New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-21
7gE COLORADO DESERT LAKE.
. CORRESPONDENT PERPLEXED ABOUT ITS OH
GINA STRONG BELIEF THAT 1T COMES
FROM THE COLORADO RIVER


FROM THE COLORADO RIVER
pedronds. Cal, July 4.-That part of the Colorado
dosert which has been transformed into an inland sea-
od abopt which more speculation has been INDUCED
Tn during the last few days than any other locaHV
An Che Pacific coast for several years, Hes abont ninety
miles cast of here One OF the editors Of Ihc fac's'
accompanied by DR.. King, +. J. Mulvahlll' uls'rico
overseqr OF the Southern Pacific Railroad, ana rpie
sentative Of another newspaper here went to prospect
tbia inland sea- which promised to reach an extent VI
about sixty by eighty miles and submerge some seventy
miles OF the Southern Pacific Railroad. AS II Is, Lake
has formed at Salton which Is probably some thirty
or fprty miles IN length and several In Width oao"
leads peculiar existence II lies some 26O feet Deio"
The sea level this being the third deepest sink In the
world and It covers area Of perhaps DOW SQUIRE
miles There appears TO be a welIfounded belief that
the sink was at one time portion OF the sea- Ou.
tle Colorado River bearing with it great quantities Oh
debris threw UP an embanlment several feet mgn
then shifting its course left the Colorado desert all
inland sea From this the water evnporated, Iei'ins
vast deposits Of salt And Slton's sole excuse ior
continued existence the refining OF this SALT WHICH 10
shipped In great quantities during the year Inc pea
from which the salt is taken is sometimes partially
covered with water. which, being In thin sDeeo' quo
unknown miles In extent, is caught by tho terr'no
wind storms and swept backward and forward
The recent event, the one which happeheu vi
rune ~ WAS never known In the history Of the country
before. without any apparent cause the watef Dees
TO rise and for three days 1t continued to spread u
II stretched out to the south beyond the ordinary
vision There were many theories for this phenomenon
One WAS that the Colorado River had broken through
into New River and this had backed up into the basn'
The most generally accepted theory, however was
that an underground stream from the ocedh
had found its way through the narrow
ridge which separates the ocean from the BASIN lhi'
would mean the recreation of the old inland sea.
When the party started out In its boat almost tho
first remal kabe thing seen small dead bounder'
This would seem to prove that the water came from
the ocean. But on the fifth day the water Logan ID
reccde Which dispreved the theory that communications
had been established with the ocean. There arc SVno
who insist that the lake the result OF wafer
spout formed at and bursting on the land near eo
between the United states and Mexico. But "lldu
tremendous body OF water 10 be carried through to
air 20 FORM upon bursting lake containing proDaor
10000 900 900 gallons Of water. Should Vt be tOuhd
that this Is really the escape of the ocean wafer
through subterIsnean channel it is believed IL "Ouu
materially modify the extremely hot winds that occa
sionaly sweep over the state from the desert, ana
which, while not injurious, not at all agreeable OF
comforting The tendency would probably be TO give
q climate to Southern California like that on Italy, II
1t be but the creation Of waterspOut, 1t Will DC Dut
temporary But yesterday the report from salton SAID
"Lake constantly rising. There is every evidence OF
permanent rise"
suffering and privaton and death of untold scores oil
men. II reaches fIOm tho Colorado River to within
twenty-five miles Of Redlands, where it terminates In
San Gorgona Pass. In which Is the town OF Banning
II presents an eApanse Of sandy waists In which are
many springs, portion Of which arc poisonous. Il
seems almost improbable that such basin sh0uh
exist, and that within thirty miles of ii Is one Of
the most beautiful and thrifty sections Of the United
States. Here In Redlands there Is community Of
1900 people, each family owning their own home be
sides orange peach and apricot groves and vineyards
Redands to-, has what is IN Southern California,
perfect water supply for domestic and rrigatng pur
poses and fed from the Bear Valley Lake. containing
nearly 25,OO0OOO 900 gallons OF water. And sur
rounding Redlands, in san BernaGdin0 County, are
The United states Government has been impOrtlned
basin, so suddenly transformed into lake. II was
found feasible by going upon Mexican SOIL 10 do 50,
but the Mexican Government would not consent TO the
mel OF the Colorado River switched into the New
River at the time OF the recent food IN the Colorado.
tho Lake will probably continue 20 rise until few teet
above the level for II cannot be expected that NE
channel Will change back The only theory That VIII
now stand the test Of facts Is that the Colorado has
cut a new channel and Is dumping its water into the
desert Instead on into the Gulf and probably some Of
the Culf water forced into the desert by the high
tides in the Gulf thus accounting for the salt-Vnter
0sl found.