“ 
as duced to about fifty men. Implacable to the last breath, 
ledge, was a born strategician, and in more than one in 
150 Mining Regions of Southern New Mexico. (February, 
and veins, decomposed near the surface, afforded ample yield 
the precious metal. Mexican labor first separated the silver fr 
its base surroundings until the difficulties of deep mining pro 
too formidable for the indolence of native inhabitants. “W 
man’s ” energy and perseverance readily overcame such 
cles until, to-day, the two old-established silver camps are if 
thriving condition. Works have been erected for the extracti 
of silver on the Rio Mimbres and at Silver City,.so that the ores. 
are treated within a few miles of their original occurrence. A 
Santa Rita the copper mines still lie idle, waiting, perhaps, fi 
the magical wand of capital to rouse them from their long period 
speak of great masses of removed material, while ruins of st 
ing works testify to the extraction of copper from its ore. No 
the surroundings of these mines are desolate, be the causé 
want of confidence in their productiveness, or be it but one of th 
many accidents which caused desirable deposits persistently 
be mismanaged and neglected. 
Indian troubles, to use a standard expression, have somew. 
retarded the development of Southern New Mexico withi 
last few years. Victorio, with his great topographical kr 
brought about the defeat of his enemies by superb leadership. 
seems almost ridiculous to the passive spectator, that a 
handful of soldiers, however brave, should be expected to 
with an outnumbering force of savages who have every ad 
tage on their side, and who are fighting with fanatical fero 
under capable superiors. They are well armed, held in §' 
discipline and never strike unless fully prepared to maintai 
field. In the Black Range and in adjacent mountains the ble 
still hold out, reinforced, no doubt, at convenient points, bY 4 
> ite Indians of other tribes, who quietly return to their 4 
p gaar having gained plunder and satisfied their warlike i 
nations. Running southward from the Ojo Caliente, the 
traveling trail of the Indians passes sse: through a part of the c 
« : i 
$ 
