The San Francisco call., 1908-03-08
WEIRD LIGHTS IN
IMPERIAL VALLEY
Glow From Mud Volcanoes"
Frightens indians Into the
Towns of White Men

BRAWl t March Imperial val
ley, once enc of raging floods from
broken levees of the Colorado river,
ground for the contests of settlers and
claim jumpers. vale of wondrous tales
of productiveness in crops and stock
d section of southern California which
always has managed TO keep in the
spotlight since the wonderful project of
turning the Colorado's waters into the
desert was conceived and carried out,
less than decade ago-now has an
other mild sensation.
From the five towns Of the valley
people each night are watching the
southern skies to witness the lurid ef-
fects of light which comes from the
district known as mud volcanoes
about 80 miles below the International
boundary line, south Of Mexicsli.
The unuspal activity of fthe mud
volcan noes began about two weeks ago
and has constantly increased The
Cocopah Indians, whose pueblo. Posa
Nincento. is within two miles of the
volcanoes. We're startled nights by
rumblings in the earth. And then fol-
lowed geysers Of steaming mud thrown
to a height of from 80 to SO feet
BRIGHTEN INDIANS AWAY
Indian Carlos" or Chief Borego, an
aged Cocopah who SAYS he has passed
his Tooth year, declares that all his
life he has lived beside these mud vol
canoes but never before were they so
active. At his command the Indians be.
gan their weird religious dances
fortnight ago to appease the evil
spirits supposed to have created the
disturbance, but as the subterranean
rumblings grew louder and the lurid
lights played higher in the sky, they
dropped their ceremonials and fed TO
Mexicali and Calexico, where they are
now eneamped.
AT Brawley, IS miles distant from
the volcano district the smoke or
steam from the place is plainly visi-
bic, while al nights the play of-Iights
on the southern sky is sbriIliant and
beautiful From six distinct centers
the lights rise and spread out heaven
ward
Imperial valley has just had vista
tion from $50 members of the Los An
geles chamber of commerce. who made
the rounds of all the towns of, the val
ley, and Were amazed at the develop
ment in progress here It is estimated
that Imperial valley now has popu-
lation of 10000 people, and that fully
5000 of these have come since Sep
tember. Every town in the valley is
crowded with strangers, land seekers
and businessmen looking for locations
In appearance the valley towns are
much like modern mining camps. as
the rush has been SO great that in
some places almost half the population
live in tents or temporary houses.
NEW COUNTY EXPERIMENTS
Imperial county-the newest county in
California-has had its own trials. the
same as any youngster in the infant
stage, The parent county, San Diego.
is accused of having been unlxind to its
offspring. There has been a withhold
ing Of various funds claimed to be due
the new county, and there have been
difficulties in obtaining certain trans
fers or copies of records for Imperial
county. Then as government patents
had been issued on but a small frae-
tion of the lands under cultivation.
taxes on personal property necessarily
have mounted high. 1t has just been
decided to assess this year all pos
sessory rights" as personal property.
and thus the burden viii be more
evenly distributed.
The first teachers institute for I'm
perial county is to be held at FL
Centre March 10, IL and 12.
1t is estimated that fully 5000 acres
Of land in this county is seeded to can
taloupes this spring. There will be
more than 10000 acres of new alfalfa
this season. IN addition to the thou
sands planted last season.
Extensive cultivation of dates, pis-
tachio nut trees thornless cactus,
ramie and experimental work on to-
bacco. bananas and pineapples gives a
novel phase TO the growths of this val
ley. This year there will be planted
fully 1000 acres of cotton, and a cot
! ton gin is to be erected at Ell Centre.