Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-07-17
EXPLORATION TOUR
Eastern New Mexico to Be Explored
and Mapped by a Government
Expedition.
A REGION LITTLE KNOWN
The Natural Wonders of Eastern New Mex
leo and Western Toxas-No Definite
Idea of the Topography of the
Rocky Mountains.

exnlore the least known region within
the limits of the United States--that
mysterious country in eastern new
Mexico and western Texas where the
old-time adventurer, Coronado, was
lost. together with his band of follow
ers. while searching for the golden VII
of Gran Quivera. He was led TO
believe that there was such a village,
filed with stores of the yellow metal
NV the tales of tr%eacherous Indians VINO
conducted him into those Wilds for the
purpose of losing the party and leaving
them to starve in the desert wastes
They were taken by their false guides
across the Staked Plains into this vast
and horrible trap: but, having discov-
cred the snare, they managed to make
their way out of it.
AN UNKNOWN COUNTRY.
The government expedition Will De
headed by Robert II. Hill, of the United
States geological survey. Mr.. Hill said:
notwithstanding the vast amount OF
exploration and scientific research that
has been going on, some of the most
elementary features of American geog-
raphy are at present practically un-
known. We may say, to begin with,
that the most conspicuous feature or
the North American continent is the
great Corderilla or Rocky ounta
system, with it's bordering ranges OF gl-
| gantic Sierras, inclosing vast basin des-
erts, This system stretches, in a shape
| hat may be likened to a canoe, rom
British Columbia to the drop-oH OF the
| Mexican plateau, south of the City OF
Mexico.
THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.
"The eastern rim of the canoe, known
| as the Rockies. has been mapped up te
| date only as far south as Santa Fe
| From that point on through New Mex
leo. western Texas and northeast Mex
leo are many great mountains ano
ranges which have never been delineat-
| ed on any chart. No definite Idea ex-
| lists as to their arrangement, the eleva.
| lions to which they rise or the details
| of their topography. 1t Is known, how
ever, that in Mexico, south of the
mouth of the Rio Grande, the noun
| tains of the mighty system II into the
sea, where the great coastal plain tina
| begins in New Jersey and runs doWr
| the east shore of the continent comes tC
an end.
PECULIAR CORPORATIONS.
"The problem is to md out something
| about these mountains, with other de-
! tails necessary for the mapping OF this
| country, which Is at present so com
| pletely unknown. Last summer mace
a section across the east front ranges
in the Great Bend region of Texas, ant
this year I am going to r~econnoiter tn
vast territory which lies between there
and Santa Fe to the north n west
| From the little that is known of the
country in question, it may be descrlbet
as a land of peculiar conformation
mighty anges of mountains %alternat'
ing with vast stretches of waterless ia
| blelands, bordered by precipitous cliffs
and inclosing immense desert valleys
= called 'bolsons' by the Mexicans. The
word bolson means, literally, a purse
and hence is applied to those Enclosed
areas which have no drainage outlet tC
the sea. Among the mountains one may
mention the Sacramento group, the
highest peak of which, Eel Captain, is
said to be over 10000 feet in height
above sea level, and Is covered with
valuable pine forests.
NATURAL FEATURES.
'This region has many remarkable
natural features, among which / might
sneak of Howard Bolson, on the line be-
tween Texas and New Mexico, with Its
strange lake of crystal salt. 1t is quite
a large body Of water, and Is always
covered with a thin layer of salt, which
IN TO recent times was the chief source
of salt supply of all northern Mexico
The natives used to come hundreds OF
miles to get 1t. But the railways ar
rived, civilization vas introduced, and
an American named Howard took pos
session of the lake under settlers
rights. That was about ten years ago.
Inasmuch as the aborigines had always
considered the lake the common prop
erty of all, they resented the monopoly
and murdered the new owner. OF
course, the salt Is derived from the
rocks of the mountains surrounding the
lake, being carried into the latter by