The position taken by the aldermen shows them to be a very narrow minded and illiberal set of men. If a republican mayor had been elected, the pay would have remained the same as formerly, but because a democrat was chosen they propose to annoy and handicap him in the discharge of his duties. For pure cussedness a petty republican officeholder can take the pastry every time.

FROM EVERYWHERE.

   Last week there was two feet of snow in the Adirondacks.

   The New York postmaster gives bonds to the amount of $600,000.

   Walter Kipp of Utica, recently discovered a long lost sister. She was stolen from home 42 years ago, at the age of 11. She is now married, has seven children, and resides at Kinderhook.

   The lake abreast of Fair Haven is said to be covered with ducks. A northwest wind will probably drive them down the lake. A big flock of geese is hovering around the Fair Haven harbor. About 200 lit a day or two ago on the sand point in the pond.—Oswego Times.

   Secretary of State Blaine has received a dispatch from Charles Denby, United States Minister to China, relative to the anti-foreign riot at Ching Kiang on February 5. Mr. Denby speaks of this affair as furnishing another lesson of the danger in which foreigners continually live in China. There is no telling the moment when like events may transpire in any part of the Empire. Minor outrages are continually happening, and his legation, he states, has never been without reclamations of some kind for injuries so committed.

For Sale.

   House and lot, No. 147 Tompkins street. Enquire at No. 108 South Main street.

If You Want

   A live auctioneer, call on or address H. H. Pomeroy, Cortland.