Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-11
NOT AN ARID WASTE.
An Explorer Terms the Colorado Desert q
Most Fertile Region.

Most Fertile Region.
Tho at first mysterious salt sea which sp-
peared last year and covered portion Of the
Colorado desert will be remembered afford
ing unlimited speculation to its source. per
maneney and other points. 1t was finally
proved that the great body OF water was formed
by an overflow Of the western branch of the
Colorado river. This fact was clearly shown
by n tri? made By Mr.. Harry Patton and a
party, in which the expedition sailed down the
Colorado river. through the break in the bank
and across the newly formed body Of water to
saiton. on the Southern Pacific.
NE. CONVERSE ExTLcEEs-
One Of the members of this exploring trip
was H. W Converse Of Campo, San Diego
county. and this gentleman with his son has
spent the summer Just past in exploring still
further the desert region. and the results Of his
hbors are startling In showing n seemingly fer
tile region. one which BY proper irrigation
easily obtained from the Colorado river could
be kept fertile. instead Of the generally sup
posed desert. Mr.. Converse made a close ex-
animation of the region. including the string OF
lakes and the rivers. His opinion of the fer
tilify Of the region may be gathered from the
following extracts from his letter:
MOST rrRrnE THE WEST.
I'VE took plenty Of time carefully to examine
the lands on either side Of our meanderings to
ascertain what the prospects are for the future
utilization Of this vast Of more than
5000 900 acres In the valley of the Colorado.
Az result OF nv investigation nv candid
opinion II that the great basin Of Indian Wells,
Alamo and the country north well "a south
will be the garden Of California and the coast
the water already in its streams and
lakes-the great natural canal system OF New
river-is diverted out and upon these rich
.l.ets 81, q.
all the water necessary IL at hand. All that
II required is to lead IL. from the thousands Of
ancient canals which cover this entire region,
out upon the soils. These old canals are more
than 500 miles long IN the aggregate. There Is
no desert here. IL 10 nothing more nor less
thar great valley. one OF tho most fertile IN
the west. II Is only question of time. and
that a short time, II the matter IL brought to
the attention of the public. when II will be
transformed
The whole great valley il covered with lakes.
ponds and hOlos Of water. which can easily and
cheayly be converted into storage re-ervSlrs
for hnsbaading the water until II l. wanted Tor
irrigation. The Colorado river il from 100 to
I'D feet above the sealevel Nv camp At Iag1na
near Indian Wells was thirtv-eight feet below
the sea level which makes the valley at that
locaiity lSs feet below the river. The distance
To the river BY m line Is ninety miles and II
h about leo by the streams. which would give a
fall Of about foot to the mile. The places
thst can - u-fI Tor storage reserVOlr- are SIT
mated one above the other. with falls interven-
ing Of from five To ten feet descending west
ward from the Colorado. Hence every foot Of
of land In this great valley on both sides Of the
boundary line can be easily and cheaply
irrigated.'
Il have travelled all over this great valley
since February LAST. from Yuma To- the mouth
OF the Colorado river, and from the Cocopah
mountains nearly tn salton Lake. covering an
area Of more than one hundred miles square or
s.s5o. 900 acres. After full study Of the region
am prepared 20 say that IL has no: Its equal in
the vest CIR fertility Of soil. growth OF pastur-
age and verdure and ease with which il can be
irrignted with little expense. Its accessibility
h notable the Colorado river cuts II north and
south and the Southern Pacific railroad skirts
It's eastern aud northern boundary for 100 miles
or more Why some rich corporation has not
seen it, wsy clear 10 open this rich section to
settlement. Why the great state IF California
has not seen that the richest portion Of her area
h here on her southwest corner are questions
cannot solye.
II never saw such luxuriant feed such grasses
and 80 many varieties grow on this desert. '
There i ted everywhere here for the thousands
% cattle which have been starving lately IN
Arizona and California. There more than
5000 head already IN the Indian Wells region.
and $500 vii be there next week from Campo
and vicinity. and Yet not one il feeding east
Of New river. With the I 200 head near the
Algodeue-. these will make 9. 200 head of cattle
nov feeding In the great valley 81 the Colorado
desert. and vet not one-tenth Of its pasturage
h touchsA ghsre IL room for at least 40 900
more for the coming year. and even they would
not cover the great area Of pasturage. | saw
tins after even months o. careful exploration
covering more than ?. 500 miles of travel. all in
this great valley"