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Show o Seufli Ceidnd Ufoli Supplement To: Gunnison Valley News - The Salina Sun Garfield County News - The Richfield Reaper VOLUME 3 NUMBER 47 ' WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1982 4 Covered Wagon Trip Over the Waterpocket Fold By George Davidson EDITORS NOTE: Davidson is a park ranger responsible for the public information program at Capitol Reef National Park. CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK d years ago on October a small wagon train left 17, 1882 Cedar City on an epic journey to Bluff over the Waterpocket Fold. One-hundre- exthe earlier had but experienced difficulty pedition, in selling their property in Iron County. One of the company Josephine Wood kept a diary. Through her eyes and pen we can experience vicariously some of the adventure and con- siderable heartache that Latter-da- y Saint settlement of the remotest reaches of Zion entailed. for This band was not the Hole in the Rock expedition that had occurred three years earlier but a smaller group of Latter-da- y Saints, called by their church, who believed they had found a much less arduous pathway to destiny. They were mistaken. Josephine Catherine Chatterly Wood was an intelligent young woman but, as her somewhat difficult-to-rea- d daily diary reveals, had been deprived of a basic formal education. She was orphaned at age four and had worked her young life away. Her spelling was phonetic and inconsistent; her syntax jumbled. Their route led from Escalante through Harris Wash and Silver Falls Creek to the Circle Cliffs area. From there it snaked torturously across the Waterpocket Fold, descended Muley Twist Canyon and found a relatively easy descent to Halls Crossing of the Colorado along the east face of the Waterpocket Fold. Today, much of the n roughest portion of this trail of Utah pioneers lies within the Capitol Reef National Park. But through the haze of homemade prose glistens a frank and honest account of the journey, unadorned by the glossing reflections of old age looking backward. And, unlike many of the Saint pioneer journals of Latter-da- y men of the period, we find no manly minimizing of hardship and supression of doubt under a covering banner of high purpose. She spilled out her feelings to her dairy. now-famo- little-know- Apparently, many of the travelers who joined the wagon train under Hyrum Perkins of Bluff had been slated Obedient to her husband Sam and her church though she was, Josephine Wood used her journel to look backward with considerable regret. In her Sat talking about being called. first travel entry October 17, 1882 she notes the departure from Cedar Some thought one thing and some City and on October 18 she wrote another but the women thought that (transliterated to aid readability): they would rather not have been called Started from Johnsons Fort with and thought that they would rather be great sorrow and weeping because of home than here. We again have prayer parting from all of our dear friend and and all go to our own places. Goodnight. relatives. Went on a mile or two and May God Bles Us all. met Bishop Arthur and some friends , It was a fitting invocation; the real from Cedar City. That was our last hardships and hazards of cross country Cedar City folks for that day. Then we travel were to begin the next day, had notiiing to do but to lie back in our t October 29. wagons and think of those we had left By now the party had a large stock behind and their kindness. We travel herd as well as the family wagons to and Summit we the reached until along there we stop for dinner. The company contend with. Mrs. Wood confided the is very serious; we eat a bite of dinner next days tribulations to her dairy by and again roll on but with no lighter candlelight, writing: heart we reach Parowan lane about 0 dear j thought we had bad roads five o clock. Camped early to leave the tbis mornjng but this afternoon is the stock in the fild. The children and their worst t t0 gand sboetops and mamas are all crying to goback.lt is at aU where we are place uphm great trial, to leave Cedar City. camped is a terrible place for the sand from here is a foot deep and blowing so bad The first leg of their journey was . we cannot get any supper. Cedar City to Escalante the journal Although relatively easy. The party was beginning to feel the continues to grieve over torn roots and that Utahs dry parted friends, each passing day sees deserts can provide; water had sudthe less emphasis on the past. However, denly become very scarce. She connight- before leaving Escalante and tinued: moving overland to the Waterpocket an infinitely more difficult Fold There is not much feed, and water is journey Sister Josephine and some of i so scarce that none of us can wash the other wayfarers talked and tonight. We have prayer and retire to rest after