M A G A Z I N E

29 Palms
Sunset . . .
First prize winning picture in
Desert Magazine's November con-
test. Photograph by Max Elliott of
Santa Ana, California. Picture was
taken at 1/25 second at fill on
Agfa Supreme, with a piece of yel-
low cellophane as a filter. Palms
are the native Washingtonias from
which 29 Palms, California, de-
rives its name.

Special Merit...
There were so many and such exceptionally fine prints submitted in Desert's
November contest, the judges were called upon to make very difficult decisions.
Two or three of the best photographs, however, had to be ruled out because of
technical flaws in developing and printing. In addition to the prize winners, the
following prints were purchased from among the entries for future use in Desert
Magazine:
Sunset over Wupatki Ruin, by Tad Nichols, Tucson, Arizona.
Cross of the Martyrs, by Geo. W. Thompson, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Lordsburg Sunset, by S. Paul Lindau, Los Angeles, California.
Salton Sea Sunset, Joshua Sunset and Victorville Sunset, by Nicholas N. Koz-
loff, San Bernardino, California.

New Mexico
Sunset...
Loren G. Snook of Pagosa
Springs, Colorado, won second
prize in the November contest with
this photograph taken between
Shiprock and Gallup, New Mex-
ico. Taken with a Rolleiflex cam-
era on Eastman Super XX. Time
1/50 at f: 11 with K2 filter. The
shrubbery is juniper and sage, and
G. M. Tucker of Pagosa Springs is
the figure.
 DESERT

• Before the war, during which he

served in the Army Air Forces as air
and ground instructor in operation, the-
ory and maintenance of air-borne radar
equipment at Boca Raton, Florida, Har-
old O. Weight, was a printer in Los An-
geles. He also had done some writing,
but as he explains it, "the checks come
along more regularly in the printing
trade than in the profession of free lance
writing." But he also had a hobby—or
several of them. When he could get Volume 10 JANUARY, 1947 Number 3
away for a few days he headed for the
desert to collect rocks, take photo-
graphs and explore the more remote COVER KIT FOX, Lower California. Photo by Lewis W.
areas. And he acquired quite a library of Walker, San Diego, California.
the fact and lore of the desert country.
This month Harold became a member of PHOTOGRAPHY Prize winners in November contest 2
Desert Magazine staff as an associate ed-
itor. His time will be divided between the CLOSE-UPS Notes on Desert contributors 3
editorial desk and the desert trails and
highways where he will serve as a rov- CALENDAR January events on the desert 3
ing reporter. Harold is a modest young
man—and while he writes both fact and OASIS Waterhole on the Old Bradshaw Trail
fiction, he never gets the two confused. By RANDALL HENDERSON 4
He is a thorough student of the desert—
and we are glad to have him as a staff as- NATURE My Friend Bill, the Kingsnake
sociate. His second story for DESERT By ADDISON N. CLARK 8
will appear soon.
INDIANS Trail to Acoma
• Richard Van Valkenburgh's next story By DAMA LANGLEY 9
for DESERT describes his trek along the
"Turquoise Trail" in an effort to find the FIELD TRIP Rock Hunter in the Sawatch Range
"lost" mines from which prehistoric By HELEN ASHLEY ANDERSON . . . . 13
Zuni Indians obtained turquoise. Loca-
tion of these mines has been source of HISTORY Ghost City of the White Hills
speculation for many years, some authori- By STANLEY G. DAVIS 16
ties believing they may have been the
Cerrillos mines southwest of Santa Fe, BOTANY Heliotrope Wildlings
others claiming they were in the By MARY BEAL 19
California-Nevada deposits. Van could
not prove that the turquoise workings he WILDLIFE He Took His Own Picture
found were the traditional source, but at
least there was evidence of early Indian By LEWIS WAYNE WALKER 20
occupation. LETTERS Comment from Desert Readers 22
BOOKS Death Valley and Its Country, other reviews . . 23
DESERT CALENDAR MINING Current news briefs 24
Jan. 1—New Year ski races, Arizona NEWS Here and There on the Desert 25
snow bowl, Flagstaff, Arizona.
Jan. 1—New Year dances, many New TRUE OR FALSE A test of your desert knowledge . . . . 28
Mexico Indian pueblos.
Jan. 4-10—Sons of U t a h Pioneers CONTEST Rules for 1947 photographic contests . . 30
"Know Your Utah Week." Part of
Centennial year celebrations. HOBBY Gems and Minerals
Jan. 6—Traditional installation of newly 31
elected governors of Indian pueblos, —Edited by ARTHUR L. EATON . .
New Mexico. LAPIDARY Amateur Gem Cutter, by LELANDE QUICK 37
Jan. 8-10—Golden Jubilee convention,
American National Livestock associa- COMMENT Just Between You and Me, by the Editor . 38
tion, Phoenix, Arizona.
Jan. 15-24—Black Hills Passion play, POETRY Desert Message, and other poems . . . 39
Kingsbury hall, University of Utah.
Jan. 22-26—14th A n n u a l Livestock
show, Tucson, Arizona. The Desert Magazine is published monthly by the Desert Press, Inc., 636 State Street,
Jan. 25-26—Sierra Club irip to Seven- El Centro, California. Entered as second class matter October 11, 1937, at the post office at
El Centro, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Title registered No. 358865 in U. S.
teen Palms oasis, Borrego Badlands. Patent Office, and contents copyrighted 1947 by the Desert Press, Inc. Permission to reproduce
Russell Hubbard, 2071 Balmer Dr., contents must be secured from the editor in writing.
Los Angeles, leader; Randall Hen- RANDALL HENDERSON, Editor. BESS STACY, Business Manager.
derson, co-leader. LUCILE HARRIS and HAROLD O. WEIGHT, Associate Editors.
Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs submitted cannot be returned or acknowledged
unless full return postage is enclosed. Desert Magazine assumes no responsibility for damage
CREED O F THE DESERT or loss of manuscripts or photographs although due care will be exercised. Subscribers should
send notice of change of address by the first of the month preceding issue. If address is un-
By J U N E LEMERT PAXTON certain b-y that date, notify circulation department to hold copies.
Yucca Valley, California SUBSCRIPTION RATES
As they roll along o'er prairie wide, One Year . . . $3.00 Two years . . . $5.00
Their carefree life they cannot hide; Canadian subscriptions 25c extra, foreign 50c extra.
For wind and space supply the needs Subscriptions to Army personnel outside U.S.A. must be mailed in conformity with
Of these rollicking, restless tumbleweeds. P.O.D. Order No. 19687.
Address correspondence to Desert Magazine, 636 State Street, El Centro, California.

JANUARY, 1947
 i % •••'•.

The original two palms at Dos F'almas have now increased to 27. The grade of the Ail-
American canal may be seen at the base of Orocopia mountains in the background.

springs. Their flowing water comes from

Waterhole on the that great underground fissure which may

be traced across the Colorado desert from
Desert Hot springs community at the base
of the Little San Bernardino mountain
range through the Indio and Mecca hills
Old Bradshaw Trail and thence to the Algodones sand dunes
east of El Centro which themselves are be-
lieved to be an indirect result of the frac-
Gold at La Paz! Eighty-four years ago prospectors poured through the tures in the earth's crust known as the San
Colorado desert, and Bill Bradshaw flung a freight road across a wilder- Andreas fault system.
ness that has remained, to this day, dry and desolate and uninhabited. But this story is concerned mainly with
This month, Randall Henderson takes Desert readers to one of the most Dos Palmas. For this oasis is outstanding
important waterholes on that forgotten road—historic Dos Palmas oasis. among the historic waterholes of the
Southern California desert. It deserves a
By RANDALL HENDERSON chapter of its own.
For nearly 100 years—perhaps longer
/ V N 1862 when rumors reached San first to reach the new field. A giant in —the dark fronds of the palms at Dos
_ * / Bernardino, California, that Mexi- stature, and a brave and competent man Palmas, visible for miles across the com-
can prospectors were finding big despite his eccentricities, Bradshaw could paratively level floor of the desert, have
nuggets of gold in the gravel along the see no sense in making the long detour to been guiding mountain men, explorers,
Colorado river at a place called La Paz, Yuma and thence up the river, when a trappers, prospectors and surveyors to this
there was feverish excitement as every man more direct route might be found over the always dependable source of water. No
with adventure in his blood began looking 180-mile span of desert between San Gor-
for transportation to the new placer strike. doubt the desert Indians camped at these
gonio and the Colorado river.
springs countless generations before the
But where was La Paz? Freight drivers From Chief Cabazon of the Desert Ca- coming of the white man.
on the road from San Bernardino through huilla Indians, Bradshaw learned the loca-
San Gorgonio pass and thence to Yuma tion of the springs and waterholes along The two Washingtonia filijera palms
had brought in news of the new gold field. the southern toe of the Chuckawalla range which gave the springs their name, were
Pauline Weaver, trapper and frontiers- —Dos Palmas, Canyon springs, Tabaseca mature trees when Bill Bradshaw's crew
man, had brought some of the gold to tanks, Chuckawalla spring, Mule spring, of brush - cutters and mule - skinners
Yuma, they said. But the teamsters had and thence into the Palo Verde valley and roughed in the road that was to carry
only a vague idea as to where the golden the Colorado river. Bradshaw went over countless gold-seekers to the gold at La
gravel was located. the route with an Indian guide, found the Paz.
"Up the river somewhere above Yuma springs as they had been described by the In the '90s the Orocopia mining com-
—perhaps a hundred miles," was the only Cahuilla chief—and with characteristic pany installed a pump at Dos Palmas to
information they could give. "No, there energy began building a freight road. supply water for mining operations 18
were no roads up the river. Only Indian Much of the old road may still be fol- miles away in Orocopia mountains. Ac-
trails." lowed, in a rugged automobile, and all the cording to hearsay, the mine was never a
But lack of roads is no serious obstacle old Bradshaw waterholes may be found highly profitable venture, and the last
when gleaming nuggets lay thick under- today with one exception. Ruins of the old trace of the old pumping plant has long
foot, and fortunes may be recovered with stage station at Mule spring still mark the since disappeared. The sheet-iron shack
crude placer tools. And so the stampede site, but the spring has long since dried up now at the springs was erected by the mili-
was on. On horseback, in buckboards, and and disappeared beneath the blow sand. tary during World War II, and having
in lumbering freight wagons men were Perhaps Bradshaw was not aware of it, served its purpose is now falling apart—
heading out into the desert as fast as they but he was indebted to those natural forces a victim of vandal erosion. No one will
could get together their grubstakes and which created the great San Andreas earth- regret its disappearance.
equipment. Bill Bradshaw, described by quake fault and its tributary fractures, for In 1906, 43 years after Bradshaw had
his friend and biographer, Major Horace part of the water supply along his route. blazed the trail, George Wharton James
Bell, as a "natural lunatic," was one of the The springs at Dos Palmas are fault and Carl Eytel, the artist, following their

THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 SAN ANDREAS SPRS. OAS/S^1|;

three burros, arrived at the springs from shoulders. There is no more danger of overnight in 1866 and spread his bedroll
Palo Verde valley. Recording his visit thirst, for in the morning, only a few miles under a brush ramada outside the stage
there, James wrote in The Wonders of the farther on, are palms rising out of the des- station. He had $3500 in gold from the
Colorado Desert: ert, telling of the presence of an oasis placer field at La Paz. During the night he
"Our canteens hang empty on our where there is an abundance of water. It was shot through the heart, and robbed of
is Dos Palmas, well-loved spot of desert
teamsters and prospectors; the old stage-
station, where two springs supply an abun-
dance of good water so that animals and
men can drink all they desire without fear
. . . A small shack, which serves as bed-
room, parlor, sitting-room, dining-room,
kitchen, hall, reception and smoking
room, stands close by the spring, which is
surrounded by beautiful trees, carrizo,
grass and flowers to which it gives life."
To the thirsty traveler, the springs at
Dos Palmas are, as James describes them,
"good water." Actually, the description
written two years later by Walter C. Men-
denhall and published in the U. S. Geo-
logical Survey's Desert Watering Places in
California and Nevada, Water Supply Pa-
per 224, is more accurate. Mendenhall
wrote:
"Dos Palmas is a well known stopping
place on the old San Bernardino and
Yuma road, about six miles east of the new
Salton station on the Southern Pacific rail-
road, near the clearly defined old beach
line that stands 40 feet above sea level in
the Colorado desert. The position of the
springs is marked by two large desert
palms, which give the name to the place.
The springs yield a large quantity of tepid
and slightly salty but drinkable water, the
first to be found on this old road southeast
of Mecca, which is 16 miles distant."
The route from Mecca to Dos Palmas But while the water at Dos Palmas has
spring is now marked by these signs, given life to man and beast for countless The author believes this is one of the
erected by the owner of Rancho years, this oasis also has been the scene of original two palms which gave the
Dos Palmas. tragedy. Hermann Ehrenberg stopped here spring its name.

JANUARY, 1947
 Prospectors have been coming to this waterhole jor countless years.

the money. The station keeper, named them every morning from a box of oat- landmark. His ranch is cut with barrancas,
Smith, reported that the assassin was an meal. A short time after friends took him spotted with sand dunes, and covered with
Indian. Charles D. Poston, friend of to the hospital for his last illness his cabin salt flats and boulders. And that is just
Ehrenberg, who had camped at Dos was burned, and the fish have long since what he wanted. There's a dry lake that
Palmas the previous night, expressed the disappeared. makes an excellent runway for airplanes,
opinion that the station keeper was the the rocks are good building material for
murderer. No one ever was prosecuted for Last October Aries Adams and I revis-
ited Dos Palmas—and met Raymond barbecues, stone walls and cabins, and the
the crime. A year later the new town of dunes are covered with the shells left by
Arizona City on the Colorado river seven Morgan who three years ago purchased the
Rancho Dos Palmas, a mile from the the marine life of ancient Lake Cahuilla.
miles south of La Paz was renamed in The old beach line which runs across the
honor of Ehrenberg. springs. The ranch house was built origin-
ally as a desert guest resort. But Morgan, ranch contains artifacts of a prehistoric In-
My first visit to Dos Palmas was in the head of a very successful advertising con- dian culture. And there are more springs
winter of 1920 when I accompanied a cern in Hollywood, is not interested in its than he has been able to count. When the
group of Blythe men scouting the old commercial possibilities. He maintains the colossal pressures which created the San
Bradshaw road, which had long been ranch as a desert retreat for his staff and Andreas fault were heaving and twisting
abandoned, to see if it offered a more feas- friends. Barry Atwater, the painter, has a the earth's crust they did an extra good job
ible route than the sandy Chuckawalla little cabin there and has done some ex- of shattering the rock massif that under-
quisite landscapes in the area. Morgan has lies this terrain, and as a result, springs
trail which then connected the Palo Verde
increased his ranch to 2000 acres, includ- bubble to the surface all over the place.
valley with the outside world. Our report
ing the Dos Palmas oasis.
was adverse, due to the long sandy pull u'i Today the original dos palmas have in-
Salt creek wash, east of Dos Palmas. There From the standpoint of agricultural pos- creased to veintisiete—and that is 27
were three or four grown palms at the sibilities, Raymond probably has the worst if you do not speak the language of the
springs then, and several smaller trees. 2000 acres in the Colorado desert. But he Mexican who first gave the oasis its name.
Also several mesquites. The adobe walls knew that when he bought it. He does not I believe the original two palms are still
of the old Dos Palmas stage station had al- aspire to be a b\fi shot rancher. He wanted standing. I cannot be sure of them, but two
most disappeared, but prospectors were this spot for its historic and scenic interest. of the 27 are fire-scarred veterans which
camping there. There is an abundance of sun and sand and have the appearance of having lived 75 or
solitude out on this desert—and those 100 years. A majority of the trees are
A few years later Frank Coffey, who had comparatively young, and my guess is that
been prospecting the Chocolate and things are good tonic for folks who are
cooped up all week in an office in the big under the custodianship of Raymond Mor-
Chuckawalla ranges since 1885, built a gan their numbers will continue to in-
cabin and resided at the springs until his city—and he was smart enough to know
that, and had the means to do something crease.
death nine years ago. Coffey planted rare
species of fish in the pool at one of the about it. The springs at Dos Palmas are sur-
springs, some of them from China, he said. Raymond told me Dos Palmas is to be rounded by a dense growth of tules, and,
The fish were Frank's pets, and he fed preserved in its natural state, as a historic as Walter Mendenhall wrote, the water is

THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Rancho Dos Palmas where Raymond Morgan and friends come to relax.

a trifle salty. But Frank Coffey assured me other of the interesting phenomena on Eventually the breach through which
more than once, "It is the healthiest water Raymond Morgan's 2000 - acre play- the river poured its torrent was closed, and
on earth—puts mineral in your system. ground. the grade above San Andreas oasis was
Look how my fish thrive on it." never used—but it remains today a well-
Aries and I climbed a low ridge just preserved reminder of that historic battle
Silhouetted against the skyline two south of San Andreas palms and found a
miles southwest of Dos Palmas is another between man and a mighty river.
section of railroad grade probably built
oasis—San Andreas springs. There is no We counted 16 vigorous natives of the
by Southern Pacific in 1906 and 1907
road to this group of palms. Several palm family at San Andreas, and then
when its engineers were fighting to keep
months ago I tried to drive across the des- made an inspection tour of the Rancho Dos
the tracks above the rising waters of Sal-
ert to get a close-up picture of the San An- Palmas—a tour in which the little jeep was
ton Sea. According to George Keenan in
dreas palms—and riding through the un- called upon to do everything except turn
The Salton Sea, the railroad company
dergrowth I encountered one of those somersaults. It took us over dunes and
moved its tracks five times during 1906
springs. My car stayed there until the folks across terrain slashed with barrancas and
as the runaway Colorado continued to pour
at the rancho pulled it out with a tractor pitted with craters. I am sure Raymond
its flood into the Imperial basin and the
several hours later. Morgan's jackrabbit farm will never be
sea level rose as much as seven inches in a
But Aries and I were in a jeep this time. overrun with rubberneck tourists.
day.
We reached the oasis without difficulty, The Coachella valley extension of the
and found the palms growing in a thicket All-American canal now cuts across the
of tules which mark a series of springs, desert a half mile above Dos Palmas oasis.
obviously extending along the fault line. TWO DOS PALMAS OASES Doubtless the time will come when manv
Just east of these palms is a long sand thousands of acres along the bajada which
dune which bears out the theory of geolo- There are two Dos Palmas extends from the base of the Orocopia and
gists that dunes may be the indirect result oases on the Southern Cali- Chocolate mountains to the north shore of
of a fault in the earth's crust. The explana- fornia desert. One of them is on Salton sea will be brought under cultiva-
tion is that water seeps to the surface the north slope of Santa Rosa tion.
through the fracture and provides mois- mountains at an elevation of But Raymond Morgan has given assur-
ture for a heavy belt of vegetation. The 3500 feet (see Desert Magazine, ance that the historic oasis of Dos Palmas
trees and shrubs serve to retard the blow Nov. '45). The Dos Palmas de- is to be preserved as a waterhole where the
sand which sweeps across the desert and scribed in the accompanying thirsty traveler may always find refresh-
gradually a dune is formed. Water is still article is much better known ment—just as it was in the days when Bill
coming to the surface of the dune I refer to, and is the oasis generally re- Bradshaw and Frank Coffey and the great
and it presents the novel spectacle of a ferred to when you hear desert fraternity of frontiersmen whom they sym-
great hill of. sand covered with a thick people speak of Dos Palmas. bolize came here to rest and fill their can-
growth of grass and shrubs. This is an- teens.

JANUARY, 1947
 JP-- • .. . •j-^mUOik*. . ' " ... .,

."..v.,»,s':"hi.

There are snakes and snakes. A few of them carry

poison that is deadly to human beings. But most of
them not only are harmless, but they are true friends
of man. Here, a mining man tells his experience on
the Nevada desert with two members of the king-
snake family.
• • " .

