The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-07-30
CLUSTERING SUN
OF SOUTH NEVADA
Climate Hot Along Muddy, But PEG.
pie Have Compensations.
GARDEN FOR SALT LAKE
OPPORTUNITIES ARE MANY IN
FARMING AND MINING.

St Thomas, New, July 25.-As there
is but a dim conception Of the climate,
products, etc, Of this Sunny Southland
a Few commonplace may prove inter-
esting to the general reader.
The Muddy valley" is an ancient
wash, about thirty miles long with a
descent to the southeast where it forms
a junction with the Rio Virgin. The
Muddy Valley averages about one mile
Wide, and is bounded on two sides by
low sun-scorched- mesas. or gravel
piateaus, and occasional volcanic hills
and beds of lava The river" about
the size of the Big Cottonwood near
salt Lake City, is formed by large
springs. similar to those at Las Vegas.
and flows the entire length of the val
ley through soil of remarkable fertility.
Climate sco-eher.
The climate is undescribab5e; it must
be felt to be fully appreciated. From a
generally cloudless sky the sun beats
down with merciless herceness on man
and beast The sun burns, scorches,
Dlisters. The newcomer is inclined, If
ne be male, to strip down" to a
Ihln undershirt, a straw hat and over
ais. He is then nicely apDareled for
a ever-to-be-forgotten experience with
The southern Nevada climate. If he
be prospectOr, his first day Gin the
neld viii fully initiate him. By even
4AAS his DaCh ana arms VIII De nicely
blistered. The skin peels off and
whether or not he be a union man" he
becomes a veritable 'scab." his cuticIe
srnarts, burns, and itches day and
night. Scratching is his only luxury.
when subjected all day to the full
force OF the suns rays, a man will
drink from one gallon to two gallons
OF water within ten or twelve hours
without experiencing the slightest dis
comfort. His system simply absOrbs
70 ~
never swallowed hrs liquor with as
much satisfaction as does the prOspec-
tor when he takes "A draught of. too
often, the vilest drinking water to be
found on the desert In order to Off
set the climate and protect his food,
everything perishable must be wet
1acketed, i. G., wrapped in cloths and
then wet thoroughly two or three times
per day. BY so doing good butter may
be kept a month. and eggs a couple of
weeks. If not thus protected the but
ter, in a few minutes. Will become oil.
even in the shade, and the eggs will
begin the incubating process within
forty-eight hours.
Insect Life.
In such a climate every species Of in
sect finds congenial conditions. Dur
ing May and June swarms of Enats
torment man and beast We found it
necessary, as well as merciful, to
thoroughly battle our horses morning
and evening" At first the shower bath
startled them, but after the first bath
they thoroughly enjoyed il.
Ants of all sizes. shapes and varie-
ties ar everywhere Vexatiously
abundant, and are the holy terrors'
of southern Nevada housekeepers- Not
withstanding the Internal activity and
desperate persistence of these desert
ants. there is a simple way of baking
them \ lady at BunkerVille had been
annoyed with the small red ants get
ting into the honey barrel Close it as
tight she would. these ants
found trail to the coveted nectar The
ingenious housewife saturated a cord
with wagon grease, tied the Irvine
around the barrel and thus formed a
barTicad de that even a regiment of jap
anese ants would hesitate to attack.
Pepper, as an antidOte Tor ants in this
climate, IS n snare and delusion- These
Nevada ants Will rob a pepper box
and gleefully carry the contents in
their dens.
This climate is one Of the hardest on
earth for freight horses The stories of
the suffering of these patient brutes
between Las Vegas and Bullfrog are
pitiful. It is related that, in some in
stances. the lead and swing"
horses will swerve from the road and
attempt to get their heads within the
shadows of mesquite bushes
The reader may inquire, How and
why do people live in such Climate2"
The answer is, the settlers become ac-
climated- Some of them do their
work early in the morning and evening
taking a midday siesta. In a majority
of cases. however, the people rise late
in the morning and retire late in the
evening. The evening meal is generally
served about dusk. or when the flies
have gone TO roost. and the tuneful
mosquitoes and moths begin their
work. The prOspectOr is here for gold:
The other transients for business, and
both classes welcome each setting sun
which means a respite from the heeat
and ''one day nearer home"
Comfort Is Possible.
Some of the residents manage to be
really comfortable. In the prosperous
town of BunkeTville 1 noticed kitchen
and dining room enclosed on two sides
with fly screens. This, with canvas
on rollers for emergencies, enabled the
inmates TO be fairly comfortable during
the hottest weather, which is of about
ninety days duration.
If the nights were only cool the days
would be more toleTable. Last nigh
at 1880. just before retiring. / went to
the open, Wet-jacketed water barrel for
a drink a thermometer hung under
the same Usage orange tree. 4 match 1
was struck and the register hurriedly
examined. The mercury was clinging
with both hands at the 100 mark
But even here nature has her COM
pensations While the majority of
Utahus are shivering in the presence of |
billiards. and the mercury at zero or !
below, the people here are enjoying the /
most delightful weather. which con-
tinues almost uninterruptedly during
six months.
Five crops Of alfalfa is the average |
for one season. Nearly all kinds of i
semi-trOpical fruits and vegeta bles !
grow TO perfection. Last year Bishop /
Bunker of Bunkerville marketed seven |
tons of seedless raisins at seven to ]
eight cents a pound. Muddy Valley |
WatermeiOns. cantelOupes etc are /
now. and will continue TO be, the favor
ties over Los Angeles products in Salt |
Lake City and other large towns in /
Utah.
Railroads Bring Prosperity.
It means the beginning of an era of 4
long-defsrred prosperity for those who |
have endured and toiied so long in this !
southern Nevada oasis. The L. A. S |
i. & s. !. r. r. has filled this once |
isolated section with hope and enerpgy
and there is no reason why the settlers /
along the Muddy should not become |
exceedingly prosperous and cOntented. |
So great a blessing has the coming of /
the salt Lake route been TO the people |
of southern Nevada that every man
and woman. irrespective OF color. poIi-