, 1881-02-26
A FIELD reg ESTEarEisiNG YANKEES
Aiilieas In Gold and silver In the Vicinity.
fatare Peri ef Snserte.n Asssraitan
Trade.

Fsilre rem ef f..rtr.n As.sr.ifan
GCAYMAs, Mexico, Jan. Is.n TOW.
EDITOR STATESMAN This quaint old
town in Sonora, Mexico, is located on the
east shore of The Gull of California, and
has a harbor. landIocked and sheltered
from The Sc. which approaches through
channels between the Islands Of oaidrss,
San Vicente, Pitayas and Cochori. The
odd and distinctive features of this strange
old town are SO peculiar that have been
tempted to give your readers some idea
OF its location, its future possibilities, and
something N the s,te-diluvian habit, of
this city of six thousand souls.
l came down from Frisco on a very
comfortable coast wise steamer which
touches here about once mouth, carry
ing few passengers and light cargo Of
goods. We anchored one bright morn
ing in the harbor, and while We were pre-
pairing to 90 ashore took in the wild and
romantic surround ings of this port, so
soon to become great commercial entire
pot in the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. trade.
Lazy Yaaui Indians were plying their
vocation on every hand catching FISH of
many varieties or taking shrimps, crabs,
Holsters and oysters that are found in
great abundance.
THE TOWN OF GUayNAs
Nestles at the end Of its quiet and secure
harbor, surrounded on three sides by
high bluffy mountains. The opening into
the ocean between two high, rugged cliffs,
is about five miles from the city, and
within this straight tae bay widens so as
to furnish what has been well termed the
most secure harbor on the Pacific. About
half mile from the town an island di-
vides the inner from the outer ha. Dor
and it is on this island that the south
western terminus of the great Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe is located Here
are the immense wharves and unlimited
dockage, where the heaviest nen-of-war
can anchor in safety. Beyond the island
landward, the water is much shallower,
the average depth being but about feet
while on the seaward side there is depth
averaging 80 feet. The railroad reaches
its terminus by long bridge from the
eastern shore, and will be able to trans
port
FREIGHT To THE STEAMER DIRECT.
After some little delay at the custom
house, We walked over to the American
Hotel, aai am free to say that it is the
nAAAss i---L--, l--'laius in the xorld on.
Toying that universal name; a low, square
adobe building, surrounding court or
placita It's mud floors, and small win
dows, and low ceilings, are striking nov
elites. After a lunch my friend and ]
sauntered through the town, which car
ries the Mexican stamp upon its face.
The buildings are all Of adobe, built one
story high, and better as a class than those
in New Mexico. In fact some of thin
were highly ornamental. As We neared
the public square or plaza, We found a gay
scene awaiting us The native band from
the garrison was playing medley OF
Spanish airs, and the plaza was filled with
ladies', young and old, in gay costumes,
who promenaded without escorts, their
natural protectors standing outside the
circle and bowed here and there as they
recognized acquaintances. 1t was very
pretty sight to an American unused to
such scenes l found, upon becoming
better acquainted, that
THE INHABITANTS
are divided into three classes, the Upper
Ten being the Spanish merchants whom /
found refined and educated and with an
elegant gentility about them, too often
lacking among our own aristocarcy.
The middle class are the native Me1i-
can and the lower, the Yaqui Indians,
who have been largely employed in grad
ing the road between Hermosilla and
Guaymas. was astonished to find what
we term slavery (here called peonage) is
in full vogue. If man becomes in debt
to another for 80 he is placed i'll absolute
servitude until it is paid, and as wages
vary from 10 to 80 cents day, man
who once gets behind $40 is hopelessly in
volved
Perhaps the most noticeable characters
tic cf Guayrnas is the evident aversion
and hostility to anything which savors
of progression. In transporting cargoes
from the wharf to the custom house and
thence TO the business houses, no drays or
wagons are allowed to be used, because it
takes away the labor of the men who pack
everything on their backs, and IN carry
inc water from the large well which snp-
nlies the town the same Law is in vogue,
and a movement TO bring the water into
town by pipes was instantly squeiched by
the authorities made considerable IN
ouiry about these mountains surrounding
tha town, but nothing seems to have been
developed III them as TAR as
MINING
L. concerned. Back further, however,
from the coast there are many mines be-
inc worked which are paying splendidly
and many more deserted ones where shafts
were put down from 800 to 500 feet by
the Spaniards years ago, but which now
contain more or less water. In those
early wears these miners were destitute of
| pumps and proper appliances necessary to
| free the shafts from water and many e1-
osIlent mines were destroyed by flooding
These abandoned mines have all reverted
% the government aud can be bought for
. nominal sum | SEE here rich field
for some enterprising companies, for With
our modern hydraulic pumps these mines
could be emptied at comparatively small
expense
comnIeted its line down through this rich
mineral country, | prophesy an ernigra-
tiou Of miners and business men such as
has never been known IN the west, for
these certainly are nch and promising
| l,.,,- Tho eli