The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1892-05-26
NATURES ANTICS.
Remarkable Phenomena in South
ern California.
Untathomable Fissures in the Earth Gre
ated by Internal CONCLUSIONS
a Very Mysterinu-
Region.

y few months ago II small party of
prospectors left san DIEGO for that lit
tie known country lying below the
Mexican boundary. just west OF the
Colorado river. This region i, supposed
to be full of valuable mineral deposits
and prolific in natural phenomena
They spent IA couple of weeks ON what
is known as the Santa ISABEL ranch.
some miles northwest of the Cocopah
mountains. While there they heard
that frequently during several DAYS IA
heavy rumhling had been heard in the
direction of the Cocopahs. Proceeding
to las .JuntaS, n little settlement made
up of few Indians and white man on
two. they spent several days there in
prospecting.
Here they We're told by . man named
Elliott that from high Hill he had seen
what seemed to be cloud over the
Cocopah mountains, and had also heard
heavy rumhlings, and once at night had
seen dull light apparently on the very
top of the mountain. He believed it to
be Il volcano Indians had also brought
reports that unusual disturbances had
been observed in the Cocopah region
and they We're greatly frightened.
They recrossed the line into the
United States. and at Indian Wells. on
the Colorado desert, not only heard more
about the rumblings and smoke but for
the first time saw the smoke themselves.
a cloud-like shape that seemed to rest
almost on the earth. The party came
westward and ON the night when the
earthquake shock was felt in San Diego
were camped on an elevation some 5000
feet above the sea level.
That night they not only felt the Sc
verest earthquake shock, but plainly
saw great light shoot upward in the
heavens directly over what was believed
to be the main Cocopah mountain. The
light continued with greater or less
brillancy late into the night, while the
tremors frequent.
The next morning a murlsy cloud of
the color made by burning sulphur
hung like vast umbrella low on the
horizon all day and there were frequent-
ly recurring shocks of earthquake The
party remained in camp that night and
saw the light in the same place, but
much fainter. George Nicllle, who has
ranch on the eastern slope of the
mountains, said that on the night of the
great shake he saw an illumination of
the heavens directly over the Cocopah
mountains. The light changed re-
peatedly, being sometimes very bright.
sometimes dull and almost impercep-
tible. The next morning he saw an UNI
brella-shaped cloud where he had seen
the light the night before. There is no
doubt in the minds of all who saw the
light that it was an active volcano.
George Campbell an old stockman of
the Campo country and proprietor of
the Jacumba ranch on the edge of the
desert. states that n few days after the
first severe earthquake he was ON the
desert looking after cattle that had
strayed far in the direction of Indian
Wells, lie found that the earth was
cracked in many places as a result of
the earthquake
Some assures We're nearly two feet
wide. One afternoon he was riding
, fast when his horse stumbled on the
edge of Il huge assure. lie recovered
himself, however, and jumped across.
Campbell turned back to look If the
huge crevice, which was about eighteen
| to Twenty-Five inches wild, and extended
north and south as far as he could see
and apparently had no bottom
The old stage road from Campo to
| Yuma passes through Il deep canyon,
both sides of which rise apparently to a
great height Mr.. Gaskel SAYS that
one hundred huge rocks have been dis
lodged from the mountain sides and
rolled to the bottom of the canyon, OBJ
structing travel SO much that it is al
most impossible to get through with a
wagon. This canyon is near Coyote
Wells, in ,Iacumba valley. where are
hot and cold springs to which many in
valids resort for bathing Mr.. Camp
bell. the proprietor, says that the flow
of the hot springs has ceased entirely.