Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-10

A tragic reminder that spots still
exist within the borders of the United
States untouched by the safeguards of
civilization is found by the press In the
story of an entire family perishing from
thirst when its automobile broke down
in the California desert.
The wiping out of this family Is a
warning not to be misunderstood" adj
vises the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Who
ever imagines that the automobile has
terminated American desert perilS Is
gravely mistaken. Far south Of Death
Valley Is the little-used road between
FL Centre, in Imperial County, and
Blythe, In Riverside County. A spur
Of the San Bernardino Mountains has
to be crossed. Travellers are warned
against taking this road. There is no
water on most Of the route. And. Of
course, there Is no game and no source
of other food. The tourist in limousine
or fivver must depend on his own re-
sources. He Is better OFF. so far as
thirst goes, than the OK team pioneers,
for their Is water in the radiator. He
Is worse OF as regards food, for, unlike
the oxen, the automobile cannot be
eaten in any emergency. A complete
breakdown Of motor car at any point
in the Palo Verde section Of Riverside
County may mean death for all the
persons 1t Is carrying"
Many So-called roads OF that sort,
comments the San Antonio Evening
News, ARE unmarked from end to end.
Signs cost comparatively little, and In
regions where rainfall is light they last
for years, If well made. This tragedy
should arouse authorities In thinly set
tied districts to provide better guides
for travellers than ordinarily are found
away from main highways. Ironically
enough, the seven persons who persisted
so nniserably were not far from the Col
flowing, although it traverses a partic-
ularly barren region between the Blythe
area and Yuma, Ariz."
"The automobile clubs" says the
Santa Barbara Daily News, have issued
FREQUENT warnings against desert travel
in Summer except along the beaten
tracks. In any case, desert travellers
will do well to carry with them ample
water supplies for use in case OF emer-
rencv. The modern automobile Is as
nearly trouble proof as machinery can
be. and, with ordinary care and fore
sight, 1t will go anywhere on the desert
with reasonable safety. But those mex.
narienced in desert conditions ana
travel cannot afford to take chances,
even with these efiicient machines. AT
least they should provide all the pos
Sible safeguards against disaster II tney
must 90 to the untraveled portions OF
the desert" s-.u,
vehicles" the schenectady Gazetts re-
calls. at was nothing unusual Tor mo1'
viduals or families, or even for groups
tn perish in the deserts of our Far West.
long Journeys through waterleSs regions
were Allied with perils to the pioneers.
To those of us who have thought that
with the advent of trains and OF auto.
mobiles the old days were forever past
the Imperial Valley tragedy comes as q
reminder that we are mistaken.
Irrigation has worked wonders In .ne
Arid regions near the Pacific. I'M
rounding and distribution Of water have
turned barren plains into fertile nelds,
vet behind all this death still turks,
ready to pounce upon the unprepareo
A Il; did In the earlier days OF the Re-
public. We have progressed lar, Dut
much remains TO be done.
"It gives q strange twist to our prioe
IN read such q story as that wnlcn
comes out Of the California desert, re-
marks the Memphis Commerclai-Ap-
peal Almost unbelievable Is tne SOY
Of q whole family perishing OF heat ana
thirst In An American desert. With the
sahSre yielding to the motor, it is
strange indeed that the little stretch OF
desert land near the West Coast OF the
United states should have proven q
blistering graveyard to motor parry
what should have been . jour-
new of about two hours or less is con.
yerted into an eternity, with evidence OF
almost INFINITE suffering and torture
Only o few miles away were
snow-capped mountains with cooling
streams and chilly, pure, fresh air."
Il y \
The pitiful aspects Of the story I'M
press the Portland Oregon journal: