The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-03-05
Letter From Mexico.

1 sing Yankees-NIillions in Gold and Sill
yer in the yicinity-FutureP Port Of Amer
ican-Australian Trade.
GUAYMAs, MEXICO, January, 1881.
EDITOR CHIEF:
This quaint old town in Sonora, Mexi-
| co, is located Oh the Eastern shore of the
Gulf Of California and has harbor, land
locked and sheltered from the sea with
approaches through channels between
the islands of Pajoras, San Vicente, Fita-
vas and Cochori. The odd and distinc-
tive features of this strange old town are
so peculiar that l have been tempted to
give your readers an idea of it's location,
its future possibilities, aud something of
the antediluyian habits of this city of
5000 souls.
came down from Frisco on very
comfortable coastwise steamer which
touches here about once month, carry
ing few passengers and light cargo
of goods. We anchored one bright morn
ing in the harbor, and while we we're
preparing to go ashore I took iu the
wild and romantic surroundings of this
port, so soon to become great CONNER
cial entrepot in the American Austria
liam trade.
Lazy Yaqni 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 GUAYMAs
nestles at the end of its quiet and secure
harbor, surrounded Oh three sides Ly
! high, bluffy mountains. The opening
into the ocean between two high, 1ug-
| ged cliffs, is about five miles from the
city, and within this strait the bay
Wldens SO as to furnish what has been
we'll termed the most secure harbor on
the Pacific. About half mile from the
town all island divides the inner from
the outer harbor, and it is on this leland
that the Southwestern terminus of the
great Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe
railroad is located. Here are the I'M
mense wharyes and unlimited dockage,
where the heaviest men-of-war can an
/ chor in safety. Beyond the island, land
ward, the water is much shallower, the
average depth being but about nine
feet, while on the seawarl side there is a
depth averaging thirty feet. The rail
road reaches its terminus by long
bridge from the Eastern shore, and will
be able to transport freight to the steam
er direct.
| After some little delay at the Custom
House, we walked over to the American
Hotel, and am free to say tlIat it is the
oldest looking building in the world en-
joying that universal name; u low,
square, adobe building, surrounding a
court or placita. Its mud floors and
small windows and low ceilings are
striking novelties. After a lunch nv
friend and 1 sanntered through the
town, which carries the Mexican stamp
upon its face. The buildings are Of
adobe, built one story high and better
as class than those in New Mexico. In
fact, some Of them were highly orna-
mental. AS we neared the public square,
or plaza, we found gay scene awaiting
ns. The native band from the garrison
were playing medley Of Spanish airs
and the plaza was filled with ladies,
young and old, in gay costumes, who
promenaded without escorts, their natur-
al protectors standing outside the circle
and bowling here and there as they rec
ognzed acqnaintances. 1t was a very
pretty sight to an American unused to
such scenes. found, upon becoming
better acquainted, that,
| THE INHABITANTS
are divided into three classes, the cup
per Ten" being the Spanish merchants,
whom l found refined and educated and
with an elegant gentility about them,
too often lacking among our own aris-
| tocracy.
| The middle class are the native Mex
leans and the lower, the Ya1ui Indians,
who have been largely employed in grad
ing the road between Her,nOsiIla and
Guaymas. l was astonished to find what
we term slavery-here called peonage-
debt to another for $40 he is placed in
absolute servitude until it is paid, and
as wages vary from 10 to 35 cents day,
man who once gets behind $40 is hope
lessly involved.
| Perhaps the most noticeable character
istic Of Guaymas is the evident aversion
and hostility to any thing which savors
of progression. III transporting cargoes
from the wharf to the custom-llouse and
thence to the business houses, no drays
or wagons are allowed to be used, be-
cause it takes away the labor of the men
who "pack" every thing on their backs,
and in carrying water from the large
we'll which supplies the town the same
law is in vogue, and a movement to
bring the water into the town by pipes
was instantly squelched by tho anthori-
ties. made considerable inquiry abont
these mountains surrounding the town,
but nothing seems to have been deyel-
oped in them as far as
MINING
is concerned. Back further, however,
from the coast there are nrany miries be-
ing worked which arc paying splendidiy
| shafts were pnt down from 300 to 500
feet by the spaniards years ago, but
| which now contain more or less water.
In those early years these miners were
destitute of pumps and proper appliances
necessary to free the shafts from water
| and many excellent mines were destroyed
by flooding. These abandoned mines
have all reverted to the government and
can be bought for a nominal sum- see
here a rich field for some enterprising
companies, for with onr modern hydraulic
pumps these mines could be emptied at
a comparatively small expense.
| When the A., I. & S. +. shall have
completed its line down through this
rich mineral country, I'proplesy an emf
grafton of miners and business men snch
as has never been known in the West,
for these certainly are rich and pron.is-