The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1906-08-07
MARKET FOR BURROS
WHERE THE ANIMALS ARE ON
SALE IN SANTA FE.
hminuuve Burden Bearers Are
Very Useful, But They Are
Not at All High
Priced.

'N NoH Duy DuFTO Tor SLZ5 in this |
city. All you have to do is 10 20 down
to Burro alley anywhere from ten in
the morning till late in the afternoon
and strike bargain with the frst
wood carrier you meet. Only make
sure, advises a Santa Fe IN. NJ ex-
change, that your eye teeth are secure
when the bargaining is over. for these
Ourro punchers Of the southwest are
The canniest traders.
Burro alley is burro headquarters in
Santa Fe. This is a narrow. crooked
alley. lined with adobe houses. In
the rear Of curiO store, at the end OF
the alley, is corral where the Joses
and PablOs and Garcias leave their
burros after their loads Of wood are
sold, and here may be studied burrc
character in all its phases.
Nearly every burro in the corral will
wear one OF the tiny pack saddles
which can be 50 deity loaded with
stove wood by the Mexicans who KEEP
Santa Fe supplied with fuel. The
wood is cut in lengths Of about two
or three feet and is piled in great
mounds on the pack saddles. l. f
marvellous the skill with which the
Nexicans can load their tiny burros
with these great loads of wood. They
are deity fastened with a few twists
If a rope and they will not slip TO one
side, nor is it possible for the burros
to shake them of.
Many Of these hewers of wood
whose Mecca is Burro alley, walk &C
miles in day in order to make a
sale that cannot approximate more
than $3.50. II a Mexican wood haul
er is prosperous he will have, say
three burros. He will cut a supply Of
wool far of in the mountains, per.
haps 20 miles from Santa Fe. Mid
| night will find his burros loaded, viii
their packs Of wood piled high above
their backs. Swapping his quirt anC
calling out explosives in Spanish tina
never fail 10 stir the feet of the lag
CARDS the burro puncher starts on nj
long walk TO dispose Of his wares
Early morning will find him in SAINT
Fe, for the burros are fast walker
when there is a Mexican behind them
Once in Santa Fe the burro drive
walks along the streets until he
hailed by some householder who ha
Just run out of wood. There is a min
ute's haggling and an inspection Of III
pitch fIleI pinon wood on the back
of the burros Then the ropes ar
jerked. the loads of wood fall to III
earth, and Pablo or Jose pockets hi
money and starts back toward Burr
alley Here the burros are put
the corral and the driver sallies forth
Early in the afternoon the burros ar
driven out of the corral and the home
ward march is begun. The drive
does not reach home until late. HI
earnings are small, but he is conten
He turns his burros out TO rustic
for themselves-for nobody ever thinl
Of feeding a burro-and in a re
hours he is ready to start again G
the long walk to Santa Fe.
One can seek. and seek vainIy, a sou
: visaged burro among the thousands
animals that are driven TO Santa F
The burro may be ready to drop und,
the cruel weight of his load, but
looks content. Perchance his mast
fingers awhile at the Plaza, in Whit
case the burro is apt TO sink TO Il
. ground. load and all, and float for
nsacef11llv into slumber. When
: is commanded to get up you wond
! how he is going to do it, under tn
: great load: but somehow or other &
: slender legs get a leverage and Z
burro struggles to his feet and wal
of at his masters bidding.