The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-02-11
Important Suggestion.

CREATING AN INLAND SEA, AND THUS
MAKING ARABIE OVER Sc, ,0o0, 900 ACRES
OF LAND.
With all the enterprise commonly at
tributea to the American character, the
geographical features of some portions OF
our own country remain entirely un-
known to the public. We fit out expe-1
ditions, at enormous expense, to ex-
plore the frozen regions OF the Arctic
Zone, and to capture the North Pole it,
self; while immense regions of our own.
territory remain unexplored by civil
lied man. Occasionally few hardy
pioneers, led on by the lust of gold, push
their way into those Western wilds
whose waters are tributary to the Pa
clic. -s e~7
: One OF these, evidently more intelli-
gent than the average OF those adven-
turers, has found his way through the
wilderness region that spreads onward
from the mountains Of Nevada to the
Gulf Of California. He has sent letter
u the Chicago Tribune, communicating
much curious information in relation to
this unexplored region. In the course
of the letter he submits very important
suggestion on the subject Of converting
certain of the great deserts found in
that region into inland lakes, suited to
navigation. The conception is bold
one; and yet the writer gives the facts in
detail that seem to warrant the FEAST
bility OF the idea. The writer says;
aThere is most remarkable, and even
wonderful. chain OF low valleys lying
somewhat parallel with the great Col
orado River OF the West, extending from
near the Gulf of Californian direction
west of north, passing through the STATE
nf California and into the State of Ne
yata. q distance of nearly seven nun
iired miles from the Gulf OF California
The first is adjacent to the Gulf OF Can
fornia, and the mouth or Quiet OF COLO
rado River, and is known as the Grea
Colorado Desert, embracing the immens
nrea of thirty.e1ght million four hundret
thousand acres of agricultural land. 1
is well adapted to cultivation, and .fe
the producing of the grape, lime, lemon
orange. and In fact, all the tropica
fruits, The climate In the larger por
tien of this valley is very uniform, tn
thermometer ranging from eighty to on
hundred and five degrees, which woul'
baslightly modified by the introduction
ofwater into valley which is, at tn
Dresent time, dry, and even without
sprinkle OF rain, and possibly has bee
SO since the creatIon.
aTne Eden which this valley could |
made can scarcely be imagined. Amer
can tourists, and admirers Of the worl
mauship OF God and of Nature, read
the Alps, the Andes, and Italy, and Ion
to feel an Italian zephyr; when the
souls and minds should realize the sfa'
that our own native land is the chief,
all Of earth's brightest and purest jey
els" -f ~"
1t will be perceived that the write
here speaks OF what is geographical
called the "Great Colorado Desert,n
no .sdesert" at all in the sense Of ba
renness, but simply as an unoccupi
region, both fruitful and healthful.
Proceeding in his narration the writ
alludes to other great valleys stretchi
on through this vast region. And in
lation to them all he makes the folio
ing curious and interesting statement
ssTbe Colorado Desert is three hu
drcd feet below the sea-leyel. Hot VI
Lev having q few degrees greater he,
isihree hundred and fifty feet belo
DAofh Valley has o depth Of five bundr
feet below the Pacific Ocean, and to-