The Arizona sentinel., 1909-12-16
POSSIBILITIES OF YUMA
REGION URFATHOMED
The Soil Simply Marvellous in Its
PfOduCtiyeHeSS
And the Climate is lntoxiCatiEgly
SaiubriOHS
BY GEORGE n. BURTON.
In Los Angeles Times.


1t is very far from a scmi-millenium since
three little open boats under the flag of Spain
irst touched the waters of the western hemi-
sphere and revealed the new world to the
eyes of Europeans. 1t is only q little over a
century since the United States OF America
sprang, so to speak, like Pallas Athene from
the brain OF JSve, completely armed I'D
dition to the family of nations. 1T is but
little -ver half century since California be-
came part ofthese United States OF America,
and less than a generation since the settle
ment of the Great South vest began.
In all the l25 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, a 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 be expected to become. We have
not reached the depths of this great ocean Of
wealth with our plummet line yet.
In a residence of forty years on the Coast
the writer thought he knew 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 a little con-
ceit that Ire was pretty well acquainted with
the Great Southwest. Last week a trip to the
Colorado River bottoms. below Yuma made
hun feel as te9derfoot who had come in on
the last train. New to him, this wonderful
region and its possibilities are pretty well
known to great many readers of The Times
by the stories published, If not by the demon
stration of their own eyes.
Yuma lies on the map just twelve miles
from where the government is putting in the
great Laguua dam, at the confluence of the
ella and Colorado Rivers. 1t is twelve miles
from Yuma down the river to the Mexican
boundry line on the Arizona side Of the river
AT one point. just below Yuma. the interna-
tonal boundry line runs up along the river
which there takes a westerly trend and from
Yuma to Mexico is only few mites.
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
torrcntil volumes all along these mountain
ridges. The Colorado River in these past ages
was mighty stream, sweeping down debris
in tons every second OF its flow. The Colora-
do sink was at that time great inland sea,
which spread over the country on both sides
of where the river now 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 silt, erosion from the rocks full of phos.
pilates, lines and dIsintergrated GRANTEES, as
well as the vegetation along its banks; and
this was adj deposited ia what are now the
sinks of the Colorado.
AS the mountains tops were wora Down, the
Minis becasne less frequPE4 assd les8 N& vglszAse
HGt te erosion of r1eiIs and' river essfsSs- Tie
trees and vegetable mould torn Er0EE tSae
Banks still came down and settled into 81
Bottom of the great inland lahe. This geogfcal
process went on from age to age To our time,
feaving the Colorado at Yuma stream about
halfa mile vice s1ld being at the present
time about twenty feet deep Ia the deepest
portion.
1t is not necessary to remind Californians
that the Spanish missionaries and explorers
sailed 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 at this time of
the year. after passing the mouth OF the ella, |
instead of the red river it becomes the brown |
river. IT actually looks today as If ten per
cent OF its flow was silt and only ninety per
cent water. |