Wealth of the World's Waste Places and Oceania

"Great American Desert." As sturdy pioneers pushed their settlements farther and farther westward, the great American desert began to shrink in size until the roseate descriptions of p

t grow without irrigation; so farming must be confined mainly to the flood-plains of the rivers. Here and there considerable areas have been made fertile by capturing rivers, damming their streams so as to create grea

iles will ever remain barren so far as the production of foodstuffs is concerned. Now this whole region, irrigated

lofty ranges wring almost every drop of moisture from the rain-bearing winds of the Pacific Ocean, leaving them too dry to shed any moisture over the eastern half of the United States. Because of this great mountain barrier, the winds tha

per. Gold and silver are the mediums of commercial transactions, and copper is the chief medium for the transmission of electric power. These metals, therefore, are quite as nec

mes, especially during the last few decades. In the north it has been found in the frozen ground of Alaska and Siberia, in the south in the sands

le region, scanty in both animal and vegetable life, where climatic conditions call for heroic daring on the part of those who would search out its hidden mysteri

California. B

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the construction of connecting railroads to meet the demands of the growing commerce. Until recently, silver was the principal metal sought and found in the State of Nevada; but now g

e latter in the following year. Some of the Goldfield ore has assayed as high as thirty thousand dollars per ton, and so rich were many of its ores that they were sa

n development all other sections of the United States. A few years ago the southern part of the Silver State was considered utterly worthle

lured by the hope of a rich find. The prosperous desert mining town, first built of canvas and rough lumber, is soon replaced by a better class of buildings, and water is brought through long miles of pipe f

the towns of Randsburg and Johannesburg in the midst of the Mohave desert, while finds of rich ore made elsewhere are of frequent occurrence. It is thought that in the near future sufficient nit

ditions will make good the claims of both. Here are regions rivalling the Sahara in heat, lack of water, and barrenness, and in many parts as difficult to traverse; regions full of surprises in deceptive mirages, peculiar vegetation, strange animal life, occasional cloud-bursts, purity and exhilarating effects of atmosphere, charm of ever-changing co

e, healing atmosphere of these deserts. A new lease of life may be gained by the nerve-racked man or woman who

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tarantula, Gila monster, chuck-walla, desert rattlesnake, side-winder, humming-bird, eagle, quail, and road-runner. W

to maintain a home amid surroundings most unfavorable to his survival. He is a big, active fellow of a glossy gray color, and sinc

stronghold, from four to five feet long and three feet high, is made of sticks interwoven with pieces of prickly cactus, thorny twigs, and odd bits in general-great care being taken to have

eterred from even making the attempt. To keep his snakeship from intruding on domestic privacy Mr. Rat t

often surrounds his sleeping place with a horsehair rope as a safeguard against such an unwelcome intruder. Even the hungry, prowling coyote,

ay chance to find lying around, as many a desert miner has found to his discomfiture

in a gay plumage of coppery green, with streaks of white on the sides and a topknot of deep blue. In fleetness of foot it is said to equal the horse. Many stories are told of its surrounding a coiled sleeping rattles

f fifty feet. All the cacti are leafless and abundantly supplied with sharp, needle-like spines which protect them from herbivorous animals. The bark or outer covering has a firm, close texture that prevents the sap fr

is the "well of the desert," a barrel-shaped cactus thickly studded with sharp spines. When one cuts out the

cactus i

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m with clothing. These Indians have been acclimated to the desert for centuries and are well versed in all of its moods and mysteries. They know of no better abode; neither can they be induced to leave it for a more c

empting to rediscover it. In 1836, according to the traditional story, a man named Smith, distinguished from the rest of the Smith family by the possession of a wo

iving at the foot of the hills they were sadly disappointed; diligent search revealed no signs of water. He of the wooden leg climbed to the top of one of the buttes to get a better view of the country, and to the northward saw a high mountain; but before descending, he observ

would there find water. The next day at nightfall they succeeded in reaching the base of the mountain in an exhausted condition and f

thirteen years afterward; then, in 1849, it was heralded to the world that wonderful discoveries of gold had been made in several parts of California and that a man could dig out of th

ly decamped with the provisions, thus compelling the prospectors to return as speedily as possible to save their lives. Smith felt discouraged and left the c

e organized a party of six to hunt for the Pegleg Mine. What they found, however, will never be known, for they all perished, and their bleached bones were found

onfined to its storehouses of gold, silver, and copper. Here, there, and almost everywhere are areas that

marvels of the world's history. A more pronounced and inhospitable desert never existed; and, in proportion to the area reclaimed, it is doubt

land surface of its basin many feet deep, and abraded billions of tons of material from its channel. All this silt and detritus have served to fill up the northern part of the gulf, the result of the deposit being an immense land area. At length a

led with water, is usually called the Salton Sea. The whole of this region is comprehended under the name of Colorado Desert. In 1900 a company was formed to re

p carries water from the Colorado to Imperial Valley, where it is distributed by hundreds of smaller c

e for raising live-stock and poultry as well. Some of this land already brings into its owners from three hundred dollars to

water. At this particular time high water came earlier than usual, and a great flood tore out the channel of the temporary canal to such an extent that before it could be prevented the whole Colorado River was flowing through the breach, leaving its own bed perfectly dry to the Gulf of Calif

the donkey, or "burro," as it is commonly known; without the service of this animal many a man would have suffered a lingering death. As a matter

