Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-11-28

ExaninatIoa BY Major Bird.
When the News went to pres OF
Wednesday afternoon Mr.. Henf,
, Scoogsll, c. E. was under croe
examination in regard to the repor
Of Major Powell, Of the Geologica
Survey, on the subject Of the ari,
regions Of the United States. Msjs
Bird called the witness attention I,
the fact that Major Powell, on pag'
Is OF his work, says; Gland
washed by the brine Of the lake Ire
ferring to the Great Salt Bake, be
come saturated with salt to such Ar
extent that even salt-loving plant
cannot live upon them, and 1t is Z
familiar fact that the sage (arternisis
sempervirens) never grows In Utat
upon soil 10 saline as to be unfavor
able for graIn." He asked witnes,
what he had to say as TO this propo'
sition Of Major Powell.
Mr.. Thompson objected TO the
question as incompetent.
witness-I should say that Major
Powell never for one moment gave
q thought to the irrigation Of these
lands, and rs there appears to be no
doubt that the waters OF the Sal,
Lake at some previous period over
flowed the land several miles to the
east Of the present high water mark.
which !. at the present day carry
ing grain and crops Of various sorts,
this is hardly in conformity with
the statement he makes.
Major Bird-Major Powell, con-
inuing upon the game page, says:
"The rains Of many years, and per-
haps even Of centuries, would be
needed 10 cleanse land abandoned
by the lake 90 that 1t would sustain
the salt hating bushes.' Is that
part Of his theory correct, In your
opinion?
Mr.. Thompson again protested
against the que lion.
Witness - To provide for this
small rainfall is The very Object of
Irrigation and the reclamation of
land by an artificial supply Of water.
Pointing to certain contradictory
statements in the course of Mr..
Scougall's testimony as he went
along, Major Bird referred TO him
as "a Rambling witness.v
Major Bird-You stated in your
direct examination that with a rise
Of three and half feet Of the lake
the higher portions of the land, in
your opinion, could still be reclaimed
artificially. In describing those
lands you started by saying that the
land following the Utah Central
Railrosd grade TO the ssYv would
not be affected by this rise,
and that they could be reclaime !.
Now, understanding from your tes-
timony and from that also Of Messrs.
Mccormick and FitHhuyh that this
grade from the s.Y'' as Il runs from
the land and leaves it at its northern
boundary is graded through or upon
the sand bar, I will ask you how you
propose 10 reclaim the part Of the
land through the south inlet that
with such a rise of the lake must Ice
covered with the water Of the Great
Salt Lake, rs shown By your profile
line II IL
witness-I will withdraw the
statement regarding the Utah Gen.
trail Grade referred to and make my
starting point the north end Of the
main dam, and not the "Y," rs
shown or Ex. b. / would reclaim
the land between the north aud
south end Of the dam by allowing
the water to flow through the sand
bar In or out, according TO the rise
or fall OF the lake, and while the
lake was at low tide should en-
deavor TO wash the land and
cleanse it from all saline impurity.
Should there be any fear of a
rise in the lake after going to any
expenditure to obtain a supply of
fresh water, / should feel inclined
TO place n puddle dam on the line Of
the old lake shore, and make this Of
a height similar t. what Is known
as the sand lar.
Major Bird-You mean hy that
that you would dam cut the waters
of the Great Salt Lake and prevent
them from Overlooking the lands in
question, IL there was rise in the
lake?
Witness answered certainly. He |
was next questioned rs TO the carry
ing Of fre.h water upon the land. |
The land on the sand lar, ne said,
would require to be thoroughly sat |
urated for several inches below the |
surface before any cultivation could |
he attempted. The lar referred 10 |
was now composed Of sand and clay |
.lbout rs good material as il was
possible TO cx.rac. salt and other in !
jurions matter r. IN 10y the process.
The rvatdepth OF sand was only ON |
the western sloie.
This afternoon Mr.. Henry Hirsch-
Ing, practical chemist aud mining
this city, anJther witness
on behalf OF the protestee, took the |
stand. lie has had twenty years.
in his profession. has
been in the government service 81 |
Germany, in Austria former held |
the position of inspector Of hines, and |
for some time was leading meteoro-
lcgist and counselor to the secretary
of finance in the kingdom Of wur- |
temburg. Among other appoint
ments he has held that of chemist
and mining engineer in New Mex
leo, Colorado and Utah. To Mr..
Stephens witness said he was an
experienced agricultural chemist.
and during his residence in this |
had devoted grea. deal of |
time to the examination Of soil aud |
plants in various States. He had |
made analyses Of soil taken from |
various places on the lands in dis
pute- Witness was proceeding to