Imperial Valley press and the Imperial press., 1906-06-30
A TRANSFORMATION
Floods in the Colorado River and For
 nation of the SdItOn Sea
[BY PROFESSOR EDGAR L. LARK1N.l

nent, Colorado. That rock-heWn state is but part of the mighty apex of the United States, for the colossal upland region includes Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, part of Nevada and all of Colo rado. This entire area, but more espec- lally Colorado, is to the geologist one of the most interesting regions of the globe. Upheaval followed upheaval; the entire state has been twisted and torn by con- vulsiOns, and primeval strata are up- turned and exposed to view in inextric- able confusion. Mighty faults abound, seams and rifts are to be seen in the most ancient layers and giant rocks are piled on rocky beds. The elevation above the sea ranges from 1000 to 5000 feet. However, the area was once much depressed and during cons of time the Palezoic and a portion of the Mesozoic layers were thrown down. At the close ot the Jurassic period the first great rise occurred. The Wahsatch and Uintah mountains were lifted up. Then long period of sinking and subsistence follow ed, how long may never be discovered, but its duration was great enough for Cretaceous strata to deposit to a depth ol SOOO feet. When all was again in readiness, some giant force below once more lifted the whole region. The Gre '"ceous strata were elevated to their present altitude. gazed on giant fa- cades entirely naked, and on denuded Pialns, lncllnes and bare areas. Every trace of soil had been removed. An air oI vast antiquity prevailed. Deep water worn ways and ditches in rigid rock were seen. Canyons worn by sand and Peoole-laden waters rushing down with lmpetuous speed for untold ages had been eroded on all sides. And whole square miles of rock were denuded and washed exceeding clean'' Three months later l explored that scenic geo. loglcal splendor of the world, that mighty
 gorge Ot erosiOn," that dream in stone, thaI Vlslon of gorgeous colors, that hewn Paiace In stone, the vast canyon of the colorado river in Arizona. This wonder oI the earth IS 300 miles long and from oUOO to 62OO feet deep. It was cut out ny running water, from the most obdu- rate rock. The words centuries, de- cades and years are useless here; cons piled on cons were required to wear the stone away. I went down into the oepths ot the canyon, even to the sur lace ot the river; amid colossal rocks mat seemed to support tue very sky. Mafks of abrasion, wearing, grinding ana cutting of incalculable antiquity were seen on all sides. Water worn chunks of rock larger than any cathed ral were piled in heaps, and great cavi- ties cut away by wind-driven sand were observed high up the awful facades The words cons, ages, duration and time kept ringing, in my mind. And then the question, "Where is the excavated ma terlal now?" kept comingup for solution.
 Where can the billions of tons of debris be?' ''Is the silicious waste now in the bottom of the sea?" "Where is it." I asked.
 FINDING THE LONG LOST DEBRIS. IMPERIAL
 VALLEY AND SALTON SEA.
 The train began to get nearer to the center of the earth at Mecca on the southern Pacific railroad. We could notice that We were going down hill and the sign Oh the station read, Twenty two feet below sea level" Onward rushed the cars straight into desert wastes, into heat and dust ooh! look at water in the desert," some one ex- claimed. Sure enough there was the New Salton Sea. brisk wind was blowing whitecaps against great tufts of sagebrush. This is indeed strange comblne-sagebrush and waves of water. The new sea in an ancient bed, is now seYenty-fOur miles long and from twenty to forty wide. Its depth in the center IS now more than fifty feet and is rising hour by hour. It is intensely blue and looks like splendid gem set in the vio- let aud purple haze of the adjacent mountains
 Perhaps the world just now has noth- ing to offer more SinouIar and ,o,,,ovI