Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-10-24
A HY0IENIC HADES.

A simple-minded old soldier, who
served under Fremont tho Path finder.
turned to his native town in tho East
good many years ago, and told
plain nnvarnished tale of the wonders
he had seen in the Yosemite Valley and
other wild regions ON the Pacific SLOPE
remember he exhibited piece of
stringy vegetable substance about nine
inches thick that he said was tho bark
of tree, the tree itself being three or
four hundred feet high. By simply
telling the truth this gray old fighting
man earned the reputation of being the
biggest liar in all the country around.
Years passed, and all his stories were
verified into common place facts but
his reputation was established, and his
name ranks to-day in his native town
with that of the Baron Munchausen.
Any one who travels through the
valley of the Grand River in Western
Colorado, and tells Of what he saw
there, runs the same risk. What can
man expect who says he took half
hours swim in midwinter all unpro-
tected from bowling snow-storm, and
afterwards decended into the bowels of
the earth and took a yapor bath, the
raw (or cooked materials of which
came straight from Tophet, or there
abouts? Yet these are the every day
humdrum incidents in the lives of the
people of Grand River Valley.
There may be parts of the lower re-
gions to which admittance is free, but
it costs considerable portion of dol
lar to enter at the gate ON the Grand
River. 1t is worth the price of admis-
sion, for all the conditions which you
had right to expect are complied
with, especially if you go at night.
A black and turbid river flows out
from between frowning cliffs; through
it's icy waters bubble springs of water
hot from the fires below. Sulphurous
flnes are provided for you as you ap-
proach the little door in the mountain
side near the river 1t is trifie disap-
pointing to find the gate-keeper seated
on a cane bottom chair, but after he
has told you few stories you feel that
he is the right man in the right place.
He has a tale of a man addicted to
the excessive use of tobacco, who went
into this hygenio hades clothed only in
it's vapors, and came out in full suit
of nicotine. Thick doors separate COM
partments, gradually increasing in tenn
perature, until you are ushered into
cavern filled with driving yapor that
winds about you in steaming folds.
AS your eyes grow used to the ghostly
shifting light you see the forms of half
naked men, some sitting, many lying
in hollows of the rocks; they seem to
quiver in the winding mists that en-
velop them like objects in a mirage.
The gatekeeper tells you of old min
ers from Cripple Greek filled with lead
from crown to heels, who in few days
rid themselves of the poison in this
cavern. Then he has patrons with
more expensive ailments, like the gout,
for instance, who take more time in
their cure. After the visitor becomes
parboiled he is permitted to return to
the door and cool himself gradually in
one compartment after another. Re-
suming the conventional garb of the
tourist, he looks up once more at the
stars, and is thankful that he went in
at the gate where they charge admis
sion. William A. Rogers, in Harper 8
| Weekly.