Lampropeltis getulus californiae—the Kingsnake.

days later, as they were leaving for home, a detail of four de-
toured down my camp trail swinging the sack as they hove in
sight. And I knew what caused the bulge in it.
With four pairs of Scout eyes watching, I quietly rolled down
By ADDISON N. CLARK the top of that sack beside a little pool of piped spring water at
the corner of the cabin porch. Cautiously the contents poked out
n ! T HIGH NOON of a hot May day I sat on the bed in my
f / tiny cabin on a Nevada desert mining property I had
a sleek head and took a wary look around—including a quiet
stare straight up at me. Then Bill, as we christened him, crawled
been surveying. I was lacing my rattlesnake-proof high out—a good six feet of beautifully-ringed kingsnake. He flashed
boots and wondering why I had seen no rattlers around the a tongue in and out a few times, investigated the cool water in
camp. Last August I had killed two beside that same cabin, and the little pool, and forthwith headed beneath the porch.
one down the road. And I knew I would not see any more rattlesnake tracks cross-
As I pondered, the answer emerged from beneath the bed— ing the dusty trail.
a beautiful five-foot kingsnake. Silently he crawled past the foot The following Sunday the top officers of the corporation op-
on the floor, went behind the stove, and curled up. I quietly erating the mine, drove up from San Francisco to look things
tickled him with a bit of kindling, and when he started out the over. Since I was bachelor-chef as well as engineer and superin-
cabin door I held him with the stick while I called my associates tendent, at noon I was preparing a lunch for the four of us. As I
to come and look at what I explained to them was the rattler's was putting things on the table under the huge pine tree by the
nemesis. cabin, I heard a yell from the vice-president—who was a city
"Jimmy," as I christened him for the duration of my field lawyer with ceiling-zero knowledge of woodcraft and snakes in
work there, was becoming irritated and squirmed a bit, so I re- general, and of mining in particular.
leased him. He promptly slithered under my cabin floor— "Hey!" he howled, grabbing up a big rock. "A snake!" And
where I was more than happy to have him camp, because as long he took stance to project said rock a t . . . at my pal, Bill the neme-
as he was there I knew I'd have no visiting rattlers nor side- sis of rattlers! Bill himself, disturbed by the unusual noises on
winders. his roof, had wriggled out from under my porch to see what it
Reason for my introducing the group to "Jimmy" was that was all about, and there he was—a beautiful target for the bar-
three days previously my mine-owner client, a city-bred Cali- rister's boulder.
fornian of 70, had beckoned me aside as I came in off the job I jumped between Bill and the lawyer and told him bluntly to
and whispered (to spare the nerves of the lady member of the lay off my snake . . . "My snake!" I repeated.
party, who had an allergic horror of all snakes and lizards) that "Hell—a snake's a snake to me!" he retorted, and was about
he had slain "a little young rattlesnake—so young he didn't have to annihilate Bill. I knocked the rock out of his hand and told
any rattles at all," that afternoon. him that if he harmed the snake I'd have to chuck him into the
"Heavens!" I said. "Show me the reptile!" I had a hunch. He creek—or worse. The other company officials, knowing there
led me to the foot of the mine dump, showed me his quarry—• was no love lost between the V-P and me, looked on with mixed
still slightly squirming, its crushed head beneath a flat rock. It emotions and knew that there must be some good reason for my
was a beautifully-marked young kingsnake. action. I explained my loyalty to Bill.
Of course, though it was then too late to save a useful life, I "I—I guess he means it!" said the V-P. I did mean it, for Bill
explained kingsnakes and their ways to the old gentleman so not only had kept the rattlers away but he had rid my cabin of
graphically that I knew he'd never slay another one. the mice which formerly devoured my food and kept me awake
Exactly 18 years before, in 1928, while I was superintendent at night.
and engineer of a California Mother Lode gold mining prop- And so, my friends of the desert byways, if you don't already
erty up in the Eldorado county foothills, and living in a rude know a kingsnake when you meet one, familiarize yourself with
cabin on the bank of a creek between Greenwood and George- this ally of the reptile world, and next time you meet one, make
town, I actually imported a six-foot kingsnake to rid the cabin's friends with him, or her—I cannot tell you how to figure which
vicinity of rattlesnakes. The rattlers were thick in the Sierra foot- is which.
hills in that hot Maytime, and I all but slept in my knee-high Unfortunately, there are many species of kingsnakes, and they
boots. do not all have the same markings. The ones I met in Nevada
A patrol of Boy Scouts from an Oakland troop, eight strong, were banded with ring-markings. Most of the species are band-
was camped with the assistant Scoutmaster on the hill above my ed, but a few of them are speckled, and there is one glossy black
camp. Some of the boys were interested in mineralogy. Two of species in California, a narrow-white band running along the
them were preparing for Eagle Scout merit-badge tests. As I was full length of its back. When in doubt—if the reptile you meet
a Scout advisor I had plenty of company in off hours. The Scouts has neither rattles nor a diamond-shaped head—give the snake
were snakewise too, and I explained my problem. They and I the benefit of the doubt.
had the same idea at the same time . . . to find a kingsnake. Don't forget either, that where kingsnakes are, rattlesnakes
Next day they took a patrol hike over to old Spanish dry ain't; and if you do forget that, and become jittery and kill a
diggings, taking along an extra flour sack "in case." A couple of kingsnake, I hope its spirit haunts you the rest of your days.

THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Indians living on the Great Rock of Acoma in New Mexico are not noted
for their hospitality to strangers. Generally they are aloof and distrustful
—and it costs you a dollar to go up the trail to their pueblo. But behind their
mask of austerity, they have the same warm hearts as human beings
around the world—as you will discover when you read this story by
Dama Langley.

Trail to Acoma
By DAMA LANGLEY
Photos, courtesy
U. S. Department of Interior

—I HERE is a perpetual feud between

/ the Pueblo of Acoma and the tribes-
men of Laguna pueblo 16 miles
away. It dates back nearly to 1629 when
Father Juan Ramirez arrived on the 350-
foot flat-topped rock where the Acomas
live to found a mission. He brought with
him a rather grotesque painting of Saint
Joseph as a gift from King Charles II of
Spain to the Indians.
The natives believed that Saint Joseph
had endowed the painting with miraculous
powers. It brought bountiful harvests and
made the livestock fertile.
The Lagunas, troubled with drought,
epidemics, floods and other calamities,
asked to borrow the picture to see if it
would change their luck. Prosperity fol-
lowed, and they were reluctant to return
the magic painting. Thus began a contro-
versy which finally was settled by the su-
preme court in 1857 when the Acomas
gained permanent possession of the pic-
ture.
But bad feeling still exists. The Acomas
not only distrust the Lagunas, but I suspect
this distrust extends to all other tribes and
races.
Knowing all this, it was with reluctance
that I heeded the request of my Laguna
foster child Toli, whom we call Squaw-
poose, to drive across the desert and show
her The Rock, the name given by other In-
dians to Acoma.
It was the last day of the year and a
snowstorm hovered over us as we left
Highway 66 to follow the trail that led to
Acoma. It was a sandy trail, the sort of
desert road that is here today and gone to-
morrow, buried under shifting sand or
washed away by a sudden summer deluge. Old trail to Acoma. Today there is a better route to the top of the 350-foot rock, but
Just out of sight of the highway we over- the governor's wife will be there to collect a dollar before you reach the top.
took an Indian in uniform laboring along
under a heavy duffle-bag. He gratefully ac- will be surprised to see him. He says every almost see the heat waves of that stifling
cepted our offer of a ride, and settled him- day while he was away he waited for the day as I waited below in a car while a
self beside the little Indian girl with a time when he could come home." While mountain-climbing companion sought to
grin. They exchanged several remarks in she continued her conversation with one of disprove the legend that Enchanted Mesa
their Indian tongue. her own people, I recalled my last visit to is invulnerable. This Enchanted Mesa is
"He's going home for good," she inter- ancient Acoma and the tragic Enchanted six miles from present day Acoma, and was
preted the conversation. "His name is To- Mesa toward which we were driving. the original home of the tribe until, if we
mas and he was a paratrooper. He's been It was summer then, and we had no are to believe the legend passed down
gone more than three years, and his people thought of the war that was ahead. I could through many centuries, a great storm or

JANUARY, 1947
earthquake came and destroyed the only had to be reconquered for his Most Sover- "Don't tell them about the torture!" I
trail by which the Indians could reach their eign Majesty, and the ungrateful savages urged. "Just tell them he was killed behind
shelters on top of the rock. Most of the converted to the true Faith!" the lines." Then I slipped out to the ghost-
tribe were in the fields below or hunting in We parked the car at the bottom of the ly old mission, whose history alone would
the distant mountains, and escaped disas- sand trail which is the easiest of the four fill volumes. While Squawpoose solemnly
ter. But half a score of less active ones were routes to climb, and knowing the boy's im- explored the tunnel-like archway which
marooned without food or water and they patience to get home we told him to go surrounds three sides of the big church I
died there on the mesa top, while their ahead and we'd take our time. He skirted sat in the little balcony where ill fated
families milled helplessly around the base the cliffs still showing smoke stains from Friar Baltazar loafed and gloated over his
of the cliff. the Spanish cannon, and went up the trail self-built empire. This great fortress was
The Acoma lad began to talk of his called "El Camino del Padre" constructed not built for the glory of God but as a
childhood, and when we reached the big by Fray Juan Ramirez. This Father used to monument to the egotism of a very worldly
gaunt mesa, he said he and two pals in a trudge the 150 miles on foot from Santa Fe and wicked priest. In its building Spain re-
spirit of bravado once tried to climb the to conduct mass for the Indians. I've gone duced the happy free Indians to an en-
rock. They knew that evil spirits hovered up that trail once or twice, but chose to ig- slaved tribe of bitter sullen laborers.
around there and took the shape of owls nore it this trip. It begins with big flat Every stone, every huge beam, every
when darkness came. "We knew our fa- rocks wedged in place for steps and finally handful of soil filling the walled garden
thers would be very angry, but we dared tapers out to hand and toe holds cut in the and the burial plot in front of the church
each other and then we started up the side. solid rock. So we chose the sand trail up had to be brought up heart-breaking trails
I was so scared I wouldn't stop and I went which we struggled, sinking ankle deep in by tortured human beings. I looked at the
so far up I couldn't get back. I did just such the sand. last dying peach tree, all that remains of the
things in this war, too. I guess we never "Look, they're coming to meet us!" once famous garden, and remembered how
really grow up!" Squawpoose rejoiced at the hospitality of each Indian woman was required to sup-
"But how did you get down?" The eyes her "people" but I had my own suspicions ply two gallons of water daily to nourish
of Squawpoose were round with suspense. as to their motives. Sure enough both wom- the rare fruits and vegetables the priest
"The other boys were frightened and en began talking at once when we met. planted in that garden. Then I walked
they ran to the fields for my father. He was There is a charge of $1.00 for use of any along the rim of the mesa and tried to select
pretty wise, so he left me there until all the trail to the village and each one demanded the exact place over which just at moonrise,
owls were cutting the dusk around me. payment. One's husband had been gover- his weary parishioners pitched him! I want-
When he did get me down I thought I had nor until that day and she thought he ed to erect a fitting monument there. This
been punished enough, but he took me should have credit for the collection. The story is told by Willa Cather in Death
down into.a kiva and the Medicine men other said her husband was the new gover- Comes to the Archbishop.
burned pinon cones under a blanket and nor and we were his first visitors. I told "What are you looking for." Tomas had
made me keep my head under it until I them I would sign my name in the official approached so silently he was beside me
was almost choked with the oily smoke. I pueblo register and pay the toll to the when he spoke.
could taste that punishment for years!" book's custodian. They grumbled as they "I'm trying to find out where Padre
We had reached the desert below Aco- followed us on up. Squawpoose said they Baltazar was launched into space."
ma, and it looked very grim. No wonder were discussing the wisdom of trying to Tomas looked all around. We were
Alvarado passed it by in 1540. Acoma is collect for her, obviously an Indian child! alone. "Come, I'll show you." We saun-
not a hospitable town, and why should it When we stepped out on the windswept tered along the rock's edge and as we
be? Its first "civilized" contact was with rock at the top of the trail the desert below passed a place which overhung a desert
Spanish marauders, the Conquistadors un- us was blotted out by a whirling blanket of strewn with jagged rocks he carelessly
der the leadership of Espejo in 1581. At snow. I began to regret my impulsive jour- waved his hand as though we were discuss-
that time according to a journal left by the ney to the isolated village and to wonder ing an aerial battle. "This is where the men
invaders the Acomas had a snake dance in where my Squawpoose and I would find stood while they swung him back and forth
which they danced with the reptiles shelter. It was a senseless worry. Our sol- a few times and let loose of him. Glance
wrapped around their arms and necks but dier boy and his plump comely mother down and you'll see prayer sticks set
not in their mouths. This selfsame journal hustled us into their home, and the storm among the rocks. That spot means as much
solemnly declares: "This Indian pueblo with its terrors was shut outside. That was to us as the Statue of Liberty to your race."
keeps a monstrous serpent housed in its the beginning of three days so filled with "Were you homesick for Acoma while
own special chamber where it is fed once friendship and peace I completely revised you were across?"
each year with great pomp and ceremony. my opinion of Acoma hospitality. "Was I! There were a dozen of us, Na-
It is worshipped and children are sacri- There was a constant procession of vajo, Jemez, Walapais, some Hopis, and
ficed to it." neighbors coming and going, all anxious Albert and I in our company. The white
Part of that lurid report is borne out by to hear what Tomas had to say about the boys treated us just fine and there were
the fact that Acoma did keep a huge rattler lands across the sea. Others sought infor- times when we felt white, but in the night
for many years, but it escaped from its mation about their own boys, several of time or on the days mail from America
cage and was killed by a freight hauler. In- whom were taken captive by the Japanese came to us, or if one of our race was killed,
tervention of his friends saved him from on Bataan. I was about to leave the house, we were drawn together into a little group,
being mobbed by the Indians. taking Toli with me, when an old man and all Indian in thought and feeling. You'd
In 1599 Acoma was attacked and partly a pretty girl were seen coming across the be surprised to know that many a Baho
destroyed by the Spaniards. Seventy sol- plaza. stick was made and planted when we
diers managed to reach the top but every "That's Albert's father, and Rosena, the sensed that an attack was coming! There
one was either killed or wounded. Through girl he was to marry. I wish I didn't have were times when I wished that I had been
the rebellion of 1680, and the final con- to tell them how he died!" Tomas turned a trapped by the Medicine men so I'd have
quering by a siege which starved the Indi- distressed look on me. Already he'd told more powerful magic!"
ans into accepting Spanish priests, they me how Albert, also a paratrooper, had "How do you mean trapped?"
continued to spit defiance at the King of been dropped behind the lines with him, "Just that. No Acoma boy willingly
Spain. Onate naively complains in his and how he was captured and tortured by joins the Medicine men. In order to have
notes: "Each time we revisited Acoma it the enemy. their full quota of initiates they resort to all

10 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

sorts of tricks to get boys into the profes-
sion. The Medicine men are hated and
feared. In case a young man meets a Medi-
cine man both sit down hurriedly. They
sit for hours staring silently at each other.
Whichever weakens first loses, but usually
a Medicine man has more pressing duties
than a young man and has to get up and
leave. There are other ways of trapping
members, however, and there's always the
element of chance. If the boy happens to
step in ashes sprinkled hopefully around
the pueblo or in certain spots where the
trails start there is no way out; that care-
less youth has to join the Medicine clan.
The old men snoop around and examine
our moccasins or shoes at unexpected
times hoping to catch us before we have a
chance to brush the evidence off. The
sacred ashes are mixed with a certain pow-
dered clay which clings so tightly it's hard
to get off."
"Did you ever get caught?"
"Yes, but I tricked the old fellows. You Main street in Acoma.
probably know that the question of fuel for
fires up here on the Rock is a very serious and smoothed out my tracks with her moc- never been allowed to go out since this vil-
one. No man, woman or child going down casins. A girl can't be a Medicine man, and lage grew on the Rock.
onto the plain comes back up any of the she was safe." I murmured agreement and "Not only must the best ear of corn be
trails with empty hands. They carry any he went on, "She is quick as lightning placed in the kiva, and we all know the
sort of twigs or dried roots or sticks of when she thinks, and she hurried me back Medicine men get them instead of invisible
wood they can find. I can remember how to where my mother stacked the ashes from gods, but the women have to share their
my mother always dreaded a storm such as her coal fire. She saved them to scatter over strings of dried peaches and melons and
this because the wood might run out and the melon hills in the summer time. 'Step mutton jerky and chili. They even have to
her children be cold. So, when I was about in those ashes,' Kadah ordered and I waded divide the dried cactus apples, put away for
16 and went up into Colorado to work in in until my shoes were white. And do you puddings, with them.
the sugarbeet fields I didn't mind the long know those coal ashes stuck and looked
just like the sacred medicine trap ashes? "Some ears of corn are wrapped in
hours or hot sun. I had plans. I was paid eagle feathers and handspun cotton strings.
almost $40 for the work and when I got That sure was a narrow escape! "
Others are trimmed with seashells and bear
back to Gallup I went to a coal mine and "Where is Kadah now?" and eagle claws, and these ears of corn are
bought a truckload of lumps of coal for my laid on top of the Medicine men's kiva. A
"She's getting her wedding dress ready!
mother. The coal dealer agreed to deliver bowl of water is brought up and the chief
Tomorrow we will be married by the
the coal at the foot of the Burro Trail and Medicine man looks down into it for sev-
Medicine man we fooled. And when the
you may be sure I ha-d my mother there eral minutes. Then he calls a name and the
Priest comes again we'll go into the church
when it was unloaded. She was the envy of other Medicine men go into the crowd of
and let him marry us too. We won't mind
every woman on the Rock. They all begged watchers on adjoining housetops and bring
and it will please him!"
to help carry it to the top, but since they that person along with them to the chief.
expected a portion for their services my "Why are your Medicine men hated No protests are heeded. The selected man
mother and I carried it. She's never been here? My Hopi friends are proud of their has no more chance to get out of being
without coal since, and while I was in the healers." treated than I did when Uncle Sam said he
army I made her promise to spend a little "Here the Medicine men select their wanted me to fight. The patient is seated
of her allotment check for coal when she own patients, and you may be sure they al- there and all the people listen to the heal-
needed it." He lost himself in his proud ways pick out one that can pay well. They ing songs which are repeated four times,
memories and I had to remind him that he hold healings twice a year. When they see then the healer explains that he saw a face
had tricked the Medicine men. their supplies growing low they go into in the bowl of water and it belonged to the
"O, yes. Well, you see I had a sweetheart each house and drop a pinch of meal in the man they have chosen.
and we got into the habit of wandering out palm of the man living there. That means
the best ear of corn from the hidden store "The healer has one hand covered with
each evening to sit where we could look out
room must be given to place before the al- the skin and claws of a bear's paw, and in
across the valley to the Enchanted Mesa.
tar in Medicine kiva!" his other hand he holds two wing tip feath-
One night there was a great gilded cloud
ers from an eagle. First he scratches the pa-
massed behind that mesa like a second city I interrupted him, "I haven't seen any tient with the bear claws, then strokes and
in the sky and we were so busy looking at kivas up here. Where are they?" soothes him with the eagle feathers. After
it I forgot all about traps, until Kadah gave some minutes of this the healer leans over
"Our kivas are in the very heart of each
me a quick push, "Look what you've done. and pretends to extract the illness by draw-
group of homes. They are completely sur-
Now you'll have to be Yokemaha's (the rounded by rooms, but the walls are so ing a very deep breath. Believe it or not, the
head priest) helper!' I looked at my black thick no sound gets out. The smoke goes healer always manages to show a spider or
store shoes and they were planted in a trap out through the ladder hole, and the only a long cactus thorn, or sometimes a lizard,
of ashes. way to get into a kiva is down a ladder. In which he claims came from the patient.
"Kadah shoved me back onto the path one kiva there is a fire burning which has This object is dropped into the ever burn-

JANUARY, 1947 11
 filled quilts over which are spread price-
less old blankets, doubtless woven by the
men in their hidden kivas. They serve as
seats in the daytime and couches at night.
Squawpoose accepted the hot sauce
which our hostess poured over the tender
fried mutton, and when I saw how its pep-
pers brought tears to the eyes of those eat-
ing it, I took my sans sauce! We had pota-
toes baked in the hot coals, and crusty
white bread broken from the loaf baked in
the outside oven. Coffee and home canned
peaches gave a satisfying finish to the feast,
and while I helped our hostess clear things
away Tomas and his sweetheart went to the
family cistern for jars of water. This cistern
was chiseled out of the solid rock many
years ago by the grandfather of Tomas who
worked while he waited for his sweetheart
to make up her mind to marry him. She
gave him plenty of time to finish the cis-
tern before saying "Yes." I often had gone
with the women to the pueblo reservoir,
and admired the way they dipped their
ollas in the water and carried them home
on their heads. For some reason water is
Today's improved trail to the top oj The Rock. carried just at sunrise or around sunset.
Tomas will inherit the office of cacique
from his father. This officer is the only
ing ceremonial fire, and all the patient has things we should do and not do. Each boy man in the village exempted from manual
to do from then on is pay!" is given some sacred personal words never labor. He is expected to spend his time in
"I thought spiders were considered to be uttered aloud, not even while in prayer and meditation so he can give sage
something special here on Acoma." prayer on a lonely mountain top. We are advice to his people. I suspect Tomas will
"They are. Maybe you've seen when one also given some small object which is to not take his loafing duties seriously.
is killed by a housewife she addresses it, protect us throughout life and go into the
grave with us. This can be a stone rounded Morning came after a rather sleepless
'You were killed by a bluebird' before she night on the stone ledge. I was afraid to
thumps it to death with a stick. If she by years of wind and rain, or an animal
carved from turquoise or soapstone. Mine move for fear I'd tumble onto the floor!
didn't do that she'd be witched. The Medi- The family was up early preparing for the
cine men claim their patient has unknow- —I shan't say what mine is, it never left
me during the months away from here, and wedding, which was the most sensible serv-
ingly stepped on a spider and it caused his ice, Indian or white, I've ever listened to.
sickness. when my first son is born it will be tied to
the fringe of his tablita (little cradle- The old Medicine man simply placed Ka-
"You can see why we younger men board) until he has a talisman of his own dah's hand in that of Tomas, laid his own
dodge that clan. We can't believe such —then it's mine again. I believe Albert above them and talked to them quietly
foolishness. Trapped young men are kept would have come home safely with me, but about their duty to each other and to their
for four days in the kiva without food and he lost his name object just before we were people. He extracted a promise from them
they are taught all the tricks of the trade. dropped behind the lines." to deal fairly with each other, to work to-
They are taught the uses and powers of gether in harmony, and to bring many
herbs and magic of the rounded chunk of Tomas' mother came and said we would babies into the Acoma world. Beside me
shale which a snake passes now and then eat. She walked beside her soldier son and the sweetheart of Albert caught her breath
in lieu of its egg. When any Acoma dweller he smiled down on his mother, proud in and slow quiet tears ran unheeded down
finds a snake coiled around the two or her snowy wrapped leggings, her short full her cheeks. My tender hearted little La-
three chalky 'eggs' Medicine men are hur- dress and lace trimmed petticoats. She was guna took her beloved "Big Bad Wolf"
riedly summoned. If an outsider accidently weighed down with silver and turquoise hanky from her pinafore pocket and tucked
touches a bit of the substance he has to join jewelry donned in his honor. A bright it into the girl's hand.
the Medicine men's clan." Tomas stopped silk handkerchief, brought with him from
Tomas and Kadah walked down the
talking and pondered a few moments. overseas, covered her smooth black hair. trail with us, and pointed out the spot
"Do you believe in lucky tokens?" he The room was cheerful with its blazing where they stepped into the Medicine
finally asked. I touched the Virginia Fairy coal in the corner fireplace around which man's ash trap, and over against a hill not
Stone on its thin gold chain around my hung twisted strings of dried melon, col- far from the Enchanted Mesa showed me
neck before I answered. ored corn, peaches and chili peppers and where he plans to build them a home of
"Well, yes, in a way I do. At least I be- colored gourds. The mantel was crowded pine logs.
lieve in the feeling of comfort one gets with Acoma pottery, thin and fine tem- "It was for this I lived when there
from the nearness of any object cherished pered and decorated with the conventional seemed no chance, and it's what I came
on account of sentiment or association. parrot design done in red and black on home for!"
Why?" white background. Every parrot had an
enormous curved bill. Acoma soil is rich. It is a good cattle
"When Acoma boys are about eight country, and I have no fears regarding the
years old they are taken into a society, and The supper table was drawn close to one ability of Tomas and Kadah to build a sat-
the cacique teaches them our legends and of the ledges running entirely around the isfactory life for their coming sons there
beliefs. We learn about our gods and the room. These ledges are padded with wool in the shadow of The Rock.