our trials of the wearisome agonized together. She wrote: - day. We have come ten miles today and have been traveling all Sunday day. We go to bed with our wagons on a slope. the train approached the Circle area, the going really got tough. Josephine Wood recorded: As Cliffs October 30th: all well in health but we had the life frightened right out of us all. I dont know what they call this place but Ill call it the Devils Twist and thats a Sunday name for it. For all of the roads on earth, I dont think there are any worse than there are here. It is no earthly use for me to try and describe the road or the country. It is the most and wild looking country that was ever traveled. Well, we hardly get started before we have to double up. It is mostly up hill and sandy knee deep and then sheets of solid rock for the poor animals to pull over and slide down. I never saw the poor horses pull and paw as they have done today. We still do not stop for dinner. The poor horses have not had a drink today and they are almost given out. It will be late before we get to camp. The women and children have done a great deal of walking and pushing on the wheels. 0, the roads. God-forsak- R. Lyman had access to the diary many years ago before the last section was lost. We at least have his partial narrative for reference. Albert Once over the Waterpocket Fold the going became easier and the train (Continued on Page 6) Deficiency In Iron Caused Growth Problem Mrs. Wood was and slickrock; there washes describing were no roads. Apparently, their wagon route had been scouted the year before by Charles Hall, the redoubtable fame. ferryman of Hall had felt that the route was just too slow and difficult and had moved his ferry further up river (to Halls crossing) and had plotted a route from there back over the Waterpocket Fold to Escalante. It appears that contemporaries of Hall didn't think his much of an improvement. trail Pioneer Platte D. Lyman reported that d a small party had tried the new road in March 1881 and thought the distance a little longer than the old road and very little, if any, better. Essentially, horse-mounte- October 31 The next day found the little band approaching (perhaps Iron deficiency was the most com- mon micronutrient problem this past summer, to be diagnosed in trees and shrubs in Central Utah, according to Verl Bagley, USU Extension Service. He added that iron deficiency in plants is called chlorosis and the symptoms are yellowing between the veins of the leave while the veins remain bright green. As the deficiency progresses the yellow color may become white and eventually turn brown. Extreme cases of iron chlorosis if not treated may result in the death of branches and occasionally the entire plant. Chlorosis usually is first seen on the younger leaves and will become more pronounced as fall approaches and during periods of heavy rains. Bagley warned that chlorosis also makes plants more susceptible to winter damage. One of the most common places, in central Utah, to detect chlorosis is in ornamental shrubs, next to a home where heavy subsoils have been used as backfill. A combination of subsoils, low in iron, and heavy watering of trees and shrubs will usually result in chlorosis. Chlorotic plants are also common in soils high in lime. crossing) the Waterpocket Fold. The waterholding potholes in the eroded sandstone became lifesavers, literally. Both humans and animals were withering from thirst when, in the darkness, men discovered a waterpocket or tank and salvation was at hand. The next morning they found some dead animals in the water but no one sick. became here that the surviving original to an abrupt end. comes diary Tragically, parts were lost over the years, we cannot help but wonder with what words Josephine Wood described the descent through Muley Twist Canyon (within Capitol Reef National Park today) and perhaps the most arduous part of the journey. It is Fortunately, the late Utah Historian Plants which usually suffer from chlorosis in this area are pear and apple trees, and raspberries strawberries, ornamental junipers and many yard shrubs. Mr. Bagley reported that treatments for chlorosis vary greatly in both cost and effectiveness. The iron Cheltates, especially 138, provides the longest lasting treatment but are very expensive. Most homeowners shy away from Chelates because of the cost. Iron sulfates are much less expensive but also much less effective when applied to the soil. A very cost efficient, but more time consuming treatment is to mix 1.5 ounces of iron sulfate and one drop of dishwashing liquid in one gallon of water and then spray the mixture on the diseased plants. Outlook 'Optimistic' For School Lunch Program in Nation During the 1981-8- 2 school year, more than 33 million lunches were served to students in public and private schools and in child care institutions in