The Arizona sentinel., 1891-09-26
EsTENG INTERVIEW
Facts Concerning SaIGOn H4akc
 and E1s Source.

Company, was in town and started
 out to secure an interview. MT.
 Durbrow was found at the South
 ern Pacific hotel and he kindly
 gave the following information for publication.
 MT. Durbrow stated that he and
 Capt. J. A. Mellon started down the Colorado river in a small boat
 Monday to examine the reputed
 source of Salton Lake. The main
 break was found about fifteen miles
 below Yuma into which a large
 volume of water flowed. Continu- ing down stream about 20 miles, other openings in the river bank were found, but on examination proved to be of no consequence.
 Upon returning up stream, careful measurements were made of the various breaks in the bank and photographic views taken of the different localities. Upon arriving at the big,crevasse or. main outlet, soundings were made and the fact was established that the water would continue to flow from the Colorado even at the lowest stage of the river, as the cut or. break ex- tended down level with the bottom of the stream. This can be stop ped by building substantial dyke or levee. A large volume of water still flows into this main break, al- though the Colorado river is low and falling daily. By actual measurement, MT. Durbrow found that 1900 cubic feet of water flow ed through the big crevasse per second. He made a close exam ination of the locality and is satis- fled that the water can be perman- ently prevented from running into the Salton basin from this and in- tervening points. He says that no serious engineering difficulties are in the way of closing the break and it is a mere question of dollars and cents. Mir. Durbrow wa7 silnrt v'aa asked whether his company would endeavor to close out the river which had damaged the Salt prona't9 so seriously. Ge~+o-, -lrit6r If .n9 steamboat company, who aeoolp-Aiou MT. Durbrow, pointed out to that gen. tleman a very important matter in regard to the Colorado river, and it was that the main channel of the river had been greatly changed by the floods of last spring. Formerly the main channel of the Colorado had been very crooked in it's course and in places quite wide, now it is almost straight, narrow and of considerable depth for the present stage of water. The con- dition of the river showed plainly that the unusual high water had deepened and secured out the river towards the center and new and probably permanent channel had been formed, which appeared to be of sufficient capacity to carry of the most of the flood water, there by relieving the pressure on the banks and consequently prevent ing any serious overfows or crevas- ses in the future.
 MT. Dugbrow states that the water at Salton has fallen fl in- ches in the past 9 days, and the amount of water now supplying the lake does not equal the evap- oration. The greatest depth of the lake new is 34 inches, and its area is 30 miles long by 10 wide. Mr. Durbrow does not think that the lake has changed the climate of the surrounding country any and says the humidity in that neigh borhood has been increased to modified extent, only registering 60 degrees, whilst the ordinary humidity of San Francisco is 75. He expressed himself pleased with the results of his trip and when asked what the cost would be of leveeing the main crevasse, re- piled that he was not prepared to answer as he had not had time enough to make the required cal culations.
 Immediately after the termina- tion of this interview MT. Durbrow hos rded +he train fOr SaIton where