Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-23

"two-bits" (25 cents) for a drink-whether
you take water, beer or whisky. The water
is always measured out; customers are al
lowed to help themselves to the whisky. 1t
seems strange that more people do not go
into the water business. 1t takes COM
paratively little capital to sink an artesian
we'll, and 1t does not cost much to handle
the product. 1t does not cost any more
than to start saloon, and in every mining
settlement the saloon business is overdone;
while water Is scarce whisky is plentiful.
l have asked two or three men why they
do not sink wells and sell water instead of
bringing In whisky from Missouri and Ken
lucky with freight rates at $40 ton.
Everybody must admit that 1t is a sensible
business proposition, yet when you suggest
doubts your sanity. 1 said to one saloon
keeper:
Like Whiskey Better.
''Why don't you bore a well and sell good,
harmless water at cents drink instead
of peddling out filthy beer and vile whisky
at % cents a drink"
He looked at me sternIy for a moment
and replied CURLY:
Because people out here are such ID
fools that they will drink whisky at two
bits rather than water for nothing.
You hear dreadful stories about men who
have died in the desert. You remember,
perhaps, the early history Of Death Valley
and the fate of the caravan which attempt
ed to cross it on the way to the gold fields
of California in the early fifties. I wrote a
letter about 1t several years ago. when the
survivors celebrated the iftieeth anniver-
sary of their escape in Illinois. Several
gold-hunting expeditions have never emerg-
ed from this awful region, and as I have
already remarked. there has recently been
an unusual number of lives lost because OF
the recklessness Of prospectors.
Since l have been down in this country
have kept track of the number of deaths
! reported in the newspapers. and have nine
on the list since the 1st of July, with a
number of narrow escapes.
Somewhere in Death Valley, stark naked
in the sands lie the bodies Of E. NJ. Titus
and Earl Weller of Telluride. Col, who.
with John Mullin. started from Rhyolite on
July 20 with two horses and nineteen bur-
ros loaded with supplies. They were
strangers to the country. They had no ex-
perienced guide. but were confident OF be-
ing able to follow the trail. They lost It,
however, and wandered around until their
water gave out and one by one their ami
| mails began to die John Mullin. the strong
est member of the party, left them In camp.
in a conspicuous spot. and started to search
for the trail He was picked up by an
other party in demented condition. and
it was three days before he was able to tell
his story. Then. as soon as the facts were
known. rescue party started out and
searched for several days, but they found
no traces of Titus and Weller. 1t is curl
Gus fact that three brothers Of Weller per-
ished in a snowsiide at Telluride last win
| ter.
! Mat Riley and James Kippe left the 20.
| K" mine in the Dale district of River
| side county, on July 3, with gallon OF
water between them Kippe was taken III
| two miles out and turned back. Riley s
tracks Indicate that he travelled all right
| for fifty miles. but he must have there
| left the trail and wandered into the desert.
where. after several days of torment. he
| addressed himself, lay down under a sage
| bush and died. He had plenty of food and
| abundant water when he started, but his
key was empty when the body was found.
Usually Strip Themselves.
It is a singular fact that men who are
| overcome with thirst usually strip them
| selves naked and throw away their cloth
| ing.
Frank Seaman was picked up by rail-
| way train near Indio. Col. He was lying
| unconscious the track and has not yet
| been able to explain how he came there.
| Last week two unknown men were brought
| into Indio in insane condition They
| were found by party of proSpectors wan
| dering naked in the sands. Two bodies
| were brought into Daggett by another party
| Of prospectors. who found them also naked,
| lying near dry water hole.
| ]. H. Hooker, seventy years of age. came
| from Eureka Nevada. to Indio for asthma.
| He knew nothing of the desert. Two days
after his arrival he started out for walk.
l
| sent to search for him. They found him
| wandering helplessly in the sands. a raving
| maniac from thirst His friends were no
| titled and they have since taken him to an
!. asylum.
James McRae, by a mere accident, saved
| the lives of six prospectors in the Telescope
| mountains on the 18th of July. He had
| been prospecting until his supplies ran low
| and started for San Bernardjno. His can
| teen sprung leak and he was unable to
| mend it, but he started for a spring well
! known to him. After two days of search
| he found it and shouted for Joy. He was
| startled to hear answering shout, and.
| making a search, discovered six men lying
| on the sands in an exhausted state. They
| were hunting for the same spring he had
| found, but their strength gave out and, as
| near as they could calculate, they had been
| lying fifteen sixteen hours before he
| rescued them.
These are only a few Of the frequent
| stories you read down here to illustrate the
| recklessness of the gold hunters and the
| dangers encountered in the deserts.