Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1913-11-01

the Desert Bloom With Guideposti
Pointing the Way to Water ant
Saved Mary Men From Death
In the American Magazine is al arti
Gle about Lew Westcott Beck. who is
known as the good Samaritan Of
Death valley" He aud his dog Ru
fus, have saved many prospectors from
a horrible death by making the desert
blossom with guideposts showing the
way to water. The following is an ex-
tract from the article:
Time was when Beck was a plain
prospector in the Cripple Creek coun-
try He was in on the diggngs at
LeadvilIe and he PANIED around in
Montana awhile Likewise he rushed
into the BIG Horn at the time OF the
mineral strike there. but he lever
struck lead that made him rich
~lvpntWu.g he drifted down through
Nevada and into Death valley chasing
ralub0ws Wild rumors about Death
Valley Scottys big end IN that section
electrified the country. and scores Of
prospectors rushed into the desert ex-
pecting to make their fortune in a few
days Beck was among those pres
ent
There were several in Beck's party
They hiked many miles through the
mirage land finding nothing worth
while and worrying constantly lest
they exhaust their supply Of water
For two days they sought water holes
and when out Of water they went for
hours with tongues swollen and lips
parched from want Of moisture. Then
when death seemed Inevitable they
suddenly discovered a tiny stream
trickling out of a canyon at the base
of the Panamint mountains
When Beck returned to civilization
be was a changed man. He had seen
sands that were strewn with skulls,
and that sight had put a big idea Into
his head
Game spring aud Beck nude an
other trip through Death valley At
his side was Newfoundland dog
The prospector carried "a bundle OF tin
strips They were siguboards to guide
the wanderers steps alright
Each summer since then the pros.
pector ard his dog have made q jour
ney to the land OF the purple mist. pil
ing M rocks and attaching signs to
them, searching for lost travellers and
incidentally keeping lookout for a
piece Of precious metal Once or twice
Rufus has led his master to projectors
who, after long suffering from thirst
had fallen upon the burning sands to
die
I'm signboarding the desert Beck has
saved number Of thirst mad rain
bow chasers and has also in remote
districts stumbled upon the bleaching
bones OF dead men who may have
found fortunes In the silver sulphuret
district. but who did not 1--we to tell
the world about 1t, At one time be as
sisted at the burial Of four men who
died Of thirst within two miles of
spring
1.-THE country that Beck traverses is
the most arid section of the American
continental dreary stretch of hun.
dreds of miles of desert. dotted here
and there with foothills, buttes. dry
creek beds, cAapqrral, prickly pear aud
sagebrush. Springs are niles uboG
miles apart Most of them are bitterly
alkali, and some are poison.
"On an ordinary summer afternoon
the thermometer runs up to about 1874
degrees in the shade ont in Death val
ley, and the most unpleasant thing
about II IS that there is a dearth Of
shade When man ventures out upon
this trac6lesS eNpausc the shimmering
heat dazeS him. the scarcity of water
crazeo aim and the mirage trearher.
Gus. iyin1 thing Of beauty that 1t is
looms ever before him. G8shmg upon
the cauvaS of bis minds eve a yefdaut
valley gorguousiy green With growing
things. fresh with flowers. Wet with
water and waltiHs To welcome HIM
He can see grassy hHl slopes JUST
ahead end tho mjrrnrea aee appears
to lie iast hyyaal SCENE h,koang
meadow lie follows 81 end on aud
aftclward drains The Fast drop from
his cauteen Then his Throat becomes
pawhea. his turaue clcaveS Is the roof
q bis Mouth. oul strange things pass
before bis eye5 The huz2urds begin
to soar ever him. and the coyotes sit
upon their man&ers and watch him
chase raiuhowS untu he pitches for.
ward apon his face aud closes his eyes
upon a world that is too mysterious
ana merciless for him to Hnger in
longer
SONG of a Little River.
IhprpfG M music ls1yn d, ist.i..