The Arizona sentinel., 1909-10-28
POSSIBILITIES OF YUMA
REGION UNFATHOMED
The Soil Simply Marvellous in Its
Pr0duCtiyeneSS
And the Climate Is IntOxiCatingIy
SalgbriOuS
BY GEORGE N. BURTON;
In los Angeles Times.

IL Is very far from a semi-mllenium since
three little open boats under the flag OF Spain
FIRST touched the waters OF the western hemi-
sphere and revealed the new world 10 the
eyes OF Europeans. IL Is only little over a
century since the United States of America
sprang, so TO speak, like Pallas Atheue from
the brain OF JOve, a completely armed ad-
dition TO the family OF nations. 1t is but
little .ver half q century since California be-
came a part OF these United States OF America,
and less than n generation since the settle
.ment OF the Great South vest began.
In all the rs years since the Republic was
founded, also in the half century since Cali
fornia became one Of the States OF the Union.
and during every year OF the last thirty, re-
alization Of the vast riches OF the American
continent, OF the territory OF the United
States and OF this Great Southwest has been
more and more astonishing to the minds OF
men. One would suppose that by today we
knew pretty thoroughly what the undevelop-
ed resources OF the Great Southwest might
reasonably he expected TO become. We have
not reached the depths Of this great ocean of
wealth with our plumnet line yet.
In a residence OF forty years on the Coast
the writer thought he knew a little about
what there is on the Coast, and as most OF
these years have been spent in and around
Los Angeles he naturally had 81 little con-
ceit that he was pretty well acquainted with
abe Great Southwest. Last week n trip TO the
Colorado River bottoms. below Yuma made
hIm feel as a te0derfoot who had come in on
the last train. New to him. this wonderful
region and its possibilities are pretty well
known to n great many readers OF The Times
by the stories published, IF NOS by the demon
. stration Of their own eyes.
Yuma lies on the map just twelve miles
5fom wher: the government is putting in the
great Laguna dam, at the confluence Of the
ella and Colorado Rivers. II is twelve miles
from Yuma down the river to the Mexican
bouDdry line on the Arizona side of the river
All one point. Just below Yuma, the interna-
tfonal boundry line runs mp along the river
which there takes n westerly trend and from
Yuma to Mexico is only a few miles.
ONCE A MIGHTY STREAM.
Ages ago when the mountain ranges Of
Arizona and California lowered toward the
stars, at least twice as high as they do now,
rains were very freduent and Came down in
torrcnttai volumes all along these mountain
ridges. The Colorado River in these past ages
was a mighty stream. sweeping down debris
in tons every second OF lis flow. The COiora-
do sink was at that time great inland sea,
which spread over the country on both sides
OF where the river DOW runs. AS the erosion
OF winds and storms, landslideS and glaciers
wore down the mountain ridges year by year,
the great river carried down a vast amount
OF slit, erosion from the rocks full of phos-
pilates, times and disintergrated GRANTEES, rs |
wen ms the vegetation along its banks; and |
this Was all deposited In what are now the |
sinks of the Colorado.
As the mountain tops were worn down, the |
rains became less frequent and less in volume !
but the erosion Of rocks and river banks, the |
trees and vegetable mould torn from the \
banks stin came down and settled into the |
bottom of the great inland lake. This geogical |
process went on from age to age to our Time
leaving the Colorado at Yuma n stream about /
half a mile Wide and being at the present |
time about twenty feet deep Ia the deepest |
portion.
lt is not necessary to remind CalifOrnians
that the Spanish missionaries and explorers
called this river the Colorado because Of the
reddish color OF its waters. 1T Is the Colorado
up in the Grand Canyon in Arizona and
down past The Needles. But Mt this time OF
the year, after passing the mouth Of the ella,
instead OF the red river il becomes the brown
river. 1t actually looks today as If ten per
cent OF its flow was silt aud only ninety per
cent water.
RICHES OF SOIL, WONDERFUL,