Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-01-17
DREAM OF
GREAT INLAND
SEA
NogaleS Man Proposes to Let
the Salton Fill UP and Dig
Canal to the Pacific Ocean,
(Nogales Oasis. }

AHNRhAtAH 0t'iFFF
Three weeks ago this morning the
Oasis editor was IN the office of the
first assistant secretary Of state at
Washington, TO attend a matter OF
business before the department. and
after his mission had been accom-
plis1ed, the assistant secretary, MIR.
Robert Bacon. asked point blank:
What shall we do with the Salton
seq? 2"
To the inquiry put so direct, Mr..
BIRD made instant reply:
Let the Salton sea fill to the level
OF the ocean, after which it will cut
a channel to the gulf Of California,
which can be ~deepened, If necessary,
to Permit navigation by sea going
craft, and the United States will then
have upon its southwestern border
what the general government failed to
get when il made the Gadsden pur-
chase at a cost of $4,000, 000-a sea-
port or seaports upon the gulf"
Mr.. Bacon expressed an opinion
That the neople whose farms and
homes In the Imperial valley are
threatened and will be obliterated. are
To be considered, and hat the damage
that will be done them unless the sea
be controlled Will be at least ten mill
lion dollars.
~ hhaA Nut itDlN was Il1dC lldl
the general government could and
should reimburse those people for all
damages. No one appreciates the
incalculable benefit that would result
10 southern California and all Of Ari-
iona to have at hat place a great
body of Manageable water, with deep
sea ports on all sides where navles
might ride in safety. and where would
surely grow great commercial cities.
a nv naa nf ssh3aIA x.rNrsTI at,0IfI.r ...,t.
valuations, expressed in mill
lions. than the loss now threatened by
sinking beneath the sea the farms and
settlements in the Imperial valley,
without taking into consideration the
commercial ana agricultural develop
ment that would follow upon bringing
Arizona in touch with deep sea navi-
No one has given any thought to
The oreat benefits That would cnsue
the Salton sea continue to fill
to the ocean level and then cut a con-
aection with the guff The following
article reproduced from IKE Washing
Post, while intended to show the
great damage threatened, sounds the
very key note of the position taken
oy the Oasis editor in the CONVERSE
ion with Assistant Secretary Bacon,
.hree weeks ago:
- tAt &blbifR'tb llNti GtilliilQtH W
low into the Salton sink of lower
'alifornia it will bring into existence
IN American dead sea that will be
Is large as Lake Ontario, according
o Louis G. Hill supervising engineer
# the United states reclamation SER
for Arizona and southern Cali
ornia, Mr.. Hill is here to report on
lis Investigations of the overflow.
Already 450@ square miles of the
iH1 Af tho hAgfrf- nf NrhR4 v.-.- 80. ]
salt sea have been covered by the
to a depth of sixty feet. and IL
he flow continues. 1000 square miles
VII be covered to q depth Of 27O
he continued.
Arcs ago this sink contained a sea
imilar to the dead sea of Palestine.
5hich was finally evaporated. How
1t has remained a dry waste no /
knows. Not long ago | saw salt
eng mined from whas is now the
ed of the new lake. Nearly 600 feet
,ooVe IS the shore of the ancient sea.
a time the flow was stopped, but
began again, and now ii threatens
10000 acres OF irrigated land, on
'hich seven and eight crops of al
llta may be grown every year. and
homes OF 1900 people distributed
mong many towns. 1t Is destroying
he possibilities of a land that would
lossom as the rose by IRRIGATION
lethods. AS the water has torn down
Ito the sink, which Is 200 feet below
level Of the sea, it has made an
yer deepening %ravine, until at present
le water falls from a height of
ehty feet and oives promise of Great
& a second Niagara.
Let the mind rest for a moment
pom the benefits that would flow to
us great region were there a body
water as large as Lake Ontario.
here is the Salton sea now, and that {
cal inland sea, connected with the {
can through the gulf Of California. ,
would be another Puget Sound !
ron the southwest. rivaling that {
eat body of navigable water upon q
e northwest, and beside its deep sea q
there would grow great cities q
Seattle. Tacoma, Port Gamble \