A yellow tinted, black and white, of water burros having their water sacks filled. The front caption reads: “Water Burros, Bisbee, Ariz.” The postcard was postmarked Bisbee November 25, 1907 and was sent by Mrs. S. Beard to Master Leslie Bragg Milford Mass. Medway Road. The message on the front in ink reads: “Dear little Leslie--How would you like one of these donkeys. They make them work awful hard. I hope you will like this. From a friend Mrs. S. Beard. --Arizona” The postcard’s publisher is unknown.

Before Bisbee had proper infrastructure and pipelines, the residents of Bisbee used burros to bring their supply of water for drinking, cooking, and bathing. These beasts of burden were highly relied upon during the early years of Bisbee. Before automobiles, they transported water, firewood, ore, laundry, and the construction materials to build Bisbee’s first homes. Mexican businessmen owned water burros that carried two twenty-gallon canvas sacks and took them from door to door to Bisbee residents. They sold the water for fifty cents ($14.60 in 2021) per twenty-gallon bag. The price was once at twenty-five cents, but was doubled due to scarcity during drought and a desire for better profit margins. Bisbee’s children also favored these animals as they were patient enough to allow the youngsters to ride on their backs. The affection for burros was so strong that in July 1911 when 5,000 wild burros were to be slaughtered to make soap, a number of Bisbee residents protested for them to be spared.

1979.55.27c