The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-16
DOWN In BLACK CANYON
THE PERILOUs JOURNEY OF FIVE
DARING EXPLORERS.
First Exploration Of the Gorge OF the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Days spent
i'm Making Fourteen Miles.
Kansas City star.

hdME0' 0"-
At last the Black canyon OF the Gunni-
son-the most frightful gorge in the geo.
logical wonderland OF the West-has been
conquered % man. \ party of bold explor-
ers has passed through it and emerged in
safety. climbing out over almost vertical
walls half a mile in height.
They have done what no other human be-
ings have ever accomplished-what it was
believed no other human beings could sue
c~essfuIly attempt. Their story is the mar
rative Of a trip by river far beneath the
surface OF the earth-a river unlighted by
the sun. which flows through a chasm of
appalling ~profundity.
4 CHASTITY cash ripped through a desert
tablelaad is the Black canyon. Black it is
called because It's extreme narrowness in
proportion TO its depth makes it a chasm OF
perpetual gloom, the river at its bottom
running through a sunless avenue of tower
ing walls Of everlasting rock.
Through caveTns heretofore deemed meas
ureless 10 man the rapid Gunnison pursues
its course. From time to time adventurous
persons have thought Of trying to make the
trip from end to end of the gorge in boats.
and one attempt of this kind was actually
made a few years ago by a surveying party
sent out by the Denver & Rio Grande Rail-
way TO examine the canyon and determine
whether a road could be built through it.
on the first day out the boat which car
ried the expedition was swamped, all the
provisions being lost, and the voyagers,
fortunate TO escape with their lives, aban-
doned the project.
The successful accomplishment Of the
feat was reserved for five men, who set
out on Sept 10 last with a determination
20 go through the canyon or perish in the
effort. Their names were John H. Pelton,
J. a. Curtis, NJ. K. HOvey, w. w. Tor
renee and T.. b Anderson. Pelton had been
a pioneer in the Yukon country in early
days, long before the gold discoveries, and
his companions, with the exception of Cur
tbs. who was a civil engineer, and, rela-
lively, d tenderfOot. we're likewise hard
ened adventurous, afraid of nothing in the
way Of danger or difficulty. Two boats
were loaded with provisions, a cooking
outfit, surveyors Instruments, a camera
and other necessaries, and thus equipped
the explorers set out upon their perilous
journey
1t was by no means a spirit of mere dare
devil adventure that inspired the expedi-
ton The object of it was TO find out If
there was not some path by which the
waters OF the GunnisOn river could be
conducted out of the tunnel and made to
iIrigate the drOught-parched farms OF the
neighboring region. 1t was a question
whether a hillside ditch might not be
built in the chasm, so as 10 bring a pOr-
ton OF the descending stream near the tops
of the cliffs, and so save tunneling three
and a half miles through the mountains
a costly enterprise which the residents of
the U~ncompahgre valley are determined
10 undertake If 1t is proved hat there is
no other way 10 get water.
The exploration yielded conclusive evil
dence OF the impracticability of the ditch
plant. II was found hat the walls of the
canyon became sleeper as its depths were
reached.
A TOILsoME JOURNEY.
The party was twenty-one days in max
ing a journey OF fourteen miles from the
junction of the Cimarron river with the
Gunnison, near Cimarron station, and in
that distance there were only five points
at which it would be possible for even the
most expert cliff climber TO scale the rocky
walls and get out of the gorge. The walls,
while only thirty feet apart in places, are
from 200 to $500 feet high, and as a rule
are nearly perpendicular. In many places
there is not so much as a foothold to be
had and were a ditch TO be built. the work.
men would have to begin at the entrance
OF the canyon and cut it out of the solid
rock all the way.
Tn Gunnison river. which pursues it's
tortuouS way along the bottom of the
Black canyon, eventually joins the Grand
river. an afiiuent Of the mighty Colorado.
IT was the project of the expedition to fol-
~" az N0AANhl VI AAE 5lItdIl luIOu80 the
gorge until, If they were successful i'm MAX
Ing the passage, they should reach Delta
station. beyond the further end.
The party had two boats which were pro-
vided with extra keels to strengthen the
bottoms and enable them TO withstand col
hsions with rocks. while, for an additional
precauJion, the sides were ribbed with iron
rods. At the bow and stern of each boat
We're iron loops, through which a rope
could be run for letting the craft down
rapids. The larger OF the boats. named the
III OF MOn1r0G0 NrQC afUhfnon Foot Lone
and three feet beam; empty II weighed 400
pounds. The other one was called the John
bgl. On the second day of the voyage
the John c. Bell was wrecked
In several places the river disappears en-
urely from sight. flowing under huge piles
OF powders which have fallen from the
CH1S- rearing beneath the rocks unseen.
tne water makes a deafening roar, at times
so loud that two men standing with hands
ciasped cannot make their voices audible
10 each other. In other parts of the can
lence.
Al one spot it was necessary TO haul the
heaVy boat for a considerable distance at
q height OF $50 feet above the river. which
was there rushing at terrific speed under
tie rocks. Again, there would be a short
space OF water in which the craft could be
launched, though il had to be let down the
rapids by means OF a rope. The boat was
used chiefly in crossing the stream from
TINE 10 time, but where possible ii was
Loated. with the outfit on board. II would
aAlAA2 III
one man aboard. standing in the middle.
with a long pike. with which he kept II
from being pounded 10 pieces on the rocks.
N other stages II was not safe TO trust
the precious outfit in the boat, and the men
would strap the Instruments. bundles of
PROVISIONS. etc. on their backs, treading
tneir way along the narrow rock shelf be-
side the torrent.
SCARCITY OF ANIMALS.
FROM the beginning of the trip to the end
only a few animals were seen. though an
Occasional bear or a mountain sheep was
espled. During the first few days the bears
We're comparatively numerous. those crea-
lures having long made the entrance to the
canyon their home, and they seemed 10 re-
sent the intrusion Of the strangers, growl-
ING savagely But a. the depths of the
gorge were reached II became too wild for
me bears. though not Immediately for the
Mouhtain Sheep-timid brutes which had
reen hunted from every spot that men can
reach. rifle in hand.
4 notion OF the tumultuous character OF
the Gunnison river is obtained from the
4Sct mat Its waters. as they flow through
re gorge. are without fish, being too rough
even Tor the hardy mountain trout. which
@S imposed TO revel in any torrent.
me nrst fourteen days OF the trim were