Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1906-11-23
VALUE OF SkLT0R SEA
Brings Rain TO Vast Territory
Once a Desert.
NOW COVERED WITH MUCH WATER

Its Evaporation saturates the Air
With Moisture. SaS- MRJor George
!. IamEn-CauseS Greatrr Rainfall
Ia Western Kansas. oklahoma,
TeNas aud Other riac-s-straRg OPP
position Co StapPaEe of Flaw of
Colorado River Water Isto the sea.
Many people Of Arizona. New Mexico
aud western Texas believe that the Sal
ton sea is one of the greatest blessings
ever bestowed upon the arid west. says
"A Yuma iAriZl correspondent Of the
Kansas city Star. Those who take this
view or this newly created inland body
of water are strongly opposed To the
recent st,ppI-c OF tie dow of water in
To the sea from the colorado river.
Major GEORGE J. Inman, who is well
known throughout the southwest, i
one of those who believe that the Sal
ton sea is the cause uf the phenomenal
meteorological change which has come
over the whole of the southwest. III
cludiug all Of western Kansas. Texas
AMI oklahoma. during the past two
years. Its heneiiceut influence extends
far down into Mexico. ii Is c0ntended
Major lnman is Interested in large
American colony enterprise IN the
northwestern part of the state of chi
huuhua. lie SAYS that the change
which has taken place in the section
where his colony is located during the
last two years is marvellous. When
the col1nists settled there it WIS sup
posed that nothing could he raised on
the land without irrigation. Since the
Salton sea made its appearance the
rainfall has been abundant. and big
crops are raised without irrigation.
The same thing Is true throughout the
southwest.
Major Imam says that he will take
up the SaltOn sea matter with Presi-
dent Roosevelt and President Div.
with the view of obtaining the CO.
operation of the United States and
Mexican governments in preserving the
new body Of water 1t is claimed that
If the sea is permitted to remain the
United States government will be saw
ed millions of dollars that would other
wise be expended in reclaiming arid
lands by irrigation projects.
Major Inman in discussing the sub
ject said:
THE meteorological changes cover
ing all of the southwest and Il portion
of northwestern Mexico which have oc-
cured as direct result of this new in
land sea have been marvellous during
the last two years. In few more
years, if the Salton sea is left undiS
turbed, all the vast arid west will M
dergo Il complete change and will he
made to blossom like the rose" More
changes will come about than can now
he dreamed of On account of the in
creased rainfall that has begun to fall
i'll the southwest the Rio Grande an,
other rivers will have their present
channels overtaXed to carry the water
Off Perhaps whole towns situated in
the valleys of these streams will be
forced to move to higher ground.
at is not mt all ridiculous to attrih-
ute this wide range of power to the
effects of the Salton sea. Covering
thousands of square miles area in what
was once a desert several hundred feet
below the level of the ocean, it will not
only keep the air saturated with mois
ture. but Icy altering the temperature
it will change the direction of winds
and operate in a number of ways to
revoutionize the climatic conditions Of
the southwest"
1t is the theory of those who believe
that the apparent change of climatic
conditions in the southwest is due to
the SaltOn sea that before the advent
of that body Of water clouds from the
Pacific ocean which were laden with
moisture We're unable to get across
the great eXpanse of desert. The ter
rifle heat from the parched and blister
ing sand rose into the air and dissipat.
ed the moisture This made the region
to the east of the desert arid and unfit
for agricultural Development Occasion.
ally in the winter season clouds would
get across the desert and rains would
ensue in the arid region. Since the
thousands of square miles Of desert are
now covered to a depth of 10 to 100
feet with water the moisture laden
clouds are able to pass across into the
formerly arid region of Arizona, New
Mexico and western Texas, and album
dant rains are the result
The flow of water into The Salton sea
has recently been stopped by railroad
companies which built vast dams. In
year or two the water in the vast sea
will be evaporated, and it will be des-