Imperial press and farmer., April 26, 1902, Page 9, Image 9

About Imperial press and farmer. (Imperial, San Diego County, Cal.) 1901-1903

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
MOONLIGHT MIIMhI .
Tho Travelers on the Desert San a
City of Homes in the Ambient
Atmosphere.
How many men have seen a mirage
— a real desert mirage, at night? It
is not probable that the opportunity
has ((line to many.
Capt. H. R. lhirke of San Fran
Cisco related the tale of this strange
phenomenon to a Times reporter yes
terday.
"Last month." he said, "a friend
and I were traveling in a wagon over
the desolate part of Arizona. We
were not bound on any special busi
ness. My friend having more m<>ne>
than health, wo were merely varying
the monotony a little.
"On the morning of the 18th ult.
we left Belmpnt in Nye county, trav
eling southward, and the evening of
the 20th we stopped on the edge of
the Ralston desert. For three days
it had been oppressively warm, even
sultry, with cold nights. On this after
noon we had walked our horses in
the still air. stilling ourselves, and
nearly choking the animals with al
kali dust. Truly, it was a poor thing
to be called recreation.
"Even after sundown the air did
not change, and we lay very uncom
fortably on the ground, smoking our
pipes and wondering whether or not
we were in for a bad night of it. Ires
A UTTLK PISHING NOOK IN BLUB LAKE TOWN OP SILSBEE IMPERIAL SKTTLEMKNTS, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
ently my companion found himself
out of matches and arose to go to the
wagon. I heard him utter a peculiar
exclamation, and turning around saw
him standing still and with hand
shaded eyes looking intently toward
the south.
•■Well, after 1 got UP, there before
me in dim and wavering outlines, was
a city. In the bright moonlight the
houses ought to have been much
more distinct, but I attributed it to
the unsettled dust in the atmosphere.
Faint lights gleamed in some of the
windows.
"We stood for some moments spec
ulating on our whereabouts and chaf
fing each other as to our knowledge
of topography, for we had thought
ourselves many miles from civiliza
tion. Suddenly a faint breeze came
up. the heat of lower air strata found
an opening, and started heavenward
in a thousand snaky columns of dust.
In a few minutes the air was clear
and COOI, and our little city had van
ished utterly. In its place was only
the sage brush plain stretching tin
brokenly to the horizon.
"Had it not been for the vague
ness I suppose we would have Been
that our images wen' inverted. Vet I
was not looking for it, nor he. for
neither of us had any id. 'a that moon
light was sufficiently strong to throw
the image."
The quavering voice of an aged
Christian mother makes sweeter music
to angel ears than the notes of the
finest pipe organ ever erected.
What is the Subtle Inspiration of
Our Oronth?
,i. D. Lynch in Resources or South
crn California: .lust now (Tie people
up north are engaged in the study oi
their lives. What the\ want ;■- know
is. 'What is the secret of tne remark
able growth of the south' Why is it
that a town like Kedlands. most of
the land upon which it is located sell
ing for $7 or $s an acre in IsnT only
i~> years ago is now selling anywhere
from a thousand to twenty thousand
dollars an acre.' How do they <\o
it?"
Now. we beg to inform our contem
poraries and fellow-citizens of the
northern and central counties that we
do not do it at all. This thing of mi
raculous development has just done
itself. Topsy Informed her tnterloc
Utors that she "jeB growed." which
has undoubtedly been ..ir ense with
the counties which compose the mag
leal region known as Southern Cali
fornia. They have just "growed. "
There is no combination of mice or
men that can prevent the current
miracle of growth wnlCil Is now wit
nessed in Southern California from
reaching a perihelion or hitherto un
recorded splendor. Ordinarily to in
dulge in the fervor with which He
BOUrces of Southern California refers
to the region in which it is published
would be regarded as an attempt at
tine writing and beyond the bounda
ries of good taste. Hut in truth this
is not so in any sense. Xo one who
has written of l.os Angeles and the
adjoining counties, whether he hailed
from Europe, or the most fastidious
portions of the American continent
has in any sense succeeded in indulg
ing in verbal pictorial extravagance.
It is an achievement impossible to
the art of man: and human art and
wealth are rapidly accumulating diffi
culties in the line of even doing- jus
tice to this section. He who would
write truthfully of this region has
long experienced the difficulty insep
arable from an attempt at painting
the lily or adorning the rose.
To recur to the heading or this ar
tiele— "What is the Subtle Inspira
tion" — which means, of course, of the
tremendous impetus of the vioiet and
poppy-Clad Southland, which makes
it grow like the Prophet's gourd or a
"leetle" faster — Resources of South
ern California does not know, unless
it be the multiple anu spontaneous
forces of nature, which mark out sur
prises and "natural benevolent assim
ilations." to employ, in the latter
phrase, the language of the lamented
President McKinley. Southern Cali
fornia grows, like tne lovely head of
this region of gracious marvels, La
Ciudad de la Reina de l.os Angeles.
because she can't help it. She is in
stinct with a fecund anil indescribable
energy which results in progress and
development. At least, we can see no
other way of interpreting the incom
parable and surprising evolution of
this splendid section. Tf the northern
IMPERIAL PRESS
and central counties do not like this
view of the matter, let them, in the
language of Patrick Henry, make the
most of it.
