Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1914-06-05
CONDUCTORS MAKE
TRIP To LAVA BEDS
WILD DESERT NORTH OF AMER.
lcAN FALLS EXPLORED BY IN
TREPfD RAILROAD MEN, WHO
FIND EXTINCT cRATERs AND
cURiosiTIEs IN cAvERNs.

Conductors Frank w. Dice ard Ter
~ Kinney Of the Oregon Short Line
took lay-off two weeks ago and
started out from American Falls TO
penetrate the great lava desert and
10 have an outing which would mean
recreation IN its true sense-that is.
for mon who can go without water
says the Kemmerer. Wyoming. Cam
era. Their trip took them northwest
from American Falls for 20 miles.
through a most beautiful dry farming
section. which four years ago was
nothing but sagebrush now compris-
ing large fields with beautiful homes
not western ranches but eastern farms
one Of these German farmers and his
son located $40 acres Of this land four
years ago, going In with team and
outfit Last year he sold 300 bushels
Of wheat and has refused $4,000 for
his farm. Many others have been
equally prosperous
The boys followed along the edg, |
OF the lava beds for day, and then
started in, and their report of the trip
is that It's description is beyond them.
one large crater with the cone stand
Ing some 200 feet high. is one Of the
The cavity is 100 feet
wide and the formation is of the Gin
der variety and they secured many
specimens Of burnt rock, all different
eolors During the days when lava WAS
flowing out it had formed caves and
tunnels almost as natural as If they
lad been made by man. They entered
many OF these caves and cones.
They started with pack outfit,
'xpectng to make 4 across this almost
impossible desert. where water is not
md took the time of year they did
because of the melting snow leaving
FOOLS OF water which could be used
or the horses, while they carried wa
or for themselves. but even this be- I
anne exhausted and they learned 4
that Il means to hunt for water with {
parched throat on the third day {
hey left their horses near cave a
there they had found water and snow. t
nd started on foot. as 1t was impos- i
ibe to get In with the horses. owing Il
, the broken condition of the ground. ri
They succeeded in reaching pillar b
lutte, large lava mountain. They t'
'uud It to be large pillar of lava -
irown up during an eruption. At l
s base is a large cone probably 200 ii
.ot high and 500 feet IN circumference, b'
lille 100 yards further north is an -
her openlur probably half mile in of
and In row are three
naller ones. there being five OPEN ~
gs In all The lava has simply ~
,ilcd over the sides of these inn NJ
ense craters until the surrounding -
'untry has been buried under hot
ya to untold depths River beds and e.
iges have been left where the flow
= lava passed Figures had also been To
Il by the lava, ana one huge punch te'
wi had been formed some so feet u
ound, 80 feet deep, and no way to dr.
/ into Il without a rope. II was 4,
rfect in construction. Caves run ro'
ok Tor an unknown distance into the A..
ound. and one OF them they ex by
bred for about a quarter Of mile Sc
t turned back for they were not o.
cpared to make underground ex- ca,
'rations The interior was a crys- ito
formation and there We're some The
ellis and other. curios. sne
rhe immensely OF these beds cannot 90
realized until they have been seen. she
cir beauty and grandeur is beyond Oil
aud il arrangements could
made for entrance 10y team or moi
ierwise. they would prove a wonder wr
attraction for tourists and others, he.
me OF the large craters can almost ~,
reached hy auto from American tlol
MS, within six miles. the last stage no
ng four miles by team, then two aei .
10 walk The trlp "a tnis particu- ,st,
~ beautiful pare of the beds could thii
made In one day. These lava fields az
end over a large area over 100
les across. and tradition says that
newhere IN that vast desert there -
a large valley with heating IMMORAL but