Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-03-01
TWO COVERED WAGONS.
The Story of Their Long Journey.


A couple of covered wagons stand
ing near house on the Yuma road
west of Five Points and having the
appearance of being fitted up with
unusual care for travelling purposes
aroused the curiosity of a Republican
reporter recently, and inquiry result
ed in the relation by the owners Of
rather an interesting story of over
land travel.
The wagons belonging to Mr.. w. w.
| Worden, who with his family of eight
persons, arrived here about six weeks
ago from Blackfoot, Idaho, travelling
over thousand miles by wagon in
forty days, exclusive of about three
weeks spent in various places rest
ing and sightseeing. The most re-
markable thing about the journey is
the size of the party; the fact that dur
| ing the time they encountered only
two or three storms and made the
trip without suffering illness. break
down or any other o. the varied mis-
fortunes, some of which usually oc-
cur on all extended overland journeys.
They had but two horses to each
wagon and not one of the four was
| sick, tagged out or any the worse for
| his efforts, except the occasional
missing of ration while passing over
long stretch of country. where feed
could not be had at any price.
The good fortune which attended
Mr. Worden was in great part due
to his careful foresight in preparing
for the trip in detail before starting
out. This leads to a short descrip-
tiOn of the wagons, which at first
glance appear to be the ordinary prai-
rie schooners, but a closer examina-
tion shows them to be a unique con-
solidation of kitchen, dining room,
parlor, bed room and cellar.
The wagons are covered with d
framework of fiat sheet bows and
Stats of the best material, over which
is placed double canvas absolutely
rainproof. Within, about even with
the top of the bed the wagon is
fioored. and at various places in the
floor are trap-dOOrs into the wag-
on bed below. which answer for a
cellar and which is divided into COM
partments for the storage of grocer
les, supplies, dishes and miscellane-
Gus articles. At the side of the wag-
on is a flap door and a pair of steps
which are swung under the wagon
when il is moving. The boot behind
is arranged for the carrying of water
llSt anu tnt llNtis NlllNn Hdu W DS
crossed 81 times, was filed with quick
sand. However, by careful manage
ment. no accidents occurred.
The worst roads encountered on the
tour were in Arizona between Hack
berry and Prescott and between Fort
Rock and Walnut Creek.
This calls to mind the fact that GER
tain Arizona roads have a national
reputation which is unenviable and
when statehood and other little ad-
vance steps are taken, if not before
the best possible inducemept to immi-
grafton would be a little money spent
in road-bulIding.
Mr.. Worden and family arrived in
Phoenix via Skull Valley. Kirkland,
Yarnell Congress and Wickenburg.
and on the whole he said his eXcur-
sion was a most delightful one. He
is well pleased with the country and,
though he mas not yet decided what
he will engage in. he expects to make
Phoenix his home Arizona Repu0-
lican.
Fbarrels, and the drivers seat is a
chair on a big spring at the right OF
the front end, while to the left of
the driver is the stove. Behind him
is another spring chair in which Mrs.
was quickly formed by placing either
end of the family board on the side
Stats and surrounding it with camp
stools. But a moments work was re-
Quired to move it and make the bed
in the same place. the wagon being
wide enough for the occupants to
sleep CrOsswise with the wagon. The
other wagon was similarly construct
ed as a sleeping apartment for the
children and for a baggage coach in
the day time. Thus equipped they
practically travelled, ate and slept in
the house and were reany comforta-
bly, situated.
They travelled south through Utah
and some portions of the state were
found to be Ldenlike in their general
appearance of prosperity. Many
farmers have lutte irrigation systems
of their own supplied by mountain
springs and are practically indepen-
dent of everybody and everything.
Much of the country was very at
tractive, but, of course, the better
places are already occupied.
After crossing the southern line OF
Utah they went west into Nevada,
then south. Inen east, crossing the
Colorado river into Arizona again at
Binnells ferry below the Grand Can
yon This is one, of only two roads,
by which travellers can get into Ari-
zona from the north, and in places,
even they are in bad condition.
One of the notable incidents of the
trip was that in coming down the val
ley of the Virgin river progress was
very slow as there had been recent