Guatemala, the country of the future Part 4

MINES AND MINING.

The mineral riches of Guatemala, while not unknown, may be said to be unexploited. Owing to the varied geological formations the belief both of geologists and of practical miners is that they offer a promising field for development. The minerals include quartz and gold, silver and galenas, copper, coal and lignite, manganese, asbestos, graphite, kaolin, opals, slate, alum, marble, silver, mica, iron, sulphur, lead.

The mining archives of colonial days show that between the years 1627 and 1820 more than 1,300 mines of gold, silver, lead, copper, tin, iron, and one of quicksilver, were discovered and worked, and were a source of great revenue both to the Church and the State. History records that during the earliest Spanish occupancy of that country enormous quant.i.ties of gold and silver were taken from those mines. At one time more than one hundred and fifty very rich mines were worked there. From one group the mint of Guatemala coined silver to the amount of $43,000,000, besides what was shipped directly to Europe.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BRIDGE OVER MOTAGUA RIVER.]

In an official report made by the Director of the chemical laboratory to the Minister of Finance these statements are made, based on samples that had been submitted for a.n.a.lysis and which were obtained for the most part in the eastern region of the country.

"Zinc, copper, lead, and silver predominate in these regions, being generally found in argentiferous blends and galenas, and sometimes both metals in conjunction with carbonates of copper. The proportion of the lead varies from 20 to 25% in the galenas and the blends contain from 15 to 40% of zinc.

"The proportion of silver varies from 200 grammes to 7 kilos (17 pounds), allowing one to calculate on an average of from 2 to 3 kilos. The beds extend to the tablelands on which the capital is situated, stretching as far as the Department of Jalapa, where the lead disappears sometimes completely, the silver being found alone.

The veins stretch to the valley of the Motagua, disappearing for some time on the left bank of that river and reappearing again to the north of Solama, following a straight line to Huehuetenango, although the quant.i.ty of silver in this region is less than in the beds in the southeast of the Republic.

"Copper, one of the metals which is most abundant in the country, is generally found in oxicarbonate in beds of sediment. It appears in the neighborhood of the capital and various other points. These beds continue up to the Mexican frontier along the banks of the river Salega and round the town of Cuilco, but the nature of the metal changes little by little, pa.s.sing from the carbonates to oxisulphates mixed with iron and soon the copper disappears altogether. In the eastern region abundant deposits of carbonates of copper are found princ.i.p.ally in the Department of Chiquimula, mixed in many cases with other metals such as zinc, lead, and silver.

"Lignite of excellent quality is found in beds near the Atlantic coast, a very great consideration in the development of mineral industries."

Captain Rae of the United States, who spent several years in Guatemala and who wrote authoritatively concerning the mineral resources of the country, said that he had found near the northwestern frontier large quant.i.ties of low grade gold sulphuret ores and also rich lead ores carrying a small percentage of silver as well as some good copper carbonates. He said that the lead ores were of the best clean carbonates, easily smelted by fuel alone, and had been rudely exploited princ.i.p.ally for the lead they contained. These silver lead mines of low grades of silver were in the vicinity of Chiantla, and the belt extended, he said, northwest, breaking out again in heavy deposits bearing silver from $12 to $40 a ton and lead 80%.

Captain Rae gave the following further details:

"Still further east in the Lacodor country are found immense deposits of the same character of ore, which seemed to lie as if thrown up in volcanic upheavals. In some places the lead is found in small nuggets entirely pure. Large deposits of black lead or plumbago exist both north and south of Huehuetenango of a good cla.s.s and ready for commerce.

"Auriferous gravel beds are found at different points on the Rio Grande in the Department of Baja Verapaz which prospect well for heavy course gold. The working of these beds is confined to the immediate river banks, done by the natives in a very rude manner, merely scooping out the choicest streaks of goldbearing gravel and washing it in wooden bowls. These beds seem to be well defined and extend back through the flats to the hills.

"Also some gold formation is found along the Rio Platanos and Vacas two affluents of the Rio Grande that flow into it from the south side and nearly opposite to one of these goldbearing gravel beds.

