The Imperial press., 1905-08-05

of water to accumulate on the mirage covered desert are matters of much in- terest at the present time, not only to the casual reader and the public at large, but also to the people of the Imperial Valley as well. The general public with their vague and hay con- ception of geogra phical conditions in this Valley, and the generally upside down state of mind in which our loca- tion below sea level places them, are buffetted about with all kinds of stories.
 The Examiner tells them of the leaks in the cracks of the canal at "lmperlal' as being responsible for the water col lecting at Salton in sufficient quantities to be called sea. Another paper tells them that the river is falling and the waves at "SaltOn" will soon suoslde. Still another solemmly informs it's read CTS that tine situation is Under Con- trOI."
 With a view to learning the real state of affairs at the Colorado river we took the train last Saturday afternoon for a trip to Yuma and down the river to the Imperial canal heading, in order to make personal examination and see with our own eyes the conditions there obtaining.
 Uron bosrding the train at imper'al We met Mir. C. G. Redwood. tia" assist ant general manager n the Caiifornla Development Co.,, accNmpahled by Air. Peter Gainex. bound for the heading too. Upon informing Mir. Redwood of our iournry and the crrand on which 1t was undertaken he very kindly invited us to acconinany himso ou the trip down the river and about the heading and works of his company.
 This we gladly accepted, and on Sun day morning set out down the Colorado from Yuma, on board the launch Ger trud@,. for the lower Mexican intake.
 On the boat were Mr. Redwood, Mr. Corey, an eng1neer from the Southern Pacific Co.,. Mr. Gaines, and his assist ant Mir. Galbraith and Mir. Brainard of the Reclamation Service, who went down with us to measure the flow ot the river, and the PRESS representative. This was our first trip down the river, and we enjoyed It to the utmost. The weather Sas fine, the breeze refreshing and the surroundings delightful.
 We landed at the famous Hanl0m heading and Mir. Lockwood explained the plans of his e'suntrY to put in per maneRt heading of cement and steel at this place ois American territory for the diversion of she water at all times except at very low stages of the river and in emergencies.
 Here the international line leaves the river and about l00 feet bel@w tAle line is the upper Mexican shro1igh which about 600 cubic -.tec per seconl was being .lige,t'.'' the time We were there. Nsi mIor- 4-st4 a cssssr- ter ol q u,iIt. bclow ti,ia intake we could see the old dismantle'l hydraulic dredge, wi,irlt seems to lave been inadequate to t,erf"rin the task for which ii was iIi- .,.nas.i :l,ad haS i.t4fis di1ca rded.
 Prone Iianion& Heading ~e proceeded on down tlie river tu Whe"e the work of trying to stop the lower Mexican in take sae i1i progress. Upon coming in s;oht of the works wc were surprised to See what forces were employed. There were two steamborts and four harges at work. besides two pile drivers. One "f ,be nile Tlrivere was at wuik. driving a row of piling from q point nR the Mex i..an l,,uk k, about d half mile above the lower intake, angling across the river This TOW of piiing Was beipg reinforced hy bundles of brash tied up with wires and sunk with bags of sand. There was 4 large force of Indians at work cutting this brush and loaiingit on the barges which were being towed to the piling and the brush unloadeI and sunk as above described. This plan seemed To he proving favorable as tue sand bar was forming below it and bid fair to encroach on the deep channel which carries the great volume of the Water to the lower Mexican intake.