The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1916-12-21
JACK WoRLEY TELLS OF TRIP
TO PACIFIC COAST IN FORD
Continued from Page 81

distance, the resources Delng cactus,
rattlesnakes, tarantulas and "Oh, you
san" We finally reached Springer
Vile, Ari The sight of civilization sure
did look good to us. We stopped there
long enough to take on gas and oil and
pushed on to st. Johns. We spent the
night there and most of the next day.
Some one during the night had chang
ed the wires on our machine and with
the aid of the best mechanic in the
burg it took us six hours to locate the
trouble. Believing the said mechanic
was responsible for the change I gave
him one dollar for six hours labor. He
took it like dose Of salts and said
nothing, so l guess he was the guilty
party. Business seemed to be at a
standstill and evidently he was try
ing to strum it up bit. !
Getting late start from st. Johns
we only reached Holbrook, Ari. In
addition to a late start we spent sew
eral hours in the petrified forest. This
was wonderful sight. Trees from II
inches to six feet in diameter and $50
feet long are now solid rock and very
beautiful in color. The forest con-
tains about 10000 acres and is ex-
tremely interesting. Holbrook had
nothing of interest for tourists, so with,
an early start we pulled for Flagstaff,
the skylight city of Arizona. 1t has
an altitude of 1000 feet and lies at the
foot of the majestic San Francisco
peaks, elevation $4,000 feet, surround
ed by the largest unbroken pine for
est in the world and with a population
of $500. 1t is the center of the lum'
bering interests of Arizona, having
two large saw mills cutting 100000
feet of lumber daily, all three mills
having their own railroad systems with
engines and other equipment, and hav-
ing in all about $50 miles of track.
Besides numbering, live stock plays an
important part in this vicinity. Some
of the largest cattle and sheep own
ers in the country today have their
homes here. To the north by excel
lent automobile road is the Grand Can
yon of Arizona, earth's scenic wonder.
The following are few points of in
terest: The Hopi and Navajo Indian
reservations; the Painted Desert; the
Natural Bridges Of Utah, largest in the
world the finest prehistoric ruins on
the continent; Oak creek, 1000 foot
canyon; Walnut canyon, trimmed with
great cliffs wind-worn into fantastic
caves and castles, and the ruined
homes and remains of prehistoric
race. These ruins extend several hun
dred yards along the north wall of the
canyon and are now under the care of
the U. S. government Also near Flag
staff are the famous Montesuma castle,
Montezuma we'll and others, numer-
GUS caves of unknown extent, bottom
less pits, into which the flood waters
pour and are lost. Others are filled
with ice that never melt. Some of the
most interesting volcanic evidences in
the world are near Flagstaff, the Burnt
Mountains, Red Mountain the lava
beds, Sunset Crater, which is said to
have been in action 400 years ago, and
last, but not least, the San Francisco
peaks, which consist of several huge
peaks forming the cone of long-ex>
tinrt crater
We also visited Meteorite mountain,
huge hole, somewhat resembling
crater, 600 feet deep, and 1900 feet in
diameter, rim rising 12O feet above
the plain, which scientists agree was
caused by meteor, as evidenced by
many tons of meteoric iron found on
the plains surrounding We have
some very interesting pictures of this
wonder
After spending Sunday in Flagstaff,
We moved on to Ash Fork, just small
town of no Importance. Our next day
was from Ash Fork to Kingman. The
country around Ash Fork is very des-
olate. The first town west of Ash
Fork is Seligman, where we changed
to Western time. We spent the next
night in Kingman, a thriving little
town at the head of Maiave desert.
From Kinman we started for
Needles, Cal. This route is across the
Mojave desert, with no signs of civili-
cation, the only vegetation being sage
brush and cactus. 1t being IA miles
across this great desert it was a day
that shall never be forgotten. Words
cannot express our experience. Owing
to a general cloudburst, the road was
washed to nothing but deep bitches
from six inches to two and one half
feet deep, AMI nothing on earth but a
Ford would Withstand such punish
ment Finally we reached the Color
ado river and crossed over into Gods
cuntry, bu; not into civilization, for
there were still 100 miles of desert
roads. Another half hour brough. us
into Needles, Cal THIS seemed like
dropping over into Paradise, for we
now were in the semi-tropical zone
and were welcomed into Needles by
Ions rows Of stately palm trees and
other beautiful j.: hts anG flowers It
seemed to us like going out of dark
ness into sunlight. r. -. .
Just west Of Needles we found a
camping place built for tourists. Here
trees had been planted and water pip.
ed from the railroad, an ideal place to
camp. Being all in from the long
desert ride we took advantage Of this
convenience. During the night we
were entertained by pack Of wolves,
reminding us somewhat of L. w. Hub
bard and his slide trombone and Val
ley City's male quartet. .e
The following day we reached Bar.
stow. Here we found hot spring en-
closed with house Of stone and an
ideal camping ground. Here we spent