The daily gazette., 1879-04-11
Gene rnl Fremont's Plan.

hcyt0U W Ofcue 4Uofut " tuttH ohh
Resources,
General Fremont, Governor of Arizo-
ma, has submitted to the proper authori-
ties in Washington a plan for bringing
the waters of the Gulf of California back
to what is supposed to be their old basin
in Southern California. The basin, which
is 200 miles long, 80 miles wide and in
its central part Is $50 feet below the level
of the sea. 1t lies between Southern
California and Arizona. and Is unfit for
the sIstenance of man or beast. Gene
raj Fremont said yesterday TO Herald
reporter, In answer to the question as to
how he proposed creating this inland sea:
at Is perfectly feasible. Between the
upper end of the Gulf of California and
the basin or valley in question ridge of
land interposes, through which it IS pro-
posed to cut canal for distance of ten
miles to a lake about twenty miles long,
and at the other end of the lake continue
the canal some fifteen miles more. The
cost might be Sl,OOO,OO0 and the time
necessary for the work perhaps six
mon hs, but the benefits to the tw States
OF California and Arizona would be i'll
calculable. The great wants of Sou
thern California AMI the adjoin-
ing region Of Arizona are water and
moisture. On the eastern slope of the
low range Of mountains that separates
this basin from Arizona all is dry and
barren as in the basin itself. The heat
is intolerable and no vegetation is possi-
Bile. The introduction Of this great body
of water would change the whole face of
things. 1t would induce cool and tenn
periDg winds to blow over and form
clouds to moisten the parched and arid
plains. In short, it would make the
whole surrounding country to blossom
like rose."
"Have you any idea that this desert ba-
SIN was once filed with water?"
"Certaiuly; all the evidence goes to
show that such was the case. Number
less sea shells may be observed on its
.urface, aui the general soil and forma-
tion is that of a dried up sea-"
"How is the project regarded out
there 2"
at is quite popular. 1t would be the
means of redeeming Southe stern Cali
fOrnia and Southwestern Arizona. SOno-
ra, to the south of Arizona,is very fertile
because 1T has water, and there Is no rea-
son why these other regions should not
be the same"
Chow far has the undertaking pro-
gressed.?"
"Well, the plan, briefly drawn is in
Washington, where intend proceeding
this week and having it submitted to the
President. If approved, as feel pretty
well assured 1t will be, surveys of the
land through which the course OF the Ca
nal will be laid must be made by officers
detailed by the government, and after
that Congress will be asked to make the
| necessary appropriation for what Will be
a national work. 1t has been favorably
thought of by all the gentlemenin in W ash
ington with whom | conversed. The Ca
| nal should. think, be made deep and
| wide enough to admit such vessels and
steamers as sail the Pacific. Another re-
| suit of creating tins inland sea would be
| to develop settlements around its border,
when there is nothing to be seen now
| but the barren sand aud sage brush. The
great object, however, of forming this
vast sheet of water Is to temper the heat
of the climate, and Introduce moisture
in the atmosphere, to which IT Is now a
stranger. The one grand desideratum is
rain that will make vegetation and life
possible, and this am satisfied can only
| be obtained by flooding this va basin
| with the waters OF the Gulf of Callfor.
MA"
ARIZoNA's ADVANCE.
"What is your opinion, General, OF
Arizonia?'
"Arizonia is great mineral country
1t has silver aud gold lodes, mixed gold
and silver and co per carrying gold anu
| silver in quite large percentage, lead
quicksilver and coal m,nes. The btu
mnous coal deposits are sad to be num-
erous. The climate is variable between
the sea level and tho highest elevation,
Is, 900 feet high. Any height above 2.
900, feet is, however, very pleasant
something like the climate of Northern
Italy. Though mountainous coaDtry, II
has great many fertile valleys that are
really ike gardens. AS you enter the
country from the east you meet a success
sion of mountain ranges, between which
are sheltered green and lovely valleys.
When passed through the valley o
Salt River IN February last apricots and
fig trees were in bloom, and the plains
were covered with alfalfa, a kind o.
timothy grass"
"What is the drawback to its prosper
ity?"
great thing needed, and this we soon ex
pect to have. Huntington's CaliforDi;
Southt road is now built to within 10,
miles of Fort Yuma. To get to Arizona
now one has either to 60 to San Francis
co and from there southeast bv railroad
occupying nine days, or take the Atche
son, Santa Fe and Topeka Railroad Il
the Del Norte and cross the plains by ;
sta ca long and harrassing journey
Next winter, or the following spring
however, 1t is hoped that the Caiforni;
Southern road and the Atchison viii
meet at Tucson, thus making complet,
Isouthern link of communication between
the Atlantic ami Pacific, and yielding es
pecial benefits TO Arizona. Next year
1t is thought, road will be projected
from Tucson passing through the MexI
can State of Sonora and striking Quay
mas on the Gulf Of California. Arizoni
has great future before her. Her popu
latlon is now more than 10000 but will
the influx of capital and labor that mus
necessarily follow the establishment o
easy commitment on there 1t no tellini
how prosperous she may not become
Her climate is milder than that of Colo
RADIO and her mineral wealth Is certainl.
as great"
General Fremont looked In splendi'
health, and though his hair and bear,
are white he appeared to have all the VI
j, gor of the lime when, as the "Pathfind
err" he crossed the trackless deserts OF tn
West to the shores of tho Pacific.
A YOUNG AMERICAN of 10, at Chris
Church, Oxford, passing the second ex
animation there a few days ago witt
rucb credit. was publicly complmente,