Now that I've been 'into' reading all (hopefully!) my old issues of the National Geographic Magazine, beginning with the November, 1927, issue, for more than a year, I'm starting to develop recognition for some of their frequent writers. The author of the next article, Pieces of Silver, Frederick Simpich, is the one most familiar to me, and is also one of the best.
In the September, 1933, issue, Simpich begins: "Through its long, glittering career silver has swayed the destiny of men and nations. In the romance and adventure of mining, man's bold quest for silver led to war, to daring exploration, and to conquest of savage lands. First of metals widely used as money, silver slowly turned primitive barter into buying and selling," (p. 253).
Historians and archeologists surmise that silver was first mined somewhere in the Mediterranean vicinity. An ancient mine near Athens, Greece, shows evidence of mining from 600 B.C. to 300 B.C. Records show that taxes on this silver was collected beginning in 500 B.C. In 2014 United States, we are bombarded with TV commercials urging us to put our money into silver, not into banks! Silver was officially 'demonetized' in our country in 1873.
"Through the Dark and Middle Ages, men mined silver in many parts of Europe. German mines were opened when teamsters hauling salt in 1160 found silver ore along a road through the Harz Mountains. In one Saxon mine, the St. George, miners found a 20-ton chunk of ore. The Duke of Saxony gave an underground banquet, using this ore block as a table!" (p. 255).
Roman mines in Spain employed 40,000 men and yielded Rome 40,000 drachmae daily. "Yet all this paled beside New World riches." When the Spaniard, Cortez, conquered the Incas, he was astounded at all the gold and silver riches. "For 300 years, from 1521 to 1821, Spain ruled over Mexico. In that time a steady stream of silver floated to Spain. . . After Mexico became a republic the output doubled and trebled. . . For more than two centuries Mexico has been the world's greatest source of silver, mining in that time more than five billion dollars worth," (p. 255). If you've seen the latest version of the adventure movies, "Zorro," you know the price many Mexican natives paid: enslavement, life and death in the silver mines.
In 1933, Mr. Simpich reported, "In our Western States (of America), where we now mine the bulk of our silver, most of it is found mixed with other metals. Our greatest straight silver mine is the Sunshine, near Kellogg, Idaho," (p. 261).
In the mid-1800's, silver was discovered in Nevada. What ensued was a rush similar to the Gold Rush in California in 1949: "Once more city merchants shut up shop, sailors deserted their ships, and clerks quit their desks, swelling the army that rushed pell-mell to Nevada, where new towns bloomed like mushrooms, with the saloons, quick lunch stands, dance halls, and dives that made life lurid in the hectic, roaring camps," (p. 264). Now many of these once-thriving towns are abandoned, 'ghost towns.'
How much silver was circulating in the world in 1933? "Stores of bar silver in the world are not accurately known; they are estimated at eleven or twelve billion ounces, most of which is in India. Since Columbus came to America the world has mined about 14 times as much silver, by weight, as it has gold," (p. 267). Most silver mined then was, as is now, a by-product of mining for other metals.
In my home State of Kentucky, U.S.A., there have been coal mines in the eastern, mountainous section. Many years ago, I lived briefly in a small Kentucky mountain town, Hazard, in the middle of heavy mining operations. If we took a ride in the country, we would always pass a smouldering 'slag' heap. We would encounter many soot-covered miners in the small downtown area. Miners received very high wages but it was incredibly dangerous, as you can imagine! In 2014, it is a depressed area with many of the mines gone out of business due to government environmental regulations. It is estimated that there is over 300 years usage of coal in American mines now.
Two summers ago, my friend, Gail, and I traveled to Eastern and South Central Kentucky to visit dialysis clinics. Gail mentioned she had never seen a coal mine. Then I was determined that she would see a coal mine. They are not on the main highways. Finally, when we were nearly out of the Pikeville area, we passed a mine. We turned around and headed into the narrow road leading to the mine. Immediately a man with a rifle emerged from a guard station. Gail and I made a quick exit! But she had seen a coal mine!
The next blog will continue with this long article on Silver.
No comments:
Post a Comment