Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1922-12-20

l.
a blacksmith shop and a few houses
appurtenant to the business of stock
growing, then the sole industry of
that section. Then they came over
the Grcenhorn mountains. through
Walkers Pass and up through Owens
Valley Edward Dexter thought that
there were some stockmen in the
lower part Of the valley, but no one
was met until they reached Putmans,
now Independence. Some Indians
were found i'll camp at Bishop creek
but as it happened to be peaceful
period among the Indians, although
troubles were threatening even then
they experienced no difficulty. A
family marked wagon track was fol-
lowed north to the site of Benton,
where the brothers saw their first hot
spring. The riders did not under
stand until they tasted the water
themselves, why the horses refused to
drink
More Indians were seen at the
Adobe Meadows. The Dcxters began
prospecting, and were surprised to
find government survey stakc-one
of those set out by Won Schmidts sur
vcy several years earlier. They made
ranch location at Adobe, before go
ing on to Monoville and Aurora. The
next spring they went out to their
ranch; but Indian troubles sent them
back to Auroras security, i'll time to
get caught in the camps famine OF
1862. For two months they shared
the experience OF all others III the
camp, living on lean beef and whole
barley. Spring floods had washed
out the roads to Sacramento. the near
est supply place, and no other prov
cnder was to be had When a packer
arrived with burro load of provisions
he would sell but a very small quantity
to each customer-four or five pounds
of flour, and proportionatc lots OF
salt. sugar, bacon. rice and other
food.
Foreseeing future travel to the
Owens Valley country. the brothers
decided TO make toll road via Adobe,
and began on it i'll the spring OF 1905.
The Inyo war was in full swing ana
the brothers found the undertaking
perlous Edward Dexter ingeniously
contrived to make the Indians con-
slider him a medicine man, which
gained him immunity from attack. An
other brother, T. w. Dexter, had ar
rived in the meantime and participated
in the work. 1t was but an under
taking of hardships, beginning with
fighting through six feet OF snow 10
oct out of Aurora. One of the men
was frozen and lost some OF his toes.
The party came through to the hot
springs. (Bcnton.) where the Indians
had destroyed the trifling beginnings
made by the white men.
, To meet the need for water III
the as mile journey it was decided 10
sink a we'll. A test Shaft was sunk
ending in volcanic matter Another
,rv was made with hard tools bought
with the money earned by Edward
Dexter in the Aurora mine. The smart
went down two hundred feet with
never a sign of water. One Saturday
night means and patience reached
their limit and the brothers were
ready to quit A man named oaniuci
Glover with them, said he would
drive one more drill hole and then
anti If no results were found. Dexter
worked the air pump for half an hour
while Glover made what all supposed
would be the last shift The man
beow shouted Hoist me up quick OF
ri drownv Before the bucket
started. the water was up to glover
waist He brought up can OF quite
warm water, which was found to DC
rood Then the DeNters flhisheo
their road, and themselves wove wire
cables 500 feet long. and also made on
the spot, the other apparatus needed
TO hoist water from the 25O-foot hole.
The well was success III everything
except recompense to it's projectors.
Edward Dexter wrote, in an account
which the Register editor personally
obtained from him: Il conclude that
pioneering doesn't pay. unless you nap
men to hit the right channel OF btlsi-
ness. which in this case we faiied 10
do"
While the Dextcrs never rcahzea
,dco,ate returns for their outlay
and energy, the wells were valued
factor on the road. until home vandel
ri the class that would cut desert
pine line or destroy road sign threw
pr>tI a