From 1883 to 1889, wagons hauled borax along this road 165 miles from Death Valley to Mohave. The route was laid out by J.W.S. Perry. He and a muleskinner named Ed Stiles designed the wagons to carry the heavy loads to the rail depot.
The wagon beds were 16 feet long, four feet wide, and six feet deep. The front wheels were five feet high and rear wheels seven feet high. When loaded, each wagon weighed 31,800 pounds. Two such wagons, and a water tank (weighing 9,600 pounds), where pulled by a team of 18 mules and two large draft horses. They traveled 15 to 18 miles a day across the mountains and desert.
The round trip took 20 days. Not one animal lost their life on the trail and no wagons broke down while hauling over 20 million pounds of borax. We shall always remember the courage, strength, ingenuity, and stamina for such work. These men and animals are true heroes of America's past.
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