Keep the Show on the Road! Posted June 27, 2009 Report Share Posted June 27, 2009 I just got another package of fascinating photographs and writing, perhaps 100 pages of material from Berwyn. I am only about 35 pages through it all, and I hate to put it down, but it has answered a couple of questions I want to share with this gang. I said this would be piecemeal as I learned more, so here are a few more pieces pertinent to the Monumental Highway story (believe me there are other great stories here as well, but I must stick to the topic at hand) In 1916 Dolph and a fellow by the Dave Rust set out on horseback from Bluff to the Cedar Breaks area, which if you look on a map is quite a ride!! I mean hundreds of miles. The route followed a fair part of what would later be christened the Monumental Highway. So Dolph had a preview of what his highway was to look like. It was on this trip that he was inspired to try to make it in an automobile. In the fall of 1916, as briefly mentioned in the 1918 article posted as number 1 in this “series,” W H Hopkins and H. Stanley Hinnricks, Chief of the US Land Office in Salt Lake, visited Bluff, with the plan to visit the Natural Bridges in White Canyon.. They brought a Salt Lake photographer by the name of Hansen. Ara (Beemerchef) will enjoy knowing that all three made the trip from Moab on a motorcycle with a sidecar…..one in the side car, one at the controls, and one on the handlebars. I would have loved to have a photo of that! Lucky there was no highway patrol in 1916!!! The 26 or 27 year old Dolph met them, and on their return to Bluff proposed that they drive by automobile to what is now Monument Valley. He fudged maybe a little bit, and left them with the impression it was no big deal. Of course it had never been done by car, so it was a big deal. He had gone as far as about half way to Mexican Hat in his Maxwell just before their visit, but had bogged down in quicksand at Lime Creek. I guess it would be useful to note that Dolph, who came to Bluff as Principal of Schools in 1915, also because the postmaster, and the Maxwell Automobile Dealer for southeast Utah by 1917. The last plays a role in the story of the Monumental Highway trip....but that later. He was obviously not a fellow to have idle time on his hands. But to get to my point, they didn’t make it all the way to Monument Valley by car on the 1916 adventure, but did make it by a combination of automobile, wagon, and shank's mare (walking). That is just another wonderful story waiting to be told. Dolph describes the route down into Comb Wash on the trip with Hinnricks & Hopkins. It was then, and is today, on a dugway, initially built by the oil drilling companies probably about 1908-09. We can now confidently assign the photograph below to that dugway. By 1916 rain over the years had eroded any original roadbed and left the bare rocks. Now draw a picture in your mind from the following description based on Dolph's papers: By the time the three reach Comb Ridge in the Maxwell it is dark. Hinnricks has walked ahead down the dugway, which is several hundred yards long. He is supposed to build the campfire in Comb Wash. Hopkins is walking behind the Maxwell with Dolph “driving” in the dark. I’m thinking maybe Hopkins is the wiser of the two! Every time the Maxwell crashes on a bolder in the dark, Hinnricks shouts up from the wash “Dolph, are you all right?” To which Hopkins replies “”Nothing to worry about Chief! Take it easy!” Remember that Hopkins is walking, and that it is Dolph, not Hopkins, behind the wheel of a car with mechanical brakes negotiating down a boulder strewn near-cliff in the dark. It is a splendid image of vintage auto travel, and not at all surprising that Dolph adds in reference to Hinnricks…”When we arrived safely in camp he put his arms around me and sobbed…..” Hinnricks thought Dolph would be killed. I guess it helps to be 26, because the older men walked down! You can drive the dugway today. is a YouTube video (not by me) of the experience, on a dugway much improved, and half as steep compared to 1916! Dave Keep the Show on the Road! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadhound Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 You mean that wasn't you singing Dave? Keep them coming, each one gets better and better. You've inspired me to map out a journey to the southwest just in case I have a week with time on my hands. -Roadhound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keep the Show on the Road! Posted June 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 You mean that wasn't you singing Dave? Keep them coming, each one gets better and better. You've inspired me to map out a journey to the southwest just in case I have a week with time on my hands. -Roadhound Rick, And it does get better and better! For example, if you remember the photo in post 1 of the storekeeper in front of his store in Bluff. His name is Hyde (and he and his son appear elsewhere in the story). His father had a story of a lost Navaho silver mine. Dolph carefully recorded the story and wrote it in his memoirs. When you make your trip you will want to carry an extra bucket for the silver! And speaking of extra buckets, Dolph recorded how you filled a gas tank in 1917. Most of us recognize that there were not service stations, not at least in the “wild west” in 1917. So hardware stores, or anyone who wanted to sell gasoline, received it in 50 gallon drums. Dolph says the routine way to fill the tank was to fill a bucket from the drum, and use a funnel to pour it into the tank. Can you imagine the risk of that process at 110 degrees? The smallest spark would blow you sky high! You mention thinking about a trip to the southwest. I am chafing at the bit to do a scouting expedition. Not necessarily a full fledged discovery trip, but a “get acquainted” visit like I started on the National Parks Highway before I got interrupted. If I get an irresistible bug I’ll announce it and anyone who wishes can climb on board. (Sheila and I have our hands full with some significant life events affecting members of our family, so I reserve the right to make or change plans on a moment’s notice.) Otherwise I’m thinking we need to do something when the weather cools down in the Fall. Dolph launched at least three significant southwest trips in his two or three years at Bluff. The first was with