OCR Text |
Show the West, each cnbic foot of the waters of the Colorado is likely to become valuable in agricultural, mining, or other pursuits. The topographical data obtained by Lieutenant Bergland's party, as partially showu by the sketches herewith, ( see Appendix B,) although apparently meager, is yet sufficient to illustrate the route of the party and to locate the principal points referred to in the report. It will all be incorporated in the regular atlas maps covering the regions traversed, to which it will prove a valuable contribution. A sketch of the region south of latitude 37° £( K is here introduced, showing the diversion between the direct coast- drainage and that forming part of the great valley of the Colorado and of the interior basins, those lying in California and Nevada. The total number of square miles shown is 104,300, of which 88,300 square miles approximately belong to California, and 16,000 square miles to Nevada; 42,600 square miles of this area is a part of the great valley and coast drainage, or 48 2- 10 per cent. Of the remaining area about 45,700 square miles, of which less than 2 per cent., is now arable, or could be made arable with all the water available within its limits. Of the amount constituting the coast and valley drainage, allowing that 60 per cent, can be made valuable for agricultural purposes, ( an amount presumedly largely in excess of what would be found to be true after a rigid examination and survey of these areas,) it appears that of this portion of California south of latitude 37° 20', only 29.4 per cent, can ever, with the best facilities, be made useful for agricultural purposes. The area in California of a desert character, the 45,700 square miles above mentioned, is much larger than the area of the same character in Arizona, the latter having been charged as the acme of the desert of the United States, whereas the Great Colorado plateau and plauteau- ridges about the upper waters of the Salt and Oila Rivers, and the sources of certain minor streams, as the San Pedro and Santa Cruz, are sections that are quite the reverse of deserts. While the southwestern portion of Arizona must always remain sparsely inhabited because of its want of water and stretches of sandy waste, yet the amount thus withdrawn from all hope of settlement, except at little water- stations, is comparatively less than the desert portion of California lying south of latitude 37° 207 N., as shown by the sketch. This statement will in no wise invalidate the claims of the remainder of this great State to the rank it has so well taken among the greater grain-producing States of the Union, no more than it accuses nature in being wanton in the disposition of its fields for the uses of mankind. That part lying east of the summit of the Sierras, where the rainfall immediately changes from one as great as 40 to 50 inches to 6, 8, and 10 inches annual fall, is not included, and is in addition to the area of 45,700 square miles mentioned. The part of Nevada shown is that portion least inhabitable from an agricultural point of view. While in all these desert sections mines have been and are still being found, oftentimes in sufficient proximity to water to warrant their being worked, still little underground exploration, even, has been undertaken, except in a few localities. Roads across this section of the country have been few, and the danger of exploring away from the main ones is the principal hinderance to the hardy prospector in his labors. Dr. Loew speaks of the wonderful change noticed by every traveler in crossing the summits of the Coast range south of Tehachipi Pass, found to exist between the desert and coast flora. This report will doubtless prove interesting. ( See Appendix H 7.) The basin drained by the Colorado River of the West comprises approximately 241,965 square miles, or approximately 154,857,600 acres, |