The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-16
q have looked into Death Valley. .

81 have looked into Death Valley.
That was the reply made by DR..
Faust, the well-known pathfinder of
Utah and the west, in answer to a
query as to where he had been in hid
ing for a couple of months past
Did y get glimpse of heaven
Rather L think. of the other place. "
I'VE have had an experience, that is,
Mat Cullen and myself, that 1 per-
sonally would not take a great deal
for. The Death valley to which l re-
fer, l might just as well state at the
outset, is in Nevada, and is famous
the world over owing TO the legend
that no human being ever crossed it,
and that those who were so foolhardy
as to try it always left their bones to
bleach in the sun, untouched even by
the coyote.
The immigrants who started from
Missouri and Kansas and crossed the
plains in the summer of 1852, and then
went south in the winter of the same
year, supposed to number about 20
teams. stopped at Game springs in
Nevada, about $50 miles from Salt
Lake city, and
ABANDONED MOST OF THEIR
WAGONS.
This they were compelled to do on
account of the fact that they had lost
so many of their cattle and horses
from the effects of a poisonous weed
that grows luxuriantly in that vicinity.
1t was here that the Indians claim the
immigrants fought over the water and
a great number were killed. AT all
events, no matter whether the Indian
story be-true or false, the fellow tray
elers separated never to meet again.
"One party of them. under a guide
from Utah, went on south and struck
the Las Vegas road, and after many
hardships arrived at Los Angeles.
About fifteen of the others. mostly
young men, packed themselves and
took a straight shoot, landing in
furnishing condition at Cocamongo
ranch. The rescue party that started
back for the remainder of the immi-
grants failed of its purpose. After the
latter party of young men left the
camp. those who remained behind, re-
fusing to go with either of the former
parties. roamed right and left, seeking
q way out of their troubles, apparently
of the opinion that the shortest way
was the best. The great majority,
however. after going by various
routes, finally landed in Death valley.
There being no water save that COM
ing from poisonous spring. the few
head of stock they had left soon
sickened and died, and in a short time
thereafter. after suffering the
ToRTURES OF THE DAMNED
ten times over. the immigrants them /
selves persisted. fifteen skeletons hav-
ing been subsequently found by some !
adventurous fellows in one place. That |
is but one of the many tragedies of the |
valley that has been so well named. I
But the fate of these poor fellows /
served as a warning for others. and |
for man, years not soul could be
prevailed upon TO even look at it. The
stories told were probably not all true,
and I certainly hope they were not
The mountains on the east side of
the valley are called
THE FUNERAL RANGE,
and the appellation is a just one, as
human skeletons have been found al
most everywhere in them by the set
tiers and the Indians. | am of the
opinion, though" and the doctor slow
ly passed his finger through his some
what scattered locks, that some of
the red men and brothers found the
skeletons before the flesh had van
ished from the ,bones-in other words,
while the owners were very much
alive.
The old Indians still tell of a man
walking and driving a yoke of oxen
with a woman on one and two children
on the other one. Wagons have been
found in every valley and canyon down
there. Some were left up against the
highest mountains, as though the driv-
ers had lost themselves and their rea-
sons Death Valley is about 100 miles
long and from 20 to 40 miles wide. The
valley is covered with salt. borax and
alkali. At the north end it is 125 feet
below the ocean level. At Furnace
greek. about the middle. it is zoe feet
and at the south end it is 4S0 feet below
the ocean level.
RIVER. YET NOT A RIVER.
1T is here that the Amagosa river
runs into T. This river is no river at
all, except when it rains. which it sell
dom does. One man told us that he
had lived there ten years and it had -
only rained three times in that period. ,
The thermometer registered 1856 in the ,
sh gde in Death Valley one summer. ac- /
cording TO the report of the state sur ,
veyor. i,
1T is one of the most deceptive val !
leys on earth. Standing where we /;
did. it looked az if a man could walk /,
across it in few hours; but l am :
told every step one takes he sinks in !,
through the crust that has formed
from the salt, alkali and borax There r
Are few places that are hard but }
hey seldom run the way that you :
want to go. :
THE MINES.
There are many interesting scenes
Salt Lake and Death Valley, S
1ut perhaps the best of all is the min I
no nrnnarffQc Il ;cf,. t.
n Nye county, Nevada, about $50 miles I
Instant from here. The mines, two in
number are owned by Salt Lake par
ies-Orson Smith, of Cache Valley is !,
he president; j. E. Langford, super s
ntendent; Hugh Cannon. secretary and Il
treasurer; Peter Reid cour' Pete) is
Joss. Inc montgomery has one shaft N
own $50 feet. From there they have Il
uE shaft about 400 feet on the ledge. e