Irrigation and Malaria.
The danger of malaria from irriga
tion has probably been o\ cr rated
and Since the discovery that the mos
quito is the fellow who causes the
trouble, it may not haunt the imag
ination as it did once. "The Occi
dental Mediml Times" makes sonic
pertinent remarks on this subject
Which are worth considering. The
Times says:
"The impression that irrigated dis
tricts were productive of disease
prompted an inquiry into the subject
a year or more ago. Whereby the con
elusion was reached that the contrary
was the fact. All available literature.
all personal and written testimony,
was distinctly unanimous in declaring
that irrigation brought health and
prosperity.
"All the medical evidence allowed
that there was less malaria, typhoid
fever, diarrhoea] diseases, etc.; that
the sanitary conditions hi general
were vastly improved, and that th<*
death rate was consequently lowered.
'"This was strikingly true of all dis
tricts, of so healthy a country as that
surrounding Phoenix, Ariz., and of so
unhealthy a territory as the San .loa
quin Valley.
"A little reflection will readily con
vince Diic thai lack o£ water, stag
nant pools, the use ol" wells or ClS
terna, are active tactorß in spreading
disease; while tie prevention of vege
table decomposition, tin- replacing of
these conditions with green fields and
Bowing waters, which as a mile are
pure and clean, will eradicate many
sources of contamination.
■'Another phase connected with the
subject is the frequently high altitude
of the arid lands, so essential many
limes in the treatment of diseases of
the respiratory passages, which, aided
by the open air life, and above all by
a certain and stimulating means of
employment, adds an Incentive of
great effect. These conditions have
made Colorado and Southern Cali
fornia the greatest health resorts in
die world, and have given life ami
health to thousands.
"The conclusion of the eminent
physicians who made the Congress of
Tuberculosis, recently held in l.on
done, famous, were that, in the pres
ent state of knowledge, Bunshlne and
outdoor life are our most effective
agents in the treatment of this dis
ease.
"At present the amount of land that
is productive in these districts is small
and the means ol securing a liveli
hood uncertain. It seems probable,
therefore, that in the reclamation of
these lands lies one means of prevent
ing, if only to a limited degree, the
further destruction of our people."
Imperial "Alka-lie."
Isaac .i. Fra/cr writes to the Ocean
side Blade relative to alkali reports
of the government expert in the fol
lowing sensible way:
The exaggerated report regarding
alkali at Imperial calls to mind the
l.os Nietos farmer, who when inter
rogated regarding certain White spots
on his productive acres, answ -.Mvd.
"Yes. it hmks like alkali, and tastes
like alkali, in fact is alkali, but on
land that has raised a large Family,
lifted a big mortgage and paid the
taxes it's only fronting on the pound
cake of plenty."
Your scribe is no alkali expert, but
he has served apprenticeship prying
pumpkins from off alkali spots in the
aforesaid l,os Nietos He DM also
seen the tons of sorghum raised to
the acre at Imperial, and pig-weed as
big as a government expert's imag
ination. He has played the rob- of
doubting Thomas in IST;* when Hi\
eraide colony was a quien sabe ques
tlon, and although it hampered the
colony some, We must admit. River
side has survived.
For over a century the Indians
along the Colorado have been raising
Immense crops on the same lediment,
watered by the same water, ami un
der similar climatic conditions, This
sediment at Imperial is of great
depth and even though possibly un
derlaid in some places, witli salt,
stands practically in the same posl
(ion as our rich coast lands which
are unimpaired thereby, save when ir
rigated by saline water from below.
Figuratively speaking there is not a
cubic yard of soil in the entire south
west which is not Impregnated with
more or less alkali nor a rivulet that
does not carry the "appropriation
tickler" in solution. Imperial is no
exception to the rule, but after all the
white alka-liea of fact have been ex
aggerated to i he blacker ones of fie
t ion.
Surgeons and Shaving.
The latest decißion in the surgical
world is that physicians must shave
their faces. It is claimed that many
cases of contagious diseases are car
ried to patients in. the boards of doc
tors, while the Burgeon performing
an operation may convey dangerous
germs to the wound of his patient.
The New Fork Journal recently pub
lished an illustrated page, showing, in
highly magnified form, a wealth of
microbes found upon the hair of the
face.
Postofflce for Silsbee.
The petition has gone on to Wash
ington for the establishment at Siis
bee, on the desert, about ten miles
from Imperial, of a postofflce under
the name of Bilsbee. The petition asks
that Daniel Browning be named as
postmaster.- San Diego Union.
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