ck a SUSOUEHANN.. Vol. 76 No. 28 July 14, 1976 The first 100 miles were toughest Susquehanna Times & The Mount Joy Buiietin MARIETTA & MOUNT JOY, PA. Eldora and Neil Larson relax in the Howells’ backyard in Marietta after their long journey in the Bicentennial Wagon Train. Neil Larson has been driving a covered wagon since May, 1975. “l was the granddaddy of the Bicentennial Wagon Train,”’ says Mr. Larson, who is approaching his 80th birthday. Neil’s own grandaddy arrived in the state of Utah in a covered wagon. Neil made the same trip, in the opposite direction with the Utah state flag waving from his wagon. After a three month fund-raising trek through Utah, Mr. Larson joined the Bicentennial wagon train at the Nevada-Utah border. The first 100 miles of the old Immigrant Trail led through rugged desert. The ground was so rough, horses had to be reshod after a few days. When the wagons reach- ed Wyoming, the wagon- eers discovered that por- tions of the old trail had washed away. Wagons mired in the prairie and threatened to tip over. Horses died from drinking alkaline water. To pull the wagon across one river, Mr. Larson's horses had to jump from chest-deep water onto a steep bank that projected 3 feet above the current. ‘“When those wheels hit the bank, 1 was sure the wagon was going to break apart, but it didn’t break,” Mr. Larson recalls. After wintering at Fort Laramie, wagons crossed Nebraska in sub-zero March weather. At Omaha, the wagons were loaded on barges, and were shipped down the Missouri and up the Ohio River. They were unloaded at Pittsburg. Mr. Larson, who had been joined by his wife, Eldora, for the final trek across PA, had a bit of trouble unloading his wagon. [continued on page 2] Neil Larson guides Molly and Polly across Pennsylvania. Kevin Lestrange (left) and shipmate Rapph M, Snyder R. Dg 2 yo ) \ 'X. Fe3/ J A - SER Bicentennial visitors from wagon train & Royal Navy FIFTEEN CENTS Ragan John Gross (right) serve on Her Majesty's Ship Eskimo, which escorted the queen’s yacht to Philadelphia. They are visiting Al and Edna Huck of Marietta. Escorted queen, didn’t see her Two able seamen from Queen Elizabeth's escort ship, H.M.S. Eskimo, visit- ed the home of Al and Edna Huck in Marietta last week. Nephew Kevin Lestrange and his buddy John Gross have been following Her Majesty across the Atlantic since she boarded the royal yacht in Bermuda. The boys didn’t get a good look at the queen until she paraded through the streets of Philadelphia. “We have to be very discreet when she’s around,’’ Kevin explained. “For example, if she wants to go to the upper deck, we have to go to the lower deck.” John says, ‘We saw her in Philadephia when she presented you with a new Liberty Bell. The old one’s got a crack in it, you know.’ The two British sailors got an enthusiastic recep- tion from the people of Philadelphia. Strangers stopped them on the street to shake hands. We asked what impres- sions John and Kevin had formed of Americans. “There are no limits here,’’ said Kevin. “*You're very friendly, you're immoderate, and | suspect you're a bit lazy because of all your mech- anical contrivances,’ said John. “You eat too much food,’ said Kevin, who had an - unfortunate experience with a pizza shortly after landing on our shores. Restoration Associates planning to fix old Zion Lutheran Church The Marietta Restoration Associates have written to Marietta Borough Council concerning the future of the recently vacated Zion Church on Waterford Ave., Marietta. This building is owned by the Borough, but has recently been vacated by the congregation which had maintained it over the past several years. The Associates would like to lease the building for a nominal sum on a long term basis, for the purpose of restoring and preserving the building. It is believed to be the first building in Marietta to be built specifically as a church. The Associates plan would not change the basic structure of the building and it would be preserved as an example of an early church building. Bids solicited for treatment plant The Mount Joy Borough Authority announcéd Tues- day night that it will open bids for construction of a water treatment facility on September 9. The authority will adver- tise for bids for the follow- ing five contracts in the construction project: -a water softener plant and well stations. —electrical work —plumbing and ventilation work —8, 12, and 16 inch water transmission lines —a one million gallon standpipe The authority plans to award contracts 90 days after the bids are opened. The wells for the water treatment facilities will be located on Carmany Road one mile west of the borough in the Florin Farm development.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers