OCR Text |
Show 8 SALT FLAT NEWS, AUGUST, 1970 by Richard Goldberger and Betty Rice Hell go broke mused Montello, Nevada, July 25 Billie, an attractive woman in her middle thirties, as her husband in an impromptu gesture of helpfulness carefully wiped the windshield of a stranger's 1964 Dodge that had pulled into Al's service station in downtown Montello, Nevada. Youve never met a bunch of enormous train wreck only two nicer people than you have in this blocks from their California commented Arnold Laz-aroas he looked up to see another car approaching. Amie, as he prefers to be called, had just driven into A1 Stancils service station to gas up his red pickup truck after taking his wife Billie to see the train wreck that he is cutting up for scrap. In die early part of January, an eastbound Southern Pacific freight train developed a hotbox and twenty-fou- r cars slammed into the alkali dust two and one half miles east of town. Since then, Montello has reaped a windfall of Del Monte tomato paste, ketchup, Junior Club baby food (peaches and pears), two thousand tons of iron ore, and Bali Hai wine. The latter, for the most part, was quickly drunk with the exception of a tanker of Tokay that left its maroon mark upon the alkali loam. That wine today is black and rancid and no longer attracts the urchins and tourists of Montello. Had an offer just the other day from a gentleman to buy up the rest of the baby food, but I turned him down flat, stated Amie Lazaroff. He felt morality was indeed part of this job. Since April, Amie has been in the salvage business, after becoming independent with a friend who also was in heavy construction. Four hundred and fifty dollars a week was what Amie Lazaroff used to make as an iron worker, first in New York and then in California, lamented Billie, who was watching dusk slowly drift down the main street of Montello. Both men are new in this business and, unexpectedly, both their wives and children were in town on the of July. After twenty-fift- h working seven days straight from sunup to sundown, its good to have a day of rest, commented Amie, his New York accent still apparent, as he pondered the solitude of the sleepy town. One could easily imagine that with a dark suit and a tie, Amie could be the stand-i- n for Anthony Quinn at a Jewish wedding. Though Arnold Lazaroff is actually Jewish and once was a local chapter secretary of Bnai Brith, a civic organization of influential Jews, he is a westerner at heart a worker from the old school off to make his fortune. Each day is a surprise. You never really know what youll find in these wrecks, he remarked, scratching his head and looking over the tangled assortment of box cars. Still supposed to be some more wine under all that baby food. The children play among this giant set of toy trains. Gary, Arnolds partner, discusses a technical problem of how to remove a set of tracks, railroad wheels, from under a hopper car. Their wives watch the children play. Somehow the children and the women in this bizarre desert setting add a touch of surrealism that one might expect to see in a film by Antonioni, yet there are no cameras here and no directors, g only a couple of as stars. double who people Each of their wives shares a common bond by acknowledging that they would rather see their e husbands work a job and leave the fantasies up to peotown, ff home. The railroad will clear that one up, remarks her husband as he gases up his truck preparing to take his wife, for a night on the town in Wells, Nevada. Facing an August 25 deadline, Lazaroff feels this wreck will be cleared in time. He proudly mentions that the president of Southern Pacific has come by twice in his private car to inspect the progress. Mr. Lazaroff smiled and said the company was generally pleased at the integrity of their work, because there are a lot of salvagers who just get the good stuff and then bag out, giving the business a bad name. It takes a week to cut a railroad car into five by two foot slabs. This size is determined by Geneva Steel, who eventually recycles the scrap to produce new steel products. The dabs are loaded onto a gondola leased from Southern Pacific and taken to Salt Lake City where they are sold to an industrial salvage scrap broker. Upon receiving the scrap, at a rate of two carloads a week, a bill of lading is issued and subsedolquently a check. Thirty-fiv- e lars a ton is the going rate for general scrap, while whole items such as wheels and rails command a dollars a ton. price of fifty-fou- r Mr. Lazaroff, new to salvaging at the age of 43, is quick to tell you that this business is one of the best around. You can sell scrap when you cant sell anything else, states Amie; as he takes care not to miss his cue shot. He is an avid billiards player, as is his partner. The game often decides who pays for dinner, though two out of three times Amie pays the tab. Billie Lazaroff, watching the game, notes the late hour, but realizes that in Montello time just takes a back seat. The revenue that is taken in from the weekly sales of scrap pays off back bills and the rest is split down the middle, Billie comments. as Amie loses again. According to Billie, her husband has lost thirty pounds cm this one wreck and is on his fourth set of clothes. This is his second wreck in Utah. The first was at Aragonite, located close to the hamlet of Low, Utah, in Tooele County. He had the chance to bid on this ple like Antonioni. However Garys wife has moved into Montello, while Billie still maintains their large home in El Sobrante, California. Taking a clipping out of her purse, Billie points out that only a couple of days ago there was an Editors note - Marlon Stones, secretary treasurer of The NEWS , and photographer Brum Record journeyed to Ihapah on the afternoon of July 11th, a Saturday, to report a story of regional interest. This event was officially noted for the general public in the Tooele Transcript July 3, 1970 (see insert original article). It is unfortunate that the NEWS was unable to report this