Arizona republican., 1900-08-30
CONQUEST OF THE DESERT
The Wealth of Arid Eme ica That
 Irrigation Will Reclaim.


 In recently published volume, The Conquest of Arid America" by Will liam F. Smyth, who is one of the best known authorities on the reclamation of dcsect lands, there is an interesting account of the miracle whereby DOT tons of California Geser,S have been made to blossom and lear fruis Irriga-
 ton is the magic wand that has called forth ranches and orchards of oranges, lemons. olives. figs. and other tropical fruits in abundance wh re before had been dreary, intending reaches of ster- iIe alfali and sand. What has been Gone for part is possible fer the whole says MT. Smyth, and he predicts that the most prosperous part of the country in the future will be the now despised and feared deserts.
 Explorers have written of the vast Colorado desert. which lies entirely in California, Arizona and NJ Xican terri tory. Scientists tell Us it was once a greac salt sea connecting with he ocean though the gulf of California. but de- posits of sediment from the Colorado river made d barrier between the two, much as the deltas of the Mississippi were formed below New Orleans. The fierce heat f the Southern California sun and natures process of evaporation soon resulted in the disappearance of the wat r after i;s isolation.
 The time Of this transformation was epochs go. and is placed as mt earlier than the PHocene age. Along ;he east ern base of the San Jacinto mountains there is a well defined beach line that can be readily traced for miles and miles from the railroad, always at the same level. The works are worn and rounded up to this old beach line, but are sharp and jagged above. By ac- tual measurement ,he beach line has been found to b. even with the present ! sea level, while a greater portion of the basin is considerably lower. From time to time marine shells and remains of great fish are unearthe1 that bear out the conclusions of scientists. The Ca Euilla Indians have legends of thelr ancestors having caught fish from the waters and stone fish traps have been found in mounds along with other evi- Cence f an early civilization.
 The Colorado desert holds the record i for maximum heat. even surpa ssing the Gobi desert of India and the great Sa- hara Of Africa. At Mammoth tank. a watering station on the line of the Southern Pacific railroad. about twen- ty-fVe miles from the Mexican border, | the thl rmometer registered 12S degress ! Fahrenheit in the shade in July If 1SS7 The ordinary showers of other sections are unknown here. though ! now and then comes a cloudburst of I destructive power.
 Tha supreme danger Of the desert. i however. is the sand storm. and when . there are signs in the heavens If the :. coming of one of chese death dealing temp s-s any attempt ;o continue a journ y Is not only useless but exceed ! ingly dangerous. Ii is the blizzard with the intense hea; of d raging furnace. i ! I'-Cally there comes in the morning a I5iIid hue in the molten sky and q haze . wells the sun. The air begins to move l g Hly and the humidity makes the l breeze unwelcOme. Gradually the haze | cloud appears in the distance. Incrsas- ' ing continually in size as f1 approach | es. there is noticeable a swirlng and i boiling. WEln the storm breaks the air is filled with dry. heated particles 1 of sand, and as the density increased l with the added fury of the s,Orm. the |
  sUffocation and the night are upon him. Brsa hing through handker- chief, moist nsd. if possible, will pre- vent one from swallowing much of the sand, though is is impossible to escape ! it entirely. il half hour the wind gra 5ually subsidies. the sun comes out | with seemingly increased ferceness. and tho storm abaJes. Trails and paths are Oblitela. ted. A peculiar feature of the storm is that the Whirling, tum6- ling sand never forms in ridges. but af- ter the tempest is over the plain is as smooth as before.
 IneXp rienceG desert travellers. un- less ace mranied by guides go to cer- lain death. for the Ea';ing spots are few and far between. and the entire de- pression is mark I with scattering heaps 0f stones in .ha form Of rude crosses which indicate burial places of adven- urers who died of thirst. AIirages on l the desert are nearly always of waiter. Story afser story is told by old pros 9 csors and desert inhabitants f trav- alers who have bs lured t0 death by these ghostly visions Of water in plenty to Quench their parchel jhroats. The oases are rare. but the wa.er sup ply is ample to provide for the long 1urneys Luxuriant palms surround he wells and velvety grass greets tired 'eet. SOmcwh re on the desert. OccO- .i nally seen by wandering parties, is he remnan, of herd of camels i'm