Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-03-31
STRANGE katuraI Phenomenon.

Inc I9ltC91u Ls4ltfftf mas the IOilOW-
ing remarkable statement concerning
tie process Of change going on all
over the great inland desert between
California and Missouri. il says;
For some time past there has been
a question before the people of this
basin and of the plains east of the
Rocky Mountains, that has as yet
failed to be satisfactorily answered.
It is, Why are the streams carrying
more water than in former years?
The gheat plains pre- fast losing their
arid nature, and through them are
running streams in places where,
tGenty years ago, there was not a
drop of water end where at that
time there were small strs3;gs, they
are now enlarged. In many cases
this change has been of great value,
as it has given 10 The Traveller a sup
ply Of water that had previously been
denied.
When the first emigrants crossed
the plains TO California the great OBJ
lection urged to the trip was the scar
city of water on the route. Within a
few years this has been all changed,
and in the beds OF the old streams
that were dry when first found there
Is now water for all the purposes re-
quire1.
The Laramie plains are not now des-
titute OF water, whereas some years
ago there was none, and the traveller
had TO carry water on passing over
them. There can be no doubt that
for the last ten years there has been a
continued increase OF water through
out the country between the
Missouri and the Sierra Neva-
da. The Arkansas was dry in
1862 from the Pawnee Fox to the Cim-
aron crossing, and previous to { hat
time the Pecos was dried up SO bat
at many places the inhabitants were
obliged to dig for water. And the
Moro Valley and Plains were at that
time almost destitute of vegetation.
Now the vegetation is luxurious, and
it is one of the very best wheat grow
ing sections.
Denver was built on the banks of
an extinct creek, which it was sup
posed would remain dry, but after
the settlement, TO the astonishment
of the people, it became quite a
stream, and is now crossed by bridges.
The HuertanO, the RoVa Pecos, and
others that were dry during the sum
mer months ten years ago, are now
constantly 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 il 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 a solution of the
Mormon question before Congress
would act upon it. When the Salt
Lake shall rise few feet higher, we
shall look tor its overflow to reach the
Shell Creek range as evidently at one
time as water did cover what is now
only an arid valley, not direct in its
course, but cut up with ranges; still,
the continued valley can be traced.
This great increase OF water will work
a great revolution in the opinion OF
the people as to the capacity Of the
great plains for agricultural purposes.
srhe only reason why the great
! LII IL Sa,.s,s,aoi be made into good fruit
-. - - So ot water and timber,
-ior- xhe increase OF 'Srater ~ Which
We have spoken, Riil o,io away with
me objection, and the dEsenvsrv of
,oal over distance east ef Ss.slf / axe
or over six hundred miles wills eb-
liate the other. The man who
raYels over the Union Pacific
Railroad twenty-five years from
his time, will find that the sage
rush has given way to crops of
ii descriptions, growing in the great
st luxuriance, and that the sturdy
armers have taken the place Of the
red men. In our own
tate this increase of moisture has
zen noticed, and the old settlers donot
esitate to say that in many places
he streams have increased more than
ne-fourth in size during the past ten
ears, and in some places where there ,
vas no water then, there is now small
ut constantly running streams.