Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-01-13

DESERT is SAFE
FOR Travellers
Government Issues Guide to
Springs and Wells in SaIton
Sea Region.
PR0SPECTOR STARTS MOVE
United States Geological Survey In CO.,
operation With Engineering De-
Partment Of California univer.
sity Makes Survey Of
Desert.

interesting phrase Great American
Desert" was sprawled across O large
part of some of the earlier maps OF our
western and southwestern territory,
and though the area Of supposed desert
land was thus exaggerated, enough
real desert remains to justify large
studies Of methods Of utilizing 1t and
special studies of It's water resources
and watering places in order to make
Journeys across i, safe for travellers.
Travellers in the desert region Of the
Southwest must depend for their eX-
lstence OIL water holes" (springs,
wells or natural tanks), many Of which
are separated frCm one another by
hard days journey with team and
wagon, The water holes In most ~
this region have never been accurate
~ mapped or described, no systematic
provision has been made for maintain
Ing them. and the roads leading to
them have not been marked with sub
stantial and reliable signs. SO that
travel In the parts Of the region that
are remote from settlements has been
precarious and even perilous.
A Pioneer for Safety In the Desert.
The movement for the protection OF
prospectOrs and travellers on the arid
desert plains of his country was begun
many years ago by George w. Parsons,
a pr0spect0r aud desert expert Of Los
Angeles, Cal. In 1901 Mr., Parsons
made Il trip across the desert region
Of California with Prof. W. l.. Watts,
state mlneralogist, and. OH his return.
urged upon the Los Angeles Chamber
OF Commerce the necessity OF placing
guide posts and Of developing water
holes in the desert,
Mr.. Parsons work led to an appro-
prlatbn by congress, as result OF
which the United States geological
survey Department of the INTERIOR In
cooperation with the department OF
engineering of the state OF CALIFORNIA;,
surveyed the southern California
desert and has recently issued re-
port, entitled 'iitoutes 10 Desert Wa
tering Places IN the Salton Sea Re
MON. California" by John s. Brown.
Region Covered by the Report.
The region covered by this gu de Is
in the southwest corner of California
and Is about one hundred miles In
length ana breadth, covering about
ten thousand square miles. vs. north
ern limit is the thirty-f0nrth parallel
and Its southern Il tie boundary be-
tween the United States and Mexico;
IL. hnp6ne Ia It.t,t hy 'nln-
rudu river. which separates California
ard Arizona. and Its western lay he
m,ridIan OF 116 degrees ~ minutes. IL
therefore includes Imperial county and
the most arid parts of Riverside ana
San lingQ cWiHlles,
In addition 10 maps showing W"
roads and the watering places. the
guide contains road logs and brief lie
scrptions of the watering places. For
the convenience of travellers coming
ind going the logs of nearly all the
roads are given in two directions. In
formation aud sketch maps are IN.
Guided far certain roads that extend
somewhat beyond tie northern bound
ary of the region ns defined above, In
order TO connect the routes IN This re-
gion with watering places beyond Its
limits. On the other hand. II consider
able area In the western part OF the
region is high and well-watered and
the routes in II are given only fur GER
tain irregular westward extensions OF
the desert,
The report just published which Is
listed us water supply paper 49tLA,
may he obtained free OF charge by ap-
plying to the United States Geological
Survey, Washington, u, G,