Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-03-25
PRIMITIVE METHODS.
s,skps sssA1A -sss<.aecss 3 seTs1.sz 49,
..,sss,ss.5 -------Tzs- 80. szss
THE WAT5hWQRKs OF eyyAYMAs RUN
BY MULE POWER.


Are Delighted with the Water, but Ara
Surprised Whom Yen Look It Up.
Half way up the gulf of California, on
the southwestern coast of Mexico, is the
little seaport OF Guaymas OF late years
Guaylnas has grown apace commercially,
and her Mexican and Indian citizens,
spurred onward and assisted by the influx
of Yankee and English merchants, have a
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 O residence or business
location. With pride they show you their
street lights, their horse cars and several
other moro or less modern improvements.
But no one ever has a 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'tastc
alike. OF course you do not expect to find
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 leathern bags
or earthen jars, for that is the way of
things in Mckee, and a very good way
with respect to drinking water.
But after you have visited the new plaza
and seen all the sights that the town af
fords you may have curiosity to know
something about the water system. If
such curiosity should possess you 1t may
seem strange how the natives avoid con-
versation 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, becauGe 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 q thoughtful person, all
this will strike you as remarkably singu-
lar, and some fine day, after enjoying a
glass of this most excellent water, you will
start off on tour of investigation for
yourself bent upon discovering the source
of Guaymas' water supply. About mile
east of the city, if you have good luck, you
will strike very ancient artesian well,
surrounded by q curious arcade system of
adobe walls, fumes, prehistoric windlasses,
one mule and two Indians. These COM
prise the waterworks of Guaymas. 1t is
said by travellers that there is not such an
Oulici halCf blullOD III
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 as freely today as in the days Of
Montczuma, is quadrangular stone wall
of about feet in thickness. In the center
of the south and north walls are two piers
or columns of stone which rise to the height
of about 10 feet above the walls Resting
on the walls is a substantial roof or floor
ing of thatch, and in this there is q small
opening Immediately between the columns
Resting on the columns over this opening
to the well Ia a most prilnitiyely construct
ed windlass. This is operated on the
ground below by big, crude fashioned
wooden wheel that is best described by
comparing it to q birdcage, and this cage,
like wheel in turn is operated by the slow
and toilsome meanderings of a very ancient
and weary mule, that requires the constant
surveillance of an Indian driver in order
to keep him wide awake. Just what it 10
that keeps the Indian driver awake is an
other question.
A long, unnamed leather strap winds
several times around the birdcage wheel
and then takes o diagonal cut up to the
end Of the windlass Attached to tho wind
lass are two rude buckets, made something
in the shape of barrels, which appear laden
with as sweet, pure drinking water as ever
quenched the thirst that springs eternal
under the hot skies of the Mexican sea-
coast. In the east wall Of the quadrangle
is an opening, through which big wood.
en- flume leads from the water casks as
they emerge from the we'll down to series
of wooden reservoirs that stand up ON stills
about ten feet from the ground.
In these reservoirs or sluice boxes tho
water is stored. Early every morning
these sluioe boxes are filed. The inhabit.
ants of Guaymas come cut and take their
days water supply therefrom, and by night
the sluice boxes arc emptied. Not every
inhabitant of Guaynas makes diurnal
pilgrimage to this primitive waterworks,
but all of the poorer people, who cannot
afford to pay the slight charges incident
upon having their leathern water casks
filled by the regular carriers for the we'll to
do, may be seen in the early hours of the
morning going forth and returning with
their crude and curious water vessels.
Ones first question upon discovering
this antique water supply of GueyInas is
inquiry concerning the age of the artesian
VIGIL anu Ulic thnlllttc wall H.
No one seems to know, but the American
consul says it must be fully 400 years old.
1t is evidently not Of Toltec or Aztec orr
gin, for its distinguishing characteristic is
it's extreme crudeness. Some day an en-.
terprising Yankee will import few thou.
sand feet of iron pipe into Guaymas, and
then these water carriers will be out of
job. 1t is doubtful, however, whether il
will ever pay to replace the tired mule that
works the windlass by a stationary engine.
The artesian well lies back of the hills and
is at an elevation of fully LOCO feet above
the town.
Guaymas is situated on Yaqui bay and
is tho seaport of the provinces of Sonora and
Chihuahua. Its chief exports are wheat,
flour and hides, while the Indian part Of
the population makes its living by fishing
in the bay. Yaqui bay is commodioua
port and has excellent anchorage, but is
not provided with an abundance of modern
wharfage facilities. Nevertheless Quay
mas foreign trade Is considerable, and
though the climate is hot and unhealthy,
the streets narrow and dirty, the resi-
dences, as a rule, squalid and unpictur |
esque, yet the surrounding scenery is verv
beautiful during the winter MONTHS arc |
the place Is visited by not a few American |
and European tourists. All these are loud |