The Washington times., 1918-08-04
By Rene Bache.

THE United States Geological Survey
has Just ascertained the rather
l startling fact that one-ffth OF our
whole country-570,OOO mlIes-Is arid
desert, and is spreading rapidly.
The Survey has recently completed the
planting of water sign posts" over 10000
miles of this region, and it is now planning
measures to check the growth of the whole
desert and to make it safe and habitable
for man. At the same time, 1t has COM
piled a vast amount of valuable informa-
tion about this vast, interesting yet terri
flying region, which has condemned thou.
sands of men and women to a cruel death.
1t is curious to know that those early
Americans, the clif-dweilers, created very
useful barriers against the desert at such
settlements as the Mesa Verde by build
ing water tanks and by irrigation. and that
these valuable methods were abandoned
by modern man. The desert supports vari-
Gus plants, including the cactus and other
families, which have an extraordinary
power of attracting water where there is
apparently none, and these, II cultivated,
would help greatly in checking desert
. perils.
The Grand Canyon of the Colorado,
which we admire so greatly al a natural
marvel, is really a creator of deserts, for
its river is constantly wearing q deeper
channel in the earth and carrying away all
OF the much-needed water from the arid
country in its rushing current
The most perilous desert section, cover
ing about $4,000 square miles, includes
southeastern California (from Death Val
ley to the Mexican border) and southwest
Arizona. 1t is the hottest, dryest, sandiest
region on this continent; also the least
known.
1t is a region in which water-holes are
farthest apart and most difficult of access,
and in which even nowadays men and ami
mails often perish Of thirst.
Perhaps the most distressing feature OF
die within each reach of water, only
they knew where to look for it. II was to
provide against happenings OF this kind
that the Geological Survey started out
about a year ago to plant sign posts all
over this inhospitable territory. indicating
the direction and distances of the nearest
water-holes. The work has now been prac-
tically completed.
The method adopted was simple and in
expensive. Small parties we're sent out
truck bodies and carrying light camp equip
ment, posts, signs and a few other re-
quisites.
The posts were shipped from Los An
geles to local railroad stations, where they
were transferred to the automobiles. They
were galvanized steel pipes. two inches in
diameter and twelve feet long. To each
one, when driven into the ground, was
fastened a steel sign enameled white, with
dark-blue lettering, very conspicuous
One such sign post was sent up near the
Tinajas Atlas, on the Mexican border in
Arizona, where on one occasion nearly $40
persons perished of thirst. II the post had
been there then nothing of the sort would
have happened.
Many thousands of persons have died
Of thirst in the Forty-Mile Desert Of Ne
Vada-and yet, II they had only known 1t
they could have got plenty Of good drink
ing water by digging to depth Of fifteen
or twenty feet.
Death Valley, whose unsavory name and
reputation give II 30 terrifying notoriety,
has springs Of plentiful sweet water at
the heads of some of the goraeG that run