Zacatecas
capital of a State of the same name in Mexico; is a famous silver mining town, in a deep ravine; 440 miles N. W. of Mexico City. The streets are narrow and irregular, but there are numerous squares, and the market place, where the cathedral stands, is fine and handsome. It contains a college, gunpowder mill, and mint. Three miles to the E. is the Franciscan college, where the fathers of the old Californian missions were trained. Zacatecas is the great silver producing State of Mexico. The mines since 1540 have yielded over $1,000,000,- 000. Pop. of the city about 25,000; of the State, about 475,000.