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DESERT MAGAZINE
DESERT CALENDAR
Feb. 1—Annual Gold Rush Day and
Dons Club Trek, Wickenburg, Ariz.
Feb. 6-7 — Annual Square Dance
Festival and Fiddlers Jamboree.
Phoenix. Arizona.
Feb. 6-8 — Imperial Valley Carrot
Carnival, Holtville, California.
Feb. 8 — Dons Club travelcade to
Cave Creek, from Phoenix, Ariz.
Feb. 7—Desert Museum field trip to
Thousand Palms Oasis and Willis
Palms. From Palm Springs, Calif.
Feb. 7-8 — Winter Rodeo. Palm Volume 16 FEBRUARY. 1953 Number 2
Springs. California.
Feb. 7-8—Desert hiking, Odessa Can-
yon, Calico Mts. Southern Cali-
fornia Chapter, Sierra Club. COVER Desert Lily, by Harry Vroman of Anaheim, California
Feb. 8—Annual AH-Western Stam-
pede, Arizona State Fairgrounds, CALENDAR February events on the desert 3
Phoenix.
Feb. 8—Desert Sun Ranchers Rodeo. PHOTOGRAPHY Pictures of the Month 4
Remuda Ranch, Wickenburg, Ariz.
Feb. 14—Desert Museum field trip GHOST TOWN Ghost Fortress in New Mexico
to Chuckawalla Mountains, side
trip to historic Granite Wells on By NELL MURBARGER 5
the old Bradshaw Stage route. From CONTEST Prizes for photographers 10
Palm Springs, California.
Feb. 14-15—Junior Chamber of Com- EXPLORATION Boat Trip in Mo-jave Canyon
merce Rodej, Yuma, Arizona.
By CLINTON R. HULL 11
Feb. 15—Calf roping. Western Sad-
dle Club, Squaw Peak Arena, ADVENTURE Bed and Grub in a Knapsack
Phoenix, Arizona.
By WELDON F. HEALD 16
Feb. 15—Dors Club travelcade to
Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot EXPERIENCE Life on the Desert
Ruins, from Phoenix, Arizona.
By LOUISE SWITZER THOMPSON . . . 21
Feb. 18-23—Riverside County Fair
and National Date Festival, Fair- LOST MINE Quest for the Peralta Gold
grounds, Indio, California.
By ROBERT L. ©ARMAN 22
Feb. 21-22 — Desert Museum over-
night trip to Hole-in-the-Rock in DESERT QUIZ A test of your desert knowledge 24
Providence Mts. Side trip to pic-
tographs in Old Woman Mts. From
Palm Springs, California. POETRY The Ship Rock, and other poems 25
Feb. 21-22 — Desert Peaks section. Current news of desert mines 26
Southern California Chapter. Sierra MINING
Club hike in Whipple Mts., near
Parker Dam, California. Joint out- LETTERS Comment from Desert's readers 27
ing with San Diego Chapter.
Feb. 21-23—Hike to Bear Palm Oasis, FICTION Hard Rock Shorty of Death Valley 29
near La Quinta, California. South-
ern California Chapter, Sierra Club. WILDFLOWERS Desert's forecast for 1953 29
Feb. 22—Desert Sun Ranchers Rodeo. About those who write for Desert 29
Rancho de Los Caballeros, Wick- CLOSE-UPS
enburg, Arizona. From Here and There on the Desert . . . . 31
NEWS
Feb. 22—Bandollero tour to Yuma
Test Station, Yuma, Arizona. LAPIDARY Amateur Gem Cutter, by LELANDE QUICK . . 36
Feb. 22—Dons Club travelcade to
St. Johns Mission, from Phoenix, HOBBY Gems and Minerals 37
Arizona.
Feb. 22-Marcr 1—Fifth Annual Cac- COMMENT Just Between You and Me, by the Editor . . . 42
tus Show, Desert Botanical Gar-
dens, Phoerix, Arizona. BOOKS Reviews of Southwestern literature 43
Feb. 23—Annual Miniature Parade
in connection with Maricopa The Desert Magazine is published monthly by the Desert Press, Inc., Palm Desert,
County Fair, Mesa, Arizona. California. Re-entered as second class matter July 17, 1948, at the post office at Palm Desert,
Feb. 24—Twenty-fifth annual meet- California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Title registered No. 358865 in U. S. Patent Office,
and contents copyrighted 1953 by the Desert Press, Inc. Permission to reproduce contents
ing of members of the Museum of must be secured from the editor in writing.
Arizona, Flagstaff, Arizona. RANDALL HENDERSON, Editor MARGARET GERKE, Associate Editor
Feb. 28—Gymkhana, Western Saddle BESS STACY, Business Manager MARTIN MORAN, Circulation Manager
Club, Squav/ Peak Arena. Phoenix, Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs submitted cannot be returned or acknowledged
Arizona. unless full return postage is enclosed. Desert Magazine assumes no responsibility for
Feb. 2-8—Desert Museum field trip to damage or loss of manuscripts or photographs although due care will be exercised. Sub-
scribers should send notice of change of address by the first of the month preceding issue.
calcite mine west of Salton Sea in
California's Coachella Valley. From SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Palm Springs, California. One Year $3.50 Two Years $6.00
Feb. 28-March 8—California Mid- Canadian Subscriptions 25c Extra, Foreign 50c Extra
Winter Fair. Imperial, California. Subscriptions to Army Personnel Outside U. S. A. Must Be Mailed in Conformity With
P. O. D. Order No. 19687
Address Correspondence to Desert Magazine, Palm Desert, California

FEBRUARY, 19 53
PICTURES OF
THE MOITH
Winter in Walker Pass
Picture was taken November 16
following the first snowfall in the
upper reaches of the Mojave Desert,
by Warren K. Smith of China Lake,
California. Taken with a Rolleicord
with X-l filter on Plus X film, 1/25
second at f.22. This photograph was
awarded first place in Desert's
Picture-of-the-Month contest for De-
cember.

Desert Oasis
This photograph, awarded second
place in the December contest, was
taken at Sage Memorial Hospital at
Ganado, Arizona, by Dr. J. Robert
Lindsay, one of the physicians asso-
ciated with the institution. The
women in the foreground are Nav-
ajos, this hospital being located on
the Navajo reservation. Taken with
a Kodak 35 with A filter and Plus X
film, 1/50 second at f.8.

I
fct(UUI«*r M
Framed by the bare branches of a dead cottonwood stand two old chimneys
once serving pre-civil war soldiers.

Ghost Fortress in New Mexico


Today old Fort Union in northeastern New Mexico is a deserted north on the long lonely road toward
camp, marked only by crumbling mud walls and ghostly memories. Wagon Mound — in our hearts that
There are no signboards to point the way, and there is little travel on grand full song which comes only from
the dirt road which leads to the old fortress. And yet. Fort Union played approaching fulfillment of a dream.
a key role in the Civil War, and at one time probably was the most
important military outpost west of the Mississippi River. In one of the Mother and Dad, and I, are devoted
best stories sshe has written for Desert Magazine, Nell Murbarger tells students of Southwestern history—all
about this ghost fortress—its past and present. periods of it, and all facets. Virtually
any chance remark is sufficient to
By NELL MURBARGER launch us on some phase of study
Photographs by the author which we thereupon follow through
heat and highwater with all the eager
Map by Norton Allen enthusiasm of scientists trailing a
microbe.
LOW over the Sangre street—like bright feathers in the dark
de Cristo peaks to the west, Oc- mantel of the mesa — towered frost- I've forgotten what it was that first
tober's warm sun was spread- gilded cottonwoods; and all around attracted our attention to old Fort
ing tall shadows across the land as we spread the blue sky and wide clean Union, but for more than two years
drew to a halt in the old town of Wat- uplands of northern New Mexico. we had been studying its history and
rous. That such a town should be our last keenly anticipating that future day
With only half a glance we could point of supply on this trail to adven- when we might at last prowl through
see that this was a pleasant place of ture, seemed oddly appropriate. Once its crumbling remains. In the course
time-weathered adobes, fragrant with our provisioning had been completed of our ground-work, we had devoured
pinyon pine smoke and red chili pep- at the general store, and our gas tank every account of life at the fort that
pers — and peace. Above its single and water can refilled, we headed we had been able to buy or borrow.

FEBRUARY, 1953
Neither bush nor boulder obstructed
our passage as we bumped across the
high open plain at more than 6000 feet
above sea level. Groups of half-wild
cattle halted their feeding to watch our
intrusion with up-flung heads and wary
eyes; and from the vicinity of small
waterholes, the yammering of killdeers
came to our ears. Low flat mountains
ringed the horizon on every side. Four
or five miles to our right lay the Tur-
keys, darkly-thatched with pinyons
and juniper; and before we had fol-
lowed the road for any great distance,
another pine-topped mesa began tak-
ing form on our right.
If we had entertained any misgiv-
ings concerning the little road we had
chosen to follow, all such were magic-
ally dispelled as we suddenly found
our way paralleling the century-old
ruts of the Santa Fe Trail—that first
and mightiest of all Western highroads.
For more than 60 years this great
trail had been pounded by the wheels
of heavily-laden freight wagons, trav-
eling four, six, and even eight abreast.
Heavy steel tires biting through the
prairie sod; hooves of mules and oxen
grinding the earth to powder; wind and
rain and storm carrying it away—and
now, these incredible furrows! Spaced
closely parallel in a band varying from
50 to 100 feet in width, they extend
over plains and deserts, dry hills and
rocky arroyos, for a distance of more
than 800 miles—a graphic relic of the
1866 frontier that shall not be effaced in the
FORT UNION memory of men now living.
NEW MEXICO It was seven or eight miles out of
Watrous when our searching gaze first
fastened upon the ruins of old Fort
Union, then still several miles to the
northeast.
Bathed in the warm glow of late
afternoon, its long low walls shone as
V'\ n HOTEL SPRING / ricLl/WUtn richly golden as the ramparts of fabled
•jX RfSERK \ ••f\i..CC'""L\'QRSCibola; and in the jagged line of its
ruins our racing fancy found towers
and turrets and broken columns, and
AA- :!T
"'• '" •''*•/ " l
J, J
Appro*.Scale ' il
all the romantic adjuncts of a medieval
city!
We had reveled in war department Obeying instructions given us by the When only three quarters of a mile
documents and brittle old maps, and storekeeper at Watrous, we crossed the separated our road from the grand
had filled bulging notebooks with in- slow trickles of the Mora and Sapello old ruin, we found our way barred by
formation gleaned from yellowed arch- rivers, and continued on past a ramb- a wide arroyo, badly eroded and defi-
ives in the museum at Santa Fe. And ling adobe ranch house built more nitely not conducive to travel by auto.
now, as we took our departure from than 120 years ago and operated as It would be no great feat to cross the
Watrous, that long period of indoc- the first trading post in this section of wash afoot, but our plans had definitely
trination was nearing the pay-off! included camping in the old fort.
the country. We had been advised to "How about the arsenal?" asked
Across the northeasterly horizon, watch for a cattle guard in the right-of- Dad. "Wasn't it on the west side of
only a few miles ahead, stretched the way fence a few miles out of town. At the ravine?"
low dark range of the Turkey Moun- 3.9 miles such a guard appeared. Lead- The arsenal — of course! In the
tains. On a westering slope at the ing through it, to cross the plateau be- excitement of the moment we had for-
base of these mountains lay a tattered yond, was a dim rutted road wholly gotten that the fort's original buildings,
adobe ruin—and buried in that ruin unidentified either by highway sign or erected in 1851-52 had been situated
were more volumes of unwritten his- historical marker. As its general di- at the foot of the mesa, on the west.
tory than a man might read in his rection seemed favorable, we voted to Not until several years later had site
normal lifetime! accept its challenge. of the fort been moved across the

6 DESERT MAGAZINE
Eroded ruts of the old Santa Fe Trail between Watrous Two long abandoned and crumbling adobes of old Ft.
and Ft. Union, a discarded highway of 100 years ago. Union framed in the disintegrating arch of another.

arroyo, a mile to the east, after which sophically accepted these misfortunes ans. This, naturally, brought retalia-
time the original buildings had been as part of the inherent risk in a busi- tions by the Indians, and losses to
utilized for ordnance. ness that paid fabulous profits. freighters were mounting accordingly.
Ranging our eyes across the slope And then had come the American Yielding to incessant demands for
to the west, we soon spotted several conquest. increased protection along the trail,
large adobe ruirs, the gray of their When General Kearney raised the Congress eventually authorized the
half-fallen walls blending softly with Stars and Stripes over Santa Fe in establishing of Fort Union, and con-
the gray-brown of the arid hillside and 1846, and informed the citizens of struction was begun in September,
the gray-purple shadows of approach- that city that they should henceforth 1851. Basically, the fort was to serve
ing night. look to him for protection, he came as headquarters of the Ninth Military
Another five minutes found the car close to starting something he could Department of the United States Army,
successfully jockeyed across the slope not finish. and a supply center for 40 or 50 sub-
and comfortably parked within the Every Spanish ranchero whose sidiary forts to be spotted strategically
crumbling rectargle of the structure herds were levied upon by rustlers, over a radius of 500 miles.
farthest to the north. every trader using the Santa Fe Trail, During the first 10 years of Fort
Later that evening, as we sat eating immediately sought to enlist that Union's history, citizens of New Mex-
by our crackling campfire in the cen- promised protection—and little pro- ico lived in a degree of isolation almost
ter of that roofless, floorless, century- tection was forthcoming. Fort Marcy, impossible to conceive in this day of
old building we had appropriated to at Santa Fe, simply could not spread rapid communication.
our use, we found ourselves thinking its troops thinly enough to police all In a Memorial to the Congress of
only of that mighty ruin across the of New Mexico Territory, which then the United States, adopted in 1853 by
arroyo; of its history and all the stor- embraced the present state of New New Mexico's territorial legislature,
ies we had read about it during the Mexico, all of Arizona north of the urgent plea was made for more ade-
two years preceding. Gila River, southern Nevada, and part quate roads and better mail service.
For more than two decades prior to of Colorado. "The road to Missouri (the Santa
the American occupation of New Mex- Commerce on the Santa Fe Trail Fe Trail) is the great business thor-
ico in 1846, wagon trains had been was mounting rapidly; but the men oughfare of the Territory," it was set
traveling the Santa Fe Trail between traveling that trail in 1850 were not forth. "The distance from Fort Union
the American frontier of Missouri and of the same high calibre as those who to Independence is more than 700
the Mexican cities of Santa Fe and had traveled it 20 years before. There miles and on this long and dreary line
Chihuahua. There had been inciden- had come to be a trigger-happy ele- of road there is but a single military
tal losses to raiding Indians and other ment, ready to slaughter anything that station, a single Indian trading post,
trail hazards, b i t traders had philo- moved, including buffalos and Indi- and at these two places only can the

FEBRUARY, 1953
Temporarily lost to view while we
were crossing the arroyo, once we had
scrambled up the steep bank beyond,
the old ruins reappeared—and with
surprising magnitude! From camp we
had been able to see only the single
row of structures immediately facing
us. Now that we were closer, we could
see other rows of adobe buildings
spreading well to the rear.
Tall and cold amid the line officers'
quarters they had served, stood a
double row of well-preserved fire-
places and huge brick chimneys, some
of the latter leaning far out of plumb
as if wearied of bracing themselves
against the stinging blizzards that win-
ter sends sweeping across this high
land. Interior walls of the old build-
ings held large irregular sections of
their original plaster, still white and
smooth despite decades of exposure to
the weather.
About midway of officers' row
stood one dead cottonwood. Most of
its bark had been gnawed away by
Tall brick chimneys rise gaunt and cold along what was officers' row. time and the elements, leaving the
sapwood smoothly polished and white
traveler receive an assistance in his socials, ball games, and celebrations as marble. Toward the farther end
greatest need." for every slightest cause. A Masonic of the street stood another cottonwood,
At that time, still quoting the Mem- lodge was organized and a hall built stunted by drouth, but still clinging to
orial, the Territory had mail service on the grounds. Before it was many life with the stubborn courage of its
only once monthly to Missouri and years old, this place in the dry plains kind.
eastern points, and once each two of northern New Mexico numbered We had hoped to take a census of
months to Texas. To receive an the largest white population of any the buildings, but due to their ad-
answer to a letter addressed to any city between the Mississippi River vanced deterioration it was often im-
point east of Independence or San and the Pacific Coast. possible to know where one ended and
Antonio, it was stated, "requires three But that other life seemed terribly another began. As nearly as we could
months or more." remote as we sat there that night in judge, there appeared to be a hun-
That a military installation of Fort the old ordnance building, 100 years dred or more structures in various
Union's calibre could have been built —almost to the day—since the first stages of collapse. Largest of these is
and equipped in the face of such dif- joist had been laid; 60 years and seven the hospital situated at the southeast
ficulties seems almost incredible. months since the last soldier had taken corner of the fort, nearly 400 yards
On a reservation eight miles square, his departure from the fort and the from any other building. Bridging the
at a cost of approximately one-third War department had officially closed intervening distance is a neat flagstone
of a million dollars, there was erected the books. sidewalk, about three feet wide, and
a four-company post, consisting of Snapping brightly and spreading its bordered throughout its length by flat
barracks for enlisted single men, at- warm radiance in the chill October rocks set on edge. According to our
tractive quarters for bachelor officers air, our campfire of dry scrub-oak measurement the building was 100 x
and for married men with families, wood sent yellow shadows dancing on 250 feet in area, with numerous wards
residential accommodations for civilian the old adobe walls and across the leading off a central corridor.
employes; mess halls, kitchens, bakery, earthen floor. Above our heads Best preserved of all buildings at
a large well-equipped hospital, an winked a million stars in a cold dark the fort—and the only one with its
impregnable guardhouse, brick kiln, sky; but across the arroyo—in a fallen roof intact — is the all-rock guard-
sawmill, stable facilities for 1000 head city where gay young people had once house where Geronimo and Billy the
of mules and horses, and storage ware- whirled in cotillion and schottische— Kid both are said to have been tem-
houses capable of accommodating there showed not a pinprick of light; porarily imprisoned. Access to the
2000 tons of hay and 2,000,000 bush- and but for the crackling of our dying jail's 10 cells originally was given by
els of grain. fire, not a whisper of sound broke the 10 ponderous iron doors. All of these
During the 1860s, the fort had in stillness of our high wide world. have been removed, despite the fact
constant employ approximately 1000 Morning found us out of our sleep- that they were scarcely the sort of
persons—harness makers, repairmen, ing bags at dawn; and quickly as trinkets a tourist might carry away in
wheelwrights, wagon makers, black- breakfast might be prepared and his pocket! Other than this loss, the
smiths, carpenters, and general labor- camp made ship-shape, we were off old jail is so well preserved that it
ers, and the sutler's store was doing to our lost city — noon sandwiches might be reactivated tomorrow. To
an average daily business of $3000. tucked in our pockets, and canteens the credit of human progress it may
Married officers brought their wives and cameras slung over our shoulders. be said that no civilized nation on
and children to live at the fort and No Columbus setting forth for his earth would today permit the use of
it soon became a lively place, with New World could have been fired with such a place. With its cramped stone
weddings, christenings, dances, box greater anticipation. cells, providing neither light, heating,

8 DESERT MAGAZINE
nor sanitation facilities, the Fort Union Evidently the marker had been march. Albuquerque had fallen Feb-
dungeon was a. place far better con- erected prior to that 80-year-ago sur- ruary 21; Santa Fe, on March 10.
templated from the outside. vey, and after completion of the sur- With these victories, General H. H.
Prowling through the tall grass and vey, the figures had never been added. Sibley and his force of 2300 troops
weeds fringing the parade ground, we And now, I doubt if they ever will be! had begun their march on Fort Union,
discovered two concrete markers. One, Dry and weedy, unkempt and the principal objective of the Con-
an obelisk-shaped affair, tapering to lonely, the old parade ground gave federacy in New Mexico.
a central peak, carried on its face an little hint of the many stirring scenes Unlike Albuquerque and Santa Fe,
elevation notice: it had witnessed. It had seen brave Fort Union was manned in sufficient
(.835.493 men ride forth to battle and death, strength that she need not wait help-
ABOVE their wives and daughters and sweet- lessly for capture. Instead, assembly
TIDEWATER hearts trying to act brave and confi- call had once again sounded in the
dent while their hearts were shriveling old parade ground, and when General
inside them and the departmental band Sibley's men reached Apache Canyon,
AUG. 1867 was making the bare hills ring with on March 26, they found that Fort
The other marker, chipped and the Fort's traditional song of depar- Union had established a line of de-
faded with age, might have served as ture—The Girl I Left Behind Me. fense 45 miles southwest of her base.
a monument to procrastination. On And for 40 years, the old parade In the fierce battle that ensued, 32
one face of it appeared this engraving: ground had seen troops come riding Confederate soldiers were slain, 43
U.S. back -— sometimes in the rollicking wounded, and 71 taken prisoners.
MERIDIAN mood of victory, sometimes in fewer Fort Union's losses were lighter—but
and number than they had gone forth— there were losses.
LATITUDE MARK but always with the band playing Out Another battle between the oppos-
Explorations of the Wilderness. ing forces occurred two days later at
West of the There had been gory engagements nearby Pigeon's Ranch, and with the
100'h Meridian with hostile Indians and border ruffi- subsequent destruction of a Confeder-
War Department ans; and there had been the Civil War. ate supply train camped at Canoncito,
Reverse side of the monument read: Marching westward out of Texas the invaders from Texas were forced
Long. in 1862, the gray-clad Army of the to fall back to Santa Fe. Soon after-
hat Confederacy had rolled over New ward, Gen. Sibley withdrew from the
U.S. ENGINEERS Mexico like a juggernaut, capturing capital city and retreated down the
1871 every town and city in its line of Rio Grande.

The author'? mother examines some of the old relics An elevation marker probably erected here by surveyors
found during the exploration of the old fort site. in the middle of the last century.

