The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1874-04-09
THE GREAT CoLeRADo DESERT.

Different surveys of the tract of barren soil
known as the Colorado desert show that il is
below the surface of the ocean. But this is ex
planned by its position, separated from the Gult
of California only by sand-bar The bar was
undoubtedly formed by drifting sand which cnt
the region off from communication with the sea,
and evaporation, in the course of years, left it
dry.
1t is now stated. from Washington. that Sena-
.nr Jones' of Nevada, has received full reports of
the result of scientific exploration made at the
expense of himself and private citizen of Cali
fornia, last Summer, for the purpose of ascer
tanning the practieability Of Ieclaiming or sn'
merging the great Colorado desert by turuing
int" it the waters of the Colorado River OF the
Gnlf of California. The report of Mr.. j. Z.
James, the engineer who conducted the expedi-
tiOn, and elaborate commentary upon il by
Mr. r. Z Stretch, an eminent civil engineer of
San Francisco, furnish the following very inter
esring information:
The greatest portion of the Colorado desert
and the Mojavs Valley and Death Valley, which
lie north of it, are from 90 TO 100 feet below the
level of the sea. This great desert, stretching
from Lower California to Inyo County, in the
State of California, and from the base of the
Coast Range Mountains to the Colorado River,
comprising an area abont 800 miles long by $50
wide, it is believed may be converted into a
chain of lakes irrigated by the Methods abovs
mentioned; and also, that a large portion of This
sdesert" really consists of extremely fertile soil.
being a deep alluvium susceptible of The highest
cultivation. IL Is TURNER SHOWN tndb the preva
lence of what are known as "sand storms" and
hot, d-ssicating winds. and the deficient rain
fall-the evils suffered by the surrounding coun-
try, and as far north as the Tulsre valley of Cal
ifornia-are directly traceable to the existence
of this desert, from which, az from great iurn-
ace, there constantly rises in the summer time a
vast column of heated air without appreciable
humidity. Thus the moisture of the rain-bcar-
ing clouds which are blown nOrth-westeriy dur
in the summer months from the Gulf of CalifOr-
mia, is dsspated as they reach the bord-
ers Of this superheated region, and are prevent
ed from reaching the dry but fertile plains of
California beyond.
Tho shells found on the surface of this desert
prove that it has been at one time the bed of
sea. and at q subsequent period the bed of
fresh water late. The shore lines Of both sea
and lake can still be seen and recognized in
many places and Mr.. Stretch expresses the
opinion that the Aztec civilization of the ada
cent region in Arizona (of which theEe are so
many traces) came to an end in consequence of
the climatic changes caused by the evaporation
of these vast lakes in Southern California, after
the Colorado River had ont down its bed in the
Great Canon so deep thstits course was diverted
at Colville to southerly direction.
The question is suggested whether these des-
ert lands cannot be reclaimed by irrigation, and
thus saved, instead of being totally submerged,
IL is considered certain that covering them
with vegetation would tend to prevent the evap-
grafton vt moisture, and ut the sams time act as
a precipitant for whatever moisture the atmos-
phere may carry, or whether both plans might
not be combined.