The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-03-17
Water on the Plains.

|
Water on the Plains.
A Curious Change In Progress.-The Arid Deser
/ Acquiring Fertility.
| From the Inland Empire.
For some time past there has been {
question before the people of this basir
and of the plains east of the Rocky Noun
tains, that has as yet failed to be satisfac
torily answered. 1t is: Why are the
streams carrying more water than in for
mer years? The great plains are fast los
ing their arid nature, and through then
are running streams in places where
twenty years ago there was not dror
Of water; and where at that time there
were small streams, they are now very
much enlarged. In many cases this change
has been OF great value, as it has given
to the traveller supply of water that had
previously been denied.
When the first emigrants 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 first found there is
now water for all purposes required. The
Laramie plains are not now destitute of
water, whereas some years ago there was
none, and travellers had to carry water in
passing over them. There can be no
doubt that for the last ten years there has
been continual increase of water through
out the whole desert country between the
Missouri and the Sierra Nevada. The
Arkansas was dry in 1862 from the Paw
nee Fork to the Cimeron crossing, and
previous to that time the Pocos was dried
up so that in many places the inhabitants
had to dig for water. And the Moro
Valley and plains were at that time al
most destitute of vegetation. Now the
vegetation is luxurious, and it is one of
the very best wheat-growing sections
Denver was built on the banks of an
extinct creek, which it was supposed
would remain dry. but after the settle
ment, to the acknowledgement of the people,
it became quite stream, and is now
CLOSED by bridges-The Huerfano, the
Roya Pecos, and others that were dry
during the summer 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 now
than there was only few years since.
Again, Salt Lake is seven feet higher than
1t was ten years ago, and is constantly
rising, and it has been urged by those
who have paid attention to the subject,
that the rise OF water there would pro-
duce solution of the Mormon question
before Congress would act upon it When
the Salt Lake shall rise few feet higher,
we shall look for its overflow to reach the
Shell Greek range, as evidently at some
time water did cover what's 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 great revolution in
the opinions of the people as to the cap
acity Of the great plains for agricultural
purposes.
The only reason why the great plains
cannot be made into good fruit farms is
the lack of water and timber, as the land
in richness has no superior The increase
of water, OF which we have spoken, will
do away with one objection, and the dis
covery of coal over distance east of Salt
Lake for over six hundred miles will OBJ
viate the other. The man who travels
over the Union Pacific Road twenty. five
years rom this time will find that the
sage brush has given way to crops of all
kinds growing in the greatest luxuriance,
aud that the sturdy farmers wieh happy
homes have taken the places Of the wan
bering red men. In gu own state this
increase of moisture has been noticed and
the old settlers do not hesitate to say that
in many places the streams have increased
more than one-fourth in size during the
past five years, and in some places where
there was no water then there is now
small but constantly running streams.