East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-08-24


by competent engineers that the prob
lem of diverting the flow of the Col-
orado river into the Salton Sea Is
about to be solved. The Southern
Pacific company has more than 1900
men employed in the construction of
a new channel for the river and Is
building a haedgate for the dam with
the view OF changing the course of
the stream. It is estimated that the
cost of changing the flow OF the river
will amount to nearly $1,000,O00. The
construction of a railroad 12 miles
long to afford means of transporting
the materials for the dam Is one OF
the big items OF expense. This road
is nearly finished.
The preliminary arrangements for
dverting the big volume OF water
ton desert for the last IL months or
more viii soon be completed and the
first real test of the plan adopted by
the engineers will be made. II the
dam and headgate are capable OF re-
sisting the tremendous pressure pr
the rivers flow the project Will be
successful; otherwise. 1t will be de-
feated and the permnnency of the
great Salton sea VIII probably be as
sured There is n fail of 425 feet in
the new channel of the river from the
point where it leaves the old bed until
II reaches the Salton sea. This fact
makes the flow especially hard to
contend with. No ordinary obstruc-
tion can withstand its pressure.
The attempt which is now being
made to divert the flow by means OF
n dam and headgate is the second one
of the same kind that has been tried
since the new channel was formed
The first attempt was unsuccessful
because the water found a soft spot
in the dam embankment and soon tore
through the structure with gigantic
force.
1t is stated that II this second at
tempt to control the flow of the river
results unsuccessfully no further ef'
forts will be made and that the per-
manency Sf the Salton sea will be ac
cepted by the Southern Pacific and
its plans for chaging Its route will b'
made accordingly. II the water Il
permitted to continue to flow into the
new inland sea the size of the latter
will be greatly enlarged as time pass
es. It still lacks many feet of beinl
up to sea level.
The sea will be more than l0'
miles long by 30 miles across In places
when the big basin is completed!
filled. Some of the old stations OF
the Southern Pacific railroad are al
ready more than 100 feet beneath thu
water. The permanency of the new
body OF water will necessitate th'
building Of its main line far up il
the foothills, where the construction
cost will be heavy and the expense o
train operation much greater thai
upon the original line through tn
former desert.
It is the opinion of scientists tina
If the flow of water into the Saltoi
sea can be diverted IL will not TAX
more than a few months for the wa
ter now in the sea to be evaporated
The torrid heat of the sun will sooi
dispose OF the water and the deser
will again make its appearance.
Some people are so certain that tn
sea is here to stay that large boa
lines have already been establishe,
thereon These boats ply betweei
many points and are used principal,
in the forwarding of mining mach n
cry and supplies from the railroad T.
the distant foothills. Companies hav
also been organized to establish
pleasure resorts upon the shores o
the new sea.
This big body Of water has had th
effect OF making Yuma and othe
places situated close to the forme
desert much more desirable plac
to live during the summer than the;
were before. The torrid waves from
the desert sand no longer sweep owe
these towns. on the contrary, th
breeze is now cool and refreshing.
wonderful change in climate has beei
produced by the Salton sea.
1t is claimed by scientists that !
the sea remains It will cause big in
crease in the rainfall throughout thi
portion of the southwest. The rain
fall in Arizona and New Mexico las
winter and spring was far above nor
NAL and the changed condition wa
due to the Salton sea, according to tn
opinion of some scientists.