12 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 "Mother and I examining jluorite in an old mine dump."

Rockhounding is only spare-time activ-

ity, however, because my husband, Clin-
ton, has gone into the timber business and
I help out where I am most needed. When
I find the time I go rock hunting.
Around here there is the prospect of
finding anything from a geode to gold—
and all within walking distance!
We are in the Sawatch range on Kerber
creek 10 miles above Villa Grove. The re-
mains of the old mining town of Bonanza
lie above us waiting for a new boom. Leas-
Helen Anderson once wrote By HELEN ASHLEY ANDERSON ers keep up the morale of the camp until
a delightful story for Desert that time comes.
Magazine readers of her life as / ^ U N S H I N E floods the canyon as Clinton and I, having been in Death
a miner's wife in the Funeral j clouds hover above the snow cov- Valley and Arizona often during the past
mountains overlooking Death ered crest of Antoro, and a mild five years, are now taking out timber from
Valley. And now the Ander- wind whips the branches of the aspen trees the Rio Grande forest at an altitude of 10,-
sons are timbering in south- in back of the old two-storied log house 000 feet.
western Colorado—and Helen where we live in the hills of southwestern This is beautiful country and as green as
is finding the hillsides covered Colorado. the desert is brown, but it is a part of the
I just came inside with several pieces of great Southwest where the Indian lived
with gems and minerals of
rhodochrosite broken from a huge chunk long before white men knew its beauty.
many species. Here is a story the color of the pink sweater I am wearing. There is plenty to remind us that the In-
that will make the rock hunters These specimens are for exchange with dian lived here before we came. We can
want to load up the car and the new friends I have found through Des- pick up manos, metates and arrow points
head for Colorado. ert Magazine. up and down the creek where the beaver

JANUARY, 1947 13
 ,

Ranch house in southwestern Colorado where the author and her husband are living
while taking out timber.

play in huge dams that back the water up covered an otherwise barren hill to the and climbed back, determined to return at
over land where wild strawberry plants rocky crest. Panting our way to the top of a future time. It was in the late fall and
and the raspberry bushes crowd the goose- the hill we sat on a rock to look about. neither man ever returned to the mine.
berry and the chokecherry locked among Fold on fold of hills spread away below. Both are now dead. Neither left a map, but
the haws and alders. Across the San Luis valley the Sangre de they described the location and how to get
The wild rose and the shooting-star vie Cristos rose high and jagged and color- there. It would be fun to find it after so
with columbines, and violets run riot stained above them all. Their clean-cut many centuries of idle waiting. Since I was
among the grasses where a hundred other profile stretched down the miles into New a small child I have heard about the lost
wildflowers grow. Mexico as the Panamints stretch down the mines of the Sangre de Cristos. I wonder
Here in Saguache county ("the name- length of Death Valley. if this could be one of them.
means "Water at the blue earth" and is The hills were taller and the cactus Mother pointed down the valley. There
pronounced Sawatch) we often see deer, smaller but the vistas were painted with somewhere was the peak with the tiny
elk, bear, lions, coyotes, bobcats, skunks, color even as the desert. Below us the yuc- stone crosses.
porcupines and an occasional fox. This cas were dwarfed but the blossoms were I recalled a version of the legend of
morning we saw four deer feeding along waxy and abundant. these crosses. "Long ago the great Father
the back fence. My eyes searched the range. Rich in looked down upon His people and when
The bluejay takes the place of the red lore, it always had interested me. Some- He saw their intolerance and their sins He
cardinal and the chipmunk is as friendly as where over there in that mass of earth was wept, and as He wept tears fell to the earth
the lizard, and although we live in the high an old Spanish mine. My great uncle had and upon touching the mountain top
hills we are lucky because we are able to do come upon it some 50 years ago when he turned to tiny stone crosses, a reminder to
essential work and be rockhounds too! prospected the range for lead. Coming up this day of His sorrow."
One day before the snow came, Mother from the eastern slope he and a friend had I thought: This rockhound would like
and I took our prospecting picks and drove topped one of those majestic peaks and to find one of those crosses.
two miles to Columbia gulch where we had come down the west side below timber Rested, we left our rock and started
parked and proceeded to climb the hill to line to stumble on the find that no one else around the hill. The Faith was just below
the Faith mine in search of jasper. in this part of the country seems to have and there was chalcedony all over the hill
The trail was steep and the air rare as we any knowledge of. Uncle John Hice said slope. We got several specimens that were
gained altitude. We nearly lost our nerve that they were walking along not paying worth bringing out and placed them in our
once when we saw evidence of bear but we much attention to anything when they were sack. One large one has since been pol-
had started out to find rocks and so we brought to a sudden stop by a hole loom- ished. The outside matrix is a grey to mot-
continued in quest of them by fortifying ing in the earth before them. There was no tled green and the inside agate a clear to
our courage with the belief that if we sign of a dump and the aspen trees were cloudy grey. The specimen is 2x3 inches.
minded our business, he would mind his. large and had grown to the very edge of the We found many smaller ones that will
This proved sound philosophy because we shaft. There was a ladder of rawhide. Peer- polish but this one specimen was the chal-
did not get a glimpse of him. ing into the depth they climbed down cedony find of the day.
At the edge of the timber we stopped to about 40 feet. The ladder was very rotten Working our way around the hillside we
get our bearings and saw that buffalo grass and insecure so they were afraid to trust it picked up chunks of olivine, hornblende

14 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

and copper stained rock. We also gleaned
some colorful jaspers, but only a few of
them were hard enough to polish. I cannot
understand what causes this jasper to
crumble. It is not due to exposure because
some of it was dug from the ground and
never had been exposed to the air.
We never did find the stuff we were
really looking for. It was a kind of jasper—
hard, smooth and canary yellow.' We had
been given a small specimen by a man who
had done a lot of prospecting in the vicinity
and he assured us that there was more of
it somewhere on that same hill. It is still
there. We had no luck finding it that day
and it was late before we finally gave up
and retraced our steps to the car.
It was dark when we reached home.
Qinton was there before us and he had
found a nice specimen of lead enroute from
the timber country.
I have obtained many lovely specimens
within a few miles of the ranch. The old
mines close at hand offer many and varied
kinds of ore. The rhodochrosite I men-
tioned is three miles above here and comes
from the Eagle mine. Many of these speci-
mens found in the early days had large bug-
holes of wire silver. I have not been lucky
enough to find one of these but I do have
one or two nice specimens with green
fluorite. This fluorite is of acid quality Above Rhodochrosite, purple and green fluorite in ivhite dolomite, quartz and
and according to the late Dr. S. E. Kort- chalcedony. In the center is a cluster of quartz crystals. Below are chalcedony and
right who assayed much of this ore, it is uncut nodules and quartz crystals.
strong enough to eat up glass. This fluor-
ite can be found in other locations close by. ning as the peace of the mountains settles golden splendor in its field of blue above
Rhodochrosite has a tendency to oxi- around us and the first star twinkles in the darkening hills.
dize, or turn brown when exposed to the
air but if one gives the specimen a coat of
clear shellac it will remain as beautiful as
it was when taken from the mine. Rhodo-
chrosite will also polish but I believe that
it is just as lovely in the rough.
Other minerals I have obtained in the
vicinity are bornite, galena, gold, silver and Mf Antero 14245 ..
grey copper, chalcopyrite, dolomite, pyro-
lusite and other types of manganese. I even
have a few small chips of turquoise my
grandfather found, green and purple fluor-
ite and vermiculite. ii\ ~Z- i i '-r-JkT KERBER EXT MM, I K-^7;-- •",«• "-. j ;'
Knowing how the ore is taken from the ; RI
••»'."./?' ' ' ' ; ' - i # 5 $ V s ^ ^ f " ^ r : ^ ^$i'i[H<iyden Peak.
ground I can truly appreciate the specimens
I have acquired. When one stands below
the surface of the earth locked in darkness
except for a small light and peers into old
stopes, drifts and undercuts to examine the
seams from which the mineral is taken, one
becomes aware of the real value of a rock
Mother Earth so reluctantly yields.
The sun is setting. Antoro and Haden
peaks are stained a deep pink and the
wind dapples the ground with moving
shadows of trees. Clinton is driving in
X 5!
!
rft-C;5i»"i :Vv.*- ff ! DENVER >H
with a truck load of logs. They will be I « ^
sawed into mine props and sent on their !•••'• C 0 LYOyR AD 0 \
way to assure some miner a little more safe-
ty while he digs out a metal necessary to '" -. '""f"'%'',vi
Vi
it/.: '..'•••
V
' RBER CREEK S
Z.-IKERB j
"'if' %„•'•*/!•';' | f c - ~SC'S S?'=SMIHIN NG DISTRICT \
the well being of man. 5

A coyote barks and a lone owl hoots as

the last of the logs are unloaded. It is eve-

JANUARY, 1947 15
 Only a few scattered, weatherbeaten buildings mark the site where thousands once
worked and played.

Ghost City of Rich silver ore built a city at the foot of the
White hills in northwestern Arizona. But that
was long ago and today the streets are si-
lent and most of the buildings gone. Only
memories remain—memories, and sun and

tkeWhiteHills solitude, and a vast desert spread out in

everchanging beauty.

By STANLEY G. DAVIS

/ y T WAS a lazy Sunday afternoon The rock is principally light medium tation delays. To supplement the coal,
\J about three when I arrived at White grained gneissoid granite and the deposits Joshua trees and Yucca plants were cut and
Hills, Arizona, only a 35 mile drive are in quartz veins about three feet in dried, and used as fuel.
over rolling hills and desert valleys from width. Associated with them locally are Many mines are located in this district.
Boulder dam. The setting is one never to considerable manganese and iron oxide. The fifteen most famous are: Prince Al-
be forgotten. White Hills is nestled at the The ore was chiefly chloride of silver with bert, Norma, Grand Army of the Republic,
base of the hills for which it was named, local values in gold, and was oxidized to Occident, Horn Silver, Hidden Treasure,
with a vast expanse of desert as a front the depth that mining operations were car- Good Luck, Excelsior, Garfield, Daisy,
yard. ried. Bryan, Chief of the Hills, African, West
This community was first known as "In- Shaffer was joined in his venture by Treasure and Grand Central. These are all
dian Secret Mining District," and was so John Burnett and John Sullivan. The three within two miles of White Hills. They
called because tribesmen knew of the pres- men, working together, opened many were worked until devaluation of silver.
ence of minerals, and withheld the infor- valuable pay shoots. In 1894, a 19-ton How different it is today! White Hills
mation from the white men. The Indians shipment of ore to the smelter produced has changed from a thriving mining com-
were using the red iron oxide to paint their 29,000 ounces of silver and 80 ounces of munity of 2000 persons to a ghost town
bodies. gold. This partnership proved very suc- without a single resident.
White men first learned about the min- cessful. However, they sold the properties I spent an afternoon browsing among
erals in this area in May, 1892, when after a short time to R. T. Root and D. H. crumbling buildings and exploring nearby
Henry Shaffer was shown a piece of rich Moffatt of Denver, who formed the White mine dumps. The first building I entered
silver ore by a friendly Indian known as Hills mining company. on the north side of the street—the main
Hualpai Jeff. Jeff took Shaffer to the lo- A 10-ton stamp mill was built. Coal for street runs east and west—was a combina-
cation and he began staking claims and the mill was obtained from Kingman, but tion postoffice, barber shop, and general
working the locations. the supply was uncertain due to transpor- store. Letter boxes, covered with dust,

16 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 To BOULDER DAM

A R/I Z 0 N
PHOENIX

leaned against the back wall, and many of ert storm. They were torn and tattered. at a social function in Washington. A
the cases used in merchandising were still Most printing on the newspapers has long faded barber pole has survived the years to
standing in place. The weatherbeaten since been obliterated, but a few revealed mark the location of the camp's barber
walls, papered with newspaper to keep odd fashions of the day. I found one re- shop.
out the wind, have withstood many a des- cording President Cleveland's attendance Another store apparently was the groc-

Dump-scarred hills will give mute evidence of the silver rush to White Hills long ajter the
last of the town has vanished.

JANUARY, 1947 17
 ery. There was a sign telling something
about coffee. An oldfashioned tea and
spice dispenser was sitting in the middle of
the floor. A third building had been de-
voted to mining equipment, with several
old pieces scattered around the floor. Two
or three small houses were still standing
and I saw a few hairpins and personal
items.
I was most interested in the condition of
the wood in all the buildings. The soft
pithy or pulp part had disintegrated, but
the full grain was well preserved and
stood out in bold relief. The wood is
weatherbeaten and shows its age, but it is
still strong and durable.
An old safe was standing on two hind
wheels, which were buried in the desert
shale. The door had been blown off and
was gone. The inside of the safe, as bare
as the proverbial cupboard, was left to
withstand the elements. An old ore bar-
rel with iron ring on top had a few staves
broken, but was otherwise usable.
Purple glass, the kind that has been ex-
posed to the desert sun for many years, can
be found almost anywhere at White Hills.
The mines which supported this town
may be seen on all nearby foothills. It is
said that White Hills had 27 miles of un-
derground tunnels, and the diggings on
the mountain sides remain as a lasting
monument to those who founded this com-
munity.
Of the town of White Hills, little, ex-
cept memories, remains. Standing in the
silent, windy street, it is difficult to re-
member that one is a scant 35 miles from
the bustle of Boulder dam. It is still more
difficult to realize that this ghost city once
teemed with human activity, as Boulder
does today. But it is good exercise for the
soul to come to such a lonely place and
free the imagination; to recreate the past
and guess the pattern of the future.
• • •
LATTER-DAY SAINTS
MAJORITY IN UTAH
Majority of citizens in Utah as a whole,
and in Salt Lake City are members of the
Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day
Saints, an extensive survey by church au-
thorities shows. There are 467,524 Mor-
mons, 74.21 per cent of state's estimated
population, enrolled in L.D.S. stakes in
Utah. Salt Lake City showed 113,943
members, 65.11 per cent of city popula-
tion.
• • •
AKEAH NEW CHAIRMAN
OF NAVAJO COUNCIL
Sam Akeah of Shiprock defeated Henry
Chee Dodge for post of chairman of Na-
vajo Tribal council, in a runoff election
held November 25. Count of 72 of 74
boxes showed 4200 votes for Akeah and
Above, the pithy part of the wood has vanished but the full grain is well preserved 2200 for Dodge, according to Navajo cen-
and stands out in bold relief on walls battered by three-quarters of a century of tral agency. Dodge, as defeated candidate,
desert storms. Below, old ore barrel of the silver era, with handivrought iron fit- automatically becomes vice-chairman of
tings, supports an equally decrepit drywasher of a much later era. the council.

18 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Lnql
By MARY BEAL

C~ VERYONE knows the garden Heliotrope and many of

r you may know these untamed members of the genus but
not recognize their close kinship to the beloved plants of
enticing, spicy perfume and color. They belong to the large Bor-
age family, mostly rough and hairy of herbage, but including
some other beautiful well-known, cultivated favorites, such as
Forget-me-not and Mertensia. Although of no economic impor-
tance, it has modestly added a good share to the desert's carpet
of annual vegetation.
There are over 200 species of Heliotrope common to warmer
regions of the globe but our own Southwest can claim only a few,
the most widely distributed being known as Chinese Pusley or
occasionally as Quail Plant. Botanically it is classed as
Though lacking in the sweet-spicy fragrance of the garden
Heliotropium curassavicum Heliotrope this little cousin, Chinese Pusley, blooms abun-
dantly in soils scorned by more showy plants, and persists
This close kin to the sweet-scented, home-cultivated Helio- long after the pageant of other ivildflowers.
trope chooses a warm clime, as does it comely cousin, which
originated in Peru. The variety oculatum is most widespread on
the desert. It lacks the fragrance and the distinctive color of the
ennial root. The sessile, obovate or spatulate leaves are % to 1%
garden species but flourishes abundantly in salty or alkaline
inches long and the small flowers are crowded into one-sided
soils that are scorned by most of the more showy plants and is
coiled spikes, 2 to 4 spikes on one peduncle. The short funnel-
such a persistent bloomer that it continues in flower long after
form corollas are white with yellow spots in the purple throat,
the annual wildflower pageant has become a memory, all
sometimes the whole corolla tinged lilac, or purple lines on the
through summer and often until frost touches it with icy fingers. back. The fruit is bald and smooth, its 4 lobes splitting into 4
Being quite clannish, large clumps and colonies of Chinese Pus- one-seeded nutlets.
ley populate favored areas. It seeks moist spots and is prone to
follow irrigation ditches and to settle along borders of fields and Some of the native Indian tribes and Spanish Californians
waste places. valued it as a remedy for sores and wounds, using the leaves and
sometimes the root, dried and reduced to a powder, which was
Varying from the usual habit of its ordinarily hirsute family,
applied as a dry dressing in the wound. Common in river-bottom
the pale grey-green, very succulent herbage is entirely hairless,
sand and low alkaline flats in the California deserts and Arizona,
the smooth surface lightly veiled with a bloom. Several fleshy,
extending into Nevada and southwestern Utah.
branching stems, more or less prostrate, straggle out 5 inches
to more than a foot, sometimes as much as 2 feet, from the per- Heliotropium convolvulaceum var. cali\ornicum
(Euploca convolvulacea) (Euploca albiflora)
A novice never would associate this sprightly little posy with
This variety of Heliotrope has little resemblance to the Chi-
Chinese Pusley. A small annual of much charm and grace, its
nese Pusley, but resembles the Morning-glories—hence its
botanical name of Heliotropium convolvulaceum. pure white blossoms are like diminutive Morning-glories, which
inspired the specific name, meaning "like the Morning-glory"
or Convolvulus. Because the flowers open towards evening we
might liken them to Moon-flowers, which belong in the same
class. It's a leafy little plant with the harshly-hairy herbage typi-
cal of the family, its branches diffuse or spreading from the base
a few inches to several inches, rarely to nearly a foot, under fav-
orable conditions.
The whole plant is hairy, frequently even hoary, not only the
stems, leaves and calyx, but also the corolla, its tube being very
densely hairy and the rotate border with some hairs under-
neath along the mid-nerves. The leaves are V2 to % inches long,
mostly ovate, on short petioles, the stiff hairs around the margin
of the blades like a fine fringe. The slightly-plaited, snowy-
white corolla is a half inch or so broad, the tube constricted at
the throat, the 2-globose fruit silky-hairy. They make a winsome
appearance in the pale sand of the Soda Lake-Devil's Playground
dunes area and other sandy scattered places of the Mojave and
Colorado deserts, and Arizona especially about Yuma, also in
similar situations in southern Utah and Nevada.

JANUARY, 1947 19
 The little kit fox of the desert is
a crafty animal. He has to be
cunning to live off this arid land.
But when food is at stake he will
take long chances. Here is the
experience of a naturalist who
took advantage of the hunger in-
stinct to secure a fine set of pic-
tures of the fox.

