File No. 312.11/8125
Collector Cobb to Counselor Polk
Dear Mr. Counselor: Referring to my August 25, 5 p.m., reporting to you that General Luis Herrera was working the American-owned Jesus Maria mine in Parral, the El Paso agent of the company has just shown me a report from the Parral agent, dated August 29 last, from which the following is copied:
Since writing you the other day about the Jesus Maria Mine being worked by the General, they have been increasing the men at work in the mine. They now have about 20 men at work. They are moving the gasoline hoist over from the Podaquina Mine to the Jesus Maria, and think they are going to get a bonanza. They have had some ore assayed, and say that it went over 2½ kilos, silver and quite a high value in gold. They have taken a number of pieces of pipe and timber over to the Podaquina Mine, but I think they will bring them back. I think they used it to move the hoist.
The stealing of ore from American-owned mines, is rapidly becoming uglier than at any time we have experienced, with the exception of the last few months of the Villa regime.
They are working the Jesus Maria Mine above water level, and to get the ore in them, are tearing out the pillars that are necessary to support the roof of the underground workings; thereby doing irreparable damage.
Yours sincerely,