Patterson Diary Transcription Continues

Friends of the SALINE VALLEY SALT TRAM

www.SaltTram.blogspot.com   SalineValleySaltTram@gmail.com
Salt Tram history is rapidly disappearing, and we are striving to rediscover the efforts of our forefathers in order to give proper recognition to their hopes, dreams and abundant sweat from an era that is rapidly fading from our memories. We are actively seeking out information about the mining of Salt in Saline Valley between 1903 and the 1940's, including: documents, photos, articles, stories, artifacts, etc. If you can help us out, please email us at the address above - Thank-you! --Tim and Brian Waag, the Waag brothers (aka E. Clampus Waagus).

Caution (PLEASE READ): Climbing around on the tramway is dangerous because its really old and defnitely unsafe, so don't even think about it. Shoot, just getting to it requires some perilous hiking, and if you don't believe me, just take a look at the Zig Zag Access Trail (or what's left of it). Plus, climbing on it weakens it and endangers your life. Also, the Saline Valley Salt Tram is on the National Register of Historic Places and should be treated with the respect that it deserves. What little remains is of great historic value, and should not be disturbed in any way. Heck, its probably against the law to move parts of the tram around, and certainly a crime to take home some of the few bits of it that remain (though you'd have to ask your friendly local BLM agent for details). So please treat it with the respect it deserves, so that future generations can enjoy whats left, without you messing it up. Really. Please. You can see its listing on the National Register of Historic Places at these web links:
National Register of Historic Places 1          National Register of Historic Places 2

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For an introduction to the diary of Henry Clifton Patterson, see this link on this website:

Diary of Henry Clifton Patterson

Photo 1 (click to enlarge): Henry Clifton Patterson in photo from World War I (photo courtesy of Patterson family).

Photo 2 (click to enlarge): The 6’ 7” tall Cliff standing at one of the Salt Tram Control Stations. The photo actually appears to say “Con. Sta. #29 - III”, which might mean that it is the Summit Station, although we need to go there in person to verify it on the ground. We don’t recall the geography around the Summit Station matching the photo, but it could. Note that this is the only known photo of Henry Clifton Patterson taken at the Salt Tram that survives, and it was discovered by the Patterson family during our visit with them in November 2009, where it fell out of the pages of an old book in their box of family photos! Needless to say, we were astounded and excited by this discovery of our favorite diarist in his working element. (photo courtesy of Patterson family).

Though I am only partially through the transcription of the entire diary, I'd like to include what I've completed so far on this page. Also, I included an sample page so you can see what it looks like - Thanks to the Patterson family of Bishop, California, we were able to make a high quality scan of the entire diary, and once I complete the transcription, we will make a book out of the diary that includes a high quality image of each diary page, a transcription of the page, and a Salt Tram-related interpretation of each page.

If you would like a PDF file containing the transcription and the interpretation, please email us at the contact info located on this web site. Note that anywhere it says "ower" in the diary transcription below, rather than "Tower", it is because in my original transcription, I created a special graphic for the way in which "Cliff" wrote the letter T in tower, which doesn't copy and past from my transcription document to this web page. Sorry! Also, I have created a correlation of towers to activities from the diary so that we can reconstruct the construction activity itself. Here is what we have so far:



DIARY ENTRY TRANSCRIPTION

December 1, 1911:
Fri. Went up to Dry Camp and leveled up ’s #15 and 16.

December 2, 1911:
Sat. Leveled up ’s #17 - 18, and 20.

December 3, 1911:
Sun. Level up and lined in ’s #21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25 and 26.

December 4, 1911:
Mon. Leveled up ’s #28 and 29. Left 27 on account of rock to be blown out.

December 5, 1911:
Tues. Leveled up ’s #30 - 31 and went back To 27 and dug out for legs and leveled it up.

December 6, 1911:
Wed. Moved up to Charcoal Canyon. Snowed. Put up a 12x14 tent and stove. Discarded little tents.

