The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-08-09
THE MILE DESERT.
Historic Ground With More Bones
Than a Battle Field.

Twenty years ago the Great American
Desert was the terror Of the overland imi-
grant. 1t was written up in a sensational way
in Eastern papers and in letters to friends.
1t was impossible to go around it, for 1t ex-
tended from the Colorado to the Cascades.
All the routes that led to the land of promise
crossed it, and it was soon covered with the
bleaching bones Of stock and dotted with hu-
man graves. Numerous disastrous attempts
to cross further south demonstrated that the
most feasible roa was the one that lies close
to where the overland railroad now runs. 1t
is about forty miles from the lower end ofthe
Humbolt Sink to the Truckee river, near
Wadsv orth, and the name, ''For.y-Mile Des-
ert," given to this stretch has become known
the world over. There is no water fit to drink
on the whole distance, and it is a very hard
days drive for cattle or a heavily loaded
team. A great many cattle were lost unnec-
essarily in the first r,ish'to California by peo-
pie who got nervous and did not know how to
manage They frequently laid a day or "
at the Humboldt. and started out to cross the
uCScIk ia Luc uISut. Lucy ~ n"N
to keep going all the next day in the hot
sun, and took the worst Of the road when
the animals were in the poorest condi-
ton. Large bands of cattle are frequently
driven now, and losses are very rare. They
start out in the morning and drive leisurely
during the heat of the day, stopping for a good
rest al noon, and in the evening, when night
comes on, they are pressed forward, and get
in next morning. The road lies through a
sandy, sage-brush plain, extending several
miles west Of the lake, where it strikes an al
kali desert, in the center of which the railroad
has a station, that it appropriately calls
"White" Plains. This is the lowest point
east of the mountains. Eight miles further
is Mirage Station, which might serve as q
memorial to the unfortunates who have been
betrayed from their proper course by the pic
ture of running water, waving trees, green
fields, that existed only in the deceptive air.
Near the middle Of the journey is a boiling
hot spring at the foot of a mountain, and
large beds of salt lie near, from which B. F.
Leete and the Bonanza mines put up and
ship large quantities to market. The deposit
has killed all vegetation for a long distance
around, leaving the fiat old lake bed
and Wadsworth are some odd formations.
The body of the country seems to be a light,
yellow substance, probably diatomous. over
lie high ridges of brown hills. The
places are strewn with heavy rocks of
all sizes, as black as coal. There is no tim
Der anywhere in sight, and even the sage
brush is of a scanty growth and inferior size.
On either side are the ever monotonous brown
mountains, carved and grooved by centuries
of wear by wind and frost into friDges of
stony lace. The railroad has made frequent
attempts to get water for its engines, but
without success. They bored 1900 feet at
Hot Springs, but got only a brackish mixture
of liquid alkali. They haul water in tank
cars for their section men between Love-
locks and Wadsworth, and the engines make
the run with one thankful, a distance of 81
miles. They formerly carried an extra car
behind the engine; with two wooden tanks to
draw from but new engines have been built,
with tanks that hold $500 gallons. They
frequently run Is miles without stopping,
and Nick Cole made a hundred mile run
once. 1t is a very pleasant comparison for
the rich '49er who rides in the palace car
over:the ground where he walked along with
sore and tired feet, urging his oxen out, of
the thirsty desert half a lifetime ago.-keno
Gd.ette.