Silver in the Sierra Madre

<p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Dr. Peter Flawn president-emeritus of the University of Texas Austin began life as a geologist. After a stint in World War II he teamed up with another geologist Philip W. Beckley to explore and develop an old Spanish silver mine in a remote mountainous area of the state of Durango Mexico known as the </span><em style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>barancas</em><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>. Beckley was a true soldier of fortune flying in and out of the site with a small plane the only way to reach the Santa Cruz mine. This personal memoir includes the decisions and actions of the Dougherty family of Beeville Texas the </span><em style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>de facto</em><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)> owners of the mine properties and others closely associated with the project both from Texas and Mexico. Beckley's tragic death either by accident or by a bandit eventually closed the project. Dr. Flawn retired after a career in university education and dedicated his memoirs to his old friend describing their association from the period of 1966 to 1972. The author also provides a history of the Santa Cruz mine from 1908 until 1966 as told through reports and letters from a succession of mine managers.</span></p>