The Meeker herald., 1893-01-28
A LOST WATER COURSE.
STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE OF
A STRANGE RIVER,
a california River With Strange Charac-
teristtcs that Suddenly Took n
Header and Down Into the
o sarth 1t Went.

" speaking, they should be called the
unnatural phenomena Many of these
while entirely within the bounds of
truth have been of such a character
mat the nearer who is unfamiliar with
the numerous remarkable, though in
ulsputable facts that exist here is in
cllned to receive them with incredul-
ity, OF such Il nature is the extra
ordinary fate that has befallen the
Whitewater river, III Southern Cali
fornia, This stream, tumultuous
mountain torrent has suddenly and
entirely disappeared, leaving nothing
out Il bed of dry powders to mark the
course which it had SO long pursued
1t was here but yesterday; it is gone
to-day. No earthquake shock or
tremendous convulsion of nature was
ii that caused this sudden disappear
ance.
On the contrary. there had but
recently been heavy storm. and the
" hltewatcr was running bank full.
what that means to Il stream that has
SO PERCEPTIONS II course as this can best
be understood by one who has seen the
swiftly rushing waters and hear the
merciless crush and grind of the great
powders that are swept along by the
torrent like so many pebbles. At such
times the Whitewater is no mdsummer
purling brook, laughing over its pebbly
bed, but an angry torrent CARRYING de-
struction and even death in its path.
Away up on the lofty slopes and
submits of San Bernardino and Gray
back, silvery queens of those southern
valleys, standing like the angel OF old
mt the gateway OF the Garden of Eden.
are great snow fields, whose melting
supplies the life-giving waters for the
purple vineyards and golden orchards
OF half Southern California.
On the east the icy cold Offspring OF
the lofty mountain side flows down to
the desert in the stream known ms the
Whitewater river. The water is of
Veritable milky wilderness, its hue
being caused by peculiar deposit of n
bluish-whitc character. which is
carried in suspension for thc greater
portion OF the year Only in mid
summer. after long dry period. does
the water become clear while immeii-
ately after storm this deposit becomes
so heavy that the water is almost of
the consistency OF mud
This material settles quickly whom
ever the water stands in pools or be-
comes motionless, and forms Il heavy
crust, which, after the evaporation of
the moisture. rapidly dries and taxes
on the consistency of sun-dried brick.
When the water is used for irrigation
n thin layer of the material IL left on
the soil, and being plowed under pro-
duccs results in the stimulation of
vegetation which show il to be OF great
value as Il fcrtili2ing substance.
This stream flows for many miles
through n wild. rocky and precipitous
canyon, finally coming out on the
desert on the easterly slope OF the San
Gorgonio pass, Two or three miles
beyond the mouth of the canyon the
Southern Pacific railroad crosses the
river on n substantial bridge. and for
some distance the stream il in sight
from the passing train. Then it bears
away 10 the right toward the San
Jacinto mountains, and keeping along
the hills runs down toward lndio
until ii is gradually taken up by the
hot and thirsty sand of that desert
region. There is nothing phenomenal
about this disappearance, however, for
the same experience befalls many an
other stream in this state. During
the heavy rains OF month or six
weeks since, the Whitewater was high
er than had been known for years. 1t
washed away the railroad bridge and
literally ran all over the country.
Then OF n sudden it disappeared. At
Il point between the railroad and the
mouth of the canyon the bottom OF the
stream dropped ont rs it were, and
the water. finding some subtcrranean
channel. has seemed so well content
that it has followed it ever since. Nor
does it come to the surface again ut
another point as is frequently the case
with the erratic streams of California.
1t plungcs into the bowels OF the earth
and there it remains.
A plausible explanation of the causes
OF this mysterious disappearance is
furnished by the old settlers there
about. Tho entire region is "a mass of
powders and shifting sand, into which
water sinks us into sponge. In the
bed of the river the peculiar material
already described has after fashion
formed a cement coating. which acts
like the cement lining to irrigation
canals. preventing the water from cs-
Gaping by seepuge. But when there is
Il food the bed OF the stream is torn
up, the cement disappears. and when,
AS would seem to be the case in the
present instance. there are underground
cavities or courses. the water dis
appears at the same time. Such n
thing happened once before, n great
many years ago, and after being lost
for long period, the river resumed its
usual channel Presumably the heav-
lily charged waters had precipitated
their mineral burden in sufficient guam
tity TO I'LL up the openings beneath the
surface after which the stream became
n we,l-regulated river again. and kept
on tco of the ground. 1t is TO be hoped
this experience may be repeated, other
wise it may work hardship to n num-
Der of farmers who obtain their sup
plies of water for irrigation from the
river at a point lower down than where
the stream has played its little hide
ap6 caelf tripk