Silver Mining

Report of diputacion cabecera de Jurisdiccion de minas; begins with three printed pages of guidelines for reports from each real (mining town). Each real to list 1) number of people, condition of town; 2) names of mines, owners, products; 3) number, names of haciendas supported by mines; 4) quantity of Mineral extracted; 5) quantity of Azoque needed proportional to Actual mine products; 6) list of natural resources in area of mines; 7) drawbacks of area. Report concerns primarily mines of Chihuahua, Santa Eulalia, Cosiguriachi, Parral. Gives total, annual silver production 1703 to 1791 in Santa Eulalia, 1731 to 1791 in Chihuahua. Discusses peso value of silver, distances between mines, other places; history of founding of Santa Eulalia, including names of all duenos with list of assets of each. Mentions some women mine owners; mine disasters; raiding by Apaches; mining supplies. (A. Dean, August 1989)

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)

Secret investigation of Alvarez de Nava ordered by virrey. Have you known Alvarez de Nava; what is quality of his work; opinion of others in San Carlos of Alvarez de Nava; if he is sociable; if he has used wealth of Alcabala for personal profit; involvement in silver mining; if he is friends with governor; and if he has caused trouble--7 witnesses respond. Escandon writes Cruillas concerning mining in Tamaulipa; mining operation continuing despite illness and invasion of Apostate Indians of which it is now free although Principal Miner dead. (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)

Summary of testimonies about Escandon's record in completing orders to pacify and reduce Indians and settle Nuevo Santander by officers and settlers and their charges against him. Funds spent, mistreatment of Indians, assassination of 5 capitans, use of Indians to work Escandon's land, build his Palace, and increase his wealth. Real cedula ordering pacification of Nuevo Santander delayed in its completion. Activities of Escandon include use of military funds, Indians reduction, founding of 14 settlements with population count of number and families and troops in each (f.8); plus 6 more settlements founded which were not in original budget of 115,000p. Complaint of not achieving increased agricultural production in spite of having fertile land, water; availability of minerals and salt. History of Escandon's earlier military record, reopening of missions. Problems resulting from drought. Espenses of military salaries and sinodos to missionaries. Annual costs in pacification process. Cost of settling 15 families from canary islands in Texas (ff.17). Organization of troops and distribution among settlements; distribution of lands. Difficulty of defending property under Indian hostilities. Complaint that Escandon's soldiers instead of gathering Indians together killed them inhumanely when they asked for peace. Murder by capitan trasieria and soldiers of slave and silversmith not punished or investigated by Escandon; Escandon named capitans and paid them salaries of 500p. (ff.33). Alvares' attempts at populating Rio Verde, movement of people, costs, problems with hostile Indians, mosquito plague (ff.56) order not to let Laredo capitan admit Apaches even though they offered peace (ff.57). Escandon prohibited commerce; payed soldiers in goods. Mining of silver without paying royal fifth (ff.63). Escandon has made few or no reducciones since 1746. List of 9 places on coast where Escandon says he has reduced total of 1,258 Indians and gives names of ethnic groups and number baptised in each location (ff.64). Service record of Escandon since he began service in Yucatan, distinguished service in Sierra Gorda as sargento mayor, teniente until 1746 (ff.68). Provides total inventory of livestock in 20 settlements. Movement of Escandon (Villa), Reynosa, and Burgos settlers to new Parajes (nuezes, Tetillas, Encinos). Molina reinstated as capitan; Barbara Resendi's complaints against Escandon (ff.83)(ff125). Charges against fray Garcia as being hipocrite receiving double salary (ff.91) description of reason for failure of mission for Cocos in San Saba due to murder of missionaries (ff.112). Apaches do not want to be reduced, only want peace and commerce with Spanish (ff.113). Even when they offer peace, Escandon gives them motives to be insolent. Murder at Rancheria of smallpox infected and other Indians by capitan went unpunished (ff.120). Massacre of Janambres on road to Horcasitas (ff 121). Paz not punished for murder of Indians (ff.122). Guevarra's murder of reduced Indians of mission of Santander unpunished. Cordova's mistreatment of Indians in Rio Frio (ff.124). Use of Indians Sihui, janambre as work force, Indian death due to hard labor (ff.125). Attempt to reduce Pames threatening to drive them to the coast. Indians paid 4p month plus rations for corn growing and also grew their own crops (ff.131). Escandon allowed people exemption from debts in order to populate settlements. Escandon's appointing as capitans convicted murder. Escandon refused to release Sanches Borriego who was involved in riot of Coahuila to Serma. Two destructions of Pizones' church in Santa Rossa and Taumave missions. Taking of Indian lands to give to Carmelita priests for 10 years. No payment of Diezmos for farmland; Diezmos payments of hollas, Mier, and Revilla. Escandon nor captain Vasques Borrego payed Diezmos for their large cattle haciendas. Gives cost of campaign against Indians of north and Apaches who attacked Taguacanas. Defense of Escandon's choice of capitans and families to populate settlement in that it is difficult to find cultivated people like those from the capital--they must come from the provinces. Description of Tanambre November 1754 destruction of mission Ruvoroso near Escandon; only 4 escaped including missionary. Complaint of Tanambres robbing, Murdering. Escandon captured tamambre rebles and sent them to Querataro prison. Tamambres and Tonases sent to Querataro as labors, servants and for convents. Marcos Molino's case in which he worked for Hidalgo for 15 years without payment. (ff.163) use of hard labor as punishment as well as death sentence. (L. L. Woodward, November 1988)

