The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-26
DEATH VALLEY IN 40
LOST CHAPTER IN THE ANNALS OF
GOLD HUNTERS TOLD AT LAST.
NInc Skeletons I'm One Camp Tell the
story OF the Adventures OF Party
Who Sought n short Route.


New York sun
The one untold story OF the adventurous
doings OF those who joined in the earliest
overland rush TO the gold diggings OF Cali
fornia which was needed TO complete the
history of the adventurous lives OF the
Forty-niners has at last been written-the
story OF the sufferings OF the party who
gave the name to the famous Death Valley
OF Inyo county Many traditions and tales
have been told and printed about this val
ley. among the most persistent, and for
those who believed IL the most expensive,
being that OF the Gunsight lead, where
man named Bennett was said to have found
q chunk OF pure silver on the verge Of the
valley and TO have used the metal later TO
make sight for his gun. But now We
have at last the facts as remembered by
one who made the eventful journey, and
rarely has a more interesting tale been told
by pioneer. The narrator Of the story Is
Ar. William Lewis Manley. OF San Jose.
Cal. and he has had it printed In book form
by a local printer under the title of death
Valley in 40"
Manley's youth had been passed In a way
TO 1T him especially for the journey he was
eventually TO make across the continent
fore he was ten years old his father emil
grated TO Michigan, where one of the first
things given TO the lad was a smooth-bore
rifle. Thereafter the boy became a profes-
sional hunter and trapper. going eventually
90 Wisconsin, where he mined little for
lead near Mineral Point, and became ac-
Quainted with Mrs. A. Bennett, whose name
was afterward given to spring on the
west side OF Death Valley, a name by
which the spring is stin known among the
wanderers in the desert region of Cali
fornia-
The story of the finding Of the placer dig
gingS in California having reached Wiscon-
sin. both Manley and Bennett were seized
with the fever TO go, and away they went
Dy dinerent routes, though they intended t.
meet on the overland trail west OF the Mis-
souri,, and this they did, when, after many
viclssitudes. they had arrived near Salt
1t was late in the fall season when the
meeting took place. and a large number of
smigrants We're encamped near the city.
Inc snow mad already come in the noun
tains, and the usual northern trail (the one
afterward followed by the Union Pacific
grants were in haste TO reach the promised
land and had no relish for a stay in Salt
Lake until spring. The Mormons told them
mule trail to the south by way of the
Mojave river to the old Mexican settlements
IN southern California had been known and
travelled for hundred years or more, and a
had been over the route, offered to serve
as guide for the party If each owner of an
outfit would pay him $40. The emigrants
We're rather afraid of the Mormons but
Hunt seemed 10 be fair man, and, more
over nine Mormon families were about to
go TO the san Bernardo Mission region
and Hunt was going 10 pilot them whether
any gentiles went or not.
THE NEW TRAIL.
The upshot OF the talk was that the own
ers Of 107 wagons agreed 10 60 by the south
ern route. 1t had never been Travelled by
wagons. but Hunt said they could easily
get them through, and in the end this
proved to be true.
But while they were still arranging for
the journey a man named Williams came
TO them saying that he was a rhountaineer,
and was familiar with the region through
which they wished to pass. and in proof OF
his knowledge produced a map on which
he drew trail that was some hundreds
OF miles shorter than the old mule trail by
the way OF the Mojave river. This trail
came out on the Tulare river. He was
very, plausible, and there was none who
could say he was wrong. What his object
was in doing this does not appear-he did
not even offer To serve as guide-but he
led to fhe ina SUFFERING mas untrue t5s st ard
OF which is herein related.
The great train OF wagons gathered at
suitable camping ground one days journey
out rom Salt Lake, where they organized
into divisions. which were TO take turns
an IA. i e, the way and doing the work Of
lead OF the Mormon, Captain Hunt. Before
they were out OF the Great Salt Lake
watershed they tried to make a cutoff
and failed, losing a couple Of days When
they got back into the true trail they were
overtaken by another train commanded by
one Captain Smith, who had brought the
Williams map. Smith told everybody he
was, going TO take TIL, the william, cutoff
dCRi0KS nj he
who chose the AIojave river route. He had
with hfm q preacher. one j. W. Brier, and
he also talked much and convincingly about
the CUTOFF Accordingly when the company
had crossed the brim OF the valley and were
IN the Golerado river watershed; a meeting
continue on the Mejave river trail or follow
the compass to the west. After the advo-
Gates of the new route had talked, the
guide. Captain Hunt. was asked to give
his opinion. He said he thought 10 very
unsafe route for women ana children. be-
cause II was desert country. and no one
knew where the. springs were. He had
been hired 60 go by the Mojave river and
IL one family Kept in that trail he should
follow it, but IF you all decide to follow
smith ! will viii go with you, even If the road
Only the 'iine Mormon families could re-
sist the hope OF a shorter journey via the
cutoff, and 50, In spite OF a previous fall
as possible. FOR about three DAYS sea 1t was
an upgrade route, with wood, water and
grass plenty" Then they came to a valley.
very narrow, and had such PERCEPTIONS
sides that wagons could not cross. So all
went into camp. and men were sent out to
look for a pass. There were wood and
grass up on the mesa, but water had 10 be
carried up for all uses. a lone traveller
who had been aifing for some time. died
at this camp. The first explorers came
back without having found TRAIL and
they reported that the futher they had
gone the dryer and rougher the country
appeared The enthusiasm about the
Smith CUTOFF had begun to die. and now
the talk began OF going back to follow
Hunt the Mormon guide. This talk led
TO action. ard in the course OF a day all
rolled back over the trail
Or these twenty-seven wagons not one
reached California. for while they tarrsed
for the last explorers word came that n
pass was found 10 the west, and all went
on and were lost in the desert region
around Death Valley.
NEARING THE DREADED VALLEY.
When news of the pass came those who
remained got together TO organize. and
then novel spirit found TO have de-
veloped. The unmarried men, with two
exceptions. knowing the roughness of the
country ahead OF them. desired TO abandon
the families IN order to push on the faster
The men with families did not like this
very well. because, as will be rernennhercr