The Elk Mountain pilot., 1881-03-24
4 MEXICAN TOWN.
GUAYMAs, Sonora, Mar. 4

SaOulO uOt Scc2 u Out Is summer IC-
sort.
On the south, the north and the
east, high mountains wall in this Gu
rious old town, and wall out the
zephyrs one can readily dispense with
from November to April, but would
heartily welcome in spring, and pine
for in midsummer.
Even tEe7ez breeze Can only Ind
its way into this mountain bound
town through narrow strait between
lofty cliffs some five or six mile,
down the harbor, and it requires nc
great stretch of the imagination ia
see it become superheated steam when
II strikes the heated slopes and pre-
cipitous mountains back Of the town.
However, it does not change to
steam now, and will not imagine
myself into a perspivation in advance.
Standing close to the waters edge
with the quaint old town at his back,
one looks across to the island, per
haps half a mile away, where the
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe com
pany has located its terminal station,
and beyond that, over deep water to
the strait, which is the entrance to
one Of the finest harbors | have ever
Between the island and the town
the water is shallow, having an aver
age depth of perhaps eight feet, but
beyond, or in the outer harbor as it
may be called, there is from twenty.
FIVE to thirty feet, which will admit
the largest ocean steamers direct to
the docks Of the railroad company.
What effect the completion of the
railroad and the Introduction Of
American methods will have upon the
pceple oft',is Mexican torn, ressains
to be seen.
The few intelliga5le answers have
been able to obtain and the observa-
ton of single day, lead me to the
conclusion that the inhabitants are op-
posed to any innovation of long es-
tablished customs.
For instance, the town is supplied
with water from a large we'll, and the
supply is carried wholly upon the
backs of men to the houses of citizens
for all uses.
One would suppose that a better
method than this would meet with
universal favor anywhere, but here a
proposition made not long since to
bring water from some mountain
stream and distribute it in pipes, was
frowned down at once.
Vehicles of any description are not
allowed to be used for moving mer-
chandise from the wharves or Custom
House to the houses or stores in town,
because, as is alleged, 1t would de-
prive the men of employment, who
carry everything upon their backs.
To an American all this seems
strange and novel at first thought,
and yet the writer remembers dis
tinctly how bitterly railroads were
opposed when first projected in the
eastern states, because as was claimed
and believed, they would put an end
to the raising Of cattle and horses by
farmers, and would close every black
smith and wagon shop in the coun-
try. Truly, Time has wrought won
drous changes in the new world, what
may it not do for the old.
Coming from the new world to this
one can scarcely realize that the entire
distance will soon be traversed over
land in palace cars, and without
change from ocean to ocean be-
fore 1890.
The change is so great in all things
The style Of architecture, the customs
and dress Of the people, their manner
of doing and living, are all so unlike
our own, that it seems as if | must
have passed half way around the
globe.
The houses are all of adobe, but one
story high, and are as irregularly situ-
ated as though they had been con-
structed on the top Of the mountains
and rolled down one by one, 10 be
occupied just where they happened to
become stationary, vhithout regard to
which Daft V1s unfIermnnsf