The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-16
THE DEADLY MOJAVE VALLEY,
In the Heart of California Surrounded by
Mines.
Trying to Prevent
People From Crossing During SeasOn Station
Established Its Borde
Copyright 1896 by Ryman Interview Syndicate.

There is a movement on foot among
the Red Cross people to prevent the awful
destruction life which goes on every year
in the Mojave desert. This is a great
tract of land in the heart of the gold
fields Of California. All around it lie the
richest veins of gold and silver of borax
and other useful minerals that have
ever been found, and, lying perilously
within these Eldorados Of fortune and
fame the desert, across which prospect
ors must go to seek for wealth.
II they take a circuitous path around
the desert they traverse only the we'll
worn ways, and have less hope of suc>
cess. The recent loss of Edgar Clark of
New York and Henry Sanford of Column
BUS both members of the best families.
mas stirred up into activity the much
taIked-of relief. If these men persisted.
what hope for the less favored with
money and influence?
Last year the very most optimistic cal
culation of the Mojave's victims was
No. 1t is probable there were three times
as many. Ninety-eight were fully iden-
tined, and the 100 was completed when
traveller came galloping into the set
uement on the outskirts, and. throwing
himself down from his dying horse, gasp
ed Out the awful peril he had been
through and told of the 1.-TWO dead or
dying out there now!'
No aid could be sent, for he had passed
them two days before, and the Mojave's
victims became one hundred good, strong
men, made to cross the desert by necessi-
ty' in order to provide the things demand
81 Dy civilization. 1t is this awful traffic
fla Tp1l
stop
ne great deserts of the world-Sahara,
A'dola Pharan and Libya-are pleasant
spols compared to this death valley which
-'0S henacingly in the heart of the fairest
9'ale IN the union. Sahara has GASES.
1Iaola boasts of thread-like rivers, often
u'y IN spots, but still running above the
surface every few miles And in the
stony Pharan are two spouting fountains
SW4lat can be seen for miles away. But the
f5IiJaNe, although small, is bare of any
90 rs 70 comfort the traveller. Not drop
vi water can be found during the eighty
is 80 ride across, and at this season there
-oI day when a sand storm does not
dm' Inc thermometer daily reaches 13S
ees, and on hot DAYS takes a iump up
w. loV. Never at night does it settle be-
NJ NJ" -. This deadly heat, without trace
sudoe or vegetation, the terrible sand
ho-i9 ana the burning sun of the middle
as 5o-s OF the day are the elements that
pllye traveller of all hope of getting
across alive
~ ride of eighty miles is a short trip
~ d man mounted on horseback. In a
'gldly country he can ride it in a day
eItI l1e OF one hundred miles is not impos-
a. with trained riders. But in the
,%Tsert the trip takes week, sometimes
~ ~ weeks. And four miles an hour is
" NJ pest progress a man can hope to make.
r ~ zen the sand storms come he must dis
GU ny ana cover his horses head and his
b5"n with blankets, and when the terrible
r ,ral pour down from the sun he must inn
. ~ III rs q shade or his eyelids will blister
to Dnnd his eyes, making it impossible
~ Keep the slender trail.