Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-08-18
HOW DESERT BLOOMED
AS A BLUSHING ROSE
DREAM OF GARDEN OF EDEN
TURNS TO NIGHTMARE
Medicinal Pool In the Sandy Wastes
Has Wonderful Curative Powers
for Blood and Nervous
Diseases

Down in the desert, $50 miles from Los
Angeles and six miles from the line of
the Southern Pacific railroad, are the
remnants of what was once the Garden
of Eden" Some twenty-five years ago
some ST. Louis and Evansville capitalists
conceived the idea that this desert land
could be utilized, and by irrigation could
be made great fruit producing country.
Accordingly they set out an immense
orchard of young trees-apricot, lemon,
Grange and citron-builI substantial build
ings for their overseer and workmen laid
artificial walks and beautif1ed the. grounds
with ,shrubbery and flowers.
They made a contract with a company
which owned reservoir on the San Ber-
nardino mountains, and soon the liquid
life from the uplands was flowing into
the garden, identifying and Transforming
every growing thing. This went on for
several years, and from that sandy waste
grew into beauty and promise lovely
orchard.
So sanguine were the promoters that
they incurred the expense of narrow
gauge railway from their property to the
Southern Pacific, making connection at
Palm Springs station. The grove was
now at almost the bearing point and the
investors were looking forward to quick
dividends, when, as a result of an alter
water company, the latter cut off the
water supply, and long before the matter
could be adjudicated by the courts the
flowers had withered, the trees had died
and the whole estate had reverted to the
desert, with only the stump of tree here
and there ito point the moral and adorn
the tale"
A few miles from this wreck, around
the spur of mountain, Is little Valley'
mr.
ray. The doctor has brought the water
from the mountains near by and has
created an "oasls in the desert" He has
about ten acres in oranges and alfalfa,
and nothing could be more pleasant to
the eve, after ranging over candy
waste, than this charming little valley
An Indian reservation adjoins the doc
tors ranch, and from them he leases for
500 per annum rare spring. Inc pool
formed by this spring is about as large
as a good-sized room and is covered by
a rude shack The uniform temperature
of the water is 100 degrees, and 1t is said
to have many healing properties being
especially efficacious In all manner OF
blood and nervous troubles. When you
first enter this pool your feet strike
soft, sandy bottom, and you are, |appar-
emily, in water about eighteen inches
deep. All at once a ripple goes over the
surface much as ia stone had been
thrown in, and near you you notice the
sand has opened, disclosing hole as
large as the circumference of your body,
but how deep you are afraid to think.
But the doctor calls there is no danger,
and YOU take your life in your hands and
plunge in. Down you go up to your neck,
and. fearing a quicksand, you call out
to the doctor, but he, smiling imperturb-
ably, bids you keep quiet and await
results.
Presently you feel soft impact upon
the soles of your feet and slowly but
irresistibly you feel yourself being forced
to the surface. Within the space OF three
minutes you are again standing In eight
cen inches of water, the hole has disap-
reared only to appear few feet further
on. You hasten to 1t, plunge In ana again
sink I'D to your neck as before, and again
reach the surface as before Only one
hole is formed at a time, and between
the closing of one and the appearing of
another there is an interval of about five
minutes.
In this wonderful bath you do not re-
ouire any brush or soap, but when you
come out your skin is smooth and spot
less. here and there appearing upon your
body minute scales of silica. After dash
ing a bucket of cold water over you you
feel wonderfully invigorated and re-
freshed. People come hundreds of miles
to battle in these healing waters and II
the doctor could only move this spring
to Los Angeles he could make his fortune
in a. few years. The Indians Ghe Mission
tribe) attach great value to the water
and use the overflow of the pool for bath
ing and drinking purposes.
-H<$
The Man Who Boards-Do you think man