FEBRUARY, 19 53
In his failure to capture Fort Union, where the commercial life of Fort reluctantly broke camp, leaving every
Confederate plans to conquer the Union formerly had its beginning and stick and stone in the old ordnance
Southwest had been frustrated, and end. Here, women could purchase building exactly as we had found it.
many historians believe that this fail- sugar for 50 cents a pound, and to- As we turned down the little road,
ure may have been responsible for matoes—ox-freighted all the way from leading back to the main highway and
changing the entire course of the war. St. Louis—for $1.50 a can. to Watrous, the grand old fort gradu-
For at least half of its career, Fort But no longer did the old store of- ally faded from our view. For a little
Union was one of the most important fer anything to please the palate or way longer we followed the etched
Army posts in the United States, and gladden the eye; nor was it possible ruts of the Santa Fe Trail; but, at last,
on its records appear many illustrious for a stranger to know with certainty they too were swallowed in the bigness
names. Here served Gen. E. R. S. exactly where the store had stood, al- of the morning and the immensity of
Canby, later to be murdered in north- though our platted map of the fort that high, lonely land.
eastern California while seeking to gave us fair idea. At the point we Fort Union is a ruin—stark and
negotiate peace with a band of rene- had figured for the site of the store, desolate and hopeless—but withal, the
gade Modocs. Others, in some fash- lay a great accumulation of broken bot- greatest ruin of its kind in the entire
ion connected with the fort, include tles, fragments of white crockery Southwest! Because of this fact, citi-
Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. John dishes, and slivers of purple desert zens of Mora county, and of Las
A. Logan, Kit Carson, and Gen. glass. Vegas (in San Miguel county), have
Ulysses S. Grant, who is said to have Scuffing along through the dust on been striving for many years to have
returned to the post in later years "to the hill slope, Mother found a badly- the fort set aside for perpetual preser-
feel again the lift of the high mesa, worn wooden bung—possibly from a vation by the National Park Service,
with its illimitable views." vinegar or molasses barrel—and Dad either as a national historical shrine,
Leaning our backs against the warm considered himself one of earth's or as a national monument. Progress
adobe wall, letting our eyes range chosen people when he came upon an in this effort, sad to say, has not been
over those tumbled ruins, it was sat- old brass button from an Army uni- especially encouraging.
isfying to remember that life at Fort form. Other than these, our memen- One of the major stumbling blocks
Union had not been all grim and toes of the day included only a mule toward such accomplishment, we were
gory. Wherever men died in the fron- shoe, a few harness buckles, and a informed by Lewis F. Schiele, man-
tier West, there, too. men had lived a couple of buried bottles turned irides- ager of Las Vegas Chamber of Com-
full life. cent by long exposure to mineral ele- merce, is the fact that the ruins are
Not until the sun was ncaring the ments in the soil. On the ground, owned by Union Land Grazing com-
pine-topped mesa to the west, and around many of the buildings, we had pany, an immense ranch bisected for
the chill of evening was creeping back found fragments of window glass, old several miles by the access road. Any
into the air, did we turn our steps and brittle, and rendered half opaque large volume of tourist travel upon
campward. Even then, we routed our by natural sandblasting. that road, it is feared by the company,
way past the site of the sutler's store. With morning of the third day, we would create a serious fire hazard and
thereby endanger adjacent rangelands.
Another difficulty that has beset the
project thus far, said Mr. Schiele, in-
volves the large outlay of funds needed
for purchasing the 860 acres of land
This is the season when it is a delightful experience to roam the on which the buildings are located.
desert country as a camera-hunter, searching for unusual subjects and During the 60 years elapsed since
lovely backgrounds and striking cloud patterns for pictures which decommissioning of the fort in Febru-
will bring pleasant memories in future years. And perhaps sharing ary, 1891, its structures have provided
the enjoyment of them with Desert Magazine readers—for every month building materials to half a dozen
the Desert staff offers prizes to those who send in the best prints. Any towns and no-one-knows-how-many
subject which is essentially of the desert will be acceptable. ranches. All principal woodwork, in-
Entries for the February contest must be in the Desert Magazine cluding roof timbers and floor joists,
office. Palm Desert, California, by February 20, and the winning prints practically all of the original tin roof-
will appear in the April issue. Pictures which arrive too late for one ing, and a considerable quantity of the
contest are held over for the next month. First prize is $10; second choicest building stone, have been
prize $5.00. For non-winning pictures accepted for publication $3.00 pulled from the walls for re-use else-
each will be paid. where. Some of it was taken by right
HERE ARE THE RULES of proprietorship; some by midnight
1—Prints lor monthly contests must be black and white, 5x7 or larger, printed requisition. In either case, it is gone.
on glossy paper. And so it is that the weakened build-
2—Each photograph submitted should be fully labeled as to subject, time and ings are fast returning to the dry earth
place. Also technical data: camera, shutter speed, hour of day, etc. whence they sprang. But even though
3—PRINTS WILL BE RETURNED WHEN RETURN POSTAGE IS ENCLOSED.
4—All entries must be in the Desert Magazine office by the 20th of the contest every timber and corner stone be spir-
month. ited away — even though its walls
5—Contests are open to both amateur and professional photographers. Desert crumble back to dust and the wild
Magazine requires first publication rights only of prize winning pictures. grass and sage move in to cover them
6—Time and place of photograph are immaterial, except that it must be from the
desert Southwest. —New Mexico's grand old fort shall
7—ludges will be selected from Desert's editorial staff, and awards will be made never die.
immediately after the close of the contest each month. Like the deeply-etched ruts of the
Address All Entries to Photo Editor Santa Fe Trail it was built to guard,
so the glory of Fort Union will live
*7ic Detent PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA forever in the epic saga of the South-
west.

10 DESERT MAGAZINE
Devil's Elbow is a rugged country. In the days before Hoover dam the river
surged through this canyon with terrific power.

Boat Trip in Mojave Canyon


Boatsman, explorer, rockhound, archeologist, fisherman, photog- miles of deep, tule lined sloughs and
rapher—there is something of interest for any or all of these hobbyists by-passed river beds above Topock
in little known Mojave Canyon in the Colorado River below Needles, and rolls past the bridges into the
California. Eut it is almost necessary to have a boat to gain access to tunneled maw of Mojave Canyon.
this fascinating region at the headwaters of Lake Havasu. "There was a time," John Booth told
By CLINTON R. HULL us. "when the river at its flood stage
Photographs by the author surged through this canyon with tre-
mendous power. But since Hoover
Map by Norton Allen and Davis dams have been completed
upstream the flood torrents never reach
N 1857, Lieut. J. C. Ives reported Shorty's Camp, a level, well kept camp this point. The current now flows less
in part to the War Department, site and boat landing snugged tight than two miles an hour." Since the
"It seems destined by nature that into the mesquite sheltered shore of Colorado's heavy load of silt is depos-
the Colorado River along the greater Topock Bay between water and high- ited behind the dams, the water is
portion of its majestic course shall re- way, launched our 14 foot plastic boat almost clear.
main forever unvisited and unmo- at the excellent free launching ramp, Topock Bay is regarded as the up-
lested." loaded our cameras and lunch aboard per end of Lake Havasu, that great
Lieut. Ives' dour forecast as to the and I pulled the starting rope on the reservoir formed by the Metropolitan
future of the Colorado River is easily Evenrude motor. Water district's dam at Parker, Ari-
understood. He had spent many weeks At the lower end of the half mile zona. However, during the years since
pulling and pushing his iron boat, the wide bay we dodged a long tongue of the dam was completed sediment has
Explorer, from the mouth of the river sandbar, cruised slowly through the built up the floor of the upper lake so
400 miles upstream to Black Canyon. narrow opening into the river and much that the water level at Topock
He could see little virtue in a stream turned southward beneath the trio of actually is five feet higher than the top
which had given him such a bad time. high bridges which carry the Santa Fe of Parker dam. There is a noticeable
Today the canyons of the Lower Railroad, U. S. Highway 66 and the current for a distance of 13 miles be-
Colorado are nearly all accessible. The Texas-to-California "big inch" gas line low Topock.
upper entrance to one of the most over the river at Topock.
colorful and spectacular of them all is The shore above the canyon is lined
We'd crossed two of those bridges
at Topock Bay, Arizona, but 15 miles more than once, but like thousands of with cat-tails and wild rice. These
from Needles. California, over U. S. others who visit Lake Havasu and gave way as we approached the gorge
Highway 66. Parker Dam or roar along the high- which the river in prehistoric ages
"The most neautiful little canyon way east or west, we had never realized chiseled between Arizona's Mojave
on the river — and the most photo- that but a short distance away was range on one side and California's
genic." our friend John Booth insisted one of the most scenic and delightful Chemehuevi Mountains on the other.
when telling us about it. "But you'll spots imaginable. Even in the upper gorge there are
have to come by water. No roads or Those bridges are at the portal of feeder canyons in the solid walls, and
trails into Mojave except the river." a lovely canyon. Against the rock in these canyons are sloughs almost
So it was in early April when Ethel faced railroad embankment the river hidden by tules. These side canyons.
and I parked our car and trailer at gathers its straying waters from the we learned later, are perfect hiding

FEBRUARY, 1953 11
climb steeply from the river's 450 foot
level to 2,000 feet and more. Pinna-
cles which for thousands of years must
have landmarked the river crossing
for wandering bands of Indians, and
to which the Spanish explorers, Juan
de Onate (1604-5), Father Francisco
Garces (1775-6) and possibly Her-
nando de Alarcon (1540) — though
this last is doubtful—found their way,
as did James Ohio Pattie and Pegleg
Smith in 1825-6, Jededia Smith in
1826-7 and engineers of the Santa Fe
Railroad who first bridged the river
in 1883. These Pinnacles also gave
the Mojave (Three mountain) tribe of
Indians and the railroad town of
Needles their names. Opposite them,
across the river, the jumbled chaos of
the even more rugged but somewhat
lower Chemehuevis form the west wall
of the canyon.
^ \ i l GAUGING STA ..... ..... . f'^,'/ '; •'": ,•"•; '"•

With John aboard as guide, we

iliif
kV't-'""'-- $ " " ' : Devi7s Elbow <p OVER-NIGHT CAMP SPOT •,'•'•>'
swung again onto the blue and silver
ribbon of the river as it curved away
to disappear into the wave-like lava
formations along Devil's Elbow, a
', •'"v'i-V'"'''""..,, •':- .^••Nffiiondorai"(Split) Rock'" ''%
double-jointed dog-leg jog, whose per-
pendicular walls glowed molten red in
the early morning sun as though still
' Picture smoldering with the subterranean fires
that spawned them.
To the left, beneath an over-hang-
ing ledge whose walls and ceiling were
black with centuries of cooking fires,
:
John pointed out the probable stop-
ping-off place for inter-visiting Cheme-
huevi and Mojave Indians, between
whose tribal lands the canyon was the
dividing line.
The Chemehuevis, who were mem-
bers of the Shoshonean and Paiute
family and primarily hunters and raid-
ers, held the valley from The Needles
southward to the Bill Williams River
and what is now lower Lake Havasu
and Parker Dam. The Mojaves, of the
^*wyjn»_
more stationary Yuman group, farmed
places for the river's big channel cat- John is the canyon's only inhabitant. the rich river bottoms near the present
fish and largemouth bass. A spry young fellow of 75, former town of Needles and ranged northward
Scattered encelia and creosote mining metallurgist, world traveler, to Black Canyon in which Hoover Dam
bushes climbed high up the talus slopes. gadgeteer, photographer and outdoors- is now located.
Mesquite and tamarisk wedged them- man, now gauging station attendant, Fierce warriors all of them; the
selves into the shattered rock and pla- who romps up and down the 45-degree members of the 4000 strong Mojave,
toons of bisnaga cactus marched down goat trail between cottage and boat or Hamokhara Nation, (Whipple, Pac.
from the highest visible summits to landing with surprising agility. His R. R. Rep. Ill, 1856) in particular,
stand but inches above water-line. At bounty supports a family of friendly were noted for their tribal loyalty,
intervals flaming beavertail cactus kangaroo rats. He bakes the best powerful physiques and were rated sec-
blossoms gleamed like neon lights from cherry pie in Arizona. ond only to the Apaches in fighting
the sun-baked shale along the canyon John has neither road nor telephone ability.
walls. and his only means of contact with Lieut. Ives said in his report to the
Three miles down-river from the the outside world are his outboard boat War Department that the Mojaves
bridges where the precipitous walls and the short wave radio over which
crowded the river into a channel less were as fine a people physically as he
he receives his orders. But few men
than 500 feet wide, John's weathered have more visitors, more real friends, had ever seen.
cottage came into view, perched atop or lead a happier life. "I live," he But so troublesome did they become
a hump-backed shelf above the num- chuckles, "as thousands of people during the frenzied westward rush of
bered column and swaying cable car would like to live if they could." the gold hungry 49ers that two expe-
of the U. S. Geodetic Survey's Lake Directly behind his cottage the red ditions, one under Capt. Sitgreaves in
Havasu gauging station. and gold pinnacles of The Needles 1850 and a second under Lieut. Whip-
12 DESERT MAGAZINE
points to the storm symbol among the petroglyphs on Picture Rock.

At the entrance to Booth Cavern. Someone has filed a mining claim on the bat
guano in this cave.

FEBRUARY, 1953 13
The bay and the three bridges at Topock on the A rizona side of the river.
pie in 1854, were sent against them. like some prehistoric monster to split Oddly enough, no minerals are
It required Fort Mojave and a per- the river channel, its flood carved up- found in paying quantities but the
manently stationed troop of soldiers stream face the nesting place for a gravel beds near Mojave Rock proved
finally to bring them under control. great colony of swallows. Below it a fair hunting grounds. In half an hour
million tons of sand lay in long, con- we found jasper, agate, chalcedony,
At Devil's Elbow the highest peak
stantly shifting bars. quartz and several chunks of obsidian,
formations shifted to the Chemehuevis,
their broken crests of alternate lava Mojave Rock lies at mile 10 from all obviously alluvial detritus.
and granite reaching hundreds of feet Topock and marks the end of the This is cave formation. Two large
into the crisp blue sky, their flaming canyon, but the return trip, with the ones, Both Cavern and Pack-Rat Cave,
images mirrored deep in the dark blue sun high overhead, was even more are but a short distance from the river.
water of the river. Three miles below spectacular. Everywhere, from water- The first, which John had discovered
the Elbow and approximately a mile line to summit, natural arches were several years before, and whose rooms
from shore on the California side a visible; some but inches in size, others, beneath a sheer 75 foot dry waterfall
huge arch, deep-etched into the sheer whose openings spanned many feet, could shelter several dozen persons—
face of the cliff was reminiscent of rode the skylines of the blister-pitted and does shelter a huge colony of bats
Glen Canyon 400 miles to the north. volcanic ridges. Yellow and white —lies directly below and to the left
sand dunes draped themselves mantle- of a great open arch plainly visible
Here the canyon walls swung wide like about the shoulders of dark peaks atop a ridge a mile above Mojave Rock
again to hem the sandy wastes of the and lighter colored masses of broken on the Arizona side.
Chemehuevi Valley and Lake Havasu, granite jutted through their eons old The second, also in Arizona, I dis-
and bald old Mojave Rock crouched burden of over-lying lava. covered when I climbed ashore to
Mojave Rock in the middle of the stream at the low end of Mojave Canyon is a
historic landmark.

14 DESERT MAGAZINE
photograph an especially beautiful • •••• •• T

beavertail cactus. Its nine foot ceiling


and 15 by 20 foot room is much more
usable and overlooks a tiny bay prob-
ably a mile nearer Devil's Elbow. Un-
questionably there are others, perhaps
much larger, to be found. The place is
well worth a v/eek—or a month—of
exploration.
But to us the most interesting of all
was Picture Rock, a great gray slab
lying but a few hundred feet from
Booth Cavern, its surface literally cov-
ered with dozens of petroglyphs. The
figures were very crude but unusually
numerous and deeply etched into the
hard surface. Predominant among
them were the storm signs.
Lava blisters beneath the apparently
solid surface drummed hollowly as we
walked across the nearly level area in
front of the stone, giving an eerie feel-
ing to the place. Over most of the
shelf were hundreds of black and pearl
colored fragments of quartz, obsidian
and flint from the making of arrow
heads. Ethel searched diligently while
John and I examined the drawing, but
was unable to find any undamaged
pieces.
Looking out over the broad expanse I' \
of the river toward the Chemehuevi
Valley it was easy to picture the old
arrow-maker seated in the warm sun,
perhaps with his camp behind him
and his son or grandson busily etching
the story of the tribe in stone that will
I.«
remain unchanged long after our own
civilization has crumbled and gone.
Above Picture Rock, on both sides
of the river, stone faces and figures
stood out in gigantic mold. The Chief's
profile and Cockscomb Ridge in the
Chemehuevis; Satan's Urn, Heron's •sasesmmfgi
View and Mardarin (Split) Rock in There are always fish enough to eat, and a few to take home.
the curve of Devil's Elbow; the latter
when seen from a point close to the frenzied rush of the outside world may on the Colorado, though for most of
Arizona cliffs resembles to an aston- be forgotten. Half a dozen boats may us the summer months are much too
ishing degree a fat old Chinese Man- pass in a day, or none at all. And warm. Spring and fall days are de-
darin. you're strictly on your own. There lightful, with balmy evenings, cool
Near the Elbow and now covered are no guided tours or commercialized nights and snappy mornings. There
with water Jchn remembers seeing boat trips. The canyon is too small are few mosquitoes, though there are
iron rings set into the rocks, perhaps for that. But if you have no boat of gnats of an evening and flies around
by Lieut. Ives, or by Capt. Johnson, your own you can obtain one at camp during the day.
who pushed The General Jessup over Shorty's Camp, Site Six, or Havasu Perhaps too there is better fishing
the same course in 1885, but more Landing and park your outfit there. to be had than is found in the canyon
likely by the barge skippers who There are bird sanctuaries at either proper and there is little hunting there,
hauled gold ore from the old Moss end of Mojave, and cormorants, ducks but the bay and sloughs around To-
mine in Oatmai after the civil war. pock afford plenty of both. Fish or
and geese sweep up and down the river
Behind John's cottage as we pulled in flocks of 50 or more. White and not, to us the grandeur of the crum-
up to his landing, the spires of The bling walls, ablaze in the slanting sun,
blue herons stand like one-legged sen-
Needles, dull r;d in the evening sun, the rich blue of the narrow sky-cap
tinels along the shifting bars and on above and the equally blue water of
flaunted their battlements high above
the river. That was our first trip to the tips of up-thrust rocks overlooking the river are enough. Whether we take
Mojave—but not our last. For here the tule beds where hundreds of noisy our bedrolls for a quiet night in the
truly is one oE the Colorado's most coot cluck and squabble. Beaver and canyon or return to camp, somehow
intriguing canyons. muskrats swim boldly across the river there are always fish to eat, a few to
and the big brown hawks fly their take home and the feeling that perhaps
Best of all to us, is the quiet,
deadly patrol. after all the world is a pretty good
unspoiled beauty of the place. The
feeling that here is peace and the There is no closed fishing season place to be.

FEBRUARY, 19 5 3 15
Bed and Grub in a Knapsack
Members of California's Sierra Club take regularly scheduled By WELDON F. HEALD
back-pack trips into the many beautiful mountain areas of the South- Photographs by the Author
west. Weldon Heald finds also that there is exhilarating pleasure in
going out on two or three-day pack trips alone. With his home on his OR SEVERAL years I have been
back he has traveled thousands of miles in the desert wilderness areas
taking two and three-day knap-
of the Southwest. Here he tells what to take and how to organize an
overnight knapsack expedition. sack trips into little-known areas
of the Southwest. On foot I have
visited spectacular hidden canyons,
7 he author, his pack on his back, pauses on a several-day trip into one of mesas studded with long-forgotten cliff
the remoter regions of the desert Southwest. The cane came from Switzer- dwellings and skyline oases bristling
land 22 years ago, and Heald has hiked thousands of miles with it since then. with pine, spruce and fir. These trips,
with my home on my back, have re-
vealed as nothing else could, the vast
silent fascination of the desert.
And yet, in all my wanderings in
Arizona 1 have never met another
back-packer. Why this simple, inex-
pensive and thoroughly satisfactory
method of travel, so popular elsewhere,
has been neglected in the Southwest is
a puzzle to me. In fact, with the ex-
ception of members of the Sierra Club
of California I know of no confirmed
knapsackers in the entire region.
1 believe that many Southwesterners
are missing a stimulating and exhila-
rating experience. For 1 have found
that it is only when automobiles, horses
and gregarious organized parties are
left behind that one feels the ultimate,
breath-taking impact of this unique
land. With a knapsack on my back I
am on my own. I have shed the last
wrappings of civilized insulation and
meet the elusive personality of the
desert full-face in the glaring sun of
midday and under the velvet, star-
filled skies.
However, this form of travel, like
most everything else in life, has its
drawbacks. A heavy load on a long
trail can become a form of punishment
akin to the self-imposed lashings of
the Flagelantes. On the other hand,
the packer may deprive himself of
much of the pleasure of the trip by
packing too light—by leaving out es-
sential items merely for the sake of
making an easy load to carry. So,
back-packing resolves itself into a
compromise somewhere between tak-
ing everything but the kitchen stove,
and carrying nothing at all. Nobody
has yet found a perfect complete ad-
justment between these two extremes,
but through trial and error I have
managed to achieve a reasonable
amount of comfort and well being on
short knapsack trips without stagger-
ing under an unbearable burden. My
whole philosophy of knapsacking is
based on the theory that any load over
25 pounds is too heavy and that 1
would rather carry 15 than 20. So my

16
DESERT MAGAZINE
Aravaipa Canyon in southern Arizona is wilderness country ideal for desert knap-
sack trips. Pink sandstone walls rise 700 feet above a crystal clear stream.

