Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-02
THE INUNDATED DESERT.
Visit of a Journalist to the Inland Sea in
Southern California.

visit OF a Journalist to the Inland Sea in
Southern California.
The San Francisco Chronicles special from
Redlands says the editor of local paper has
just returned from an inspection of the lake
forming at Salton in the Colorado desert Por-
tions of the lake are at least twelve miles in
width at Salton, which is near the western end
of the water. He made a trip over two miles
into the water on a switch connecting the salt
works with the Southern Pacific, and from that
point the water extends farther than the eve
can carry. Among the people at Salton the
utmost varieties of theories are held, but the
finding of a salt-wa fish would Indicate that
the water came from the ocean. The specific
gravity of the water taken at different points
varies from 1907 to 1918, much heavier than
ocean water. This fact is accounted for
by the presence OF the vast bed of SALT making
it impossible to determine whether the water
comes from the ocean the river. The water
ID but two or three feet in DEPTH and SO strong
does the wind blow that at times the water
recedes nearly half mile and then the shift
ing winds will bring it back further than be-
fore. This makes it impossible to determine
except at long intervals whether the volume of
water is increasing or not. The level of the
lake at present is about fifteen feet below the
lowest point of the Southern Pacific railroad
main line. and figuring on a rise in water made
ii would be some weeks before the road would
be flooded. The theory of the flood coming
from a cloud burst is dispelled by the fact Of
the water continuing to rise when it should
have been at high-water mark several days be-
fore.
Considerable apprehension was felt yester-
day morning over the safety of Road
Supt. AIulvihill. who. with two boatmen
started to explore the lake in a small boat
The shallow water makes the trip perilous, as
the wind shifts the water. and liable to leave the
for f,pr fha Ia hn coyl &c
a very treacherous nature and would preclude
the possibility of wading ashore. The party
has not yet returned.
G. W. Dubrow Of the salt works, who has
spent several years at Salton, is becoming
alarmed at the rise Of the water. The theory
of the water backing up New river is not cred
tied by those most familiar with the country, as
| the water in the Colorado was at its highest
| point many days since and would have ap-
| peared at Salton long before this had that
| been the cause Of the Hood. And the presence
| OF the salt water fish dispels this idea. The
| generally accepted idea is that the water comes
| from the Gulf of California. My. Dubrow made
| a statement which would seem to dispel the
| theory that the salt deposits were made di-
rectly by the ocean, The water is supposed to
have been there in prehistoric times. He de-
clared that the deposit differs very materially
| from the deposits of ocean water. an
analysis Of the salt showing that many constit-
| uents of the ocean water are wanting in the
suit IL ScCmlAt AAhC rstAe iAectcu Wy
cling long distances through the earth.
This revives the theory that the water from
the Salt Lake in Utah filters through the great
| American desert and following the general
| mountain trend across Nevada passes under
| the Colorado soil to the ocean. There were not
wanting those who have studied the question
and are eminent in hydraulic engineering who
believe in this theory, and it would not asconish
them to find that it was the water from the
| Utah lake which was dumping into the Col
l H. ,Aff .<
| underground channel must be accepted. those
| best acquainted with the matter will accept this
theory in preference to the theory that the
water came from the ocean.
| There was an interesting christening scene
! on the lake shore on Tuesday. Mr.. Mulvihill
had departed in his boat to explore the lake,
! the people gathered about the party and in
honor Of the first navigator Of the lake be-
slowed upon the lake the name Of Lake Mulvi-
| hill.
| ic p};l vic s1ovIv