| Show GREAT achievement the world bias haa seen no greater rant tary project than that having for its ito ot object fedt the drainage of the ancient american capital the city of mexico it has baa excited thOl nolt intense interest among engineers everywhere its ita history has baa hardly been more romantic rom antio than tragic and its ito accomplish moot removes remove a menace that has existed ever since the very beginning of u the rare old city for at least three centuries it has ha presented a problem which scientific skill kill has baa wished and aimed to solve its antiquity has in no way detracted from its interest and importance nor have its claims claim to public attention been either diminished or postponed by reason of historic bistor lb tragedies with which the city baa 1340 been associated or of national vi cleal tudes audes through which the distracted country rias nas passed but the mexico nineteenth century has solved the problem and to witnessing the completion of that which has baa been long recognized as a national need though in some respects con old ered red an unattainable dream at a dinner party to in this city city on the occasion of bis bl recent visit senator donator stephen ia B elkins who had lately come bome from the land of the was gave a luminous aluminous account of the work that was wai being done in this great undertaking then nearing success from a recollection of his remarks and from a latts late article in the age of steels steel the following facts are obtained by way of introduction it will be proper to remind those who have been to lo medicos Mexico cos fg capital capita and to inform those who wao have never been there that the city though at a considerable ele above the sea to la so eo situated in a scoop coop of the cordilleras cordilleran Cordi lleras as to have no natural outlet for drainage purposes iea this in a sanitary ani tary sense was a constant menace to the public health and was wae probably for a heavy death r rate a to in case of sudden and prolonged chilas inundations were not uncommon and grave damages to property imminent the lake was a basin for the etre amp out when these were overtaxed the rim of the basin was no protection for the surrounding rounding eur country to remedy comedy these evils modern engineering M has attempted a great taek and succeeded by means of a canal and of a tunnel under the hills the drain age of the valley finds its way to the gult gulf of mexico the canal is twenty nine miles long and the tunnel is a 8 little more than six miles mile the cost so tar has bam been about aside asid 0 irom from the purpose of drainage the canal can cad be of service JU iu local navigation and maybe may be of more or less use lu 10 irrigation there can CAD be no question that in a anitaray ani tary sense it will do much for popularizing the city of mexico as a resort and remove an old time incubus from the reputation ot of an bist historic orlo and beautiful city As indicating the progressive spirit now dom in our sister republic and tho t to which it is 19 moving the completion of this engineering task is worthy ot note and add signifies a grest great deaf whatever may be thought or of sold aid of president president diaz dias la in other res pacts his bis encouragement of and perse parse verance in this mighty work will re cound to his fame and credit as an as mexico shall have an aa exi existence history blit tory be written i |
