New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-26

UNION PACIFIC WELL o'Ns
QUALITIES OF THE WATER.
IraoN AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRiBUSs
GREELEY, Col. Ter, Jan. 19.-That there II
an American Desert is now well ascertalned This
desert does not lie OF the Rocky Mountains. but
within their lines s II such on account OF deneens
fertility but account OF au excess thst OF aEa.
an indispensable element In all soils that are to be eu
tivated The desert shall speak OF, and which have
visited, lies along the line OF tho Union Pacific Karoad
commencing about 100 miles west OF Omaha, aud eI-
tending nearly Salt Lake Basin, and has further
hundreds Of miles TO the Sierra SeVshas Inc
country IL rolling but is not all what would be eaed
noun famous 1t TO be sort OF pass. forming
series OF valleys, and making passage for the road.
sn there arc many elevations mostly Of gentle ascent.
and there long accents and descent- and
sometimes in the valleys OF the streams
lofty procpices. az In the Echo and Weber
caons The general elevation lie FROM 5000 to GOO feee
while the north and south are high ranges OF noun
tains, such as the Medicine Bow, Wind River ana
wasatch Mountains. In their vicinity the akaii dis
appears and many little streams rush forth and among
the mountains beautiful parks aud grassy glades.
with perennial pasturage OF all kinds and trber
The alka along the road so abundant as TO come 10
the surface in may be called bters such a. APP
pear even Colorado In the Platte Valley, but here 70
much greater extent sagebrush and crossword form
the principal vegetation no animal Is SAID 10 cat
either unless be rabbits and sagchens and the water
of the small and Of the wells that may be dug IL
unit 70 drink While this pass or valley Is caneua
desert IL is only account OF the Of salts ana
the absence OF water be used for irrigation Tie so
of sat Lake Valley largely OF the character;
but water being plentiful, the land has now become
enormously productive. The he made much clearer
by tho statement that the remarkable fertility OF tho
great prairies OF Iowa and Illinois, and OF the Mississippi
Valley is due TO the alka~ through the soil. and ts
minging with humus vegetable mold.
DEsoLATE VALLEY.
of fba p.et6A
which is most desoate extends along the Bitter Creek
Valley about miles aud is from 20 to SO miles wide
though where the ground rises into hills, nne grass
appears and often there springs; that In com
parison with the whole region this desoate country
extremely limited Since the building OF the road,
water trains have been running over the Whole distance
supplies being obtained from the Green and other verr
during the construction water was hauled by teams IL
enormous expense. Tie OF running water trains
was about $4,000 year. Such tram required, IN addi-
ton TO usual force OF fireman. engineer orakrman'
and conductor. a car provided with pumping engine
and the men to manage II.
This Is good place speak OF the land grant OF this
road which has been be OF great yaine.
West Of Omaha the grant lies In the Platte Valley for
$50 miles but much OF the land had been previously
entered for the first miles, and the last 100 miles
requires irrigation, the amount that can De cuV@'""
Is about 100 by 20 miles, that ~ Dah OF Ito
for the Government has the other half. Rising
from the Platte by the Lodge Pole Valley, IN whcn
runs an insignificant stream, the course II thence
TO Cheyenne at an elevation Of 5000 feet; thence Ia
Laramie Plains, with the elevation Increased noethan
1000 feet; this point and thence clear through I'D
Ogden O2 miles omaha. there not more han
1900 acres Of tlable land. whether belonging TO tho
Government, to tho railroad or 10 indiyiduni1 Inc
lands arc valuable through this whole stretch WITH tho
execution OF the Bitter Creek country for stock pur-
poses grass affords rich feed In both summer M"
Winter These springs aud streams are snheent TOT
the stock but not enough for irrigation. inhoshlaoo
AZ the Bitter Creek country undoubtedly H. and WORTH
less as 1t seems be. 1t has no little value on ace
count of the coal with which large portion u nnder-
laid Had IL not tins coal IL doubtful whether
trains could have been run since wood must nave pe'
depended upou and il 10 or 20 miles distant th'
with the absence OF water would have made iofndap"
obstacles 1t Is difficult, therefore, to see any Nne III
the land grant, aside from the coal aud ms has ho
use beyond the running OF trains for there are few
settlements and towns, there can be little COMMERCIAL
demand. Considerable coal however is taken toomsha'
distance of 700 miles aud hitherto the Central Pacific.
beginning beyond Ogden, the Sal. Lake station, has
| been supplied from the Evanstown mines
ARTE,IAN WELLS ALONG THE UNION PACIFIC RAIL
II became absolutely necessary In moving the trains 81
the Union Pacific TO provide some other means for mp
plying water the locomotives FOR the miners and for
the staOnhouses. than the water trains Tor they wero
sometimes insufficient the breaking down freez
In cold weather the utmost and watchune-- wero
required 10 prevent boilers AMI pipes from freezing aud
during the blockade OF 1871 this trouble often
OF the most serious kind The only relief promised was
in boring wells and accordingly last year siu
were begun and the has been all that was de-
sired The first well is at Separation T2t miles from
Omaha last is at Rock Springs. so2 miles.
Another il IN progress Red Desert The well ~ Rock
Springs 5 feet deep; the bore IL six inches IN diam
eter aud of coal passed Of H. and feet aud
Of less width all 90 feet There are LAYERS OF clay
| mixed with sandy loan, clear sand, and waters
worn pebbles IN which the supply Of water is usually
| found. layers OF sandstone Of varying degrees on
density beds OF suiphae OF alumina and iron chems
caly combined rcsem bling the peculiar blush clay VI
All these LAYERS are formed by detritus deposited hu
| the action OF water and they are underald Dy thd
partly bitumnous shale which appears the surface az
Green River, Is miles west and which, ~ mat vicinity
era description Of strateation IL 20 all OF tina
wells. The ncohesiyeness of the soil caused much de'
necessary to with iron tubing great portion OF the
way IN all the wells At this well OF Rock SPRING tho
surface aud discharges 81 gallons per hour and at thd
At Point Of Rocks 25 miles east the well is Loo fees
deep The water only within II feet OF the
and the duality Of the Wa eT the best Of all f Wells
indeed would be called remarkably good in part 0i
the world. Here only slight veins OF coal were met
The next well Is at Bitter Greek, II miles east OF Point
Of Rock 1t is SsS feet deep II Yields. by pumping
gallons an hour. The veins Of Goals were quite thin
Next TO the east IS tue well at Washakle, 81 miles dis,
Ii 6S feet Deep and at Is feet above the surface
gallons hour. At depth Of % feet ther.a
of coal six inches thick and AZ 250 feet VEN
OF hemtite iron IL feet thick probably OF tina
deposit which crops out near Rawlins.
At Creston IA miles east the well is 325 feet deep ana
an ample supply OF water is obtained AT Separations
the we'll Is l,i03 feet deep and water comes within ia
feet OF the surface, which. by pumping yields 400
gallons an hour This passes through several yens u
good coal.
QUALITIES WATER
The water in the various wells sometimes holds In D.
luton much $50 grains of mineral salts gal.
lon in cases. from 40 to so grains OF soda mague.
sa and lime then much soda little maguesa nd linz