U. S. Reclam

rizona, showing sout

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. Extensive irrigation works were built in Egypt three thousand years ago, and in India, China, Persia, and the

onderful systems for irrigation. Likewise, Cortez found the Aztecs making extensive canals. Remains of great irrigation works are found

even million, and Italy three million. It is estimated that the United States has left one hundred and eighty million

acres of sleeping arid lands in the western part of our country. Mines may be exhausted, forests slain, and cities anni

ion with the various irrigation works the government has already established five hydro-electric plants which furnish water, motive power, and light as may be required. From the big Roose

n dollars annually; moreover, they furnish homes to more than three hundred thousand people. Prosperous rural communities with thousands of happy, ros

he vista of human achievements in this line broadens still greater works will be inaugurated and successfully consummated. In Arizona, California, Colorado, South Dakota

Canyon, an almost inaccessible gorge three thousand feet deep, the whole Gunnison River has been diverted to the Uncompahgre Valley.

an exploration of the canyon. No one before had ever had the hardihood to even make the attempt,

sm so deep and dangerous that he feared to follow it farther and named the gorge Black Canyon. Some twenty years later

ters of the Gunnison River for irrigating the arid land adjacent, in

their blankets, which were protected in rubber bags. They knew it was impossible to retrace their steps and that their only salvation lay in going on. At night they rolled themselves up in their blankets and tried to encourage one another.

lmost instant death. They were dying of starvation. Should they go on? They had not accompl

e morning, they reached the summit, two thousand five hundred feet above the raging torrent, at nine o'clock at night. They were ready to drop in their

ows, to look into the practicability of the project. After looking over the field, the government engineer succeeded in enlisting in his service Mr. Torrence, who wa

and clothing, a camera, hunting-knives, and belts. Until they reached the water-falls where the previous expedition had left the canyon, the "Fall of Sorr

n or retreat, as those before them had done? Yes, they must go forward whatever the hazard. They clasped hands, bidding each other good-by. Torrence threw himself into the water first and Fellows followe

from the canyon their provisions gave out. Death by starvation stared them in the face once mor

ep darted into a cleft. With a quick movement born of desperation Torrence rushed before the opening, but

a fierce struggle. The meat obtained saved their lives and sustained them until they reached a ranch fourteen miles from the place

ght for and recorded in the engineering book, were safely brought out and contained enough encouraging information t

as caused a large portion of this rich desert land to remain dormant. To meet the demand for more water in this valley the United States Government has just completed

n forty miles long. It derives its name from the saltness of its waters, which results

ops. Here extensive farming can be carried on with the greatest success. Six crops of alfalfa, averaging eight tons per acre, are harvested yearly. The oranges, dates, figs, lem

he number is rapidly increasing. The value of the feathers plucked yearly from each full-grown bird is from thirty dollars to forty d

n Rome was founded, a land of lost races, perpetual sunshine, forbidding deserts, and picturesque wonders. Strange vegetation and scen

by two valleys hedged in among the mountains at the head of the canyon. It was necessary only to

by which to transport provisions, machinery, and other supplies. A greater part of the road was cut out of the solid rock; other portions were constructed of masonry. At places on th

o his aid the government geologists, and they discovered near at hand limestone rock suitable for making good cement. But in order to convert the limestone into cement, it was necessary to have a

ilt and an electric plant installed which ran the mill and machine shops besides furnishing power for laying the heavy stones, lighting the works and town, and leaving a large surplus amount for pumping water from numer

ooking upstream toward the dam. Dam, 328.4 f

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reservoir, to be submerged when the works should be completed and the flood gates closed. The town, which was christened Ro

It is two hundred and eighty feet high, and the thickness of the dam ranges from one hundred and seventy-five feet at the bottom to twenty feet at the top, where its length is one thousand and eighty feet. Massive iron gates weighing sixty thousan

d his murderous band of Apaches. Near by are two groups o

ent to fill a canal two hundred feet wide and twenty feet deep, extending entirely across the United States from the Atlan

sand acres in the valley below. This dam was completed January 10, 1910, and is the highest in the world, its height being three hundred and eighty-four feet. Twelve miles below the dam prope

e Eagle, New Mexico, across the Rio Grande River will irrigate one hun