The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-23
DOWN IN DEATH VALLEY.

Word From Signal Service Observer Cler!
ut the Height of the Heated Torn.
A letter received by MIR. Il. G. Hall at tn
local signal services ofico several days ag'
from Mr.. John Clery, the young man who
went from here to take the position Of OBJ
server in Death Valley, Cal, tells a story
calculated to make the ungodly turn pale
says the Kansas City Times.
Mr.. Clery says that he is writing in thu
blistering shade of a plank shed, a single
garment, and a temperature of 12o. He
ventured the assertion that certain red-ho'
iron gates to a subterranean abode are not
far distant and are wide open. He, also re-
lates his experience with the Indian mai
carrier who stopped at his shed for several
DAYS, and tells how he decorated that ser
want of the country for his trip across the
plains to Keeier. A few verbatim extracts
from Mr.. Clery's letter will show something
of his berth with Uncle Sam out west. lie
saws: a :. Az
mail took his departure he was as happy as
a clam at high tide, and his usual passive
face was illuminated by a large and we'll
defined grin. 1t was caused by a leather
saddle mail pouch that / had secured TO
transmit the mail in, and as it was the I'M,
tial trip, I thought it proper that it should
be duly observed, and SO gave him some
ribbon to decorate the name and tail of his
horse, and l then pasted the following le-
gend in the shape of q half circle: The
missing link mail route and Immediately
under it, You start the Injun, the pony
does the rest All thio was surrounded by
large, bright red seals. I got back at the
world at large by perpetrating the follow
ing, after KIpling's Overland Mail
Wb;Io tbaro'r a hreatb in hia hOdy
He must bear without fail.
In the name of John Joblets,
The Furnace Creek mail.
IT took great pains in printing the above,
considerable difficulty I got Mercury to
understand that it was a penal otfense to
soil or destroy the paper on the pouch: He
solemnly promised to land 1T in Keller
without rip, tear or ravel, and he was as
much tickled with it as a child with a new
red toy, and would sit and gaze at it by the
hour. Have not heard yet what his recep-
ton was in Keller. but then an Indian is
like a person from Missouri. He is born to
trouble anyhow.
How do l pass away the time? Well, I
get up at 4:45 a. m. and take the observa-
tions and then get my breakfast, after
which l write up my journal and get forms
up to date. 1t is then time to change the
wind sheet, which l work up, and am done
for the day at $3.50 a. M. excepting the after
noon observations. l also take one at noon
at four p. m. to keep tab on Paragraph and
thermograph. also to get wind direction and
clouds. About that time the temperature
strikes the century limo and then humps it,
self to assert it's individuality. 1t stays
above until eight or nine in the evening,
wheu it begins to fall off a couple of points.
The highest up to date was 123; have had
that on several occasions. On the 18th inst.
a high hot wind set in from the south. 1t
was perfectly sitting, and would lead one
to believe that hades was only a block and
a half away and that they had thrown the
gats wide open to admit some one of I'M
usual Importance and had forgotten to
close it.