January 9 - 10, 1947

January 9, 1947

Left at 7:3- Thurs. A.M.  Seeing lots of oil wells pumping but these do not have towers.  One place a big flame burning at the top of a tall pipe — most likely natural gas going to waste.  All these wells pump by their own power.  Stopped at Dundee, Texas and took a picture where there were 11 timber wolves hanging on fence.  Ears were gone so we decided that must be for bounty.

Saw some more antelope. Lots of sage brush, wheat fields and cotton.  Turtle doves, blackbirds and meadowlarks, wild ducks flying.  Also blue jays.  I’d like to see this country when the cactus and yuccas are blooming.

Red, red soil and its sticky.  Had 11 inches of snow here Anson, Texas  — unusual!  Still a bit of it left.  Dinner at Snyder $1.75.  They said they had had about 5 or 6 in. of snow here.  Started to rain at 2:30 and rained for several hours.

We drove by acres and acres and miles and miles of watermelons today.  They had frozen but the ground was just about covered with them.

Stopped for gas at Seminole (last town in Texas) and Dwane wanted a drink so we asked about water and the station attendant said (in a Southern drawl) “We had 8 below zero — and our water pipes are still all froze solid so no water.”

Cabin at Carlsbad, New Mexico Thurs. nite Jan. 9. $3.00

More oil wells some with towers and some without.  Sometimes we see a big pipe up into air and burning with a big blaze at top.  This is natural gas, going to waste, has to be burned at it is poisonous and settles to ground so has to be burned to get rid of it.

Friday January 10, 1947

Started at 7:45  Terribly foggy.  Froze muddy ground solid last night.  8:00 fog just about gone.  Sun shining.  Just saw some more snow.  Started to Caverns at 9:30 — our tickets were $1.50 each.  Under ten free.  Got out at 1:30  Wonderful place —in fact you are so impressed there is very little talking and that’s low.  241 people went on our tour.  I never could imagine such sights as you see in this cave.  Had dinner 750 ft. underground.  Big dining room, rest rooms, souvenirs, etc.  Saw the bucket that used to take visitors down into the cave.  Talked to the widow of Jim White, the cowboy who discovered cavern.  He died last year.  My watched refused to work underground.  We walked nearly 3 miles in cave and came out on elevator form 700 ft. level.

3:15 back in Texas and more snow, cactus.  Some of these Mts. make my ears ring.