Show Seutfi Ceubid Utah o 0 Supplement To: Gunnison Valley News - The Salina Sun Garfield County News The Richfield Reaper VOLUME 2 THURSDAY NUMBER JUNE 25 I) JUS 26 1981 Blazer Scouts Leaders Hail "Skill-O-ReDay e'' By John Speer Associate Editor The annual Blazer Camp Day featured fun activities tree planting skills seminars and contests for nearly old Boy Scouts and a hundred their leaden from Wayne County Monroe Richfield and Salina “Just think” said Richfield scouting leader Don Overson “They did all that and still But home by six o’clock” The was held June 13 at Burnt Flat Reservoir just above Box Creek on Monroe Mountain The day began at 8 am with preThe registration activity was making ropes out of twine string Each boy made one to take home Blazer Day scouts planted 2000 spruce seedlings for the forest service on Monroe Mountain The seedlings and planting auger were donated to the nearly leaders by the Beaver Ranger District 100 scouts and Lightning From ’Out of the Blue' Killed One Injured Many in 1 905 connotates “lightning” instant trouble to most people especially if they have ever been in a The word lightning storm Lightning spells trouble for power companies and Are get closer to the ready departments of property because of the dangers being struck and set afire But perhaps nothing in the southern Utah region had the lasting impresison of lightning as did the crowd attending horse races at the old Sevier County near Richfield back in Fairgrounds 1905 the afternoon over one During person was killed over 20 more injured and some 200 also affected by a bolt of lightning which came out of the sky on that Tuesday afternoon article According to a newspaper which was submitted to Spotlight by retired Richfield City Guy Baker Manager the bolt came out of a clear sky and without warning Some 2500 persons were assembled at the track and were all “crowded close to the rail ” when the bolt of the new race track struck Tfie following story which appeared in a Salt Lake City newspaper carried the headline: “Bolt From Sky Smites stated Throng” Two “Two Hundred People Struck by One Being Killed and a Lightning Was Score Injured” and “Crowd Assembled at Race Track in Utah Town Watching a Race When the Bolt Came Without a Moment’s Notice” further Here is how the tragedy was described in the newspaper September 4 1905: dated - Richfield Utah Lightning from a clear sky hurled 200 persons to the ground killing one Tuesday afternoon Another will probably die Twenty-siseveral of them more are injured the lightning badly Mrs A D Rasmussen was in a surrey with her family of children when the bolt fell The horse ran away and the Mrs vehicle was overturned Rasmussen was badly injured as was a little girl The mother’s nose was cut off HS Ivie horseman who had just lined up his sulky for the start had a His animal was strange experience dazed for several seconds as was the driver Both came to about the same time and the horse bolted at once Still half dazed the driver held grimly to the reins and guided the horse around the of track By the time his wits fully came to him he had the brute under control The bolt fell in the midst of 2500 people all crowded close to the rail of the new race track They were watching the beginning of the day’s third trotting race It came without warning A terrific report startled the thousands Half dazed by its intensity those who had escaped the shock caught their scattered senses to see maddened horses dashing in all directions through the crowd while 200 men and women lay prostrate The bolt came from a board strip clear sky between two approaching cloud masses Its explosion when it struck on a wagon was the first warning of its presnee The ground had been wet by light showers and the electricity scattered over the grass in blue flames that knocked down stunned and burned victims on all sides It ripped wagon the wheels and seats and shattered track fence The crowd had gathered at the new They had come from grounds many surrounding points in honor of Utah Commercial Travelers’ day The races were the main thing of interest and they had crowded close to the track all along whose circuit they were fair strung When the bolt struck some thought dynamite had exploded Others thought it was a fire cracker A rush toward the as soon as people place followed their senses Horses were recovered running madly some dragging carriages and others loose Women and children shrieked with terror The area over which the shock was felt extended about 100 yards each way A number of wagons and carriages in this area were broken by the force of The boys were called together with silent signals and performed a flag ceremony Next uniforms were Inspected If a boy had five out of six parts of his uniform he received a bead to be worn on his neckerchief slide The parts of the uniform neckerchief terestingly Each Blazer patrol of the program for performed of the they thought the camp was a event in the lives of our 11 