Arizona republican., 1900-08-30

of California. Briefly, for the tale has been told often, a score of immigrants parisned here in 1850 for the want of water. They had left the beaten trail across the desert to find a short cut to the gold fields and had depended upon chance 10 provide them with drink fnr man and beast. They were fortunate until reaching Death valley. After night of torture the party abandoned their animals and attempted to scale the mountains. A dozen survived, the rest died and their tragic end gives the peaceful valley it's re2ellent name.
 Next to Mammoth Tank. Death valley holds the record fir excessive heat. The highest point reached by he thermom- eter there is 122 degrees md the aver age daily maximum is 120. Yet despite the intense heat of the cay the nights are not only cool but often cold; water nas been known to freez in canteers left out Of Goors during a night follow ing an excessively hot day. Death val ley of today is the center of the bOraX fl Ids of California, and they supply the world. They are controlled by a man who was very poor until decade ago, when ne discovered l.he immense de- poslts of boraX. He was chemist enough to realize that his fortune Waz al his feet and he developed the busi- I.ess until now the entire marketable supply is regulated from Death valley.
 SaltOn is located almost in the center If what scientists say was once the Salt sea. As it's name indicates the en- ergies of it's people are given to salt mining, but it is not the rock salt which = found in many other parts of the world that has to undergo an expensive process of refining to be of commercial value Rock salt is found on the desert and it is of use, but it goes into making ballast for railr- ad construction and it is a marvel to tourists that the great. clear crystals that are supposed to be of value for a quite dizsimilar purpose. should be put to such prosaic use. But the prOdigal treasure house of the des- ert has improved upon the rock salt of commerce. Solar evaporation of the salt sea has left the commodity in state ready for shipment. Nature has accomplished the refining and the de- posits that have been found give no sign of ending. Arsenic is a common mineral on this desert. and several springs eve their poisonous qualities to it's presence.
 A large body of superior asbestos has been worked for the past ten years on the east slope of the San Jacinto noun tains. Clays of commercial value have been found in paying quantities in va rious parts of the desert.
 Such, in brief, is the great American desert. Despite is dangers it has it's Vaccinations. It has the attraction that vaztness and solitude always have and old timers who have spent years there. and afterwarl removed to populous ci- sies, have heard the call of the desert and have returned. Catholic priest who was engaged in missionary work among the Indians in the early days published a volume a half century ago on the American deserts, and his open ing description -ef the Colorado is worth reproducing
 'The maledc,icn of heaven seems to weigh heavily on the solitude. which re- minds one of the desolate shore of the Dead sea. where SodOm and Gomorrah were destroyed. In the east there ap- peared inaccessible mountain ridges.