The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-01-19
SIGN POSTS IN DESERT
GUIDE FOR THE THIRSTY
IMPORTANT WORK OF eEoLoeI-
CAL SURVEY IN MAPPING
FoRBlDDING REGION.

The most valuable thing in any Civ
en- region is apt TO be that which is
hardest to obtain there. In deserts.
without doubt, it is water. And next
to the life giving fluid itself the trav-
eler values any indications of where he
will be able to find it it's direction
its distance, its character The exist
ence or non existence OF such indica-
tons often spells life or death to him,
says r. II. Moulton in Dearborn In
dependent.
few years ago congress began the
work of suplementing the few signs
that nature affords by sprnkling the
desert regions of the southwest with
painted signboards telling of the near
est water. Moreover, it began map
ping the watering places and improv
ing them. An appropriation of $4,000
was made as starter, and within a
few weeks after it had become availa-
BILE, the United States geological sur
vey had four outfits, each in charge of
geologist at work in the hottest,
sandiest and least explored part of the
desert region. Within few months
more than $4,000 square miles of the
region had been mapped examined
and signposted.
The region that has been covered
lies in southern California and south
western Arizona In California it in
cludes the Colorado desert, the Mohave
desert. the southern part of Death /
valley and adjacent regions. In Ari-
iona it includes the little known and /
sparsely settled region west of Tue /
son and Phoenix and south of Wick
enburg and Parker. 1t was selected |
not only because of its aridity. but also
because of the strategic importance OF /
obtaining information on the water
supplies along the $50 miles of our ma
tional frontier, which il includes
Work of Geological Survey.
The biologists who did this work
prepared maps that show practically
every watering place in the region and
the roads leading to these watering
places. These maps have been pub
lished in a series of guides, which con-
tain descriptions of the routes. de-
tailed information regarding each wa
tering place tables of distances be-
tween watering places and analysis OF
the water, These guides cover not
merely the principal roads. but are
designed to give information
regarding the watering places in the
less frequented regions remote from
the main routes. The work was placed
in charge of biologists. so that not on
~ should existing watering places be ;
located and marked but an intelligent
understanding of the water supplies
below the surface should be obtained {
Many interesting episodes in con-
nection with the field work might be
related. At various times there were
in remote sections, in
extraordinary exertiOn and :
some hardships. rather romantic ,
event was the planting of signpOsts in
the vicinity of Tinajas Atlas, along the
Mexican border in Arizona, where be-
tween 800 and 400 persons once per- a
shed by thirst. II may be somewhat I
surprising to persons in the east and a
possibly to some in the west to learn f
hat Death valley whose unsavory !.
name and reputation give it certain u
certifying nOtoriety throughout the a
contains large springs which l
afforded excellent swimming to the
party that was in the valley s
asst winter
Vast Area.
The entire region. that is so arid as \
o require guides to watering places
md sign posts directing to these
places. comprises a fam q
haped area covering approximately
,70,0 900 square miles, or nearly one d.
fifth of the country. The handle of the e,
an is in southern California; one side o
S formed by the Sierra Nevada and ~
'ascade mountains; the other side ex- Of
ends 500 miles along the Mexican Dor 81
err while the outer edge is traced by
line extending from eastern Oregon. r.
through salt Lake City and Sante Fe. b
D the mouth of the Pecos river The b
ighly developed coastal section of -,
outhern California is situated so to G;
peak. at the handle of the fan. and Fl
ne railroads and automobile highways ~
rat extend eastward and northeast q,
ard from this section may be regard CT
4 as the rigs of the hugh fan ca
Rich in Natural Resources. n,
This region is by no means devoid of III
ltural resources or human activity. t.
contains prosperous cities. fertile Ia
;ricutural districts. forest clad lie
a large aggregate number M M
watering places. rlCn mines. ana an ~.