Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-04-06
Physical Changes fin the Great American
Desert.


Desert.
The Inland Empire has the following
statement concerning the process of change
going on all over the great inland desert
between California and Missouri:
For some time past there has been ques-
tion before the people of this basin and of
the plains east OF the Rocky Mountains
that has as yet failed to be satisfactorily
answered. lis, why are the streams car
rying more water than In former years !?
The great plains are fast losing their, arid
nature, and through them are running
streams In places where twenty years ago
there was not drop of water, and where
ut that time there were small streams they
are now very much enlarged. In many
cases this change has been of great value,
as 1t has given to the traveller a supply of
water that had previously been denied.
| When the first eniigrants crossed the Plains
| to California, the great objection urged to
the trip was the scarcity Of water on the
great part of the route. Within a few
years this has been all changed and in the
beds of old streams that were dry when
1 first found there Is now water for all the
purposes required.
| The Laramie Plains are not now desti-
| tute of water, whereas some years ago
there was none, and the traveller had to
can be no doubt that for the last ten years
there has been a continued increase of
i water throughout the whole desert country
between the Missouri and the Sierra Neva-
/ da. The Arkansas was dry in 1852, from
the Pawnee Fork to the Cimaron crossing,
and previous to that time the Pecos was
dried up, so that at many places the people
were Obliged to dig for water, and the Moro
Valley and Plains were ut that time almost
destitute of vegetation. Now the vegeta-
ton is luxurious, and 1t Is one of the very
best wheat-groving sections.
nx~x Is..tIA u l-~.f .<xf
tinct creek, which it was supposed would
remain dry, but, after the settlement, to
the establishment of the people, it became
4 quite q stream, and h. now crossed by
bridges. The Huerfano, the Roya Pecos,
and Others that were dry during the sum-
mer months, ten years ago, are now con-
stantly running in fair streams. We are
satisfied that along the whole line of the
! Union Pacific Railroad there is much more
moisture in the earth than there was only
!, a few years since. Again, Salt Lake Is
seven feet higher than 1t was ten years ago,
and it is constantly rising, and it has been
urged by those who have paid attention to
the subject, that the rise of water there
!, would produce solution of the Mormon
question before Congress would act upon
it. When the Salt Lake shall rise q few
feet higher, we shall look for its overflow
to reach the Shell creek range as evidently
at one time water did cover what is nov
/ Ohiy oI ofiu NohSys hoV NAlCOt III Avs SChioc
but cut up with ranges still the continued
valley can be traced. The great increase o.
water will work great revolution in the
opinion Of the people as to the capacity O
the great plains for agricultural purposes
al The only reason why the great plain.
cannot be made into good fruit farms is ths
lack of water and timber, as the land in
! | richness has no superior. The increase o.
water of which we have spoken will Dc
: away with one objection, and the discovery
I of coal over distance east of Salt Lake
Z for over six hundred miles will obviate tn,
: other. The man who travels over tn,
n Union Pacific Railroad twenty-five year
!, from this time will find that the sage busf
: has given way to crops of all kinds grow
, ing in the greatest luxuriance, and that tn,
! sturdy farmers with happy homes hav'
: taken the places Of the wandering red men
In our own State this increase of moistur,
r has been noticed, and the old settlers d,
/ not hesitate to say that in many places th'
' streams have increased more than one
fourth in size during the past five years
: and in some places where there was M
. water then there are now small but con
. stantly running streams. s,ss