Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1921-12-14


SPrwvarxa ~ ths NattenAl GeowrAphic 50
wgefF. washanxton- y. CO
The Grand Canyon Of the Colorado.
with its srupendous scenic effects. It's
beauty and is grandeur. is little cal
culmted 10 raise practical thoughts In
the minds 81 most of its beh0lders.
but anyone with = touch Of the en-
giueer in his makeup who gazes into
this great chasm must marvel at the
tremendous energy that has been ex-
ertcd by running water In carving its
way more than "A mile In depth through
rocks 81 various degrees % hardness.
And into hts mind. a. his eye gauses
the vast canyon. i sure 10 come the
question: What has become ~ the
billions % cubic yards OF material
that once filled this enormous pitt
The lower Colorado country region
o. fascination despite lts deserts and
natshes. its mud volcanoes and shift
Ing sanardunes-Is the answer: for Il
- truly the creature Of the river.
hunt from the countless tiny grains 81
sand and slit that its waters have
hrtsught down through the centuries.
TIE mouth % the Colorado Is one
% the least-known regions n North
America Onty - miles 90 the north
IN an air line the American town Of
Yuma has existed for the better part
Ct a century. and through II passes
ofsr % the principal transrontinental
railroads - the United States: while
little mere than a hundred miles 20
the west lies the rich valley 81 south
eru California and the coast cities
with teeming populations.
It's Mouth ls in Mexico.
There are physical difficulties In
reaching the mouth of the Colorado;
but the chief impeachment Is an imag,
mary line-the Mexican border. For
while the Colorado i essentially a
river 81 the United States. and
traversrs Us soil for some nineteen
twentieths of its length. for the last
- miles before ID reaches the sea its
banks are formed rs Mexican terri
tory. And 10 add - tie isolation the
SEA which the Colorado reaches Is the
long harrow Gulf 81 California. whose
northern end. into which the Colo
RADIO p0urs. i bounded by desert
sands and rociy. largely barren noun
talus. For 80 miles or more below
the mouth 81 the Colorado. the shores
81 the gulf foElu a desolate region. al
most the only permanent inhabitants
81 which are haif-ciyilized Indians.
The Colorado may BE compared in
Une way TO the Nile. since for hun
creds IL miles beth flow through des-
ert regions practically without tribu-
faries. Above Yuma. before reclama-
zion work was undertaken. the sud-
deuness with which one travelling In
Ihe desert would stumble upon the
aver az almost any point along -
course was a continuous source OF
wonder.
one % the striking features Of the
lower Colorado country Is just north
west - the river. opposite Yuma.
where Is to - found one - Americas
elosext-zpproaches toward duplicating
the Saharu. This stretch 81 country
= Given over u dunes built Of wind
swept sands brought down by the
river and washed ~ the rare torren-
tlai rains from the adjacent hills. A
series q long. slnuUuS ridges with
sharp cresfs. constantly travelling back
and forth IS the wind shifts their
tiny units. this dazzling waste ~ sand
needs only q camel on some summit o.
have all the atmosphere Of the Sa-
hara.
Not ouly has the Colorado created
ceserts: II has made what may be
considered their opp0Sites. marshes.
a. well Below Yuma. where the
river emerges from the rough eoun-
Try. tie Colorado delta stretches away
20 the sea. almost entirely In Mexico.
TIE stream does not i0w In one chan
mel on this last lap q It's journey. bur
divides into numerous branches and
spreads over a vide. nearly level area.
especially In feed season. Between
the strgamlets are extensive marshes
grown ~ In cat-taIls. with willows
lining tire channels. Halfway 10 the
SEA tire nans streams meet In a lake
which serves as a settling basin.
There. then. i being deposited much
= TIE solid material new washed
frum me upper Colorado; and while
tire Streams which enter tie lake are
da>H and muddy. those which Cow our
are almost clear.
c0eer Mud Volcanoes.
&c Tire edge of Tits lake are numer-
oGS mud volcanoes. small mounds
which appear from a distance lIRe
roughly conlcaI shocks ~ hay. From
fheir er4tsEx bOlls soff. scaldlng hot