The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-03-26
THE AMERICAN DESERT.

Senator Jones, of Nevada. has received
full reports OF the results OF Il scientific eN-
ploration made at the expense OF hlmsel1
and 4 private citizen of California last sum
mer for the purpose OF ascertaning the
practicability of retaining or submerSInS
the Great Colorado Desert by turning INTO
il the waters OF the Colorado river or the
Calf of California The report of Mr. }. +.
| James the engineer who conducted the eN-
| pediti~n, and an elaborate CONNIE ltary upon
| it by Mr.. r. +. Stretch, an eminent civil
engineer of san Francisco, furnished the
| following very interesting information,
| much of which is entirely new:
The exploration shows that the greater
portion OF the Colorado Desert and the Mo
| jare Valley and Death Valley, which lie
nerth Of it. are ir III forty to one hundred
| feet below the level of the SEA, sttd that this
great desert, stretching from Lower Califol-
MIA to Inyo county, in the State of Cali
fornia and from the basin OF the Coast
Range Mountains to the Colorado river, COM
prislno an area of about 800 miles long by
| $50 wide NAV be converted INFO a chan OF
lakes or irrigated by the method above
mentioned and also that large portion OF
this desert really consists OF extremely fer
tile soil, being a deep alluvium susceptible
of the highest cultivation.
1t is further shown that the prevalence OF
what are known as ''san;istorms,' and hot,
descating winds and the deficient rainfall
the evils suffered by the surrounding coun-
try. and as far north as the Thiare Valley OF
Californa-are directly traceable to the eX-
istence of this desert, from which, as from a
great furnace, there constantly rises ii the
summer time Il vast column OF heated AIR.
without appreciabe humidity. Thus the
moisture OF the ran-bealiug clouds, which
are blown northweStery during the summer
months from the Gult OF California, is dlsSl-
pated as soon as they reach the borders OF
this superheated region, and prevented from
reaching the day but fertile plains OF Cali
solnia beyond. The shells found on the sur
face of this desert prove that it has been at
one time the bed OF 4 sea, and a subsequent
period the bed Of fresh water Lake.
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 adjacent re-
! cion in Arizona (0f which there are 50 many
traces came to an end i'll consequence OF the
climatic changes caused by the evaporation
| Of these vast lakes in Southern California,
! after the Colorado river bad cut down It's
| bed in the Great Canyon 50 deep that It's
course was diverted at Collville to a south
erey direction. The question is suggested
whether these desert lands cannot be re-
| claimed by irrigation, and thus saved, IN
stead of being totally submerged, as it Is
considered certain that covering them with
vegetation would tend to prevent the evap,
Grafton of moisture, and at the same time
act as precipitant for whatever moisture
the atmosphere carries, or whether both
might not be combined.
Senator Jones expresses the opinion that
| although either course would Involve large
expenditures of money, the matter is o
such public interest as to be worthy of in
vestigation by the Government. which alone
has the necessary resources and appliances
at command for thorough examination
of the subject. If, by such an examination
the feasibility OF the work should be demon
strated, private capital might be found tt
undertake it. He, therefore, purposes tt
bring the matter to the attention OF Con
gress, with the view Of having survey
made by the Government.