part said Leaders "They thought it was fun going on the compass course and finding the different signs leaders put out” “great boys” “To me one of the greatest thrills is to walk into a beautiful quiet peaceful grove of trees and then suddenly see it come alive with scouts and leaders in and campfires” uniform campsites said Mrs Marva Cowley of the Richfield Stake N Mitchel a new Blazer said she was glad a exists “where the boys can participate and learn the scouting program She said the Blazer day the program helped her understand Natalie leader in Glenwood program better "My two Blazers enjoyed learning how to make ropes” she continued "It was an enjoyable time for the instructors as well as the boys” said Blazer leader from Tony Carroll Sigurd "I enjoyed the whole thing and would love to take a group of boys again” Lorna Stapley LDS primary leader in Koosharem said at least one mother was convinced her son had a good time “She told me she could tell her son enjoyed the day because when he got home he talked continually about what they had done” “It was a beautiful day” recalled Oma Santos Monroe Stake Blazer Scout director “It was lots of fun and ended with the lighter side of scouting— campfire skits and songs” include shirt pants hat belt and inthe Boy Scout handbook The boys then divided into groups to learn about compasses building and first aid three fire At noon the boys cooked their own dinner in dutch ovens or wrapped in aluminum foil over open campfires At one pm the boys and leaders divided into two groups and learned about model campsites and planted Engleman Spruce Trees for the forest Mike Stubbs of the forest service service supervised the tree planting Val Norman obtained 2000 seedlings from the Beaver Ranger District and I brought a planting auger with which to dig the holes for the trees A fireside— actually held around a campfire— ended the day’s activties § w Z v A district Blazer leader demonstrates to scouts during camp Said one techniques the recent ‘I ts camp leader: These Blazers found out the pleasure of service to others” The new fair grounds the scene of the accident are about three miles from town After the first shock sustained by the was given to the throng assistance injured It was found that Altus Bean of Richfield 19 years of age was dead Among the most seriously injured are: will Richfield Dwight Bean probably die clothes all torn off Mrs A B Williams badly shocked and burned about head and back Mrs Harry E Mills Richfield badly shocked and burned about left side Mrs A O nose cut off Inez burned Rasmussen Clark Richfield over head Child of Mrs Rasmussen Richfield shocked internally hurt W E Ashmus Richfield off badly shocked hair burned Anderson Glenwood Archie burned from head badly shocked All the above their beds are still confined hair to There were about a score of others less seriously injured Astronomy Group Readies 'Star Show' At Capitol Reef During Dark Nights CAPITOL A touring with some — REEF NATIONAL PARK amateur astronomy group of the largest portable in the world telescopes and talks demonstrations Reef National park will at give Capitol According to Supt Derek Hambly San Sidewalk Francisco Astronomers want the public to come to Panorama Point after dark on the evenings of July 15 and 16 to look at the deep space objects Prior to the evening star gazing will present sessions the astronomers a slide program in the park am- phitheater near the campground Viewing at Panorama Point should begin about 10:00 pm each evening The San Francisco group is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to the edin of the general public ucation Interest and astrophysics astronomy in the solar system and deep space has mushroomed since the inception of the nation’s space program Although two of the nation’s best telescopes are located here in the west — the 200 inch Hale reflector and the — these in120 inch Lick reflector struments are research devices for the use of scientists only The portable scopes of the San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers are designed for the use of amateur astronomers and competent the general public Among the telescopes to be available at Capitol Reef will be “Little One” a reliable 18 inch reflector built several the Sidewalk ago by Astronomer’s founder John L Dobson years Dobson numerous has ground by hand high quality large convex the heart of the reflecting telescope and is proud of the fact that much of the mechanical paraphenalia in his devices was recued from the mirrors junkyard Persons who have never beheld the stars and planets as other galaxies than pinpoints of light in the canopy of night should consider a drive to the park on the evenings of July 15 or 16 according to Hambly Telescope This is Inch reflecting telescope will be at Capitol Reef National Park for public use during the dark nights of July g and 17 Named "I title One" the scope will be available to view the stars and other heavenly bodies |