Show RIVERS OF THE DESERT some ot of the trance strange S franks they play now and titan A large contractor la Is authority tor for the tha statement that in proportion to the tha number ot of streams there are more mora bridges in arid regions than in any other section ot of the country 0 of course he only referred to such bridges as span what were formerly or are now the well defined channels of running water la in parts of the southwest creeks and rivera river often appear and disappear so that it Is not known whence they coal come nor whither they go sometimes a 81 stream vanishes and leaves no signs sometimes by an increase of 0 water la in the neighboring river sometimes it cuts for itself a nice channel but whatever becomes of it the old bed Is usually left perfectly dry these changes generally take place after a flood and necessitate the construction of new bridges one little rivulet in southern california has required the building of five distinct bridges about two wo years ago the southern pacific railroad lost a stream called the whitewater river which had never been known to tall fail before during the wet season it became an angry turbulent and destructive flood but when the rain ceased it gradually disi speared and left no traces of its future course A young explorer was sure that h could find the mouth of any araj and so BO selecting one whose outlet was wa not known he began his tour 0 of investigation ti after riding many hours through the heat and sand his attention was for a short time attracted h b other objects when suddenly he remembered his mission and looked tor for his river but not a drop ot of water waa wa in sight eight well he exclaimed 1 I found that the darned thing went into the ground anyhow an old timer says that many of tho tha smaller streams ot of the desert have id M headwaters or outlets but simply 04 initial and a final ending |