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Show THAVE1, IX DK.ATTI VA1,1,KV Traveling the length of Death Valley. Val-ley. 100 miles of which is below sea level; enjoying the numerous benefits bene-fits of a desert sandstorm, and hue-king six miles of sand, dunes were among am-ong the many novel and extremely interesting experiences of a Franklin Frank-lin party that recently returned from this notorious valley, according to J. W. Kemp, Riverside Franklin dealer. deal-er. The out trip was made via Sau-gus Sau-gus Palmdale, Victorville and Ilar-stow, Ilar-stow, thence across to Dea n Valley by way of Garlic and Cave Springs. Cave Springs at an elevation of 6.-290 6.-290 feet, waa rather chilly, so- the party hus'lled down the 13 miles to Saratoga Springs, which lie 360 fee; above sea level at the south end of Death Valley, in record time. Saratoga is one of the mos' inl cresting cr-esting of the desert oasis. Here the water bubbles up so hot you cannot put your hand in it. and flows into a pool whose constant temperature is around 85 degrees, which makes it an unusual and ideal bathing place Several ponds nearby provide a resting rest-ing place for ducks and: geese on thel nights soulh, and at the time the Franklin Camel visited the place there were nearly a hundred water fowl in the marshes. It Is worthy of note that these ponds contain tiny fish, a distinct desert species, up to 2 1-2 inches In length, these being of a grayish black color. General Funs-ton Funs-ton camped here for some time wiih a botanical expedition in 1891. From Saratoga the Camel proceeded proceed-ed down the valley and the party camped at Confidence mill the first night. The old mill was operated by the Mormons nearly 40 years ago. but very little remains after all these years, thought the desert air is a good preservative. It might be of interest to know thaf while in the valley the Frank lin party was experiencing a wuo-m windstorm, the same which swept all ; Sou-hern California. Having greai scope here. it carried quantities of; sand and dust and the party had sand ! as a staple food morning, noon and night. The wind a of surh violence a' times they almost despaired or securing any photographs, and once both camera and tripod went down with a crash. Continuing on up the valley, the next day the Franklin passed Hi-nett's Hi-nett's Well, named after the ill-fated party that christened Death Valley, Val-ley, and near Tule Spring (sal ) pas-sod pas-sod the grave of a borax teamster, who died while piloting bis mules. .j heap of bones, all that remains of his unfortunate learn, decorate the grave '. another cross on he desert's death j list. Off to the left, like a gigantic guardian. Telescope Peak, elevation; 11.04") feet, reared its head above 1 the dust clouds. Half way between Tule Spring-! and Furnace Creek ranch, the Frank-; Un reached the lowest elevation on: the trip. 274 feet below sea level, but only a few miles distant the valley ; drops to 337 feet below :rhe wavc?. j Near the ranch, which supplies the! borax workers with fresh beef, the, salt beds were crossed : two miles or I jagged pinnacles as hard as iron and , as brittle as porcelain. It is interc--i Ing to note that drill holes were put down at three different poin's in the j beds to a depth of 1.10(1 feet and: never reached anything but salt. It I Is estimated that these salt beds, j some 30 miles In length and from : to 5 miles in width, with a depth Judged to be 3.000 feet, would sup- , ply the whole world with salt for- - J I "all vara and yars." j I From Furnace Creek ranch t ho j Franklin Camel humped along to Stovepipe Wells, where I,. F. Xolv-I le. government geologist; C. .1. Carr. ! Franklin dealer at Ocean Park, and R. I,. I. arson, advertising manager for Ralph Hamlin, spent the second night In the valley in the well Dooming it prudent to escape the peppery sand and discovering the wells were bone dry. with no chance for wnter for four or five feet, the party spent I ho night In comparative comfort, comparative becnuse of the mosqnltos. I The Automobile Club of Southern 'California has signed the valley from Sara-toga to Furnnco ('reek, n most (otnmendiible undertaking and a guide for the more adventerous mn-I torlsts who may reach the valley inl comparative ense by way of Shosbo- I iii', Ryan and Furnace Creek ranch. Hut the tipper end of the valley, j where the Camel did quite a bit or prowling around, boasts only n fowl ; ancient stale signs that are not re liable guides ns to dlstnnce. i An (dd Mormon frail ran from I r.oiitnlat'y Canvon via Stovepipe welt , to Emigrant Spring, but over 10 vent's ago the traveling sand dunes jennio down the valley and obliterated obliterat-ed the track In Mesqulle Flat. Since "hen a cut-off roule, from Holo-in- the-Rock Spring in Boundary Canyon Can-yon to Salt Well, some six miles below be-low Stovepipe, thence by way of Sail Creek, has eliminated this impassable impas-sable stretch. However, this six-mile streich of: shifting sand dunes from Stovepipe : westward was conquered by thej Franklin Camel in two hours. Now (hat the party knows the bes- way over and through the dunes they oc- ; lieve they could accomplish the feat' In an hour without ever getting out of the car. i Climbing the sand dunes mav ; sound like a stretch of imaginafon. j but anyone adventurous enough to attempt to follow the Camel' track will find it is a most necessary operation; op-eration; one that calls for a car of light weight and flexible construe-: tion. Some old pi-ospec.qrs met later on the journey inquired which way the Franklin came, naturally supposing the party took the cut-off which is bad enough to provide thrills for such hardy explorers as Doug Rhodes Rhod-es and Ollie Lawis. road scouts for the Auto Club. Learning that the Franklin came straight through on what was the old Mormon trail, the prospectors immediately crowded around to see just what the car was like and- remarked on the small tire size. (32x4 is standard on the Frank Iin.) According to them, two prospectors prospect-ors on foot constituted (1912) the last party through before the Franklin. Frank-lin. And the grave of one of them, who perished on the trip, is but a stone's throw- from Stovepipe. As near as can l.e determined, the Camel Cam-el is the first motor car to ever negotiate ne-gotiate this difficult 9, retch, and is likely the first automobile to even attempt the feat. From here the Camel made the stiff climb to Emigrant Spring over rocks, then down Wildrose Canyon to Panamint Valley, from which the party saw the peak of Whitney. 14.- t'l feet high, the top of the United S ates even as Death Valley is the bottom. 1 Ilallarat. an "almcst deserted": mining town, was visited, and the return re-turn via Trona. Randsburg and Mo-jave Mo-jave was without par icular incident One of the outstanding features of ibis 7 40 mile trip was the perfor-; mance of the tires, three of which amo with the car and have run 10. -j '""I miles. Xo changes were made I on the trip, and when one considers' the rocks, the salt beds, and the long i grinds through sand, -he showing was remarkable a showing, accord-' ing to Ralph Ilan.'.'n. only possible with Franklin. Needless to say. Mr. N'ohle. the scientific member of the party, is a Franklin owner and has 'raveled many a desert mile in his, faithful air-cooler. ! Riverside Enterprise. ! |