FEBRUARY, 19 5 3 17
chief concern has been to pare down pans becoming smoke-blackened over equipment—which with me adds 2Vk
what I consider essential equipment to an open fire. However, I have found pounds:
a minimum of lightweight items. the cooking griddle to be one of my ITEMS LBS OZ.
My basic pack, consisting of the happiest discoveries. Made of mag- Miniature camera and case 0 15
necessities for any trip, long or short. nesium — two-thirds the weight of Filter and adapter ring .. 0 2
aluminum—the griddle is flat with a Automatic self-taker 0 2
weighs a little over 11 Vi pounds and Light meter Oil
includes the following: slight flaring rim all around. Not only Films .... 0 6
ITEMS LBS. OZ.
does it serve as a stove-top, keeping
cooking equipment clean, but one can Total 2 4
Nylon knapsack . . . 1 0
Detachable metal pack frame 1 0 fry directly on the griddle, and it makes
Blanket sleeping bag and case ... 5 11 an excellent toaster as well. The pencil Of course, all this need not be car-
Cooking kit 1 8 flashlight is a second useful but not ried in the pack. You can hang the
10x10" square cooking griddle 1 0 camera from your neck or shoulder
First aid kit (including snake bite essential item which can be omitted.
kit and waterproof matchbox) 0 5
and decorate yourself around the belt
Toilet kit (comb, steel mirror, tooth Another major find was the feather- like an animated Christmas tree with
brush, tooth paste, hotel-size soap weight rucksack. Norwegian style, photographic equipment, as well as
—razor omitted) __.. 0 10
with a detachable magnesium frame, first aid kit, cup, knife and hand ax.
Pencil flashlight & extra batteries 0 4 In this way you can delightfully delude
Paper towelling 0 3 it measures 17 inches high. 47 inches yourself, for no true knapsacker ever
around the base, is waterproof, and is considers that articles carried outside
Total 1 1 9 the coolest and most comfortable pack the pack have any weight whatsoever.
This weight can be reduced by a I have ever carried. Two outer zipper
On these energetic expeditions it is
pound if you don't mind your pots and pockets provide space for camera highly important that you have a good
night's rest, and your bed is usually
This rocky peak in Cochise Stronghold, Arizona, is but one of the endless the heaviest single item. I will put up
remote and little-known areas to explore on back pack trips. no strenuous argument that my mum-
my-type experimental army blanket
bag and case are the lightest and most
efficient made. And I do know from
painful experience that they are just
borderline for comfortable sleeping
when the temperature drops below 45°
F. On the other hand, bag and case
roll into a much less bulky bundle
than a down bag of the same weight,
and I can tie it to the back ends of
my rucksack shoulder straps with two
webbing straps, where it rides easily
and is well balanced. When I expect
cold nights I substitute a larger down
bag with light ground sheet, but this
weighs more and, in general, is much
less satisfactory for knapsack trips.
Another substitution for cold weather
is warmer extra clothing. My ancient
and much-traveled suede jacket, al-
most equalling my hat in disreputabil-
ity, is sufficient for spring, summer
and fall, but in winter or when camp-
ing at high altitudes I switch to a
sweater and windbreaker. They add
welcome insulation and outweigh the
jacket by only 5 ounces. Also during
the summer rainy season in the moun-
tains of Arizona and New Mexico a
light 15-ounce poncho often pays its
freight.
Every knapsacker has his favorite
gadget, and perhaps I gloat most over
my cooking kit. A neater job I never
saw and the man who designed it de-
serves a medal. Nested in a strong,
light cloth case, 7 inches in diameter
and 3 inches deep, are 11 aluminum
pieces weighing but a pound and a
half — frying pan with detachable
handle, pot with bale, pot cover, deep-
rimmed plate or pan, cup, knife, fork
and spoon, bottle and can opener. I
bought this kit several years ago and

DESERT MAGAZINE
Weldon Heald's basic pack is the same for overnight or a week-long knapsack trip.
It weighs a little more than 11V2 pounds. Food carried will bring the load up to
from five to 10 pounds more, depending on the length of time on the trail.

I believe it is, or was, official Boy fire started in the morning. I hasten instant coffee (2 oz. equals about
l
Scout equipment. to add, for the benefit of fastidious P o u n d r e 8 u l a r coffee > ° -
I have never had difficulty scraping campers, that your cooking equipment ^se;-;;;"~; |J jj
together enough fuel for cooking even c a n b e thoroughly sterilized in boiling Small can evaporated milk.... 0 8
on the desert, so do not tote along a w a t e r u P o n y ° u r r e t u r n t 0 civilization Salt pepper ... 0 V2
portable stove. Nor have I needed my ~™ that ™ bit of egg need adhere to gits ra sins.dried fruit 0 «
small belt ax which weighs 1 pound, the frying pan to mar your next trip. Vvorite dessert) Z ? P . ™ 0 9
f. nnnrpc Hr,w,>vpr n cmr»H tnifp u aBut, fastidious or not, I believe it is
L k S s a b l e SeandwarUkehun maxim that an honest-to-goodness Other foods near the top in nourish-
indispensable. Huge and warlike hunt- , h hil| h ment are peanut butter, with 2740
ing knives look impressive, but are knapsacker never shaves while on the ^ . ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
only in the way; all you need is a sturdy lId11- . . 9 7 7 n r oi n r ,v, p^^-u,^ m . i r ,mni
A s l said
Docket knife with several blades in a before, there is nothing Z//{J calories. Packaged macaroni
scientific about m methods That pr( UCtS P
4°nch handle w S B atout 3 y " ? ' ^Pared il
\. s u even minutes
mak a
ounces Then - counle of band inas goes for food too. The fact that the e good evening dish, and I otten
are useful and ran serte many our daily U. S. army ration contains 3500 carry hamburger or canned roast beef.
JoJ 1 h dk h e t o V o t ^rge calories and nearly 100 grams Cans, however, weigh from a pound to
a
poses from a handkerchief to a pot => J 1 have P o u n d a n d a h a l f ' making them a
holder. I always keep one in my hip °} P r °iein 'eaves me com. i nave t- ; . ,' . • & ,
pocket where the loose end protrudes simply worked out various combina- J ™ r y to be indulged ,n only on
as a sort of official expedition flag. tion of light-weight foods, high in cal- shorter trips
b
one content, which have proved to be But combinations are endless and.
One of the pleasures of knapsack- s u f f i c i e n t f u e l t o prO pel me there and of course, dehydrated and powdered
ing is that camp chores can be reduced b a c k without pangs of gnawing hun- foods as well as balanced army, Boy
to a minimum. My method of doing g e r H e r e a r e a few foocj j t e m s w j t h Scout and commercial rations arc
them the easy way is to take 25 or 30 weights for a three-day trip: available. One advertised ration con-
sheets of paper towelling in lieu of ITEMS LBS. OZ. sists of precooked, dehydrated, pack-
dish cloths and towels. Pots, pans and Vl &• ess^ & cardboad container a g e ( j m e a ] s averaging about 2500 cal-
plates can be scrubbed reasonably [2 halT sHces'bacon6" ° n e y 0 4 ones and over
90 grams protein per
clean with warm water and a couple 6 slices bread 0 7 day. These include such civilized fare
of sheets of the paper; you can dry Butter 0 K as chicken or beef and gravy, but each
yourself with it after washing; and it S S S f f S t e P (i5SS 4 ^ S ) ° meal
™^ f
™m a
P°und to nearly
is easily disposed or or used to get the and/or tea bags .... 0 2 two pounds and I have found them to
F E B R U A R Y , 19 5 3 19
delicacy can be made by cooking pow-
dered cheese with powdered eggs for
a tasty Welch rarebit poured over a
slice of toast. Inventing ingenious
concoctions is a knapsacker's preroga-
tive, and he is inordinately pleased
with himself over his culinary discov-
eries. I am no exception, but some of
my most remarkable stodges over the
fire seem to bring joy to me alone.
Some knapsackcrs chew gum and
suck hard candy to allay thirst on the
trail. This ever-present thirst which
sometimes will pursue one for hours
up hill and down, brings us finally to
the delicate question of water. With
gruesome tales of horrible deaths from
thirst a part of the folk-lore of the
Southwest, I hardly have the temerity
to advise knapsackers to leave their
canteens behind unless they are abso-
lutely necessary. However, a filled
quart-and-a-half canteen weighs four
pounds, eight ounces, and that is only
a drop in the bucket, figuratively
speaking, to your daily need.
I took part in army desert tests dur-
ing World War II which showed that
in a temperature of 80-85° F. an active
man lost over a gallon of water every
24 hours. Sooner or later he must
make up this dehydration. But toting
10 to 12 pounds of drinking water
doesn't seem to me the wise way to
do it. Better, I think, is my rule: Never
take a knapsack trip into an area which
has no water. Learn before you start
the exact location of all springs,
streams, pools or tanks, then be sure
that drouth hasn't dried them up and
that it is the right season for them to
be filled. It has always been a sur-
prise to me how many sources of
water there are in this arid land, and
in all my wanderings with a pack on
Thousand of miles of trail in the great Southwest lie open and waiting for my back I have never yet made a dry
hikers to visit for a day, a week or a month. Here a group passes through camp. If you are not sure of a good
one of the many narrow canyons in Chiricahua National Monument. source of water for your night stops
—don't go!
load up my rucksack more than foods than I have ever needed. On a check-
of my own selection. Furthermore, I up of several authoritative knapsack With a 16 to 18 pound pack on
am apt not to want to eat a particular and camping manuals, I find that the your back and two good legs to carry
meal at the time I'm supposed to have food considered necessary for one man you, thousands of square miles of the
it. That is my main objection to defi- for three days varies from 8 pounds, 4 great Southwest lie open and waiting
nite daily rations planned beforehand. ounces to over 12 pounds. Although for you. There are endless possibili-
But if you prefer a ration system, even I weigh 175 pounds and make no ties to explore and enjoy remote and
if you make it up yourself, a handy claims to a bird-like appetite, my own little-known areas from Coachella
method is to pack each meal in a three-day food supply checks in at Valley's Santa Rosa Mountains to
tough, thin, waterproof plastic bag from 5Vi to 7 pounds, and even then Boquillas Canyon in the Big Bend
about 4x4x8 inches and seal it with there is always something left over. country of Texas.
scotch tape. Another knack that comes with ex- Maybe you and I will chance to
But no matter how much advice old perience is getting the most out of meet some day deep in Aravaipa Can-
hands can give you, satisfactory food your food. Here are two out of many
for knapsacking trips can be worked yon, by the Gila cliff dwellings in New
dodges that add pleasure to my trips.
out only through experience by each I always carry a couple of one-ounce Mexico, or even high on Nevada's
individual. People's tastes and require- packages of concentrated fruit flavor- Wheeler Peak. Then you can tell me
ments differ greatly, and even the ing powder. Nothing is more refresh- about your experiences with your home
weather and length of daily hikes will ing on the trail than a cool drink of on your back, and that evening we'll
alter your appetite. But in every case, lemonade or orangeade, and the sugar sit beside the glowing campfire and
the food lists prepared by so-called added gives you a needed boost of compare notes on this fascinating
experts prescribe far greater amounts quick energy. Then an appetizing business of knapsacking.

20 DESERT MAGAZINE
Writes the author: "This really happened to me when

LIFE ON THE DESERT I taught school in the Upper Verde Valley in Arizona
in 1904." This was one of the winning stories in Desert
Magazine's Life-on-the-Desert contest.
By LOUISE SWITZER THOMPSON

send Stelly over to help you dust things "Here's six grains, scatter 'em about
7 HE PACK RAT and I kept
school in a typical little country
school house 50 years ago. It
would be incorrect to say it was a
off a bit. Goodbye now."
"But the rat! What will we do
about him?"
on the desks. Mark where you put 'em
and gather up any that are left in the
mornin'!"
"little red school house" for actually "Shucks, he won't hurt you. Likely "Do you think he will eat them?" I
it had no trace of paint of any color. you'll never see him. Have to get a stammered, beginning to wish I had
Six staring windows, two outhouses, new ceilin' in here next vacation. I'll not been so vehement. "I didn't want
and a hitching rack for ponies identi- take it up with the school board." to kill him. I want the ceiling fixed."
fied it for what it was. It shimmered He shut the door firmly and went "Sartinly he'll eat 'em. No time to
in the heat of a flat barren mesa. Be- off, leaving me alone in the middle of fix the ceilin' now. We are all too
yond and below was the Verde river Arizona with a pack rat, whatever that busy gettin' the apples to market."
bottom, lush with cottonwoods and was. "You won't tell the children? They
willows. Mr. Jordan was right. 1 never saw like Jacob."
Mr. Jordan was chairman of the the pack rat although there was evi-
dence that he occupied the school Mr. Jordan's eyes twinkled in the
board of trustees, and he contributed dim light. "I won't tell 'em but coun-
six children to the school's enrollment. room after school was dismissed. The
children were entranced with our mas- try kids take things like that in their
Soon after 1 arrived he took me over stride. A man's got to save his crops,
to show me the school where I was to cot and I often saw them gazing at the
corner of the ceiling that bulged lower you know."
begin my initial teaching the follow-
ing Monday. Just out of normal school as the months went by. There was no I retraced my way to the school
I was very earnest, and a little fright- sign from him even when the old or- house and gingerly placed the poisoned
ened at the prospect. gan groaned and squeaked out songs pellets on six separate desks, then
and marches under Stella Jordan's ef- locked up and hurried home to din-
When the door screeched back on forts. ner.
its rusty hinges I saw that the inside
of the building was as devoid of paint But the pack rat—Jake we called I was not hungry. Mr. Jordan's
as the outside. Probably the two rows him—plied his trade. He made off look of inquiry made me feel like a
of desks had once been new and var- with two of the new erasers within a cross between the hangman and the
nished, but now they were carved with month, carried off pencils and pens left next applicant for a lot in Boothill
initials and cattle brands. on desks, a forgotten spoon, and he cemetery. I nodded briefly and retired
had an obsession for colored chalk. I to spend a restless night, wondering
There was a water bucket with a wondered if he ate it. And always he for the first time if Jake had a family
tin dipper on a bench beside the door. left payment for all he took in rat up there in the ceiling. Maybe he
Teacher's desk and a cottage organ coinage: sticks and stones, pine cones would take them this special treat of
were on a slightly raised platform at washed down the river bed from for- wheat grains and kill them all. I crept
one end of the room, backed by a ests miles away. Small red apples left downstairs at the break of day and
blackboard. A rusty pot-bellied stove on desks by the children for him were hurried over to the schoolhouse. It
suggested that the weather would not sometimes ignored and pencils rooted took moral courage to open the door.
always be so hot. The room was ceiled out from behind the books in the desks. No grain on the desk near the door,
with dirty gray cheesecloth that once nor on the next. My heart felt like
The climax came the day the old
probably was white. Mr. Jordan, a lead as I walked slowly about. But
clock on the wall gave up and died. I
transplanted New England Yankee was there! On the smallest desk near mine
put my new Ingersol special, small
visibly straining to get back to his truck lay all six grains in a neat little pile.
size for ladies, on the desk to check
farm and apple orchards but I timidly
the time as the day wore on. The "You win, Jake," I said looking up
called his attention to an ominous bulge
river bed was a riot of autumn color at the bulge in the corner, "You even
in the ceiling over the organ. He walked
and after I dismissed the pupils I have a sense of humor. Keep the
over and squinted up at it.
walked down to gather leaves, leaving watch for a Christmas present."
'"Pack rat,'1 he announced laconi- my watch on the desk. When I re- I burned the grain and got up nerve
cally. "Rascal's been down here too. turned there lay in its place a very dry enough to ask for a new supply of
There's a hole in the cloth. Likely cow chip. I looked up at the ceiling. pencils and for repairs to the ancient
come up under the eaves from outside. "All right, Jake. This is adding in- clock.
Wonder if that last teacher left any- sult to injury and I am going to do Toward spring Jake made fewer
thing out fer him to get at." something about you." I locked up depredations and in the last month of
He walked briskly over to a shallow and went in search of Mr. Jordan. I school none at all. Possibly he had
cupboard behind teacher's desk. Pres- found him in his cave-like apple cellar, moved out to greener pastures. When
ently he rumbled: packing fruit. I stormed about the I returned the following fall to teach
"Looks like ever'thing's here. Twelve pack rat, then felt like a school child my second year the schoolhouse had
new erasers last year. She was always myself as I awaited his reaction, if any. a proper wood ceiling that looked
wantin' something. Here's the register. "Tell you what," he said finally, glaringly new against the old weather
Plenty of pencils and chalk fer a start. "This is Friday, no school tomorrow. stained walls. Mr. Jordan handed me
Likely be a box from the county super- I'll give you some poisoned grain I my Ingersol with twinkling eyes.
intendent with supplies by the time I used in here to get rid of some of the "When we tore down the rat nest
get up to Jerome again. Well I got to rascals." we never saw hide nor hair of your
be goin'. We're loadin' garden truck He walked over to a corner and pack rat but he left this for you. Runs
to take to town in the mornin'. I'll reached high on a rafter for a can. as good as ever."

FEBRUARY, 1953 21
"/ am Conchas," the Indian introduced himself, "and it has been a long time since
I have seen this place."

Quest for the Peralta Gold


More than 100 years have after repeated attacks by marauding weapons. They had no use for the
passed since the Peralta family Apache Indians. gold ore, or for the pack animals. They
of M e x i c o i s s a i d to h a v e Just when the Peralta gold ledge was cut the pack saddle harness and let
worked a rich gold ledge in discovered, and the identity of those the ore lie where it fell, salvaging for
the Superstition Mountains of who made the original location, are themselves only the food, utensils and
Arizona—and the search still questions upon which there is a wide clothing they desired.
goes on for the long lost treas- divergence of report. But the Peraltas Many years later, one of those who
ure. Here is the story of one are said to have gone into the Super- heard the Peralta story as it had been
of the many men who have stitions about 1847, and to have taken passed along through devious chan-
sought the fabulous Peralta out a fortune in high grade ore during nels, was a cowboy named C. H.
ledge. the following three years. Silverlock.
They are said to have decided to He had been told that there were
By ROBERT L. GARMAN abandon the mine in 1850, and at this places in the Superstitions where rich
Art sketch by Bill Edwards time Pedro Peralta loaded the best of gold ore lay on the surface of the
the ore including some rich placer ground, requiring no labor except to

7 HERE ARE many stories of lost


gold in the Superstition Moun-
tains of Arizona, and almost
sand on a burro train and started on
the final trip to Mexico.
Then Apache Indians, who had been
pick it up. Since he was a cowman,
and not a miner, this manner of ac-
quiring gold appealed to him, and he
without exception these stories begin watching the operation from the cover started a search which continued for
in the middle of the last century when of nearby crags, swooped down on the years. Part of the time he was accom-
members of the Peralta family of Mex- pack train and wiped out the entire panied by a partner named Kimball.
ico are reputed to have worked a rich cavalcade. The Indians were interested and it was by Kimball's son, who oc-
deposit which they abandoned finally primarily in the tools and clothing and casionally accompanied his father, that

22 DESERT MAGAZINE
Northwestern face of the Superstitions. It is believed that the last attack of the Weavers Needle in the Superstitions.
Apaches which wiped out the Peralta pack train took place on the slope in the An old Indian trail follows the ar-
foreground. It is said that in later years the bones of humans and mules were royo toward the Needle and crosses
found here. Here Silverlock is said to have found some of his gold ore, and a the mountain divide to the left of
20-ft. shaft hidden by cholla in this picture is believed to have been dug by him. the pinnacle.

the story was told many years later. It was a puzzling situation. Surely riches. He would not work through
In the early months of 1914, Silver-the ledge from which this ore had the heat.
lock obtained employment on a ranch come was located somewhere on the But Silverlock continued his search.
near the west end of the mountains. slope above. For weeks and months He had quit his ranch job, and was
As he went about his work on the he returned at every opportunity to dig devoting every daylight hour to his
range, and during his off-duty days he beneath the surface in quest of the quest for the source of the rich ore.
made a systematic search of the can- mother lode. He was determined to solve the mys-
yons in the vicinity. His quest gradually extended over tery. He could have no peace of mind
He panned tli2 sand in the arroyos a wide area, and he found more of the until he located the mother lode.
and occasionally found a trace of gold, rich ore scattered on the surface. He One day as he was swinging his
but never in large quantities. carefully sacked up this ore and cached pick, he stopped for a moment and
Then one day as he was riding on it for the day when he could transport as he glanced toward the plain below
the northeast side of the Superstitions it to a market. he saw a lone rider making his way
he stopped to rest on a hillside covered He became convinced that there up the mountainside. When the horse-
with saguaro cactus, ocotillo and palo were many rich ledges in the vicinity, man drew near, he greeted him, and
verde trees. It was a lovely natural and that if he could but get his pick judged that the visitor was in his
garden and on the slope above he into the quartz as it occurred in place, eighties, although he sat erect on a
could see prospect holes where miners he would have fabulous wealth. well-groomed horse.
had gouged out rock in search for He staked out numerous claims so A friendly smile was on the face of
stringers of gold. that when the vein was found he would the stranger, and he spoke excellent
Just ahead of him there appeared have a right to the ore, wherever it English.
to be an outcrop of quartz, partly hid- might be. He brought in a partner "Are you Silverlock?" he asked.
den in desert vegetation and the rhyo- to help with the search, and one day The cowboy nodded, and wondered
lite rubble of the mountainside. He as they were walking down the moun- how the visitor, who obviously was an
dismounted and picked up a piece of tainside they came upon a place where Indian, knew his name.
the ore, and to his amazement found the sand under their feet glittered with
tiny specks of yellow gold. They "I am Conchas," the Indian intro-
it was rich with gold. There was a
quantity of the quartz lying loose on scooped up the sandy loam and packed duced himself," and it has been a long
the ground. He gathered it into a pile, it to the nearest water where many time since I have been to this place. I
and then hurried back to the ranch pounds of fine gold were recovered had heard you were digging for gold
to get pick and shovel with which to by panning. But the placer area ex- and I came to see."
mine the ledge from which it came. tended only over a small plot. Beyond The Indian then urged his pony for-
that they could find no trace of yellow ward and rode slowly from place to
But he could Snd no ore ledge. He metal.
dug a shallow trench up the slope in place where Silverlock had been dig-
the hope of cross.-cutting the ore vein, When summer came Silverlock's ging. Sometimes he would stop and
but found no trace of it. However, he partner took his share of the gold they glance toward the almost perpen-
did find another scattered pile of rich had reclaimed, and announced that he dicular pinnacles above. Silverlock
ore on the surfacs. was going to the city to enjoy his watched him with increasing curiosity.

