Evening star., 1938-07-24
VICTIM CLAIMED
BY DEATH VALLEY
Old Story Is Repeated in
Note Found in Stalled
Auto on Desert.
ny The Associated Press.

| ny The Associated Press.
DEATH VALLEY, Calf, July 23.-
Death Valley extended scorching,
shriveling finger once more this week
Once more q gold hunter withered
to an agonizing death. This time II
was on the southern fringe Of this
savage symphony Of color, down near
Owl Holes, at the foot of Owls Head
Mountains, not far from the Amar-
gosa Kiyer. which feeds the poison
sink at had watEr. --a....,
Herman E. van Thijn, 38-year-old
mining engineer, perished while on
. trip to inspect his mining claims
OR.the stAeftng wheel Of his stalled
automobile was a tragic note. It was
the old story. like those scrawled by
gold.hungry men Of the last century,
whose fate gave this desert area IT
name 'ei
I'VE are stuck. Nearly out of water.
Cannot ind Owl Hole Springs"
It. Is the story the desert rats know
50 well-that Death Valley gives no
grace ss,s.& ~
miss the water holes and you and
your aIiisnAles sjest burn VI" !" Say the
desert prospectoSs.
From Devils Playground. near the
Los Angeles-Salt Lake highway, at
Baker, Calf, to the Last Chance
Range, IT'S miles to the north, about
west of Goldfeld. this region which
tourists by the thousand frequent in
winter, is an inferno from May to
September
Many are the tales OF men being
found dead-torn shirtfronts bearing
witness to frantic struggles that come
with killing thirst. In the Govern
ment station at Furnace Creek, ther-
mometers have recorded 1874 in the
shade during July, many other spots
are known to be warmer, and no tell
ing what the temperature reaches in
the open sun.
Death Valley Scotty says: "You can
put thermometer in the sun with
out Dustin it, If it's a good one" But
even he does not 60 around doing
such things. The sun turns glass
violet. 10.
Supt. T. r. Goodwin Of, the Ma
tional Monument and his men found
q victim two years ago on the high
way few miles from Furnace Greek.
His small car broke down near Bad
Water. He walked several miles In
the blazing sun. then collapsed as the
heat enshrouded him in its biting,
shriveling grasp. =. 4. !,
He was like gaunt mummy, but
breathing He was almost dehydrated.
Under care, within "A hours, he re-
gained IS pounds, and survived. 1t
was one Of the rare instances Of be-
ing found in time. u, - {
Government men and posted signs
warn all travellers from the area dur
ing the summer. .-. ...
Only those who know this short
tour Of hell' can take care Of them
selves. they warn. The only thing to
! do If an auto breaks down Is to stay
in the shade, under the auto, and then
try to get to safety only after the
sweeping fiery arc Of the sun has dis
appeared in the West.
Scotty ventures only with ample
supplies. He has caches at various
points throughout the region. He hAs
known it for nearly half century.
The heavy; full.length underwear
he wears throughout the year, the big
felt hat and his clothing is safety
against the beat. he says. just like the
Indians 70 around wrapped in blan-
kets, even over their heads. while the
sun Is blisteringly hot. .-.s..,....
It's \ wicked valley. sssssss1
During the warm spell-May to
September-of course the rattlers are
out too." says Scotty. There's two
kinds. The sidewinders and the
mountain bulls. The sidewinders are
1s to 20 inches long, and travel side
ways, leaving parallel cross bars In
the sand. The mountain bulls leave
serpentine tracks and are about 3 feet
long and thick as a mans wrist.
ut takes more than maps to get
desert wise. Water holes go dry, or
go foul.
Death Valley gives no grace to the
unwary."