Dave Rush by horseback all the way to Cedar Breaks, over 200 miles. The second was the trip with Hinnricks and Hopkins by car to Monument Valley. The third was with a photographer and Dolph’s wife Irene and small daughter Torma to Valley of the Gods and Monument Valley by horseback and mule, probably at least a 150 mile round trip. Obviously we need to stay with road stories so I will save the Navaho silver mine and others for the web site I’m hoping we can launch. But I do have another Andrus road story to share, not however related to the Monumental Highway. Dolph had secured the Maxwell franchise for Bluff. I think Bluff had maybe 150 people in 1916-17, so it wasn’t exactly a plum. Anyway he is trying to convince locals to buy a car, and in one such effort he offers to take a prospective buyer to Monticello, about 45 miles north of Bluff. They are doing well, and it starts to rain. The Maxwell does very well in the resulting mud, but they come to a wash where the water has risen. Dolph concludes that it is too deep to cross, and that they should wait until the water drops. Today we don’t think about mud and high water very much, but in 1916-17 it was a common barrier to road travel. It isn’t surprising to see an old photo taken on the old transcontinental highways where a line of cars is waiting for the water to drop at a ford. The passenger tells Dolph that he is very familiar with the crossing and the bed is solid and the water isn’t deep. So reluctantly Dolph drives in, and almost as quickly, the Maxwell and its passengers are swept downstream, fortunately lodging against a rock. Dolph and his passenger make it to Monticello, but his passenger never offers to help or to pay in any manner for the result of his advice or the ride. Dolph enlists the help of the local garage and they pull the Maxwell out of the wash. Everything is filled with sand. The cylinders, exhaust, even the magneto. So Dolph disassembles the whole car. We can’t imagine doing that today, but of course cars were much simpler in 1916. Townspeople come by to witness the process. The local school kids stand around and enjoy the event. The local barber, who is the town jokester, hangs around between shaves and haircuts. Dolph is down to the last few parts in the reassembly process and is frantically trying to find a missing part. Of course the barber has hidden it, with the excuse that he wanted to see if Dolph would miss it! (That story is a common one, so it may be a bit like lost treasure stories!) But the frosting on the story comes later. Dolph is teaching a writing lesson, and the subject is something like “town characters.” The students are to write an essay describing a town character, without providing names. One student chooses “The meanest man in town.” You guessed it……when the student reads the essay and gets to the pseudonym “The meanest man in town,” the youngsters shout out his name, and of course it’s the passenger on the Maxwell trip to Monticello. I suppose history for some is the big battles and great leaders, and for others it’s the family tree, but the best history for me is the local stories and histories that regular people lived and enjoyed. Well, Rick, I am trying to get to the next installment, between Raplee’s and Douglas Oil Camp by way of the Goodridge (Mexican Hat) suspension bridge and the grade out of the San Juan River canyon in the trusty Maxwell. Keep your truck gassed up! Dave Keep the Show on the Road! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadhound Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Well Dave, after looking at the route on Google Earth, and then pulling out a map where I had marked a trip through that area, I confirmed that I have driven the route between Bluff and Mexican Hat. It was 1989 and my wife an I were wandering the Southwest on our way to Colorado Springs for my brother's graduation from the Air Force Academy. We had spent the night in Moab and then headed south on 191 through Monticello to Bluff and then 163 through Mexican Hat, Monument Valley, and finally Kayenta before we turned eastward. Of course back then I had no idea that anything ever preceeded the numbered highway. If I had known then what I know now... Somewhere I have a whole bunch of Kodachromes of the area. The two things I remember most are the spectacular scenery and the spectacular sunsets. There was also a duststorm that we drove through on our way to Moab from Capital Reef that clogged an air sensor on the car I was driving at the time. We spent the rest of the trip with the car surging once or twice every 90 seconds until we got home which was about 1200 miles later. I like the idea of a journey through that area again if it can be worked out. Maybe you need a photographer for the book you are writing? -Roadhound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keep the Show on the Road! Posted June 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Well Dave, after looking at the route on Google Earth, and then pulling out a map where I had marked a trip through that area, I confirmed that I have driven the route between Bluff and Mexican Hat. It was 1989 and my wife an I were wandering the Southwest on our way to Colorado Springs for my brother's graduation from the Air Force Academy. We had spent the night in Moab and then headed south on 191 through Monticello to Bluff and then 163 through Mexican Hat, Monument Valley, and finally Kayenta before we turned eastward. Of course back then I had no idea that anything ever preceeded the numbered highway. If I had known then what I know now... Somewhere I have a whole bunch of Kodachromes of the area. The two things I remember most are the spectacular scenery and the spectacular sunsets. There was also a duststorm that we drove through on our way to Moab from Capital Reef that clogged an air sensor on the car I was driving at the time. We spent the rest of the trip with the car surging once or twice every 90 seconds until we got home which was about 1200 miles later. I like the idea of a journey through that area again if it can be worked out. Maybe you need a photographer for the book you are writing? -Roadhound Rick, No book, not that the subject doesn’t deserve one! But photos are great! Dave Keep the Show on the Road! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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