Lower California peninsula, was the most

conspicuous landmark on the skyline to
the west of us. We purposely set up our
camp some distance from San Felipe to
avoid the horde of dogs there. They live
off the land for the most part, and are bold
raiders when there are campers around.
Our first intimation that there were
foxes in the region came with the discovery
of well trodden trails leading to the kan-
Kit Fox is suspicious—but that bacon grease does have an appetizing smell. garoo rat holes under the clumps of mes-
quite on the sand dunes. These paths were
not made in a haphazard way. They were
definite routes, each night's tracks over-
printed upon those left previously. A few
of the rat holes were enlarged by fox dig-
gings but most of them had been inspected
By LEWIS WAYNE WALKER and then passed by.
While gathering wood in the early twi-
light we got our first glimpse of the desert
^ / IVE miles north of the Mexican lizards often can be seen sunning them- kit foxes, animals which were to become
/ village of San Felipe on the gulf selves in the early morning and late after- an integral part of our camp life in the
coast of Lower California are vol- noons. nights to follow. We could see their
canic buttes surrounded by rolling sand We selected this spot for a campsite be- shadowy forms just beyond the glow of
dunes. Kangaroo rats, sidewinders and cause it seemed to offer an exceptional op- our campfire. If we approached they
desert lizards of many species inhabit the portunity to study and photograph the would retreat and disappear into the dark-
area. Some of the animals are nocturnal. wildlife of the region. Picacho del Diablo's ness. After we had gone to sleep they evi-
They never venture forth in daylight. But 10,500-foot peak, the highest on the dently became bolder, for the slanting rays

The flash bulb frightened him—but he stood his ground, and when the trap had been And now he has become
reset he tried it again. making another effort
 of the morning sun disclosed their tracks sense of smell, however, evidently dis-
within a few yards of our cots. Every scrap The little desert fox has many cerned something edible in this venomous
or crumb of food was gone. After that they names: desert kit fox, desert mass, and on the desert where food is
became bolder. On their return the follow- swift, long-eared fox, big-eared scarce they couldn't afford to miss a bet
ing evening the foxes sat just outside the fox. The Mexicans call it Zorra. even though it meant very close approach
campfire glare as we went on with the nor- It is seen so seldom by daylight to reptiles whose bite was deadly to them.
mal camp routine. All scraps and even that not until 1888 did C. H. Mer- On one side of the camp we set up an
some of our dinner was tossed in their di- riam introduce it to science un- automatic camera using bacon grease in a
rection. der the name Vulpes macrotis, buried jar as bait, and then from our cots
While feeding them in this way some with type locality at Riverside, we watched. In the first few pictures the
interesting observations were made as to California. foxes just blundered into the threads
their sense of hearing. A soft piece of food which tripped the flash mechanism, and
Outstanding peculiarity, as then practically turned somersaults in
thrown past them was not detected by their Latin name would indicate, is its
eyes, but the instant it landed, they jumped their endeavor to leave when the bulb
big ears. Color is soft buffy yel- went off. Then they became crafty and
to the spot of sound and then used their low, head and mantle peppered
noses for final location. Even a tiny bit of tried crawling under the threads to reach
with grey, tip of tail dark brown, the alluring smell. When this failed they
pancake tossed a score of feet away drew chin, throat and belly pure
their attention although the sound of its tried stepping over them, gingerly lifting
white. Length 30-33 inches, each foot high in the air. After many
landing was inaudible to us. These foxes weight 4-6 pounds.
were the only animals that I have ever fruitless maneuvers they became bold, and
known that could be brought to a person's Its voice, often heard in the perhaps realizing that the flash was harm-
side by tossing stones in their direction, quiet night, sounds like the less, pushed to the bait and held their
each stone being dropped a little closer screech of an owl. Den usually ground despite the glare of the man-made
than the previous one. is in open desert on level ground lightning.
or in a little mound. Opening to
Their sense of smell was developed to a the small burrow goes down at The jar holding the bacon grease was
high degree. Places where waste water had a sharp angle 8-10 feet. itself a booby trap. It was long and narrow
been dumped at noon retained an interest and much too deep for the tongue of a fox.
for them after nightfall although the hot For several hours they did their best to
desert sun had no doubt done a thorough reach the liquid within and then decided
job of evaporation. our captives. The only non-poisonous to take the jar. Grabbing it by the edge
While in this San Felipe region we col- snake in the group was gone. Although the they pulled and tugged and on each at-
lected about a dozen live sidewinders and actual taking of the sack was not seen by tempt lifted it ever so little. It finally came
loose and was carried away by its proud
one red racer. These were all kept in in- any member of the party we all felt sure
possessor with all the care in the world.
dividual cloth bags and for shade were that the foxes were the culprits. Consider His every gentle step showed that he real-
stored under the cots. Tracks told us each the difficulties the removal of this snake ized he was carrying a spillable treasure.
morning that the foxes circled these bags entailed. Completely covered, it was one of Somewhere off in the dunes this jar may
as we slept but we did not discover the red ten or eleven of equal weight, and must still be baffling foxes, and it, like the kan-
racer was missing, sack and all, until we have reeked strongly with the odor of the garoo rat burrows, probably has a well
were ready to leave. Then we checked over sidewinders piled around it. The foxes' worn trail to its entrance.

o the flash, and is He's learned those threads have something to do with the man-made lightning,
t bacon grease. and tries to crawl under them.
 Mystery of the Baby Face . . .

LETTERS.. Gentlemen:
South Pasadena, California

Would like to ask if there is such a thing

as a very poisonous desert resident called
"Baby of the Desert," so named because of
Petrified Tree Stumps . . . the resemblance of its face to that of a hu-
Belgrade, Montana man baby. Whether this so-called "Baby
Dear Desert: of the Desert" is supposed to be insect,
In your November issue, Toney Rich- reptile or rodent, I could not find out. I
ardson in his "Where Tree Stumps Turned was told about it recently by a woman who
to Stone" states that as far as is known was living near Phoenix several years ago,
these are the only standing stumps of pet- where she heard about it, but she admitted
rified wood. she had never seen one. I asked her if she
It may interest Desert readers to know was talking about the Gila Monster and
there are other standing stumps, and many she said no, that it was considerably
of them. I refer to the region north of the smaller than the Gila Monster. For my
northwest corner of Yellowstone national part, I have never heard of such a desert
park. inhabitant and would like to know if there
Beginning on Specimen ridge, just in- is such a thing.
side the former north boundary are a num- WILLIAM M. WELDON
ber of standing stumps and thev continue Friend Weldon: The question of
north to Porcupine creek, a distance of the Baby of the Desert, Baby-face, or
about 20 miles, along Gallatin range. The Nino de la Tierra, as it is variously
Gallatin range is volcanic, partly burned called, came up for discussion on the
red conglomerate, partly clay that looks Letters page of the magazine two
like grey concrete, and other parts of dark years ago. A reader sent in a descrip-
lava strata. Leaf fossils are also found. tion of the fearsome beast as it had
The largest stump is located on the sum- been pictured to him and asked for
mit of Gallatin range at the head of Daly confirmation from someone who had
creek. This stump, according to U. S. seen it. It was said to be a doll-like
rangers' measurements, is \9Vi feet in di- animal, about three or four inches in
ameter and about eight or ten feet high. length, walking on all fours, with
Picture of it is enclosed. head and face like that of an infant. It
There is also another stump area in Yel- was claimed to be more poisonous
lowstone park on the Lamar river between than a rattlesnake, but harmless un-
Mammoth Hot springs and Cooke City. It less molested.
also is reported there is a stump or two in None of our readers would admit
the Red Rock canyon area of Southern personal knowledge of such a crea-
California. ture. In fact, it appears that the Baby-
C. A. KINSEY face is actually our old friend the yel-
• • • Petrijied stump—on Gallatin range. low and black striped ]erusalem-
Fruit of the Devilsclaw . . . Photo courtesy C. A. Kinsey. cricket or Sand-cricket, who is noc-
Los Angeles, California turnal and usually found under
Mr. Editor: boards or stones. April. 1944, Nature
Not being familiar with the policy of Famous for Its Willow Trees . . . Magazine has an article and photo-
Desert Magazine as to just anyone butting Vallecitos Stage Station, California graphs regarding him.—R.H.
in, if I clutter up your time too much just Randall Henderson: • • •
slam the door in my face. I give you my We Need Help on This One . . ."
word of honor I will not be peeved. I do not know whether my pronuncia- Helper, Utah
In Desert's February issue, page 29, tion or your hearing was bad that day sev- Dear Sir:
Jerry Laudermilk sketches a branch of the eral years ago when you asked me the name I wish to know if you can obtain for me
Martynia plant, M. parviflora—to me just of the canyon at Egg mountain. Anyway, a copy of the poem Southwest from Bull-
plain devilsclaw. He does well with the you published it in Desert Magazine as frog? This poem was published in the Pa-
leaf and stem, yes and the fruit. But please Bow Willow canyon. Actually, it has long cific Monthly in August, either 1910 or
tell Jerry that the fruit does not grow out been known among the old-timers as Bull 1912, probably the latter.
of the stalk as he shows, but on a distinct Willow canyon. FORREST BENEDICT
fruit stem like a bunch of grapes. Some of us out here decided this mis-
I know. I grow them in my back yard. take should be corrected before it is too Can any of Desert's readers help us
I have seen as many as 14 fruits in one clus- late, and we knew you would want to help find a copy of this poem?—R.H.
ter. This year I harvested 340 fruits from us preserve the old name. • • •
10 bushes. The fruit grows in a pod simi- We Don't Know This Answer . . .
lar to the pea, and green in color. When BOB CRAWFORD Elko, Nevada
ripe, the pod bursts open and falls off, Dear Desert:
leaving the black inner pod containing You are right. Bob. Desert prefers Will you please send me more definite
the seeds still clinging firmly to the cluster the names used by the old-timers, and information regarding the location of the
stem. The tail then splits as vou see on thanks for the correction. Henceforth Pegleg mine. I believe I can find that old
page 27. Terry has covered the balance it will be Bull Willow—famous for mine if you will give me the approximate
nicely in his article. its desert willows and native palm locality.
THOMAS P. TOWER trees.—R.H. ED. HASKELL

22 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 casual student as well as professional. Sim-
ple visual means of identification are in-
cluded wherever possible in the intricate
keys, in addition to scale types. Hundreds
of photographs and line drawings help de-
termine identity.
The 60 page introduction gives a sum-
mary of the lizard family and indicates
where more complete information can be
found. Such details as physical structure,
FACT AND FICTION FROM GUIDEBOOK TO HIGHWAY 66 food, temperature regulation, color pat-
FABULOUS DEATH VALLEY PUBLISHED FOR TRAVELERS tern, folklore, economic importance and
methods of collection and preservation are
Only a bold reporter would undertake In A GUIDE BOOK TO HIGHWAY discussed. We learn that the tongue is used
to encompass the fact and mythology of 66, Jack D. Rittenhouse has compiled a for "smelling," that some lizards see
America's most incredible desert region in handbook which, if kept accurate and up- through permanently closed eyelids, and
a single volume. And yet that is the assign- to-date, will be invaluable to the tourist that most lizards become dark at low tem-
ment George Palmer Putnam chose for using our most - publicized c r o s s - peratures and light at high temperatures.
himself when he began gathering mate- continental highway. Even those familiar The style is unusually interesting and read-
rial for his new volume, DEATH VAL- with the route will find much new infor- able for a book of this type.
LEY AND ITS COUNTRY. m a t i o n. The availability, or non-
availability of gas, repairs, groceries and Comstock Publishing Co., Ithaca, N. Y.,
Death Valley is all things to all men. 1946. 557 pp., 270 illustrations, 41 distri-
The artist, the botanist, the geologist, the tourist accommodations is listed for every
spot on the map. In addition, historical, bution maps, bibliography, index. $5.75.
historian, the prospector, the engineer, the • • •
tourist—they all have come to this fabu- geographical and botanical information is
scattered through the work, including lo- BOOK BRIEFS . . .
lous region and found that it held some
special interest for them. cation and text of historical markers. Byron Cummings, dean of Southwest-
Mr. Rittenhouse offers information re- ern archeologists, retired in October as
George Putnam's approach was that of
the reporter. He delved into every phase of garding equipment to take along, pronun- custodian of Kinishba Museum, near Fort
the Death Valley country—its geology, its ciation of Spanish names, driving tricks, Apache, Arizona. It was this prehistoric
plant and animal life, its mining and tour- manufacture of Navajo blankets, and a ruin which he excavated and restored,
ist industries, and its people—past and variety of other subjects. As for example, mainly with the aid of Apache Indians,
present. Like every good reporter, he knew at Meteor City, Arizona: "For many years about which he wrote in the book Kinish-
that above all else, human beings are in- a roadside sign said Population 1' but ba, Dr. Cummings has made innumerable
terested in their own species. And so his early in 1946 the operator married and the contributions to the archeology of the
book is sprinkled generously with the tales sign now says 'Population 2.' " The book- Southwest; he established the state muse-
and tall tales, the lore of men and women let is well written and seems to contain um at University of Utah and later devel-
from the prehistoric aborigines who in- very few errors. oped the state museum of Arizona. Author
cised strange symbols on the canyon walls of many newspaper and magazine articles,
Jack D. Rittenhouse, Los Angeles, his latest writing, a manuscript on South-
down through that fantastic era of pros- Calif., 1946. 128 pp., paper covers. $1.
pector and mining camp to the present day western archeology covering his work dur-
when tourists crowd the good roads and • • • ing the past 40 years, is now in the hands
hostelries throughout the winter season. HANDBOOK OF LIZARDS of a publisher.
The author has spent much time in VALUABLE FOR AMATEURS • • •
Death Valley in recent years, and much of University of Arizona, Tucson, has just
For many years, the amateur interested issued another bulletin, No. 11, written
the material in his book came from first- in desert lizards has found it necessary to
hand sources—from the men and women by Arizona historian Frank C. Lockwood.
cull information about various species Thumbnail Sketches of Famous Arizona
who live there and who know most about from magazines, pamphlets and volumes
the country. The volume is dedicated to Desert Riders includes brief biographical
which are both outdated and hard to ob- chapters on 25 noted Arizona figures,
T. R. Goodwin, superintendent of Death tain. There was a real need for a book such
Valley national monument. It was from drawn from the Spanish, Mexican and
as the newly published HANDBOOK OF early American periods. Some of the best
Goodwin, former Park Naturalist W. B. LIZARDS by Hobart M. Smith, and its
McDougall, from Walter Scott of Scotty's known names are: Fray Marcos de Niza,
appearance will be greeted with enthusi- Coronado, Padre Kino, De Anza, James
castle, Indian George and Hungry Bill, asm by anyone desiring a closer acquaint-
Owen Montgomery of Stovepipe wells, Ohio Pattie, Edw. Fitzgerald Beale, Joseph
ance with the little reptiles of tree, sand C. Ives, J. Ross Browne, Will C. Barnes,
Anne and George Pipkin of Trona—from and rock.
these and many more, the author gained Joseph A. Munk, Godfrey Sykes. 35 cents.
his information. The book, sixth in the American Natu- • • •
ral History series edited by Albert Hazen Another in the long list of Nelson C.
Told in detail, the story of Death Val- Wright, gives full treatment to the 136 Nye's westerns, published in 1946 by Mac-
ley, past and present, would fill a great species of lizards thus far known in the millan Company, is Blood of Kings. It's
library. The author with rare discrimina- United States and Canada. More than half the "story of a dude-wrangling little sad-
tion, has selected the highlights of this of these lizards are found in the desert dle tramp who has big dreams in his head
voluminous data, and presented it in a sim- country. Each species is treated under and horses in his heart."
ple and very readable style. headings of range, size, color, type locality,
The appendix includes a bibliography, scalation, recognition characters, habitat, THE COURAGE OF JOSHUA
suggestions for summer travel, and a de- habits, and life history when known. Un- Illustrated Desert Poems
scriptive and mileage log of some of the der the heading of habits, it is possible to By CONSTANCE WALKER
interesting sidetrips to be made in the na- discover such items as the method the
tional monument. 2814 W. Ave. 30
chuckawalla uses to inflate himself. Los Angeles 41, Calif.
Published by Duell, Sloan and Pearce,
A California Gift . . . $1.00 a copy
New York, 1946. 220 pp. Index. $2.75. The book was intended for amateur and

JANUARY, 1947 23
 Trona, California . . .

and . .
Carbonation plant, to be erected by American
Potash and Chemical corporation at a cost of
$4,500,000, is expected to increase yearly pro-
duction of soda ash 60,000 tons, and borax, 30,-
000 tons. New company-developed process will
Boron, California . . . treat secondary Searles lake brine and will sub-
Trona, California . . . stantially increase the company's raw material
Panamint City is being revived, with expendi- Erection of a new borate products factory at reserves. Construction will start early in 1947.
tures of $1,500,000 planned to put the historic Boron, to cost $225,046, has been approved by Also planned are a $2,000,000 power plant ex-
district back in the big producer class. N. James the Civilian Production administration. Pacific pansion and research and engineering facility to
Elliott, president and general manager of Amer- Coast Borax company, builders of the plant, con- cost $300,000.
ican Silver corporation, has announced an $80,- tended that it was essential for production of • • •
000 road project and construction of camp facili- such items as bath tubs and enamelware.
ties for 85 men already under way. Future de- • • •
Battle Mountain, Nevada . . .
velopments include 300-ton mill and driving of Large scale placer operations will start in
cross-cut tunnels into known ore bodies. Ore Farmington, New Mexico . . . Rabbit Hole section of Rosebud placer district,
shipped from the camp during 1873-1900 boom Southern Union Production company has northern Pershing county, with completion of a
is said to have assayed $400-$4000 a ton. brought in a 30,000,000 foot gas well in Bar- 6000 cubic-yard dragline dredge and gravel
• • • ker dome area of San Juan basin. Well came in washing plant. Ground has been leased from
at 9300 foot level. There are now 16 producing Reno owners by U. L. Poston of the Poston
Independence. California . . . wells in Barker dome, which lies 15 miles north- Picher corporation. A mobile test plant, hand-
west of Farmington, four of them in deep strata. ling from 240 to 400 cubic yards per day has
Fire, believed to have started from a defective been used for testing purposes during the past
water heater, destroyed surface properties of • • •
eight months.
Tungstar mine on Mt. Tom, doing an estimated • • •
$250,000 damage. Bunkhouses, commissary, Indio, California . . .
hoist house and aerial tram terminal were Work has started on a railroad to connect Lovelock, Nevada . . .
burned as stiff winds fanned the flames. Loss Eagle Mountain mine, near Briest camp, to First postwar shipment of gold bullion from
was covered by insurance, according to Peter N . Southern Pacific lines. Road will facilitate ship- mine of Standard Cyaniding company was
Stevens, general manager. The Tungstar, big ment of iron ore to the Kaiser mills at Fontana. made by President H. L. Hazen, early in No-
wartime producer of tungsten, was being read- Construction will require two years, according vember. The open-cut mine and cyanide mill,
ied for production after a midsummer cloud- to Ray Fullerton, project manager for Kaiser one of Nevada's foremost gold producers before
burst which wrecked mining property and company. Preliminary surveys will be finished the war, is located at the west base of Humboldt
dwellings in Pine Creek canyon. within four months. range in central Pershing county. New equip-
ment was installed to replace that released to
wartime producers of strategic minerals.
• • •
Fallon, Nevada . . .
Eldorado Lost Spanish mine, located 34 miles

248,569 ACRES . . . east of Fallon, has been optioned to Philadel-

phia Mines and Metals company. Option was
for $20,000 for 18 months and new operators
plan installation of a small ball mill. Mine was
This is the Total 1946 Fall Crop Acreage under cultivation in the area worked in the sixties by Spaniards, who shipped
served by the Imperial Irrigation District in Imperial County. high grade to Sacramento mint. Present values
run $10 a ton over six-foot width.
(Compilations made by the District) • • •
Lone Pine, California . . .
Construction started November 21 on Per-
Included in this Record-Breaking Total are the following: manente Metals corporation's soda ash plant
near Cartago at Owens lake. Plant will be com-
FIELD CROPS 196.328 Acres pleted within four months, and will employ 35
men. Ted Newell is office manager of the new
GARDEN CROPS 46.764 Acres unit, part of the Kaiser industrial network. En-
PERMANENT CROPS 5,477 Acres tire output will be utilized by other Kaiser en-
terprises. Soda ash has many industrial uses and
is a basic ingredient in the manufacture of soap
Imperial Irrigation District's Water Distribution System which has and glass.
• • •
over 3,000 miles of canals and drains serves the greatest Irrigated
Revival of the old silver camp at Calico,
Empire in the Western Hemisphere. northeast of Barstow, may result from a dia-
mond drilling program being undertaken by
Zenda Gold mining company, owner of large
Its power system with more than 1800 miles of Transmission and holdings there. Increased price of silver has
led to search for medium grade ore suitable for
Distribution Lines, keeps Farms, Businesses and Industrial Enterprises steam shovel mining.
running in an area larger than some states— • • •
Roscoe (Curley) Wright has been elected
president of the Goldfield chapter, Western
IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT—PUBLICLY OWNED AND OPER- Mining council. Martin Duffy is new vice-
ATED, IS THE LIFELINE FOR ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST president and Robert A. Crandall, publisher of
Goldfield News, is secretary-treasurer.
BREAD BASKETS—PRODUCING FOOD THE YEAR AROUND FOR • • •
HUNGRY POPULATIONS. Arthur T. Crandall, prominent Utah geolo-
gist, died on November 12, in Salt Lake City.
Crandall had been employed by the Interna-
tional Smelting company at Tooele for 30 years.

Imperial Irrigation District. • • •

John H. Leyshon, active in Utah and Ne-
vada mining circles for 60 years, died on No-
vember 17, in Salt Lake City. As a boy he
worked in mines of Beaver and Milford. He
started leasing operations in Tintic in 1890,
and since that time has taken part in develop-
Use Your Own Power-Moke it Pay for the AH American Canal ment of Eureka, Mammoth and Silver City,
Utah, and Goldfield, Rhyolite and Las Vegas.
Nevada.

24 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 . . . on tke
ARIZONA Flyers Drop In on Desert . . .
Maynard Dixon Dies . . . YUMA—When a B-25, on the last leg of a
TUCSON—Maynard Dixon, one of the best cross country flight, developed engine trouble
known painters of the American West, died at 50 miles northeast of Yuma, the pilot, Lt. Col.
Tucson on November 14. Born in Fresno, Cali- Joseph Brannock, ordered ten crew members to
fornia, he spent his childhood in the San Joa- jump. Col. Brannock was uninjured in a crash-
quin valley. When 16, he sent his sketchbook landing near Holtville, California. During the
to Frederic Remington, who encouraged him in next 24 hours, crew members who had para-
his art work. He began his career as newspaper chuted were located scattered over 100 miles of
and magazine illustrator in New York. The desert. Four were found near Castle Dome
money he earned was spent on trips to Mexico, mine, another north of Wellton, and four made
New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and other their way into Blythe, California. Last member
western states. Most of his early work was de- was located and picked up by plane east of
stroyed in the San Francisco fire of 1906. Since Castle Dome, where he had spread out his para-
1920 he has become famous for his paintings chute as a marker. Only two flyers suffered in-
portraying the beauty and grandeur of desert, juries, one badly injuring an ankle, the other
mountain and canyon. Among his best known breaking an arm. Fog prevented the plane from
works are "The Earth Knower," "Wise Men" making a designated stop at Phoenix. It was
and "Destination Unknown." based on Muroc field.