December 7, 1911:
Thurs. Leveled up s #32 - 33. Tower #15 blew down

December 8, 1911:
Fri. Leveled up ’s 34 - 35. White came up to see us today.

December 9, 1911:
Sat. Leveled up 36 and went back to 24 which had blown down and leveled it up again.

December 10, 1911:
Sun. Worked on #37 but didn’t finish it.

December 11, 1911:
Mon. Layed off on acct. of cold and went down to Swansea.

December 12, 1911:
Tues. Came to Bishop.
December 13, 1911:
Wed. Voted Dry.

December 14, 1911:
Thurs. Stayed in Bishop.

December 15, 1911:
Fri. Left Bishop for Swansea with Will Smith.

December 16, 1911:
Sat. Moved up to Summit and run line for owers 46 - 45 - 44.

December 17, 1911:
Sun. Leveled up ’s #46 45 - 44. White came up and learned to concrete.

December 18, 1911:
Mon. Leveled up s 43 - 42.

December 19, 1911:
Tues. Leveled up Towers #41 - 40 - 39.

December 20, 1911:
Wed. Leveled up ’s #38. Releveled up ’s #37 - 36. Wind blowing 456 miles an hour.

December 21, 1911:
Thurs. Packed up Beanny with Earls and my beds preparatory to going to Bishop, and too them to Gravel Pit. hen loaded them on Boots wagon and hit for Swansea.

December 22, 1911:
Fri. Left Swansea for Bishop, or rather to Chalfant and did some Surveying for W Y Davies.

December 23, 1911:
Sat. Came home from Paradise Valley. Had Xmas ree at Church.
December 24, 1911:
Sun.

December 25, 1911:
Mon. Had big urkey Dinner at home.

December 26, 1911:
Tues. Ate urkey Dinner at Dr. Stofflets.
























December 27, 1911:
Wed. Ate urkey Dinner at home again tonight.

December 28, 1911:
Thurs. Killed 13 ducks.

December 28 - 31, 1911:
3 Dates missing.

January 1, 1912:
Mon.

January 2, 1912:
ues. Left Bishop for Swansea.

January 3, 1912:
Wed. Moved to Summit and gave elevations for piers in 26.

January 4, 1912:
Thurs. Moved down to Saline and helped Mr. Wickham with Cross sectioning. on the way down Mule fell off Trail.

January 5, 1912:
Fri. Went up to where mule got Killed and got Apperajo. Then went To Gravel Camp and transferred beds to the burrows and came on down to Swansea.

January 6, 1912:
Sat. Al, Earl and I leveled up ’s 15 & 19 on Section #4.

January 7, 1912:
Sun. Went up to Summit and got elevations of piers in s 22 - 24 - 32 & 20.
January 8, 1912:
Mon. Layed out Curved Rail Support #32 and built a bunk apiece.

January 9, 1912:
Tues. Layed off C. R. #23.

January 10, 1912:
Wed. Layed off C. R. #27. White and Will came down tonight in The Auto.

January 11, 1912:
Thurs. Put in ower #115 and took elevations of pier in #33. Received check.

January 12, 1912:
Fri. Put in Grade lines for excavations for A & #35 and cleared ransit & Level.

January 13, 1912:
Sat. Layed off and went hunting. Killed 29 ducks and a Honker. Ducks.

January 14, 1912:
Sun. Worked in office all day on Rail s

January 15, 1912:
Mon. Layed out #34 and worked in office copying Pier elevations into note books.

January 16, 1912:
Tues. Worked in office.

January 17, 1912:
Wed. Worked in office.

January 18, 1912:
Thurs. Earl and Al went up and leveled ower #20 Section 5. I made a pair of Ciax and got the mule shod and worked in office on note-books.

January 19, 1912:
Fri. Leveled up ’s 19 & 18 Section 5.

January 20, 1912:
Sat. Leveled up #17 Section 5.

