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<br />I'uther"WWte, early-day BuRec
<br />worker, relates his experiences
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<br />
<br />LUTHER WHITE
<br />(1902 photo by Dean Studio, Grand Junction,
<br />courtesy of the Bureau of Reclamation)
<br />By JAMES H. WHITE that would iead to the Grand
<br />The annals of water pre- Valley Project in Western
<br />jects are well filled with Colorado.
<br />details of great engineer:>, -On the last day of
<br />ambitious politicians, and September (1902) the writer
<br />civic leaders with vision. left that civilized haunt of
<br />There are, however, few man, by name, Grand Junc-
<br />written accounts of the little tion, and that night unrolled
<br />people involved: toe ones;,tt nis bed"m a little tent by the
<br />the bottom who make the roaring Plateau Creek. His
<br />dreams and blueprints rome only baggage was the men-
<br />true tioned bed and an A-I two
<br />History takes little interest bushel grain sack. But the
<br />in these people and their grain sack may be called any
<br />specllil dreams, hardships number of names - tmnk,
<br />and frustrations valice,suitcase-butminus
<br />History must be somewhclt . a suit, for writer has but one
<br />exonerated, though, as extra pair of trousers - or
<br />diaries were seldom kept by traveling hag, if you wish, but
<br />the grass roots workers carry-all would bl"hl"tter:for
<br />Onesuchdiarydoesexist. it contains matter of
<br />It was kept by a young numerous classes - tooth-
<br />bachelor who served a short brush, comb, soap, the men-
<br />but eventful tour of duty as a tioned trousers, string, towel,
<br />teamster and rodman with thread, needles, pins and but-
<br />the Reclamation Service (If tons, rivets, shoes, socks,
<br />C.':.,G~~l~k'3.\S\l.t'l~'j {~\\\ \<at~\"~'3.'t'>~\",a{'mfmaga'L)n~
<br />1902 to 1904 in westef'T\ and a razor and strap.
<br />Colorado, eastern Utah, and -Nov. 3 - Rec'd notice of
<br />southeastern New Mexico. receipt of my first months
<br />This account does not shed voucher for $45.
<br />any light on high level -Nov. 4 - H. J. Fisher, J.
<br />political or engineering N. Kerr and myself break
<br />decisions, but it brings the camp at Clifton and put up at
<br />early days of Reclamation to Grand Hotel on our way to
<br />life and serves to reiterate Montrose. We take a com-
<br />how great some of the earlY plete outfit.
<br />engineering feats were. At this time, the crew left
<br />The diary was kept by the Grand Valley to work in
<br />Luther U. White, son of a the area that would later
<br />LulheranministerinUncobl, become part of the Uncom-
<br />Xebraska. pahgre Project.
<br />Luther had travelled to -Nov.6-Weighinclothes
<br />Grand Junction, Colo. in 1900, 149 pounds. Senator J. P. Bell
<br />at the ate of 21, tn bring his wtUl\s he~i.t\tl\e.Sm\U\C\>.n_
<br />younger brother WillialTl trat house in Montrose
<br />west to recuperate from a tonight is reported elected,
<br />suspected case of tuber- He seems to be a nice man. I
<br />culosis. am a little disappointed in AI
<br />Both boys were to reluf'T\ Fellows, but my opinions are
<br />home to enter seminary CiS often a little wrong. He is a
<br />soon as Will was cured. Will man of ability and generously
<br />died early in 1902, and Luther hated by some grartershere.
<br />elected to stay in Colorado to -Nov. 7 - At camp tonight
<br />seek his fortune. 15 miles below Montrose, 5
<br />The diary. kept in a 4x7- from OIathe. Thecoyotesare
<br />lOeh red pocket noteboo\l:, out in full choms tonight.
<br />begins with his first day with -Nov. 8 - Held up rod for
<br />the Survey. first shoton Gunnison Tunnel
<br />Most of the diary entries pro position. Working in a
<br />that follow are from periodS canon cut desert.
<br />l.utherworkedinlbeUncon'l- -Nov. 9 - Read all day.
<br />(.Iilhgare Project area. A feW Sunday in camp.
<br />'!lhers have been selected -Nov. 10 - Terrible after-
<br />t!l..'C8Use they add continuity noon in a wind storm.
<br />tf! the narrative. -Nov. 11 - Rather rainy
<br />Some strictly personal day. Got the good letter to-
<br />nflles have been deleted blJt day.
<br />no further editing has been -Nov. 12 - The coldest
<br />done. : wettest day of the season.
