The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-08-02
The Great Colorado Desert.

Different surveys of the tract of barren
soil known as the Colorado desert, show
that it is below the surface of the ocean.
But this is explained by its position, sePa-
rated from the Gulf of California only by
a sand-bar. The bar was undoubtedly
formed by drifting sand which cut the
region off from communication with the
sea, and evaporation, in the course OF years,
left it dry.
1t ia now stated from Washington, that
Senator Jones, of Nevada, has received full
reports OF the result of a scientific explora
ton made at the expense of himself and
private citizen of California. last summer,
for the purpose of ascertalnIng the practi-
cability of retaining or submerglng the
great Colorado desert by turning into it
The waters of tue Colorado River or the
Gulf o. California. The report of Mr. j.
E. James, the engineer who conducted the
expedition, and an elaborate commentary
upon it by NJ. Il. E. Stretch, an eminent
civil engineer of San Francisco, furnishes
the following very interesting Information
The greatest portion of the Colorado
desert and the Mojave Valley and Death
Valley, which lie north of it, are from Az
to 100 feet below the level of the sea. This
great desert, stretching from Lower Call
| fornia to Inyo county, in the State OF Call
fornia, aud from the base of the Coast
Range Mountains to the Colorado River,
comprising an area about 300 miles long
by $50 wide, it is believed may be con
verified into a chain of lakes or irrigated by
the methods above mentioned and also,
that a large portion of this deserG reaiy
consists of extremely fertile soil, being a
deep alluvium susceptible of the highest
cultivation. 1t is further shown that tn .
! prevalence of what are known as - sana
storms" and hot, desscating winds, and
the deficient rainfall-the evils suffered by
the s, ~oundipg country, and G, as taf norm .a
directly traceable to the existence of this
desert, from which, as from great furnace,
there constantly rises in the summer time
a vast column of heated air without appre-
cable humidity. Thus the moisture OF the
northw esterly during the Summer months
from the Gulf of California, is dissipated as
soon as they reach the borders of this
superheated region and are prevented from
reaching the dry but rtileplains of Cali
fornia beyond.
desert prove it has been at one time tue
bed of a sea, and at a subsequent period the
bed of q fresh water lake. The shore lines
of both sea and lake can still be seen ano
} recognized in many places; and Mr. Stretcr
, expresses the opinion that the Aztec CIVIL
cation of the adjacent region IN Arizona 70
which there are 80 many traces) came TO al
q end in consequence of the climatic changei
! caused by the evaporation of these vas
lakes in southern California, after thu
Q Colorado River had cut down Its bed IN Tn
Great Canon so deep that its course wa
q diverted at Colville to southeriy dlrec
2 ton.
The question is suggested whether thes
n desert lands cannot be reclaimed by lrrlga
: ton, and thus saved, instead of bein
totally submerged, as it is considered Ger
tain that covering them with vegetatio
:. would tend to prevent the evaporation g
moisture, and at the same time act as
nrecipitant for whatever moisture the at
70 mosphere may carry, or whether both plan
: might not be combined.