January 21, 1912:
Sun. Leveled up ’s #15 - 14 - 13

January 22, 1912:
Mon. Jacked up 1 . & raised #14. Raised these ’s so as to cut out #115.

January 23, 1912:
Tues. Leveled up 11 - 12 - 13 - 15.

January 24, 1912:
Wed. Leveled up #10.

January 25, 1912:
Thurs. Leveled up #9 and started on 16.

January 26, 1912:
Fri. Leveled up ower # 16.

January 27, 1912:
Sat. Leveled up s # 7 and 8.

January 28, 1912:
Sun. Leveled up #9 and put in Cut stakes for excavation between ower 12 and 13.

January 29, 1912:
Mon. Layed out Station #25.

January 30, 1912:
Tues. Worked in yard, making pier forms. White and Will came in the Auto.

January 31, 1912:
Wed. Worked in yard making Pier forms.

February

February 1, 1912:
Thurs. Worked on forms till 10AM. Then went up on the Swansea Chief & set Anchor bots 34.

February 2, 1912:
Fri. Set 4 forms in Station #34. 2 concete men helped drill, commened at noon.

February 3, 1912:
Sat. Set 12 forms in Station # 34. Waited for drills in the morning.

February 4, 1912:
Sun. Set anchor bolts in 33 and forms in 34.

February 5, 1912:
Mon. Set forms in 34.

February 6, 1912:
Tues. Set anchor bolts for Bent K. L. M. in 34. Cross-sectioned for A& #35.

February 7, 1912:
Wed. Set forms in 34 and anchor bolts for the drillers, in 33.
Got Cutter Shoes

February 8, 1912:
Thurs. Finished 34 and concreted anchor bolts in 33.

February 9, 1912:
Fri. Set forms for piers and anchor bolts in Station 33.

February 10, 1912:
Sat. Set forms 33 and line in and leveled up ower 6.

February 11, 1912:
Sun. Set forms 2/3 of day 33.

February 12, 1912:
Mon. Set forms in 33.

February 13, 1912:
Tues. Finished 33 & Took elev. of concrete piers in 34. Moved up to Dry Camp.

February 14, 1912:
Weds. Layed out anchor bolts for drillers 31 & Layed out 30.

February 15, 1912:
Thurs. Finished laying out 30 & set five forms in 31.

February 16, 1912:
Fri. Finished setting forms in Station 31.

February 17, 1912:
Layed out and concreted anchor bolts in Station 32. Moved to elephone.

February 18, 1912:
Sun. Set forms and concreted anchor bolts in Station 32.

February 19, 1912:
Mon. Concreted anchor bolts and set forms in 32. Wind blew like (?). Took elev. of piers in 33.
February 20, 1912:
Tues. Concreted anchor bolts and set forms in Station 32.

February 21, 1912:
Wed. Finished Station # 32 and got To Swansea at 4 o’clock. Carpenter quit at noon. I made 2 forms.

February 22, 1912:
Thurs. Cleaned ransit and level and worked on notes for the equality of owers and Station (ransfered to notebook.) Adjusted transit & level.

February 23, 1912:
Fri. Moved to Summit and put in anchor bolt lines for Station 25. Wind blowing like blazes and cold as. (?)

February 24, 1912:
Sat. Went down and layed out Station # 14. Had to thaw out water before we could water the horses.

February 25, 1912:
Sun. Moved to Gravel and layed out 24 for drillers and took elev. of ground in 27. Slept in Bowman’s Tent.

February 26, 1912:
Mon. ook elev. and measurements on Station 26 and put in Center Line of Bents in Station 25.

February 27, 1912:
Tues. Graded out for ents in A. M. and worked on Station #26 in P.M. Al, Earl & I.

February 28, 1912:
Wed. Put up ents in A. M. and worked on 26 in P.M. Earl & I and Al a part of A.M.

February 29, 1912:
Thurs. Worked on 26 setting forms and anchor bolts. .86
28 2/3 days.

