Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-08-06
CUTTING BIG DAM
BY HYDRAULIC
PRESSURE
INTERESTING WORK AT
THE ZUNI RESERVOIR
A Curious Storv of the 0pposi-
ton of the Indians to the
Building of the Reservoir and
Its Causes.

Wayne Rice, of the Morning Jour
nal business office has Just returned
from a two weeks visit at the Zuni
Indian pueblo in western New Mexico,
where the government is building an
enormous reservoir which will reclaim
several thousand acres Of lands be-
longing To the Indians. Tho work has
been under way for something more
than a year and will require yet an
other year to complete. 1t is one Of
the largest irrigation projects in the
territory.
Just at present the engineers are cut
ting out the reservoir site by hydraulic
pressure. a big pipe line is run from
the lake owned by the ncighboring
farming colony from which water
rights have been leased. The pressure
is enormous and with it the engineers
are rapidly cutting the reservoir to the
required depth.
The Zuni Indians have been bitterly
opposed to the construction of this
reservoir, although they are now more
%reconciled to 1t. When the reservoir
was first proposed and the situation
determined on, the head men of the
village declared positively that the
Zunis would die before they would
allow its construction. 1t seems that
in the center of the present reservoir
site was "A spring. which the Indians
held sacred. They drank the water
only on feast days and the morning
prayers wore usually offered to this
spring. That II should be destroyed
for such a trivial purpose as an lrriga-
ton reservoir seemed to the Zunis pre-
posterous. They protested bitterly,
but a benevolent government couldn't
see II that way, and the reservoir went
ahead. Now the chief who led in the
opposition is working on the dam with
some hundred other braves. 1t is no
ticed, however. that a Waterman Is
always kept at the pumping plant II
engine room on guard all night, for
fear that the old opposition might re-
ViVe.
Zunis Coming To the Fair.
TheZuni indians are enthusiastic
their proposed trip to Albuquer-
que during the fair. A big crowd OF
them want to come and the superin-
tendent of the reservation has written
to Washington asking for permission
To take them from the reservation.
This permission Is confidently expected
to be given. The Zunis are the most
interesting Of the New Mexico IN
dians. Their foot races are world IA
nous and their rabbit hunts equally
50.
The Zuni foot race is lone IN teams.
Five men line up on either side. a
small stick a little larger h . lead
pencil Is laid before each team. The
10 ~ RAAA ~ -" 80 NH -
n picks up this stick between
his big toe and second toe, n throws
it ahead of him, running after 1t n
throwing it again with his foot, over
the entire course. which some times
extends for ten miles. II the leader
misses. the next man throws the stick.
and tho leader drops to the ear. he
race Is an exciting n n the hdians
have gained marvellous sldll in throw
ing the stick with the toes. The foot
race will be given aere during the
fair.
The zuni rabbit drive Is another eX-
citing sporting event. The indians IN
horseback. without saddle, ride pu. IN
crowds and stir up the rabbits, then
chasing them and killing them win
rounded clubs which they throw with
great xiii. IT Is expected that some
nifty or more of the Indians va! come
TO the fair.
from the administration or to create .
Foraker boom. And this, despite a.
rect and earnest efforts made in the
interest of the Ohio season. He said.
1T is this way about politics ~
Arizona You know we rank second
in the production Of copper. BY the
end of the year we expect to have
enough plants m operation to moro
cover the deficiency of i0,00O,OOO
pounds per annum 10 place us first a.
a copper producer. /
Different From New Mexico.
1--WE have a large stock valuation n