Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-08-08
LOST
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RIVERS

than the Toe, rivers" Of the IA
vest. These hide-snd-seek- streams
a. a rule. head In mountainou
, areas snd rush downward into bow
like valleys. where they incontinentl
vanish. Some Of them reappesr
miles from the vanishing point, Will
Others are lost forever and no mai
knows what becomes Of their waters
The floors Of the valleys into whici
they flow generally are comparative
lly level and are built uD Of looss
sands and grayels, washed down
from rocky and forest-clad slopes
which absorb the water and through
which Il pereoiates slowly benath
the surface. When the slow-moying
underground current encounters an
obstruction. as &, often does. in the
shape OF a natural dixie or the rocky
rim Of the lower end Of the valley.
the surface and the stream is born
again.
Thus the Santa Anna river In Cal
ifornla sinks in the wash above Red
lands. rises 10 the surface above
Bunker Hin dixie" sinks below it,
rises from Riverside 70 Bedrock
canyon below FL Rincon, sinks ia the
wash above Santa Ana, aud finally
partly rises again IN the large peat
land springs above Talbert. The
San Gabriel and the Los Angeles
rivers exhibit the same character /
istics. but disappear and reappear
less often ia their much shorter
course 10 the sea. At some points 4
these sunken rivers flow for long I
distances under a vide stratum o.
imperyiOus material where the water
Is under considerable pressure
When wells are driven through this
stratum an artesian flow results.
The discovery OF this fact added
many thousands Of acres 70 the cultl-
Fated area OF California. most OF
which Is In oranges. lemons. grapes
and other high-prlced products.
Another pereuliar stream Is the
Deschutes, which drains a large area
IN central Oregon. II is known 20
photographers all over the world for
he extraordinary regularity OF IT'S
low throughout the year. This {.
accounted for by the porus lava
which constitutes a por-
Ion OF the drainage area, and which
= especially prominent where the
ieadwater tributaries leave the foot. /
Ills OF the Cascades. Successive
lows OF lava, ruptured. fractured
md assured by commissions OF na-
ure, extend over many miles Of this
egion, When the streams encoun. !
er this sheet Of lava they are taken
- by the spongelike material. and
isappear from sight. passing be.
cath and through the lava. and q
nally emerging through dark cav. + q
rms and deep canons into the main G
,ream. Il
This wonderful lava bed Is ns. d
ares regulator. II swallows up the .
Gods that come dowa the steep s.
oDes. Il absorbs the rains and n
io~s. and then releases them slow.
through alter miles and miles ia II
ngth. into the river channel. There D
rc no iurpld floods IN the De. ID
hutcs. In fact, there arc no aooAs q
all Day after day aud year after b
'ai its now is uuiform. and It's u
aters sparkling aud clear. For this a
'ason probably (, ls The huest trout a
ream In America. II
New Mexico also has truant p
rean. the Rio Mmhres. Il drains p
any miles OF mountain country IN q
- southern part of the territory. c.
"a Tor time Is str'am Of Am. "
'stAuee. Then. as u ured OF e.. D
'"neo' u nows ou; upop the plains
'ar pcming aud is lost forever oI
'AlloSed up ln the loose sand and a
n'el Tae Pecos too. 10 a truaut er
umes' and seeks secluslon be. G.
'alh ihe surface. comlug up miles "
'oS In srtcsiau sprlpgs OF great Vi
hume and now. "a
Ascs ago. when the earth vas al
uns' the great suate river rlain. al
Idaho. how a scene Of utter deso. n
lion. Was a ssiai-tropical garden te
'en'less streams crossed Il, ana n
as'hwise through Il aowed tn IN
'se'y Snake, In the forest prim. r
a. anc OVER the vvtdure-clad plains =
Ah"d the mastadou. the nam.
''n' tho camel, queer Kind OF
RS aud rnaay other speelas Of Pre-. n'
sterile Snimals We know al This a.
Dc 'F1e b reason Of the discovery o.
'as remains of these extlnet AMI. 20