Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-08-28

y.
searching for gold than for glory since
the beginning of the world, and the
myths Of Death Valley have lured
many to destruction. Hundreds have
persisted not only from thirst and star
Walton but from poisonous vapors and
noxious mineral dust, which, il in
hailed, will paralyZe lungs and hearts.
The surface of the valley, from one
end to the other, is strewn with skcle-
tons. Thaer has been a great Sacri-
flee of life recently, so many inexperi-
enced and reckless prospectors have
been enticed into the clutch of the
valley in search of fortune. No one
ought to attempt to cross the burning
sands without guide who knows the
way, and state and county officials
should put uD guide-posts and signs
where they can be seen at long dis
tances, to mark the trails and indicate
where water can be had.
This has already been done in Kern
County. Minute directions have been
perforated on sheet metal and riVeted
to iron posts that cannot be destroyed
or removed. Other counties could do
the same at a nominal expense. 1t
costs very little to put up sign posts,
and wells can be driven anywhere for
a few hundred dollars. 1t is a sin
gular fact almost anywhere in Death
Valley and other deserts pure, cool
water can be gotten by boring 300 to
no feet. There are not less than $50
artesian wells in Kern County, Cali
fornia. The Nevada Legislature at
its last session made an appropriation
for sinking wells, but the money has
not yet been used. Appeals will be
made TO the Legislature of California
ana Arizona at the approaching ses-
sions, hut the expense is so small that
the counties should do 1t.
Water is sold by the quart and gall
lon in all the mining towns. 1t is
"toted" about on the backs of burrors,
and the quantity ordered is left ut
each house, like milk i'm our cities. In
teh barroOms it costs two bits" (25
cents) for drink, whether you take
water. beer or whiskey. The water is
always measured out. Customers are
allowed to help themselves to the
whiskey. 1t seems strange that more
people do not go into the water bust
ness. 1t takes comparatively little |
capital to sink an artesian well, and it |
does not cost much to handle the pro- |
duct. 1t does not cost any more than |
to start Il saloon. and in every mining |
settlement the saloon business is over |
done. While water is scarce. whiskey |
is plenty. / have asked two or three |
men why they do not sink wells and |
sell water instead of bringing in
whiskey from Missouri and Kentucky |
with freight rates at $40 a ton. Every
body must admit that it is sensible
business proposition, yet when you
suggest II to a saloon-keeper he looks
as if he doubts your sanity. / said to
one saloon-keeper:
"Why don't you bore a well and sell
good, harmless water at sc drink in
stead of peddiing out filthy beer and
vile whiskey at 25 cents 4 drink
He looked at me sternly for a mo-
ment and replied CURLY:
Because people out here are such
damned fools that they will drink
whiskey at two bits, rather than water
for ncthing!"
You hear the dreadful stories about
men who have died in the desert. You
perhaps, the early history
OF Death Valley, and the fate of the
caravan which attempted to cross it
on the way to the gold fields Of Cali
forria in the early sos. ! wrote a let
ter about II several years ago. when
the survivors celebrated the flftieth |
Of their escape, in IL
linois. Several gold-hunting expedi-
tions have never emerged from
his awful region, and. as | have al
ready remarked, there has recently
been an unusual number of lives lost
because Of the recklessness OF prospec-
tors.
Since l have been down in this
1 have kept track of the
of deaths reported in the
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 f. |
NJ. Titus and Earl Weller Of Telluride, |
Colo, who with John Mullins started
from RhyOlitn only July 20 with two
horses and nineteen burros loaded with
supplies. They We're strangers to the
They had no experienced
guide, but were confident OF being able
TO follow the trail. They lost it, how
ever and wandered around until their
water gave cut and one by one their
animals began to die. John Mullin, the
strongest member of the party. left
them in camp. in n conspicuous spot
and started to search for the trail.
He was picked up by another party in
4 demerted condition, and It was three
lays before he was able to tell his
story. Then. as soon rs the facts We're
known, rescue party started out and
for several days. but they
found no traces Of Titus and Weller.
It is a curious fact that three brothers. +
If Weller persisted in a snowslide at II
Telluride last winter
Mat Riley and James Ilippe left the ;
%. K" mine in the Dale district of ]
Riverside County on July 3, with gal
on Of water between them. Kippe was
taken i'll two miles out and turned
back. Riley's tracks indicate that he
Travelled all right for fifty miles, but he I
must then have left the trail and wan
int lNA A,A .r.I,a nf