Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-08-15
MRS. LoT's FATE THEIRS.
A Man and His Burro Turned to Rock
Salt In Colorado Desert.

Salt In Colorado Desert.
. George Fl. Tucker, a mining pros
pector who has Just returned from
trip through the Mojave and Colorad
Deserts, tells remarkable story of th
discovery of petrified man and burr,
IN one OF the large salt fields that abount
there. He told the story as follows t,
Gazette correspondent:
"One of the most desoIate places il
the Colorado Desert is 80 miles south
east OF Dandy. Here is large deposit
OF rock salt Is miles in length and
from Il to miles In width. There is
not spear of grass or any kind oil
vegetation. In many places the rock
salt crops out of the earth, and any
where in this section rock salt can be
| obtained by digging 10 or II inches.
No-oaie knows how deep the salt goes.
A number of prospect holes have been
sunk. but the great amount of water
encountered at depth of 25 or 80 feet
makes further mining impossible with
out pumping apparatus.
Some 10 years ago an effort was
made to bring this immense deposit of
salt into commercial use. Two rail-
roads were built to connect the rock
quarries with the Santa Fe. 1t was
found necessary to build house In the
middle of the deposit, and for this pur-
pose enough blocks of rock salt were
cut to build shanty IA by 80 feet in
dimensions. A flooring and roof COM
posed of the peculiar kind of earth that
exists in that vicinity completed the
building. This salt house, or, as the
Mexlcans called it, La Casa del Sal, |
was used for the purpose for which 1t |
was erected. But in short time the
salt mining operations were difcou.
tinued and the salt house was abandon
ed to the coyote and desert owl.
''For at least seven years before we
visited this building, about a month
ago. 1t had not been inhabited and
very seldom seen by anyone.
During the summer months in this To-
;ality fine saline dust Is blown in great
clouds through the desert. The heat
s almost unbearable. What water is
ound undrinkable, and woe to the
rospector who finds himself, In this
ection with an empty canteen. A
'eculiar feature of the climate Is that,
70 matter how hot the day, the night |,
J invariably cool, even cold enough for
1rming ice.
"During the summer of 1900 Swede
amed Johnson, who had been PROS
Getting in the vicinity. started to cross
his dry lake of salt to Old Woman's
prings. When nearly half way across
terrible sandstorm blew up. Hel
judged On until be came to the salt
ouse, where he and his burro sought
elter.
W nder the caves of the house he
und number of galvanized tanks,
Irtly filled with rain water. He con-
1ered this lucky find, for his can
en- was almost empty. He drank his
of the water be discovered and per- 4
itted his burro to do the same. .
THE night was cold and the storm b
ntinued. He determined to camp a
the hut over night. The dead en- g
RS of the fire were still to be seen 81
len we visited the place, evidencing .,
D unusual severity of the weather. Il
When we opened the door of this q,
solate shack we were horrifed at see II
z whatsseemed to be marble statue Or
ng on the floor. The head was of b.
lbaster whiteness. the hair and whisk- 81
5 having fallen away. The body was =
timed under thin blanket. o.
The sight was 80 uncany that we III
STATED to remove the blanket, but In
ally mustered enough courage to do pl
The body had undergone a sin &c
lar transformation, being nothing 30
) than complete petrificatiOn. The
ostance was OF nature of gypsum,
y friable and pure white in color.
e outline of the body was perfect. be
The darkness of the interior at first at
vented US from seeing the burro,
ich was standing in one corner. One ye
our party advanced and laid his an
Id on the animal when it fell over
inst him. The burro had under ua
Le the same transformation as its
ster. The body of the man was Civ Mo
/ decent burial near the house, and io,
burrO VIII be sent 20 The Smlthson- ing
Institution. I
The explanation of this strange phe- roc
lemon is to be found in the kind of aoi
er that was drunk by the man and ~
burro and in the kind of earth that
lposed the roof and floor of the salt +b .
itation. The water is heavily Gre
rged with chloride OF sodium. The Spy
b that had been used for the rofng pac
tained chemicals which were taken dea
olution by the rain water as it drip 10
through into the galvanized tanks. app
After drinking freely of this water 49,
man and the beast had evidently c,ol
N to death and were gradually pet
d. ."-Pittsburg Gazette.