The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-07-08
DESERT IN BLOOM
Irrigation Makes Garden Spot Of
Death Valley.
Furnace Creek Ranch, In Eastern CAL
ifornia, Probably the Most Isolated
Farm In the worId--Many
Feet Below Sea Level.

Probably the most isolated farm In
the world Is situated In a certain spot
In eastern California, near the bottom
Of the United States. where some min
Ing men have fitted out ranch of
some SO acres. The place Is known
as Furnace Creek ranch. and 1t has
been made possible by irrigation. the
water being piped from springs in
the Funeral mountains.
Edward Hogg, In describing the
ranch. says that II SIS situated 17s
feet below sea level on the floor Of
the greatest depression on the face
of the western hemisphere, within pis-
tol shot of and only about 100 feet
higher than the greatest depth of
Death valley. Yet. In spite OF Its pc
the shadow Of Mount Whitney. whose
eternal SHOWS tower into the heavens
to height of nea-ly three miles. the
highest point of land in the conti-
mental limits of the nation.
Furthermore. Furnace Creek ranch
/
where weeds are unknown. As It Is
entirely artificial and surrounded by
a desert barrier, the seeds of noxious
weeds have had no way Of getting
there. and unless they be imported by
man, the ranch will undoubtedly al
ways remain free from them.
obviously the Introduction o: an
abundant water supply was the prime
requisite to make the ranch possible.
This Is obtained from two large
springs far back in the Funeral noun
tains, which pour their streams upon
the burned-out Death valley soil
through two great aqueducts, one Of
steel and one OF masonry. Part of
the water is diverted along the route
TO freshen heavy growth Of willows
planted TO give shade to the water
course. But in spite Of this. the loss
of water from evaporation Is very
great, and In summer the water
emerges from the aqueduct at temper.
atures up to 40 degrees. Men and
live stock. of course, cannot drink II
so hot. Cooling is therefore effected
by means OF large evaporation 'ollas,
and the drinking water is quickly re
duced to 20 degrees In the hottest
weather.
"The humidity of Death valleys at
mosphere varies like that Of otheI
places. but according to analyses made
by the United States weather bureau
its air Is the driest known. Its aver
age moisture content Is less than .0
per cent. Water thus becomes as vol
atile as gasoline and evaporating cool
ing is accomplished with great rapid
ity. 1t is this speedy evaporation tina
has largely made Furnace Creek rancl
possible. The ranch Is primarily {
hay farm, the principal crop being al
falfa. which Is fed TO cattle and hogs
After being dressed. the meat Is sen
to mining camps. The live stocl
could not live through the scorchln,
summer II II were not for the coolini
influence Of shower baths with which
their corrals are equipped. The cat
tie, horses and mules are further pro
tected from the bllsterng winds b.
! having the sides of their pens covere,
with sheet metal.
"white men cannot live long In tn,
withering heat. Consequently all th'
work about the ranch is done by In
dlans Of the Piute and Shoshon,
tribes. under the direction OF an edu
Gated foreman. The average life o
white man In Death valley Is yer.
short. Three white foremen employe,
on the ranch lasted two summers eacl
and perished during the third. Tw'
others went insane and attempted I,
fee out of the valley on foot. Neithe
: Of them lived TO get out Of the maz'
Of Funeral mountain canyons.
"The Stygian temperature OF Dealt
valley lasts for about five months o
the year, usually from May until DC
tober; the other months are cool ant
pleasant. Rain is virtually unknown
, Consequently the irrigation Of Funera
, creek ranch Is continuous"