Ube Dalles of flDegico's Drainage. 275 



from June to October inclusive. During this season five times as 

 much water falls as during the rest of the year, evaporation can no 

 longer compensate for rainfall, and the valley is more or less flooded. 



Originally built in the midst of a lake, the city has been left on dry 

 ground by the receding waters. Lake Texcoco, some three miles 

 distant, Chalco, and Xochimilco have altitudes nearly four feet 

 greater than the pavement of the capital. Still more imperiously do 

 the lakes to the north dominate the city. San Cristobal and Xaltocan 

 are about five feet, while Zumpango is over thirteen feet, above it. 



The project now almost completed is a modification of the scheme 

 projected by Simon Mendez in the time of the Spanish Government, 

 and which in 1849 was adopted by Captain Smith of the corps of 

 American engineers which accompanied General Scott's army. The 

 tunnel was ultimately located under the saddle and through the ravine 

 of Acatlan, its mouth being near the village of Tequixquiac. The 

 works have been begun several times, and then suspended without 

 effecting anything of importance. In 1866 the works now nearing 

 completion were commenced. A project proposed by Senor Don 

 Francisco de Garay, a well-known engineer of the City of Mexico, 

 was pronounced the most feasible. But the revolutionary struggle 

 succeeded, and for many years the work was relegated to the back- 

 ground. 



In 1879 engineer Don Luis Espinosa, the present director of the 

 works, took charge of the undertaking. In the first period mentioned 

 the cutting of Tequixquiac was excavated, and the greater part of the 

 shafts were begun ; but at that point the work was stopped by political 

 agitations. 



The present gigantic work cannot have been considered to have 

 been seriously undertaken, with a view of completion at any cost, until 

 the year 1885, when the City Council of Mexico submitted a project to 

 the Government to which they offered to contribute largely in the 

 event of its being adopted. 



A special commission, with ample authority to deal with the funds 

 set aside for the work, was appointed by President Porfirio Diaz. 

 The City Council set aside the sum of $400,000 per annum for the 

 canal works, which sum was materially increased by the Federal Gov- 

 ernment. 



In 1887 the City Council raised a loan in London of 2,400,000 to 

 meet the cost of the work and guarantee its successful termination. 

 The entire responsibility of the work was now assumed by the City 

 Council, and the Government gave authority for the Council to make 

 and collect new taxes. Still, there was not sufficient money forthcom- 

 ing, so another loan was raised in London for .3,000,000, a portion 

 of which was held for the work. 



