Imperial Valley press., 1930-11-03

mot melodcama, not vaudeville,
but real, authentic history-the
history Of Imperial Valley" In
this brief sentence j. S. Cameron
of the Imperial Valley Pageant
Society today gave a comprehen-
sive answer to the numerous ques-
tions being voiced daily as to what
The Desert Calls" will be about.
There are so many conflicting
stories about Regarding the nature
fthe pageant, that we are AGAIN
emphasizing the following facts,
Cameron said. THE Desert Calls
is a real play, much the kind you
would see in any theatre, which
does not have movies or talkles,
except that it is on scale SO much
larger that it genuinely deserves
the word spectacle A stage, With
painted scenery exactly like
theatre except on a mammoth scale
has been laid out on the 1af
grounds. The actors, in costumes,
both colorful and picturesque, Will
perform their parts as in any play.
The main difference between the
drama and the ordinary theatrical
production is that The Desert
Calls" is a true story. Literally
thousands of residents Of Imperial
Valley know little Of it's history
prior to the bringing in of the
water early in this century. But
back of that time stretches a wealth
of fascinating facts.
Imperial Valley has itself been
the stage for many exciting dramas,
At intervals during many centuries,
long before the waters OF the Colo
RADIO moistened its parched sands,
man had struggled against the
desert. Indians dWelt here, were
driven away by the strength OF trc
elements. but returned. White men.
as far as recorded history Knows,
first gazed on the desert waste thaS
is now a cultivated valley, in tio3.
A few years later, in l774, Span
ish expedition from Mexico seeking
a land route to Monterey, lir5t
crossed here.
Other expeditions came sone
passed IN safety. Some left COM
panions behind whose bleached
bones gave mute testimony to later
/ travellers of the deserts flefce
strength. But in spite OF danger,
heat. and the deadliest enemy Oh
all. thirst, man continued his q'.e5V
h;e answer to the deserts call.
With the white mans eXpeoltlollS
across the valley came the peglh-
ming of the dreams OF desert con-
ouest-of empire founding. History
first record of such a dreamer is
Father Francisco Garces, whose
name is bound up with the history
of Imperial Valley at the time
when our forefatherS in the east
were fighting this countryS pattie
/ for freedom from ErgllSl oomlnioA'
Juan Bautista DeAnza, famous
Spanish explorer for whom Cal
eXicos new hotel is being nameo'
and Father Garces travelled the
dese,t together. Later the sEulklng
covotes Of the desert were u VIII
ness many q tragedy along the
DeAnza trail.
Indians-the Yumas, who nae
been friendly to the whites-al last
turned against them, and the
Yuma massacre occurred III lt3l'
Father Garces, the Indians friend
! losing his life.
| General Kearney, with a COMPANY
of United States dragons, arc tNe
/ famous scout, Kit Carson, me, ana
/ passed in the desert. Gold seekers
came this way in 80 With the dis
covery of gold, tn east reached out
toward the west and the Buttert;elo
stage, the pony express, and al laSt
the railroad-iron horses that knew
no desert fear-followed III th2 loot
steps of intrepid man.
Act of THE Desert Calls gives
highlights Of this period of eX-
ploration; Act II deals with III"
early construction period OF our
own Gentry, while Act III, fore
shadowing the future. takes place
in 1945. A story teller and two
modern lovers, before whose eyes
the past is made TO live again
weld the historic incidents into &
dramatic and beautiful whole.
Arrival Of two tons Of electric
cable for the mammoth lighting
system now under construction tor
Imperial Valleys great historical
drama, The Desert Calls which
opens Thursday night, was the lm-
portant event of the week at the
fair grounds.
Due to the unusual and technl-
cally elaborate type of electrical
equipment required for THE Desert
Calls, it was necessary to get light
ing apparatus from three Los Ange-
cs studios, Phil Whiting. production
director, today explained III talking
to a representative of the Tr1perial