FEBRUARY, 1953 23
Within an hour the Indian returned "Here are my tools," he said. "You never was able to catch up with him.
to where Silverlock was sitting, and can go dig for yourself." But Silverlock had a fortune in gold
dismounted. He took a pipe from his Slowly, the Indian turned and rode already cached away—the ore and the
pocket and began smoking. away. When he had departed, the placer metal he had recovered. Feel-
"Many years ago," he began, "when prospector sat for a long time. He ing that a further search for the Peralta
I was young, I lived in the far north could think only of the weary months mine was futile, he departed from the
where the winters are long and cold he had put in digging for gold where Superstitions.
and the snow came to the belly of my there was no ledge of ore. Then as
horse. One year many of my people he became more calm, he recalled the But the story of Silverlock, added to
died from a strange illness, and I did question the Indian had asked. the many other clues, serves to give
not like the place. added credence to the report that the
He was sorry he had been so dis-
"Every year I saw the birds and the courteous. Perhaps the Indian knew Peraltas did have a rich mine in the
buffalo go south with the sun, and the secret location of the Peralta mine. Superstitions — and that the ledge
when summer came and brought warm He mounted his horse and rode after which they concealed so well before
winds they returned. I told myself the visitor. But it was too late. The their final departure, still awaits re-
that if it was good for the birds and Indian had disappeared, and though discovery somewhere in Arizona's
buffalo to follow the sun, it would be he continued far into the night he rugged mountain range.
good for an Indian also.
"When I became 19 I bade my
people goodbye and mounted my pony
Answers to these True or False
and followed the sun to the south.
After a long journey 1 came to this
country where the four peaks are lo-
TRUE OR FALSE questions have all appeared in
Desert Magazine at some time
in the past. They are not trick questions, but reflect the authentic history,
cated, and he pointed toward the pin-
nacles a few miles away. geography, botany, mineralogy, Indian life and lore of the desert country.
Twelve to 14 correct answers is fair, 15 to 17 is good, 18 or over is an
"There in a little valley where there
exceptionally high score. The answers are on page 35.
was good water and plenty of grass
1—Navajo runs generally are woven by the men in the tribe. True
was an Apache Indian village. It was
there I found a home. I liked this False .
country where the sun comes in the 2—Dinosaur National Monument is in Monument Valley. True
wintertime. The Apaches became my False
friends. I hunted with their young 3—Pauline Weaver was famous as a woman stage driver on the old
men and became one of them. Butterfield Trail. True . False _. .
"One day when I was a young war- 4—Piny on nuts come from an evergreen tree. True . False
rior we saw smoke signals coming from 5—The Desert Lily grows from a bulb. True . False
the low hills near the salt river to the 6—As far as is known there were no human beings living in Death
south. The signals said, 'Warriors Valley before the Jayhawker party reached there in 1849. True
come, help make big fight." False.
"With 22 other young men from 7—Lake Cahuilla once inundated most of the area now known as
the tribe 1 rode my pony all night. We Imperial Valley in California. True . False
crossed a river and came to a trail 8—The Smoki clan is one of the most powerful of the Hopi Indian clans
being used by the Mexicans to bring in northern Arizona. True . False
ore from their arrastres near the stream. 9—The Calico Mountains where California's old Calico mining camp
There we hid in a canyon and waited was located, are visible from Highway 66. True . False
until the sun had passed nearly half 10—The desert's Kangaroo rats are most often seen in the middle of the
its course. Then a mule train came day. True . . False
along the trail loaded with ore fol- 1 1—Brigham Young personally accompanied the Mormon settlers on
lowed by many Mexican people. their trek to found a new settlement in what is now Utah. True
"We liked to fight Mexicans for we False
knew the land better than they. When 12—The dunes in the White Sands National Monument in New Mexico
they heard our war cries they left the are composed largely of gypsum. True . False
trail and fled toward the mountains. 13—Canyon del Muerto is one of the scenic gorges along the Camino
We chased them, and many were del Diablo, or Devil's Highway in southern Arizona. True
killed. We wanted only the mules, False
the guns, ponies, knives and food they 14—Morro Rock National Monument is located in New Mexico. True
had. When we found a mule loaded False
with rocks we dumped it on the ground 15—Fray Marcos de Niza found the fabled Seven Cities of Cibola.
—and that is the ore you have been True . False
finding. There are no gold ledges in 16—The Rio Grande River discharges more water into the Gulf of
this place. Mexico than does the Colorado River into the Gulf of California.
"Would you like to dig where there True . False
is gold?" the Indian asked. 17—The reservoir known as Lake Havasu is in the Colorado River.
For the moment Silverlock was dis- True . False
appointed, and angry. He thought of 18—Navajo Mountain is within the reservation of the Apache Indians.
the many months of hard labor he had True . False
been doing on this mountainside, and 19—The fruit of the Saguaro cactus was an important item of diet for
he realized now that all this work had the Papago Indians in the pre-reservation period. True
been for naught. He felt resentful False
toward the man who had disillusioned 20—The grave of Kit Carson is in Taos, New Mexico. True . .
him. False

?A DESERT MAGAZINE
Shiprock in New Mexico—on the right. Photo by John Stewart MacClary.
HIGH DESERT RETURN AT DESERT TWILIGHT
By GRACE PARSONS HARMON By ELSIE W. CISLER
Desert Hot Springs, California San Diego, California
High desert— By JEANNETTE HELM SAND
The gentle evening blow brings sighs
A little clossr to the sky! Santa Ana, California From swaying limbs of Smoketree ghosts:
High desert— I search the moonlit wash for fuel
The desert lies before her. To light dark hours 'mid hidden hosts.
Where cleaner winds go drifting by! The desert lies behind;
High desert— Her anchor's deep in rockbed
An altar lifting to the sun. The mistletoe's dark secret swings:
But she doesn't seem to mind. It 'folds the linnet's purple breast;
Where Twilight lays its golden peace
When day is done! Oh, trusting head thrust 'neath your wing,
• • • Fast her keel and forefoot What cares can trouble now your rest?
In a sea with ne'er a roll.
QUEST She hasn't got a captain What creatures sleep in yon saltbush.
By JOHN VICTOR SPEIRS And she hasn't got a goal. That gives protection 'til the dawn;
Camarillo, California Each little beating heart held close
The gates to Heaven denied him Like an old tramp freighter To Nature's breast of sand still warm?
The entry that he sought, A' lumpin' through the foam.
And his burro drowsed beside him Forty miles from nowhere Oh. may the morning star's faint light
Lost in a burro thought. And forty miles from home. Renew the faith of quail and hare:
Glad symphony of daybreak song
St. Peter eyed with mild concern She's purple in the sunset Find busy morning gleanings there!
The miner's pick and pack Rust red at dawn's first light;
That covered, shoulders to his stern. There is notking there but cactus. WHAT THE* RA*INDROPS LENT
The burro's patient back. And sand and dried mesquite; By PAUL WILHELM
Thousand Palms, California
Then gently spoke, "I greet thee, friend; Yet, somehow, I've got the notion Upon the roof the dark night through
"But hast thee not been told? One day she'll pull her freight The raindrops beat a soft tattoo,
"Thy lifetime quest is at an end— And sail the desert ocean In every room a liquid note.
"Ye need not search for gold." Plumb towards the Golden Gate. Beneath each eave a castle moat.
The lips moved in the bearded mask. All through the murmurous desert night
A wistful smile shone through. Into the depths of cobalt dawn—
"It's not to search for gold we ask O glorious, exotic light!
"Permission, sir, of you. t State We who had lain so sound in sleep.
"Could we prospect the hills unmined. By TANYA SOUTH Now woke to scurrying sounds of feet
"And roam the Golden Land. Herein I dwell. My Kingdom still On redwood rafters, woke to hear
"My burro friend and I might find Is vested in my soul and will. A rainy autumn drip and beat
"A bit of desert sand." None other do 1 have, nor can. Crisp summer leaves in heavy grass.
This is the state of Man: And still the raindrops soft tattoo—
St. Peter swung the gates that bar That as he in his heart remains.
The kingdom of the blest. So he attains. A wisp of sound—and then there grew—
For wise St. Peter knew there are Nothing at first—but one faint scent
Some souls ordained to quest. Of sweet sage that the raindrops lent!

FEBRUARY, 1953 25
Monticello, Utah . . .
Through the efforts of the Atomic

fl)hkf- Energy Commission a plan has been


perfected which makes it possible for
uranium prospectors and miners to
operate on public lands which are
covered by oil and gas leases. Under
the program announced in December
Tonopah. Nevada . . . Blanding, Utah . . . by Sheldon P. Wimpfen, manager of
Exhaustive exploration work is now Plans are being made by the Vana- operations for the AEC at Grand
being conducted jointly by Summit dium Corporation of America to in- Junction, Colorado, prospectors de-
King Mines, Ltd., and the Homestake vest $1,500,000 in a uranium mill at siring to go on oil-lease lands may do
Mining Company, to determine the Hite, according to an unconfirmed re- so after entering into a lease agree-
depth of a vein discovered several port given by an official of the com- ment with the AEC representing the
months ago at the end of a 900 foot pany.—Salt Lake Tribune. federal government. Solution of the
crosscut. This work, at the Summit conflict between oil lessees and ura-
King mine just north of Tonopah, is nium miners is expected to encourage
Yerington, Nevada . . .
going ahead with confidence of the the search for and production of ura-
According to the report of A. E. nium.—The San Juan Record.
operators that they will be able to Millar, general manager of Anaconda,
block out a considerable body of good about one-fourth of the 10-million • • •
grade ore.—Tonopah Times-Bonanza. tons of overburden has been removed San Francisco, California . . .
• • • at the Yerington copper site. It is Two new bulletins recently have
Santa Fe, New Mexico . . . been issued by the California Division
A recent decision of the Office of estimated that when the company
reaches full production it will mine of Mines, located in the Ferry build-
Defense Mobilization will result in the ing here. One is Bulletin 163 titled
opening of a big mica mining industry 11.000 tons of ore daily, with a yield
of 60 million pounds of metal annu- Gypsum in California. It is the first
in New Mexico according to Allen treatise covering the entire history of
White of the Petaca Minerals corpora- ally.—The Humboldt Star.
the industry in the state, its geologic
tion. Until recently the mica used in occurrence, mining, processing and
electronic devices came almost entirely Gabbs, Nevada . . .
One of the richest tungsten strikes marketing. The 150-page book with
from India, White said, on the theory 50 plates and maps may be purchased
that domestic mica was of inferior in recent years is reported to have
been made by J. H. (Hank) Baxter. for $1.85 plus tax. The other bulle-
quality. Under a reversal of this de- tin. No. 162, deals with the Geology
cision New Mexico's great reserve of He found the outcrop while prospect-
ing with a black lamp at night. Pro- of the Sebastopol Quadrangle in Cali-
this mineral may open the way for a fornia.
million dollar mining industry. Mica, jecting his light from a distance of 30
feet, the protrusion gleamed like a • • •
along with columbite, tantalite, beryl,
monazite and samarskite, which are solid white sheet. The ore assayed 15 Tonopah, Nevada . . .
found with it, are needed in the pro- percent tungsten, and a wheelbarrow One of the richest gold-silver ore
duction of steel for jet motors, it was load is worth $175. It is estimated strikes in recent years is being devel-
there is between $70,000 and $75,000 oped at the Mohawk mine in the Silver
stated.—The New Mexican. Peak district, according to Mervin J.
• • • worth of ore in sight, and if the de-
Hiko, Nevada . . . posit should have depth it could be Gallagher, Nevada mine inspector. The
Employing 158 men, the Black worth a huge fortune. Baxter is an vein has been exposed several hun-
Rock Mining company is handling electrician who turned to prospecting dred feet by drifts.—The Mining Rec-
650 tons of low grade tungsten daily, because he liked it.—The Humboldt cord.
according to Eddie Woods. The com- Star. • • •
pany recently applied to the Nevada Dr. Franz Pick, publisher of Pick's
Colorado River commission for 15,- World Currency reports, is reported
Goldfield, Nevada . . . to have predicted that the official price
000,000 kilowatt hours of electrical After a search which continued over
energy annually from Hoover dam. of gold will be increased by 50 per-
12 years, Harry Wiley and Jack Whit- cent during 1953. "Gold mining will
With this power, Woods said opera- aker have located substantial deposits
tions could be stepped up to 2150 again become profitable," he said.
of tungsten in the Goldpoint district. • • •
tons a day. The commission advised Nineteen veins have been brought in
Woods that no firm power is available Max J. Kennard, former chief op-
with an average width of 16 feet, ac- erating engineer for Combined Metals
from the dam within Nevada's allot- cording to Whitaker. Organized as the
ment.—Pioche Record. Production company, has been ap-
Nevada Mining company, Whitaker
• • • and Wiley are negotiating for the pur- pointed general manager of Pioche
Denver, Colorado . . . Manganese operations at Pioche, Ne-
Many of the lead and zinc mines chase of State Line mill, — Pioche
Record. vada, it was announced in December.
in the Rocky Mountain region are K. K. Hood took Kennard's place with
closing down because they cannot Combined Metals.
compete with the importations of Salt Lake City, Utah . . . • • •
metal from foreign countries, accord- Search for germanium, the $35O-a- Venture capital is needed by the
ing to Robert S. Palmer, executive pound metallic element which is used mining industry, former President Her-
director of the Colorado Mining asso- in electronics, has now been extended bert Hoover told the recent Northwest
ciation. Palmer declared that 62 per- to the coal fields as a result of the dis- Engineering Centennial in Portland.
cent of the zinc and lead mines in the closure that it often occurs in small Oregon. During 20 years, he pointed
United States cannot produce at the quantities in the bottom three inches out, the 3000 operating non-ferrous
current prices, which are 13'/2 cents of coal seams. Previously it had been metal mines in the Rocky Mountain
for lead and 12V6 cents for zinc.— known to be associated only with zinc states have been reduced to only a
Salt Lake Tribune. and copper ores.—Salt Lake Tribune. little over 1000.

26 DESERT MAGAZINE
Petrified landscape found in Colorado by Harley S. May bury.
Petrified Landscape . . . This has been proposed to the Cali-
Lakewood, Colorado fornia State Division of Beaches and
Desert: Parks, but so far nothing has been
Rockhound readers of Desert Mag- done about it.
azine will be interested in this photo- Frequent stopping places (well
graph of a piece of petrified wood I equipped with trash bins) would offer
found by chance one rockhunting af- motorists the chance to dump trash
He Follows Ghost Town Trails . . . ternoon last March. The scenic pic- and would start many litterbugs on the
Genoa, Nevada ture, naturally formed, is one of the road to reform.
Desert: most beautiful I have ever seen. WARD S. PITKIN
I was very interested in Edna Price's I found it in one of the petrified • • •
"Life on the Desert" story in the De- wood areas of Colorado. The top of
cember issue of Desert Magazine. I the rock was barely sticking out from More Clean-Up Ideas . . .
met Bill and Eidna Price at Lake Ta- a sandstone formation. 1 used a piece Temple City, California
hoe many years ago and spent several of petrified wood to dig it out, then Desert:
hours with them one night when camp- gathered up all I could carry and I would like to add some ideas of
ing under four large cottonwood trees started back to the car. It was a good my own on the ever growing litter
about one mile south of Genoa, Ne- three-quarters of a mile hike to the problem. We might as well realize
vada. I will never forget them—such highway. that so long as we are being sold on
wonderful hospitality and friendly con- the merits of "one-blow" hankies, "no-
It wasn't until I had returned home deposit" beer bottles and cans, "dis-
versation. They were leaving the Lake and was washing the specimen that I
Tahoe area at the time, headed for noticed the picture. The entire pano- posable" diapers, "throw-away" milk
Death Valley. cartons, etc., one of the prices is going
rama was on one rock and half of it, to be an increasing disposal problem.
In that same issue is the wonderful in reverse, on another. I drove back
story on Bodie by E. Louise Sartor. to the spot and, with luck, found the We certainly want it made clear that
What a beautiful picture of the old other half to complete the second pic- we're tired of burying the last fellow's
town! I have been there many times. ture. junk when we use a campsite, but we
The first time was in 1924, and much don't think that any one group is to
The rock fragments fit together per- blame.
of the remains of the old Bodie and fectly. It is a mystery how I managed
Mono Mills narrow gauge railroad not to damage the pieces, as I took no Here are two possible solutions to
were standing. particular care in their handling until the mess: First, tax throw-away items
Bodie has a caretaker now. Every- after I had discovered my find. proportionately to the extent to which
thing is being watched and cared for, HARLEY S. MAYBURY they contribute to the litter—or, more
and several people still live there. It • • • properly, to the relative cost necessary
is quite different from Aurora, another Roadside Picnic Stops . . . to clean up their part of the mess. This
old camp, which is sadly neglected. 1 Palm Springs, California would pay for roadside clean-up. It
have never seen a soul there. The Desert: wouldn't be cheap!
graveyard is badly desecrated, and More power to you in your cam- Second, perhaps each car should
tombstones of historical interest have paign to reform the litterbugs and have a trash container. This would
been removed. Also abandoned are keep our desert roadsides clean! lead to one more service on the part
the old camps of Fairfield and Olcutt. It seems to me that part of the of our gas stations—bless 'em!—dis-
Three families still live in Rawhide, problem would be solved if parks or posing of our trash. But it would cer-
Nevada. Quite a number of buildings resting places were established at suit- tainly help keep our desert landscapes
still stand and are very interesting. able intervals along our heavily trav- beautiful.
WALTER S. YOUNG eled desert and mountain highways. J. W. GILMAN

FEBRUARY, 19 5 3 27
Portable Trash Sacks . . . apple cores, milk cartons and candy pangs of conscience that we are mar-
Sierra Madre, California wrappers from sailing out of the car ring the beauty of the landscape. Our
Desert: window and directing them instead to solution? The lowly paper sack. We
In past months, Desert Magazine the trash cans where they belong. always have several large ones in the
has carried numerous letters from na- Litter naturally accumulates during car, stock more when a long trip looms.
ture lovers condemning the litterbugs a long motor trip, and disposal pre- Kept on the floor this sack is inoffen-
who clutter our beautiful deserts with sents a very definite problem. We have sive, handy and easily thrown away
beer cans, kleenex and other trash. four young children and what with at the next service station stop. A
Property owners with highway front- candy and drinks from paper cups and clean one immediately takes its place
age, motorists, hikers, campers and kleenex, bananas, oranges, pop and all for the next leg of the journey.
just plain desert lovers like myself the other items with throw-away wrap- I think we might have less roadside
have waxed indignant over the prob- pings, ten miles of desert driving can trash to worry about and fewer litter-
lem. There have been a few sugges- produce quite a pile of trash. The bugs to chide if more travelers ac-
tions for cleaning up the highway-side natural inclination is to toss it, piece quired the "trash sack" habit.
mess, but no one seems to have given by piece, out a handy open window. AMANDA JAHNS
much thought to stopping the litter- We have solved our disposal prob- • • •
bugging before it begins—keeping the lem as handily, vet we need suffer no Pity the Patient Burro . . .
Rio Linda, California
Desert:
In connection with the plight of the
The Rockhound Buyers Guide
AS INDISPENSABLE AS HIS HAMMER
inoffensive little burro, why not utilize
the emotional appeal of Gladys L.
Savage's unforgettable poem, "Pal,"
This new annual for the rockhound fills a long felt want for ALL published in the June issue of Desert
rockhounds—gem hunters, mineral collectors, swappers, silvercrafters, Magazine? I have found that poetry
amateur geologists and scientists, fossil collectors and many border has an amazing power to move other-
groups. wise unaffected persons.
We must use every means to pro-
In 160 pages larger than this advertisement. It tells you— tect this picturesque desert animal from
• the name and address of practically every dealer in North man's attempt to encroach upon the
America who has anything to sell the rockhound—from a dime few remaining strongholds of Nature
rock to a diamond ring, from amber to zircon, from a $3.00 which remain to some extent unspoiled
lapidary outfit worked on your knee to a $350 faceting outfit. by him.
More than 600 listings.
MRS. WILLIAM BERG
• tells you just where to go to collect—in Washington, in Oregon, For Desert readers who missed
in Minnesota, in California, in Texas, etc. MAPS. Gladys Savage's poem—
• gives the name, time and meeting place of almost every gem PAL
and mineral club in America (about 400 of them), with the
Patient little donkey,
Secretary's name and address in most cases.
Plodding through the sand,
• lists most of the museums with gem and mineral collections—- Looking for tomorrow
what hours they are open and price of admission, if any. A nd the promised land.
• a hundred useful shop helps for the gem cutter and silver Land of golden nuggets
craftsman. Or twisted wire gold,
• lists every book ever published in English on the subject of Or maybe square cut emeralds
gems and most of those printed on minerals. Also many on In a mountain's fold.
jewelcraft.
• gives author, publisher, address and price of every gem, min- Keeper of the meal sack,
eral and jewelry book now for sale. The coffee pot and pan,
• tells how to organize a mineral and gem club and offers a The pick ax and the shovel
model constitution and set of by laws. A nd the dreams of man.
• lists all dealers by state. • • •
• tells instantly where to buy anything the rockhound might For the Desert Library . . .
need. Adequate cross referencing. Salinas, California
• lists names, addresses and prices of all publications catering Desert:
to rockhounds' interests. In the January issue of Desert,
• ads of more than 200 dealers and manufacturers that contain Gertrude K. Brown's letter extolling
in themselves the greatest treasure of information ever pub- Fitzgerald's "Rubaiyat of Omar Khy-
lished anywhere for the followers of America's fastest growing yam" was marred by a misprint in the
hobby. quatrain quoted. The last syllable of
• many more articles and features not mentioned for lack of "Worldly" was dropped, altering the
space . . . tables . . . lists of trademarks . . . definitions of gem meaning of the verse. There is a
types not officially recognized etc. "world" of difference between "The
• A Book—not a magazine—not a pamphlet—not a catalog— World Hope" and the "Worldly Hope
a BOOK. that men set their Hearts upon."
and the price — is only $1.25 postpaid Another fine poem, rich in desert
($1.29 in California) imagery, is Sir Richard Burton's "Ka-
Dealers write for wholesale prices sidah of Haji Abdu." These two thin
Send all orders to books, "The Rubaiyat" and "The
Kasidah," should be in the glove com-
THE LAPIDARY JOURNAL partment, saddle bag or pack sack of
PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA every lover of the desert.
PAUL MINTON

28 DESERT MAGAZINE
ward E. Ogston reported January 1.
SAoofo Seat Desert holly was in full bloom and
promised to quite showy through Jan-
uary.
Tiny green shoots have sprouted
It looks like another good wildflower promises another good display of an- everywhere on the dunes around Des-
year, according to early reports from nuals this year. "New leaves already ert Magazine's pueblo in Palm Desert,
Desert Magazine correspondents have appeared on the pentstemons, and a good display of verbena and
throughout the Southwest. All areas tobacco and brittle bush," writes Su- primrose in the Coachella Valley and
have had heavy fall and winter pre- perintendent Samuel A. King, "and excellent desert lily flowering around
cipitation, and, barring unexpected alfilaree is in evidence everywhere." Mecca are indicated.
frosts, the tiny green plants which ap- Maurice Morgan, chief ranger at
peared in December should bloom Borrego State Park, California, and
early and profusely. Frank R. Givens, superintendent of
"We have never seen the desert more Joshua Tree National Park, also pre-
green at Christmas time," wrote Julian dict excellent flowering seasons in
M. King of Apache Junction, Arizona, their areas. Givens expected flowers
late in December. to appear in February at lower eleva-
A. T. Bicknell, superintendent of tions, particularly along the monument Prospecting is a hobby with Robert
Casa Grande National Monument, re- road through Pinto Basin and below L. Garman, who wrote "Quest for
ports the highest precipitation in years Cottonwood Spring. the Peralta Gold" for this issue of
in the Coolidge, Arizona, region. Rains Early annuals had appeared on Desert Magazine. His first mineral
were also above normal in Tucson, Death Valley dunes, but cold Decem- forays were made many years ago with
and Saguaro National Monument ber nights were retarding growth, Ed- an uncle, a pioneer mine operator in
Colorado. Since then he has pros-
pected in almost every state west of
the Rockies.
Garman was born and raised on a
Nebraska farm. As a small boy he
would watch covered wagon trains
OF DEATH VALLEY pass on the road along his parents'
place, on their way to settle in the
West. Garman himself decided to
stay in Nebraska and took up a home-
"Yep, lots o' ducks come in "An sure enough, along late stead in the western part of the state,
here in winter," Hard Rock in the afternoon the ducks began a scant mile from the old Oregon Trail
Shorty was telling the sportsmen comin' in, and when they found and not far from historic Scotts Bluff.
who had stopped at the Inferno grain along the edge o' the water In 1936 he retired from active work
store to get their gas tank filled. they waddled out on the bar and began tramping the western trails
"Usta be good huntin' down lookin' fer more of it. But when in search of gold and minerals,
at Badwater in the oF days. But they hit that quicksand their feet • • •
of course the park rangers went down. Soon there wuz a
a whole flock of 'em mired down Exploring — in boats, on bicycle
stopped all that when Uncle Sam and afoot—has been a lifelong hobby
made a national monument outa in that sand. Couldn't walk an'
they couldn't fly. of Clinton R. Hull, who relates one of
this place. his adventures in "Boat Trip in Mojave
"My old partner, Pisgah Bill, "Then Bill put on his snow- Canyon" on page 11 of this issue of
tried to start a duck farm one shoes and walked out there an' Desert Magazine.
winter. He had a smart idea the began rescuin' them ducks. He
wuz too busy harvestin' ducks to One of his first long treks was made
way he told it. He would ketch in 1916, while he was living in Idaho.
a lot o' them mallards, clip their clip their wings. He'd gather up
as many as he could carry, tie With a 50-pound pack, a .22 rifle and
wings, and put 'em on the little his fishing rod, he bicycled across Ga-
pond below the spring up Eight a string on their legs, and bring
'em back an tie 'em to the pack- lena Summit of the Sawtooth Moun-
Ball crick. An' that way he tains—through what is now Sun Val-
would have fresh meat all winter saddle on the burro.
ley—to the headwaters of the Salmon
when he wuz workin' his lead "Bill wuz bringin' in ducks by
River. He has been rambling over the
mine. the dozen, and figgerin' what a
country ever since.
fine lot of fresh meat he would
"Bill planned everything in have that winter. But he got too An electrician by trade, Hull has
advance. He had the freighter many ducks. He went out after always wanted to write, but he didn't
bring in a couple o' sacks of the last armload—an' when he find time for it until his family was
grain, an' a pair o' snow shoes. turned around to come back the grown. He began writing as a hobby
Then when October came and burro wuz jest takin' off—an' the 16 years ago, took up photography in
the ducks started flyin' south last Bill saw of that beast it wuz 1937 to illustrate his articles. He was
Bill packed his outfit on a couple sailin' over the Panamint range boating editor for Outdoorsman mag-
o' burros and headed fer Bad- —towed by more'n a hundred azine for 12 years.
water. There's a big bar o' quick- mallards. Hull now lives near the beach—in
sand near the pond down there, "Bill? Yep he ate jerky and Costa Mesa, California. His chief
and Bill spread grain all over the canned sausage that winter — hobbies are boats, photography, fish-
sand—enough to feed a whole jest as he had been doin' all the ing, traveling by car and trailer through
army o' ducks. other winters." the West—and running the white water
rivers.

