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October12, 2005
Lou Beck and other 'Good Samaritans' of Death Valley lore
By ROBIN FLINCHUM
Traveling with a dog named Rufus; Lou Beck had packed into the desert with all the enthusiasm of a man bitten by the prospecting bug. But his enthusiasm must have waned as first his food ran out, and then his water. After three days on the desert with no sustenance, Beck was left with only a prayer. He put it to good use, promising his maker that if he managed to survive this ordeal, he would dedicate the rest of his life to making sure other travelers on the desert did not suffer the same fate. It was then the dog Rufus nudged his cheek, startling him with the cold, wet feel of fresh water on his nose. From that moment on Beck and Rufus became what authors John and Barbara Marnell call the "Good Samaritans of Death Valley." In a brand new book by that name, the Marnells recount the adventures of Beck and Rufus, from that fateful moment when Beck hovered near death, to the next dozen or more years while Beck campaigned to have government agencies post better road signs in the desert and mark water sources for travelers. But the best part of the story, as told by the Marnells, is the account of how Beck, failing in his efforts to convince government agencies to provide much needed signage, took on the task himself. Traveling back into the desert with Rufus, Beck hand-lettered signs marking water sources and roadways and erected them himself to keep other desert wanderers from suffering his fate. The Marnells first encountered Beck's story while doing volunteer work at the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association archives in Goffs, Calif., and were so inspired by his selfless devotion to his cause that they made a pledge of their own. For six years the Marnells tracked Beck's story through a substantial collection of material housed at Goffs as well as through other archives and sources. They were first attracted to the story when they read a manuscript written in the 1930s, more than a decade after Beck's death, by a desert historian named Genevieve Weight. It was part of a large collection of historical documents donated to the Mojave Desert archives by Weight's son Harold Weight. "We saw the Genevieve Weight manuscript and the several rejection letters from various publishing houses and figured if she thought that there was a book in the Lou Beck story, we'd like to take a fresh look for ourselves," said John Marnell. The Weight collection contained a substantial amount of material about Beck, more than could be found in any other desert resource, but it was not quite enough to fill a book and left the Marnells with a few unanswered questions. They began hunting in other archives, primarily in Southern California where Beck did most of his campaigning and fundraising. But the hunt eventually led them as far afield as Chicago, where they hired a researcher via long distance to help them in their quest. The resulting book, "Good Samaritans of Death Valley," was published by the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association and released this month. The book is rich in photographs and other illustrations of the adventures of Beck and Rufus, who depended upon publicity to raise money for their desert work. Photos of Beck and Rufus include their specially outfitted automobile and the tailor made boots (four in number) that were a part of Rufus's desert gear. "Good Samaritans" is an inspirational story, well organized and written with a great deal of respect and admiration for its subjects. The research is thorough and the book includes wonderful bibliographical appendices and end notes. It's an unusual subject, and one that highlights more than just the incredible journey of a dedicated man and his dog. It also brings to light the very slow process of getting government wheels to grind in the cause of public traveling safety. Although he would not live to see the results of his endeavors, Beck's constant campaigning for publicly funded safety signage in the desert eventually did pay off. Today's modern signage pointing to every water source, food source and bathroom break had its origins in the early efforts of citizens like Beck. "Good Samaritans" is an easy read and well worth the effort for anyone interested in the history of Death Valley and the desert in general, and also for anyone who loves a good, true, heroic story about a man and his dog. The book is available through the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association, www.mdhca.org, or MDHCA, 37198 Lanfair Rd., G-15, Essex, Calif., 92332. Marnell said he would also be approaching historical booksellers such as the Pahrump Valley Museum and the Shoshone Museum in an effort to make the book available for sale locally. |
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