<br />Thefirstentriesweremade -Nov. 13-Movedcampto
<br />while working on surveyS Kellys and visited Olathe,
<br />
<br />three general merchandise
<br />stores. Had a supper cooked
<br />\'.'j "0 'fIo;;maQ - %wW.
<br />-NOV. J7 - Broke two in-
<br />ches of ice to get water to
<br />wash this morning. "Learn to
<br />labor and to wait"
<br />-Nov. 21 - Tonight Kerr
<br />dressed up with the aid of a
<br />pair of my $1.50 trousers and
<br />went to a dance at "Four
<br />Mile" school house. Ifl could
<br />dance I should have gone
<br />along. It is the only amuse-
<br />mentin this almost wild coun-
<br />try. When the music stops
<br />they Will unconsciously hear
<br />the yelp of the coyote. I hear
<br />them pow.wowing right now.
<br />-Nov. 23-Sunday. Thisis
<br />the first time I can remember
<br />of goiJIg supperless to bed in
<br />my life. We had a late dinner
<br />and the madam evidently
<br />thinks thatwiU suffice. We
<br />have ram, lamb, sheep and
<br />muttonatlbisplace,shoulder
<br />of motton, roast ribs, ribs
<br />boiled, ribs fried and ribs
<br />dried not to mention leg of
<br />mutt~n, (away down below
<br />the Imee). Think of a fellow
<br />who never eats mutton, hav"
<br />ing it set before him three
<br />times a day -when he is for-
<br />tunate enough to have that
<br />many meals set before him.
<br />-Nov. 27 - Thanksgiving
<br />- I have some things to be
<br />thankiul for - health - plen-
<br />tyof good hard work - in two
<br />days I will have enough
<br />money to pay my debts and
<br />$13to the clear. Two things I
<br />am going to endeavor before
<br />-Xmas - to keep my temper
<br />and mY tongue - If 1 talked
<br />less people would not guess
<br />what ,1 fool I am, and maybe
<br />give me credit for being a
<br />man of judgment.
<br />Thi~ has been a very quiet
<br />Than~sgiving - no church-
<br />no turkey - no skating - no
<br />foothall game-nihil.
<br />-Dcc.1S-Todayendsten
<br />weeks with the survey. We
<br />are waaing in ten 'mctles 01
<br />snow find the weather is very
<br />cold Illorning and evening. I
<br />was forced to resort to the
<br />snow method to recover cir-
<br />culation in one of my feet
<br />tonight.
<br />-Dec. 20 - Still the snow
<br />and cold. The thermometer
<br />has been registering very low
<br />this week - 20 degrees below
<br />one night. It is at least 5
<br />degrees below now. My feet
<br />have been wet all day and I
<br />have a pair of very sore
<br />lungs.
<br />-Dec. 22 - Kerr left for
<br />Needles, California today
<br />ann. \PU~ 'f\Y.lo\t;y m MwaTU~
<br />camp took his place at the
<br />plane table. Kerris one of the
<br />finest young men I have met.
<br />1 learn that my name with
<br />that of two others has been
<br />sent in for permanent
<br />employment. I am afraid that
<br />work will close up here soon.
<br />-xmas - Awakened at
<br />eight this morning by Kelly's
<br />"whoo-o--e-e" drawn out and
<br />melodious. Breakfast at nine.
<br />. This was a beautiful day.
<br />Took ~ little hunt until dinner
<br />at two. After that elaborate
<br />mealJwenttoOlatheforthe
<br />mail to get laundry and the
<br />m20\\ \\Vilot \\a~ mY. 'J't"~.
<br />-Jgn. 1 - (1900) Foster
<br />and 1 brought a load of camp
<br />equipment to Montrose.
<br />-Jan. 2 - Made trip to
<br />OIathe with sub-vouchers and
<br />put up at Kelly's.
<br />-Jgn. 3 ~ Marked stations
<br />on east and north of sheet. H.
<br />T. Fisher leaves for New
<br />
<br />York City today to work on
<br />thesuhway tunnel
<br />-J<m. It - ~'i'll'\\1.\Ol"j 'i:I'l
<br />Kelly's.IthinkKellyhasused
<br />up my oats. He is undoubted-
<br />ly a grafter.
<br />-Jan. 6 _ finish up at
<br />Kelly's and returned to Mon-
<br />trose.
<br />-Jan..9-Thismorning-1
<br />walked from ~ontrose to
<br />OIathe w~ere I took dinner
<br />and then the train for Grand
<br />Junction.