FEBRUARY, 1953
• Lost Treasure Areas • Ghost Towns • Gem and

GUIDE MAPS TO
For 15 years the Desert Magazine staff has been
Mineral Fields • Historical Landmarks—to forgotten
trails and the newest roads
guides obtainable to a thousand interesting places.
mapping the desert areas. Over 300 of these maps Here is a listing of back issues now available,
have appeared in past issues of Desert, and most of carrying the maps indicated, and also many other
these maps are still available for those who plan to maps not mentioned in this list, which has been
travel the desert country. They are the most accurate classified for easy reference:

FOR THE LOST TREASURE HUNTER . . . MAPS TO HISTORICAL PLACES . . .


(3 of these stories include maps) May '46- -When Hawaiians Came to the Utah Desert.
Aug. '46—John D. Lee's lost gold mine, Ariz. MAP
Sep. '47—His Compass Was a Burro's Tail, Ariz. MAP Jan. '49—Waterhole at the Crossroads. MAP
Feb. '48—He Guards the Secret of Turquoise Shrine May '49—Great Salt Lake. MAP
Sep. '48—Haunted Silver in Arizona. MAP Jun. '49—He Planned to Change the Desert Climate. MAP
Jan. '4!t—Lost Squaw Hollow Gold Ledge, Ariz. Mar. '50—Buckboard Days at Silver Reef. MAP
Jun. '4!)—There's Placer Gold in the Desert Bajadas. Sep. '50—Escalante River Trip. MAP
May '50—Swamper's Gold. Oct. '50—Forgotten Trails of the Old West. MAP
Jul. '50—Lost Mine of Coconino. Jan. '51—We Found the Way into Elegante. MAP
Sep. '50—Silver Mine of the Old Opata Indians. Feb. '51—Dellenbaugh, 1873. MAP
Oct. '50—Gold Pockets in the Santa Rosas. HISTORICAL MAPPED TRIPS, 9 Magazines $1.50
Nov. '50—Lost Silver Mine of the Jesuits.
Dec. '50—Lost Silver in Monument Valley.
Feb. '51—Black Nuggets in Phantom Buttes.
MAPS FOR THE ROCK HUNTER . . .
Mar. '51—Where Slave Miners Toiled for Silver. MAP May '46—Green jasper, near Lake Mead, Nevada. MAP
Apr. '51—Pedro's Lost Mine. Jun. '46—Agate, chalcedony, etc., Arizona. MAP
Jul. '51—Lost Loina Gold. j,,l. '4f—Minerals at Calico. MAP
Aug. '51—Cave of the Golden Sands. Aug. '46—Fossils While You Wait. MAP
Sep. '51—Lost Treasure of the Irish Cavalier. Sep. '46—Gem onyx field, near Las Vegas, Nev. MAP
LOST TREASURE SET, 18 magazines . . . $3.00 Aug. '47—Agate, chalcedony, Fossil sprs., Arizona. MAP
Oct. '47—Collecting crystals, Topaz int., Utah. MAP
May '49—Geodes, Chalcedony, Southern Arizona. MAP
MAPS FOR TRAVELER AND EXPLORER . . . Jun. '49—Jasper along Highway 60. MAP
May '46—By Jalopy Through "The Sweepings of the Jul. '49—Sandspikes on the border. MAP
World." MAP Aug. '49—Uranium Strike in Petrified Wood. MAP
Jun. '46—Hopi Trek to the Land of Big Water. MAP Sep. '49—Agate, jasper, on Devil's Highway. MAP
Jut. '46—Palm Hunters in the Inkopah Wastelands. MAP Oct. '49—Fossils in Coyote Mountain. MAP
Freak Hocks in Nature's Wonderland. Nov. '49—Apache Tears at Bagdad. MAP
Aug. '46—We Camped at Cantu Palms. MAP Dec. '49—"Lakeview Diamonds" in Oregon. MAP
Sep. '46—WTe Found the Hidden Shrine of Old Makai. Mar. '50—Fossil Wood in Utah. MAP
MAP Apr. '50—Dinosaur Bones in Colorado. MAP
Aug. '47—Mastodons of Moab. MAP May '50—Wonderstones in Nevada. MAP
Sep. '47—Oasis on Bear Creek. MAP Jul. '50—Agate Hill in Utah. MAP
Oct. '47—Don't Knock at a Hogan Door. MAP Aug. '50—Gem Field Near 29 Palms. MAP
Sep. '48—Haunted Silver. MAP Sep. '50—Apache Tears in Nevada. MAP
May '49—Great Salt Lake. MAP Oct. '50—Crystal Calcite in California. MAP
Jun. '49—Ancient Artists Lived on Rattlesnake Peak. Xov. '50—Agate Hunters in California. MAP
MAP Dec. '50—Gold on Garces Trail. MAP
Jul. '49—On Hassayampa Trails. MAP Jan. '51—Nevada Invited the Rockhounds. MAP
Aug. '49—Indian Country Trek. MAP Feb. '51—Fossil Wood in Nevada. MAP
Sep. '49—They Left Their Story in the Desert Sands. Mar. '51—Gem Fields on the Mojave. MAP
Map Apr. '51—Geodes on an Old Silver Trail. MAP
Oct. '49—19 Days on Utah Trails. MAP May '51—Gem Hunt on a Ghost Town Trail. MAP
Nov. '49—1!) Days on Utah Trails. (Cont.) MAP Jun. '51—Rocks of the Ages—In Utah. MAP
Dec. '49—Valley of the Cathedrals. MAP
Apr. '50—Painted Canyon in Mecca Hills. MAP ROCK HUNTER'S SET, 30 magazines . . . $5.00
Jul. '50—La Mora Canyon in Baja California. MAP
Sep. '50—Escalante River Trip. MAP
Oct. '50—Forgotten Trails of the Old West. MAP MAPS TO THE GHOST TOWNS . . .
Nov. '50—Sacred Mountain of the Tribesmen. MAP
Dec. '50—Gold and Roses on Garces Trail. MAP May '46—When Hawaiians Came to Utah. MAP
Mar. '51—On the Trail to Picacho del Diablo. MAP Jul. '46—Ghost Town of Calico Hills. MAP
Aug. '51—We (limbed Avawatz. MAP Jan. '49—Old Fort Cummings in New Mexico. MAP
Sept. '51—We Camped on Kaiparowitz. MAP Aug. '49—Waterhole at the Crossroads. MAP
Oct. '51—Trail to Hawkeye Natural Bridge. MAP Jan. '50—Printer of Old Tuscarora. MAP
Mar. '50—Buckboard Days at Silver Reef. MAP
TRAVEL AND EXPLORATION SET. 27 mags. $4.50
GHOST TOWN MAPPED TRIPS, 6 magazines $1.00
ORDER AS MANY ISSUES AS YOU WISH Magazines may be ordered by specifying month
One Copy 25c: Six for $1.00; 12 for $2.00 and year only, or by sets
The entire set of 39 different magazines for $6.00
LOOSE LEAF BINDERS FOR PERMANENT THE
FILING WILL BE SUPPLIED FOR $2.00 EACH
Each binder has space for 12 copies Palm Desert, California

30 DESERT MAGAZINE
did 26 years ago, Frank Gyberg told
a gathering of soil conservationists
here recently that the preservation of
the range is one of the most important
economic problems confronting the
Southwest. "Noxious weeds and plants
are moving in on soil that formerly
ARIZONA Hopis Protest Candy "Bombs" . . . supported edible grasses," he pointed
WINSLOW — "Operation Navajo" out, "and drouth and over-grazing have
Historic Monument Moved . . . conducted just before Christmas by the speeded up the process of destruction."
WICKENBURG—The rerouting of Civil Air Patrol in northern Arizona
U. S. Highways 60-70 west of this city • • •
brought gratitude from the Navajo In- To Have State Indian Commission
made necessary the moving of the his- dians, but a protest from the Hopis.
toric stage coach monument which was PHOENIX—Since the federal gov-
As a test of their efficiency in flying ernment has announced a policy which
dedicated in April, 1937, in memory emergency missions 37 planes work-
of stage passengers massacred in an involves gradually turning the affairs
ing out of this city dropped 600 small of the Federal Indian Bureau over to
Indian attack near the spot. In moving parachutes on the Navajo reservation,
the monument it was discovered that the states, Gov. Pyle of Arizona has
distributing candy, toys, tobacco and promised the Indian Tribal Council
water had damaged or destroyed his- other gifts. The operation was in-
toric cornerstone documents placed in in his state that he will name a state
tended to include the Hopi pueblos commission on Indian affairs. Such a
it at the time of its erection. These which are surrounded by Navajo lands.
were replaced by officers of the Round commission is needed, Gov. Pyle said,
In a letter protest, the Hopi leaders to provide liaison between the various
Up Club.—Wickenburg Sun. wrote: "If this project (Operation tribes and the state government. Ari-
Navajo) includes the Hopi land, we zona now has a suit pending against
More Cloud-Seeding Planned . . . wish to protest the use of our sacred
CASA GRANDE — Increase in the the federal government to determine
homeland without our consent for whether the state or Uncle Sam is to
use of rain-making generators in this such practices by the Civil Air Patrol
area is indicated by the decision re- finance the cost of including Indians
because of our traditional and religious in the state's welfare program. The
cently of the San Carlos Irrigation and stand. Although we appreciate the
Drainage district to install three of the estimated cost to the state is $800,000.
generosity of the good people of Ari- A rizona Republic.
plants, at Coolidge dam, Seventh Cir- zona and other states to help the In-
cle, and Arsenic Tubs. The latter site tians, and perhaps the good intentions • • •
is on the San Carlos-Apache Indian of the Civil Air Patrol, yet we will Townsite Is Abandoned . . .
reservation, but the installation was not allow this bombing of our sacred
approved by the Indians. While the CHANDLER — Established 24
homeland and villages with candy, toys. years ago, the little town of Higley
use of generators to seed the clouds food, clothing, etc. We want to con-
with silver iodide is still in the experi- on the Chandler-Williams Air Force
tinue to provide our children with such base road has ceased to exist. The
mental stage, it is being practiced by things in our own way."—Tombstone
the Salt River project and will be con- action abandoning the 18-acre town-
Epitaph. site was taken by the county board of
tinued until a decision is reached as
to its value. supervisors on petition of M. J. Dough-
Says Noxious Weeds Are Gaining erty who owns the land. Residents,
Yucca Provides New Industry . . . LITCHFIELD PARK — Declaring who operate a grocery store and serv-
SAFFORD—Ray Crandall, an en- that the Arizona ranges are carrying ice station protested the action, but
terprising Boy Scout executive in Ari- 50 percent fewer livestock than they were over-ruled.
zona has developed a new source of
income—the sale of yucca sticks and
slabs for use in starting a fire without
matches. It has been found that the
soft fibrous yucca stalk is about the
best known wood for starting a fire by (® X . TRADITIONAL NAVAJO M0C<A$lW
the friction method, and since every
Boy Scout must be able to start such Vy InJiW Craftsman.
a fire to earn a merit badge, the de-
mand is nation-wide. Recently one for men and women
shipment of sticks and slabs amounted the original White rawhide sole—Navajo rust buckskin top
to 20,000 pieces.—Arizona Republic. other colors available — write for descriptive
literature
May Fill Arizona Reservoirs . . .
PHOENIX—Weather bureau fore- $13.50 postpaid
casts that rainfall in Arizona would MoneybacU Guarantee
continue above normal through much
of January, have indicated the possi- . . . . for supreme comfort and thrilling pleas-
bility that for the first time in 12 years ure . . . . ideal for casual wear . . . . outdoors
the irrigation storage reservoirs in the . . . . indoors . . . . square dances etc
state would be overflowing, according FOR A PERFECT FIT SEND OUTLINE OF
to Louis R. Jurwitz, U. S. meteorolo- FOOT WITH ORDER . . . NO C.O.D
gist at Phoenix. On December 18 the
water in storage on the Salt and Verde
rivers amounted to 1,360,000 acre KAIBAB BUCKSKIN-old pueblo station-P. 0. Box 5156
feet. Their maximum capacity is 2.- TUCSON, ARIZONA
000,000.—A rizona Republic.

FEBRUARY, 1953 31
CALIFORNIA
Reservations to Be Abolished . . .
THE DESERT TRADMG POST INDIO—Mission Indians on three
small reservations in Coachella Val-
Classified Advertising in This Section Costs 8c a Word, $1.00 Minimum Per Issue ley are in the process of acquiring
private title to the lands which they
have held previously as communal
INDIAN GOODS MISCELLANEOUS property. Under Public Law 728,
WE SEARCH unceasingly for old and rare WOMEN TO SEW—for Spring business. passed by Congress in 1950, the In-
Indian Artifacts, but seldom accumulate Easy to sew product, good pay. Sewing
a large assortment. Collectors seem as dian Bureau was directed to allot no
machine not essential. Write, Kenroe
eager to possess them as their original Mfg. Co., Yorktown, Indiana. more than 40 acres each to the Indians,
owners. To those who like real Indian and to those classified as capable of
things, a hearty welcome. You too may SEND FOR list of dried floral materials handling their own affairs a clear title
find here something you have long de- for arrangements, home decorating. Mel
sired. We are continually increasing our will be issued. "We are in the process
Capper, Box 70, Palm Springs. California.
stock with the finest in Navajo rugs, In- of putting the Indian Bureau out of
dian baskets, and hand-made jewelry. WILL TRADE: For land or patented mine, business in California," said C. H.
Daniels Trading Post, 401 W. Foothill five chinchillas. Ivy Chinchilla Home. Perdew, district agent for the Mission
Blvd.. Fontana, California. 417 W. Amerige, Fullerton, California. Indians, "and putting the Indians in
6 PERFECT ANCIENT FLINT arrowheads business for themselves." The tribes
$2.00. Ancient grooved stone war club NATURAL SCIENCE color slides covering
mineralogy, geology, insects, wild life, affected are the Torres-Martinez, Cab-
$2.00. Grooved stone tomahawks $2.00
and $3.00 each. Perfect peace pipe $5.00. flowers, trees, clouds, conchology. Men- azon and Augustine groups. — Date
6 tiny perfect bird arrowheads $2.00. 2 tion interests for lists. World's largest Palm.
flint knives $1.00 Ancient clay water mineral slide catalog, a useful, check list,
1.000 titles by groups. 25c refunded on • • •
bottle $8.00. List Free. Lear's, Glenwood.
Arkansas. fust purchase. Popular lectures with More Salton Sea Damages Claimed
script rented. Information free. Scott COACHELLA—A third claim for
BOOKS — MAGAZINES Lewis. 2500 Beachwood, Hollywood 28. damages against the Imperial Irriga-
California.
PANNING GOLD — Another hobby for tion District and the Coachella Valley
Rockhounds and Desert Roamers. A LADY GODIVA 'The Worlds Finest County Water district due to rising
new booklet, "What the Beginner Needs Beautifier." For women who wish to waters in Salton Sea has been filed by
to Know." 36 pages of instructions; also become beautiful, for women who wish
catalogue of mining books and prospec- Roy Hunter of Desert Beach. Hun-
to remain beautiful. An outstanding des-
tors' supplies, maps of where to go and ert cream. For information, write or call ter's claims now total $360,000. Ac-
blue prints of hand machines you can Lola Barnes, 963 N. Oakland. Pasadena cording to the complaints the rising
build. Mailed postpaid 25c. coin or 6, Calif., or phone SYcamore 4-2378. water level in the sea has been caused
stamps. Old Prospector, Box 729. Desk
5, l.odi. California. by the dumping of surplus water from
FIND YOUR OWN beautiful Gold nug- the irrigation systems in the two val-
GEMS AND MINERALS—complete book- gets! It's fun! Beginners' illustrated in-
struction book $1.00. Gold pan, $2.00. leys. The level of the sea on Decem-
list and brochure covering the rockhound's
own magazine. Gembooks. Box 716B Where to go? Gold placer maps. South- ber 1 stood at minus 237.91 feet.
Palmdale, California. ern California, Nevada, Arizona, $1.00 Officials of the Imperial Irrigation dis-
each state. All three maps $2.00. Desert trict have been quoted as stating that
BOOKS FOUND—Any title! Free world- Jim, Box 604 Stockton, California.
wide book search service. Any book, the water level may continue to rise
new or old. Western Americana a spe- BEAUTIFUL DESERT DIORAMA: Three until it reaches the minus 220-foot
cialty. Lowest price. Send wants today! dimension, cactus framed, desert land- level—approximately 18 feet higher
International Bookfinders, Box 3003-D, scape reproduction, 7 x 13 x 2, $5.00. than the present level.
Beverly Hills, California. 7 x 20 x 2. $10.00. "Color Parade" boxed
minerals $1.00 up. Diorama Studios. 1225 • • •
STORY OF I he desert in word and picture. N. Anita, Tucson, Arizona (retail, whole- Fossil Birds Found Near Barstow . . .
History, legends, etc. $1 postpaid. Palm sale). BARSTOW — Fossil remains of
Springs Pictorial, 465 No. Palm Canyon prehistoric birds said to have resem-
Drive, Palm Springs, California. PAN GOLD: 75 spots in 25 California bled the flamingo have been collected
FIRST FOUR VOLUMES of Desert Maga- counties for placer gold, township and
range, elevation, geological formation, in this area by Richard Tedford and
zine for sale. Complete. Excellent con- near town. Pertinent remarks. $1.00. Robert Shultz, paleontologists of the
dition. Unbound. Best offer by February Box 42037. Los Angeles. California.
15 accepted. Charles Shelton, 660 S. University of California at Los Ange-
Pasadena Avenue, Glendora. California. les. They came from Upper Miocene
PROSPECTORS AND ROCKHOUNDS beds known as the Barstow Syncline.
REAL ESTATE wanted. To join the newly incorporated
United Prospectors Organization. If you The fossil collection also included
FOR SALE OR TRADE: 600 acres, pat- are experienced or beginners the articles species of wild ducks, quail, hawks
ented, situated within national forest near in our magazine are bound to help you and gulls. The material found was
Wheatland, Wyoming. Write Owner; P.O. enjoy your hobby and the outdoors. Send
Box 572. Phoenix, Arizona or phone your name for our new brochure and well petrified but very fragmentary.
BR 6-1314. literature. United Prospectors, Box 729, The collection was turned over to Dr.
Lodi. California. Loyce Miller of the biology department
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES at UCLA for identification. — Inyo
DESERT GEM SHOP at Salome. Arizona. SILVERY DESERT HOLLY PLANTS: Independent.
Rapidly growing business. Excellent lo- One dollar each postpaid. Greasewood
cation on Highway 60-70. Five acres of Greenhouses. Lenwood, Barstow, Calif. ALPINE: 30 miles east of San Diego on
land. Good water, wonderful winter Hwy. 80: 185 acres of subdivision or
climate. Selling on account of health. DESERT TEA. One pound one dollar dude ranch view land. Abundant water
P. O. Box 276. Salome, Arizona. postpaid. Greasewood Greenhouses. Len- source. $85,000. 5 acres view with elab-
wood, Barstow, California. orate improvements, setting for a rest
IMPORT-EXPORT! Opportunity profitable, home $28,000. Ocotillo Desert Resort:
world-wide, mail-order business from SELL OR TRADE: Collection of Old 26 miles west of El Centra on Hwy. 80:
home, without capital, or travel abroad. Indian Baskets, originally bought at 2 acres motel site, $2,000. Residence
Established World Trader ships instruc- Tombstone Arizona, and have been in a lots 100x100 ft., $225. Business lots from
tions for no-risk examination. Experience museum. Also some ancient Indian pots. $400 up. Mutual water right $50.00. Send
unnecessary. Free details. Mellinger. A. H. Spencer. 218 Balzar. Las Vegas. for circular, John C. Chalupnik, Alpine.
542C, Los Angeles 24, California. Nevada. California.