March

March 1, 1912:
Fri. Worked on 26 setting forms.

March 2, 1912:
Sat. Finished 26 at 10:30 and comme
nced on 25


March 3, 1912:
Sun. Finished 25 at noon and started in on Station #27. Snowed a little in afternoon but cleared up before night.

March 4, 1912:
X. Mon. Layed off on acct of snow and wind.

March 5, 1912:
Tues. Put in forms in Station 27.

March 6, 1912:
Weds. Put in forms in Station 27. Snowed last night.

March 7, 1912:
Thurs. Finished 27 at 2 P.M. Lined in Tower # 29 and commenced on Station 24.

March 8, 1912:
Fri. Went to Gravel & got Trix and packed 1 sack grain to camp & took up lunch & forms. Went to Charcoal & got A. Bolts & cut off.

March 9, 1912:
Sat. Set forms in Station 24. Snowed all day.

March 10, 1912:
Sun. Layed off & came to Swansea. Cross-sectioned for terminal afternoon.

March 11, 1912:
Mon. Left Swansea and went To Los Pinos and packed up form lumber to 23. [ink spill on margin of this page, though it does NOT interference with legibility for transcription purposes].

March 12, 1912:
1/2 [in large letters to left of diary entry]. Tues. Went down to Gravel and got 1x4s for slats. quitt at noon on acct of snow.

March 13, 1912:
1/2 [in large letters to left of diary entry]. Wed. Laid off in A.M. on account of snow but set forms in P.M. in 23.

March 14, 1912:
Thurs. Set 26 forms in Station 23.

March 15, 1912:
Fri. Moved camp to Charcoal and set forms in 23.

March 16, 1912:
Sat. Finished 23 at 11 P.M. and started on 22. Excavating. 2 drillers and 2 Eng.

March 17, 1912:
Sun. 1 drillers and 2 Eng e)cc. [“e)cc” is a word or phrase that I cannot figure out how to interpret]. 1/2 day 1 driller all day. 1 driller 2 Eng set forms 1/2 day 1 Carpenter all day.

March 18, 1912:
Mon. 2 drillers & 2 Eng. & 1 Carpenter. Made & set forms in Station 22.

March 19, 1912:
Tues. 2 drillers all day. 2 Engineers all day. 1 Carpenter all day. Setting forms.

March 20, 1912:
Wed. 2 drillers 1/2 day. 2 Eng all day. 1 Carpenter all day.

March 21, 1912:
Thurs. Layed off on acct of snow.

March 22, 1912:
Fri. Shoveled snow all day at stations 19 and 21.

March 23, 1912:
Sat. 2 drillers. 2 Eng. 1 Carp. Working all day on Station 21.

March 24, 1912:
Sun. 1 drillers. 2 Eng. 1 Carpenter. Station 21.

March 25, 1912:
Mon. 2 Eng. 2 Drillers. 1 Carp. Set 27 forms.

March 26, 1912:
Tues. 0 [large 3 line character 0 in left margin, appearing to indicated, as in other instances, a day off, or “layed off”, as Cliff likes to put it]. Layed off on acct of Snow.

March 27, 1912:
Wed. Finished 21 at noon stayed around camp all afternoon.

March 28, 1912:
Thurs. Moved to Swansea and took elevations on piers of Station # 32.

March 29, 1912:
Fri. Went up to 30 and started to blow off rock then went to Gravel for Powder. Came home on acct of snow and worked in office.

March 30, 1912:
Sat. Excavated on Station 30.
March 31, 1912:
Sun. Excavated & set forms in Station 30.
26 days

April 1, 1912:
Mon. Moved to Gravel Pit Today. Finished Station 30.

April 2, 1912:
Tues. Moved to Daisy Gravel Canyon today. Foun part of 23 frozen. (Frozen).

April 3, 1912:
Wed. Moved to Daisy Canyon. Found part of 23 Frozen.

