The sun., 1897-08-01
THE WELL ON THE JoRN4DA.
John Aartin's Long struggle to Find waite,
ON the Arid Plain.


do you SEQ that house and windmill OF to
the eastf" said an old,time New Mexican TO o
New York tourist. The two were occupying tae
same scat in the Atchison train rolling south
ward over the Jornada del Muerto and had
struck up n friendly acquaintance together.
That is Martins well. The Mexicans called it
Aleman. the word for German in their tongue.
Martin was German who came to New Mexico
in carly days when the Jornada had the worst
name OF any travelled region in the Territory,
and deserved 1t. The trail from Santa Fe to Fl
Paso crossed it, and the trip over this plain
meant a seventy-mile stretch without water ex-
cept the chance Of finding pool in the time
Of the summer rains. At nll other sea-
sons the plain was arid. Travellers undertaking
to cross 1t gave their horses all the water they
wanted at starting. drank all they could them.
selves, Allied their water bottles said their pray.
ers then n ever they did. and rode upon the
plain with their lives in their hands There
could be no delay with safety, for, with the best
luck, thirst was expressing them when at last
tho trail came down among the cottonwoods
tina: border the Rio Grande and man and beast
could drink their ill from the muddy current.
Bands of Apaches swept the plain and lay In
ambush for travellers by the river bank at
either end Of the Joruada trail. and 1t Is !ittle
wonder that tho crossing OF II should DO dreaded
the Journey or Death
Martin was an original character. with lots
OF push and sand. After crossing the Jornada a
number ot times with wagon trains he made up
HE mind that water could be found by digEing
SrranRements TO sink well there. He beC -
with the rainy soason and with force OF dlg.
Jornada rests on foundation OF hard vol.
canic rock. and after digging down a short
Of the tne % was Slow N expensvs sE
and dangerous piece OF business The mon had
mes es rom Mesa and a every spoont of water
used was hauled in barrels from pools left by
kept Tho work going through the rainy season
and after until. one by one. the pools dried M.
%h dsS ho ssn O. Ts eonS 6s
found in the we'll as the men worked slowly
downward through the rock.
from Mosilla and looked down into the hole
where the men were drilling in the solid rock.
them. When you come up. to dinner bring
your tools too With yen We pack our wagons and
.. Shall we load up The holes we're putting in
and Try one more blast asked the foreman.
-, Yes, we'll waste one more round OF powder
back, walked away TO think over by himself
Saa whst fool he had been to invest everyihing hs
told him was bound to fall. -,
The men filled and tamped the holes. and at
noon moo came UP out OF The well ne last man STAY
blast went, on while they we're seating them.
selves at dinner. The meal eaten, while some
OF the men helped to bring In and harness tho
Inules. and others began to pnck the wagons,
one man sauntercd over to the well hole and
looked down TO see what the last blast had done.
lie yelled as II Indians were In sight. and 10
men came running 20 see what he had found.
The well was half full OF water and the water
was still rising. The last blast had opened the
rock down to the water vein. and Martins for
tune waa made.
"Al! the, great wagon traffic and the stages
over the Jornada had 20 pay him toll, and bis
we'll was a mine OF wealth TO him: The charge
per horse or OK for watering WAS 20 cents, and
with the long wagon trains constantly crossing
the desert. the profits counted up fast. One
class OF travellers, the Apaches. never paid toll
to, Martin. They would come to the we'll usu;
ally by night. water their horses, and
ride aweE, never molesting the people in
until these Indians ceased TO go on the war
path and kept TO their reservations. Aleman
was made station Of the overland stage rou o.
and railroad station nesr tho well now bears
Its name. When, in 1880 thc Atchison Com.
psny built their railroad across the Tornado and
settlers coming out on the desert began to build
reservoirs for rain water and TO sink Artesian
wells, the glory OF Aleman departed. and the
place became the headquarters Of cattle
eOnpany'