Utah. The availability of school lunch has with federal budget cuts in the past, but the importance of been Wagonmaster Hyrum Perkins led his 1882 band down rocky heights of the Waterpocket Fold through this narrow, convoluted canyon known as Muley Twist. Today it lies within Capitol Keef National Park (NPS Photo by Gail Jensen) Solar Systems are Working Do-it-Yours- elf solar hot water systems have performed surprisingly well from Preston, Idaho to St. George, Utah. This is in spite of unusual weather patterns with more cloud cover and rainfall than have prevailed over the state during the last 12 months, according to Dr. Wayne B. Ringer, extension energy specialist, Utah State University. Dr. Ringer referred to the solar units built by homeowners in workshops sponsored by USU Extension Service. He said, These units are providing from 50 to 75 percent of the energy needed for consumable hot water. That means a considerable savings to each homeowner, 'the amount of savings to the family depends on the cost of fuel available for heating water, the location in the state and how well the system is balanced to the amount of hot water the famliy uses and other variables. Dr. Ringer has one of these solar domestic hot water systems in his own home. It is one of 235 built during extension workshops held over the state and installed by the homeowners within a two-yeperiod. The, system with four solar collectors Ringer built for his own home has been in use for nearly a year. Though located in River Heights, Cache Valley in Northern Utah, it has performed very ar well. t The freeze protection designed into the system proved adequate during low air temperatures last winter. Throughout the spring and summer, harvesting the suns energy in the form of hot water was both profitable and period in exciting. During a seven-da- y our gas water heater turned on just twice for a few minutes as the water tank temperature dropped below 125 deg, Ringer said. He attributed that to rain and cloud cover. Other days, the solar system generously provided all the hot water used by the family. Dr. Ringer is offering free orientation classes on how the solar hot water systems work. Where enough interest is manifest, he folllows up by offering builders threatened nutrition to growing bodies and minds has on been recognized the congressional scene and considerable support for the program has accelerated, reports H. H. Winawer, State Coordinator Director Child of Nutrition Programs at the State Office of Education. There, Child Nutrition Programs have homeowners are supplied kits of in instructed and provided cost at leaderhsip both in Utah and materials nationwide in regulatory reform, inbuilding their own solar collectors. a workshop. He says new design innovations have become available since cluding a nationally recognized public relations and awareness program previous promoting Child Nutrition a black workshops. A more efficient Growing Experience. chrome selective coating copper can reduce ... substantially Winawer has presented material to radiation losses from the solar collector senators and congressmen relating to absorber plate. Also, larger collectors funding for, and structure of, the Child may be built and solar collecting Nutrition Programs and has been insystems can be used for heating spas volved in authoring articles of national and hot tubs. These and other student publciations targeting developments are discussed in the nutritional needs in schools and inorientation class. Persons interested in stitutions. having a solar hot water class conThe immediate outlook for the Child ducted locally are encouraged to contact their county extension office. Nutrition Programs is optimistic, said plate Winawer. When budget cuts loomed last year, a unified effort was made by State Nutrition Directors to educate the congress on the importance of nutrition for students. The coordinated venture was successful. Not only was the funding sustained for the new fiscal year, but a added adjustment was granted, Winawer. d g This school year the average student price for school lunches is 75c per lunch for elementary youngsters and 85c for secondary students. Lower middle income students pay and students from low income families receive free lunches. Parents desiring information and assistance on school lunch should contact the office of their principal. 40c Although generally optimistic in his feelings about the status of child nutrition funding in the future, Winawer expressed concerns about sustaining adequate funding levels, New Federalism (turning back programs to the states). Winawer concluded that the challenges facing Child Nutrition Programs are significant, but he is confidant that the unified thrust of all the states, as well as local programs, will assure continued availability of good nutrition for growing youngsters. vis-a-v- is |