The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-03
CLOSE 10 sUBrnnRANxAS FIRE
Ar. ,he Feet 90 Tho-. Nvho Wnik On the
Esur.ing saud or Death valley.

NON re sls Fraressro CALL
Mr. Frederick Momson's lecture on Death
Valley. which was delivered At Metropoltan
fsowlsdss Of one Of the most curious spots in
the state, It.vaa a year or two after the az.
s pwSsn by the friahtfu Destruction Of an i'm.
migrant party By thirst within its limite
ME- rs sonntn Ssp S.T erosse af pass IN tie
Paramint Mountains and strnok into the yal-
ley. where their sSelstops lie 70 thls s, DAY;
and pronounced Il TO be the bed Of former
last volcanic commissions on this side OF the
mountains Since then II has been visited By
but as Il contains no water as the air Is i'm
preenated with mephitie gases and az tho
thermometer sometimes registers a. much as
14O' In the shade In summer visitors have
Yet Il il an interesting spot II IL part OF the
the su6tefranesn river Of Mojsye. and the Col.
orado Desert belong, and OF which the geysers
relic Of the last glacial age, so this distressed
region is q surviving relic OF the lateat igDeous
age an era when nothing was finally ~ settled.
premaoy over the soil similar regions eT-
ist in southern ,Calabrla, and In the vi
csnio force has so far lost its primitive on.
srgy that earthquakea are light, and there
tlnue TO escape in Buch quantity that travel IL
attended with danger TO life, and the water
eDrtngB are polluted with SAT-, suiDnut, anu
poisonous ingredients. In the California SOL
iatara excessive heat "a added to the other
horrors Of the place. The centre OF the valley
IL hotter than SEMINAR and the only animal
life Is q few specimens Of tropical reptiles.
the bottom Of the valley is the lowest depres;;
sion on the earth's surface. This Ia not
strictly correct The lowest levels obtained
in Death Valley are about 43Q feet below the
Palestine is !. 800 feet below. But the hole
which goes by the name Of Death Valley 10
pretty deep. The crust OF the earth through
out the valleys Of San Bernardlno and lnyo
counties must be very thin. The travellers
everlasting fire by a elm sheet of earth and
rock, WHICH would otler but n slight re-
pistance to seismic force. A few miles distant
from Death Valley there IL q region which may
thousand active volcanoes-small OF their
kind to be sure. baby volcanoes, 40 to sneak,
but still actively engaged in throwing up mud
and water And not many miles away is tho
Mount whitney rears It's head through tho
clouds: solid masses OF primeval rock which
must have worn the shape in which we see
them now when the plain at their feet was q
water contended for tho mastery.
To see such marvels OF nature people cross
oceans. spend fortunes. and carry their lives in
their hands. Neither Mnuna l.oa nor Heela Of
Valley and tine Colorado Desert In January
and February the heat in the valley Is bear
able-not over 90 in the shade. Excursion
parties might DO ted out with supplies OF
might see enough TO realize what the world
was ike in the Putonic age. The contrast be-
tween the pleasant valleys OF the rivers. with
their fruit trees bursting into blossom. and
chasms aud their hideous Inhabitants. would
be thing not easily forgotten.