Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico: The Story of its Early Explorations, as told by Jim WhiteWhite, Jim
History
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico: The Story of its Early Explorations, as told by Jim White
White, Jim
Carlsbad Caverns National Park (N.M.) -- History; White, Jim, 1882-1946
When the twenty-four pictures were developed and prints came before the
eyes of former doubters in town, Jim White was besieged by those who
wanted to take the trip through the cave. Red Wheeler and Harry Stephens
persuaded Jim to organize an excursion party for the tour, and so it was
that another “original thirteen” came to be recorded in the centuries
old history of Carlsbad Caverns. Wheeler and Stephens were two,
photographer Davis made three. The others in the original party were
Luther Perry, E. H. Weaver, Dan Lowenbrook, Homer Grabb, Coly Jones, J.
R. Yates, J. B. Morris, John Nevenger, J. R. Owen and C. P. Pardue, all
of Carlsbad. Superstition was relieved by the fourteenth member of the
party—Jim White, now Guide!
In those days, it was an all-day trip across the thirty miles of prairie
and mountain to the mouth of the cave. The party reached Jim’s shack
late in the afternoon, ate the supper Mrs. White had waiting, then
bunked early to rest for the all-day trek scheduled for daybreak. The
first sightseers were lowered by two’s ... Jim White at the winch ...
his passengers in the bucket used by the guano company to get down into
the Bat Cave. Down they went into the black shaft which was the doorway
to beauty.
[Illustration: _Passageway in the Hall of Giants_]
It never occurred to Jim White that he should charge admission to the
cave, and when the party started back to town he refused to set a price.
The guests insisted on paying something, if only for the food, for Mrs.
White’s trouble in feeding and housing them, and Jim’s own trouble both
in the shack and in the caverns. The discussion ended with each guest
paying a dollar. The thirteen dollars Jim used to buy more materials—to
carry his trail even deeper into the cave.
A few days later on the streets of Carlsbad, Jim was greeted by one of
his “original thirteen” sightseers. “Jim, that cave of yours is the
greatest sight of its kind you or I or anyone else ever saw. You should
charge everybody you take through it, five dollars! Man, it’s worth it!”
[Illustration: _The Scenic Drive Within Carlsbad Caverns National
Park to the Caverns Entrance_]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account