Hunter Bags Black Bear . . . Squirrels Too Thrifty . . .

WILLIAMS—For 35 years, H. F. Sutherland SAN CARLOS—When Mr. and Mrs. Brack
hunted in Arizona without sighting a bear. He
finally came upon one, in Wild Horse canyon,
Lindley reported that a thief had cut a hole in MUY BUENO! Imported Wool.
a box and stolen their savings, Postmaster C. H. MEXICAN SWAGGER JACKET
while hunting deer and armed only with a 30- Higgens investigated. He dug up culprit and
30. Sutherland had to travel fast to keep the loot, finding a squirrel nesting in $500 worth Exquisitely embroidered jackets from Old
bear from cutting him off from camp. The bear of shredded $5 and $10 bills. Mexico, assure alluring appeal for sports,
took the trail down the canyon, and the hunter campus, class, or office wear. Never two em-
started shooting. The animal, finally stopped by broidery designs alike. Fronts also embroid-
eight shots, had to be removed from the canyon Buried in Boothill . . . ered and two ample patch pockets. Retails
$27.50 and up. Sizes 10 through 18. Variety
with block and tackle. After a layer of fat from color choices: white, red, blue, green, yellow.
two to four inches thick and estimated to weigh TOMBSTONE—E. C. Nunnelley, guardian Give dress size, height, and second color
100 pounds was removed, the animal still scaled and restorer of Boothill graveyard, was buried choice. Order by mail, enclosing ( | Q .—
338 pounds. in the historic cemetery November 11. His was Check or Money Order JplSj.4/
the third burial in Boothill in recent times. "Mother and Daughter Alike" Jackets $29.47.
Quong Kee, Tombstone's last Chinaman was
Cut-Off Road Completed . . . buried there in 1938, and John Slaughter, Co- MAIL ORDER TO
HOLBROOK—Motorists in eastern Arizona chise county pioneer, during the war. Nunnel- L O S A M I G O S
desiring to cut across from Highway 60 to 66, lev, widely known mine operator and contractor, Dept. B, Box 1507 El Paso, Texas
or vice versa, will find the new road between returned to Tombstone in 1945, and became in-
Holbrook and Showlow surfaced and in fine terested in the town's history. His restoration
condition. Started in January, 1946, the road and protection of Boothill graveyard won com-
was completed October 19 at a cost of $475,000. mendation from the Arizona Historical society.
DESERT COLOR SLIDES . . .
Beautiful 35mm 2x2 color desert slides
of Colorado Desert Area: Palm Springs,
Seven Palms, Coachella-Indio Palms,
Borrego Desert in breath-taking verbena
bloom, and restful, peaceful California
Painted Desert. Six gorgeous slides $2.50
THE —with Professional Viewer $5.00.
Also new series of ORIGINALS of Mo-
have Desert Joshua with thrilling storm
DESERT INN clouds—five shots of desolate Death
Valley: Dantes View, Furnace Creek,
Zabriskie Point and Amargosa Desert
with Funeral Mountains. Six slides $2.50.

A triumphant new season under the

DESERT COLOR SLIDES
winter sun at Palm Springs! America's Box 345 Beverly Hills, Calii.
pioneer desert resort welcomes a dis-
tinguished colony to its 35-acre estate . . •
secluded bungalows, all sports. Season
October to June.
NON-RATIONED . . .
3Stn season under original
ownership and management
Basketball,
of Nellie N. Coffman, Bowling,
Earl Coffman and
George Roberson Baseball
SHOES
VAN DEGRIFT'S
717 W. 7th Street
P A L M S P R I N G S , C A L I F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

JANUARY, 1947 25
 CALIFORNIA

1HE DESERT TRADING POST

Classified advertising in this section costs 7 cents a word, $1.00 minimum per issue
Decoys Decoy . . .
INDEPENDENCE—Why not locate ducks
from the air? Andri W. Reichel of Inyokern
knows one reason. Reichel had himself flown
from Bishop over Owens river area and sighted
a dozen fat mallards on a little pond, with no
INDIAN GOODS HAND WROUGHT COPPER, in all types of hunters visible in the area. Reichel landed and
metal arts for the home. Many desert gems reached the pond in short order. About to open
cut and polished or rough. Inlays for the fire- fire on the still-sitting ducks, he was warned
WE ARE AGAIN RECEIVING real hand-ham- by their owner, hidden in the bushes, "Take it
mered Indian jewelry from the reservation place and barbecue. Send for a list of our
special items. Valley Crafts Shop, 14135 Ox- easy, hunter, those decoys aren't very good eat-
all made by top silversmiths. For our rock ing."
customers we have bought another collection nard St., Van Nuys, Calif.
of rock, making this one of the largest col-
lections of rocks and minerals in this part of
CACTI AND SUCCULENTS—From the des- International Airport Sought . . .
erts of the world. Don-Rita brand. By ap- CALEXICO—An airport west of Calexico,
the country. Our collection of rugs, baskets
pointment only. Write us your needs and we with half of its facilities in the United States
and jewelry is still large despite the shortage.
will try to help you. Michael Donnelly Cacti and half in Mexico may become a reality if plans
Come in and see us. Daniels Indian Trading
Gardens, 334 Lowell St., Daly City, Calif. of border civic and business leaders are carried
Post, 401 W. Foothill Blvd., Fontana, Calif!
out. Col. Cipriana Villaneuva Garza, chief of
BINOCULARS — Cleaned, repaired and col- the Mexican immigration service at Mexicali
INDIAN ARTIFACTS. Arrows, Spears. No limated, all makes by Factory Trained man.
Catalog. Write Herbert Lewis, Builder of took the matter up with President-elect Miguel
Fast Service. Write, tell me your trouble for Aleman on a recent visit to Mexico City. Such
fine Indian collections, Box 4, Strafford, Mo. estimate. THE GUNSHOP—12 W. Roose- an airport would permit planes to land on either
NAVAJO RUGS—Just returned from my old velt St., Phoenix, Ariz. side, be rapidly inspected, and taxi over the line
home at GANADO and ORAIBI, Arizona, for inspection on the other side. Much red tape
WHAT DOES Your Handwriting Indicate? would be eliminated. Site of present Calexico
with beautiful assortment rugs from 13Vi x Send one dollar with short letter for type-
I6V2 feet, 12x7, 11x8 feet. COCHITI airport would be used and adjacent land in
written analysis. Pinkham, Plaza Hotel, Riv- Mexico would be utilized. Plans for a second
HANDMADE INDIAN DRUMS, KAT- erside, California.
CHINA DOLLS, fine NAVAJO Indian entry gate between Calexico and Mexicali were
Handmade INDIAN TURQUOISE SET also discussed. Congestion would be relieved by
COMMERCIAL LAPPING and Polishing on using the new gate for motorized equipment,
JEWELRY, OPEN SUNDAYS. HUBBELLS flat surfaces. Finishing of bookends and pol-
INDIAN TRADING POST (Tom S. Hub- while the old one would be used for foot traffic
ished rocks for fireplaces a specialty. Send for
bell), 2331 Pico, Santa Monica, Calif. estimate. Joseph R. Mathieu, 1230V2 Boyle
Ave., Rt. 1, Box 841, Fontana, Calif.
INDIAN RELICS: 4 very fine ancient Indian DEALER & COLLECTOR; World-wide Fire-
arrowheads $1.00. 4 very fine bird arrow- FOSSILS—Geological supplies, Geiger count- arms publication. $1.00 yearly; Foreign
heads $1.00. 10 nice perfect arrowheads ers, thin sections, picks, hammers, etc. Omaha $2.00. Dealer & Collector, 71HR, Flushing,
$1.00. Stone tomahawk $1.00. 2 flint skin- Scientific Supply Co., Box 1750, Omaha 4, New York.
ning knives $1.00. 10 arrowheads from 10 Nebraska.
different states $1.00. 10 arrowheads of 10
different materials $1.00. 2 nice spearheads
LIVESTOCK
PANNING GOLD—A side line hobby for
$1.00. 4 small spearheads $1.00. 5 stone net Rockhounds and Desert Nomads. You LYNX, year old raised from kitten; tame and
sinkers $1.00. 5 stone line sinkers $1.00. 2 should know how to pan gold, recognize gold gentle, beautifully colored; weight about 35
fine flint chisels $1.00. 4 finely made duck bearing gravel and valuable quartz ledges. lbs. Would be great addition to any roadside
bill scrapers $1.00. 10 stemmed scrapers The places you go are where rich virgin business. Guarantee delivery. $150.00. Grail
$1.00. 5 rare round hide scrapers $1.00. 5 ground is found. Send your name for new Fuller Ranch, Daggett, Calif.
small finely made knife blades $1.00. 2 folder on panning gold, with pictures—list
stemmed hoes $1.00. 4 fine drills $1.00. 5 of mining books and equipment for prospec- KARAKULS. Producers of Persian Lamb fur
fine awls $1.00. Rare ceremonial flint $1.00. tor beginners. Old Prospector, Box 21A5, ire easy to raise and adapted to the desert
4 sawedged arrowheads $1.00. 4 odd shaped Dutch Flat, Calif. which is their native home. For further in-
arrowheads $1.00. 4 fine drill pointed arrow- formation write Addis Kelley, 4637 E. 52
heads $1.00. All of the above 23 offers for place, Maywood, California.
$20.00. Fine Stone Celts or ungrooved Axes, BOOKS — MAGAZINES
50c, 75c, $1.00, $1.50, $2.00 each according REAL ESTATE
to size. 100 assorted Sea Shells $10.00. Loca- GHOST TOWN NEWS wanted, first six is-
tion given. 20 slightly damaged arrowheads of sues, et. al.; old Bibles, scarce books, un-
usual items, sell by mail. Davis, I6III/2 FOR SALE—300 acres, undeveloped, near All-
good grade $1.00. 100 damaged arrowheads American Canal, straddles Highway 111, at
$3.00. List free. Lear's, Box 569, Galveston, Donaldson St., LA 26, California.
Frink, slightly northwest of Niland, Impe-
Texas. rial County, Calif. $25.00 per acre. Terms.
WILDCRAFTERS MAGAZINE — Woodcraft
and Outdoor Living Lore. 5 years only $4.00. P.J.B., 210 So. Flower Street, Los Angeles
1 year $1.00. 35c copy. Spring issue free when 12, Calif.
MISCELLANEOUS
subscribing. Reasonable advertising rates.
Wildcrafters World, Rt. 1-D, Alton Sta., Ky. FOR SALE or lease on terms—4 gold claims in
INCOME TAX returns prepared by expert with River Rouge, 320 ft. tunnel, shaft 60 ft. with
33 years experience, minimum fees $1, single; 2 drills 125 ft. each. Good road to mine,
$2, joint return. Beginning March 1st, fees COMPLETE DESERT MAGAZINE file. Vols.
1 to 9 (Nov. '37 to Oct. '46). Good condi- water to run small mill. Mrs. J. H. Drake,
$3 and $5, respectively. John Wesley Davis, Box 866, Kingman, Ariz.
I6HV2 Donaldson St., Los Angeles 26, Cali- tion. Five in looseleaf binders. $50.00 f.o.b.
fornia. Covington. H. S. Keithley, 81 Elm St., Cov-
ington. Tennessee. FOR SALE: 3 room house, 10 to 40 acres in
Lower Borrego Valley. Highway 78. Two
FOR SALE: Lapidary outfit consisting of 10 miles west of Ocotillo. Magill.
inch diamond saw, 8"xl" mounted grinding WANTED: Photos and negatives of old dia-
wheels, 100 & 220 grit. 12" Covington hori- mond shaped Auto Club markers. Will pay
$1.00 each for any taken on the Colorado and LAST CHANCE CANYON. There's too much
zontal lap, 8"x2" sander, hardfelt buff. All business here for my wife and me to handle,
mounted on heavy 6 ft. table with jack shaft Mojave deserts, especially Langford Wells.
Not too badly mutilated. Photograph at 6 so we are offering our lapidary and rock shop
in rear with pulley and belts to run from one with 20 acres for sale. Includes good stock of
motor. All bought in last three months. Must ft. Harmon Austin, 19 Emerson St., East
Weymouth 39, Mass. banded jasper, petrified wood and other ma-
sell on account of health. Little, Palmer Can- terial. The canyon is open again, and some
yon, Claremont, Calif. good fire opal and wood are being picked
CAMP AND TRAIL INCIDENTS OF PIO-
NEER LIFE, by W . Irven Lively. A desert up. Address F. W . Clark, Saltdale, Cali-
DESOLATE DEATH VALLEY in gorgeous fornia.
color. See advertisement page 25. Desert book by a desert author, who has lived for
Color Slides. fifty years in the Southwest. It has the real
tang of the Desert. If you like poetry, you will For Imperial Valley Farms—
ELDERLY GENTLEMAN, metaphysician, like it; if you do not like poetry you will
should like to find out-of-door work in read it and forget that it is poetry as you be- W. E. HANCOCK
Arizona or Southern California. Artistic, ver- come absorbed in its narrative and descriptive "The Farm Land Man"
satile, reliable and clean. Address "Desert thrills. $1.50 postpaid. Address W. I. Lively, Since 1914
Lover," Desert Magazine, El Centra, Calif. Route 6, Box 1111, Phoenix, Ariz. EL CENTRO CALIFORNIA

26 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

Records Broken at Saltern . . . One-Telephone Town . . .
INDIO—Six new world speed records were BARSTOW—Borax town of Boron is un- MORRIS PORTABLE OonbWiM VIBRATING BLOCK
set at the annual SaJton Sea regatta in Novem- happy about its telephone facilities. There are MACHINE - For ELECTRIG or EN6INE DRIVE
ber. Only ten racers of the 184 who started, approximately 1000 inhabitants in the com- RENT - PUR6HASE
survived three days of speed trials. Fastest time munity and one telephone. Barstow Printer-
was made by Tommy Hill, in 135 cubic inch Review attempted to obtain returns from the many different nrnfdi (5Op\\3"i}
hydroplane class, who reached 84.008 m.p.h. town after last general election, and finally makeblotR for your <iwn use,
The regatta was held a week later than sched- gave up, deciding that mail service would be orto establish a bqsincss
uled, due to rough water on original date. Pho- more rapid.
tographer Dale Phillips, of Indio, was unable to • • •
picture most exciting news event of the regatta, Douglas C. Rhodes, who directed erection
since he was chief participant. Phillips flying a and maintenance of more than 750,000 road
new light plane, was approximately 500 feet markings in Southern California, died at his 26
above the Salton sea when the motor died. Phil- home in Arcadia on November 17. Mr. Rhodes, usually pays out-including pallets-
lips headed toward shore and hit the water at for 30 years field engineer of the Automobile on 30 to 50thousand blocKs
about 30 miles per hour. He was uninjured, and Club of Southern California, was instrumental also Tensiometers (Soil moisture indicators)
climbed out of plane as the crashboat arrived. in setting up guides to good water holes
Plane was in the water for some time, and is throughout the Mojave desert, and was respon-
believed to be a total loss, along with expensive- sible for first markings on the national old trail,
photographic equipment. highway 66, the Lincoln highway, and the Bank-
head highway. MOUNTAINS . . .
• • • . . . DESERT . . .
Mountain Road Near Completion . . .
NEVADA . . . SEASHORE
BANNING—Under construction for several
years, the Banning-Idyllwild road will reported- ALL are completely covered in the
BMI Transferred to WAA . . . new SCENIC GUIDE TO SOUTHERN
ly be ready for paving during 1947. Riverside
supervisors will petition federal government to LAS VEGAS—Development of huge Basic CALIFORNIA. From Kings Canyon Na-
Magnesium plant has been transferred to War tional Park to the Mexican Border, this
include highway in forest service system. Assets administration. It was controlled by Re- land of spectacular contrasts is brought
construction Finance corporation. WAA will to you by words, pictures, and maps.
Fire in Olancha . . . continue the policy of attempting to attract 100% alphabetical arrangement for
major companies to use the huge plant, but only quick and easy reference.
INDEPENDENCE—Fire has destroyed post- permanent developments are sought. At present,
office, store, garage, service station and a resi- three chemical concerns are producing chlorine Improved re-runs of the Nevada and
dence in Olancha. Resident and tourist volun- hydrochloric acid and its derivatives. U. S. Northern California Guides are still
teer fire fighters used garden hoses, buckets. Vanadium company is using a chemical process available. Price of these fine guides
shovels and snow balls in efforts to keep the to refine vanadium ore from Winnemucca, Ne- $1.00 each or all three for $2.50. Send for
fire from spreading. vada, and Bishop, California. A gemcutting yours today.
concern is also using plant facilities to cut Address — SCENIC GUIDES
That Old Sea Serpent Again . . . stones, and teach veterans to be silversmiths
and gem cutters. P. O. Box 288 Susanville. California
COACHELLA—The Desert Barnacle report-
ed reappearance of Salton sea's much-advertised
sea monster. George Ames of Indio, Bill Alex-
ander of Mecca and Roy Harmon of Thermal
viewed the creature at a point two miles west
of Desert beach, 10 miles below Mecca. It was
on the surface, basking in the sunlight. Several
birds were on its back, pecking at marine life.
It was suggested that the serpent probably hi-
bernated at the bottom of the sea during hot
months. It made its reappearance just before
the annual Salton sea regatta, and the Barnacle
warned that it must not be permitted to enter
the speed contests.

Quail Survey Scheduled . . .

INEPENDENCE—Quail hunters were asked
to cooperate with California division of fish
and game, bureau of game conservation, who
are making a statewide food-habits survey of
native mountain quail ranges. Hunters were
asked to turn in crops and gizzards of the birds
they shot, to local collection stations, along with
specified information. Food-habits survey is part
of a research program designed to improve the
status of mountain quail.

Manzanar Being Dismantled . . .

LONE PINE—Manzanar, relocation center
for some of the more recalcitrant Japanese dur-
uild it Yourself
Send for booklet showing how to make your own bricks of
ing the war, is vanishing piecemeal under at- Cemadobe and build an attractive low cost home yourself. Amaz-
tacks of home-hungry veterans. WAA put 320
buildings, 37 warehouses and approximately ing discovery in soil stabilization. Bricks of earth and cement.
1,000,000 board feet of used lumber on sale. Attractive; heat and cold resisting. Easy to make. A Godsend to
Veterans and priority holders snapped up nearly
half entire inventory the first day. Barracks and anyone who needs a home. Now being used by hundreds of
mess halls went for homes, ranch buildings, satisfied home builders. Acceptable to loan agencies. Complete
barns and airport facilities. They were priced
from $50 to $500, and sold "as is—where is." instructions in attractive, easy-to-understand booklet entitled
"Cemadobe". 50 illustrations and 40 chapters. Money back guar-
Time was when travelers went out of the way antee of satisfaction. Send $1.00 to Cem- Adobe Company,
to avoid Death Valley, but some 77,000 tour- Box 81, Dept. DM-126, West Los Angeles Station,
ists went out of their way to look at it last
year, according to the National park service. Los Angeles 25, California.

