The Shasta courier., 1872-06-29
PHENOMENA IN INYO.

Some curious facts relating to EARTH
quakes and natural wonders, probably con-
nected Herewith are related by j. G. Bir.
cham and othels living ut Bishop Greek.
There is a noted place iD Long Valley,
>ome sixty miles north Of this place, known
as Casa Diablo Canon" is called from q
wonderful spiring there is there. This is
thesame caoon, We may mention, where the
fght with the convicts took place, in which
K j. Morrison was killed. Five years
ago this Spring Mr. Bircham states, this
run of water was only about a yard across.
Last Fall, when he last saw it, it had got
to be sevent, five yards in diameter, aud
OF an unknown depth. Its waters are but
little more than alum, sulpher aud saltpeter
in solution, quantities of each of these be
ing found caystalized upon its banks and
in the vicinity. This water is sculding
hot-hotter. it Is said, than pure water can
be made. This spring has always b.en
uoled for its violent and frequent ebulli-
tiohs, accompanied with an awe inspiring
sound. whence the name of the canou near
the mouth of which it is situated-ti e
Devils House" At the time of Mr.
Bircham's visit last Fall t. ese ebulitous
would occur once or twice every minute,
each time raising tons of water number
Of feet, though none above the surface Of
the surrounding ground.
There is another of Il ESQ springs in the
bottom OF the river near by, and Of such
volume as to raise the temperature of the
water So that animals will not drink it for
miles below. 7 he river at that point is
nearly rod wide and four feet 10 depth
The water in the river is as cold as ice
before reaching this thermal spring. Near
Casa Dablo is
MOST REMARKABLE HILL,
Or point of a hill some twenty feet wide
and a bundled yards or SO in length
Immediately under the crust, which is
about two inches in thickness aud OF a
grayish hue, the whole bill, as far down as
has been prospected, is mass of hot mud
boiling hot-of all the different colols Of
rainbow. This mud is about the consisten
cy of and as ten.' ious and as easily mold
ed into different shapes as SO much putr,
OWN; probably. to the theru al coudi
ton of the ground the ii nber for distance
of fifteen miles along or north of Loug
Valley is all dead or dying. AS a lroot
of new and changing condition of the
earth in that locality Mr.. Bircham says
th.t eight years ago there was just sone
spot of about hundred acres, ON which
the timber was dead, all the rest now dead
being green and Furnishing. Many Of
these trees are of a century's growth, or
more; Others mere saplinys. He has not
visited the locality since the b.g earth
quake, but thinks some wonderful changes
wer. effected then, or by some of the sub
sequent shocks, one or two OF which were
more violent IN Round Valley, 20 miles
>outh of Casa Dlablo, than that of \ arch
10Th, which handled this sect Il SO rough
ly. That shake was of little moueut there
compared to what it was here, fifty miles
south. Since the first there has not be q
here Or at Lone Pine any heavy shakes at
all. yet in ound Valley there have been
several of or at violence, notable one on
the lIth OF April, we belive, which finish
ed the destruction of several one build.
ings. ] his shake, like many Others since,
was almost entirely local, Bishop Greek,
but ~ miles distant, being but slightly
affected. On one occasion the under
ground force ran throug for SOL distance
in a narrow streak about Fifty yards in width,
t' ally dividing, one part going south, the
o'hsr east. On this stleak the surface of
the ground was visibly affected, while that
on either side and in the ''forks" remained
comparatively unmoved This is singular
statement, but we assure that it is true.
Stockmen who last Fall abandon their
cabins in Long Valley as usual for the
Winter, report since their return this
Spring, that they found bottles on the
shelves and other similar things in place
just as they had left them, showing that
the shake there was not heavy, although
not many miles from Casa Dablo But it
is believed, and with good reason appar
emily, that there is an intimate connection.
etler as cause or effect between these
local earthquakes. thermal and gey yser
springs and hot putty hills