Elko, Nev. — The California Trail Center plaza water feature is taking shape.
“West Coast Construction worked in the plaza area last week,” said Dave Jamiel, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) California Trail Center Manager. “They did fine grading and placed boulders in the landscape areas preparing for the installation of the pavers and Humboldt water feature. The Humboldt water feature has been delivered to the site.”
Jamiel added that Spires Concrete built the forms for the box structure (pedestrian walkway) at the north drainage area. They also placed the concrete for the drain at the Humboldt Sink portion of the water feature. Jackson Drywall constructed light gage steel framing throughout the exhibit areas. Venture Allglaze Glass is currently installing windows in the frames throughout the building. Kodiak Roofing installed the roof insulation, polypropylene roof covering and are preparing to install the rock ballast over the roof coverings.
STORIES FROM THE TRAIL
More Poetry of the Humboldt - by Mike Brown
On August 14, 1852, Adison Crane wrote this homage to the Humboldt River while sitting under the shade of a greasewood bush at the Humboldt Sink and thinking how nice the Carson River will be.
Farewell to thee! Thou stinking turbid stream
Amid whose water frogs and serpents gleam
Thou putrid mass of filth farewell forever.
For here again I’ll tempt my fortunes never.
Saltpeter, salt, and sulphur all combine,
With carrion and matters alkaline.
I enrich the “broth” that in thy current flows
And make a savory odor for the nose.
Von Humboldt! Thou disgraced will be,
This mass of filth to bear the name of thee.
For better call it Styx, or Pluto’s river,
Than thus belie the name of science ever.
For sixteen gloomy, sad and weary days,
‘Mid burning sands, and sols more burning rays
I’ve wandered on thy grassless sagy plain
And took the putrid current to my veins.
Drank by compulsion of the brothy mass
That in these deserts must for water pass
But now more welcome deserts rise to view
And Carson’s river just beyond so true
Whose mountain waters, pure and clean and bright
Rise like a welcome vision to my sight.
courtesy of Trails West, Inc.
I crawled out and started on,
And managed very well,
Until I struck the Humboldt
Which I though was nearly Hell.
I traveled till I struck the Sink
Where outlet can’t be found;
The Lord got through late Saturday night –
He’d finished all around,
But would not work on Sunday,
So he run it in the ground.
from Dale Morgan’s The Humboldt, Highroad of the West