JANUARY, 1947 27
Army Holds On . . . Carson Appeal Sold . . . Trout Hatchery Establishes Record
RENO—War department has filed suit in CARSON CITY—Nevada's oldest daily RENO—Rainbow and native blackspotted
federal court to retain for another five years newspaper, the Carson City Daily Appeal, was trout totalling 2,608,606 were successfully
3,285,551 acres in Lincoln, Nye and Clark coun- sold during November to Arthur N. Suverkrup, raised and transplanted throughout waters of
ties used for Tonopah bombing and Las Vegas president of the Record-Courier printing com- Nevada by Verdi hatchery during the past year.
aerial gunnery ranges. Filing the suit automatic- pany of Gardnerville. Suverkrup will take over The large number was made possible through a
ally continues war department's control over the active management of the paper on January 1, new program of two periods of operation. Early
huge area. Compensation payments will be ne- 1947, from present publisher Wesley L. Davis, spawn rainbow eggs were brought in from east-
gotiated with mining claim owners when the jr. Davis bought the Appeal in 1943 from the ern states. As soon as they had matured, they
suit comes to trial. The Tonopah field has been Mighels family, which had operated newspaper were replaced with native blackspotted trout
on a standby basis since the war, while bom- since pioneer days. There will be no change in eges from California and Yellowstone. Black-
bardier-radar training has recently been trans- editorial policy of the 82 year old daily. spotted trout spawn during June and July. A
ferred from California to Las Vegas. new water-cooling device was invented and in-
Last Roundup . . . stalled to keep water temperatures down dur-
WINNEMUCCA—Consigned to the Yering- ing summer months.
ton packers to be used in chicken feed, 346 wild
"LOST MINES OF horses were shipped from Winnemucca in No-
vember. The horses were driven to Winnemuc- Film Studio for Nevada . . .
THE OLD WEST" ca from Fields, Andrews and Denio, Oregon by
"Mustang" Smith and his five riders. Smith,
who has been driving horses to Winnemucca for
HENDERSON—First production of the new
$5,000,000 Allied studios is scheduled to start
in February. The studios are located in a re-
60c Postpaid from Distributor 40 years said, "You won't see many more converted war plant at Henderson, and will
bunches of any size—'bout gone from the produce color as well as black and white fea-
RAY'S range." tures.
WESTERN BOOKS & MAGAZINES
331'/2 S. Hill St. Los Angeles 13, Calif.
A very proper New Year's resolution for
GUIDE BOOK TO HIGHWAY 66
Just published! Gives full data on U. S. 66
TRUE OR FALSE Desert readers is to take the quiz test every
month throughout 1947—win or lose.
from L.A. to Chicago: history, scenic spots, That is one way to become better acquainted with the botany, geology, history and
roads and grades, accommodations. Maps
and mileage readings. 128 pp., pocket size. lore of the Great American Desert. If you are an average tenderfoot, your score the
Only $1 postpaid and tax paid. Get your copy first month will not be over 10 correct answers—but you will improve as the
of 1st edition!
JACK D. RITTENHOUSE months go along. And you will enjoy your next desert trip more by reason of the
1416 W. 59th Place Los Angeles 44, Calif. knowledge you pick up in this test. A good desert rat will average 15 correct an-
swers. Anything better than that is super-something or other. Answers are on
page 36.
COUNTY MAPS...
MINES, Paved, State Improved, Inferior
ROADS, TRAILS, R.R.S., GAME REFUGES. 1—The burro is a native of the Southwest desert. True False
CREEKS, SCHOOLS, RANGER STATIONS,
CAMPS, LOOKOUTS. ELEVATIONS, NAT'L 2—Squaw cabbage is the name of a vegetable cultivated by the desert Indians.
FORESTS, LAND GRANTS. C O U N T Y
LINES. POWER LINES. CANALS, DITCHES. True False
TOWNSHIPS. All Counties $1 except as list-
ed: Tuolumne, Santa Barbara, Plumas, Placer, 3—Utah derives its name from Indians who were living on the desert when the
Modoc, Madera. $1.50; Tulare, Tehama, Siaki-
you, Imperial, $2; San Diego, Riverside. Men- white man came. True False
docino. Kern. Humboldt, Fresno, $2.60; Trin-
ity, Shasta, Mono, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, 4—The blossom of the creosote bush is pink. True False
Lassen, Los Angeles, $3.
Also Oregon, Idaho and Washington 5—Chalcedony roses belong to the quartz family of rocks. True False
County Maps.
6—Roosevelt dam was named in honor of former President Theodore Roosevelt.
WORLD'S MINERALS True False
2417 San Pablo Ave. Oakland 12, Calif.
7—Native Joshua trees of the Southwest are found in Nevada, Arizona and Cali-
fornia. True False
THE HOTEL 8—Pumice stone is a solidified form of lava. True False
AT THE 9—Lowell observatory is located on Telescope peak. True False
PALMS 10—To establish a mining claim it is necessary to put a notice in all four location
• • • corners. True False
FIREPLACE- 11-—San Xavier del Bac mission is located at Tucson, Arizona.
True False
ADOBES
12—When a Mexican speaks of hediondilla he is referring to common creosote
• • • bush. True False
ALL SPORTS 13—The present Salton sea was filled by flood waters from the Colorado river in
• • • 1911. True False
OPEN 14—The Navajo started their herds by domesticating the wild sheep they found in
ALL YEAR the mountains. True False
15—Horned toads belong to the lizard family. True False....:...
16—The book, The Romance o\ the Colorado, was written by Dellenbaugh.
Gateway to Joshua Tree Monument True False
ROBT. VAN LAHR, Mgr.
For reservations write or call at
17—Pauline Weaver became famous as the "Queen of the La Paz Placer Dig-
29 Palms Inn, Twentynine Palms, Calif. gings." True False
or Call any Travel Bureau or Automobile Club 18—Cliff dwelling Indians of the prehistoric period are believed to have been
expert horsemen. True False
PALMS 19—The capital of New Mexico is at Albuquerque. True False
INN 20—Chief Winnemucca was a Paiute Indian. True False

28 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

Rapid-Shooter Missing . . . Fenton Dam Completed . . . UTAH
LAS VEGAS—Attempts of a lone man to SANTA FE—State game department has an- Price Up on Navajo Rugs • . .
shoot the rapids of the Colorado river in a rub- nounced completion of Fenton dam which im-
ber boat, are believed to have ended in disaster. pounds 30 surface acres of water on Cebolla BLANDING—Hugh Jelly reports that he
On October 19, Ranger Arthur Green escorted river in Jemez mountains. Elliott Barker, state gets $3-50 a pound for the rugs his wife weaves.
the man, tentatively identified as Charles Roe- game warden, explained that the lake was de- This is 50 cents a pound over price obtained last
mer, to Lee's ferry, where the rubber raft was signed principally for increasing waterfowl year and with the rugs weighing nine to twelve
launched. On Oqober 24, the rubber boat was nesting and resting areas. It is being filled with- pounds, Hugh thinks it is pretty good. Hugh's
seen passing Bright Angel, about 75 miles out appreciable clearing, so two-thirds of lake wife makes from 10 to 12 rugs each year.
down stream. No further word has been re- and shoreline will be heavily covered with brush
ceived of the man's fate, although ranger sta- and submerged trees. Remaining third will be Rat-Shooting Miner Destroys Cabin
tions have been on the lookout, and planes have clear for shore fishing. MILFORD—James W . Owens shot at a rat
searched the river. Ranger Green said the boat- in his Silver gulch cabin, and exploded a large
man refused to give his name, but he saw it on quantity of dynamite. Household furnishings
a package and copied it. Boy Scouts to Visit Ruins . . .
were scattered over the gulch, and the cabin
• • • SANTA FE—Four-corners region of New demolished. Owens was reported in a serious
Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Utah will be condition in Milford hospital. His wife,
NEW MEXICO visited next June by 17 Boy Scouts, one se- knocked unconscious by the blast, walked eight
Ceremonial Gate Breaks Records . . . lected from each of New Mexico's 16 counties miles to Milford for aid when she recovered.
GALLUP—Gate receipts at annual Inter- and one from the Navajo reservation in Arizona.
Tribal Indian ceremonial for 1946, reached an The two week archeological expedition will be Donner Trail Blazing Aided Mormons
all-time high of $25,248, after more than $5000 sponsored by Museum of New Mexico and
School of American Research, and Jack Stoltz, SALT LAKE CITY—The Donner party took
federal admission taxes were deducted. The 30 days to blaze a 36 mile trail through Emigra-
ceremonial, held in August, was considered suc- Scout field executive, will be in charge.
• • • tion canyon in the Wasatch mountains. That
cessful from financial standpoint and quality delay brought them to the Sierra Nevadas so late
of entertainment offered. Improvements are Ninety miles of the New Mexico-Colorado that they were trapped in 20-foot snows. But the
planned for the next event, including flood- boundary are still unsurveyed. Theodore A. road they built may have saved the pioneer Mor-
lights and new steel bleachers. Five retiring di- Chisholm, Colorado assistant attorney general, mons from starvation, according to Dr. W. M.
rectors of the ceremonial association were re- has been asked by U. S. department of interior, Stookey, Utah historian. Dr. Stookey related
elected. to request state legislature for an appropriation the story to Stanley W . Houghton, grandson of
to complete the survey. It was said that possi- ill-fated Capt. George Donner. Houghton came
Indian Service Physician Dies . . . bility of oil developments along the boundary to Salt Lake City from Long Beach to obtain de-
SANTA FE—James Franklin Lane, promin- would bring tax problems for both states. tails of the century old tragedy.
ent Indian service physician, died on November
12 in the Santa Fe Indian hospital, which he
founded in 1928. Dr. Lane had been with the
Indian service for 19 years, was active in medi-
cal research, and was rated as one of the out- •: ..
. i ~~~ „ SLEEP in your CAR
standing surgeons in the service. Until recently, ,. /-

his headquarters were at Dulce. r/ | | ROCKHOUNDS. Tourists,

desert lovers — Enjoy
Indians Sue for Voting Right . . . ': your trips in freedom
GALLUP—Attempting to force a showdown and economy, with a
transferable . . .

li
on voting rights, three Indian plaintiffs filed a
civil suit in district court at Gallup, against Mc- CALIFORNIA CAR BED
Kinley county clerk Eva Ellen Sabin. Plaintiffs,
William L. Lewis and Jesse J. Simplico of the
Zuni and Watson Gibson, Navajo, allege that
• in your sedan or club
coupe. No cutting, 3 hour
the county clerk refused to accept their registra- installation.
tions. Grounds for rejection were that Indians 1754 West Manchester
who pay no taxes are not qualified to vote un- Los Angeles 44 TW 2661
der New Mexico statutes. Complaint alleges that C A L I F . C A R B E DC O . WRITE FOR CIRCULAR
plaintiffs do pay state and federal taxes, and
that non-Indian citizens are qualified to vote
whether they pay taxes or not. The suit asks that
voting rights of the Indians be determined, that
the judgment be final regarding all other Indi-
ans and that New Mexican provision disqualify- into the heart of

BY BOAT Norman Nevills

ing Indians not taxed, be declared unconstitu- t h e Southwest's
tional. Damages totaling $900 and costs were
asked. most scenic can-
yon country with
Covered Wagon Rolls . . .
SANTA FE—When Sidney Ferrell, disabled A limited number of reservations are now being made for the 1947 Nevills
war veteran, and his wife left Santa Fe they had expeditions down the San Juan and Colorado rivers—191 miles in seven
already been on the road ten weeks in a covered days. Special-built river boats, skilled boatmen, good food and sleeping
wagon. Starting from Denver with veterans hos-
pital at Albuquerque as final destination, the bags for all passengers.
Ferrells have made as much as 25 miles on good
days and as little as two miles on bad ones. Boats start from Mexican Hat, Utah, on the San Juan, and complete the
Breakdowns have been frequent. The couple left trip at Lee's Ferry on the Colorado. Arrangements will be made to have
Santa Fe with only 16 cents ready cash to feed
themselves and their caravan. Livestock includes your car driven from Mexican Hat to Lee's Ferry. Sidetrips include:
five horses, a colt, four burros and a cow. Most
of the chickens have been eaten. Despite hard- Crossing of the Fathers, Music Temple, Mystery, Twilight and Hidden
ships of the road Ferrell is in better health than Passage Canyons, Outlaw Cave and the famous Rainbow Bridge
when he left Denver.
Sailings May 1, 10, 19, 28—June 6, 1947
Horses Back in Taos . . .
TAOS—Stray horses are again roaming the
streets of Taos. Owners apparently turn them F o r s c h e d u l e s a n dr a t e s w r i t e t o . . .
loose each winter to forage for themselves,
rounding them up in the spring, when needed NORMAN NEVILLS BLUFF. UTAH
again. Village police hired a cowpuncher to
drive the horses out on the mesa, but they al- " . . . A river trip with Norman Nevills is more than a mere boat ride. It is a flight on a
ways return to nibble at lawns and hedges. Au- magic carpet of adventure into a canyon wilderness of indescribable beauty and grandeur."
thorities warn that, in order to stop the prac-
tice, stock will be impounded and sold if not —DESERT MAGAZINE
claimed within a reasonable time.

JANUARY, 1947 29
Great Basin Dry Cycle Overdue . . .
SALT LAKE CITY—Utahns were warned
by Salt Lake weather bureau that ten years of
record-breaking rain and snowfall have not
changed basic climatic conditions prevailing
during the past 70 years. Weather records, dat-
Prizes to Photographers
ing to 1892, show the great basin subject to wet This should be a banner year for the camera clan, with more film
and dry cycles of apparent regularity. A dry available—they say—and new cameras filtering into the market.
cycle is overdue, according to the bureau. Be-
cause of greatly increased water consumption Only question remaining seems to be whether or not the old jalopy
and record livestock population on the ranges, can survive another season of washboard roads.
its results may be disastrous.
The pictures are out there waiting, and Desert wants you to bring
them back, alive and sparkling, so that we can share some of the best
Pheasant Season Good— ones with our readers. In order to make it worth your while, we again
for Pheasants . . . offer prizes for winners during every month in 1947. Remember that
DELTA—High winds, cold weather and very
heavy cover combined to make annual pheasant fine light and shadow effects will improve most desert pictures, and
season far from the success anticipated by hunt- that contrast is important.
ers. Hunt opened on a Saturday with a hard, bit- Contest subjects for every month in 1947 are listed below. Good
ter cold wind from the north which kept the
birds close to the ground. It closed the following hunting!
Monday with weather even worse. Hunters com-
plain that smother weeds are becoming so thick JANUARY—(Contest closes January 20)—Desert Roads and
that in many sections they form a barrier sports- Trails. Old and new, made by all kinds of visitors and in-
men and dogs cannot penetrate. habitants.
FEBRUARY-—Desert Homes. Anything, from packrat nest to
Tourist Ports-of-Entry Planned . . . cabin, actually used for living purposes by a desert inhabi-
SALT LAKE CITY—Construction of eight tant.
tourist information bureaus is planned by state
publicity and industrial development commis- MARCH—Desert Recreation. Hiking, riding, rock-hunting, bot-
sion. Each structure would cost about $21,000, anizing—the reasons we go to the desert.
and would contain spacious lounge, showers APRIL—Spirit of the Desert. The picture which you feel most truly
and rest rooms. It would offer the tourist mo-
tion pictures, geological information, colored represents the fascination of the desert wilderness.
pictures, maps and road information. Stations at MAY—COVER CONTEST. Must be vertical 9xl2's. First prize is
Kanab, St. George and Wendover are scheduled $15.00; 2nd prize $10.00. $5.00 for each acceptable picture
for completion by May 1, 1947. Those at Brig- submitted by the non-winners.
ham City, Thompsons, Echo Canyon, Vernal
and U. S. 91 at Utah-Idaho line will be finished JUNE—Desert in Blossom. Either landscapes or close-ups of the
sometime during the year. Plans for the sta- wildflowers in place.
tions were protested by L. D. Sarvis, secretary- JULY—Desert Markers and Monuments. Petroglyphs and trail
manager of the Utah State Automobile associa-
tion who declared they would cost $25,000 a markers and statuary—from the beginning, men have left
year to maintain and that the original $172,000 their memorials on the desert.
might better be spent in putting state highways AUGUST—Desert Indians. Outdoor portraits, life and activities.
in proper condition.
SEPTEMBER—Desert Ruins. Stations, forts, ranches and spots
where history has been made and, sometimes, forgotten.
Marooned Family Rescued . . . OCTOBER—Desert Clouds. Scenes keyed or dominated by some
VERNAL—A huge bulldozer bucked 16
miles of snowdrifts in the Uintahs to rescue Mr. of those amazing desert cloud formations.
and Mrs. Bjorn M. Rye and their four-year-old NOVEMBER—Desert Cliffs and Mountains. From butte to preci-
son, marooned for three weeks at Rve's sawmill pice, each form has a grandeur difficult to capture on film.
on Center creek. The family was caught by heavy
snows near the end of October, and an earlier at- DECEMBER—Small Desert Life. Portraits of the little creatures of
tempt to reach them failed when automobiles the desert, from insects to mammals.
were unable to penetrate the drifts. Food sup-
olies were drooped by plane on October 30. The PRIZES—With the exception of cover awards given above, the
Ryes communicated with friends in Vernal by monthly prize will be $10 for 1st place; $5.00 for 2nd place,
a forestry telephone three miles from the saw- and $2.00 each for non-winning photos accepted for publica-
mill. It took Ernest and Hueh Caldwell ten tion.
hours to push the bulldozer from Iron Springs
junction to the mill. Snow was estimated at four HERE ARE THE RULES
feet deep.
1—Prints must be on black and white, 5x7 or larger, printed on
glossy paper.
Centennial Queen Selected . . . 2—All entries must be in the Desert Magazine office by the 20th
SALT LAKE CITY—Miss Colleen Robinson, of the contest month.
18 year old brunette of American Fork, will be 3—Prints will be returned only when return postage is enclosed.
queen of Utah's great centennial celebration in 4—Contests are open to both amateur and professional photo-
1947. Miss Robinson, representing Utah county, graphers. Desert Magazine requires first publication rights of prize
was selected from a field of 38 contestants. She winning pictures only.
was Days of '47 princess in 1944 and Univer- 5—Time and place of photograph are immaterial except that
sity of Utah freshman queen in 1946. they must be from the desert Southwest.
• • • 6—Judges will be selected from Desert's editorial staff, and
Mrs. Sylvia Eliza Sanford Metcalf, who awards will be made immediately after the close of the contest each
crossed the plains at the age of four, celebrated month.
her 101st birthday on November 16. Mrs. Met- 7—Each photograph submitted should be fully labeled as to
calf remembers making soap and dyes, spinning, subject, time, place. Also as to technical data: shutter speed, hour
knitting and making clothes. of day, etc.
• • •
Mrs. Anna C. P. Rasmussen, who remem- ADDRESS ALL ENTRIES TO PHOTO EDITOR, DESERT MAGAZINE,
bered Brigham Young and other early Mormon
leaders, died November 6, aged 102 years. Born THE
in Denmark in 1844, she had been a resident of
Utah for 74 years. A pioneer midwife, Mrs.
Rasmussen delivered more than 464 babies in EL CENTRO. CALIFORNIA
early days.

30 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 GEMS AND MINERALS
ARTHUR L. EATON, Editor

GEM VILLAGE
BAYFIELD. COLO.
Gem materials, Cabinet Specimens,
Cut Stones, Indian Jewelry, Mineral
Books, Fluorescent Materials, Silver and
ANNUAL BLYTHE GEM SHOW escent shows, one of them featuring a new Ari- Lapidary work to order.
zona find, and cases of rare minerals, semi-
SET FOR FEBRUARY 7-8-9 precious stones and faceted gems. Over 1500 THE COLORADO GEM CO.
Second annual show and field trip of Desert specimens were loaned by members of the Min-
eralogical Society of Arizona, Phoenix. Yavapai Bayfield. Colo.
Gem and Mineral society will be held at Blythe,
California, February 7, 8 and 9- Show will be Gem and Mineral society of Prescott also par-
staged at Blythe Woman's club building Febru- ticipated.
ary 7 from one p. m. to midnight and February Arthur L. Flagg, president of the Phoenix
8 from ten a. m. to ten p. m. A day-long field group was in charge of the exhibit, while Ben TO YOU AND YOURS . . .
trip to the Hauser geode bed will take place on Humphreys, also of the M.S.A., assisted, with
February 9, the caravan leaving Blythe at seven many society members volunteering labor. A MERRY CHRISTMAS
a. m. Twenty members of the M.S.A. acted as ushers
Show is open to exhibitors outside the so-
during the fair period. and
ciety, with no charge for display space. Prospec- • • •
A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS
tive exhibitor must notify the society, Box 53,
Blythe, before January 15, 1947, so that every IMPERIAL SOCIETY FINDS NEW YEAR
exhibitor can be listed in the program. Limited NEW COLLECTING AREA
number of dealers will be allowed to sell speci-
mens at the show by special invitation. Imperial Valley Gem and Mineral society re-
alized a rockhound's dream on its November
9-11 field trip: an untouched field of good agate ABERCROMBIE'S AGATE SHOP
and opal. The location was discovered when 335 So. Lakewood Blvd.
ARIZONA FAIR MINERAL EXHIBIT field scout Lloyd Richardson was attempting to
BREAKS ATTENDANCE RECORDS find a new road out from camp. The road in had BELLFLOWER. CALIFORNIA
More than 55,000 visitors thronged the min- all but stopped the caravan, necessitating much
eral exhibit in the Mines building at Arizona shovel work as well as expert driving. The
state fair, November 8-17. Visitors registered sought for road was located, but departure was
from nearly every state and from British Colum- definitely delayed while 21 field trippers gath- DESERT SPECIMENS . . .
bia, Central and South America, England, ered agate. The material is multi-colored agate
and common opal covered with rhyolite. Most of BARGAIN BUNDLE—Mixed cutting mate-
France, Norway, Sweden, Italy, China and Aus- rial. 25c per Ib. or S lbs. for $1.00.
tralia. A large part of 5,000 square feet floor it is in chunks weighing from two pounds up. SHOWY MINERAL SETS—20 colorful min-
space of the show was taken up with exhibits of Besides the new agate field, the group col- erals attractively arranged and hand lab-
a permanent nature provided by counties and eled in neat box. Excellent for gifts—study
lected some beautiful chalcedony and large and —collection*—$2.00.
larger mining companies. fine quality tridymite specimens. Night hunters ASSORTED PREFORM CABOCHONS—25c
Special exhibits included two popular fluor- found common opal and fluorescing chalcedony. each—10 for $2.00.
HEADQUARTERS for beautiful XI lined
Strawberry Geodes. Priced from $1.00 to
$10.00. Complete satisfaction guarantee.
Postage and Tax Extra
N0W-- Send dime for Catalog of Showy Specimens
VISITORS WELCOME
JACK FROST
The Cut-Off Saw 59 E. Hof fer Street Banning, California

You've Always
MINERAL
Wanted! IDENTIFICATION
SIMPLIFIED
FELKER DI-MET By O. C. SMITH, A.B., A.M.
MODEL DH-1 2nd Revised Edition
Cut-Off and Price $3.50
Plus Tax in California
Trimming Saw Also the Great New Book
Uses 6" or 8" rimlock diamond IDENTIFICATION AND
blades. All-metal case, chrom- QUALITATIVE CHEMICAL
ium plated bed. precision ball-bearing spindle. Coolant is self-contained. Baffles
confine churning and splash. Optional plastic cover for greater cleanliness. Preci- ANALYSIS OF MINERALS
sion workmanship throughout. Accurate slice-thickness guide. Price, less motor, By O. C. SMITH, A.B., A.M.
without plastic cover: $63.50; with plastic cover: $69.25. For descriptive circular write 300 minerals, 120 Blowpipe tests, 40 Bead
tests and the response to Ultra-Violet light
all shown in finest full color. Nothing like it
ever published before. The Analytical proce-
FELKER MANUFACTURING CO. dure is the most complete and the simplest
ever devised. Anyone can analyze minerals
TORRANCE. CALIFORNIA now.
World's Largest Manufacturer of Diamond Cut-Off Wheels Price $6.50
Plus Tax in California
and Equipment
Order from — O. C. SMITH - Dept. D
Next Month See Our UNI-LAP! 5157 Santa Ana St. — Bell, California
or Your Local Dealer

