The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1891-02-21
A SALT DESERT.
Below Sea Level where None But Indians
nnl EnlnEac nm MnrL.

Below Sea Level where None But Indians
and Chinese Can Work.
SaltOn is one Of the lowest points in
the United States, being 2G3 feet below
sea level. Ii is a dreary spot situated at
about the end Of II huge valley, which
on the east will N day he abloom with
the flowers of orange and lemon trees,
and whose gentle slopes will be covered
over with vines bearing grapes that
will far Srrpass in size. flavor and beauty
the tabled lunches of Eschol. But from
time inmcmurial Salton itself has been
a desert and fo" all tim" 10 come it will
remain so. 1t Is as il some hinge curse
had bccn placed OH il and except for u
few scant saGe.hrush nothing grows on
IL nor can lie made to crow, Here lie
the huge salt beds which are now being
worked by Il San Francisco company,
so what looks apparently Il useless
waste is really valuable land.
The beds cover an enormous area, and
the salt is scrapcd from off the surface
md Is not, as some people imagine,
mixed in the same way as gold and sill
vcr. The beds are about six tC eight
feet in length, and often larger, for
they are artiticially made, and in them
oozcs the salt. The only tools which
are employed to gather salt are Il shovel
and a hoe. Then the crude salt is loaded
upon fiat cars and u down by a loco
motive into the mills, where it Is
pounded up into salt for the table. for
the dairy and for such other purposes as
is needed. The amount of salt that car
be produced is incalculable. Indeed,
there is enough to supply the civilized
world for all time to come, and if there
were a failure Of salt anywhere the Col
orado desert would be able to supply
the demand.
In broad day when the beds arc seen
from the railroud cars, they look like all
immense inland ocean. whose waters
are of glaring white and upon whose
broad bosom rise innurnerable mirages
from a great city blessed with churches
and cathedrals, whose spires are as
numerous as the mastS on the River
Thames to great ocean steamships and
huge sailing vessels. In early morning
when the sun is rising the scene is one
of unsurpassed splendor, for as the rays
strike the salty crystals they fash
forth various colored lights.
The only labor that can be had here is
Chinese and Indian, aud Mr.. Durbrow,
the manager. who has had considerable
experience with the Indians, says that
the Indians of the Colorado desert are
admirable workers. Indeed, they ap-
pear to be and are particularly am
bilious. They have built around the
managers house quite a little settle
mcut, and they arc epicurcs in the man.
ner of food They are all men of family.
Their women. who are singularly good
looking. keep house for them, but do no
sort of manual labor except hat con-
uected with the house. The bucks are
stalwart young chaps, and so well
thought Of are they by MI. Durbrow
that he pays the Indians Sl.50 u day
and the Chinese St.35 a day.
In conversing with Mr.. locker, who is
the foreman at the works, he said: at
is a mistake to suppose that all Indians
are worthless. The nine men that
have with me are wonderful workmen.
| have no trouble with them. They are
at the salt beds by five n. m, and they
work steadily till the noon hour, when
they eat their dinners and again go to
work. In fact, one Indian is worth two
Cinnamon, and they know It. and de
mand more pay. You have to KEEP
continually watching 4 Chinaman. fol-
he will talk and chatter during the
working hours. Not so the Indian. lie
Is stolid and will keep on working, never
stopping to talk or smoke. They are
good hare laborers and have Il love fol
It, inasnuch as It brings them many
Injuries. They are kind to their fami'
lies and really are admirable people
whom it Is n pleasure to deal WITH
San Francisco Chronicle.