Mexican Paper - The Mining District of Pachuca, Mexico

The two mining districts of Pachuca and Real del Monte, well known for their antiquity and the extraordinary richness of their veins, are situated, 3 miles apart, only 62 miles north of the City of Mexico—the first being on the western, and the second on the eastern slope of the Pachuca range of mountains which bounds the great valley of Mexico. Close to the celebrated mining region of Pachuca is located the city of the same name, capital of the State of Hidalgo, at 2460 meters above sea-level and 20° 07' 35" North latitude, with 35,000 inhabitants, the majority of whom work in the mines; the remainder being Government employees, merchants, and a small number engaged in less important industries. The city extends along both sides of the canada which carries the waters of the river called "Avenidas de Pachuca," the banks of which are united by four bridges at regular intervals. The attention of the traveler approaching the city is first attracted by the appearance of the mountains, barren of vegetation, bounding the city with rocky cliffs and steep declivities, the grades of which serve as foundations to the irregular and varied groups of houses. Above these are the dumps, and, close by them, the mouths of the shafts, covered with conical tile roofs. The smoke of the chimneys, the noise of the mills and the appearance of some of the constructions reveal at first glance the industrial character of the place. At the left of the entrance to the canada, the mountain of San Cristobal, celebrated for the famous vein of Xacal, one of the richest and earliest exploited in the district, rises 450 meters above the city.