Making their mark in the world -
1909-1911

For years, Ellsworth had wanted to run the Colorado. But he was unable to convince Emery that such a thing made good sense.

Suddenly a new invention came along that changed everything.

"The motion picture camera," said Ellsworth, could enable the Kolb Brothers to make their mark on the world.

At right, a letter to the Kolb brothers from the R&S Film and Supply Co. of Kansas City, Mo. concerning their inquiry about a motion picture projecting machine. The letter recommends the Edison 1910 model as the "best value on the market both as to wearing quality and clearness of picture."

Since John Wesley Powell first explored the river in 1869, only a handful of others had made the trip. If Emery and Ellsworth could do it themselves, all the way from Wyoming to Mexico - and come out with the first movies of the Colorado River and its canyons, they could show those movies across the U.S.

It would mean risking everything. There were many others who had attempted the trip and were never heard from again.

They would also have to wager most of everything they had earned so far to outfit the expedition.

Emery agreed at once. He remembered a youthful boast he had made to his mother after a lecture they had seen at the new Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh. Someday, he said then, she would see him up there on that same stage.

It took them two years to prepare for the expedition.

"We wanted to make the 'Big Trip,' as we called it; a pictorial record of the entire series of canyons on the Green and Colorado Rivers." Ellsworth Kolb

They made lists, ordered supplies, and traveled back east to collect equipment. They hired an assistant - James Fagan - to help with the portaging and picture taking. Their young brother Ernest came out to help run the photography studio in their absence. And Ellsworth began to take notes for a possible book. (Through the Grand Canyon from Wyoming to Mexico.)

Continue - Filming the big trip - 1911-1912

 

 

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