Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-04-16
Strange Natural Phenomenon
Physical Changes i'm the Great
American Desert.

The Inland Empire has the following
statement concerning the process of
change going on all over the great in
land desert between California and Mis-
souri,. 1t says:
For some time past there has been a
question before the people of this basin
of the plains east of the Rocky Noun
tains, that has 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
losing their arid nature, and through
them are running streams in places
where twenty years ago there was not a
drop of water; and where at that time
there was 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 wa
ter 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 wa
ter on the great part of the route. With
in 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 ? II the purposes required.
The Laramie plains are not destitute
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
throughout the whole desert country be-
tween the Missouri and the Sierra Ne
vada. The Arkansas was dry in 1862
from the Pawnee Fox to the Cimaron
crossing and previous to that time the
Pecos was dried up so that at many
places the inhabitants we're obliged to
dig for water And the Moro Valley and
Plains, which were at that time almost des-
titute of vegetation, is now luxurious, and
is one of the 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 astonishment of the people,
it became quite q stream, and is now
crossed 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 |
than there was only few years since.
Again, Salt Lake is seven feet higher |
than it was ten years ago, and it is con-
stantly rising, and it has been urged by |
those who have paid attention to the sub
ject, that the rise of water there would |
produce a solution of the Mormon ques-
ton before Cong fess would act upon it.
When the Salt Lake rise few feet higher
we shall look for 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 great
revolution in the opinion of the people
as to the capacity 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 in
crease of water of which we have spoken
will do away with one objection, and the
discovery of coal over distance east of
Salt Lake for over six hundred miles,
will obviate the other The man who
travels over the Union Pacific Railroad
twenty years from this time, will find
that the sage bush has given way to
crops of all kinds growing in the greatest
and that the sturdy farmers
with happy homes have taken the place
Of the wandering Red men. In our own
State this increase of moisture has been
noticed, and the old settlers do not hesi-
tate 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 con-
stantly running streams