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The National Geographic Magazine 





Cross-section of the Tunnel 



Width, 4. 1S0 meters ; Height, 4. 2S6 meters 



of dollars, and sacrificed the lives of 

 hundreds of thousands of the natives in 

 the vain attempt to solve it. During 

 the first half century of the Republic 

 spasmodic and feeble attempts were 

 made to effect the drainage, but suc- 

 ceeding revolutions or foreign wars de- 

 prived the government of the financial 

 means to accomplish the herculean task. 

 It was reserved for President Diaz to 

 achieve success in this great enterprise. 

 He was forced to delay the beginning of 

 the work for some years until the finan- 

 cial condition of the public treasury 

 would justify it and until he was en- 

 abled to secure contracts with experi- 

 enced engineers and trustworthy cap- 

 italists. Finally, for the last time, the 



project was entered upon and was suc- 

 cessfully completed two years ago. The 

 system consists of a tunnel six miles 

 long, extending through the mountains, 

 and with it is connected a canal, the total 

 length of the waterway being nearly 

 thirty-seven miles. It cost $20,000,000, 

 including the drainage of the city, and 

 may justly be said to take rank with 

 the great achievements of modern engi- 

 neering. 



The city is now safe from overflow, 

 and the last step in this great work is 

 in process of completion — the connec- 

 tion with the canal and tunnel of a new 

 and perfect S3'stem of drainage for the 

 capital. For some time past the streets 

 have been torn up in laying the drainage 



