The Evening News. November 20, 1916

42. The New Almaden

The richest quicksilver mine in the world is the old Almaden in the province of La Mancha, Spain. Pliny says that the Greeks obtained vermillion from the Old Almaden. It was worked before the Christian era when it gave one hundred thousand pounds annually to the Romans.

As curious destiny the second richest quicksilver mine in the world's history is the New Almaden in California, the offspring of Spain. The New Almaden is thirteen miles south of San Jose. It was first discovered by the Indians. No one knows precisely when. Certainly it was many years before the Spaniards came to this country in 1777. The Indians from northern California, and even remote Oregon, had long journeyed to the New Almaden mine to obtain red paint for adorning their bodies. They visited the very hills in which the New Almaden was first opened, and their visits caused a cave in the mountain side.

The red earth from which they made the red paint the Indians called Mohetka. In reality, the paint came from cinnabar, which, when moistened, is reddish, and an excellent red pigment. The red pigment was of red sulphuret of mercury. When applied it salivated the Indians so that applying the paint was painful. However, comfort to the Indian was important only as something to sacrifice to the god of beauty which even savages worship.

For this god of beauty Indians risked their lives. They went far into what is now called Mine Hill. Always the god of beauty lured them farther. The Indians knew nothing of mining, nor of the dangers of leaving the earth unbuttressed. In consequence, once when the Indians ventured too far into the mine it caved. Long afterward white men seeking gold, not beauty, found the skeletons of these Indians.

When the padres built the Santa Clara Mission the Indians knowledge of the red earth in the high hill was a great help in adorning the Mission. The Indians not only knew where to find Mohetka, but they knew how to apply it. Some of the decorations made a hundred years ago at the Santa Clara Mission still exist.

Long had been the Indian legend that great treasure was in the hill. The reddish brown heavy quartz sparkled in the sunlight. The young Spaniards who know the legend of Queen Califia's golden island, California, dreamed that the hill near the lowering black hill now called Loma Prieta had a heart of gold. Always they hoped to reach that heart.

Don Jose Berryessa, who was shot by General Fremont and Kit Carson at San Rafael in 1846, was the first owner of the San Vicente ranch on which is the New Almaden mine. The ranch was granted to Don Jose nearly a hundred years ago by Don Louis Arguello, Governor of California, for Berryessa's services as his secretary.

In the year 1824 an old Indian told Secundino Robles, majordomo of the Santa Clara mIssion, and Don Luis Chaboya, of his belief that there was a mine in the hill were the Indians found red paint. Robles, Father Real and Don Jose Berryessa set out to look for it.

Mrs. Fernandez, who lives on Vine street in San Jose, is the daughter of Don Jose Berryessa. She says that her father was the first man to discover the mine. His foot brushed away the leaves on the memorable day in 1824 and revealed to Father Real and Secundino Robles the opening to the mine. Don Jose Berryessa never had credit for his part in the discovery. His widow sold her interest in the property for sixty thousand dollars.

Robles told Don Antonio Sunol of the discovery and the location of the mine Don Antonio was an alert, cultivated Spaniard from Barcelona, always eager for new financial ventures. He and Robles believed that the mine contained silver. With that in mind they worked it for one year. Sunol spent four hundred dollars on the drift, and then abandoned it.

It was not for Don Antonio Sunol to find the precious heart in the wonderland of Queen Califia.

Transcribed by Kitty LaFavor, for the Santa Clara Co. CAGenWeb Project. 2008