32 DESERT MAGAZINE
Cement Plant Fight Flares Again . . . Elk Herd Increasing . . .
PALM SPRINGS — Renewed ef- BISHOP—There are now 220 Tule "OVERLOOKED FORTUNES"
forts to block the erection of a cement elk in the Owens Valley according to In the Rarer Minerals
plant on the slope of the San Jacinto a count recently made by airplane by Find war minerals! Here are a lew of the
mountains near this city were made the California Fish and Game depart- 40 or more strategic rarer minerals which
recently when the Riverside County ment. The figures represent an in- you may be overlooking in the hills or in
that mine or prospect hole: columbium, tan-
Planning commission, acting on the crease of 23 elk during the past year. talum, uranium, vanadium, tungsten, nickel,
petition of local residents, recom- The census showed 40 bulls, 92 cows cobalt, bismuth, palladium, iridium, osmi-
mended to the county board of super- and 28 calves, the remainder being um, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, titan-
visors that 1600 acres of land at the unclassified. Biggest segment of the ium, tin, molybdenum, selenium, germanium,
manganese, cadmium, thallium, antimony,
site of the proposed cement works be herd was seen in the area from Divi- mercury, chromium, etc. Prices booming;
placed under zone control. This ac- sion north to Red Mountain. many much more valuable than a gold
tion follows long and bitter contro- • • • mine: cassiterite now S1000 a ton; bismuth
versy between owners of resort prop- S1500 a ton; columbite $2500 a ton; tanta-
erty in this desert town and Samuel NEVADA lite or microlite S5000 a ton; tungsten $3
pound; platinum S90 ounce, etc. Now you
Guiberson, said to be a Texas million- Settlers File Placer Claims . . . can learn what they are, how to find, iden-
aire, who acquired right to the land TONOPAH — Squatters in Fish tify and cash in upon them. Send for free
several years ago and announced that Lake Valley who were served with copy "overlooked fortunes"—it may lead
a cement plant would be erected. The to knowledge which may make you rich!
eviction notices several months ago, A postcard will do.
contention of local property owners after the federal government had
is that the dust and smoke from a Duke's Research Laboratory
granted a 10-year grazing lease on Box 666, Dept. B, Hot Springs, New Mexico
cement mill would seriously affect their land to nearby Circle L ranch,
property values here.—Riverside En- have now, on the advice of their at-
terprise. torney, William J. Crowell, filed placer
• • • claims on the land which they have 'EVERYTHING FOR THE HIKER"
Anza Park Is Popular . . . brought under cultivation. A test case
BORREGO SPRINGS — Increas- is now pending in the U. S. District SLEEPING BAGS
ing popularity of the Anza Desert Court of Colorado to determine AIR MATTRESSES
State Park was indicated when Chief whether or not the rights granted un-
der mining law can be extended to SMALL TENTS
Ranger Maurice Morgan announced
the visitor list for 1952 totalled 76,- unrelated activities such as grazing and many other items
540 persons compared with 50,764 and agriculture. The decision in this
on the same date in 1951. Kenneth case will have important bearing on
VAN DEGRIFT'S HIKE HUT
Stanley, assistant ranger, and Orvill the status of the settlers involved in
717 West Seventh Street
Short, deputy ranger, have been as- the Fish Lake Valley controversy.—
Tonopah Times-Bonanza. LOS ANGELES 14, CALIFORNIA
signed to permanent duty in the park.
—Borrego Sun. • • •
• • • Blackbirds Classed as Predators . . .
Pegleg Hunter Is Honored . . . CARSON CITY—According to a
WILLITS—Henry E. W. Wilson, new ruling issued by the Nevada Fish
Looking for a PUBLISHER?
Do you have a book-length manuscript you
now a resident cf this community, has and Game commission, blackbirds are would like to have published? Learn about
our unusual plan whereby your book can be
been elected president of the Treasure no longer to be protected. They've published, promoted and distributed on a
Trove Club of New York for 1953, it been doing too much damage to agri- professional basis. We consider all types of
work—fiction, biography, poetry, scholarly
was announced recently. Wilson be- cultural crops. On December 8 the and religious books, etc. New authors wel-
come. For more information, write for valu-
gan looking for the Lost Pegleg Gold commission served notice that black- able booklet D. It's free.
mine in 1901 and has continued his birds are removed from the list of non- VANTAGE FIIESS, IXC.
6S56 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28, Calif.
search intermittently since then. The game birds and added to the list of Main Office: Now York 1, N. Y.
Treasure Trove Club elected J. Frank predators. Henceforth they may be
Dobie, writer and professor of history killed throughout the year. — Fallon
in the University of Texas at Austin Standard.
as Mr. Treasure Hunter for 1953, suc- • • • FURNACE CREEK RANCH CUROPWN PIAN
ceeding Lowell Thomas who held that Cattle Prefer the Highways . . . at l£o*n*Htic DEATH VALLEY
honor during 1952. RENO—Nevada Public Service of- Luxurious desert oasis. Sunny days . . . cool nights. Riding

• • « ficials in the division of safety are con- . . . swimming . . . golf . . . tennis . . . exploring. Contact
travel agents or Death Valley Hotel Co. in Death Valley. Or
Refuge Established for Condors . . . cerned over the increasing hazard of
LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOR- stray cattle on the highways. Numer-
EST—This area in the High Sierras ous reports of accidents in which
recently has been established as a motor cars collided with range cattle DESERT GRAPEFRUIT
refuge for the surviving members of which had chosen the roadway as a 30-lb. bag delivered in California
North America's biggest bird — the place to bed down for the night, have express prepaid for $3.00.
Condor. According to the estimate of caused the division to issue a warning
Game Biologist Don McLean of the to all motorists.—Pioche Record. G. W. CUTSHAW, Grower
California Fish and Game commission e • • Brawley, California
there are only about 150 of these Churchill county board of commis-
birds living. Once plentiful in Califor- sioners have asked that the Nevada We can supply—
nia, they were slaughtered during the State Highway department make a OUT OK PRINT
many years when they had no legal survey of a proposed 34-mile cutoff THE INDIANS AND THE
protection. They mate and produce route between Fallon and Lovelock. It FKDERAIi GOVERNMENT
one egg every two years. Hence their was estimated in 1933 that the road, Send for list of titles
comeback under the law passed in including three bridge structures, would JAMES C. HOWGATE, Bookseller
1913 to protect them is very slow. require S519,000. 128 So. Church St., Schenectady 1, X. V.

FEBRUARY, 1953
Nevada in Columbia Compact . . . at the dedication, and among the 1000 that "the federal government dare not
CARSON CITY—By action of the visitors were Governors Pyle of Ari- step out until it can leave with honor."
Columbia Interstate Compact com- zona, Warren of California and Rus- The federal government is spending
mission in December, the state of Ne- sell of Nevada. Introducing Mrs. millions for the education of the In-
vada was admitted as a member state. Davis, Commissioner Straus said: "It dians, it was stated, and this obliga-
The action is not final, however, as is a great pleasure to me to inform tion cannot be relinquished until the
both Nevada and Utah were omitted you that Secretary of Interior Oscar states themselves are ready to take it
in the federal legislation which author- Chapman has decreed that, with your over. Gov. Pyle was very emphatic in
ized the creation of the Columbia com- husband's vision having now become his assertion that the states were not
mission, which was set up originally a reality, this project shall be known ready yet to assume this obligation.
to negotiate an agreement for division henceforth as Davis Dam. I hope the
of the water resources of the Columbia. • • •
name remains as long as water flows Projects Are Recommended . . .
Before becoming qualified to act with downhill."
the commission Nevada's participation WASHINGTON — Among the 10
• • • projects recommended by Secretary of
must be approved by congress.—Salt RENO—Seventy-six private collec-
Lake Tribune. Interior Oscar Chapman for develop-
tions of relics of pioneer Nevada, in- ment in the upper basin of the Colo-
• • • cluding 1612 separate items, have rado, three are in New Mexico and
Davis Dam Is Dedicated . . . been presented to the Nevada state the largest of these is Navajo dam in
SEARCHLIGHT — Mrs. Arthur historical museum in 1952. They are the upper San Juan near the Colorado
Powell Davis, wife of the engineer for housed in the state building in this city. line. The estimated cost of this proj-
whom the project was named, was an • • • ect is $63,000,000 and it would pro-
honored guest in December when state Forestry officials this season banned vide storage of 1,200,000 acres of
and federal officials dedicated the the cutting of Christmas trees on Mt. water to be used for irrigation in the
$119,000,000 Davis dam in the Colo- Charleston, asserting that the supply Shiprock and South San Juan projects.
rado River. Construction of the dam of trees in accessible areas had been The other two projects which would
was started in 1942 at a site midway exhausted, and that such trees as re- affect both New Mexico and Colorado
between Hoover and Parker dams. mained were needed to preserve the are the Pine River dam to provide
After wartime delays it was completed beauty of the mountain landscape. water for 15,000 acres and the Ham-
in 1950 and the first generator put • • • mond project. — Farmington Daily
into operation in January, 1951. The NEW MEXICO Times.
dam forms a lake 67 miles long, back-
ing water almost to the tailrace below Treaty Rights Surrendered . . . • • •
Hoover dam. Michael Straus, com- ESPANOLA—Indians in the San Many Seek Federal Job . . .
missioner of reclamation, was present Juan Pueblo made an important con- GALLUP — Various groups arc
cession to the white man's form of seeking to bring what pressure they
government recently when they passed can to secure the appointment of a
a resolution granting state and county favored candidate as Indian Commis-
LUCIUS BEEBE police officers the right to enter their sioner under the Republican adminis-
and reservation for all types of law en- tration. The advisory council of the
forcement, and giving the municipal Navajo Indians has endorsed Glenn L.
CHARLES CLEGG judge in Espanola the right to handle Emmons, 57, a banker of Gallup. At
announce their revival of the famous their trials. In taking this action the a meeting in Phoenix the representa-
Indians surrendered certain rights which tives of Arizona tribes cast five of their

TERRITORIAL originally had been reserved to them


by treaty, that is, the right to handle
certain types of law enforcement them-
selves in accordance with tribal cus-
nine votes present lor the endorse-
ment of Ernest L. Wilkinson, presi-
dent of Brigham Young University in
Utah. Two votes were cast for Tom

ENTERPRISE
A Weekly of the Western
tom.—Aztec Independent.
• • •
Disagree on Indian Release . . .
ALBUQUERQUE—There is wide-
Dodge, Navajo Indian superintendent
of the Apache agency at San Carlos,
and two votes for Felix S. Cohen,
Washington attorney for several In-
Frontier Literary Tradition spread agreement among officers in dian tribes.
the southwestern states that the U. S. • • •
Nevada's first newspaper, newly revived Bureau of Indian Affairs eventually
after a generation—the source of Mark UTAH
Twain's fame—model for pioneer news- should be abolished, but there is con-
papers everywhere. siderable difference of opinion as to Jeep Posse Is Formed . . .
$5.00 a year when and how this should be brought VERNAL — Formation was com-
about. At the December conference pleted here recently of the Vernal Jeep
SPECIAL OFFER of western governors at Phoenix, Gov. Posse, a group of jeep owners who
to new subscribers! Lee of Utah and Gov. Thornton of have banded themselves together for
Colorado expressed the opinion that emergency service to the community.
A special autographed printing of the the Bureau could be retired in 10 They will be available for fire-fighting,
first issue was run on heavy book paper.
Destined to become an item of Ameri- years. Gov. Pyle of Arizona estimated rescue work, sabotage control, search
cana, it will be sent to new subscribers. 25 years. Commissioner Dillon S. for lost persons and observation duties
This offer is good for a limited time only. Myer of the Indian Bureau, speaking —any emergency task on behalf of
Send $5.00 to cover one year's at the conference, agreed that his the community which requires quick,
subscription and special autographed agency should be eliminated, but vigorous action. Officers have been
copy of the first edition
pointed out that many problems arc elected and a badge chosen to identify
TERRITORIAL ENTERPRISE involved. He cited the problems of the members. The organization calls
Virginia City, Nevada roads, schools and economic security for a driver and a rider in each mem-
which are yet to be solved and asserted ber jeep.—Vernal Express.

34 DESERT MAGAZINE
New Secretary Will Decide . . . will be required to prepare the molds Squatters on School Lands . . .
VERNAL — One of the subjects and complete the cast, and as the Field SALT LAKE CITY—Regents of
which will be dumped into the lap of House staff spends its summers in the the University of Utah recently dis-
the incoming Secretary of Interior, field, the work is expected to occupy covered that lands at Ft. Douglas
Douglas McKay, is the highly contro- two winters.—Vernal Express. which were acquired from the govern-
versial question of building the Echo • • • ment several years ago are being oc-
Park dam in the Colorado River near Utah Makes Voting Record . . . cupied by squatters who have planted
the Utah-Colorado state line. In the bud- SALT LAKE CITY—Utah led all gardens and installed tennis courts
get which he submitted for the billion- the states in the union last November and parking lots. The regents ex-
dollar storage projects in the upper in the percentage of votes cast at the pressed no objection to the land being
Colorado basin. Secretary Oscar Chap- presidential election. Of its eligible put to beneficial use, but in order that
man included 10 dams, but for the citizens 86 percent went to the polls. there be no cloud on the school's title
Echo Park project he is reported to The national average was a little over to the property it was proposed that
have recommencbd only that a further 81 percent. Mississippi was low with a nominal rental be charged. — Salt
study be made. Opposition to the 23 percent.—Salt Lake Tribune. Lake Tribune.
Echo Park project came from the Park • • • • • •
Service and from conservation groups New Basic Policy Wanted . . . High Water Level Reported . . .
all other the West who protested SALT LAKE CITY—At their De-
against the construction of a dam Ground-water levels in Northern
cember convention in Chicago, the Utah reached a record high stage in
within the Dinosaur National Monu- National Wool Growers' association
ment. December, according to the U. S.
went on record as opposing any move
to reorganize the department of agri- Geological Survey. Levels were above
• • • normal in all parts of the state except
To Cast 76-Foot Dinosaur . . . culture along lines proposed by the
Hoover commission, until a new basic the southwest area. Level of Great
VERNAL—A project which will Salt Lake dropped some, but was still
federal policy governing public lands
require two years for completion is above average.—Salt Lake Tribune.
is formed. Among other items of busi-
the casting of a huge dinosaur figure
ness the sheepmen asked that the
to be mounted on the east lawn of BLANDING — Publishers of the
Bureau of Land Management be more
the Utah Field House of Natural His- San Juan Record and the Dove Creek
diligent in the prevention of livestock
tory in this city. As a gift from the Press at Dove Creek, Colorado, re-
trespass on public lands. — Battle
Carnegie Museum, the Field House has cently have announced the consolida-
Mountain Scout.
received the plaster molds of a 76- tion of the two weekly newspapers.
• • •
foot sauropod dinosaur, known as a
Two Vernal women were among the
Diplodocus, and the cast is to be made
25 persons awarded permits to hunt
in this mold. Several months' time M A P S
elk in the Brown's Park area this sea-
son, and both of them, Isla King and San Bernardino County, $1.00; River-
Edytha Johnson, were successful in side County, $1.00; San Diego County,
50c; Imperial County, 50c; other

Keep Those Maps!


The maps published monthly
getting 500-pound bulls. The hunt
was held under the supervision of
game wardens.
counties $1.00 each; (add 10c for
postage). We carry all topographic
quadrangle maps in California and
other western states and Alaska. If
it's maps, write or see Westwide
in Desert Magazine — maps to Maps Co., 114V2 W. 3rd St., Los
ghost towns, gem and mineral TRUE OR FALSE ANSWERS Angeles 13, California.
fields, historic landmarks and in- Questions are on page 24
teresting people and places—are 1—False. The Navajo women do
most of the weaving.
a treasure house of information 2—False. Dinosaur National Mon-
for those who like to follow the ument is in northeastern Utah. 1000 TRAVEL SCENES
motor roads to out-of-the-way 3—False. Pauline Weaver was a
places. man—a Mountain Man.
4—True. 5—True.
It is a simple matter to keep 6—False. Shoshone Indians were FREE LIST
those maps for quick reference living in Death Valley before ^SAMPLES 30c WRITE TODAY
the Jayhawker party came that
when you are ready to use them. way.
KELLY D. CHODA
LOS ALAMOS, NEW MEX.
Just file your complete copies of 7—True.
Desert in the handy loose-leaf 8—False. The Smoki clan is com-
binders which are made especi- posed of business men in Pres- LOOK! A MILLION THRILLS!
ally for them. Each binder holds cott, Arizona. High Power
9—True. BINOCULARS
12 issues -and the December is- 10—False. The Kangaroo rats nor- 30 DAY FREE TRIAL
sue each year carries a complete mally come out only at dusk or Finest Precision Optics

index of the 12 months. after dark.


1 1—True. 12—True. Easy Pay Plan

These handsome leather bind- 13—False. Canyon del Muerto is a free/ Catalog & Book
How to Select Binoculars"
ers with gold-leaf lettering have tributary of Canyon de Chelly Dept. 1 > 6 2 43 E. Green
a place of honor in thousands of in northeastern Arizona. BUSHNELL Pasadena. Calif.
14—True.
libraries. 15—False. Marcos de Niza's quest
Mailed postpaid for for the Seven Cities of Cibola The
failed. Spanish-Mexican
$2.00 16—False. The Colorado discharges COOKBOOK
much the larger annual flow. By DON CARLOS
Authentic recipes of ev-
17—True. ery dish popular in the
18—False. Navajo Mountain is on Southwest and Mexico
the Navajo reservation. today.
PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA $2.00 postpaid at your bookstore or direct from
19—True. 20—True. CHARLES P. LEAHY, PUBLISHER
391 Huntlcy Drive Los Angeles, California

FEBRUARY, 19 5 3 35
By LELANDE QUICK, Editor of The Lapidary Journal
Within the last month there seems to Last year in February our local gem and
have occurred an intense interest in how to mineral society sponsored the first Desert
make baroque gems. At least a dozen let- Midwinter Rockhounds Fair with great suc-
ters have come to us asking how this f.orm cess indeed. In two days 7017 people came
of the lapidary art is achieved. We confess to our Desert Magazine Pueblo and we
that we do not know exactly how the gems closed the exhibits at six o'clock. This year
are polished except that they are tumbled. we are unable to hold the affair in the
The idea has caught on so much that a Pueblo because in the meantime a bank
manufacturer in the east has brought out is making temporary use of the extra space
a tumbling machine for sale for about $100. in the building and this has necessitated
A postage paid and self addressed envelope looking elsewhere for a show room. We
will bring the name and address of the have made arrangements with the Riverside
manufacturer to any interested reader. County Fair and Date Festival people to
The term baroque (pronounced bah- rent two large buildings at the Fair grounds
roke) is generally accepted in the gem trade in Indio. 11 miles away, where we can
HILLQUIST as a description for pearls of uneven con- present a much larger show and have room
tour. We have not noticed the use of the for many more commercial exhibits than
COMPARE! term in gem literature until about a year we had last year. The date has been ad-
# Put the Hillquist Gemmaster beside any lapidary ago when baroque gems came into the vanced almost a month so that a trip to
machine — cheaper, flimsy "gadgets" or units that trade. Today these gems are very popular the show coincides with what promises to
sell at twice the price. Compare construction! Com- indeed and we noticed that all the stores be the greatest wildflower display the des-
pare ease of operation! Compare* how much you featured them in holiday gift advertising. ert has seen for many years because we
get for your money and you'll say, "I'll take the They even appealed to our Helpspend and are having so much rain. It looks from
Gemmaster!"
so we sallied forth in the local marts to here as if our annual rainfall will be more
Here is a worthy companion for our larger and look for some and we were just about to than three times the normal amount and
more expensive Hillquist Compact Lapidary Unit. settle for a nice bracelet of baroque tour- that will bring forth such a profusion of
Tho smaller in size, the Hillquist Gemmaster has
many of the same features. It's all-metal with spun
malines for the unbelievable price of only flowers that the tourist travel will be un-
aluminum tub. You get a rugged, double-action rock $2.95 when our natural skepticism at such usual.
clamp, not a puny little pebble pincher. You get a a small price for so much caused us to ex-
full 3 " babbitt sleeve bearing and ball thrust bear- amine the "gems" more thoroughly. They Dropping the term Midwinter then, we
ing. You get a big 7 " Super Speed diamond saw were evidently glass simulations because so are having our second annual Desert Rock-
and afl the equipment you need to go right to work. many faces were suspiciously alike. The hounds Fair on the 14th and 15th of March.
USES ALL ACCESSORIES feathers that would naturally be present in While it will be sponsored by the Shadow
You can use all the regular Hillquist accessaries any tourmaline used for the purpose were Mountain Gem & Mineral Society of Palm
with the Gemmaster: The Hillquist Facetor, Sphere probably achieved by heating the finished Desert we are hoping to enlist the coopera-
Cutters, Laps, Drum and Disc Sanders, etc. beads and plunging them in cold water. tion of all eight societies in our desert or
WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG The sales person couldn't help us however at its borders. As chairman, commercial
because she had never heard the terms exhibitors should direct inquiries to us and
! COMPLETE, READY TO USE! YOU GET ALL THIS- baroque or tourmaline and we had no advise how much space they wish so that
wish to bore her. we can effect a complete plan by February
15. More space has already been tenta-
As we recall the situation, the first ba- tively
roque jewelry was offered less than two we believe reserved than we had last year but
years ago in the form of pieces of amethyst there will be plenty of room.
and aquamarine that an importer had left This exhibit will open a long series of
over from Brazilian shipments that were gem and mineral shows in 1953 that gives
BIG 7" Diamond Saw • 6" x 1" Grinding so feathered and fractured they could not every indication of being the biggest year
Wheel • 6" Felt Buff • 6" Backing Wheel
6" Disc Sander • Double-action Rock be used for cut gems or even poor quality the hobby has enjoyed. The National Fed-
| Clamp • Oil Feed Cup • Water Feed mineral specimens. A quantity of these eration of gem and mineral clubs will com-
Hose & Clamp • Dop Sticks & Dop Wax-
Polish, Compound, Etc. were placed in a tumbler and the rough bine with the California Federation in the
edges were thus ground away so that the biggest show of all at San Diego on July
BUILT FOR LONG SERVICE! result was a batch of gemstones with the
No other low-cost lap unit
gives you full 3" sleeve
appearance of having been tumbled on the 17, 18 and 19. This will be sponsored by
bearing, ball thrust bearing beach by the ocean waves for centuries. the San Diego Mineral & Gem Society.
and pressure lubrication. When these were polished, drilled and Then on August 14, 15 and 16 the new
strung into bracelets and necklaces they Lapidary Association will present its first
were most attractive indeed and they met annual lapidary show in the big auditorium
with instant favor in the stores in Los at Long Beach. The members of the Asso-
Angeles. ciation drew lots for three years to come
At this writing we are unable to tell how to see which of the member societies would
the process is achieved for the commercial sponsor the program. In 1953 the follow-
people aren't telling of course and we have ing societies drew the first place—Gem Cut-
JASPER JUNCTION LAPIDARY not uncovered any amateur with sufficient ters Guild of Los Angeles, Long Beach
4909li Eagle Rock Blvd. — CI*. S-2021 experience to offer any method we can Mineral & Gem Society, San Pedro Lapidary
Los Angeles 41, California publish. We are having correspondence Society and the Old Baldy Lapidary Soci-
with several persons who are playing with ety. This show will be managed commerci-
WORK SHOP the baroque idea and we will publish what ally by the American Gem & Mineral Sup-
1112 Neola St. — Cl.. 8-7t»7 appears to be the best method in the near pliers Association, who will also handle the
Los Angeles 41, California future. If any reader has any successful commercial exhibits of the Northwest Fed-
experience we would appreciate hearing of eration show at Portland over the Labor
WE SPECIALIZE IN CUTTING BOOKENDS it. We recently had a call from Los Ange- Day week end. With the vast know-how
Custom sawing and polishing—24" saw
Slabs, bulk stone, Mineral Specimens les from a man who is introducing a new
Polished Specimens & Cabochons idea—not tumbling at all but simply stirring of the San Diego society for thefirstmen-
Machinery & Supplies them in an arrangement attached to the tioned show, and the dealers' own organiza-
We rent polishing machinery by the hour kitchen mixmaster. It's so simple that all tion for the latter two, all of these shows
INSTRUCTION AT NO EXTRA COST you have to do is set a batch and go to bed are assured of huge success. '53 looks like
Call CL. 6-7197 for Appointment and when you awaken in the morning there the biggest year yet for America's fastest
is a fine lot of baroque gems. Hmmm! growing hobby.

