The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-26
PRIMITIVE METHODS.
THE WATERWoRKS OF GUAYMAS RUN
BY MULE POWER.
A Little City That Is Up tn Date In All
Important Respects Except One-You
Are Delighted with the Water, but Are
Surprised When You Look IL Up.

Are Delighted with the Water, but Are
Surprised When You Look 1t Up. ]
Half way up the gulf of California, on
the southwestern coast of Mexico, is the
little seaport of Guaymas. OF late years
Guaymas has grown apace commercially,
and her Mexican and Indian citizens,
spurrcd onward and assisted by the influx
of Yankee and English merchants, have II
great many modern improvements, and as
soon as you land the people begin to talk
to you about the wonderful advantages OF
Guaymas either as residence or business
location. With pride they show you their
street lights their horse cars and several
other more or less modern improvements.
But no one ever has word to say about
the waterworks or the water system. Yet
you notice with satisfaction that the water
they give you to drink is clear as crystal,
soft and very pleasing to the eye and taste
alike. OF course you do not expect to ina
running water in each room in Mexican
city of only 5000 inhabitants, and you are
not greatly surprised to have the water
poured out for you from big leathen bags
or earthen jars, for that is the way OF
things in Mexico, and a very good way
with respect to drinking water.
BuU ulUcf you nave Nlslttu thS huW P4'N"
and seen all the sights that the town AT
fords you may have curiosity TO know
something about the water system. III
such curiosity should possess you 1t may
seem strange how the natives avoid con-
yersation on the topic They do not even
care to talk about the good quality of the
water, and this seems passing strange to
the newcomer, because even towns that
lack good drinking water never fail to
blow about the quality and quantity OF
whatever drinking fluid they do happen to
have. But here in Guaymas the subject
| of drinking water, at least in business and
commercial circles, is strictly tabooed
Now, if you are thoughtful person, all
| this will strike you as remarkably singu-
lar, and some fine day, after enjoying
| glass of this most excellent water, you VIII
| start off on "a tour of investigation Tor
Yourself, bent upon discovering the source
of Guaymas' water supply About q mlle
east of the city, if you have good luck, you
will strike Ia very ancient artesian We'll
surrounded by II curious arcade system OF
adobe walls, fumes, prehistoric windlasses,
| one mule and two Indians. These COM
prise the waterworks of Guaymas. III Is
said by travellers that there is not such an
other antique water pumping station IN
North America. And it is not difficult to
believe this if we add the qualifying words
Gin civilized community of 5000 inhab
itants." Surrounding this artesian well
which is said to tap subterranean stream
that flows rs freely today as in the days o.
Montezuma, is n quadrangular stone wal
, of about feet i'm thickness In the center
of the south and north walls are two piers
or columns of stone which rise to the heigh
of about 10 feet above the walls. Resting
, on the walls is u substantial roof or noor
ing of thatch, and in this there is a SINAI
. opening Immediately between the columns
q Resting on the columns over this opening
to the well is a most primitively construct
| ed windlass This is operated on TN
!. ground below 10y a big, crude fashlone
wooden wheel that is best described D
II comparing it to u birdcage and this cage
like wheel in turn is operated by inc sio'
;, and toilsome meanderings of very ancier
"a and weary mule, that requires the constaf
- surveillance of an Indian driver in ord'
= to keen him wide awake. just what 1t
- that keeps the Indian driver awake is al
2. other question
!, A long. untanned leather strap wint
- several times around the birdcage whe
: and then takes diagonal cut up to II
!, end of the windlass. Attached to the win
70 lass are two rude buckets, made somethlf
40 i'm the shape of barrels, which appear lao'
:, with as sweet, pure drinking water as ev
20 ouenched the thirst that springs eterh
=. under the hot skies of the Mexican sc
- coast. In the east wall of the quadrang
4. is an opening through which big WOO
w. en- fume leads from the water casks
80 they emerge from the well down to a SER
20 of wooden reservoirs that stand up on SUI
nr about ten feet from the ground.
10. In these reservoirs or sluice boxes I
"a water Is stored. Early every norm
he these sluice boxes are filed The inhap
~ ants of Guaymas come out and take tn
- davis water supply therefrom, and by mig
tb the sluce boxes are emptied. Not eve
~ inbabitant of Guaymas makes diurl
,.o nilprimage to this primitive waterwor
IA but all of the poorer people, who cam
afford to pay the slight charges 1ncid'
upon having their leathern water cas-
filled by the regular carriers for the wei
do. may be seen in the early hours Oh
IA morning going forth and returning W
ecu their crude and curious water vessels
om Ones first question upon discover
Inc this antique water supply of Guayma
zen inquiry concerning the age OF the artes
i ,sI we'll and the antique wall surrounding
No one seems TO KNOW, puo WIG A'
az consul says it must be fully 400 years
aP. 1t is evidently not of Toltec or Aztec
lch gin. for its distinguishing characteristi
ing its extreme crudeness. Some day an
his terprising Yankee will import few tn
nus sand feet of iron pipe into Guaymas,
dtb then these water carriers will be out
Mr' lob. 1t is doubtful, however, whethe
tn' will ever pay to replace the tired mule
III, works the windlass bya stationary eng
10 The artesian well lies back of the hills
yea is at an elevation of fully LOCO feet al
~. the town.
req. Guaymas is situated on Yaqui bay
'are is the seaport of the provinces OF Sonora
on chihuahua. Its chief exports are WI
lore flour and hides, while the Indian pal
hen the population makes its living by nsi
low in the bay. Yaqui bay is a commod
mat mort and has excellent anchorage, Oh
gra' not provided with an abundance OF mo-
wharfage facilities. Nevertheless u
mas foreign trade is considerable,
though the climate Is hot and unheal
oh the streets narrow and dirty, the
'ico' dences, as n rule, squalid ana unpi'
ar, esoue. vet the surrounding scenery Is
anu ,aa,.;cul during the winter months,