Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 2.djvu/519

Rh he was nearly ruined, the mine having required a very considerable outlay, and produced no profits; but, in 1806, a Bonanza commenced, which can hardly yet be said to have terminated. In the course of it, Gordoa has acquired a fortune of one million of dollars, and the estate of Mal Passo, near Zacatecas, for which he paid 700,000 dollars more. In 1815 and 1816, the extraction of the ores of La Luz became extremely difiicult, in consequence of the great depth of the lower levels; but the present Governor of the State, who was at that time residing at Catorce, and acting as Gordoa's representative, undertook to apply to it a socabon, originally projected for the mine of La Purisima, the levels of which it would enter at about 412 varas from the surface. The measures for this socabon, the mouth of which, (like that of La Purisima,) is situated in the Potrero, were taken by two native miners, Don José Maria Varēda, and Don Antonio Ŏrtīz, and the work commenced after the rainy season of 1817. On the 25th of April, 1822, the vein was cut 715 varas from the mouth of the socabon. A communication was immediately effected with the old workings above, which were drained by this new channel, while a shaft was sunk in order to explore the vein below, which, when I saw it, was 150 varas in depth: the ore is raised by a malacate, erected in a large excavation made for the purpose in the side of the socabon.

This noble work is six varas broad and five high.