The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-06
WANT SALTOh SEA
TO REMAIN INTACT
Commercial Club and Legisla-
ture Ask Investigation Before
New Ocean Is Destroyed.
COMMITTEES APPOINTED
EVERY MEMBER GIVEN WORK
TO DO.

iifOuhIoih country nave inaugu-
rated campaign for the preservation
of the great inland sea called "SaIton
sea-" being formed in southern Cali
fornia by the change of the course of
the Colorado river, and the movement
reached Salt Lake yesterday when the
board of governors of the Commercial
club was presented with a letter from
interested local business men dealing
with the results on this country of the
formation Of the new body of water.
Concurrently with the presentation
OF this letter to the board of governors
and their Endorsement of the petition TO
preserve the sea, memorials were in
troduced In the house of representa-
tives asking President Roosevelt to de-
sist from attempting to prevent the for
nation OF the Salton sea. The nresi
dent will probably be asked to appoint
commission of agriculture experts
and engineers to investigate thorough
ly the benefits the western country will
derive from it's new sea before further
efforts are made to restore the Colorado
river to it's original channel.
The Text Of the Letter.
The letter to the board of governors
was as follows:
Gentlemen: Your attention is re-
spectfully invited TO consideration of
the body OF water now being formed
in southern California, popularity de-
scribed as the 'Salton sea-, and the
possible effect of its presence on the
climatic conditions Of the state of Utah
particularly, and of the arid section
of the Pacific slope generally.
Some time ago an irrigation COM
pany in an attempt to divert a portion
81,
certain arid lands which II proposed to
redeem, lost control of the river. which
left its ancient bed and, following the
natural physical outlines of the coun-
| try, poured into the Salton sink. much
of which is below the level of the ocean,
thus forming the 'Salton sea- which
now covers an area of 500 square miles
and has maximum depth Of about
seventy-five feet. The irrigation COM
pany to which reference is made, and
| the Southern Pacific Railroad COM
rany, which has three times had to re-
move It's tracks out of the way of the
encroaching waters have spent over
| 81, G00,0 900 in an attempt to confiue the
Colorado river within its original chan
| mel, while the president Of the United
States has officially declared that this
must be done, and at once, by the
Southern Pacific Railroad company.
| Whether this can be done or not re-
mains, of course, to be seen, but so far
all efforts I'm that direction, though di-
rected by the most competent of en-
gineers, has been marked by signal
| failure.
Seven Years to Fill 1t.
''The 'SaIton sea is already sufficient
/ ly large to exert an appreciable effect
/ on the climate of the contiguous coun-
| try, and it is estimated that at the
present rate of flow 1t will take seven
/ years to fill the great earth depression
| known as the 'Salton sink and If this
flow shall be voluntarily or involun-
tarily allowed TO continue there will be
ct the end of that time great inland
sea on the Pacific slope. the outlet of
which will be determined either by the
prevailing physical conditions of the
| country or by the dictum of scientists.
This sea- 1000 square miles in ex-
/ tent, and with maximum depth of 265
| feet, would not only furnish field for
the operations of navigation, but would
| in ALI probability work a material and
beneficial change in section Of the
| arid west embracing all of Nevada,
Utah and Arizona, and large parts Of
| Oregon. Idaho Montana, Wyoming,
| Colorado and New Mexico.
ar the conditions thus crudely set
forth are real. II will perhaps be a
great misfortune to large part OF the
! United States TO have the Colorado
river returned to it's original channel.
II should be remembered, however. that
n failure to force the great river back
| into IFS former course will entail a
| large loss"
/ New Committees Named.
| The meeting of the board of gov
ernors Yesterday was the first since the
cl,h's annual election a week ago
Thirtv-one standing committees were
anpointed and the following board COM
mittees: 1Yo,,s. = ~ stre-
veil: cafe. r. Z. Miller; buffet L. D.
Freed. ,,., =, III rx,oI,-or y
| A OuigIey F. W, Francis
Admission and Grievances. A wall
4 p,zra Thompson, Leon Sweet.
Pecention-J. c. Cutler, W. j. Halloran,
| j. Z. Game. 1,,.
Tho fhirty-one standing committees APP
nointed and their members are:
PRaiIvav and ransportation-Orvin Nor
ris, John w. Delano' "a. M. DinWooaey
pW9Siiter Scott, Samuel Weitz, w. Z. Bal
lev lanes ]. Burke, r. p. Morris, Leon
i Sweet w. H Blntz.
Errad Wev. George 7. Alder, t: r. Black
II BROWN c. J. Crabtree, 6. II. Grit
fin Thomas Holiday. w. r. Jacobs. Il. z.
Kaisev ]. d. Murdoch, r. 9. O'Donnell,
A. Richter A v. Taylor, r. s. Wells, W.
d o D0V Coal and Casa. ]. Davis, NJ P.
Rraffett. w. ]. Burton. B. F. Caffey, H
r Cieaver, F. P. Gridley, A. l.; Jacobs,
F. A. Jameson; r nitt se,it = s Heoe1
lrs.t. I Snider c. +. Warren.