April 4, 1912:
Thurs. Layed out Station 13. Rained on us & wet me through.

April 5, 1912:
Fri. 1/2. Snowed in Morning but Cross-sectioned Station 13.

April 6, 1912:
Sat. Layed out Station #9.

April 7, 1912:
Sun. Layed out Station #8 & went to Saline.

April 8, 1912:
Mon. Layed out Station #6 and set Tower #45 Section #1.

April 9, 1912:
Tues. 1/2. Layed off in A.M. on acct. of rain & Layed out Station # 2 & Cross-sectioned # 3.

April 10, 1912:
Wed. Moved back to Daisy Canyon.

April 11, 1912:
Thurs. Started in laying out Station 11. had to waite for plans to come down from Summit.

April 12, 1912:
Fri. Finished laying out Station 11 and went to Swansea.

T’s mentioned and (how many times):
T = Tower, D = Triangle with dot in the middle (Delta)

T6 leveled up (2/10/12)
T7 CONTROL STATION 1 (CHANGE OF DIRECTION STATION)
leveled up (1/27/12)
T8 leveled up (1/27/12)
T9 leveled up (1/25/12)
leveled up (1/28/12)
T10 leveled up (1/24/12)
T11 leveled up (1/23/12)
T12 leveled up (1/23/12)
put in Cut stakes for excavation between 12 and 13 (1/28/12)
T13 leveled up (1/21/12)
leveled up 13 (1/23/12)
put in Cut stakes for excavation between 12 and 13 (1/28/12)
T14 CONTROL STATION 2
leveled up (1/21/12)
raised T#14 so as to cut out #115 (1/22/12)
went down and layed out station #14 (2/24/12)
T15 blew down (12/7/11)
Al-Earl-Cliff leveled up on Section 4 (1/6/12)
leveled up (1/21/12)
leveled up (1/23/12)
T16 started on (1/25/12)
leveled up (1/26/12)
T17 leveled up (12/2/11),
leveled up Section 5 (1/19/12)
T18 leveled up (12/2/11)
leveled up Section 5 (1/20/12
T19 leveled up on Section 4 (1/6/12)
leveled up Section 5 (1/19/12)
shoveled snow all day at stations 19 and 21 (3/22/12)
T20 leveled up (12/2/11)
went up to summit & got elevations of piers in D20 (1/7/12)
Earl and Al went up & leveled T20 Section 5 (1/18/12)
T21 leveled up (12/3/11)
shoveled snow all day at stations 19 and 21 (3/22/12)
(2 drillers, 2 Eng., 1 Carp.) working all day on Station 21 (3/23/12)
(1 driller, 2 Eng., 1 Carpenter) Station 21 (3/24/12)
(2 Eng, 2 Drillers, 1 Carp.) set 27 forms (assumedly at station 21?) (3/25/12)
finished 21 at noon (3/27/12)
T22 leveled up (12/3/11)
went up to summit & got elevations of piers in D22 (1/7/12)
finished 23 at 11pm and started on 22 (3/16/12)
made & set forms in Station 22 (3/18/12)
T23 leveled up (12/3/11)
layed off C. R. (Curved Rail?) D23 (1/9/12)
went to Los Pinos and packed up form lumber to 23 (3/11/12)
set forms in pm in 23 (3/13/12)
set 26 forms in Station 23 (3/14/12)
moved camp to Charcoal and set forms in 23 (3/15/12)
finished 23 at 11pm and started on 22 (3/16/12)
T24 leveled up (12/3/11)
went back as T had blown down & leveled it up again (12/9/11)
went up to summit & got elevations of piers in D24 (1/7/12)
moved to Gravel and layed out D24 for drillers (2/25/12)
commenced on Station 24 (3/7/12)
set forms in Station 24 (3/9/12)
T25 leveled up (12/3/11)
layed out (1/29/12)
moved to summit and put in anchor bolt lines for station 25 (2/23/12)
put in center line of bents in station 25 (2/26/12)
finished 26 at 10:30 and commenced on 25 (3/2/12)
