Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-03-10
Adventurer Now Tulsa Home Guard
Sergeant lIien Wears Deep Scar Forehead Souvenir
of Brush With Vilistas

veteran lie served In the Missouri
national quad several Year,. and
prior to coming to Tulsa from Mex
leo and had pruspectcd all over the
west and spent few years la Mex
leo during times when Mexico was
anything but "A he'd ~ roses Tie
crossed Death valley and made one
prospecting trip IN tho great Amer
lean desert In which lasted IS
monthv Ne was eight months on
one ttlp Win no companions but
dog and a cat and fiyt burrors lie
has suffered every Kind - phyHlonl
hardship. facing hunger thlrsts and
attempts 20 take his NE Ana he
saws there are many iu the home
guard that have had some real oN-
perien,eH
/ Sergeant ullrn he one Of tho many
real soldiers IN the home guard To
begin with he was born at West
/ Point where both his father aud
Erunttather we're officers Of the
United states army attached 10 the
military trimming school Of the gov
eminent Therefore il IA natural to
suppose that he enlisted In the army
At tho outbreak ~ the Spanish
American war when the Maine wna
sunk, lllieu was rs years old ana he
Immediately offered himsolf for
sorvico and was aont to Cubu whore
he served during the Campaign Ne
vas present at the stprming' ~ Snn
Juan I'm, along with Teddy and
his Rough lNdetH and eerNcd there
after the war was over until peace
and order wa, aguln established on
this island
The west In the beginning OF the
century was "A land of the imaginA
tion Cowboys ana Indians and
Last Chance saloons existed then
| In reality and guns were common MS
cigarette cases
After compl sting n course In min.
ing engineering, Lulien went west
slorg with the general migration 90
help Wrcat the rich treasures or
precious minerals from the noun
t1ins ana deserts
lands In Goldficid.
The west In the opening years Of
the twentieth century, when liliien
came out of the east was really the
great and untamed west Goldficld.
| New, whore he made the first
step. was city Of canvas and dry
goods boxes II was full OF gamblers
gunmen. miners and proHpectorR and
there was no law Most OF the other
western towns, particularly the min
inE camps. we're either little better
or "A little worse Stage coaches were
the common mode OF transportation,
and stage hold-ups was IA recognized
occupation. The sheriff was elected
because he wan half Herond faster
with gun than rival candidates and
not because BE- was Democrat
A prospecting trip thru the deserts
than wns really trip. You left with
the knowledge that you would bee
some for year or two years, PRO
Nided yOu didn't get lost and surye
or die from hlrst. Heat and thirst
ard rattlesns&sA we're the things that
CoIinhined rp~JKa lSl- the desert danger.
Gus ana roaming bands OF outlaws
and raidors added zest to the expe-
ditlon. provided food and water held
out
The outfit carried by a prospector
In itself IA interesting On his long
est trip thru the great American
desert In Nevada, lllien had five
pack burros and a dos and cat The
latter were to krep away lonesome
ness for the proEpector usually went
out alone. None OF the animals were
for carrying tools and supplies The
prOspector walked.
Food was only what was necessary
TO sustain life A common food was
pressed bricks OF beans which were
made by boiling beans until the skins
were able TO be removed by running
the mass thru "A screen, The mush.
like. substance was moulded into
bricks. tho size OF an ordinary build
ing brick. and was dried In the sun.
This was convenient both because T.
could be packed with the least waste
of space and II did not need TO he
cooked The latter fact was u great
advantage, because firewood was
scarce In the desert. Tho bricks were
also light and n great many could
he loaded on the back OF the willing
burro Flour. olive OIL dried beef
and plenty OF tobacco, completes tho
inventory OF the prospector's com
missary.
Eighteen Months IN Desert.
A tent was never carried on
prospecting trip, In the first place
II added too much 10 tho load OF the
pack animals. and then real hardy
prospector was not supposed To need
n tent lllien was is months In
the great Americana desert without
ehelter OF any Kind, except his sleep
Ing bag and blankets And snow and
zero weather was not n rare thing,
even In the deserts
The majority OF the pack animals
were used to carry water. as pure
water supplies were not often found
They we're 40 infsequent that IL wns
always thot necessary to carry
enough water o last during the trip
The water supply WAS carried In
large cans not unlike milk cans.
aud thesc were fitted over the back
of the burrus lllien had five ant
mails on his trip thru the Nevada
desert. and three packed nothing but
water. Water wac somntltuea found.
but was usually unfit for drinking
purposes being polluted with car
Irnss"s or poisoned by mineral de.
posts
The greatest terror OF the desert
was the present danger OF becoming
lost ana diving from thirst or surva-
ton The danger from rowing bands
nf outlaws was not so great Tho
lllicn was several times alta ckcd, Il
happened that he was never alone
ana with his companions was able
To fight OFF the bandits These fights
were "A part ot tho life and we're ac-
,epicd az com ~ unplaCe
hllndness Was another ever threat
ening danger TO men IN the desert
The constant Elare ~ the sun TO
Elected from the sands affected tAe
eyes. often causing temporary blind.
ness
While crossing Death Nallep. in