Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1905-07-22

ana cracKleS IKE III Qulchly hSaISu
stove as the suns rays grow steadily
hotter and hotter. By Z o'clock IN the
morning the temperature has usually
reached or passed the 100 degree mark,
and shortly after midday it is not I'M
common to see the thermometer register
anywhere from 10 degrees to 125 de
grees in the shade. The heat is dry,
intensely dry. and this is the only sal
walton of the unfortunate beings who
have, in most cases, voluntarily exposed
themselves to this summer climate of
this Great Basin region. Were there
much of humidity in the atmosphere at
such a temperature human existence
would be impossible. The bright metal
lie glare of the midday sun is terrible,
even to those who have for years been
accustomed to it, but for those who
cannot stand high temperatures, life on
the desert in summer is vertiable hell
on earth. If the lot of those who re-
main in towns is thus made unbearable,
what of the less fortunate prospectors
who venture out in the hills or attempt
to cross some scorching stretch of sand
to reach the mountains on the other
de-seemingly so near, but really a
long days journey and perhaps two,
distant for distant objects seem near
on this southern desert? One may stand
on hill top and gaze out across a des-
ert valley in the center of which is
patch of clay colored earth, level as
| fioor-a dry lake, or perhaps it may be
as white as the new fallen snow, due to
the deposit of mineral salts on its sur
face. No object attracts the eye in this
lonesome death-like valley. Take
powerful field glass and scan the desert
closely, and perchance you will see two
or three mere dots on the dry lake.
Watch them and you see they are NOV
ing. Lower the glass and you discern
nothing. The distance is too great
five miles or more and yet it seems less
than mile away. These moving dots
are probably prospectors with their
hardy little burrows making haste to
cross the valley to the hills beyond for
the purpose of searching for a mine,
Blistered by the scorching rays of the
sun, tormented by the whirling clouds
of dust and the eddying columns of
alkali, these men plod slowly on to for
tune, sometimes, more often to hope
less ending of their dreams, and not in
frequently to their death. Some mag
inc that with canteen of water there
is no danger on the desert, but such is
not the case. Men die on the desert
from other causes than lack of water.
The intense heat drives them to insanity
and they wander from the trail and are
lost. Canned goods are commonly used
on the desert, but all who use this class
of provisions should know and remer-
Der that once opened a can of fruit,
vegetables or meat, it should be remov-
ed at once into crockery, glass or en-
ameled vessel of some kind, for in the
heat of this country ptomaine poison
quickly developes in opened canned
goods particularly in those which con-
tain acids, such as tomatoes, apricots,
etc. Canned milk is also dangerous to
leave in the cans when opened. The
excessive use of sailed meat should be
avoided, although unfortunately this is
about the only kind that can be carried
about with the camp outfit. Bacon,
ham, dried beef, canned corned beef,
etc. are staples and are almost indie
spensable, but they should be used in
moderation, for the liberal use of these
meats only intensifies the thirst natural
in this heated dry atmosphere. When
stationed in camp the water should be
kept in barrel or canvas sack. The
latter if hung up will keep the water
several degrees cooler than the atmos-
phere. If the water is in canteens
keek the outside coverings of the can
teens wet continually and put them in
the sun, which will have tendency to
quickly dry out the moisture. The rapid
evaporation lowers the temperature and
cools the water 1t is only due to this
rapid evaporation of moistuae that
human beings, horses and other animals
can exist under such conditions. No
matter how freely one perspires the
moisture is rapidly evaporated, and
thus the heat is bearable. In the mid
die of the day it were better to rest and
not attempt to travel. Experienced
desert men make early and late jour-
neys, resting for several hours during