The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1919-11-13
Xn overiand TIP. to caIifosnia.

1 ~, y "a = 4 Z
/ (The following is letter written
Iby Miss Jessie Moreland 70 her
Ibrother, ,As G.. Moreland. The party
lcoinprised Mr.. and Mrs Archie
Thomas, Mrs. Tavern Silyers and
daughter, and Miss Jessie Moreland,s
K We left 3utler October 9th, at p.
I'm, and arrived in Long Beach, Cab !.
lfurnia, October 2gth.
4 he trailer made the trip very COM
lfrrtahle for US. 1t contained fold
ling. table, folding stove, ice box ant:
l.Mo beds. The beds have COOL
<springs and mattresses and stand
three feet off the ground We rested
tfine each night.
| We had the worst roads imag.:i-
ao'e on our trip. We followed rams
Emost Of the way through SO the
roads were very muddy and rough.
From Oakley to Sharon Spring,
we took the Union Pacific road and
lit was much better than the other.
At Sharon Springs we were caught
iii the rain SO we put up for the
night. The next morning the sun
was shining so we started on ou,
journey. We took the Kansas aud
| Colorado Boulevard to Las .Ananiis
In Kansas we saw rolling plains.
herds of cattle and millions OF prairie
dogs Soon after leaving Lajunta
| we could see the mountains.
We arrived at Trinidad at / p. NJ,
and started across the continental d.,
vide, distance of IS miles. we
made the trip in hours and IS miE
'Tbe roads ,uera ,,p,y1,, Wrrl.aI
but the Scenery was SO beautiful that
we did not mind the roads. Some OF
the grades were very steep and mar
row but not so bad as we expected to
find them. Most every one predicted
that Archie could not pull the trailer
without tearing it up and ruiniNg his
car, but no harm was done to either
of them. The Mitchell is some pull
er. This is good time of the year to
travel. | wish you could have seen
the mountain sides and valleys. The
green cedars, pines and spruce were
beautiful among the hardwood trees
which were decked in robes of all
colors.
We camped at Ratoon, n. NJ, that
night, The town is situated at the
foot of the mountains The next day
we crossed deserts, climbed hills and
was the most disagreeable day we
had on the trip. All day long the
car and trailer dragged the ground.
In some places the ruts were SO deep
that travelling seemed impossible, bar
people kept going. Most OF them
were jolly and made the best OF the
situation.
We had break on the trailer "A
miles east of Santa Fe. Grace and
Archie went after repairs while
Laura and | stayed with the trailer.
| enjoyed the rest though, for we
were right in the heart of the noun
tains. 1t was beautiful place. We
were short distance from all Indian
school and several Indian houses.
went to one of the houses and asked
for drink of water. ] went mostly
for curiosity although | was really
thirsty. The woman understood
English, but could not talk it very
we'll. Her home was very clean, it
some chairs. The Indians grow corn,
oats. pumpkins and peppers. It did
not, seem possible that such things
would grow Zip in these mountains.
They top their corn just above the
ear. Some of them were cutting
oats, although the oats were still
green. They use the old time cycle
for cutting the grain. All OF the
houses we're made Of mud and on the
roof they put pumpkins and corn and
hang the peppers on the side OF the
house.
At Wlnslow we went to the pctri-
fled forests. 1t is certainly a grand
sight. The wood is all colurs.
Archie found the most beautiful piece
OF all 1t is about IL inches in diam
eter and each ring is different
color. We also saw the prehistoric
Indian mounds and the bad lands.
We also saw the old volcanic erup-
,ions, on one we could see the lava
along the side. Archie, Grace and |
went to the Grand Canyon and we
had little trouble on the way. One
OF the bearings in the car wheel
gave way and Archie had to go back
to Williams for<repairs. The canyon
is 2l7 miles long and has an average
with of 10 miles.
We were held up in Williams three
ca, on account of ram. We came to
&c main desert in California. 1t is
IGt miles long and oll.y two-thirds of
1t IS paved. For eight miles it was
terrible travelling. W. could not see
over one-fourth mile ahead After
we crossed the Sierra Nevada noun
tai:s we came to California Boule-
ward and we went domr grade ior IS |
r lies. We finally go. to Long Beach
AMI located S blocks from the ocean,
We are at $40 Chestnut Avenuc.