86 



EFFECT OF MINING ON AGRICULTURE. 



than seven thousand inhabitants, created by the discovery of 

 Catorce, while about the same time, in the latter part of the last 

 century, Durango rose into importance from the impulse given to 

 the surrounding country by the labors of Zambrano at San Dimas 

 and Guarisamey. Its population increased in twelve years from 

 eight to twenty thousand ; while whole streets and squares were 

 added to its extent by the munificence of that fortunate miner. To 

 the extreme north, Santa Eulalia gave rise to the town of Chihua- 

 hua ; Batopilas and El Parral became each the centre of a little 

 circle of cultivation; Jesus Maria produced a. similar effect; Mapimi, 

 Cuencame, and Inde, a little more to the southward, served to 

 develope the natural fertility of the banks of the river Nazas ; 

 while in the low hot regions of Sonora and Sinaloa, on the wes- 

 tern coast, almost every place designated on the map as a town, 

 was originally and generally is still a Real, or district for mines." 1 



Such is the case with a multitude of other mines which have 

 formed the nucleii of population in Mexico. They created a mar- 

 ket. The men who were at work in the vein, required the labor 

 of men on the surface, for their support and maintenance. Nor 

 was it food alone, that these laborers demanded. All kinds of 

 artizans were wanted, and consequently, towns as well as farms 

 grew upon every side. When these mining dependencies are once 

 formed, as Baron Humboldt justly says, they often survive the 

 mines that gave them birth ; and turn to agricultural labors for 

 the supply of other districts that industry which was formerly de- 

 voted solely to their own region. 



Such are some of the internal advantages to be derived from 

 mining in Mexico, especially when the mines are well and scien- 

 tifically wrought, and when the miners are kept in proper order, 

 well paid, and consequently enabled to purchase the best supplies 

 in the neighboring markets. The mines are, in fact, to Mexico, 

 what the manufacturing districts are to England and the United 

 States ; and they must be considered the great support of the na- 

 tional agricultural interests until Mexico becomes a commercial 

 power, and sends abroad other articles besides silver, cochineal 

 and vainilla, — the two last of which may be regarded as her mon- 

 opolies. The operation of this tempting character of mines or of 

 the money they create as well as circulate, is exhibited very re- 

 markably in the rapidity with which the shores of California have 

 been covered with towns and filled with industrious population. 



1 Ward, ut antea. 



