Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-11-21
DEATH VALLEY.
Many Dupes AIlured to Their Death In
Its Depths.

prospectors toward that region, and
many of them to certain death, for only
the most desperate or the most fool
hardy will attempt to reach the Pana-
mints through this gateway at this
time of the year. The heat Of Death
Valley In the summer months is fatal
to the average man. Even those
most familiar with desert travel during
the heated term will find 1t a supreme
task to cross Death Valley during July
or August, with the best of equipment.
Very few persons can grasp the
perils Of this forbidden region. The
wealth Of the Panamints cannot be
sufficient to compensate any one for
the risk of trip to that region at this
time of year, If the adventurer's plans
compel him to enter from the Nevada
side. If he Is not overcome by the heat
he will have sickened at the sight of
the graves that line the blistering
trails. And there will be many a fresh
mound made at the close Of summer
unless better judgment prevails and
the argonauts defer their trip until au-
tumn or change their course 80 as to
enter through California.
To men who are familiar with the
dangers of this American inferno it is a
matter of wonder that the greatest ac-
tivities of the Panamints are made
public during the summer. These per-
iods of excitement are quadrennia,.
The last activity in this region was in
1907, when several newspaper men and
set out from here to at
tempt to locate "Scotty's mines" or
prove that "Scotty" was faker. They
did not succeed in either, but their Wis
1t to the forbidden region started a
stampede to the Panamints that caused
more suffering than had been known in
that region for years. Just how many
lives were sacrificed cannot be esti-
mated. but fully a score of men who
passed through this camp with outfits
for the trip across Death Valley were
never heard from, and several are
known to have perished. An old pros
pector reported that he had never seen
so many stray burros in the mountains
the following fall, and he accounted for
this on the presumption that their
owners had lost their way and perish
ed.
Death Valley lies between the Fun
eral Mountains and the Panamints,
near the southwestern boundary of
Nevada, in California. 1t is appro-
priately named, and in July and Au-
gust is the most revolving spot on
earth. The valley lies 20 to 800 feet
below sea level, and the heat rising
from the mighty stretch of sand and
borax Is intolerable. 1t burns into the
brain and so depresses the sufferer
that those who escape find it impossi-
BILE to convey to others any idea Of the
horrors. Water, Of course, Is very
scarce along the trails and Of the VIII
est quality. And water carried with
one becomes so insipid that it is nau-
seating.
There are three known trails across
Death Valley and these are marked
with little heaps Of sand that cover the
bones Of luckless adventures. Only a
few of these are known, 1t being a
source of wonder that so few prospec-
tors carry anything with them to serve
as means OF Identification. Leading,
as he usually does, solitary life, the
perishes alone. Men who
rfoh fIn IL
heat or thirst, AS the fever possesses
them they invariably strip to the skin,
and in their crazed condition begin to
travel In a circle. This circle grows
less and less, until the victim falls
from exhaustion and dies in convul-
sions.
No man can cross Death Valley
during the daylight in midsummer.
No animal Is sufficiently hardy to do
so. The trips are made invariably by
night, and the trail Is often lined with
which crawl into the dirt
when the sun goes down and strike
viciously at every passing object.
Burros are often thus struck, but
these hardy creatures seldom show
the i'll effects Of bite, other than a
few hours OF unusual listlessness.
Prospectors protect themselves with
heavy boots.
The best beaten trail across Death
Valley Is seventy-five miles long. It
requires three nights with team, or
four with burros, to cover this dis
tance, the days being spent at small
water holes, when men usually strip
and wrap themselves in wet blankets
to catch a few moments sleep. But
sleep is impossible to the average
man. for when the sun rises the heat
increases until 1t ranges
for eight or ten hours from 100 to
1876 degrees in the shade. The heat Is
by strong wind which
blows along the valley like a blast
from a furnace. Were the air not
dry, neither man nor beast could
this heat, even when sup
piled with water. A few days Of this
draws heavily on the resources Of
those Of the strongest will. The weak
est perish by the way.
Not only do tenderfeet go to their
death in this valley. 1t is usually the
old prospector, who thinks he can en-
dure any trial Of human strength. He
Is within the grasp Of death before he
realizes 1t Is upon him. A little crack
er box on one of the trails gives the
name Of one Of the most noted victims
Of the furies Of Death Valley. He was
Jack Dayton, for years the manager
Of ranch near one of the small GASES
bordering the valley. This ranch was
as a. resting place for the |
famous mule teams In the freighting
season, and it would be delightful
spot but for the excessive heat dur
ing the summer. 1t is 200 feet below |
the level of the sea, and the ranch |
house Is surrounded by fruit trees OF
4 semi-tropical character and Is sup
ported by a well-kept garden. Water
s conducted to the house through an
ron pipe from a spring, and this pipe