The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-08-17
AN UNCANNY REGION.
DEATH VALLEY, WHERE NO LIVING
THING CAN LONG SURVIVE.


Places of the Western WorId--The
Most Arid Spot on Earth.
Death valley is probably the most
unique natural feature in California.
1t is located in the southeast corner of
Incyo county and is inclosed by the
Panamint mountains on the west and
the Funeral range on the east. 1t is
70 miles long and at its narrowest point
but eight miles wide.
AT one time, most probably, it was
the bed of an ancient river The low
est depression is 200 feet below sea
level, but above this rises Telescope
peak, 11000 feet high, of the Pana-
mint range, and directly opposite the
| Funeral peak, which reaches an alti-
tude Of $1,000 feet During the winter
these peaks are covered with snow.
| This remarkable valley was discov-
cred in 1850 by party of immigrants,
many of whom lost their lives in the
chung to it also as being the scene Of
numberless tragedies, Early in its
history traditions of gold and silver de-
posits of wonderful richness within it's
boundaries persuaded many adventur-
Gus persons to undertake the hazard
Gus experiment of its exploration. The
Number who have lost their lives in
this desolate field is undoubtedly great
Pursuing the mirage Of rich deposits of
precious metals these adventurous
| prospectors succumbed at last to the
intolerable heat and the agonies Of
thirst.
The range of the thermometer is
probably greater in Death valley than
elsewhere in the western hemisphere
In winter the temperature is way be
low zero, while in July and August the
thermometer ranges for weeks at 1877
degrees above, frequently rising sever
al degrees higher For weeks at
time the lowest temperature observed
exceeded 100 degrees The daily heat
burns every vestige of vegetation. The
| Spanish bayonet. a plant that flourish
es under the most arid conditions. here
barely survives, while the mesquite.
with its long roots penetrating deep in
to the earth in search of scanty mois-
ture, just manages to exist.
A party of enterprising agriculturists
once experimental with growing fruit
and vegetables in this region, antici-
pating large profits in the early mar
keting of their crops9 The attempt
was a complete failure the intense
heat whitening the plants. notwith-
standing copious supplies of water and
the most skillful cultivation. In the
higher attitudes of the Panamints there
are numerous valleys with flowing
streams. In these fruits are cultivated
and reach the market two months be-
fore the California products mature
The prevailing winds in Death valley
are from the west Though originat-
ing in the Pacific ocean and saturated
With humidity in travelling the inter-
mediate distance, they are intercepted
by the lofty peaks of four ranges Of
mountains, which absorb all of their
moisture, so that by the time they
reach the valley all humidity has dis
appeared. The blasts are as if heated
in fiery furnace, and no living thing
can survive the intense heat Even
birds indigenous to the region die.
1t is in the months of greatest heat
that the sandstorms of Death valley
are most deadly They rage with in
tense fury, obliterating the landscape
and dimming the light of the sun, with
ering the scanty vegetation and cover
ing the trails deep in powdered dust
At tail times the aspect of the valley is
superlatively desolate No spot on
earth surpasses it in aridity or tophet-
like heat.
During the heated term an hour with
out water means death. Meat becomes
putrid in an hour Eggs are cooked in
the blstering sand. Water is only
palatable by means of large porous,
earthenware jars, common to all hot
countries, suspended in drafts and re-
duced in temperature by means of the
rapid evaporation of the moisture from
the outside.
The belief that the borax marshes
are the remains of the vast lake which
once filled the valley is supported by
traces of water line found GOO feet
above on the mountain sides.
In general appearance all boraX
marshes are alike. They are located
at the point of greatest depression and
from a distance look like deposits of
salt or snow. Under the surface is
common wet clay or water of varying
depths, These deposits are generally
circular in form and appear as though
once they We're craters Borax was
created by contact Of boracic acid in
gaseous form, with the lime and soda
of the surface. At Teels marsh, Ne
vada borate of lime appears in the
form of balls imbedded in clay along
with soda, salt, etc, but at Columbus
these are found in sandy soil. Some
times these balls are decomposed, I'M
DERIVING the soil, which is removed and
the borate shoveled out Deposits of
crude borate Of soda are found in NJ
vada and in Death valley at the Monte
Blanco mines Scientific American
Set Member.