The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-02-27
A SALT DESERT.
Below Sea Lowell Where None But Indiana
and Chinese Can Work.

Below Sea Lowell Where None But Indiana
and Chinese Can Work.
SaltOn is one of the lowest points in
the United States, being 26$ feet below
sea level. 1t is a dreary spot situated at
about the end of a huge valley. which
on the east will one day be abloOm with
the flowers of orange and lemon trees,
and whose gentle slopes will be covered
over with vines bearing grapes that
will far surpass i'll size, flavor and beauty
the tabled lunches of Eschol. But from
time immemorial Salton itself has been
a desert and for all time to come it will
remain so. 1t is as if some huge curse
had been placed on it and except for a
few scant sage-brush nothing grows on
it nor can be made TO grow. Here lie
the huge salt beds which are now being
worked by San Francisco company,
SO what looks apparently useless
waste is really valuable land
The beds cover an enormous area, and
the salt is scraped from off the surface
and is not, as some people imagine,
mixed in the same way as gold and sill
yer. The beds are about six to eight
feet in length. and often larger, for
they are artifcially made, and in them
oozes the salt. The only tools which
are employed to gather salt are a shovel
and hoe. Then the crude salt is loaded
upon fat cars and run down by 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 can
be produced is incalculable. Indeed,
there is enough to supply the civilized
world for all time to come, and if there
were Il failure of salt anywhere the Col
orado desert would be able to supply
the demand.
In broad day when the beds are seen
from the railroad cars. they look like an
immense inland ocean, whose waters
are of glaring white and upon whose
broad bosom rise innumerable miragcs
from great city blessed with churches
and cathedralS. whose spires are IS
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 flash
forth various colored lights.
The only labor that can be had here is
Chinese and Indian, and 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 APP
pear to be and are particularly am
bilious. They have built around the
managers house quite little settle
ment, and they are epicures i'll the man
ner of food. They are all men Of family
Their women. who are singularly good
looking, keep house Tor them, but do nc
sort of manual labor except that con
nccted with the house. The bucks are
stalwart young chaps, and so wei
thought of are they by Mr.. DurbroU
that he pays the Indians Sl.50 day
and the Chinese Sl.35 day.
In coDvcrsing with Mr.. locker who il
the foreman at the works, he said: 81
is q mistake to suppose that all Indians
are worthless. The nine men that
have with me are wonderful workmen
nave hO Iiou"ic WIN |iSHA' MY al
at the salt beds by five Il. NJ. and they
work steadily till the noon hour, wher
they eat their dinners and again go t.
work In fact, one Indian is worth two
Cinnamon, and they know it, and de
mand more pay. You have to keel
continually watching Chinaman, fol
he will talk and chatter during the
working hours. Not SO the Indian. HI
is stoiid and will keep on working, never
stopping to talk or smoke. They art
good hard laborers and have love fol
it, inasmuch as it brings them many
luxuries. They are kind to thei. fami
lies and really are admirable people
whom it is a pleasure to deal with. -
San Francisco Chronicle.