Evening journal., 1891-07-02
big OCEANS lNROADS.
The Pacific Forming the Colo
d. rado Desert Lake.
CAUSED BY RECENT EARTHQUAKE

a startling Theory Concerning the Won
derful Phenomenon In California-The
Mysterious Lake Is Already of Vast Ex
xent and Is increasing In Size.
san JosE. Cal, July 2-The wonderful
zake that has formed In the California
desert is the result Of an earthquake.
Your correspondent has just returned
from the scene Of the great Good that COW
ers many thousands of square miles of the
alkali lands from three to eight feet deep.
BE had unusual opportunities to observe
she waters ravages. Two terrific earth
quake shocks shook all Southern Califor-
mia last Monday morning They were first
GeIt shortly before o'clock. The motion
was from southwest to northeast. Your
correspondent with some Juma Indians
had been hunting on the coast ranges Of
mountains just to the east and south Of
the great California
On the night Of the earthquake the party
eamped in a canyon midway between Sal
ton, our nearest railroad point, and the
shores Of the Pacific ocean, about fifty
miles distant from either.
Like a Cradle Rocking.
The earthquake was felt with fearful
distinctness in the mountains II was pre-
ceded by loud rumbling, as Of thunder,
and then came a slow upheaving Of the
ground and a dropping back with violent
shock A half dozen similar motions fol-
lowed, each one more violent than the
last. and succeeding each other so rapidly
that the movement can be likened to moth
ing but the rocking Of a cradle on an un-
even floor One Of the Indian guides was
made violently sick.
water nrysteriously Appeared.
The canyon where the camp was pitched
was a very dry place on Saturday evening
but at daylight, about one hour after the
earthquake, water appeared everywhere
on the ground as if a heavy rainfall had
occurred. The water, however, had a
hrackish taste, showing that it could not
have come from the clouds. One Of the
Indians after breakfast reported that some
great changes had taken place In the np-
pearauce of the mountains, and pointing
70 the southeast there was seen huge
gorge, apparently fathomless and which,
he said, was never seen there before.
All along the route toward Salton,
which the party reached about midnight
were indications Of violent upheayal
and pools OF water were seen in many
places that before were known TO be dry.
Water from the Pacific.
Nothing like the present flood was ever
known however and no such quantity Of
water as now threatens to engulf the al
kaii lands could have come from the Col
orado. The conclusion is inevitable, based
npon the experiences in the mountains
already related, that the water now stead
fly covering the low plain comes from the
Pacific ocean through some gigantic open
ing in the coast range OF mountains created
by the earthquake Of Sunday night.
Further proof Of this may be found in
ahe fact that the water now steadily en-
Groaching on the salt plains has a seeming
tidal motion from the southwest the
waves tapping fiercely against the south
ern side Of the tracks Of the Southern Pa
cific railroad.
Additional proof Of the oceanic origin Of
ithis flow is found in the existence in the
finland sea Of small smells of a species
found only In the waters Of the paci6c,
Already Great Sea.
There is now prospect that the inpour
ing Of water will not cease until the entire
desert Is covered. Already a vast inland
AAkc mas uten iotnltu anu lts AREA - utllt
momentarily increased What was viewed
xnerely as a curiosity last Saturday has
become one OF the most wonderful natural
lphenornena recorded In modern history.
Already the circumference Of this inland
sea, which seemingly rose from the bowels
of the earth, measures l04 miles. Thus fai
no serious damage has attended its growth
but unless its limits are soon reached con
siderable damage is sure to result, particu
larly 10 property Of the Southern Pacific
Railroad company Another correspond
ent saws the inland sea is 40 miles lonl
by i2 broad, but only two OF three feet II
depth The Colorado desert covers 500
square miles and extends about hundre'
miles from the Colorado river to Sevel
Palms, on the Southern Pacific railroad
It is in San Diego county, the southern
enost county Of California