Wall Spring
Wall Spring is located on the west side of the Smoke Creek Desert, north of the Parker Ranch.
Lucius Arcularius was murdered near March 1, 1864 near Wall Spring. After finding his body, the search party went back to Granite Creek station "and fixed up a box and came back and buried him."
The 1876 Bancroft Map shows Wall Creek. [1]
In 1877, Thomas W. Symons traveled through the area: "Leaving Surprise Valley we set out going through the old outlet of the lake by the main road to Reno and separating at Clark's about 10 miles from the valley two courses were run to the Granite Mountain which was occupied as our last triangulation station October 26; A four days march from Granite Mountain brought us to Susanville passing by Wall Springs, Murphy's Salt Works, Smoke Creek, and Shafer's. Mr Murphy has built up quite an industry in the desert. On boring a few feet into the soil water is found which is a fully saturated solution of salt and which by means of a windmill he pumps into inclosed spaces of the ground and there it is evaporated and leaves the salt which is very pure and of excellent quality. From one gallon of water he gets two pounds and ten ounces of salt. He was extending his works so as to make more salt as he is at present unable to supply the demand."[2]
Resources
- ↑ Bancroft's Map Of California, Nevada, Utah And Arizona, Published By A.L. Bancroft, & Compy. Booksellers & Stationers San Francisco Cal. 1876.
- ↑ Thomas W. Symons, "Executive and Descriptive Report of Lieutenant Thomas W. Symonds Corp of Engineers on the operations of Party No 1 California Section Field Season of 1877," p. 113, 1878.
- GNIS
- Asa Merrill Fairfield, "Fairfield's Pioneer History of Lassen County, California." (1916)
- Shann Rupp "A Photo Tour to California Via the Nobles Trail," Wall Springs (sic): "When in the center of the plain, we were gratified by the sight of bushes and of green vegetation in the mountains we were approaching, indicating the position of springs and of small streams;..... We were here upon the Noble road, which follows the north shore of the lake by the Boiling springs." -- Lt. Beckwith, 1854"
- Sessions Wheeler, "The Nevada Desert," p. 62. Lucius Arcularius found dead near Wall Springs (sic).