The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-02

Is On llbS NIeNlCdu uouuudIy IilS, anu
the country slopes downward on both
sides. The Salton sink afterward be-
came a fresh water lake, which covered
nearly all Of the desert at one time.
The Colorado river next built up 4
food plane around its mouth so that its
path was diverted and it flowed on over
the deposit to the sea. The lakes
source of supply being cut off, it dried
up and only the sink, with its bed COW
cred with millions of fresh water shells,
remains to tell the story of the lake. 1t
is thought that the drying UP took place
in recent times, as the Cahuila and
Dieguito Indians have traditions about
the receding waters The whole region
is one of active volcanic disturbances,
the biggest volcano being known AS ST.
ezra Preta, or Black Butte. This vol
cano has long since ceased 10 be active,
but its huge crater remains. 1t was not
a nlud volcano, but was regular vol
cano of the baSaltic rock kind. 1t rises
out of the mud plane a few miles east
of the Cocopah mountains, the base Of
the volcano mountain being five OF six
miles in circumference. The crater Is
perhaps three hundred and fifty yards
wide and the bottom is now covered
with sand
South of the Sierra Preta is the d.
viding line of the watershed The Colo
RADIO overfloWS below Yuma, near Ago
dones, the overflow being the subsistence
of the once great division of water.
The water flows first southwest to near
ly the foot of Black Butte and there di-
No, III, a., ;,,l
American territory, and the Hardy riv-
er south to the gulf of California. The
division takes place at Volcanic lake.
This volcanic lake Is five miles south of
Sierra Prieta, and a group of mud vol
canoes are on it's edge. Another group
are near the south edge of the Salton
sink
These volcanoes We're first heard of in
the early SOS. There We're a number of
heavy earthquakes, so severe that Chin
ney peak, a famous landmark near
Yuma, was shaken down. After the
earthquakes, the troops stationed at
Fort Yuma noticed a cloud of smoke
lowering over the desert Major Heint-
zelman, who was in charge of the fort, |
started out with party to make an in |
vestlgation, and they discovered the |
mud volcanoes In active eruption They |
were what are called salses. or eruptive |
mud springs, caused by an explosion of |
steam in the earth. which throws up the |
mud to considerable height and builds |
regular cones. Ever since this discove-
~ the volcanoes have continued active. |
Shortly afterward DIR. John LIE Conte
made trip to this strange country and |
published his Investigations. He was |
followed by Dr. John Veatch, who visit
led the volcanoes south of SaIton sink |
md described them AS being very ac-
i've, throwing mud to height of sixty
eet or more.
AT the present time there are about
fifteen active volcanoes and twice that
humber that are quiet, having subsidized
md left their cones. A large cloud Of
'moke hangs over the place, and there
ire great many cracks and assures in |
he earth, from which the steam es-
apes, The explosions can be heard for
many miles.
Professor David z. Barrows of the |
'an Diego state normal school, visited
hese volcanoes several months ago for |
he purpose of investigating these
TRANCE freaks of nature. The overflow
vas very high at the time, and Profess
or Barrows had to strip and swim the
Hardy river, about one hundred yards |
vide, to reach the volcanoes. He found
number submerged in Volcanic lake, |
nd the others We're on the mud plane |
lst above the lake. IT is the opinion OF
Barrows that the ground Is
ssured to regions Of heat, and the wa
ar, pereolating down, becomes convert
d into steam and is forced up again |
nth an explosive force, carrying mud |
nth it, A number of volcanic gases,
Al ammoniac principally, are thrown |
II with the Steam. One volcano under
he lake was very active, throwing up a
ig column of mud and water On all
ldes was the sound of escaping gas.
he soil was hard and baked and salt
The springs were full of boiling water
nd pools Of water which had run off
egistered temperate of from one
undred and fifteen to one hundred and |
lirty degrees. The water was very
lily, and where it leaked through the
lrth it left an absolutely pure deposit
salt. Professor Barrows did not have
s shoes with him, and found 1t diff