FOREWORD
(By the family of Abijah Long)
Prior to my husband's death in 1934, several of us had asked him to write, in his own words, the story of his early life, especially after moving to Carlsbad at the turn of the century.
He was reluctant to write of his experiences in connection with the Big Cave, as it was called in those days. But after considerable persuasion on our part he did sit down and write what happened in those early years following our move from Texas in 1901.
Since many historians today appear confused as to the actual beginnings of the Carlsbad Caverns, my children and I felt his words should no longer be for us alone, and we have therefore made them available in this form for all to read, and thus to know and understand more clearly just what happened during those early days of the cave's discovery.
My husband was always a very honest, though not always a prosperous, man. He was as good as his word, and in return he expected everyone else to be the same. At times, when he was forced to borrow money, he left only his word of honor and his promise to pay as collateral.
Nevertheless, we wanted to verify the facts in his story, and we have spent two years in tracking down many of the men who shared his experiences and in asking them to verify the incidents described.
We found many of them still alive and living in and near the charming community of Carlsbad. We found the people of Carlsbad friendly and courteous in every respect, and always eager to help us in our endeavor.
In gratitude for the kind assistance which met us everywhere, wewish to give our thanks to the friendly people of Carlsbad who so unselfishly assisted us in verifying my husband's account, especially the following:
Colonel Thomas Boles"Dee" HarkeyMrs. Simmonds of Happy ValleyMr. and Mrs. John QueenJohnny Forehand of Black River ValleyMrs. Mary Queen MontgomeryArthur HooseWayne Crowder of Albuquerque.
We wish, also, to thank Robert Nymeyer, photographer of Carlsbad, who furnished the photographs of Carlsbad Caverns which we have used in the text.
Photographs of the lunchroom were furnished by the New Mexico State Tourist Bureau, Santa Fe, New Mexico, for which we are grateful.
We are also greatly indebted to various staff members of the National Parks Service who have made valuable suggestions to improve the technical accuracy of the manuscript.
It is our hope that persons interested in the Big Cave, now known the world over as the Carlsbad Caverns, will be enlightened as to the early history of the cave as told here for the first time by the cave's first owner, our husband and father, Abijah ("Bije"[A]) Long, and its subsequent development as described by his eldest son, Joe N. Long.
Mrs. Abijah LongJoe N. Long (Jodie in the story)(Mrs.) Lou M. (Long) Wood(Mrs.) Kaye I. (Long) WilliamsIra B. LongMac A. Long(Mrs.) Anda M. (Long) Brubaker.
Carlsbad, New MexicoNovember, 1956.
[A]"Bije" was a nickname for Abijah. (Long "i" as in "hide.")
[A]"Bije" was a nickname for Abijah. (Long "i" as in "hide.")