The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-06-22
LESSEN DANGERS
Of The DESERT
GREAT TASK UNDERTAKEN BY
Lou WESTON BECK lN A FLAN.
DERs MOTOR cAR-aAs nEpl.
GATED HIS LIFE TO TIE TASK
or PROTECTING HUMAN LIFE.


TO lessen the dangers Of the great
American desert and its ANNUAL toll OF
human life is the mission on which q
FLANDERS 20" Motor car has begun an
aH-sunTner trip from Pasadena. Cal.
At its wheel Is Lou Weston Beck, for
mer prospector. but now p~hilanthro-
pist, who has dedicated his life 10 tho
charting n posting OF the indefinite
trails which traverse the great inter-
mountain region, and the indication
to travellers by plain and effective
means or the spots where water may
be obtained.
DIR. Reck's mission has been made
possible by generous citizens of Pasa-
dena acquainted with his work, who
have subscribed the sum necessary to
purchase h car MIR. Beck has chris
tened ii the -Chuckwalla Flanders
20, in honor OF the famous b1oated
70 Hye In many parts of the terrible
waste.
An annual tribute Of twenty-five
victims, 1t is estimated, is exacted each
year by the grim region which lies
Immediately east of the coast range.
Practically all of these are prospec-
tors, who, ignorant of the nature of
country, leave civilization with q scant
supply OF water and fail to find more.
Months. perhaps years, after their
bones are found, plucked clean by the
vultures under the struggling shade of
some mesquite bush, where their mis-
cradle fate had finally overtaken them.
Desert rats they are dubbed by those
in the towns bordering on the vast
expanse.
TO penetrate the desert in a motor
car has been tried several times, but
with uniform failure. Two years ago
a party of in a high powered
car attempted the trip. Two weeks
later a searching party came upon the
car apparently abandoned. Closer
approach, however, showed a black
huddIe beneath the car. To the hor-
ror of the searching party this was
found to be a pile of corpses. Nearby
was a poisoned spring from which all
had apparently drunk.
MI. Beck knows the desert better,
in all probability, than any living man,
continental fame. He expects to post
his signs in a way that will not only
direct the rats" to good water, but
will also warn them away from that
which is bad. His signs are already
painted and represent his labors Of the
winter.
The "Chuckwalla Flanders 90 will
/ penetrate this summer as far as the
notorious Death Valley and will be
the first motor car to assay this arid
region. Its itinerary has been ar
ranged to cover about 600 miles, touch
ing the railroad nee to take on a
second supply of gasoline and oil. MI.
Beck hopes to continue his work until
the entire desert is as well charted as
a main-traveled highway. In the
completion of his task he is trying to
enlist the services of the United States
government. which by installing large
signs on buttes and mountain tops,
could fulfill a purpose very similar to
that performed by the lighthouse n
life-saving departments on the coasts
and great lakes
In his work Mr.. Beck will be greatly
helped by Rufus a big red dog of
mixed breeding, in which st. Bernard
blood is apparently dominant Rufus
goes into the desert with a canteen
strapped to each side, and shod with
buckskin nearly to the knee as a pro-
lection against the hot sand, thorns
and deadly sidewinders.
Rufus" has a record OF saving a
round dozen lives. He has uncanny
ability to find men lost in the desert,
and has on three occasions located a
lost trail, which enabled his master to
return safely after hope had been
abandoned.
ct is hard for the average MAJ to
understand the fascination the desert
has for one who has once braved it
and come back says Mr.. Beck. III
may hold u against its cali as long
as the hardships and sufferings he
endured are fresh in his mind. But
sooner or later he finds himself sigh
ing for the heat, the sands, the noun
tains, the solitudes n the wind that
sweeps along at a rate of 100 or more
miles an hour, ~scorching his face as
it passes. Then with pick on his back
and canteen at his side he leads his
faithful mule, laden with a months
provisions, out On the trail.
Sometimes he comes out, haggard
and bronzed from thirst and privation.
but with his animal loaded down with
that precious metal which will. when
turned into coin, make him and his
family rich beyond their widest