Year: 1879

Every now and then some uneasy person,
who disapproves of the surface of the earth
as at present arranged, steps forward with n
plan to cover up some of the land with nav-
gable water The valley of the Dead Sea has
always been tempting basin for these as
sailers of the established, and they live ON the
hope of seeing n ditch cut which will let into
it the waters of the Mediterranean. 1t needs
little imagination to picture the bottom of this
parched depression, more than thousand
feet below sea-level, as the ''yery roofing of
Sheol." And in spite of the advantages which
the enlarged area of evaporation would bring.


in theory. to the climate and temperature of
Europe, Asia and Africa. the dread Of some
convulsion which the weight of 1900 feet of
water might cause, if poured over the hot
crust which thinly covers the central fires of
the earth in this region of death, will prob
ably discourage judicious persons from trying
the experiment. French engineers, too, have
been for years measuring heights and distanc-
es, with view to the irrigation of Sahara,
the plan being to convert thousands of square
miles into an inland sea, with depth of 800
feet, fed by the Mediterranean. And now
comes Gen. Fremont asking the government
to help him extend the Gulf California by
tapping its northern end and letting it run in
to and fill up the Colorado Desert.


This is not a novel enterprise, and long ago
its feasibility and advisability were freely dis
cussed. 1t seems that the sediment carried
down for ages by the great river Colorado at
last collected at what was then its mouth, in
sufficient quantity to dam off the northern
arm of the Gulf of California from any con-
nection with the ocean. The water in this
unfed reservoir then slowly evaporated leav-
ing dry basin 1870 miles by 80, and this, to-
gether with the surrounding slopes, soon be-
came 'bladeless desolation," while the riv-
er turning southwark found entrance to the
gulf many miles below. Between this arid
waste and the present head of the gulf lies
some thirty miles of soft earth, just lifted
above sea-level, and through this Gov. Fre-
mont proposes to cut his canal 1t is high
way of commerce that is now contemplated


but originally the main object aimed at by
pouring the desert full of water was to re-
store the natural harmonies which had been
disturbed by the drying up of the sea. HUI
man remains prove that the desert was lately
fertile, and an old Spanish map is mentioned
which places the boundaries of the gulf far
beyond their present position. This great
change in the geography of the region
worked incalculable harm, it was held, by
desiccating Southern California, and the food
ing of the valley would restore the climate
and temperature and electrical conditions TO
what they were few centuries ago, and by
Increasing the, rainfall would bring fertility
and comfort TO all ~ ANb'SA'
Half dozen years ago soi@5 plausible argu-
ments for turning the Colorado riSsr INTO the
desert for which it is responsible, weI


forth in the Overland Monthly. 1t was ther,
stated that the bed of the river was constant
ly rising, and that in times of food it often
brimmed over and moistened the parched
slopes of the waste. The old channel can still
be traced, and little damming and digging
would be needed to turn the flood of cool wa
ter from the melting SHOWS into the bed OF
the vanished sea. This would make a fresh
water lake instead of an arm Of the gulf,
Evaporation would probably exceed the sup.
ply. That is the basin might never be COM
pletely filed. But the lake would be a large
one, and if all the happy consequences pre-
dcted did not follow, the canal might be add
ed to restore the original conditions as far as
practicable The physical questions suggest
ed by the scheme are certainly interesting.
There are international questions, too, which
need to be discussed before the plan can be
carried out, and perhaps Gov. Fremont will
be many years older before the tides will ebb
and flow in his desert sea.-N. T. Tribune.