136 



COLOMBIA. 



valued at $1,333,800, exclusive of the gold 

 from the mills. According to a recent esti- 

 mate, the Zancudo mine is valued at $6,000,000. 

 The Cristales mine yielded in sixteen months 

 766 Ibs. of gold, which, at $147 per lb., gives 

 $112,602. The Frontina mine yielded 7 Ibs. 

 gold from the grinding-mill after thirteen days' 

 work. There are, in the State of Antioquia, 

 206 mines with metallic veins, and 355 with 

 alluvial washings, giving occupation to 16,000 

 laborers. The value of the machinery em- 

 ployed is estimated at $240,000, and the net 

 product at $2,300,000. During the present 

 century the mines of Antioquia have yielded 

 $100,000,000 approximately. The yield of gold 

 since 1869 is set down at $8,585,247.09^, and 

 of silver, at $1,346,907.74. Since 1868 the 

 State has derived (from taxes, imposed on de- 

 nouncements, titles, and preservation of names) 

 the sum of $40,359,27. 



The latest reports received from the gold 

 gravel- washing enterprises in Tolima were still 

 of a promising character, and confidence con- 

 tinued to be felt that the eventual results would 

 be satisfactory. The Malpaso was at work with 

 an increased supply of water ; and, as a very 

 large quantity of good pay-dirt was passing 

 through the sluice, a good return from the 

 next clean-up was expected. The future of 

 this undertaking would appear to be assured, 

 the waste having been traversed, and the mon- 

 itor now operating upon extensive and rich 

 deposits. A slide of gravel had occurred, caus- 

 ing the clean-up to be postponed. It would 

 seem that a considerably supply of water can 

 be brought on the Eica deposits ; and, as re- 

 gards the Malabar, washing was directed tow- 

 ard the high banks, on reaching which it was 

 believed that large profits would be realized. 

 The operations so far attempted were stated 

 to be only of a preliminary -nature. 



As the present lease of the famous emerald- 

 mines of Muzo and Cascuez is to expire on 

 April 1, 1875, the Government has published 

 proposals for a new contract. These are the 

 mines which yield the emeralds erroneously 

 called in Europe " emeralds of Peru," probably 

 because Peru is considered the great source of 

 the mineral riches of America. From them 

 was extracted the precious emerald specimen 

 so much admired at the Exhibition in 1867, 

 where it was somewhat capriciously labeled 

 " French Industry." 



The attention of the Government has of 

 late been directed to the encouragement of na- 

 tional industry ; and some now and important 

 branches have been introduced. Since 1870 the 

 following establishments have been inaugu- 

 rated at Bogota : The Bank of Bogota, with a 

 large capital ; a sulphuric-acid factory ; es- 

 tablishments for the- distillation of alcohol and 

 other spirituous liquors ; a factory for making 

 glass, with a capital of $400,000 ;. a cigar-fac- 

 tory, where some 60 women are at work. 

 These women, when they learn the business, 

 get from 50 to 70 cents per day. This factory 



was succeeding so well that it was expected 

 there would soon be work for 500 women. Gas- 

 works are now about to be put in operation. 

 Besides these, an insurance company, with a 

 capital of $2,500,000, was about to be organ- 

 ized, the number of shareholders to be 200. 



A bill was laid before Congress for the es- 

 tablishment of an agricultural bureau, the duty 

 of whose members would be to study and use 

 every means to forward agriculture in Colom- 

 bia in all its branches ; collect and preserve 

 specimens of vegetables, foreign and national, 

 seeds and roots ; and to publish all the infor- 

 mation to be had, bearing on the subject. Be- 

 sides the chief of the bureau, at a salary of 

 $2,400 per annum, there are to be appointed 

 also a meteorologist and entomologist -for the 

 special study of the natural history of insects 

 prejudicial to agriculture, receiving $1,200 

 each, with a staff of other sub-officials. 



Another bill was read in the House of Bep- 

 resentatives for the establishment of a vast 

 iron-manufactory in some central locality, to 

 furnish the various tools, machinery, etc., ne- 

 cessary for the different branches of industry, 

 and particularly for agriculture. 



The Executive power of the nation had 

 offered to the London Company for the Con- 

 structing of Public Works a guarantee of 

 seven per cent, per annum profit on $500,000 

 in order to have introduced into the coun- 

 try Hindoo "laborers and colonists." Judging 

 from the opinion expressed by the Minister of 

 Public Works, spontaneous immigration into 

 Colombia is not likely to take place for a long 

 time ; but Sefior Parra is in favor of the intro- 

 duction of Asiatics. He regrets to have to 

 confess that in Colombia at present no indus- 

 try is taken up unless it promises immediate 

 returns; the desire is, to have every thing to- 

 day, even if nothing be left for the morrow. 

 Whatever be the causes of this peculiar idio- 

 syncrasy, the example of the English is point- 

 ed out, with whom it is customary to plant 

 oak-trees, and wait fifty years for them to be 

 suitable to be made into planks. They send out 

 to America and procure the young cinchona- 

 trees of the Andean regions, in order to plant 

 them in the English colonies in the East, so 

 that they may possess forests from which they 

 can always supply, themselves with quinine. 

 "In Colombia," says the secretary, "we hesi- 

 tate even about planting coffee, and have almost 

 abandoned the cultivation of cacao." 



There was a project on foot for the water-sup- 

 ply of Bogota by aqueduct, at a cost of $200,000, 

 the municipality to take one-half of the shares. 



Various improvements had been undertaken 

 in Cartagena, such as a hospital for measles, a 

 public clock and park, a new theatre, repairs 

 of the College of the State and the prison estab- 

 lishment, and the lighting of the city by petro- 

 leum-gas. 



In Mompos a monument was to be erected to 

 commemorate the 6th of August, 1810 ; and in 

 Barranquilla a hospital and general cemetery. 