Finished 25 at noon and started in on station #27 (3/3/12)
T26 leveled up (12/3/11)
moved to summit & gave elevations for piers in D26 (1/3/12)
took elev. and measurements on station 26 (2/26/12)
worked on station #26 in pm - Al, Earl and I (2/27/12)
worked on 26 in P.M. (2/28/12)
worked on 26 setting forms and anchor bolts (2/29/12)
worked on 26 setting forms (3/1/12)
finished 26 at 10:30 and commenced on 25 (3/2/12)
27 left cuz rocks needed blowing out (12/4/11), went back to dig out legs and level up (12/5/11)
layed off C. R. (Curved Rail?) D27 (1/10/12)
took elev. of ground in D27 (2/25/12)
Finished 25 at noon and started in on station #27 (3/3/12)
Put in forms in Station 27 (3/5/12)
Put in forms in Station 27 (3/6/12)
Finished D27 at 2pm (3/7/12)
T28 leveled up (12/4/11)
T29 leveled up (12/4/11)
Lined in Tower # 29 (3/7/12)
T30 leveled up (12/5/11)
layed out 30 (2/14/12)
finished laying out D30 (2/15/12)
went up to 30 and started to blow off rock, then went to gravel for powder (3/29/12).
T31 leveled up (12/5/11)
layed out anchor bolts for drillers 31 (2/14/12)
set five forms in D31 (2/15/12)
finished setting forms in station 31 (2/16/12)
T32 leveled up (12/7/11)
went up to summit & got elevations of piers in D32 (1/7/12)
layed out and concreted anchor bolts in station 32 (2/17/12)
set forms and concreted anchor bolts in station 32 (2/18/12)
concreted anchor bolts and set forms in D32 (2/19/12)
concreted anchor bolts and set forms in station 32 (2/20/12)
finished station #32 (2/21/12)
moved to Swansea and took elevations of piers of Station # 32 (3/28/12)
T33 leveled up (12/7/11)
took elevations of pier in D33,
set anchor bolts in D33 (2/4/12)
set anchor bolts for the drillers in D33 (2/7/12)
concreted anchor bolts in D33 (2/8/12)
set forms for piers and anchor bolts (2/9/12)
set forms D33 (2/10/12)
set forms 2/3 of day D33 (2/11/12)
set forms in D33 (2/12/12)
finished D33 (2/13/12)
took elev. of piers in 33 (2/19/12)
T34 leveled up (12/8/11)
layed out D34 (1/15/12)
set anchor bolts D34 (2/1/12)
set 4 forms / 2 concrete men helped drill (2/2/12)
set 12 forms in station / waited for drills in the morning (2/3/12)
set forms in D34 (2/4/12)
set forms in D34 (2/5/12)
set anchor bolts for Bent K.L.M. in D34 (2/6/12)
set forms in D34 (2/7/12)
finished D34 (2/8/12)
took elev. of concrete piers in D34 (2/13/12)
T35 leveled up (12/8/11)
put in grade lines for excavations for A & T35 (1/12/12)
cross-sectioned for A&T D35
T36 leveled up (12/9/11)
releveled up (12/20/11)
T37 worked on T but didn’t finish (12/10/11)
releveled up (12/20/11)
T38 leveled up (12/20/11)
T39 leveled up (12/19/11)
T40 leveled up (12/19/11)
T41 leveled up (12/19/11)
T42 leveled up (12/18/11)
T43 leveled up (12/18/11)
T44 moved up to summit & ran line (12/16/11)
leveled up (12/17/11)
T45 moved up to summit & ran line (12/16/11)
leveled up (12/17/11)
T46 moved up to summit & ran line (12/16/11)
leveled up (12/17/11)
T115 put in T115 (1/11/12)
raised T#14 so as to cut out #115 (1/22/12)

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