El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-03-06
Ghost Haunted,
Way For DriUe
Picnic Parties for Ages
Have Visited the House;
Lovers TrHsted There.
~ ALDEN A. EVANS.

TEE ola rock house on ne SLOPE -
/ Mount Franklin has sheltered -
last hunter. L has served for tAa
la-t tim. a. . refuge FOR mouatala
climbers ana kodak parties and p.,-.
nlsksrs. No more pictures VII -
taken OF couples stassi1g n The do75-
vray Of the massive little b1llding ct
leaning against its strong rock 80.
Lovers viii have % 80 elsel4 reg.
on Sunday afternoons tnan 70 re ol-
rock house on the mountain Hlue, 70
and the dates OF their co1rslips -.-
old rock house can no longer p 49,
IN afternoon or night for 1poo1lA.
rendezvous for the lovesics- 41el
VIII have 20 sit along ne see = -
road or on the rocks o. It's sharter7o
The old rock house. ancient Lara
mark OF FL Pasos haven for tl-
hunter. refuge for ths weassy, So So...-
fort station Tor Gutoiat1 ana nlH-r@i
is being torn down.
In way Of Scenic Drive.
As the old order chanEoth, gtFl1I
place 70 the new. and a. E14cks -
srr 50 now the Ga house, which his
stood the wind and sand storms ana
rain and STOW and sun Yer more l1e1
three decades. - being raEed 70 give
place 20 the route OF the rev scenic
|
When Fl Paso vas vince ara
land around Mount E,r1r KIN VS. sails
ing. or rather was on the u1-ILot ana
could Be bought Tor - a 80.
Paso- bought $50 acres Of lGnc - tta
vicinity OF tbs mountain Tor q 4n
! acre. The purchase va made IN t1e
Under the stats Law, 10 o. %.
purchase prlc8 had 90 b Ssh arc 41e
rest paid out IN 40 years ~ , pafeo1t
interest Under The law q va nec1l-
szrv for nan to live "a l1u1 1cE1rt
rom the state FOR three 9e4rl
IN 1855 M. HcKelii gan built TIE ola
rock house from rocks picked - frorl
Z the mountain side The house vas
I finished inside with WOOD, E1-4l 9--1.
rooms, = living room. osorocU
~. 1fcKsIiizon lived q ths hose
Z FER three years. got . ~ Go M
land and later sold e % P. z ker1I q
Kern place
The house was Tor sent FOR lFhlls.
Z but everybody seemed 60 t1ink 20 ras
/ too far away from siFillzEtiou - p
an attractiT5 residenee.
Soon u became known - cay
[ EIarrvss House" There va A 81
7 lorg-haired man nicEraDed Cr11r
Harry who vas more rsIgiou1 trau
the average church-goef.
Wa fsermon On Tis L1uzF site
Harry used 10 put hls BE1ls und1r'
his arm every day and hiit3 Up Mount
Franklin TO get closer % God. a. 1c'
used 70 say. when II CLIMBED nirh'
I enough to reach the old rock house
HAIRY thought he vas about - clces
10 heaven as his wind would pefUiI
him 70 90 Tor awhile 50 he would ll1r
and give vent TO his religious fseilaz
and rend the mountain ar Win 1ir.
/ sermons.
Harry was rot always alone II his
trips % thu mouutains- n t1117 GAYS
there was 3 boy who had the amli-
zion 70 be great mu1lelan- l1lg 11Z
who Is now a groWu ma1 ard i1 IN l1a
. employ o. the city played comet
or at least wanted 70 Learn &C pay
one. His mother wouldn't let hlr
[ practice at home because Is disturbe1
the peace ana osner tntpgs IN tne
I neighDorhood 20 he often went win
Harry 70 the old rock house, where
next 70 nature, he could blew hla
Z lungs out
blew awhile. then HnEry rFuul1
I preach. then Ne EEculE blew some
more and then Il vFouId beaasry'I
turn They Had many q bls tine
tuEether.
Later Hzrry went 70 his reward
which IS sons higher than Noun
Franklin. e = alleged. and the musi-
can cast aside his cornet ana took 4
. Job With tire city
After awhile. as q new rener1llor
70 the house. for picricl and parties.
I Someone fell 70 calling % Htfe
I haunted house and for years % f1
been known among the younger gene
mesa
The big rocks which formed ~
walls Of the house are torn dcwn-
[ Turn them over and ol5 Wiu see tr
name q Mabel, Agnes and seclzie eal
Tom, Dick and Harry carved On chen
Z with various dates between 1855 a1i
1870 Initials, however. are NOS
I popular. and II one had good enorrr
memory he could fgure cut the in-
itlals OF a number OF n1arrlef -aen art"
E-ouen, sons OF whom are SIN lirln1
together.
Mr- McKsnigon. Who bult che 81
rock house, has q son sLiu Twins
He Is Norris McKeIllEou. q ~
E known attorney OF Bisb4s, Arizona
The old house. as fats would hzr
H. stood II the right 81 way 81 tH9
Tors-men who are h1lldlnE the ar
I rro1ch 70 the scenic driveway. N
/ approach to the driveway Is alrcs
done. The driveway itself. which VII
ne ABOUT 4 miles long. VII be CON
pletec IN about six months. but autt
noble parties viewing the scener1
Z ths scenic drive VII nsTer arain us
the old rock house % sto> n.
A Haven for Boys.
Beside the remains OF the ole huus
.
strip OF mesa worn away to alucr
nothing at this point The ditch Ia
I been filled and automobiles har
[ Just room 10 cross e now. Few re
member Why the ditch Was cur
small railroad" once rzn thraurh Ia
cut &c a point northeast OF the gton
house to rock quarry. Tha read
was used 70 haul stone to an old lin
kin, the rui1a OF which nav SIN b
seen below the McEelllkon home. Soy
OF that time-Wil Mar. walter Eor'
berg the krakauer boys and othsrs-
used TO have big times on Sundas
afternoons riding the cars On n
little road They would iaborfcusI.
push them Up the hin and then rI1
down on The momentum % the ear
Orrenumes a car would Jump ~
track and there would Be = lot O
bruised bodies and skinned faces hu
NOBODY ever got seriously hurt
That all happened IN ~tha GOOD cd
days Today the hoFs have 20 d
up with six-cTlluder Automobiles r.
their sunday afternoon Joy rides.
the business live moral lives ever
day-and don't have 70 shoot hote
proprietor1 The public wants ssnsa
( tons and the managers lie aEaE
nights creating them