Further down the river on the north mountain range there exists asbestos in several places and from a surface prospect the texture is of a good variety and free from all foreign substances varying in color from deep gray to snowy white, the fibres measuring as much as 6 inches in length.

"In the Department of Izabal lying on the Atlantic or gulf coast, on the lower waters of the Motagua and Polichis rivers, there exists rich and extensive beds of gold placers which have been worked for several years in a primitive way and have yielded a large amount of gold dust.

"In the foothills of Livingston stone coal has been found of the lignite variety and said to make good combustible. On the opposite side of the Gulf of Dulce from the coal deposits are large deposits of magnetic iron ores, ranging from 60 to 70 per cent. of iron.

These deposits lie only a few leagues from water communication on the Gulf and also close to the Northern Railway."

The following description of the various mineral districts is from _The Bristol Board of Trade journal_:

"The princ.i.p.al known mining districts of Guatemala are situated on the eastern boundary, both to the north and also the south, in the Departments of Chiquimula and Izabal, adjoining the Republic of Honduras and that of Salvador. These districts are mountainous, and, owing to their complete isolation and lack of communication with the other parts of the Republic and the difficulty of procuring supplies, there being at the moment very few roads, this part is not generally known to the outer world.

"On the western boundary, in the Department of Huehuetenango and near to Chiantla, there are said to be very rich copper mines, similar to those of Chiapas, in Mexico. These are now being explored, but so far no copper has been found, though the district is rich in lead and a small percentage of silver. The a.s.says that have come to hand show 56 per cent. of lead and 40 ounces per ton of silver. In many other parts of the Republic mines have been discovered and mining rights secured, such as at San Cristobal and Aguil, in the Department of Alta Verapaz; near Rabinal and Pichec, in Baja Verapaz; at San Pedro, in the Department of Guatemala; also at Mataquescuintla, in the mines of Algeria and Rosario, in the Department of Santa Rosa; at Zalcuapa and Joyabaj, on the Rio Grande, in the Department of El Quiche; but the only mines that have recently been worked, and which have given and are giving fair results, are those of Quebradas de Oro, on the River Bobos, in the Department of Izabal, where gold has been washed in paying quant.i.ties.

"The district where mines have been denounced (pre-empted) and in some instances worked, lies between the Rio de Concepcion to the north and the Rio de las Minas to the south; the mining district alluded to is nearly due east of Los Sillones, on the finca of San Jose. This estate is in the Department of Chiquimula, and a society was formed under the name of Societe Horta y Cia., which obtained mining rights from the Government for a term of fifteen years with the right to import free of duty all material, machinery, and necessary appliances. But until the present time very little has been done, owing to the isolated position of these mines and the difficulty of establishing communication, though the construction of a small line, which might connect with the Guatemala or Northern Railway at Chiquimula, has been under consideration, but the funds for the carrying out of this project have, it is understood, been lacking. This, if built, would do away with the transportation difficulty."

There is no difficulty in the work of mining in Guatemala since the climate in the mining regions is temperate and healthful.

CHAPTER IV.

TRADE AND MARKETS.

Guatemala, because of its nearness, is an unusually good market for the products of the United States. With the increase in the transportation facilities which will result from railway building and other transportation enterprises that will add to the ocean shipping facilities the business should increase greatly if merchants and manufacturers in the United States choose to take advantage of it.

Official support is given this view by the reports of the American Consuls in Guatemala. Consul General Winslow has frequently called attention to the advantages which may be obtained. In one report he stated that large quant.i.ties of groceries, flour, potatoes, shoes, drygoods, and clothing come from the United States, but Germany and England seem to have the lead in machinery and hardware. There is surely a fine opening in these latter lines for exporters of the United States, but they must be in position to push their goods personally, to give longer credits, and to take more pains with packing. In all, it is safe to say, there are $8,000,000 of American capital invested in Guatemala and there is an opening for much more, if it is backed by the right kind of management.

