William C. Schroder |
| Posted 2009-12-01 by Pat R |
| Arizona State Miner (Wickenburg) Saturday, November 28, 1925, p 3 c 2 Horrible Fate of Arizona Prospector Separated from His Partner by Sandstorm, He Wandered About the Desert Six Days Without Food or Water The unconquered desert took toll again when Bill Schroder, 58-year-old mining man and prospector of Redding, California, died in the Yuma General hospital, whither he was rushed late last week when found in a state of collapse between Horse Tanks and Cibola after having been without food or water, wandering aimlessly over the parched sands, during the six days since November 10. J. W. Turk of Somerton, accompanied by Pat Bahre, were proceeding by automobile along the desert road Monday afternoon when they perceived the staggering, crazed scarecrow of humanity, in raving delirium from hunger, thirst and exposure. Rushing at breakneck speed towards Yuma with the victim of the desert, by way of Castle Dome, 17 miles from that place they encountered Frank Schultz of Wenden, Arizona, who was hurrying back to seek Schroder, from whom he had become separated on Wednesday, November 11, during a sandstorm after the pair had set out in opposite directions in search of water, which they had been without for 36 hours. Praying for the first time in 20 years, Thursday noon, Schultz found water afterwards a few paces away. He reached Castle Dome Friday. Schultz was taken into the car, Turk disregarded all laws in a wild night ride over the desert road thru Castle Dome and on to the highway, and on for twenty-odd miles into Yuma, where the party arrived about midnight. But despite the best efforts of medical science, Schroder died at 5:30 this morning in the hospital. Schultz told his story at one in the Yuma Sun office, stating that with Schroder, Saturday, November 7, he started out afoot from Red Cloud mine, in a northeasterly direction, to prosect. Sunday they stopped at a water hole, but the second one was dry. Tuesday morning they drank their last water, and Wednesday, during a sandstorm, they were separated while searching in opposite directions from a draw in which they had put their bedding, for a water hole they believed in the vicinity. Unable to find either his companion or their equipment, which had been covered up by the sand, probably, Schultz succeeded in gaining the highway and making his way, in three days, to Castle Dome, where he was compelled to rest and recuperate. Five days without food and six days without water, Schroder was a pitiful sight when taken to the hospital in Yuma. Schultz, despite his rest at Castle Dome and his attempt to return in search of his companion, was dog-weary when he reached Yuma, although only in need of rest to recuperate from his adventure. See Also: Death Certificate |
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