Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-09-26
@-,ss. - d. .r.-

~ pAA '7i'SoiioIIlS Vi New htSlCO Is
Varlonsly marked and furrowed; here
a feature of matchless beauty and
violent convulsion of nature. On the
lace or this tragic countenance of
the southwest country there lies one
be auty patch a spot so white, so
pure. so dazzling, that the suns rays
seem to concentrate and reflect a
warm white glow up into the face of
the heavens. This wonderful phenom-
eron is called the White Sands of New
Mexico, and its origin is variouslv ex-
planned.
Somewhat south Of The Staked
lains. where The unnumbered army Of
White waeoned pioneers met death
fsom thirst while they unwi1tingly
tod the slight stratum OF soil over
vast underground body of water.
9nother great desert-streaked plain,
T:de and still. spreads from noun
tain range to mountain range. a vary
ing hundred miles between. On the
hosom of this plain lie the White
Sands. consisting of 10000 acres of
pure white sand hills. The sands
tolm thirty mile chain of white hill.
locks averae eine height of thirty feet
For miles along this chain there fol
lows a road. which at one time form
90 & branch of the old Santa Fe trail.
and is still used as a highway between
Ell Paso and the northern part of the
territory of New Mexico Since the
hulldlns of railroad in this region
the habit of freiehtine along this road
las passed into disuse. and the road.
he'd is Travelled intermittently by cat
t'emen. prospectors and scientists
Few pass this way by choice. since
the lack OF water is found on this
pain is so imrreenated with alkali as
20 be unfit for man or beast.
1t Brings to Mind the Surf.
glimpse of the White Sands is so read
i!N likened to long line of surf that
he travellers mind frequently fails
u grasp the meaning of so unusual
sight as ten miles of spray dashed
beach in the heart of desert country
from AIamo2ordO to kearney the
h1te line Is 50 remarkably visible as
tG he of necessity remarked. There il
1}eS, curing white for many miles, &c
the vision an unimpeacleable coast
l.0e, and the salt tang of the sea ma,
recnr to the nostrils. in the first insist
ent moment of seeing the white line
and shifting the invieoratine air OF
1'iat high altitude.
hood road leads from Alamosorfc
tH the White Sands, twenty miles
I@waN. 4 closer view of the sands is
)'hnnely more amazing. The sand
id"lfted SHOW so Whitley dazzling as
- hllnd tho vision. after the manner
6 rev fallen snow. under A morning
sun. The White Sands have not the
appearance OF belonging 10 the soil
or country. They occur abruptly and
IT series of heaps which hnddle
C;ose to@f' her. and end as abruptly as
they have heem. The sands seem to
''ave h"er srilln1 from The Sky. or
'nrcwn up from tho inmcst receSses Of
the earth. like some ontcropping ct
precious t(.re or metal.
The l&"iels theories IN regard tu
the origin e this sand heap are based
urc1 the :, t5zite knowledge of their
ccmposi-jca. The White Sands are
ai1ncst plya gypsum The theory
most gene ally accepted is that Of 4
great lake esee covering the region,
which = aaed. leaving behind the de.
post cf - lsayn. The grains Of the
sand 2re the same Us that OF tolitlc
ljueetcae, and the recent discovery q
strata cf Ire and sandstone il the
vicinity CT the sands has given rise
to another theory in regard to the de-
posit
According @ the second theory, the
sands al c.e ttYna are supposed to
have been oclitic limestone. During a
yo}cqnfo orue-icn. the sulphuric acid
eq.; Of 4he Ycoano has driven CT the
carheaio aoid gas. here by producing
the eheroicsl constituents of the sands,
in which 80 faand rhesnhae Ct lime,
rctaeh 0aenesia, soda, a1un2ina, sii.
ica and t-aces Of bora3 and nitr ates-