In a report, to the British Foreign Office in 1905 Mr. Hervey, the English Consul, stated that as far as actual volume of business was concerned, as shown in the imports and exports, there appeared to have been a distinct improvement in the general trade of the country compared with immediately preceding years. The imports were the largest for the past seven years. The revenue of the country showed a great improvement all around, being, in fact, nearly double that of 1903, the most important increases being shown in import and export duties, the former benefiting by the 50 per cent. of their total payable in gold, and the latter by the tax of $1 gold per quintal which has been collected throughout the year.

The outlook for the future was, the report said, more favorable than it had been for many years. The completion of the Guatemala Northern Railway would shorten the distance from Europe and the United States and promote trade. Already German and British steamers were calling at Puerto Barrios in addition to those of the United Fruit Company. The greater steadiness of exchange and the fall in the gold premium were further factors of importance in restoring confidence. With continued peace, and with it the prospect of increased labor facilities, so that the agricultural and mineral wealth to be won from the soil may attain to its fullest development, brighter days were dawning for Guatemala.

ARTICLES BROUGHT FROM OTHER COUNTRIES.

A general statement regarding the articles which Guatemala buys abroad and which therefore are of interest to exporters is as follows:

The princ.i.p.al imports consist of drygoods, almost exclusively cotton manufactures, brought from Great Britain, the United States, and Germany. In this branch British manufacture commands the market, the imports from the United States and Germany being relatively small. The more important articles are gray cloths; bleached shirtings, 7-8 and 9-8 prints; fancy cloths; gray, white, and blue drills; colored drills; handkerchiefs; gray and dyed yarns; Turkey red yarns; sewing cottons; tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs; cotton blankets, etc. Of these goods about 75 per cent. are of British origin, 15 per cent. American, and 10 per cent. German.

American manufacturers compete chiefly in drills, denims, blankets, prints, gray cloths, and bleached shirtings, while German goods imported consist chiefly of drills, prints, Turkey red yarns, blankets, and tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs.

Woolen goods are not in very great demand; the princ.i.p.al lines are blankets, shawls, braids, hats, Berlin wool, and but few piece goods.

Hats are imported mostly from the United States, Germany, and only a few from the United Kingdom; shawls from Germany, princ.i.p.ally; piece goods from Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.

Silks are not in demand, excepting floss silks imported from China, ribbons from Switzerland, France, and Germany. Regarding hardware generally, approximately 50 per cent. is imported from Germany, 30 per cent. from the United States, and 20 per cent. from the United Kingdom.

The princ.i.p.al imports from the United States consist of machetes, axes, and hoes, besides tools generally of the better cla.s.ses, corn mills, plows, sewing machinery, outfits for building purposes, saws, barbed wire, files, screws, cutlery, ropes, brushes, enameled goods, paints, and varnishes and breadstuffs.

The imports from the United Kingdom are chiefly composed of galvanized-iron sheets, galvanized-iron goods, coffee machinery, copper sheets, tin goods, machetes, hoes, sickles, picks, pickaxes, saltpeter, pans (used on sugar plantations), iron sheets, saws, padlocks, cutlery, saddlery, bits, spurs, bra.s.s valves and c.o.c.ks, pottery, cartridges, also preserves and biscuits.

From Germany are brought all kinds of cheap tools, machinery, sewing machines, cutlery, machetes, bar iron, enameled goods, pottery, locks, screws, nails, window gla.s.s, brushes, paper, matches, stearin and ceresin, part of these goods being also brought from Belgium and the Netherlands, while France ships tools for shoemakers' and saddlers' use.

The articles which Guatemala buys in exchange for her coffee, sugar, fruits, woods and other products in the customs cla.s.sification are divided into three groups; that is, articles of prime necessity, articles of luxury or convenience, and articles for the industries.

The first and most important group includes cotton and woolen goods, wheat flour, rice, corn, potatoes, salt, wax and stearine candles, matches, soap, petroleum, gla.s.s and earthenware, and kitchen hardware.

The second group covers the finer grade of woolens, silks, mineral waters, liquors, preserves in cans, manufactured tobacco, gla.s.sware, porcelain, toys, musical instruments, perfumery, etc.

The third group consists of coal, woodworking machinery, cured hides, raw cotton, sacks, lubricating oils, farm implements and a variety of machinery.

CLa.s.s OF IMPORTS FROM THE UNITED STATES.