New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-09
NO LONGER A DESERT.
THE WATERS OF SALTON SEA HAVE COW
Erred TIE SANDS WITH VERDUKE.
IRRIGATION MAY MAKE THE COLORADO VAL
LEY TIE MOST FERTILE REGION OF
CALIFoRXI>-IMPREss1oN OF ONE
WHO CAREFULLY TRAYERsED
THE REGION.

WHO CAREFULLY TRAYERsED
THE REGION
Los Angeles Sept. 10 (Spcci1D.-Since the Saton
sea episode the Colorado desert has received more
attention than for many years before. The desert
occupies the southca5, portion OF this state, occupy
Ing those pats OF san Bcrnardino ard san Diego
counties between the mountains and the Colorado
River Much OF IT IS below the ocean level. ana was
unqucsonably ages ago tho bed Of sea. This fact
when tho phenomenon Of the inflow OF water to the
$alton basin occurred two years ago. caused consh-
cradle speculation rs to whether permanent Dody
OF water would not again occupy II. but there mas
been no reason found since the subsistence OF u'e
flood referred which to base any such theory
But IL is within the bounds OF imminent probability
that as result OF the attention drawn to this region.
and the noting Of conditions cnuscd by tho overflow
spoken Of In a generation the Colorado desert
will have Joined the region Of traditions the Ireat
American Desert" which the maps Of thirty years
ago occupied the greater portion OF tho western part
OF this continent For the salton flood has demon
strated that the desert when watercd Is maze OF re-
markably fecund soil. and can be made to rival the
Nile Valley In prolific productivcness.
Readers who recall the matter published, wnlch
sprung out n. the sudden overflow into the Sal'oh
hosIn NJ tho Colorado River mny recall that South
ern California newspaper man. Harry Patton OH
plovcd BIZ "Thc san francisco EXAMINER nccompa-
MED BY two desert men" il. ". Converse. OF
Yuma Arizona. sailed down tho Colorado River IN n
canoe 10 where tho breaks occurred in the river bank
passed through the crevnsse and In Few uaN'
sailed into saon. having literally naviGnted INC
desert II was thi, expedition which settled inc
pror discussion rs to the source Of the water some
holding tina, II came from the GuK of California. and
others that the Colorado had broken through us west
hanks which proved TO be the case.
Mr. Converse and his littlo son last spring started
on tour Of tho desert and he promised TO send mo
a brief report 81 his Journey and Impressions. "hcn
he has done It Is the first reliable report Of the
condition o, l1rs in that region received i'r NAM
months and T.. imagine Of Interest As VIII Nv
seen ho ha, summcrod In IN" very h'ar' u we
deser. not having returned to Canoo until the first
Of September.
NV son Willie and loft Yuma on May O. and took
,yro small boat, and went down the Colorado RlVor'
twenty miles 10 the Aleodon"s. Here We hhu 10
cnmp for n wcct. waiting FOR the water To rise 80 'nh'
We could got through the north channel 81 carer
River. which runs from the Colorado 10 the 'altol
h,slo IN this time tho water rose six inches ana
with willie lr the smaller boat and IN tho larger on"
10 Rad no trouble I'm mailing down tho stream
Al seven Wells IN the old San Diego overland roah
We found tho water turbulent. but not d'n2'r'>
From Gardner's to tho edge Of tho Sanon baSlh
distance Of ninety mile, tho country Is dc'ton
hy n scrlcs of small lakes from n bnlfmN' to mle
in length and but slightly less broad tho north branch
NJ New River forming their connecting links
ave went down Cartor River tho same route that
Patton Carter and myself followed last year. rs Jar ~
the dividing rim between S1lion and tho Alamo M"ono
bains in tho vlcinltY Of which We sport t'rcc Weeks
In exploring tho country both sides Of tho Natohai
boundary During thl, time We carefully examined
tho srlondd area Of fertile soil both sides Of the
line which by very little expense can he rrieat'd
bv tho vast amount Of water running N waste as
II comes from tho Colorado toward saltop.
We crossed over 20 New River on june and
found no water five miles south of Indian VOLS WHICH
shows fla, the water gets down the dividing rim In
Carter River about month earlier than II does In New
cIvcr We returned 20 Carter River and went back
otovo Alamo Mucho about i've miles IN narrow. deep
stream which leaves II and flows 10 the southeast ana
omnics into the New Colorado littlc distance below
the Padroncs We had no trouble In ascending the
Carter River ne tho water was sluggish. In follow
ing tho now stream 10 tho Southeas; We came INTO Lake
pcachawichi as II is called Icy the Indons. which Is
largo body Of water with hardly rorccpiibe cur
rent We went down tho lake about seven miles and
found large stream Of water flowing on % IN" Hght'
with strong. deep current running toward ue Yves,
branch NJ Now River We went tho entire length OF
the lake and should estimate It IN cover an area OF
olout eight hy twelve miles. stream which we had
left 10 the north we here found 10 be about 200 yards
wide and twenty miles long. and nsc"rnlncd that 1t
runs nearly 10 the New Colorado and loses itself IN
another series Of lakes. At high water IT also runs
into Lake Jnullu through an old channel now par
talIy filed with sand near It's mouth. We turned into
tho channel which had left and expected 10 rcach
New River. We found plenty ~ water ana hoh'o"
dovn tho river FOR twenty odd miles to where II
orn,,ics into BLACK Butte Lake near the volcanoes
l,tte IN Tho west Of Lake ulllu which. by the way
found was eighteen miles long and twelve miles "ld"
Tho west branch Of New River leaves Lake Jnullu
about four miles to the south We spent TWO days IN
exploring this lake and the surrounding country. we
found \ fine stream running out Of the lake on the
tto-. tint NcW
ton miles west. | also tried to get into Lake Juulln
ro,, IN, southeast side Of Black Butte Lake, but Willie
tbc water runs in good current in places 1t was TOO
shallow TO let boats pass through inc STOUT prsh
and high Grass on our trip passed great many
springs on tho streams We followed some OF them
were geysers but all seemed 10 be good water though
, number showed by their flavor that they were I'M
nrccr,tca with some minerals. Although covered by
b. ,cr I'm the streams OF these springs forced
their clear waters feet above the surface Of the
muddy water In III channel We took tho southwest
stream and so reached the west branch OF New RIVER
We tried to navigate up that stream TO the volcahoes
and turn Into Lake Juullu, but could not succeed on
account OF the strong current 20 WE "c'' "'''' "'
stream TO Indian Wells.
"Wc took plenty OF time carefully to examine the
land. on either side OF our mennderings 10 ascertain
what the prospects for the future UTILIZATION OF
this vast area OF more han 6OOo,OOo acres IN thc
valley OF the Colorado. As result OF my nves'ga-
ton my candIi opinion is that the great basin OF
Indian Wells, Alamo and the country noTh as well as
.ou will be the garden OF California and the coast as
soon as the water already In its streams and lakes
tho great natural canal system OF New Rver-s diverted
out and upon these rich valley soils see no difficulty
IN do,nr this rs all the water necessary Is at hand
An that Is required Is lead It, from the thousands
=, ancient canals which this entire region, out
unon the soils These old canals are more than 800
miles long I'm the aggregate. There Is no dcScr here
I, &c nothing more nor less than great valley one OF
tho mos, fertile in the IVES. 1t Is only question OF
time. and that short time, II the mater Is brought
to the attention OF the public when 1t will be trans
formed
.The whole great valley Is covered with lakes
nonds and holes OF water which easily and chesply
10 converted into storage reservoirs for outstanding
tho water until Il Is wanted for irrigation. The Colo