JANUARY, 1947 31
 ATTENTION Advanced Crystal Collectors.
We are at last unpacking some of the fine
GEM MART ADVERTISING
7c a Word
RATE
Minimum $1.00
crystals of calcite which were mined inci-
dentally to the production of optical crystals
for the famous polaroid ring sight. These are
not samples picked off the dumps. They are
SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY Offer: To intro- AUSTRALIAN FIRE OPALS—Large stocks of the choice mineral specimens saved by John
duce our new find of fine red and pink, lace cut and polished doublets and solids. Small Hilton during the actual mining operations.
and moss Agate, I am offering a limited quantities rough cutting material as available. Write for our five dollar selection of these
amount of sawed slabs at 20c per sq. inch, Shipment inquiries welcomed. Woodrow A. San Diego county calcites. (Please state
rough at $1.50 per lb. Good heavy vein ma- Oldfield, Cr. Whitehorse and Union Roads, whether you are interested in rare crystal
terial, little or no waste. Lee Phelps, 1104 Mont Albert, Victoria, Australia. forms, beautiful display specimens or fluor-
Portland Ave., Bend, Oregon. escent material.) Hilton and Greb Gem Shop,
Thermal, Calif. See our display on Highway
FOR SALE: Petrified Palm Root, black and FOR SIXTEEN YEARS we have sold our des- 99, 11 miles south of Indio.
grey with eyes. Also fibers and cattails, $1.00 ert gems and minerals, largely to visitors at
per lb. plus shipping fees. Rates on large our shop. We are now in better shape to han- 25 COLORFUL, Assorted Arizona Specimens,
pieces. Sawed pieces by request. Write for dle mail orders than before. So now we are including quartz crystal geode, thundereggs,
prices on sawed material. From original lo- offering, as a demonstration of our bargains, chalcedony roses, amethyst crystals, agates
cation. Maida Langley, Box 331, Needles, nodules dug by John Hilton before the war and others for $2.00 postpaid. H. Mick, Box
California. in hot, dry Death Valley, to a depth of twen- One, Morristown, Arizona.
ty feet. These nodules have a bright red
WANTED: Polished pea size specimens, Moss matrix, beautifully framing intensely blue HIGHLY OPALIZED and Colored Wood.
Agate, Turquoise, Jade. Write P. O. Box agate of various shades. They are desirable $1.00 pound plus postage. Please state if you
3481, St. Paul, Minn. for book-ends, pen sets, paper weights, nov- wish one large piece or smaller ones. H. Dun-
elties and jewelry. The blues in these nodules kel, Box 21, Knights Ferry, Calif.
WANTED TO BUY—Wholesale quantities of are not like those usually found in nodules,
Jasper, Turquoise and Petrified Wood of for the colors are retained even in polished INDIAN RELICS, Curios, Coins, Minerals,
gem quality. Bring samples in or mail. Open gems. These nodules have been heretofore Books, Old Buttons, Old Glass, Old West
account or C.O.D. Write full particulars. sold by dealers lucky enough to have them Photos, Weapons, Catalogue 5c. Lemley An-
Collections bought, liberal appraisal. El for $1.50 a pound. But we will send five tique Store, Osborne, Kansas.
Camino Gem Shop, Box D, Solana Beach, pounds f.o.b. Thermal for $3.00, and fifty
California. cents for each additional pound. Not sold in GILDE GEM CUTTER. W e now offer this
lesser quantities. Sizes from 2 to 12 inches compact portable outfit to the home cutter.
JUST BOUGHT—A large assortment of min- in diameter (a few larger). Please state sizes Write for details and new catalog listing over
erals, specimens, rocks, etc. A large box of preferred. Orders filled same day received. one hundred varieties of rough. Also all kinds
these $6.00 or 60c per lb. in assorted ship- Of course, we have other bargains, also. Cor- of supplies. Gem Exchange, Bayfield, Colo.
ments. 2 lbs. and up. These assortments will respondence invited. Hilton & Greb Gem
contain Woods, Agate, Bone, Crystals, Min- Shop, Thermal, California. BARGAIN BUNDLES—Assorted rough cut-
eral Specimens, Rock Specimens, and many ting material—Agates, Jasper, Geodes, Var-
more. No two alike. Each box a nice collec- iscite, Turquoise, Chrysocolla, Petrified
tion. Also write for price list on other ma- CABOCHON BLANKS: Jasper, mixed, 6 for Wood, Obsidian, etc., 5 lbs. $3.50, 10 lbs.
terials for cutting or specimens and don't $1.00. Moss Agate and Rhodonite, 4 for $6.00, 20 lbs. $10.00. Assorted sawed cut-
forget the fluorescents. Jack the Rockhound, $1.00. No flaws. Al Thrower, Box 305, Santa ting material—20 sq. in. $3.50, 50 sq. in.
P. O. Box 86, Carbondale, Colo. Cruz, Calif. $7.00, 100 sq. in. $12.00. Agate, Jasper,
Chrysocolla, Variscite, Turquoise, Wood,
FOR SALE: Good grade of Turquoise by ton SPECIAL ON Rough Cutting Material. 2 Rhodonite, Obsidian, Opal, etc. Please in-
lots. Will send samples. Mrs. J. H. Drake, pounds Fortification Agate 30c, 2 pounds clude postage. Send for price list of cutting
Box 866, Kingman, Ariz. Petrified Palm 40c, 2 pounds Novaculite material, minerals, specimens, jewelry, etc.
$1.00, 2 pounds Flowering Obsidian $1.00, John L. James, Tonopah, Nevada.
JANUARY SPECIAL: 35 cents square inch, plus postage. THOMPSON'S STUDIO, 385
Dinosaur Bone; Flowering, Iridescent, West Second Street, Pomona, Calif. 100 GOOD GRADE ancient Indian arrowheads
Brown and Black, and Black Obsidian; Jas- $4.00, 1000 $30.00. Tomahawk, hoe, discoi-
pers; Petrified Wood; Two Idaho Geodes dal, axe and 20 arrowheads $5.00. Large flint
with each one dollar order. Fred's Gem Shop, HAUSER BED Geodes, mixed whole and
Hansen, Idaho. halves, 50c lb. Fluorescent specimen Assort- knife, large spearhead, game ball, celt and
ment $1.00. Desert Roses, small, 25c. Slab 20 stemmed scrapers $5.00. 100 blemished
Assortment, agates, petrified woods, 20 in. spearheads $10.00. 100 fine arrowheads
MINERAL SETS guaranteed by the Old Pros- or more, $5.00. 5 cabochons, assorted, $5.00. $10.00, 100 slightly blemished stemmed
pector. The Student set, fifty mineral ores Tax included, Postage Extra. McShan Ranch scrapers $4.00. 100 beautiful sea shells
size one inch plus, $10.00. Collectors set of Gem Shop, Box 22, Needles, Calif. $10.00. List free. Lears, Box 569, Galveston,
100 mineral ores, size one inch plus $20.00.
Fluorescent set of fifty fluorescent mineral Texas.
ores, size one inch plus $20.00. Above sets JANUARY SPECIAL! To make room for new
in wooden box mounted or loose in compart- stock. Send us $2.00 for a nice single speci- MINERAL SPECIMENS, slabs or material by
ments in cardboard box. The Prospector set men or your choice of a combination of three the pound for cutting and polishing, RX
of fifty mineral ores size % inch plus in card- specimens of the following: Pala or Mesa Units, Felker Di-Mct Saw Blades, Carborun-
board box mounted or loose in compartments, Grande tourmaline matrix, apatite, Higgins- dum wheels, Cerium Oxide, Preform Cabo-
$4.00. State preference, loose or mounted. All ite, amber calcite from Mexico, honey opal, chons, Indian jewelry, neck chains. Be sure
specimens identified and described in book- Hauser bed geodes—uncut, petrified wood, and stop. A. L. Jarvis, Route 2, Box 350,
let. Postage paid. Mineralight in beautiful wulfenite, onyx (carbonate) from Mexico, Watsonville, California, 3 miles S. on State
case, weighs 2I/4 lbs., works off of lantern gypsum pseudomorph after glauberite, beryl highway No. 1.
battery, quickly identifies fluorescent min- xls from New Hampshire, Quartz xls from
erals. Postpaid with battery $35.00. Old Pros- Hot Springs, Arkansas. Money back guaran- ATTENTION is called to the new location of
pector, Box 21A28, Dutch Flat, Calif. tee if not satisfied. GemArts Company, 4286 Swisher's Rock and Novelty Shop, at 4719
Marlborough, San Diego 5, Calif. So. Hoover St., Los Angeles 37, Calif. The
HAND MADE sterling silver mountings from place for rare novelties, Petrified Woods,
template or drawing of your cabochon. No BARGAIN ASSORTMENT No. 12 — One mine minerals, Agates, Geodes, etc. Beau-
need to mail your stone unless you desire. sweetwater Moss agate. One chunk fine gem tiful costume jewelry made from lovely Petri-
Write to "Silver" Smiths, Box 76, Fernley, moss agate. One chunk moss opal from Wy- fied Wood. When visiting Los Angeles call
Nevada. oming. One Idaho nodule to cut and polish. on us. Swisher's, 4719 So. Hoover St., Los
One Oregon beach agate, lovely when pol- Angeles, Calif.
FINE AGATE ring cabochons—$8.00 and ished. One chunk Nevada wonderstone, cuts
$10.00 per dozen. Silver mounted agates, into fine slabs. One slice fine banded onyx. CAN SUPPLY Montana moss agate, agauzed
wholesale, $20.00 per dozen and up. Custom One chunk fine white banded agate. One wood, jasper, jade and sapphires. The »ap-
cabochon cutting and silver mounting. North chunk Texas Agate. One chunk dark petrified phires are small and are put up approximately
West Gem Shop, Box 305, Tacoma 1, Wash. palm. One rough Montana sapphire, to make 75 in a glass vial with two or three Montana
into ring stone. All for $3.00 plus postage rubies included for $1. Good grade agate $1
FOR SALE: Semi-precious stones, cabochons on 5 pounds. West Coast Mineral Co., Mail per pound plus postage. Jade in various
and facet cut. Slabs of same on approval to address, Post Office Box 331, La Habra, shades of green $3 per pound and up. E. A.
responsible parties. State what you want. Calif. Shop address 1400 Hacienda Blvd., La Wight, 217 Hedden Building, Billings, Mon-
Colorado Gem Co., Bayfield. Colo. Habra Heights, Calif.

32 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

INDIAN ARROWHEADS, birdpoints, war-
points, fine, each 25c; very good 15c; good £
10c. Two fine (or four average) 3 ' to 3Vi"
AMONG THE
Alta' Lapidary Equipment
spears $1.00. One fine (or two average) \y2"
to 4" spears $1.00. Fine jasper gemstone ma- ROCK H U n T E R S
terial, many colors, $1.00 per lb. Arizona fos-
sils, 25c each. Everything prepaid. Prices of
Yumas, Folsoms, pipes, beads, axes, pottery, At November meeting of Desert Gem and
antiques, guns, coins, etc., upon request. (I Mineral society, Blythe, the club elected officers
buy—sell—exchange.) Paul L. Summers, for 1947: Collis S. Mayflower, president; Jer-
Stamford, Texas. ome Keim, vice-president; Glenn Vargas,
secretary-treasurer and F. G. Sterrett, assistant
WANTED: Excellent crystallized specimens, secretary-treasurer.
outstanding cutting material for wholesale • • •
trade. Send specimen samples and prices. Frank Hornkohl told November gathering of
Jack Frost, 59 E. Hoffer St., Banning, Cali- Kern County Mineral society, Bakersfield, Cali-
fornia. fornia, about his experiences on petroleum sec-
tion of the air corps and discussed some new
$2.50 brings you prepaid six rare and beautiful developments in chemistry. Thirty-five members
crystallized Arizona minerals. Vanadinite, attended the Horse canyon field trip.
Dioptase, Wulfenite, Willemite, Chrysocol- • • •
la, Azurite. Specimens 1^x2 or larger. October 23, 1946, was the birthday of an-
Wiener Mineral Co., Box 509, Tucson, Ari- other new rock club—the San Gorgonio Min-
zona. ' DIAMOND SAW UNIT, 16" Capacity.
eral and Gem society, Banning, California. Will cut slabs 6 by 8 inch with 4" cross
MONTANA MOSS AGATES in the rough for George Buckner was elected temporary chair- :eed. 3 speed power feed with quick re-
gem cutting, $1.00 per lb. plus postage. El- man and C. T. Frost, 59 E. Hoffer, Banning, turn feature.
liott's Gem Shop, 26 Jergins Arcade, Long secretary-treasurer. Mr. and Mrs. Carl A. Hage-
Beach 2, California. man offered facilities of San Gorgonio Inn for Price (less motor and blade) $127.50
the meetings to be held third Wednesdays of Shipping weight 115 lbs.
MINERALS, GEMS, COINS, Bills, Old Glass, each month. Purpose of the group is collecting, 16" dia. Felker Rimlock Blades in Stock
Books, Stamps, Fossils, Buttons, Dolls, study, cutting and polishing of rocks and the
Weapons, Miniatures, Indian Silver Rings collecting and study of minerals. Beauford Han-
and Bracelets. Also Mexican. Catalogue 5c. sen was actively interested in forming the club
Cowboy Lemley, Las Cruces, New Mexico. and handled all initial correspondence. Paul
ROCK COLLECTORS—ATTENTION. Back Walker of Beaumont gave a talk at the first
home in the desert. As you drive Highway meeting on the Emily Post of handling mineral
111 this winter be sure and stop at the big specimens.
yellow trailer and see the finest variety of • • •
rock and mineral specimens in the West. The E. K. Brown, formerly of Seattle, but now re-
Rockologist, Box 181, Cathedral City, Calif. siding in El Centro, told members of Imperial
Valley Gem and Mineral society at November
MINERAL SETS—24 Colorful Minerals (iden- 20 meeting about rocks in the Big Bend district
tified) in lxl compartments—Postage paid, of Texas. He displayed a table of material from
$3.50. Prospector's Set of 50 Minerals (iden- that region. Eva Wilson talked on desert trees,
tified in lxl compartments in cloth rein- showing pressed and mounted examples of
forced sturdy cartons. Postage paid $5.75. flowers and foliage. There are only eight trees GRINDING ARBOR Heavy construction.
Elliott's Gem Shop, 26 Jergins Arcade, Long native to the Colorado desert: palm, ironwood, Sealed SKF Ball bearings. Shaft 15" lg.
Beach 2, Calif. honey pod mesquite, screwbean mesquite, cot- with %" arbor for up to 10" dia. wheels.
THE DESERT RATS NEST will reopen with a tonwood, smoke tree, elephant tree, palo verde. 42" Belt furnished. Built to last a lifetime.
good supply of minerals, sold under the old The desert willow, while plentiful, has washed Price (less wheels) $22.50
guarantee. But I shall cater mainly to facet in from the foothills.
and fine cabochon cutters. Third Brazilian Shipping weight 23 lbs.
• • •
shipment now in—all first grade gem mate- Long Beach Mineralogical society planned a Lg. assortment grinding wheels in stock
rial. Amethyst, Andalusite, Golden Beryl, one day November field trip to the Santa Mon-
Chrysoberl, Brazilian Almandite, Garnet, ica mountains via Mulholland highway. The
Blue and white Topaz. Now in, Ceylon ship- area is of interest mineralogically and geologi-
ment, Gray and gray Star Sapphires, Ceylon cally. Heulandite, cordierite and chiastolite may
Moonstone, will wholesale some. On hand, be found as well as small agate geodes and fos- D
facet material—Australian Sapphire, Mon- sil fish in diatomite. Over 1000 visitors attended I
tana Garnet and Sapphire, small Mesa Grande the mineral show October 20. Outstanding F
bi-color green and rose Tourmaline. On hand, among the displays were 14th century cameos
Finest cabochon Aventurine for stars, star carved from lava, a fire opal cameo, a large stib- F
garnets, Star sapphires, Ceylon Moonstone, nite crystal, huge quartz geodes and a cluster of E
poor grade Mexican opal, green and golden amethyst crystals weighing 150 pounds. Fossils, R
Beryl, topaz blue Amethyst, Citrine, Tigers mineral specimens, cut and polished work and E
Eye, Rutilated Quartz, 3 colors Rutile, tiny jewelry hand wrought by members added to the
blue Tourmalines in Quartz, Sagenite, Sweet- attractions. The exhibit, third sponsored by the N
water Agates. Lots of specimens, tell me what Long Beach club, proved "biggest and best." T
you want, no list. Mail address, Geo. W. • • •
Chambers, P. O. Box 1123, Encinitas, Calif. Colored slides of our national parks illus-
Home address, 640 Fourth St., between F & G trated a talk by H. L. Womack at November
Sts. Come on down and bring your surf fish- meeting of Yavapai Gem and Mineral society,
ing rod. Prescott, Arizona. Mr. and Mrs. Womack and SANDER & POLISHER Alum, construc-
their son visited Grand Canvon, Teton, Zion, tion. Die cast pulleys. Eccentric cam de-
100 MINERALS and fossils, nice size, $4.00. Bryce, Cedar Breaks and Yellowstone in the vice makes changing and tightening o:
40 small $1.00 ppd. Bryant's Rockpile, Rt. 2, United States and Kootenay. Banff-Lake Louise
Lawrenceburg, Ky. belts easy. This unit is ideal for sanding
and Waterton lakes in Canada during the sum- and polishing.
mer. Mr. and Mrs. Schell of Camp Wood ex-
MINIATURE SETS, Asst'd per doz $8.00 hibited their collection, which included manv Price (less belts) $19.50
SO RING STONES, including genuine and beautiful pieces of polished sagenite and unique 3 Belts 120. 220. 320 Grit 1.00
synthetic $7.50 manganese dendrite formations. 1 Woven polishing belt 1.95
SYNTHETIC RUBIES or GENUINE GAR- • • •
NETS, per carat $1.25 Shipping weight 15 lbs.
CAMEOS or OPALS—Genuine—12 for $3.75 Members of the Nebraska Mineralogy and
100 JEWELRY STONES removed from rings, Gem club saw colored nictures of the growth of Prices are F.O.B. Pasadena, California
etc., $2.40; 50 large ones $2.40 the volcano of Paracutin. Mexico, at their No-
12 ARTICLES ANTIQUE JEWELRY, rings,
pins, etc $3.00 vember meeting in the Hotel Paxton, Om^ha. ALTA ENGINEERING CO.
500 COSTUME JEWELRY STONES $2.00 Pictures were taken bv Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Wil-
B. LOWE. Holland Bldg.. St. Louis 1. Mo. son of Omaha, who were in the vicinity when P. O. Box 1149 Pasadena 20, Calif
the volcano broke through a cornfield.

JANUARY, 1947 33
 Northern California Mineral society, San W. R. B. Osterholt, geology teacher Santa
Francisco, held open house November 3 at the Monica city college, talked on field trips at No-
society's rooms, 422 Belvedere street. There vember meeting of Santa Monica Gemological
were displays, an auction, buffet supper, grab society. He explained where to go, what to look
bag, door prizes and surprises. Committee in for and how to recognize mineralized areas.
charge consisted of Mr. Bolander, Helen Bur- President Vern Cadieux discussed transporta-
ress, Harriet Thompson, Louis Eddy, Margery tion and camping phases of the subject. Meet-
Krauer and Mr. Miller. At November 20 gen- ing night has been changed to first Wednesdays.
eral meeting Oscar Gisler told of experiences on Garlock jasper deposits were visited in Oc-
a recent mineral collecting trip and displayed tober and the Lead Pipe springs section in No-
many beautiful specimens. vember.
• • • • • •
Marie Gillespie, 944 North Serrano avenue, Jack Streeter, member, spoke on his trip to
Hollywood 27, California, publicity chairman Brazil at November meeting of Los Angeles
of Hollywood Lapidary society, reports that the Lapidary society, showing lovely specimens of
group, organized last June, has had an excep- various materials to illustrate his talk. Marie
tionally enthusiastic beginning. President is Dr. Lackie, another member, lectured on geological
Ronald MacCorkell; secretary, Virginia Fraser. occurrence of California agate at September
Each month has been marked by field trips, meeting. Ten members went on a field trip to
meetings and displays. Horse canyon, Lavic, Montana for sapphires, but found none of
SEND FOR LITERATURE i6 Chuckawallas and Bicycle lake have been visit- worth. November field trip was scheduled to
LAPIDARY ENGINEERS ed. Monthly meetings are held second Thurs- Mule canyon for dendritic travertine and vari-
REDLANDS. CALIFORNIA days, Plummer park, 7377 Santa Monica boule- ous kinds of agate.
vard, Hollywood, 7:45 p. m. Visitors welcome. • • •
• • • Sacramento Mineral society displayed over
San Fernando Valley Mineral and Gem so- 3000 individual items at its annual exhibit held
CABOCHONGEMS . . . ciety elected the following in November: October 13-14 in Clunie auditorium. Visitors
Charles W. Clark, president; Dan Hamer, vice- from all parts of California attended. Trays of
president; Mrs. W. L. Cooper, 445 West Cali- polished gems mounted on a revolving pedestal
fornia street, Glendale, secretary; Lawrence Mc- attracted particular attention. Noteworthy dis-
Kinley, treasurer. A mineral and gem spelling plays were put on by A. J. McClelland, Paul
bee was a feature of the evening. Wm. Kuhn, Downard, Wm. Holly, the MacClanahans, Hin-
Rough sawed slices—I still have choice ma- winner, was awarded an amethyst cabinet speci- seys, Colonys and many other members. Com-
terial in Silicified rhyolite, it's finest gem men. Field trip to Pine canyon was scheduled
quality and takes an excellent polish. 15c to ments and questions by visitors proved that the
25c per square inch. Sawing done at 5c per for November 24 under leadership of Joe Iver- show contributed to a considerable extent in in-
inch. creasing general interest in the study of min-
I now have a phone. Number is erals. Annual auction October 25 furnished an
Evergreen 4039. Searles Lake Gem and Mineral society real- evening of fast and exciting action and some
ized $88.47 profit from the hobby show. Mem- splendid buys for canny bidders as well as sub-
W. J. Kane Lapidary ber Lt. Matt Kenny has sent a carved "hunk of stantial returns for the society.
1651 Waller St. San Francisco 17, Calif. rock" to the society from Nanking. It has not • • •
yet been identified, but may be marble or ala- Annual Christmas dinner meeting of Los An-
baster. geles Lapidary society was held December 2 at
• • • the Police academy. Party was high-lighted by a
A. P. and F. N. Bently showed colored movies gift grab-bag from which everyone present se-
HAROLD D. MARYOTT & CO. of scenes in Colorado and Wyoming at Novem- lected the package of his choice. On December
Miami, Arizona ber meeting of Texas Mineral society, Dallas. 1, a house-warming field trip was taken to the
Turquoise and Chrysocolla Jewelry, cut Members displayed some outstanding fluores- new home of Louis and Katherine Goss. Some
stones of all kinds, blank sterling cast cent specimens. Raymond Mclver discussed his members watched lapidary demonstrations,
rings, ear rings, etc. Write for our current experiments made with new sanders now on the while others dug in the large rock pile in the
price lists. market. yard.

