Show John Wesley Powell Left Classroom in East To Explore Geology and lId Adventure in West The bobbing speck cast about on a crest of turbulent white rapids appeared to be bea a stick of driftwood from atop the high canyon rim But on closer Inspection the speck in reality was a small wooden craft A bewhiskered man in the center of the boat scowled at atthe atthe atthe the raging river ahead as he shut shout d directions and orders to his companions THE WET and weary crew fought savagely to stay upright upright upright up up- right as the small boat lurched lurch lurch- ed high above the river on a giant rush of water and crashed crash crash- ed down amid roiling bubbles just missing a mass of table- table sized boulders Behind three identical boats were undergoing undergo undergo- ing the same bone wearying bone wearying struggle In the four boats an expedition expedition led by Major John Wesley Wesley Wes Wes- ley Powell was in the act of conquering the mighty Colorado Colorado Colorado Colo Colo- rado River In the year 1869 ft a feat never before successfully successfully success success- fully accomplished by white whiteman manTHIS man THIS FAMOUS trip down the Green and Colorado Rivers will willbe willbe be re enacted re-enacted this summer during during dur duro ing the John Wesley Powell Centennial Jo to to commemorate the tle historic journey into the wild unknowns of the Great Grand Canyon The 1969 celebration will also atso spotlight Major Powells Powell's career career car car- eer as scientist explorer and organizer and the contributIons contributions contributions ions he made in establishment and expansion of government programs including the Bureau Bureau Bur Bur- eau of Reclamation MAJOR POWELL was born March 24 1934 at Mount Morris Morris Mor Mor- ris New York the fourth of nine children born to Joseph and Mary Dean Powell This youth with an inherited above average above average Intelligence began began be be- gan answering his own questions questions quest quest- ions about the world during Ills mind made self taught self taught experiences as much a part of his education education a tion as the classes he took in country schools while growing growing grow grow- ing up THE FAMILY migrated west to Ohio In 1838 and to Wisconsin when young young Wes was 12 He lie attended Illinois Institute Illinois College and Oberlin College for brief periods per per periods lods taking an early interest in natural science investigations investigations By the time he reached 27 he had taught school in Wisconsin Wisconsin Wis Wis- and Illinois Already on the road to exploring and discovery discovery dis dis- covery he had taken lecture tours and collecting expeditions expeditions including an expedition along the Mississippi River A FATEFUL event In his his life was Major Powells Powell's enlistment enlistment enlistment enlist enlist- ment in the Illinois Volunteer Volunteer Volunteer Vol Vol- Infantry May 8 1861 during the Civil War The following following fol fol- lowing year he was was was' wounded in the battle of Shiloh and nd his arm was amputated In 1865 he was discharged from the service with the rank of Major and brevet Lieutenant Lieuten ant Colonel A civilian again Major Powell returned Powell returned to colle college college col col- le lege e to o teach geology THE CLASSROOM inhibited this this' man of action however lie He stored his books and in 1867 and 1868 led expeditions to the Rocky Mountains In addition to collecting geological geologic geologic- al and artifacts Major Powell also became absorbed absorbed ab with Indian studies and acquainted himself With the Indians and early settlers of the area Major Powells Powell's interest in people made him a natural ally to the Indians lie He understood understood under under- stood their languages liked their costumes and respected their customs HE SPENT much time traveling traveling tra tra- with Jacob Hamblin famous Indian agent peacemaker pears pearl maker pioneer and Mormon missionary fn ih Utah Arizona and possibly Nevada However as evidenced by bythe bythe the Indian fighters among those comprising his river expeditions expeditions ex ex- he also retained a healthy fear of trespassing his red brothers brothers' brothers brothers' lands MAJOR POWELL spent two iwo years making geologic studies among t the e h heads ads o of the canyons canyons can can- leading to the Colorado Seeds of desire to explore the main canyons rooted and grew within him Part of his mind was occupied occupied with the need and possibilities possibilities of using these storehouses storehouses storehouses store store- houses of water for supplying nourishment to the arid and and semi semi arid arid plains of the Rocky Mountain regions In the Spring of 1869 as winter winter win win- ter snows receded Major Powell Powell Pow Pow- ell organized a party to make an expedition down the two mighty rivers the Green and the Grand to an uncharted spot where the rivers j jo i ell to form the Colorado River Iver i. i 8 LITTLE WAS known about about 1 the Colorado river and fantastic fantas fantas- tic stories were were told told told about about those who had tried to explore explore- it and had disappeared disappeared- The The Indians feared the dangerous muddy s serpent serpent To even attempt to master the length of the river seemed but Major Powell wished to fulfill a dream m of scientifically exploring exploring ex ex- the river with its vast treasures of mystery tomake to tomake tomake make collections in geology natural history antiquities and ethnology and to add a mite to the gr great at sum sum of human knowledge THE CREW he chose to accompany accompany ac ac- company him included 10 men In four small bo boats ts a crew consisting entirely entirety of amateurs who were serving without pay Although Major Powell felt the crew was attending him to avail themselves of the opportunity opportunity opportunity op op- to study historians feel that the hunters guides Indian fighters and sportsmen were bent on seeing what no white man had seen seen before THE FOUR boats for the expedition expedition expedition ex ex- were built in Chicago and shipped by rail to Green River Wyoming where the trip was to begin The expedition was chiefly self self financed financed with some help from Illinois Normal Illinois Industrial Institute Institute Institute In In- the Chicago Academy of of Sciences and free transportation transportation tation provided by the rail rall- roads Continued on page 2 Powell Continued from from from- p page g 1 1 In preparation rep r ih the he boats were loaded with 10 O months' months rations guns ammunition and traps to augment th the thC food supply supply sup sup- ply ample clothing tools to build cabins and repair the boats and a a. a variety of scientific scientific scientific instruments AT THE point of l launching the Green River was wag feet above sea level with only about miles of its rugged course ah ahead ad familiar to man As the ten men secured the provisions inside the comparatively comparatively comparatively tiny crafts and shoved them into the placid Green River determination must have marked the continence of the stalwart leader who envisioned envisioned en en- the difficulties ahead DETERMINATION was one of his many virtues According to to Wallace author of Be Beyond ond the Meridian Major Powell rowell repudiated that reading of Darwinism which made man the pa pawn of evolutionary evolutionary evol evol- forces I In his view man escaped the the prison in which all other life was held because he could apply intelligence and will to his environment and bend it A lot of bending was in store for Major Powell and his team in the weeks ahead as the great explorer faced the forces of nature in the strictest m and d' d most unmerciful of environments Continued next Week |