Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Isaac's History

 After many years I have finally finished the history of my great great Grandfather Isaac John Wardle. He was a handcart pioneer with the Martin Handcart Company. If you are interested in a bound copy they will be $30 for printing etc.. Message me and I will let you now where to send check.

If interested in an email copy message me with email address and I will send in word and pdf files. If you respond to this post with you email address that will also work.


Monday, April 6, 2020

Othello Radar Station

The radar station in Othello was active from 1952 to 1975.  Now is a locked facility with the installation becoming a ghost town and ruins.  It was part of the defense system started as part of the Korean War.  Its location is important as it provides a line of defense before the Hanford Nuclear Site.  It was built on Saddle Back Mountain south of Othello, and the road was renamed Radar Hill Road.  If any hostiles were detected they could dispatch jets to intervene. 









The residential area for the people serving at the station is across the road and people are still living there. 

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Verdi Train Robbery

The Verdi Train Robbery was the first train robbery in the West.  I visited Rock Island, Iowa a few years ago, where they have a plaque claiming the first western train robbery took place there, carried out by Jesse James and his gang.  However the Verdi robbery predates that by a couple years.  The robbery was planned and lead by Gentleman Jack (A.J. Davis) who was a respected business man, but had been robbing stage coaches for some time.  He ran a mill where he would reprocess his booty.  In total there were eight men involved in the robbery.  It was well planned.  They had received word of a gold shipment, to make payroll in Virginia City.  In addition to Davis, other members of the gang included John Squires, E.B. Parsons and Tilton Cockerill (seasoned criminals) as well as James Gilchrist, a miner and John E. Chapman, a Sunday School superintendent.  Chapman had traveled to San Francisco to gather information. 
The train left Oakland November 4.  It was running behind.  Verdi is just over the border in Nevada.  The train had stopped to top of water and fuel.  As it slowly started many of the bandits boarded the slow moving train, while others made a barrier in the tracks a few miles towards Reno.  The robbery went off without a hitch.  They detached the rest of the cars from the engine, tinder and express car which housed the money.  The engineer took them a mile further, where the bandits stuffed pre-made bags with the money, and went their separate ways. 
If not for the sharp wits of a California woman, they may very well have succeeded in their robbery.  However this woman, who helped run a hotel with her husband in the Sardine Lakes area, saw three residents acting suspiciously.  Two went on their way, but James Gilchrist remained.  The woman spied him hiding gold coins in the outhouse.  When the sheriff arrived he was asleep in his room, and captured without incident.  Deputy James Kinkead took the lead in the investigation.  Based on the description provided by the woman, and a distinguished foot print of one of the men (almost like a high healed print which was popular with gamblers in that day) he was able to track them down.  Within 48 hours three of the accomplices had been captured.  They were able to confuse Gilchrist to the point he confessed the crime and implicated many others, including Davis.  Sol Jones, when captured also gave information on other participants.  Sol Jones received a light sentence for cooperating.  James Gilchrist and Chat Roberts were freed for testifying against others.  The rest received sentences of ten to 24 years.  Jack Davis received a lighter sentence, which was reduced when he did not participate in a jail break and in fact supported the guards.  He was released after five years, but did not enjoy his freedom long as he was killed while attempting to rob a stage coach.

Much gleaned from a two-part article in Tahoe Weekly by Mark McGlaughlin, June 2017