The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1916-11-09

!, | DuTuST COdi Oh SIUNG WHICH NHSl gen
S Grated and burning is equal to gas.
On this occasion we had to use
: as We were in the middle of forty
. mile desert with no wood and just ;
. few dwindling sage brush that were
too green yet to burn.
However, we were we'll supplied
, with eatables and water, and you car
, imagine how a good cup of coffee
with plenty of bacon and eggs, steak
; potatoes, etc, would taste out on a
desert after shoveling mud all after.
noon.
Sunday morning, the 8th. woke up
and found clear sky. Soon the sun
appeared and even the desert looked
beautiful. We were in no hurry to
travel anu it was 1915 a. m. before
we started OF our way.
Driving into Green River some IS
miles We arrived about 1870 where
We camped until 800 p. m, cooking
dinner and laying in fresh supply of
gas, oil, water and eatables We con-
tinued on to Woodside arriving at 5
p. m. We camped for the night.
Monday, the 9Th, left Woodside at
$40 a. m. Driving into Provo, Utah
that evening, 140 miles.
Tuesday, the 10th, woke up and
| found it sprinkling, so We decided to
drive into Salt Lake City for break
fast 43 miles. Here We found splen-
did roads, the best in Utah Made
the run in IL hours reaching Salt
Lake City at $50 a. m. We had
no more than eaten our breakfast be-
fore it commenced to rain. We had
rain the first three days of our stop
at his city. 10th, 18th, 18th.
Friday, 18th, we left Salt Lake City
1915 p. m. Mrs. Roberts asked me
if was aware of the fact that it was
Friday and the 18th. told her
was but that We would drive ON and
trust to luck.
Luck favored US. We made 1876
miles that afternoon, the best half
days travel We had made to date
Reaching Mud Flats at dark we
camped. Saturday, 14th, woke up
to find it raining. We broke camp
in hurry not taking time to get our
breakfast. Thinking We could reach !
Fish Springs before rain made the |
Mud Flats worse At that time near
ly impossible.
The first twelve miles We made in |
very good shape, pulling mud that no |
one unless they have seen these Flats |
on The Great American Desert real |
ize what mud really is. Iowa has no !
mud to compare with it.
When within about five miles of
Fish Springs, which by the way is a
ranch house owned by a Mr.. J. ]. |
Thomas, | came to a little culvert and |
fearing / could not make it without |
an effort, | threw in my clutch too |
quick, breaking universal joint, our
only break on the trip
This | blame myself for as | had !
pulled the worst part of the Flats
and ~ feet further would have been
on dandy soil mixed with the adobe, |
which does not get SO heavy until it
commences to roll.
made the mile trip to ranch !
house leaving Mrs. Roberts and the
two girls sitting in the car. They /
had plenty of covers and as side cur
tains were on were warm enough and !
out OF the rain.
Rain fell steadily for some time but
quit before l reached the ranch.
Say, did you ever see real mud? l
never did until that day. AS soon
as rain ceased mud commenced to
pack.
You have seen SNOWFALL rolled in
soft or melting snow. Where each
turn adds more. 1t is SO with that
mud.
| was four hours walking the five
miles back to car from ranch house. /
Stopping every few feet to clean my
shoes with a stick which | picked up
for that purpose at the ranch.
The mud would ball up so that one
could not walk without cleaning it
off.
| secured service of team to pull +,
the car into the ranch where we ar
rived at dark, having gone all day
without anything to eat Rain and |
mud making it impossible to cook /
anything on the desert in those mud |
fats.
My return walk from the ranch |
was necessary in order to stop man
with team who was out pulling in a
big S0-horse truck. Same having |
been stuck in mud several days.
We had to wait at this place from |
Saturday morning until Wednesday, |
the 18th, at 4:30 p. m, for repairs
These ] had to send for to Ely, New, |
$50 miles by auto and get them the |
same way, as no railroad runs nearer |
Groceries, vegetables, -four, ETC. |
are hauled by team. 1t requiring !
from IL to Is days to make the trip. |
So much for our experience on The |
Great American Desert.
At $3.50 p. M, Wednesday, the 18th, |
car drove in from Ely bringing my
repairs. At 4:30 p. m, one hour lat
err We We're on our way again. Driv-
ing into Tonopah. We camped and
On waking in fha tnnrn;,,o found xy.t