No. 201.
Mr. Moye to Mr. Fish.
Sir: In accordance with Consular Regulations No. 720, I have the honor to report that this consulate comprises nearly the entire State of Chihuahua, and part of the States of Durango, Coahuila, and Sonora, consequently being the largest consular district in the Mexican republic. Being an inland post and such a remote place, void of regular communications, this district is generally very little known to the outer world; but the time is arriving when this northern part of Mexico will become important.
The State of Chihuahua, center of my consular district, since the end of the civil strife, made many steps in the line of progress not inferior to the other States of the republic. The Indian war, carried bravely by the inhabitants, has allowed the cultivation of lands formerly abandoned, diminishing the perils that formerly prevented the opening of communications. Owing to the pacific character of its inhabitants, order prevails always in this State, and no obstacles are opposed to the present administration, under which the State has decidedly gained in population, wealth, instruction, and also in commodities of private life.
The completion of the projected railroad, extending from the United States to the Rio Grande, will raise this part of the country to a level [Page 266] with its sister States, and perhaps excel them in matter of importance. Considering the immense resources which it can furnish in its different branches of industry, mining, commerce, and agriculture, when this city will be the center of deposit of all the products raised in the northern and middle States of this republic.
The resources of mining are inexhaustible; gold, silver, copper, tin, lead, are found in abundance, and rich ores are discovered continually, but not the millionth part of it is explored, owing to scarcity of capital, lack of energy, and the careless character of its inhabitants, which is noticed in all their business transactions; and to this circumstance is attributed that most foreigners make their fortune in this country, taking advantage of the nonchalance of the Mexicans.
The commerce of this State has been dull for many years, owing to the prostrated condition of the country, and has lately received a severe shock by enforcing the collection on merchandise imported to the full extent of the tariff; formerly only one-third of the duties was exacted. Few goods, which had arrived at the time the full duties were enforced, have since passed the river at Presidio del Norte, the importers having agreed with the customs to pay the former duties of the tariff, and to subject themselves to the decision of the president of the republic, to whom the matter has been referred. Under this arrangement two wagon-trains, mostly loaded with debenture goods, have arrived, being circumstantially obligated to accept of this proposition. Others have not passed with their goods, having no confidence in this arrangement.
It is almost impossible to arrive at any exact conclusion as to the amount of importation of goods, owing to the arbitrary collection of customs, who shape their entries accordingly. It is supposed to amount to about one million and a half of dollars. Likewise, only a defective information can be obtained as to the real exportation of silver dollars and bullion. The mint in this city shows a coinage of about half a million of dollars annually, but it is estimated that twice that amount is smuggled out of the country.
The exports are confined to silver dollars and bullion; other products cannot be exported for lack of cheap transportation, the distance to the first railroad line or the nearest water communication being about twelve hundred miles.
The external commerce is carried on by wagon-trains, drawn by mules and oxen, which have to traverse the great deserts between here and the Gulf of Mexico, or to the nearest point of the Northern Pacific Railroad. The interior commerce is also carried on by wagons, where the roads permit, and by pack mules and jacks in the mountainous part of the country. The average freight by wagon-trains on import from Lavaca, Texas, or Sheridan, Colorado, is generally eight cents gold per pound, and on export or return freight from four to six cents on produce, and two per cent, on specie and bullion.
The climate of this northern part of Mexico, lying 4,850 feet above the level of the sea, is mild, and not subject to either extreme heat nor severe cold. The summer heat does not exceed 80° Fahrenheit in the shade, and does not reach zero in winter. But little rain falls, and only during the months of July, August, and September, the rest of the year being dry. This city has become the refuge for consumptive persons, even from the United States.
The cultivation of the arable land with the aid of irrigation, and the quantity of productive land, is more than sufficient to support a population ten times as large as the present one, which numbers about souls. The American population of this State is shorter than [Page 267] that of any other nationality except the English, although many Germans established here are citizens of the United States. The capital is invested in commercial business and mining, and only two factories of woolen and cotton goods are in American hands, the produce of which are only sufficient for the consumption in this State. The yield of corn is 200 per cent.; that of wheat 80 per cent., and the crops never fail entirely, on account of the irrigation. As to fruits, peaches, grapes, apricots, and quinces, grow abundantly, and are of the finest quality; also apples and pears, but have not the fine flavor and plentiful juice as those grown in the North. The crop of cereals has been so very abundant this year that the price of corn is reduced to 50 cents the fanega, (2 ¾ bushels,) and first rate wheat to $2.
This State is well adapted for cattle and sheep raising. The grazing lands embrace more than one-half of the State, and the finest gramma grass is found in the plains and the accessible mountain ranges throughout the year, springing up like magic after the first showers of rain have refreshed the land. Farming and grazing are profitable in the vicinity of mining places, and in the neighborhood of cities, and in that region bordering on our lines for exportation to our frontier forts and the consumption of our soldiers.
Having shown by this short statement that the productions of mining are inexhaustible; that the products of agricultural industry and cattle-raising are innumerable; and considering this city to become a center point of deposit, the commerce could be expanded to a fabulous extent, and be of the greatest future importance, naturally the question arises how this immense wealth could be turned to benefit the commerce of the United States. The medium to effect this desired object is railroad communication and establishment of telegraph lines, and to make an advantageous commercial treaty with this republic.
As is already known to the Department, referring to my dispatch No. 68, of the 16th instant, an exceedingly favorable concession has been granted by the Mexican government to an American company for the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from a point on the Rio Grande to Guaymas, on the Gulf of California, This projected railroad proposes to connect on the Rio Grande with a line now being constructed from Marshall, Texas, or another being built from Preston, Texas, to the Rio Grande. This road, if built over the road lately surveyed, would pass through the northern part of this State and the State of Sonora, and apart from considerably shortening the distance from New York to the Pacific, as per northern route, it would naturally increase very materially the commercial relations between the United States and this part of Mexico, particularly in regard to exportation; facilitating the exportation to the United States of dollars and bullion, of ores of different metals that now go to Europe, mostly smuggled from the Pacific to vessels ever laying off that coast for that express purpose. It would throw into the United States the immense trade not only of the productions of all the northern States of this republic, but also the productions of the States of Zacatecas, Aguas Calientes, Durango, Coahuila, and San Luis Potosi, after railroad connections are formed with those States; which in return would import from the United States large quantities of foreign merchandise for consumption, since very little manufacturing is done in all these States.
* * * * * * * *