36 DESERT MAGAZINE
' item. DIAMOND BLADES

htavy-Duty Sipcr- Slanrfarc


Chaned Ckirwi)
6" $ $
9.03 $ 7.98
8" 11.50 10.44
10" 15.23 14.02
22.2(i 18.53
14" 29.40 25.67
FAMOUS SUTRO COLLECTION NEW INSTRUMENT WOULD 16" 32.76 29.08
IS" 05.60 43.20 36.12
IS DISPLAYED NEAR INDIO HELP FORECAST EARTHQUAKES 77.95 51.97 39.84
Motorists traveling on Highway 99 be- Speaker at the December meeting of the 24" H3.24 65.73 51.40
Mineralogical Society of Southern Califor- 30" 149.62 125.73 State
tween Indio and Oasis, California, have the 36" 228.06 188.05 Arbor
opportunity to see the famous Sutro min- nia at Pasadena was Dr. Hugo BeniofT of sales tax in California. Size
eral collection, now housed in the former the California Institute of Technology's Allow for Postage and Insurance
John Hilton gem and art shop. The Hilton seismological laboratory. Slides were
shop was purchased several months ago by thrown on the screen as Dr. BeniofT de- Covington Ball Bearing Grinder
Charles J. Hansen who refurnished the scribed the different types of earth move-
place and installed the Sutro collection ments and the stresses which cause quakes. and shields are
which he now owns. Dr. Benioff is developing a new instru- furnished in 4
ment designed to measure the stress on the sizes and price
For three quarters of a century the Sutro earth's crust preceding an earth movement. r a n g e s to suit
collection of minerals and gems was one of The instrument will consist of a fused V
, o u r r e <i u i r e -
San Francisco's sightseeing attractions. The quartz tube approximately 100 feet long ments. Water and
collection was started by Adolph Sutro. and suspended between two concrete piers {frit proof.
world famous engineer and mayor of San firmly embedded in the earth. The tube
Francisco during the gold rush days. will be attached to only one of the piers COVINGTON 8" TRIM SAW
Sutro was the builder of the Sutro tun- and any movement of the tube due to and motor are com-
nel that drained water from under the Com- stress on the earth's crust will be recorded pact and do not
stock Lode and other diggings in and by highly sensitive instruments. splash. Save blades
around Virginia City, Nevada, and it was and clothing with
Dr. BeniofT believes that by keeping a this saw.
during the construction of this great proj- constant record of this measured stress it
ect that Sutro «.tarted his collection of may be possible in the future to predict
mineral specimens that he continued through with some degree of accuracy the approxi- BUILD YOUR OWN LAP
the years. His own ships would pick up mate time of an earthquake. and SAVE with a COV-
and exchange stones and gems in many INGTON 12" or 16" Lap
foreign lands. Kit. We furnish every-
NEW BULLET*N COVERS thing yon need. Send
In 1935 Charles .1. Hansen bought the
collection and has since acquired many CALIFORNIA MINERALS for free catalog.
outstanding specimens from the private A new supplement to Division of Mines
collection of Sam Livingstone, San Fran- Bulletin 136. Minerals of California, has
just been released by the Division of Mines. h COVINGTON
cisco mining engineer and merchant, rocks ^Multi-Feature
from the personal collection of the late The supplement, which brings up-to-date 10" Lap Unit
Walter Bradley, well known California state the listing of minerals found in California, Does
was written by Joseph Murdoch and Robert evcrythinR
mineralogist, as well as stones and gems for you.
personally collected by Charles Hansen. W. Webb, authors of Bulletin 136.
The supplement lists minerals alphabetic-
These include the second largest single ally and gives the localities in which they
crystal amethyst in the United States, re- COVINGTON
have been found. A bibliography included 12" 14" 4
cently acquired from Uruguay, smoky with the report lists references that discuss or 10" W
quartz of pure gem quality from St. Gott- Power Feed
California mineral localities. It embodies Diamond
hard, Switzerland, and some beautiful jade all information in the first supplement— Saws
carvings from China. issued in the California Journal of Mines
• as and Geology, October, 1949—and should SAVE
be of interest to miners, prospectors, geolo- BLADES
HUGE RUBY PURCHASED gists, and mineral collectors alike.
BY LOS ANGELES DEALER Bound in red paper, the supplement con- Send for New Catalog, IT'S FREE
Returning in November from a trip sists of 46 pages and is priced at 35c, plus
around the world in quest of unusual gem 3 percent tax for residents of California. COVINGTON LAPIDARY SUPPLY
stones, Harry Kazanjian of Los Angeles May be obtained from California Division Redlctnds, California
brought back from London a gigantic uncut of Mines, Ferry Building, San Francisco.
ruby weighing 1151 carats. Referring to his
trip, Kazanjian said:
"I had set out on my trip with the idea
of acquiring unusually large gem stones, in
which we specialize, but I was disappointed
by my experience;, for the first 35,000 miles. Tf ouve
In all the Orient there is so much tension,
fear and economic uncertainty that no one Petrified Wood, Moss Agate, Chrysocolla
wishes to part wi:h gem stones, which now Turquoise, Jade and Jasper Jewelry
form the only really secure form of wealth.
I found that money of any kind — even HAND MADE IN STERLING SILVER
American dollars—is of virtually no value
in comparison with gems. It is possible, of Bracelets, Rings, Necklaces, Earrings
course, to buy all sorts of junk jewels but and Brooches
the really good stones are simply not for
sale." SPECIALLY SELECTED STONES WITH
CHOICE COLORS AND PICTURES
After the disappointments of his trip
through the orient Kazanjian and his wife Write for Folder With Prices
reached London and there, unexpectedly,
they learned about the huge ruby. The
stone is a deep crimson, faintly translucent ELLIOTT'S GEfll SHOP
and surprisingly free of the imperfections 235 East Seaside Blvd. LONG BEACH 2. CALIF.
which so often characterize rubies. Across from West End of Municipal
Harry Kazanjian and his brother James Auditorium Grounds
are Los Angeles importers and cutters of Hours 10 A.M. to 9 P.M. Daily Except Monday
diamonds and other precious gems.

FEBRUARY, 19 53 37
AMONG THE
G E m fflART A D V E R T I S I N G R A T E
8c a Word . . . Minimum $1.00
ROCK HUNTERS
MINERAL SET: 20 identified Western OAK CREEK CANYON, ARIZONA. At In November the Rock and Gem Club of
minerals. $2.25 per box postpaid. Bet Sedona near Flagstaff and Jerome in Fallon, Nevada, was field trip host to the
Doria. 1 15 Walnut. San Diego 3, Calif. Technicolor country, visit the Randolph F.ldorado Mineral Society of Placerville,
Shop for specimens and fluorescents. California. The joint groups traveling in
DESERT ROSES $1.00. Fire Agate spe- a caravan visited Brady Springs where they
cimens $1.00. Apache Tears, 5 for $1.00, 105 DIFFERENT Mineral Specimens $4.50. found geodes, and Fernly where specimens
$1.00, $2.00. Obsidian Nodules $1.00. Carefully selected. Makes a valuable aid of petrified wood were secured.
postpaid. Sally Ellison. P.O. Box 846. in helping identify and classify your find- • • •
Clifton. Arizona. ings or makes a wonderful gift. Boxed Officers elected by the Wasatch Gem
and labeled. 70 different $3.00. 35 dif- Society in Utah are: Henry Fisher, Mur-
GEMS AND MINERALS, collecting, gem- ferent $1.50. Add postage. Coast Gems ray, president; Kenneth R. Tanner, Salt
cutting. Illustrated magazine tells how, and Minerals, 11669 Ferris Road. El Lake City, vice president; Mrs. Elliott Bird.
where to collect and buy. many dealer Monte, California. 1413 Emerson Avenue, Salt Lake City,
advertisements. Completely covers the secretary and treasurer; W. H. Sayler, Dr.
hobby. The rockhound's own magazine AUSTRALIAN OPAL CABS: $5.00 and B. D. Bennion. K. O. Stewart and Howard
for only $2.00 year (12 full issues) or $10.00 each. Small but beautiful, every Hanks, directors.
write for brochure and booklist. Mineral stone a gem. A beautiful cultured pearl • • *
Notes and News. Box 7I6A. Palmdale. for your collection $5.00. Ace Lapidary. Dr. Hugh D. Miser of the U. S. Geo-
California. Box 67D, Jamaica, New York. logical Survey recently described to the
Oklahoma Mineral and Gem Society in
GENUINE TURQUOISE: Natural color, BERYL CRYSTALS, Columbite, Tantalite, Oklahoma City the procedure in the mak-
blue and bluish green, cut and polished ing of a new geological map of the state.
Purpurite, Andalusite Crystals, Rose It required four years of work by 80
cabochons—25 carats (5 to 10 stones Quartz, Hell's Canyon Agates. Mac- geologists and 40 draftsmen.
according to size) $3.50 including tax, Mich Minerals Co., Custer, So. Dakota.
postpaid in U.S.A. Package 50 carats • • •
(10 to 20 cabochons) $6.15 including Subject of the talks scheduled for the
tax, postpaid in U.S.A. Elliott Gem & FIFTY MINERAL Specimens, %-in. or December meeting of the Minnesota Min-
Mineral Shop, 235 E. Seaside Blvd., Long over, boxed, identified, described, mounted. eral Club at Minneapolis was "How to Get
Beach 2, California. Postpaid $4.00. Old Prospector, Box 729 Rich Prospecting for Uranium on the
Lodi, California. Colorado Plateau." Speaker was to be Dr.
McSHAN'S GEM SHOP—open part time, John W. Gruner.
or find us by directions on door. Cholla ROCK COLLECTORS — ATTENTION! • • •
Cactus Wood a specialty, write for prices. Both Trailer Rock Stores are again open Scheduled for the January program of
1 mile west on U. S. 66. Needles, Cali- for business, full of quality merchandise. the Nebraska Mineral and Gem Club of
fornia, Box 22. On Highway one-eleven between Palm Omaha is a colored picture program to be
Springs and Palm Desert. Crystalized shown by Sharpe Osmundson and Carl
ROCKHOUNDS, ARCHEOLOGISTS and minerals a specialty! The Rockologist Hutchens, featuring their trip through old
collectors of Indian relics are discover- (Chuckawalla Slim), Box 181 Cathedral Mexico.
ing that Southern Utah is a rewarding City, California. • • •
section to visit. Write for a free folder. Ye Old Timers' Mineral Club of Vista,
Ranch Lodge Motel, Kanab, Utah. PEANUT PITCHSTONE (Alamasite) — California, is to take a vote on lowering
Mexico's oddest semi-precious stone, for its minimum age limit to 50 years. Hereto-
FOR~SALE: Beautiful purple Petrified polishing or collecting, 3-lb. chunk $5 fore only the 60-year-olders have been
Wood with Uranium, Pyrolusite, Man- postpaid. Or, Rockhound special, 1-lb. eligible, but President Earl M. Van Deventer
ganite. Nice sample $1.00. Postage. fragments $1. Also Flor de Amapa favors the lowering of the age restriction.
Maggie Baker, Rt. 1, Box 284, Blythe, (pink crystallized epidote) rare. Same • • •
California. prices. Alberto E. Maas, Alamos, So- Oscar Branso, gemologist of Albuquer-
nora, Mexico. Send checks only. que, entertained the Gem and Mineral So-
ciety of Santa Fe, New Mexico, with an
AUSTRALIAN CUTTING FIRE OPAL: MINERAL SPECIMENS and cutting ma- illustrated lecture on mineral collecting in
We stock this lovely fire opal in all grades. terial of all kinds. Gold and Silver jew- old Mexico in November.
We import from the mines. Low grades elry made to order. Your stones or ours.
for student cutters $1.00, $2.00, $4.00 & 5 lbs. good cutting material $4.00 or KUNZITE, pink Tourmaline, Rhodonite,
$6.00 per ounce. Better grades for ex- $1.00 per lb. J. L. James. Battle Moun- Turquoise, Fire Opal. Each 25c or all
perienced cutters $10.00 to $20.00 per tain, Nevada. five $1.00. Postpaid. Frey Minerals, Box
ounce. Gem grades $25.00 and up per 1, Eureka, Nevada.
ounce. We also stock fine cutting and CABOCHONS: genuine imported Agates,
faceting material, and the best in speci- Carnelians, Rose Quartz, Lapis Lazuli, CUSTOM CUTTING: 8 hardness or less
mens. H. A. Ivers, 1400 Hacienda Blvd. Tiger Eye, etc., beautifully cut and pol- 80c to $1.00 carat. Special prices to
(Highway 39) La Habra, California. ished. Oval stones in sizes from 10 mm. dealers. Write for full information. J. M.
to 16 mm. 25c each. Minimum order Ontiveros, 612 Arizona, El Paso, Texas.
RADIOACTIVE ORE Collection: 6 won- $1.00. Pacific Gem Cutters, 424 So. All work guaranteed.
derful different specimens in neat Red- Broadway, Los Angeles, California.
wood chest. $2.00. Pretty Gold nugget. ROCKHOUNDS PARADISE. Stop and
$1.00, four nuggets, $2.00. choice col- SEE THEM GLOW: Enjoy your black light, see our display. Montana moss agates in
lection 12 nuggets. $5.00. Uranium flash it over Langtry fluorescent Calcite rough and slabs. No junk. Also other
Prospector. Box 604, Stockton, Calif. stones. Really beautiful and unique. Just slabs and minerals. Several thousand In-
mail $1.00 to Charlie Schnaubert, Box 58, dian relics for sale, intact. Write for
ATTENTION ROCK COLLECTORS. It Langtry. Texas, and receive our special prices. Sun Valley Trailer Park, P. G.
will pay you to visit the Ken-Dor Rock one pound specimen assortment. Shipped Nichols, Prop., 3922 No. Oracle Road,
Roost. We buy, sell, or exchange min- to you postpaid. Tucson, Arizona.
eral specimens. Visitors are always wel-
come. Ken-Dor Rock Roost. 419 Sut- YES THERE IS a Rockhound in the City MOJAVE DESERT GEMSTONE — Send
ter, Modesto, California. of Porterville. California. At 1120 Third for price list and description of beautiful
Street. Gemstones from many parts of world.
ONYX BLANKS, unpolished, black 25c Sold with satisfaction or money back
each; red, green, blue 35c each. Perfect STOP—LOOK—BUY—Specimens, s l a b s - guarantee. We sell Highland Park Lapi-
cut Titanium. Fine cutting and polishing rough, from A. L. Jarvis, 1051 Salinas dary machinery, Congo reversible blades
at reasonable prices. Prompt attention to Road, Watsonville, California. On Sa- and supplies. Write for literature. San
mail orders. Juchem Bros., 315 West 5th linas Highway, State No. 1, 3 miles South Fernando Valley Rock Shop, 6319 Lind-
St., Los Angeles 13, California. of Watsonville. ley Ave., Reseda, California.

38 DESERT MAGAZINE
LAPIDARY GROUP TO HOLD MINERAL SOCIETIES EXCHANGE
ANNUAL SHOW MARCH 7-8 ROCKS AS CHRISTMAS GIFTS
Maricopa Lapidary Society of Arizona Almost without exception, the gem and
plans to hold its 4th annual Gem Show mineral and lapidary societies throughout
and Exhibit Saturday and Sunday, March the United States held Christmas parties
7-8 at the Arizona state fair grounds in some time during December. One of the
Phoenix. The show will be open from 10 most popular items on the Christmas pro-
a.m. to 10 p.m. grams was the giving of rocks as gifts, and
In addition to gem and mineral exhibits many novel variations entered into this
there will be demonstrations in the use of feature. ALLEN
all equipment used in lapidary work, in- Some of the societies, which operate on
JUNIOR GEM CUTTER
cluding faceting. Silver work also is to be the calendar year, made the election of
demonstrated. officers for 1-953 a feature of the Christmas A Complete Lapidary Shop
No admission is to be charged. For program. Others staged pot luck dinners, Only $43.50
information write to W. N. Moore, pub- followed by programs in which Christmas
licity chairman. 1816 E. Whitton avenue. music was featured. • Ideal for apartment house dwellers.
Phoenix. • • • • Polish rocks into beautiful gems.
• • « At their November meeting, the South- • Anyone can learn.
• Instructions included.
Supplies of jade are becoming scarce, ac- west Mineralogists held an auction netting
cording to the report of Martin S. Rosen- $101.67 for their trust fund. Gordon Bailey Write for Catalog. 25c
blatt, oriental art dealer in San Francisco, accepted the chairmanship for their April ALLEN LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT
who was speaker at the meeting of the Show.
Gem and Mineral Society of San Mateo COMPANY — Dept. D
County, California. It is almost impossible egoOfficers elected for 1953 by the San Di- 3632 W. Slauson Ave., Los Angeles 43. Cal.
Lapidary Society are: Lee Weatherbie,
now to get good judeite out of Burma, and president; Fred Grunner, first vice-president; Phone Axminster 2-6206
New Zealand has prohibited the exportation John C. White, second vice-president; Ruth
of its "green stone." Weatherbie, secretary; Ada Harrison, treas-
• • • urer; Helen Pegram, historian. Last field
Tacoma Agate Club at Tacoma, Wash- trip of the year for the San Diego Society Agate Jewelry
ington, celebrated its 12th birthday an- was planned for December 7 in the Pinto
niversary in November when 96 members Wash area. Honorary member, Donal Hord. Wholesale
were present. Feature of the evening's famous as a sculptor, was given a scroll Rings — Pendants — Tie Chains
program was the discussion of earthquakes from the San Diego Chamber of Commerce Brooches — Ear Rings
by J. W. Jones of the University of Wash- in recognition of talent "Inspiring to Suc- Bracelets — Matched Sets
ington. ceeding Generation." - Send stamp ior price list No. 1 —
as*
Northern California Mineral Society in • • •
San Francisco collected jadeite at Clear derThe Monterery Bay Mineral Society, un- Blank Mountings
Creek for its November field trip. Camp- Past the general chairmanship of immediate
President Roscoe Russell, is planning Rings — Ear Wires — Tie Chains
ing at an elevation of 3200 feet, the col- its Sixth Annual Mineral and Gem Show Cuff Links — Neck Chains
lectors found many dolomite rosettes. A to be held at the Y.M.C.A. Bldg. Salinas. Bezel — devices — Shanks
huge jadeite boulder was found—too hard California. March 7 and 8. Solder — Findings
to be broken by an ordinary sledge ham- • • • - Send stamp for price list No. 2 -
mer. Guide for the trip was Buck Bleifus. The annual banquet of the Everett Rock
• • • and Gem Club will be held on January 12 O. R. JUNKINS & SON
The November meeting of the Dona with Dr. Osborne, Curator of the Dept. of 440 N.W. Beach St.
Ana County Rockhounds, Las Cruces, New Archeology, University of Washington as NEWPORT, OREGON
Mexico, included a lesson on quartz gem the speakers.
stones by Mildred Sanders, Bill Smith and
Bernice Sandell. A special treat for this ALTA INDUSTRIES
meeting was a talk by Dr. W. Andrew TURQUOISE Mailing Address:
Archer who had spent eight months in Ethi- Persian, waterworn nuggets, large range of
Box 1!>, Laveen Stage, Phoenix, Arizona
opia in charge of plant exploration for our blues, approximately 25 nuggets per ounce.
Price per ounce $2.00. Location—7006 So. 19th Avenue
Department of Agriculture. A lesson on Castle Dome, hard natural shape nuggets. LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT
turquoise by Lois Olinger, Frank Olinger Price per ounce $1.00. Lapidary Equipment Manufacture & Design
Lost Mountain nuggets, bright blue. Price 10-18 inch Power Feed Slabbing Saw
and Mr. and Mrs. N. Neut Jones was sched- per ounce $1.00. Belt Sanders & Trim Saws
uled for the December meeting. It was Sleeping Beauty Nuggets, small, little matrix. (Send Postal for free literature)
reported that field trips to Picacho Peak Price per ounce $1.00.
Lost Mountain vein material. Price per
by two groups totaling 19 members yielded ounce $1.00.
much good cutting material. Castle Dome chunk material. Price per
NEW CATALOGS AVAILABLE
ounce $1.00. All of the above materials are
• • « impregnated to improve hardness. None are If you want Choice Cutting Material, Fine &
New officers of the San Fernando Valley dyed. A majority will cut to advantage. Rare Materials, Geiger Counters, Minera-
Special Offer: A $10.00 assortment consist- lights, Books, Trim Saws, Fluorescents,
Mineral and Gem Society are: Henry Has- ing of an ounce or more of each of the above Ores, Gems, Ring Mounts, or advice, write
bach, president; E. G. Lilleberg, vice-presi- varieties will be sent postpaid for $5.00. to . . .
dent; Mrs. Laura C. Tuteur, secretary; Miss Satisfaction guaranteed MINERALS UNLIMITED
LOST MOUNTAIN GEMS
Eleanore Lilleberg, treasurer. P. O. Box 5012 Phoenix, Ariz. 1724 University Ave., Berkeley », California
• • •
Exchange of rocks among members at
their December meeting was planned to
usher in the Christmas season for the Colo-
rado Mineral Society. Mitchell E. Gun-
nell was scheduled to speak on "A Mineral
Collector's Potpourri."

