The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1891-07-08

ITS SUDDEN APPEARANCE IN
THE WESTERN DESERT.

Threatening the Homes of settIers-sev-
eaty Miles Long, Twelve Miles Wide,
aud Still Growing-Damsge to Roads
aud Crops Imminent
Settlers in portions of Colorado and
California are in no small degree alarmed
at the sudden appearance of a large
body of water In what has been known
as the desert POI ton of that country. II
now seems as II nature had decided 20
solve the question Of irrigation for her.
self. The water appeared Immediately
after the recent seismic disturbances in
Italy and the slighter shocks felt in San
Francisco. Exploring parties are out,
and. from the report OF one, the inland
sea is estimated TO be twelve miles wide
and from fifty to seventy miles long.
The boat was launched, and the crew set
forth on one of the strangest trips ever
known. There was stiff and rafting
breeze; and the boat danced merrily
upon the blue waves. There was
plenty of salt, sodine, and ozone
in the air, and early in the morn
ing the trip was extremely pleasant. A
mile out small smelt was picked up-a
salt water ashland to the most of the
sailors in the party this seemed to prove
conclusvely that the water was the re-
was from the gulf by subterranean
passage, while Roadmaster Mulvihill
chung to the idea that the water was
coming from the Colorado River. Water
was tested and its gravity found 1t
went about Is per cent. salt. The water
in the pool generally went 26 per cent,
while the ocean is about 80, so IL could
not be. told whether the newly arrived
water was salt or fresh
There was fair wind and the party
sailed to point fifteen miles southeast
of Salton. Here current about a mile
wide and running like mill race was
struck. The water was fourteen inches
deep and very clear. The swiftness Of
the current caused the shallowness Of
the water. This current settled the
question in the mind of Mr. Mulvihill
that the water came from the Colo
RADIO River; the naval contingent re-
turned TO Salton without further in
cdent. A dispatch was found there
from Colonel Blaisdell, superinten-
dent OF the Cargo Muchacho mines,
which confirmed the Colonel's theory.
He said during the flood last February
the Colorado River overfowed its banks
and filled New River and many basins.
The water has since continued TO pour
out of the Colorado River into these
basins and New River, and to pour out OF
these in turn. He had always wondered
where the water went to, and the Salton
floods settled the question. The water
started TO Salton five months ago, but
owing to delay caused by the sandy soil
and evaporation has just arrived. 1t
was behind time, but it came as fast as
IL could over the desert
1t is thought the flood will last as long
as the Colorado River is high, and il is
now twenty-seven feot above high water
mark. At places on New River, where
the water is overlooking, the banks are
about twenty-five feet high and of sand.
They are getting weak, and if they give
way bank of water twenty feet high
and many miles long will rush
down like tidal wave. If this
occurs which is very probable, it
will make things very lively with the
railroad company and will change
the course of the Colorado or New River
entirely. In fact, il the water holds out
in these rivers it will simply form sea.
100 m les long by fifty wide. and Ban.
ming will become port OF entry. Men
have been sent to a pc Mt on the desert
ten miles south Of Volcano Springs, and
If the current is found there it is GER
tain that the water is from the Colorado
The place where the break occurred is
thirteen miles below Elryo and seventy
mil Saltnn