Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-08-26
The Beauty Spot
OF the Southwest
Interesting Phenomenon Of White Sands ofHewMox-
loo WvidIy Described.

The ~physiognomy of New Mexico !
y~ariously marked and furrowed; her
. feature or matchless beauty an
violent commissions or nature. On th,
face of this tragic c~ounienance q
tho southwest country there lies On,
beauty patch; a spot 50 white, ~
pure, so dazzling. that the suns rayi
seem TO concentrate and reflect
warm white glow up into the face
OF the heavens. This wonderful phc
nornenon IL called the White Sands
or New Mexico. and TIL origin n var
iously explained.
Somewhat south Of the Staked
Plains, where The npntimbered army
OF white wagoned pioneers met death
from thirst while unwlttingly they
trod the slight stratum 81 soil over
q vast underground body Of water,
another great dosortstreaked plain.
wide and still, spreads from moun-
tain range to mountain range. d vary
ing hundred miles between. On the
bosom nf this plain Ne the White
Sands, consisting Of 10000 acres IF
pure white sand hills, The sands
form 4 thirty milo chain of wlIto hill.
locks averaging a height Of thirty
feet
For miles along this chain there fol.
lows a road. which ut one time form
ed d branch 81 the old Santa Ne trial,
and Is atIll used as d highway between
El Paso and The northern part Of the
territory Of New Mexico. Since the
building of 4 railroad III this region,
the habit Of freightlng along this
road las passed Into aisnse. and the
roadbed Ii Travelled Internationally ~
~cattlemcn. prosnoctors and scientists.
Few rass this way BY choice. since
the seanty water found on.
this plain II so ~impregnatcd With nj.
kali III III be unfit for man Or beast
II Brings 70 Mind The Surf.
From tic railroad tho first %casual
glimpse of the White Sands II no
readily likened to d long line 81 surf
that tho travellers mind frequently
fails % grasp the meaning Of 10 mn
usual a sight MS ten miles OF spray
dashed beach IN the heart OF a desert
country
From Alamogordo 10 kearney the
white line 10 30 markedly visible as
70 be Of necessity remarked. There
Il lies, curling white for many miles.
10 the vision mn nnimpeachable coast
line, and the salt tang 81 the sea may
rocnr to the nostrlls. In the first IN.
sistent moment of seeing tho white
line and shifting the inyigorating air
OF that high altitude,
|. A good road leads from Alamogor
Edo 70 tho White Sands, twenty miles
away. Al closer View Of tho sands ia
infinitely more amazing. The sand
Hes In great white sand dunes. like
drifted % 80 Whitley dazzling as
TO blind the vision. after the manner
Of new fallen snow, under d morning
sun. The White Sands have not the
appearance of belonging ID tho soil
or country. They occur abruptly and
In a series OF heaps which bnddle
close together. md end rs abruptly as
they have begun. The sands seem 10
have been spilled from the aky, or
thrown UP from the inmost rccesses Of
the earth, like SOME outcropplng or
precious stone or metal.
Tho various theories IN regard ID
the origin Of this sand heap arc based
upon the definite knowledge OF their
composition. The White Sands are
almost pure gypsum. The theory.
most generally accepted ~ that OF n
great lake once covered the region,
which receded. leaving behind The de-
posit Of gypsum. Tho grains of the
sand are The same A. that of oolItle
limestone. and The recent discovery III
strata OF limo and sandstone In ths
vicinity 81 The hands has given rise.
10 another theory Ia regard To Inc.
deposit.
According 81 this second theory, ltr
sands At N time are supposed 20
have been poliflc limestone During Il.
volcanic eruption, The s%ulphnrIc acid
case Of the volcano has driven IN the.
carbonie acid gas. thereby producing
the chemical constituents II The sands
In which are found phosphate Of lime
potash, magnesia, soda, aiumina. sii.
lea and traces Of horas and nitrates
The salt. soda and potash ingredients
are abundant.
The substance of The white Sands
Is peculiarly dry and white. not nm
Hike graduated sugar. II ii In fact.
almost pure plaster Of paris. Under
meath the dry surface of he sand d