annual event due to an incident which occurred. It should be noted that this was an isolated incident and in no way should reflect upon the residents of Ihapah who are decent upstanding Americans. The NEWS in printing the following comments duly notes the personal bias of Mr. Stones in his observations, as objectivity is a two way street. The NEWS will publish any rebuttal to Mr. Stones comments. I BAP AH, UTAH -- Life can be rough for the stranger when he hits a small town on the outskirts of the Salt Flats. Getting belted in the eye by a beefed-u- p cowboy and making a fast exit in a convertible is all in a days work fora news reporter covering an annual town reunion at Ibapah, Utah, on July 11th. Following up on a news story published in the Tooele Transcript July 3rd, this reporter accompanied by a photographer decided to drive to picturesque Ibapah, Utah, to see a typical fashioned town reunion. (We are still hoping that somebody in town will mail us back our spectacles which were sent flying by a haymaker delivered late in the day from an over-enthusiast- ic celebrant. To get to Ibapah, drive 100 miles west from Salt Lake City and hang a left on route 50 in the direction of Ely, Nevada. Before getting to the Nevada line, hang another left onto a dirt road that leads to Ibapah; its sixty dusty (but mighty pretty) miles across the unique splendor of the world famous flats of salt The barren scenery is soon eclipsed by green forage as an indescribable metamorphosis takes place before ones own eyes. During our journey, we were fortunate enough to meet a couple who were returning from the reunion. They reported that the festivities were in high gear. About a half mile short of town, we encountered Tooele County Deputy Sheriff Carter. He bid us a friendly hello, gave us directions, and assured us that everything was quite normal in town. We, however, did not realize what normal meant to a deputy sheriff when refering to the Ibapah reunion. Ibapah consists of apost office which is also a gas station and general store. When we got into town, the main street was quiet By asking around, we were informed that the action was down the road at a trailer camp site south of town. We wheeled down to the camp and found approxi- - Deep Creek Reunion Set For July 10-1- 2 Hit moual niph Reunion will be held on July 10. 11 end IS at the Canid Cook Reach in Ibapah, Utah. Flan to Join m for a good time aad vMt with oiJSendT urge coawilttoe memhcn. There will be a picnic, gamei aad a dance on Saturday night with mudc by the Weaternairei. Bring your campen, tenta, sleeping bag aad food for a reel fuA time. The Tooele Transcript, Friday, July 3, 1070 the background, an old man administered a succinct tongue lashing the likes of which would have made Mark Twain plaster up his ears. mately twenty celebrants. We eagerly began inquiring about the reunion. While this reporter was speaking with some friendly folks, the photographer began prowling around for some interesting shots. Thats when the real action started. A pair of NEWS photo by R. Goldborgr Arnie (R) and Gary (L) ARNIE and GARY WISH THE SALT FLAT NEWS THE BEST OF LUCK ARJAX SALVAGE CO. MONTELLO, NEVADA -- ooaaa(KBiiHtwlBIBra SECOND SECTION slightly-smashe- d cowboys took one blazlook at our longer than crew ing cut coiffures and belched out a loud but rather thick tongued, HIPPIES! At this, another cowboy who was leaning awkwardly against a fence post began swinging a rope ala John Wayne as if he were getting ready to hog tie something or someone! A colleague of the Dukes quickly started to brandish a set of sheep shears in bur direction. The cleanly sheared sides of his head, which shone brightly from beneath his cowboy hat, served as an indication that he was not familiar with the current trend of barbering. In . We rapidly decided that discretion is the better part of valor. In an effort to make a hasty exit, are lit out for the car, but not before being given the bums rush garnished by a belt in the chops. Just as I opened the car door, my face was greeted by a larger than average fist. The impact forced me into the drivers seat Even though the leather seats were super warm, I was happy to be on them. By dodging a barrage of fists, I managed to start the engine. I shoved the gear shift into low, and we were off. The getaway made the film BULLITT seem like a tricycle race up Mt. Everest. Driving safely down the highway toward Wendover, we pon- dered the rationale behind the actions of the handful of men who were now lost far away in the dust. Up in the velvet sky, a hawk caught the moon slipping away into a dark cloud as lightning flashed on and off in the distance. Who says, The old West is dead? NEWS photo by B. Record wreck when the former contractor went broke. Billie continued to randomly comment on her husbands state of affairs. Amie and Gary are attempting to get rich quick, always looking for that green lining deep under tons of twisted metal and Bali Hai wine. Each mans wife shares a deep sense of devotion for her .husband, though Billie admits she does worry how they will get to New York for his daughter's wedd ding in the fall. A rare, feeling cannot long go unnoticed between these two couples, isolated in their unusual business venture. After Montello, Amie foresees his next work in some old steel bridges that need to be cut after a railroad route was altered. They have been lying in a gorge somewhere west of Montello for nearly five years. Then, too, there is an old wreck near Shaftner, Nevada. But with an increase of railway mishaps occurring in the Southwest, Amie Lazaroff doesnt have to look into the rusty past for his next job. In recent weeks a train boxderailment left thirty-seve- n cars scattered over the desert floor near Thistle, Utah. There is little doubt that Amie can literally see his future piling up around him. good-nature- hard-workin- nine-to-fiv- by Marion U. Stones MOTEL & CAFE SERVICE STATION ' MONTELLO, NEVADA AL and ODELLE STANCIL (for old fashioned service and western hospitality) |