The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-08-30
Former Rural Route Carrier Tells Of
the Beauties Found in His
Jaunt by Auto
mobile.
SEES AIR MAIL CARRIER
First Trip Was Made In Good Shape
But Getaway is Delayed by
Landing in Wrong
Field.

An interesting account OF the lF&iis
of an aviator carrying mail into the
valley and of q trip through the
Yosemite valley, and all of the beauty
spots in that section of the country IS
to be found in letter written by AT
thur ]. Reynolds, to the editor of The
Gate City. Mr.. Reynolds was carrier
on rural route number one out OF the
postoffice here under Postmasters
! Moorhead and McManus. His letter is
given here:
YOSEMITE NATL, PARK, Aug. 6,
1919.
Editor The Gate City, Keokuk, Iowa,
Dear Sir: am mailing you copy OF
! the "San Francisco Bulletin" Yose-
| mite valley edition This was in
bundle, together with other U. 5.
mail, brought into the valley for the
! first time in its history by an air
plane. in the first nonstop flight from
San Francisco to the Yosemite valley.
The aviator intended and attempted TO
leave the valley at 2 p. m, on the
same day, but failed to do so by reason
of having landed in the wrong field.
The park committee neglected to SO
mark the landing site as to guide the
aviator. He was compelled to guess
at it, and guessed wrong, choosing
large green meadow along the main
valley road Just below or west OF
Yosemite village and postoffice. This
ield was quite rough and full OF
| holes. The airplane was rolled BACK
| bv hand, the full length of the mea-
| dow. fully one quarter of mile TO the
east end. close to the church opposite
| the postoffice, in order to give the
| longest possible run along the ground
| to mount into the air. He was hemmed
| in on both sides by the high granite
cliffs and walls; Gel Captain" on the
right. He said he was taking great
chances but would risk the attempt.
After some delay in getting his motor
started and further trouble in getting
the wheels of the plane started over
| the bumps in the ground he rolled ana
ioIted the full length Of the field with
out being able to leave the ground. he
stopped his motor just in time to Keep
from hitting automobiles parked at the
lower end OF the field. Both wooden
bow supports at the outer ends OF both
planes were broken and the under
wing covering was torn little.
! The result was that he removed
both planes from either side OF the
body and had them hauled on motor
trucks to the field In which he should
| have first landed, towing the body OF
the airplane there also. The repairing
and putting together again held him
until the morning Of the next day
August 6, when he was successful In
| taking the air, mounting eastward UT
the valley about s a. M, passing very
close to the top of Glacier Point, eleva-
ton Of which is 7,214 feet, circling
then to the left, and heading back
down the valley westward over III
CAPTAIN, and soon he disappeared IN
| the distance and over the mountains,
safely on his way again.
In Yosemite Valley.
have been in the yosemite"
eleven days now, driving my car up
! &. 500 feet to and through the Mari
posa grove Of big Trees" seeing the
/ 'GrizZlv Giant" and the Iowa tree, as
well as all the others named for the
different states of the union. Drove
/ my car through the "Wawona' tree
having a photograph taken as drove
| through. Drove also through the
california" tree and on up to WA
wona Point" 100 feet elevation, the
highest point in the Mariposa grove, a
wonderful trip, up steep grades put NOT
SO steep and hard as those from there
to the Yosemite valley which required
scond and low gear work practically
all the way, a distance of 20 miles 10
Inspiration Point. From here one has
wonderful view of Ell Captain. Hail
Dome, Cathedral Spires and ROCKS,
North Dome, Three Brothers, ClouGs
Rest. Glacier Point. Bridal Veil Falls
and part of the valley From lnspira-
ton Point it was down very steep
grade two and one-half miles to the
| floor OF the valley, requiring low gear
compression or second gear compress
sion plus the use Of the brakes to hold
the car back sufficiently | have been
lin the west almost year now, having
left Keokuk August 20, 1918, covering
| 8 500 miles in my tour TO Los Angeles
! through Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado,
wyoming, Utah, Arizona and Nevada
and have driven ten thousand miles in
and over the state Of California. Have
experienced every kind Of mountain
! and desert, driving over many perilous
! places.
climbed to the summit of Glacier
| Point. elevation 7,2l4 feet, going up
| the ledge trail in two hours AID five
minutes. This was unusually quick
time. most people requiring four hours
to make the ascent. 1t is very steep
and rocky climb.
Ny wife and | attended the last an
nual Iowa picnic in East Lake Park
at Los Angeles and saw your name
on the Lee county register book.
waited to meet you and endeavored to
find you but was unsuccessful.
The Falls of Fire.
A custom which is in operation
again this season in Yosemite valley
iG called the Fire Fall" It is very
beautiful and consists of huge bon
fire being build at night-faIl on the
top Of Glacier Point near the Over
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