New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-09
AMERICAN EXPLORATIONS.
UTAH AND NEVADA.

| NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AMONG STRANGE AN
| NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. FEATURES AMI
| TYPOGRAPHICAL FORMATION OF THE VAL
| LEY OF THE GREAT BAsIN-INDIAN SALT
| wORKS-SAM JONES AND HIS PROSPECTING
| PARTY.
| SALT LAKE CITY, u. T., Sept. 4.-The safe
arrival here, after absence Of ten months Of "the
| Morgan surveying party" from their expedition to
South Eastern Nevada and Southern Utah enables me to
give you the result Of their very interesting
The section of country which they surveyed lies several
hundred miles south of the line Of the Pacific Railroad
and here credits them with being the first white
men to thoroughly penetrate this hitherto unknown will
derness The expedition which started out from Eko In
August 1863 after being absent about six weeks were
compelled ito return, OWING to the great depth OF the
| snow.
On the first day Of October 1868, writes the Captain,
travelled Is miles and then went into camp Nothing
worthy Of mention occurred the first week beyond shoot
ing wild turkeys which found quite plentiful In
grove Of cottonwood trees, and killing huge grizzly
with two cubs which, driven by hunger made furious
attack the rear-guard OF our train. Fifty miles
from Reese River we found the country weltm-
bered, and in some places the valleys were sus-
ceptibe of irrigation. few enterprising farmers
had already settled in one Of the largest OF
these which they had named Cedar Canon snipe pover
and quail we're abundant and our table well
supplied with them At this point bade adeu TO civil
zatiOD. Tmberrees entirely disappeared and we en-
tered upon large sandy valleys covered with tsage
bush and variety Of sand plants One Of these
the ne.Qite is shrub belonging to the family OF the
nuose 1t resembles in appearance our locustrce, is
very thOrny bears yellow flowers and long pods which
have pleasant TASTE On October 49, in the center
of large valley we discovered Indian salt works
but there were signs OF their having been lately used
In the southern section Of the valley was curious
collection rocks mounds and pillars. covering several
in extent and resembling the ruins OF an aneentcy
We Of what had oncebeen arches with
keystones still perfect and number Of small stone pill
lars constructed with peculiar kind of red mortar or
cement upright about 20 feet apart as II they had
been used to support aqueduet for conveying water
from large stream, half mile distant, into the out
skirts of the scty In some places the lines OF streets
were made distinctly visible by the regularity OF the
stones. These streets covered with sand many
feet Deep and seemed at right .angles to each
other Some OF the stones had evidently been cut into
squares with hard TOOLS although their forms had been
nearly DESTROYED by centuries Of time The impression
upon minds that the place had been once
inhabited by human beings somewhat advanced In civil
izaton Many traders noticed the existence OF similar
ruins sections Of the country between the Rocky
and Sierra Nevada mountains. They may probably be
the sites Of the once fourshng fields and habatons OF
the ancient Aztecs
The salt in this and other valleys found to be ex
ccedingy fine and some four feet deep average.
The deposit ten miles long and three WIDE ana pre-
splendid opportunity for an enterprisng COM
pany to establish here extensive salt works When rail-
road transportation through this section becomes feas
ible the expectation Of this substance will become far
more profitable than the working OF the neghborng
silver mines There abundant evidence that these
basins had once been submerged by great deluge
from the North which nalyionnd an exit to the Paclhc
Ocean through the Gulf Of California We found large
number OF springs the plateau overlooking them SO
strongly mpregnated with mineral polsOns lhaS out
surgeon believed II dangerous to the water Some
OF these springs contained SALT aIka and sulphur in
abundance and others arsenic and "copper" Ae presence
OF which readily detected 49,,
In crossing this valley OF desolaton the brisk North
wind sent sand whrng into ears, eyes, and nos
trs almost binding and sufHocang every one OF the
party The horses and mules too became so restless as 70
be well.ngh unmanagoable. None OF the common SAND
insects were visible; not living thing outside OF our
was TO be seen ON the desert plans lIeE
of rich meadow land we reached q range of hills
which We named the Beacon Hills from the variegated
appearance they presented In the setting sun Here we
f6uud beautiful willow grove, whose trees exuded
sweet nutritious gum, Of which our animals seemed 10 De
extremely fond, eating 10 with much avdity ana ckng
the trees with their tongues, and preferDg the bark 70
the rich blue OF the pasturage at their iee Inc
shades OF night began to feck the sward In long phan
tomke shadows. and we just the point OF goDg
camp, all thoroughly tired out with the long tramp
we had made SUNRISE when the whole command
suddenly startled by rather an unlookedtor occur
renee. ... q, .,,o,,,od 0,+ = rroher q, vo,ces
from the deep gloom OF immense overshadowng MI
directly in front OF us, aud the NILS IN tue rear ana e
murmuring evening breeze echoed the unexpected saul
taton It was almost impossible TO see any thing SO we
shouted back as loud as we could Dawl:
"Whar you from, strangersp was the prompt
Reese River Where are you from"
DEVILS Canon; California
ont prospectin Come down yere and line Plenty
OF appejack an fodder for all hands WHAT'S the news
from The settlements. Who's runnin for PrcSldentP
Before we could answer the leader Of the party stood
before MS and introduced himself as sam Jones lie was
tall misunderstanding fellow, dressed In miners CARP
and soon managed to make hmselt well acquainted
with every member OF our party without iufther cere
Why, lor bless me- Guvnur Bob, this amt you away
ont we're it ~ remarked SAM addressing the dgnned
executive head Of our party Ill famhar onhahu m"i
I answer to that name sometimes" replied the Gov
Come down yere Guvnur Bob, to our camp just under
the HILL and ue Bring all your friends along WIN
You Come S Ts ySI m re az outside my party I've
seen out yere for eighteen months Oonio "n JiH' U.S.
Every man In this company was not only armed with
the latest improved breechoaders and an abundance OF
n@ outfit TO enable MIN 10 prosecute his search after
the precious metals Tor several months 10 come lhcy
had been out some Is months alreauy anu aI uue
successful. They had worked clean I'VE SURFACE notes.
as they called them from when they hau tahel, ou'
nearly $4,000 worth OF silver almost IL y Nd,elh stae
only give them they said about fair wages for each man
They showed AS some very ne specimens SI ORE SO
was found Most OF the silver was tractabe ana easily
| worked. -, ... -, .,o .,o,.
| could be cut with u knife like piece of cheese The
party had good supply OF mining tools ana also SINAI
porable iron furnace in sections, SO that II could On
moved about from place TO place on the backs OF thei
| mules Most OF the silver deposits they examined wer
in the form OF bromides chordes, sulphides ana VIVA
Is known as ruby and horn silver, not trace OF th
ordinary sulphurets being discovered, ana no base
metal except occasionally little lead In some place
that ourselves, the outcropplhgs lhu
Gated the presence silver in the form OF stephanto
and "selfee," the latter being peculiar 10 the mine
of Eastern Nevada. . IT,,
Everywhere in this region the indications OF silve
were abundant The salt left by the recedng water
| acting ON the metal exposed To the atmosphere ma
formed the combination known among miners as tI
chloride OF silver IL 10 only however by the apphan
ces OF improved machinery directed by the hlghest VI
| der OF engineering skill, and the outlay OF larg
amount OF capital that any OF these tssures ieuges A
| Yeins can ever BIO prohtably worked. a. ,o,