• Specializing in O BEFORE YOU BUY CDCC CATAIC\C1


FINE FOREIGN GEMS SEND F
O R OUR BIG tKtt \.MIML\J\7
AND MINERALS The world-famous HILLQUIST LINE of lapidary equipment
Lapidary Equipment and Supplies o
Gem drills—Jewelry tools—Sterling LAPIDARY E Q U I P . C O . iws W. 49 ST., SEATTLE 7, WASH
Jewelry Mountings—Books—Mineralights
SUPERIOR GEMS & MINERALS
4665 Park Blvd., San Diego 16, California
Open 10:30 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
Closed Sundays

FEBRUARY , 1953 39
Long Beach Mineral & Gem Society re- "Formation of Gem Materials" was the
ports that one of their representatives, Jessie subject of George Merrill Roy's lecture at
Hardman, was elected show chairman of the November meeting of the Shadow
the Lapidary Association show to be held Mountain Gem and Mineral Society. Roy for the Rockhound
in the Long Beach municipal auditorium in is conducting an afternoon class of 40 on
August, 1953. Long Beach will be co-host Rockology every Wednesday at the Palm By DOMER L. HOWARD
in charge of all individual and special ex- Springs Eevening High School, in addition Editor, the Sooner Rockologist
hibits for the show. to the evening classes twice a week. Rich- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• • • ard Mitchell of Los Angeles and one of the
A field trip to the Chuckawallas for iris top faceters of America answered questions Here are a few simple rules which, if
agate January 3 and 4 has been scheduled at a faceting forum following a pot luck followed, are guaranteed to make you
by the Compton Gem & Mineral Club. Bob dinner of the club at its December meeting. about as popular as a cow that has been
He also showed his professional motion eating wild onions:
Benefiel has resigned as two year delegate picture Colored Film on Gem Cutting.
to the Lapidary Association because of e • • (1) If your host does faceting and has
heavy responsibilities. a collection of cut gems in Riker Mount
• • • One of the most distinguished members boxes, be sure to leave a generous collection
Shark Tooth Hill, 10 miles northeast of of the San Diego Mineral and Gem Society of your finger prints on each glass cover.
Bakersfield was the location chosen for the is Kenneth Parkinson, noted gemologist of A coy way of doing this is to exclaim,
December field trip of the Delvers Gem & Hull, England. He specializes in hard-to- "Oh, isn't this one beautiful?" and then
Mineral Society, Downey. This deposit, get gem minerals, and makes an annual jab the glass vigorously with your index
while now on the side of a hill, was once trip to Ceylon and other gem centers for finger. It only takes about 15 minutes to
the bottom of the great inland sea which rare and unusual stones. clean one of these smears off a glass cover,
covered what is now the Sacramento and • • • so be generous with your finger prints.
San Joaquin Valleys. Thirty members of the Mineralogical
Society of Arizona- at Phoenix took part (2) Another wonderful way to make your
• • • host grind his teeth in agony is to shake
Dr. Robert W. Karpinski, an engineering in a November field trip to the Woodpecker
mine. The management at the mine had the Riker Mount vigorously to see if it
geologist of France, was scheduled to ad- provided 50 tons of frfi'sh ore on the dump really does hold gems satisfactorily. Of
dress the December meeting of the Chicago for the rockhounds to pick over. The Jan- course, you may fracture a gem that he
Rocks and Minerals Society on his "Experi- uary field trip was scheduled to be in the spent several haurs cutting, but there is no
ences in Exploring for Minerals in French Vulture mine area. reason why the guy should be finicky about
Indo-China." It was to be an illustrated his stuff, is there?
lecture. Dr. Karpinski is now head of the • • •
geology department of the undergraduate RECOMPENSE (3) If your host hands you a gem for
division at the University of Illinois. inspection, do not cup it safely in the palm
By RUTH GRANTHAM of your hand but grasp it nervously by the
Omaha, Nebraska edges as though you were about to drop it
hunted through the fields and woods, any moment.
searched the secret valley;
Happy Hew year to you looked by every roadside ledge
And in the downtown alley.
(4) When you approach your host's
specimen shelves or cabinets, don't wait
(Our Old and Our New Customers Alike) until he offers to hand you some specimen
SLABS roamed on all the prairies wide, that you admire, but grab it. If it is a nice,
Our Slab Assortment is still selling very
hiked high on the mountain; crystal specimen, run your fingers up and
well. We set lots of repeat orders and down the smooth, highly polished termina-
have many letters in our files saying how tramped through farm and ranch land
well pleased our customers are. Start out
And near the city fountain. tions. Of course, dust is highly abrasive and
the New Year with an order and prove to you may do irreparable damage—but what
yourself what a bargain it is. 40 to 60
sq. in S2.00 But never have I found the thing, the heck—it's only a rock, isn't it?
CHUNK MATERIAL My fondest hopes have faded; (5) When your host finally brings out
8 lb. Mixed cutting material 2.00 No gemstone prize have 1 turned up his treasure of treasures and fondly offers it
MEXICAN OPAL That could be highly graded. to you for your approval, nonchalantly
Specimens with Fire, each 50 reach into your pocket and bring out one
Specimens without Fire, each 25 of your bragging rocks and talk so much
PRECIOUS ROUGH FACET MATERIAL And yet I found a treasure which
Vfe-lb. Precious Topaz, mine run 3.00 All other gems transcended; about it that you will be unable to hear
Vi-lb. Amethyst (Good Rich Color), mine 1 made a hundred rockhound friends your host's remarks about his favored
run (Contains both faceting & cab piece.
material) - - 6.00 Before the search was ended.
•/2-lb. Kunzite, mine run—facet & cab (6) Never miss an opportunity to say,
material - 4.00 "Yeah, that's nice, but you ought to see
Vi-lb. Peridot, mine run—facet & cab
material 8.00 the one that I have!"
V2-lb. Sunstone, chatoyant copper tonesO.OO
(Big c/c faceting, makes beautiful cabs.) TURQUOISE • • •
The Hollywood Lapidary Society had
BURNITE "The World's Finest Gem Stone"
It's New • It's Hare • It's Different In the Rough: the rare privilege at their November meet-
Blue—small chunks—S15.00 per 11). ing of hearing their first president, Dr. Ron-
IT'S BEAUTIFUL Blue—larger chunks—fine grade — S30.00 ald W. MacCorkell, discuss the history of
(The Sensation of the Year) per 11).
A rare find of Azurite, Malachite & Cuprite All above rough turquoise has matrix books devoted to gems. Dr. MacCorkell
that has silicified to the extent of making —more or less suitable for making cabs has in his collection about 400 books and
it hard enough to cut and polish into beau- or nuggets. pamphlets on gems and jewelry and with
tiful cabs, spheres, book-ends, etc. Polished Spider-web cabs:
There are areas of extremely true royal Fine quality oval or rectangular— reference to starting a collection, remarked.
blue Azurite, large enough to cut large Average 5 to 10 carats each—$2.50 each "The books of today are the rare books of
stones of solid blue color. Other areas of Minimum order—$5.00, cash with order—
where the blue is broken by patches or tomorrow." He traced the history of gem
bands of hard velvet malachite and lighter sent postpaid. books still extant, beginning with the first
green and yellow-green. Filtering through Orders to east of Mississippi — add 159S
all of these are bands of Cuprite which extra postage. written record, a poem entitled "Lithica,"
polish to a beautiful high luster of copper. ROCKING HORSE TURQUOISE LODE and continuing on through Theophrastus'
It makes such beautiful pictures that truly 241.1 W. Glenrosa Phoenix, Arizona "History of Stones" about 315 B.C.; the
you would think an artist was at work. 37th book of Pliny's "History of the World,"
1 lb. Chunk material $6.00 first century A.D.; two 12th century books
Slabs—per sq. inch 50 by Arabian mineralogists; the "Book of
18x25 mm. polished cabs.- 2.50
(Dealers write for prices on letterhead) Nature," the first gem book to be printed
with movable type, in 1485; Travernier's
Please add postage to all orders, 20%. Fed
tax to slabs, rough facet material & cut
stones, 3% California sales tax
Stone Relics-Arrowheads "Travels to India," 1670; Max Bauer's "Ed-
elsteinkunde," from which practically all
STORE HOURS Large stock Indian relics and
Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri.—9:00 to 5:00 Yuina and Folsom points for sale modern gem books stem; the writings of
Wed —9 to P •> Sat & Pun.—Closed on approval. Also beadwork and George Kunz; and G. F. Herbert Smith's
Ethnology books. Will buy good "Gemstones."
quality collections.
Coast Gems and Minerals TILTON RELICS
• • •
At the November meeting of the San
1615 West 21st Street Jose Lapidary Society, Dr. Wayne E. Kart-
11669 Ferris Road El Monte, California TOPEKA, KANSAS chner gave an instructive talk on how vari-
ous colors are formed in gem stones.

DESERT MAGAZINE
TEST IS SUGGESTED FOR SANTA ROSA TO HAVE
THE CALCITE FAMILY MARCH MINERAL SHOW
From the SMS Matrix, official bulletin Spring show of the Redwood Gem and FAST
of the Sacramento Mineral Society of Cali- Mineral Society of Santa Rosa, California,
fornia comes this formula for differentiat- has been announced for March 14 and 15 ACCURATE
ing calcite from dolomite: at the Barnett Motors building. More de-
"Put a couple of drops of cold dilute tailed announcement is to be made later.
hydrochloric acid on the bare mineral. If The Santa Rosa society now meets on
it contains calcite it will effervesce at once. the second and fourth Wednesdays of each
If it does not effervesce freely, then scrape month in Room 12 of the Junior College.
a little of the mineral into powder and Pioneer Hall.
try the acid again. If it is dolomite, the
powder will effervesce.
"If neither solid nor powder effervesces,
you do not have limestone, chalk, calrite, Coachella Valley Mineral Society has
aragonite, dolomite, dolomitic limestone, announced that it will put on another show
at the Riverside County fair grounds in
STOP DOPPINS CABOCHONS
and probably none of the other simple car- the antiquated way
bonate crystals. Better check a little closer Indio, California. Glenn Vargas will be
for gypsum, barite. weathered chert, horn- show chairman. The society's chuck wagon Go MODERN Get on to
fels. or an altered igneous rock." project has proven most popular. Dona-
• • • tions recently included a big pressure cooker, The Metal Dapping Disks
Officers of the Hemet-San Jacinto Rock- two stoves and boxes for food and utensils
hounds in California re-elected for the en- which slip into the shelves in lieu of draw- Of the PROPER HOPPER
suing year were: Mrs. C. J. Nichols, ers. Since crystal hunters discovered Crys-
president; John Fett, vice president; Mrs. tal Hill, this location has been so popular Here's 6 good reasons why
Ethel Harwell, secretary-treasurer and fed- that another trip was scheduled for Decem- 1. You <-a dop from 10-60 times as fast.
eration director; Thomas Harwell, field ber 13-14. 2. You ne L'heat stone separately.
trip chairman; C. J. Nichols, assistant field 3. Stone i trued o flop—it can't tilt,
trip chairman; Mrs. Ruth Wagner, pub- I. .lob is d.v no e cessive wax anywhere,
licist. 5. Ideal i cold <loi ping—disks lay flat.
• • • 6. Introd ctory S< only $2.00 postpaid.
PANCHO THE ROCKHOUND
The Midwest Federation of Mineralogi-
cal and Geological Societies is planning its says, "Write for our list of You may NOW ord r tins New, Efficient,
13th annual convention to be held next Gems, Minerals, and Cutting Convenient and Acci rate Lapidary Tool, 1<>-
Materials. Also books on lapi-
summer in St. Louis, Missouri. Theme of dary and equipment." gether with printed ecbniqne for its proper
the conventibn will be "Meet Me in St. use, from its inventor.
Louis." Unusual exhibits, a convention LAS PALMAS ANTIQUE SHOP
818 Ft. Stockton Dr.
banquet, field trips and an address by the
well known geologist, Dr. Albert J. Frank San Diego 3, California EUGENE A. BflCCHI
of St. Louis University, will be featured 3S4S Pillmore Street
attractions. Convention chairman is K. E. SAN FRAXCIHCO 23, CALIFORNIA
Gibbons, 6421 Hobart Ave., St. Louis.
FAMOUS TEXAS PLUMES
• • • Red Plume, Pom Pom and many other types
Pasadena Lapidary Society planned a of agate. Slabs on approval. Rough agate,
field trip to Baron Wood in January, ar- 8 lb. mixture postpaid, $5.00. Price list on
request. EAR RINGS
rangements having been made by Al Stoltz, WOODWARD RANCH
field trip chairman. 17 miles So. on Hwy 118 OF
• • • Box 453. Alpine. Texas (.(•inline Turquoise
Fresno Gem and Mineral Society in Cali-
fornia, is making plans for a show to be Water worn pol-
held at the fairgrounds cafeteria April 18 ished nuggets on
and 19. sterling silver ho-
• • • FIRE OPAL - MEXICO
gan ear screws. Av-
The Lapidary Association met on No- Fine minerals, Aziec agate and other erage weight 25 K.
vember 19 at the Eleda Cafe in Los An- CHOICE cutting materials.
geles. Regrouping of the gem and mineral Postpaid. Tax included. CE Afl
clubs which put on the annual shows in REQUEST FREE PRICE LIST
Satisfaction Guaranteed... .Pairvw-v"
Long Beach was felt necessary for geo- RALPH E. MUELLER & SON
graphical reasons. The new system evolved 1000 K. Camelback Phoenix, Arizona THE TRIBAL CRAFTSMEN
consists of the harbor group, Long Beach, Box 3901 Phoenix, Arizona
San Pedro, Compton and the Delvers; the
bay group, Santa Monica, Gem Cutters
Guild, Hollywood and Los Angeles; the
foothill group. Glendale, San Gabriel, Pas-
adena and the Old Baldy Club. The harbor BLACK LIGHT KITS
group will sponsor the first show next year, 110 VOIT LONG WAVf
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FEBRUARY, 1953 41
~Qu3t jSetu/een Ifou and Me

By RANDALL HENDERSON with typical California zeal, the Angelenos went all out
for their goal. They appointed committees to bring in tour-
THE office of Horace M. Albright, former ists, and more committees to bring in factories. And all
director of the national park system and now the committees did their jobs well, too well, in fact.
president of a new organization known as Re- They promoted so many factories they had to plow
sources for the Future, Inc., comes the announcement under their gardens and uproot their groves and orchards
that in March a conference will be held in Washington to provide housing space for the workers. And now they
for the conservation and development of our natural re- have to have policemen on every corner to keep the chan-
sources. nels open so the folks can get home from work in the
Both the out-going president and the new president evening. They breathe air that is poisoned with gas fumes,
have joined in the call for this conference, the first to be and while there are still many beauty spots left in South-
held with White House cooperation since 1908. ern California the atmosphere often is so clouded with
The need for such a conference was disclosed in smog the folks who dwell there get only an occasional
recent federal reports showing that the United States, glimpse of them.
formerly a raw materials surplus nation, has now become Tourists don't care for traffic jams and police restric-
a raw materials deficit nation. We have been consuming tions and smog—and more and more of them are avoiding
our renewable resources—soil, minerals, forests and water Los Angeles and making their winter reservations in
faster than Nature can replace them. Palm Springs and Tucson and Las Vegas.
Resources of the Future is a non-profit corporation Tourists are big industry, and Cochise County, Ari-
sponsored by the Ford Foundation. The task they have zona, is one of the most delightful winter tourist areas in
undertaken is of interest to all Americans—the task of the United States. I hope the folks there will keep it that
conserving or restoring resources which are essential to way. But they must face the proposition that tourists and
the economic welfare of future generations of Americans. smokestacks won't mix for long. If they want tourists,
* * * they must do as Palm Springs is doing—keep the smoke-
Far down in the southeast corner of Arizona, along stacks out. If they want smokestacks, then they might as
the Mexican border, is Cochise County. I have a special well discharge the committee on tourist industry.
regard for Cochise County for three reasons. I am confident that a more enlightened generation
Historically, it is one of the most interesting counties of Americans at some future time will find a way to keep
in the Southwest—the ancient home of the Apache In- the poison fumes from flues and exhaust pipes and chim-
dians, and more recently of some of the liveliest mining neys out of the air we breathe. But that will not come as
camps in the West, including Tombstone, Bisbee and long as we permit the powerful lobbies of commercial
Douglas. interests to have a voice in the halls where the laws are
Geographically, Cochise County, with its Coronado made.
National Forest and its Chiricahua and Swisshelm Moun-
I hope my Arizona friends will pardon my breach of
tains has some of the most delightful scenic landscapes
good diplomacy—a Californian trying to tell an Arizonan
in the Southwest.
how to manage his affairs. But in this big desert which
And the third reason is Weldon Heald. Portal, in is my home, state lines do not mean much. I want the
Cochise County, is his home. Weldon is a long-time air of the desert country kept clean and pure—and while
friend who writes occasionally for Desert Magazine and it seems that smokestacks are an essential part of civiliza-
battles incessantly to keep the commercial interests from tion at this stage, I am quite content to let the city dwellers
taking over all the beauty spots in the Southwest. Weldon have them, while out here we can still look across our
is a conservationist—and I wish there were more like him. valley and see the distant horizon.
Probably Weldon shared the concern I felt a few days * * *
ago when I picked up an Arizona newspaper and read
about a conference in Douglas "to trailblaze a long range As this is written, early in January, the sand dunes
plan for new industry." in Coachella Valley carry the most luxurious carpet of
Seeking new industry is a very proper activity for a green sprouts I have ever seen on the desert. Those tril-
chamber of commerce. More industry brings more pay- lions of little wildlings of the plant world carry the prom-
roll money, more business for the merchants, and higher ise of a colorful flowering season on the desert in another
real estate values. 30 to 60 days—if the weather gods are favorable. There
But in seeking new industry, I hope the Arizona folks is always the possibility that a night of freezing tempera-
in Cochise County will not make the mistake other cham- tures or a blasting sand storm will nip the buds which
bers of commerce have made in years past—and for come early in January — but barring this possibility,
which they are now paying a tragic penalty. visitors to the desert in February and March and April
Los Angeles County in California got the "new in- this year will see a more colorful wildflower display even
dustry" bug also, more than half a century ago. And than last year's exhibition.

42 DESERT MAGAZINE
GHOST TOWNS LISTED ON
NEW SOUTHWEST MAP
Printed on parchment paper in four
colors is an attractive map just issued
by Marvel Maps of Los Angeles show-
ing the location of 86 of the ghost
mining camps of the Southwest.
John D. Lawrence, the artist who
PLIGHT OF THE NAVAJO Benton had conceived the original idea prepared the map, did a great deal of
IS SUBJECT OF STORY of the road, and it was largely the re- research before going to his drawing
Earl Haley, author of Revolt on the salt of his senatorial oratory that the board to design the decorations which
Painted Desert, is deeply aware of the government allocated $10,000 for its make this something more than an
problems faced by our American In- construction and $20,000 for treating ordinary guide.
dians and the necessity of arousing the Indians for a right-of-way. The map shows 34 California ghost
widespread interest in those problems George Champlin Sibley was the towns, 25 in Nevada and 27 in Ari-
so that proper solutions may be worked field executive—the man on the job— zona, and each town is indexed with
out cooperatively by whites and the who brought the Santa Fe route into a descriptive paragraph giving a hint
Indians themselves. He chose to pre- existence. Several years ago, Sibley's of its importance.
sent in story form his knowledge and journal, lost for more than a hundred Published by Marvel Maps, Los An-
a passionate appeal for better under- years, came to light in a Senate com- geles. $ 1.00 mailed in tube.
standing between the two races. mittee room. Kate L Gregg obtained • • •
His Navajo hero, James Carling, a photostatic copy for publication, ed- Pictorial Guide to Nevada . . .
had been raised and educated by a ited it and the diaries of Sibley's asso- A pictorial guide to many of the
missionary who had adopted him and ates, studied the Missouri Intelligen- interesting places in Nevada recently
taken the small Indian lad to Indiana. cer's stories of the Santa Fe trade, has been published by Hamilton A.
He became a great college football and checked Congressional records of and An L. Higbie in paper covered
player and served his country with the period. She was rewarded with an format.
honors during the war in the Pacific. absorbing story of pioneer roadbuild- The table of contents shows the
The return to his people dramatizes ing—The Road to Santa Fe. classification of the pictures and ac-
the helplessness which has been the companying text under the following
tragedy of educated young Indians Fictioneers have so embellished fact
with legend that the Santa Fe Trail titles: History & Prehistory, Pioneers,
who find they are lost in a "No Man's The Comstock, Geology and Legend,
Land" between the ways and lot of has become unrecognizable as a sober
trade route. Readers believing that it Early Roads and the Horse, Around
their own on the reservations and the the Silver State, and Along the Line
world of the white race. Carling, "just growed" will learn with surprise
that it was duly surveyed and, like of the Virginia and Truckee.
steeling himself against discourage- Obviously, the original photography
ment, and deriving inspiration from many of today's arterials, was a fed-
eral project. of the book was very fine, although
the loyalty of two fine women, one the lithographing process did not al-
an Indian and the other a member of Published by the University of New ways reproduce the black and white
the white race, leads a successful co- Mexico Press, 280 pages, endmaps. pictures to best advantage. 48 pp.
operative effort by his people to mod- $4.50. $1.50.
ernize their economy.
The story is a dramatic summation
of the present day dilemma of the Nav-
ajo Indian, and is a simple and read-
able expression of the viewpoint of
those who would make some immedi-
There'll be Wildflowers
By the first of March, wildflowers will be blooming in many places
ate and drastic effort to solve the
on the desert—and if you are one of those fortunate enough to live
problem.
within motoring distance you'll want to see the desert in blossom.
Obviously, Haley is an understand- And if you know their names, you'll appreciate them more.
ing student of Navajo life and think- Desert Crafts Shop recommends the following books for those
ing, and his book will be a revealing
who would like to become better acquainted with the wildflower family:
story to those who have not had the
opportunity to become well acquainted FLOWERS OF THE SOUTHWEST DESERTS. By Natt N. Dodge, A
with America's largest tribe of Indians. 112-page paper covered handbook giving the names of the more
common species of flowers seen on the desert landscape, mailed
Published by House-Warven, Holly-
wood. 376 pp. $5.00. postpaid $1.00
DESERT WILD FLOWERS. By Edmund C. Jaeger. A revised edition
• • • of one of the most popular wildflower books, written by a man
FAMOUS SANTA FE TRAIL who knows them all. Includes 764 species, illustrated with photos
EARLY FEDERAL PROJECT or pen sketches. Indexed. Postpaid $5.00
On March 3, 1825, as one of his FIELD BOOK OF WESTERN WILDFLOWERS. By Margaret Armstrong.
last acts in office, President James An authoritative book popular with those who love wildflowers.
Monroe affixed his signature to a bill Many pen sketches and a number of color plates. Postpaid. $5.00
authorizing the surveying, marking and California buyers add 3% tax
building of a road from the Missouri
frontier to the settlements of New Mex-
ico. Vuent
"A highway between nations," Sen- Palm Desert, California
ator Thomas Hart Benton called it.

FEBRUARY, 19 53 43
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