<br />At this time the crew mov-
<br />ed to Westwater, on the
<br />Colorado River jllst inside the
<br />State of Utah until mid-
<br />February.
<br />-Feb. 19 :- Sands, Holt,
<br />n-'lil:\~, u.:.r.Y'i> am. Hea\l:!. '5.\.a\"\
<br />their level line to Delta.
<br />-March 1 - Sunday spent
<br />at the Smith Central house in
<br />Montrose. From a week a.go
<br />Saturday noon until Thurs-
<br />day I had nothing mu~h t? do
<br />and spent the tiOlC domg Just
<br />exactly as I pleased. Thurs-
<br />day the trip with a big load
<br />and very bad roads com.
<br />menced. Mr. Mat::hesaccom-
<br />panied me to drive the little
<br />team.
<br />Mr. Fellows left Denver
<br />yesterday forW<lshington. In
<br />a letter to Mr, Matthes he
<br />says he will begladtoemploy
<br />'X'.el.b.isw.ro..m& .Whetberthe
<br />work will continue or not
<br />depends upon this visit.
<br />I expect to go to our camp
<br />at Dominguez tomorrow.
<br />-March 2 _ Came down to
<br />camp at Dominguez. Am to
<br />
<br />rod on level line and Sands
<br />goes to Montrose to assist
<br />MaWnes on t'ne estimates
<br />-March 5 - This morning
<br />our party walked four miles
<br />in the mud to where our work
<br />commenced. We ran 4 miles
<br />of levels and then walked
<br />eight miles to camp. In the
<br />mean time Darie and Charlie
<br />had moved camp to Rou-
<br />bideau, got mired in the mud
<br />and just reached the river at 7
<br />o'clock when we did. The
<br />cook's stove smokes, the
<br />wind blows a gale and the
<br />rain falls, but if the tents stay
<br />upwewillsoon be lost to trou-
<br />ble.
<br />Dominguez to Roubideall
<br />\~\hmi'l$.
<br />-March 8 - We moved to
<br />the Wagon Bridge beloW
<br />Delta last night and have our
<br />level line within two miles "f
<br />town.
<br />-March IO-Westartedto
<br />move to Montrose today. We
<br />are in the mud away upon the
<br />Mesa 7 miles north or town.
<br />Snow fell to the depth of6 in-
<br />ches Friday night and has aU
<br />melted since Sunday. We will
<br />sleep out in the mud tonight.
<br />The rancher where we are
<br />stopping has nothing more
<br />valuable than the grumps.
<br />-March 12 - Came down
<br />tq G-caQd JlJ.uct\<;m tOOa'J.
<br />-March 30 - Came to
<br />Montrose today for the sur-
<br />'ley again. I will help Holt
<br />. with levels. Mr. Fellows has
<br />not returned yet.
<br />-ADril6-Thishasbeen a
<br />
<br />"BIG
<br />VURL'S
<br />FARM & HOME"-SUPPlY INC.
<br />HIWAY 50 NORTH
<br />MONTROSE, COLORADO 81401
<br />
<br />beautiful day. Have been
<br />working on level and transit
<br />lines near town this week.
<br />Holt left yesterday for Moun-
<br />tain Park, Okla. He was a
<br />real good fellow, and am
<br />sorry to see him go. Sands
<br />and I are the occupants of
<br />Smith's east rooms.
<br />-April 10 - Yesterday
<br />Charles, Torrence and I
<br />worked in the dobies over by
<br />the state tunnel. The rain
<br />drove us in. Today Sands run
<br />down the track toward
<br />Olathe. The wind drove us in
<br />today. Charles started for
<br />Denver today. Sands took a
<br />"tart" to Delta to a dance
<br />tonight. 44 miles round trip. I
<br />am 'onesome, so lonesome no
<br />one will ever be. Will this
<br />terrible monotony of life
<br />never cease?
<br />-April 19 - The last week
<br />has been a very trying one in
<br />the field. Torrence and
<br />myself have been level
<br />roding for Louis Foster. He is
<br />.extremely slow and very try-
<br />ing on nerves. The weather
<br />has been very spring like but
<br />not lamb like. Mr. Fellows
<br />came in today.
<br />-April 22 - Finished level
<br />line from The Tunnel to Fair-
<br />view Siding yesterday and
<br />are working up the Ouray
<br />branch m R. 1\. A ;ylYUng
<br />fellow in town was i,lppointed
<br />guager today. He evidenUy
<br />has a graft. It makes the rest
<br />of us fellows who have work-
<br />(Continued on Page 7)
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