Concerns Series of letters giving notice of Indians idolatry, captain leader is requested for presidio of Santa Barbara, soldiers arrested for disorderly conduct, autos sent to viceroy, silver output is sent to caja real, governor of village is killed by Indians, informs about undisciplined military officials, Indians mistreated by military, Lemus request more control for presidio officials. (M. Marroquin, April 1989)

Correspondence in which Ussel y Guimbarda communicates news governorship; drought occurring in Nuevo Leon, its detrimental effects on corn crop, cattle, squadron well-dressed thanks to Urresti, Siguis attacking frequently along Rio Blanco; Indians at missions in governor's charge behaving peacefully, converting, mine at Yguana producing, though silver scarcer, administrative problems at mine; establishment of British 'comercio' along coast; 'libretas de Vita et moribus' of presidio officers, Urresti, Martiarena, Queclas; inspection records of compania de dragones of same presidio; letters from virrey responding to those from governor and others. (L. Kerr, December 1988)

Correspondence concerning: statements summarizing testimony on various subjects; re-establishment of mission; problems created when pacified Indians subjected to 'revistas', order passed halting 'revistas' due to violence engendered, otherwise smooth progression of pacification and reduction in province; state of Indians at missions, poor relations between neighboring Indian groups due to death of one chief, request for military assistance in order to secure peace; collection of taxes from various individuals; edict that soldiers enter churches with 'cabello suelto'; 'indice de cartas', with brief summary of topics discussed in expediente; lack of 'papel sellado'; establishment of 'pueblos' and need for military protection; desertion by soldiers in Coahuila; examination of 'cuadernos de autos' in order to determine reasons for 'excesos' committed by squadron at hacienda; military assistance need in Coahuila and Texas to defend against Apaches; discovery of mine, its effect upon growth of economy in area; discussion of metals, silver found in other mines, quality and quantity. (L. Kerr, November 1988)

Cruilla (?) Acknowledges being informed of military attack to Seri Rancheria; acknowledges status of silver mines, and urges Tienda to encourage mine workers. Other notes concern reconstruction, bad situation of Cananea's mines, Apache depredations, and reduccion of Sobaypuris in Tucson. Cruillas also acknowledges information about ship seen near Culiacan and presence of epidemic in fronteras. (J. Tapia, may, 1988)

Documents relating to archives of area of Provincias Internas requested by Caballero de Croix new appointee of king to be comandante general. These documents include every aspect of life in such provinces going back many years. (A. Dell'acqua, March 1988)