270 Statistical motes on 



tried, mention must be made of a dike of great strength, constructed 

 to prevent any excess or overflow of water from destroying the town 

 of Zumpango and washing away its crops. This dike, which was to 

 check the strong current of the river Pachuca, would also direct the 

 river Cuautitlan to Mexico, direct the rivers north into Zumpango, and 

 would inundate that verdant district, and probably submerge the town ; 

 whereas, to divert them into Lake Texcoco would submerge Mexico. 

 To prevent this evil it was decided to make a tunnel ; but here, as in 

 all countries and in all ages, engineers, when engaged in any work of 

 magnitude, and of a different character from that commonly known, 

 always find theorists to offer objections, and thus stop the way to 

 actual progress. This was the case in Mexico City. 



In 1607 another inundation, spreading over the whole valley, oc- 

 curred, and, as all the dikes and other defences were swept away, 

 caused a panic of terror among the inhabitants. The Marquis de 

 Salinas was then Viceroy at Mexico City, and determined to carry 

 out the plan of Sefior Don Martin Enriquez, being assisted by an 

 engineer of great repute named Enrico Martinez, and also solicited 

 and obtained the co-operation of Father Sanchez, of the Society of 

 Jesus. These three men, after many consultations, formulated the 

 plan of embracing the whole of the lakes of the plain into one main 

 channel of detention, and an outlet as required to keep the same under 

 such control as to have at all times an abundance of water for use. 

 The plan, broadly speaking, was to draw off the water from the south 

 lakes which are at higher levels to those of the north, and to make 

 them serve, by the scour the velocity of the water would cause, to 

 deepen the passage for their exit, and, at the same time, assist the 

 making of the grand canal 



Great opposition to this plan was offered on the score of economy, 

 and many insisted that the inundations were solely due to the waters 

 of Cuautitlan and the freshets of Pachuca, and if these were directed 

 north no more was needed, while the people of Zumpango tried to 

 show that no more was needed to inundate their town and submerge 

 the district. The Viceroy then requested Enrico Martinez to induce 

 Father Sanchez to submit some modifications of his former scheme. 



The plan was modified, and on November 28, 1607, Enrico Martinez 

 started operations on the modified plan, and in about eleven months 

 6600 metres (4 ^ miles) of canal, with a transverse section of 3.50 

 metres (n-J feet) wide, and a depth of 4.20 metres (13} feet), was 

 completed. At the same time other important drainage works were 

 being made; the passage was opened from Boca de San Gregorio to 

 Salto de Tula; this was 8600 metres (5! miles) long, as well as two 

 canals as aqueducts 6-J miles long, one for Lake Zumpango and the 

 other for the river Cuautitlan from Teoloyucan to Huehuetoca. 



