Mines (Discovery)

Fuentes' letter to Palacio includes quote from Palacio with stated goal of fully exploiting mines of San Carlos Tamualipa suspension of Alcavala, Media anata; land made available to miners; extension of cattle grazing; wood, materials and equipment tax free; sale of gun powder at Mexico City price; quicksilver to be sold at San Luis price; as well as other ways of promoting metal production. Palacios to Croix expresses desire of miners for priest sundays and for festival days; tax on silver to construct church; need to develop water system. Discussion of favorable metal production in San Nicolas. List of group of miners some who are witnesses and elected members included with Nava and Fuentes in report promoting mining. Fuentes in letter to Palacios explains that some mines are not being worked due to absence of their discoverers, uneconomical conditions for exploitation, and lack of tools; abundance of veins and continual discovery. Lists made by Fuentes of San veins; quantity per load of ore extracted at each mine. Partial copy of duty charges of Alcabala from may - June 1768, includes who sold what to whom (especially food) (ff 316). Letter from Nava to Palacio discusses state of individual processing abilities; production capacity. Letter also tells duty Charged on silver and gold. (L. L. Woodward, October 1988)

Miners and vecinos state that new discoveries in Sierra de Tamaulipa in last 4 years provide legal standard of quality (6 ounces of silver for each load of metal), and proportions given for other qualities which exceed legal standard. Costs of firewood, transportation and other costs make it difficult to make profit. Need for greater population; enemy Indians have returned with depopulation in center of Sierra de tamuaulipa and Apostate Indians raiding surrounding area. Complaints of Nava's offering low price for silver and using Alcavala money to buy silver (attractive to miners as it saves transportation cost and robbery risk. In Guadalcazar, nephew of Nava levied 10 real Alcavala. Nava's influence with governor allows him to exploit situation. Charges that document supposedly from miners and vecinos is really false, need to interview witnesses. Description of founding of San Carlos in 1666 and formation real de San Joseph. Description of San Carlos church and other structures. Advantages of having established beneficio de metales at San Carlos. Suggestion of miners working metals in their own home in areas nearer to mines. explains how to contruct a galeme. Control of silver and transport to San Luis Potosi treasury. Noriega charges list of witnesses is incomplete, and agrees to provide documents to Bucareli. Testimonies on metal profits, Nava's conduct, discussion of abundances of metal, wood, water, ovens, transport costs, and amount of metal resulting after processing. List of owners on mines, number of workers on each, and ounces extracted per load (Leyes) of metal, and economic class of miners. List of depopulated mines. Also list of owners of patentes, galemes, and metal processing equipment (basso, dissetisor) according to location. Ocotillo and Barreta listed as most abundant wood for processing metals. Discusses price of production relative to output of metal. (L. L. Woodward, October 1988)

Series of administrative documents dealing with appointment of military commanders for Bolanos and other companies. Political jurisdictions between military areas defined. Vivanco appointed as commander of Bolanos. Document makes references to how south american countries were ransacked by Englishmen and portuguese people looking for raw material for paper. Surrochaga is appointed commander of Bolanos. (M. Marroquin, August 1989)

Concerns Series of documents dealing with organization of militia in Nayarit, Bolanos and Colotlan to protect mines, presidios and cargo. Arrangements are made to bring weapons from Spain. Administrative personnel being selected. (M. Marroquin, August 1989)

Concerns document dealing with dispute of authority between government officials. alcalde mayor of Xeres is stripped of his authority to appoint justices and order building constructions. Letters explains detail of controversy over controlling real de Bolanos such as incapability of mayor of Xeres, who had jurisdiction in the area, to handle tasks like administration of justice among Indians, agricultural improvements to avoid floods etc. Gorospe is appointed corregidor of Bolanos and relieved from paying taxes. (M.marroquin, June 1989)

Series of documents dealing with civil appointments and prosecution of Indians accused of attacking a mine. Series of testimonies from witnesses are taken. Military post being requested. Notice of cedulas being issued in relationship with discovery of mines in real de Bolanos. (M. Marroquin, June 1989)

F2: Listing (by year: 1753-1776) value and amounts of mercury mined; notes discovery of silver mines in southern Californias. Ossio writes to virrey regarding livestock he should receive. Sustain troops, sailors and Indians. (J. Hiller, November 1988)

(A. Dean, July 1989)

Correspondence from Mariscal de Campo to Croix concerning 'visitas' to various towns and business attended to therein, such as collection of taxes; several brief letters stating that visita had gone well, no details included; others concerning how Mariscal dealt with murder of Indian; regarding treatment of Indians at certain missions, importance of spiritual training, conversion to and marriage of Indians according to Christian faith, 'repartimiento' of clothing among Indians; concerning Mariscal's organization of compania volante and associated squadrons, appeals for financing from real hacienda, nomination of suitable officers, relacion indicating structure, salaries, 'destinos' of compania once officially formed; regarding visitas to all squadrons of province, requests for adjustments to captains' salaries; discussing problems incurred in navigating certain rivers due to winds, tidal shifts, effects on local economy, Mariscal incorporates information on issue collected from 'peritos'; concerning granting of permission to foreign vessels to dock at ports; regarding discovery of new passages in old mines, statement of ownership and description of deposits. (L. Kerr, October 1988)

Concerning: visits to mines and mission at which Indians peacefully employed; testimonios about visits to mining region and particular mines, identifying those in area knowledgeable about minerals and mines, those considered 'peritos' (skilled laborers); information about mines gathered from conversations with 'veedores' (overseers) of mines, particularly concerning 'catas' (test pits) and location and size of any new 'vetas' (veins) found; spiritual education of Indians; sentencing of criminal (L. Kerr, October 1988)