MONTANA AGATE . . .
Sawed slices in packages $5.00 per package.
Sawed alices mixed gem materials $6.00 per
package. No culls in these packages. Montana
Agate, rough, good cutting material, $1.00 to
$2.00 per pound. Montana Agate, fine to
choice, $3.00 te $10.00 per pound. Rough
Montana Sapphires, mixed pale colors, ehoiee
gem but not large, tut about half carat, each
60e. Finished Montana Agate eaboehons $1.00
and up. Precision facet cutting. All work and
materials guaranteed or msney refunded.
FLATHEAD HOBBY MUSEUM
Highway 93 Rollins, Montana
«o«, dop
sticks, etc.
$ 1 1 0 00
f o b . with-

Agates and Jewelry

Selected half sections of scenic and
moss agate nodules, sanded but unpol-
ished, 75c to $1.50 each. Polished half
sections. $1.50, $2.00 and $2.50 each.
Montana Agate slabs for eaboehons,
diameter automatically
50c to 1.00 each or $5.00 bundle for $4.25. Dollar for dollar, Hillquist Super-
tion (pat. pcnd.) prevei
speed Diamond Saws give you more
for your money because they last drill. Does half hour's
Agate rings, Lavalieres, and Brooches longer and cut faster. Order today Now you can make be
b r a c e l e t s , etc.
for resale in one dozen and half dozen and see for yourself.
$68.BO with 4 drills
lots. Prices or approval selections on f. o.b. C r a t i n g ,
$1.00, Ship, wgt.,
request. 25 lbs. Button discs

CUTTING AND POLISHING TO ORDER

ute by using pres-
Agate and Mineral Display— sure lever supplied

Visitors Welcome
SWENSON'S AGATE SHOP
5114 S. E. 39th Ave., Portland 2. Oregon

34 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 Two motion pictures entertained Mineralogi-
cal Society of Southern California, Pasadena, at
November gathering: manufactured abrasives
(making and use of carborundum and aloxite
grits, papers, wheels) and lead mining in south-
eastern Missouri—world's most important lead Of a Rockhound
producing area. M. W. Gilbert has taken the
display committee chairmanship in the absence By LOUISE EATON
of Louis Vance.
It's not alwayz the rockhoun what
barks the loudest that prodooces the best
Allen Mains of Calexico, California, on a re- rox. The quiet little boddy (frequently
cent field trip of Imperial Valley Gem and Min- gramma rockhoun) who ambles tran- 6" HIGH-SPEED TRIMMING SAW. AU cast
eral society, to Arizona, found a chalcedony rose quily over field trip territory offen finds metal. No wood. This saw saves time and ma-
of very peculiar shape. It is about seven or eight the best speciment. And she duzn't yelp terial. Saw operates at 2000 R.P.M. Priced at
inches long, about five inches wide at the widest $47.50 without motor, F.O.B., Los Angeles,
about it when she picks it up, either. She Calif. This price includes saw-blada, belt and
part, and, in shape, a perfect map of South probally duzn't even know she has a out- pulley to give you the correct speed. Requires
America. standin speciment till the day's haul is Vi-horse motor. Shipping weight approxi-
spred out for inspeckshun. mately 60 pounds.
• • •
C. H. Bishop of Los Angeles Mineralogical
society was November speaker for Orange Belt Rockhouns has discovered, or at least
Highland Park Lapidary Supply
Mineralogical society. The meeting was held in the mama wuns has, that it is difficult to 1009 Mission St., South Pasadena Calif.
San Bernardino junior college social hall. The be good housekeepers an at the same time
group formulated plans for a December 3 exercise rockhoun p'rogatives. Yu al-
Christmas party which will be complete even to wayz hafta be reddy to go on a weekend HEIRLOOMS OF THE FUTURE . . .
a Santa. field trip—then it takes the furst part uv
the nex week to straighten out camp gear, Marvin's fine handicrafted sterling
• • •
grub, etc., an then it's almost time to pre- silver jewelry.
Pomona Valley Mineral club celebrated its pare things for anuther venture. Neces-
first anniversary November 12 with a banquet sary house tasks like 3 meels a day, MARVIN'S ROCK SHOP
attended by about 50 members and guests. Mr. washin an ironin besidz a few club meet- U. S. Hiways 160 & 550, Durango, Colo.
and Mrs. Ernest Chapman, members of Miner- ins fill spare time so that moppin, dustin Visitors Always Welcome
alogical Society of Southern California, Pasa- or window cleanin gets cursory treat-
dena, entertained with a lecture on minerals of ment. Enyhow what's the use uv keepin a
Los Lamentos and Santa Eulalia, Mexico, using house spik an span when one-third uv the
specimens and colored slides to illustrate the time yu're eatin an sleepin out on the SPECTROGRAPHIC
talk. Mr. Chapman offered information and groun! ANALYSIS . . .
advice to those contemplating a trip to the dis-
trict. In appreciation of their entertainment will detect valuable metals in your mineral
samples. Rare metals are easily detected even
Mr. and Mrs. Chapman were provided with in extremely small amounts.
small gifts from the club. Complete qualitative analysis only $4.00
The ultraviolet lamp, Geiger counter and per sample. Prices for quantitative analysis
• • • spectroscope have replaced tools of the old time and research sent on request.
W. Scott Lewis, member, showed koda- prospector, Norman Whitmore told the Novem-
chrome slides to illustrate his talk on geology ber meeting of Los Angeles Mineralogical so- SEND SAMPLES PREPAID T O -
and natural science of Sequoia national park at ciety. Mr. Whitmore discussed modern pros-
November 8 meeting of Pacific Mineral society, pecting methods and displayed a collection of PACIFIC
Los Angeles. Plans for a four day trip to Good ores which included some unusual gold-bearing SPECTRO-CHEMICAL
Springs, Nevada, were formulated. specimens. LABORATORY
2891 So. Robertson Blvd.
LOS ANGELES 34, CALIFORNIA
EXCLUSIVE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DISTRIBUTOR FOR—
GENUINE HANDMADE

Lapidary Equipment Co. of Seattle STERLING SILVER IEWELRY

WHOLESALE ONLY
Rough Cutting Material—Petrified Palm,
Petrified Cat-tails, Bloodstone
HILLQUIST H 16V DIAMOND SAW UNIT PRICES ON REQUEST
HILLQUIST 3V COMPACT LAPIDARY MACHINE A. 7. GARDNER
Box 265 Needles, Calif.
SUPERLOK DRUM SANDERS
HILLQUIST GEM DRILL & HOLE SAW
Miners and
All Units in Stock for Immediate Delivery % Prospectors
Jj INSTANTLY
JEWELERS TOOLS AND SILVER . . . f IDENTIFY
URANIUM
Send for our n e w free catalog listing all types of silver and tools for art craft jew- MERCURY
elry work. All units made by Alta Engineering Co., Poly Products Co.. Covington MINER ALIGHT SCHEELITE
Lapidary Engineers, Allen Lapidary Products, and FELKER MANUFACTURING CO.,
are in stock for immediate delivery. Visit our store and s e e all makes of machinery DETECTS URANIUM | WILLEMITE
and other valu-
and supplies at one time. "The available methods for detecting
uranium lacked one or more of the de- able ores with
sired characteristics. Eventually, however,
a method was worked out that is prob- MINERALIGH7
ably'more specific and sensitive than the

GRIEGER'S
usual qualitative methods for, uranium.
Since uranium is most susceptible to
short-wave ultra-violet light, the lamp
used in this work was che MINER-
ALIGHT V ^ l . . . which emits short*
GEMS AND MINERALS "wave ultra-violet rays at 2,537° Angstrom
Units."*
FREE
IA four-colo
^INFORMATION CIRCULAR 7J37
1633 E. Walnut Street TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OP THE INTERIOR MINER ALIGHT ||
Copies of the full report, "Fluorescence Test I Catalogue..
PASADENA 4, CALIFORNIA for Uranium," are available from the Bureau
WRITE DEPT-TII
of Mines, Office of Mineral Reports, Wash-
ington, D. C 7Q0AYI
Business hours 9:00 a. m. to 5:30 p. m.
Closed All Day S u n d a y
Phone SY 6-6423 ULTRA-VIOLET PRODUCTS, INC.

JANUARY, 1947 35
 Frank L. Fleener, guest speaker, discussed DESERT SEES BRILLIANT
RX fossils, their nature and implication, at October
meeting of Marquette Geologists association,
METEORITE DISPLAY
The passing of the Giacobini-Zinner comet
A COMPLETE LAPIDARY SHOP Chicago, Illinois. Annual auction with Mr. Hoy
in charge was scheduled for November 2. Pro- left behind, October 9, 1946, the most brilliant
IN ONE SMALL MACHINE ceeds from auction will be used to defray ex- display of meteors in more than 100 years. And
penses of a field trip to the Belleview, Iowa, again the skies of the desert proved themselves
region. Mary Riordan was appointed by board the best place in the world in which to observe
of directors to serve out remainder of term of such phenomena. While many eastern astrono-
secretary-treasurer Marjorie Scanlon. mers had to use planes to climb above the clouds
in order to see the heavenly fireworks, those
who chose some place in the desert for their ob-
Members of Imperial Valley Gem and Min- servations found the night cloudless and vision
eral society recently found, within 200 yards of perfect.
the kyanite mine at Ogilby, California, a min- Starting about 6:45, just after dark, the me-
eral which seems to be new in that district. For teors be»an flashing in all directions, probably
years the place has been famous for kyanite, talc more than 100 per minute, 2000-4000 within
and crystals of limonite pseudomorph after py- an hour. These "shooting stars" seemed to flash
rite. This new specimen is fibrous or pencil kid- indiscriminately in all directions, and in all
ney ore of hematite, somewhat like the kidney sizes. Some of them were so large and bright
ore of Cumberland, England, except that the that they might have cast a shadow under other
balls are quite small, seldom more than 11/2 circumstances. One great burning meteor,
inches, and commonly much less. Some are as thrusting itself from the northwest toward the
small as V2m c n m diameter, and quite rough northeast, and leaving a broad band of fire be-
Entirely made in the RX factory by on the surface. Some of the broken pieces which . hind it, seemed to explode, just before disap-
skilled mechanics. were picked up in the neighborhood seemed to pearing, sending flaming pieces in all directions
be of quite good quality, and almost a pound in like a giant sky rocket.
True running, a n d will last a life time. weight. N o one yet has tried cutting these either
as cabochons or facet cut, but some pieces seem
12 inch saw. to be compact enough for such purposes.
The gem machine y o u have b e e n
• • •
TRUE OR FALSE ANSWERS
waiting for. Questions are on page 28
Only seconds required to change from Uranium and radium ores have been found in
scattered places in Imperial county, California, 1—False. The burro is believed to have
one operation to another. been brought to the Southwest by
by members of Imperial Valley Gem and Min-
Start with the best a n d you make eral society, but seldom "in place." Yttro- the Spaniards.
no mistake. tantalite and samarskite were picked up near 2—False. Squaw cabbage grows wild in
Ogilby, recently, in small, shiny, blackish pieces. certain desert areas, but was never
See your lapidary dealer or write direct cultivated by the Indians.
for Bulletin A. The streak is grey. They are opaque, hardness
5.5, and gravity almost six. The luster is sub- 3—True.
metallic to greasy. 4—False. Creosote blossom is yellow.
RX LABORATORY • • • 5—True. 6—True. 7—True. 8—True.
9—False. Lowell observatory is located
1143 Post Ave. Torrance. Calif. Among the numerous "finds" in the vast on Mars Hill, just out of Flagstaff,
Ogilby district of Southern California, have Arizona.
been pyrite crystals, limonite pseudomorph 10—False. Location notices are required
after pyrite, kyanite, talc, quartz crystals, ame- only in the discovery monument.
thyst, hematite, yttro-tantalite, samarskite, gold, 11—True. 12—True.
silver, jasper, jasper pseudomorphs, agate, 13—False. Salton sea was filled by the
petrified wood of several kinds, dumortierite,

\RECC palm wood, zeolites, arrow points, Indian pot-

tery, common opal, precious opal, and all the
countless specimens brought down in the past
by the Colorado river.
floods of 1905, 1906 and 1907.
14—False. Sheep were brought in by
the Spaniards.
15—True. 16—True.
17—False. Pauline Weaver was a man—

Lapidary Supplies • • •
Mrs. Louis Holtz, member, was slated to dis-
cuss geysers at November gathering of Chicago
a Mountain Man.
18—False. There were no horses in the
Southwest in the cliff - dweller
for the Rocks and Minerals society, showing pictures to period.
illustrate her topic. An auction and raffle were 19—False. Santa Fe is the capital of New
Gem Cutting Shop planned for the evening. C. O. Horberg, Uni- Mexico.
versity of Chicago, spoke on geology of the Te- 20—True.
ton mountains at October meeting.

VUECO
Diamond Saws
Grinding Wheels
Polishing Wheels
HERE ARE THE GIFTS
YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR!
VRECO
Abrasive Cloth
Polishing Powders Petrified Wood, Moss Agate, Chrysocolla.
Abrasive Grains Turquoise, Jade and Jasper Jewelry
HAND MADE IN STERLING SILVER
WRITE FOR COMPLETE LISTING Bracelets, Rings, Necklaces, Earrings
OF ABOVE ITEMS AND OTHER and Brooches
VRECO SUPPLIES
SPECIALLY SELECTED STONES WITH
CHOICE COLORS AND PICTURES

VREELAND Write for Folder with Prices

Wholesale a n d Retail

MANUFACTURING CO. ELLIOTT'S GEM SHOP

26 lergins Arcade Long Beach 2, Calif.
2026 S. W. Jefferson Street
Entrance S u b w a y at O c e a n a n d Pine
PORTLAND 1, OREGON Open 10 A. M. to 10 P. M. Daily

36 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 1 ||];1;1 d 1K4
i
w • • INDIAN
TRADING POST
NAVAJO INDIAN RUGS & JEWELRY
*^

Tom S. Hubbell, 2331 Pico Blvd.

I
Santa Monica, California

By LELANDE QUICK ROCKS THAT GROW! . . .

Observe in detail for yourself how a rough
rock can grow in both beauty and value.
My recent visit into the Navajo country of daries have in their collections and one that Here is a fascinating and informative
northern Arizona and the Zuni country in New could be treated with marvelous imagination in phase-by-phase presentation of the making of
a cabochon ring-stone. All six individual
Mexico was memorable. I had the great good jewelry. The only specimens I remember see- pieces in the "LAPI-SETS" are of the mate-
luck to be in the Petrified Forest with Billy ing i,n any museum were some with insect inclu- rial selected. Each "LAPI-SET" consists of
Pitts, "dean of amateur lapidaries," who was sions shown as curios rather than examples of the following:
starting his annual jaunt to the nation's princi- the lapidary art. Many readers probably own a 1—A rough Specimen.
pal museums, in most of which he has fine dis- necklace of the heavy cumbersome beads worn 2—A diamond-sawed Slab.
plays of his lapidary skill. The polished petri- so much before the turn of the century. They 3—A trim-sawed Blank.
fied wood in the museum at the forest is the could be recut and worked into some fine set- 4—A rough ground Preform.
finest collection of wood I have seen. It enables tings for modern jewelry. 5—A sanded Cabochon.
thousands of visitors to see what lapidary treat- 6—A ready-to-be-mounted
ment does for the beautiful logs. The best news I gathered for the amateur
gem cutter came from C. K. Worthen of the POLISHED GEMSTONE.
My visit to the Navajo reservation for gar- Bay State Abrasive Products company of West- The complete "LAPI-SET" (6 pieces) for
nets was disappointing and I found the advice boro, Massachusetts. Mr. Worthen showed Dr. only $3.85—your choice of three materials:
given me by Wilfred Eyles, maker of the fam- Dake and me new types of abrasive wheels de- Jasp-Agate; Turritella Agate; Petrified
ous diamond "sawr" (as he calls i t ) , was true. veloped especially for us. I have made the claim Wood. All three LAPI-SETS for $10.00 pre-
paid.
Eyles had sent me some of these fine pyrope that the great advance in lapidary machinery has
garnets and told me the Navajo would pretend been made because of the research of the ama- Surprise gift if order postmarked
not later than Jan. 3 1 .
not to understand English and would reply in teur gem cutter. But the amateur could do noth-
Navajo. My best bet, he said, would be the In- ing to improve the grinding wheel. Mr. Worth- STARDUST GEMHOUSE
dian traders. I found Eyles' advice to be true en's company, after much research, claims to Blythe, Calif.
P. O. Box 641
except that most of the traders I talked to were have developed a new type of grinding wheel in
more taciturn than any Indian. I found only one several bonds that will outcut any of the wheels
trader who would admit that he had ever seen now on the market. He intends to go after the
a garnet. business of the gem cutting trade in earnest.
My trip into Zuni was more productive of in-
If he just had a wheel that would never get ORDER BY MAIL . . .
bumpy, no matter what abuse was given it, he
formation. There I found Jimmy Ashton, who probably would sell all he could make at $50.00
acts as agent for the Zuni artisans and furnishes
their lapidary supplies. I do not recommend a
each. One radical advance in the grinding wheel
he offers, which seems reasonable, is that it is
Dependable Lapidary
side trip from Gallup into Zuni, one of the old-
est continuously inhabited towns on the con-
tinent. The government doesn't encourage you
made in a light green shade. "These wheels,"
said Mr. Worthen, "are easy on the eyes, nerves, Equipment
pocketbook and valuable gems."
to go there and the Zunis won't welcome you. G. & W. SUPREME GRINDING ARBOR
They resent tourist prying. There are no sign- I took another long jump to Denver and Heavy Duty Arbor—$26.95 F.O.B.
posts. You have to find your own way over once again my blood pressure rose when I vis-
roads with powder dust many inches deep. In ited the splendid Colorado Museum of Natural G. & W. SUPREME SAW ARBOR—
rainy weather I suspect it would be easier to History, to find more mineral and gem speci- Build your own equipment.
drive to Byrd Land in the Antarctic. But once mens from California than exist in the Los An- $15.95 F.O.B.
you get there, if you go despite my advice, do geles museum. Why a fine museum like the Los
see Jimmy Ashton at Wallace's store. He has Angeles museum, situated in the heart of the The New . . .
third largest gem bearing area in all the world, FEATHERWEIGHT MICRO Facet Head
the greatest collection of Zuni jewelry in the
continues to have so little worthwhile mineral Light—Fast—Easy to Use.
country and supplies most of the dealers. The
material I will never understand. Museums all $29.50 F.O.B.
Zunis grind and polish all of their own stones
whereas the Navajo usually set commercially over the world contain the finest specimens of
California gem and mineral materials only be- ALLEN EQUIPMENT
polished stones in their own handiwork. The
little dancing figures of mosaic work are made cause space has been provided and collectors Allen Facet Head $36.75
of four materials—turquoise, abalone, mother encouraged to donate their specimens. It seems Diamond Charged Lap _ . __. 22.50
of pearl and jet. Ashton secures these materials to me that it is more important to display the Tin Lap 14.20
for the Indians. Their grinding is done on the gems of an area than it is to house a copy of a Lucite Polishing Lap 4.20
smallest and coarsest wheels available, hand- 1910 automobile and Charlie Chaplin's shoes. Allen Trim Saw 44.50
powered like an egg beater. The Indian has The Colorado museum is an excellent example Less Blade & Motor—All prices F.O.B.
plenty of time and he manages to turn out cred- of educating the public in an area's resources,
itable work with these soft materials with K or and its mineral collection is hardly surpassed YES: We still have those dollar pack-
anywhere. ages of ICICLE AGATE.
J bond wheels. He never heard of cerium oxide.
It was a long jump from the Grand Canyon A penny postal card will bring you de-
to Portland, Oregon, where I had a good visit tailed information on any oi the above
with Doctor and Hilda Dake who are now edit- DID YOU KNOW THAT IRON . . . items.
ing the Mineralogist Magazine in their lovely
home. I shall always remember the doctor be- • Is seldom found native. Open Daily 9:30 a. m. to 6:00 p. m.
cause he kindly let me have one of two copies • Furnishes most of the bright colors in the Sundays 1:00 to 5:00 p. m.
of the Tears of Heliades which he had acquired Grand Canyon.
after years of search. The book was printed long • Has a density of 7.86 when pure. Our New Location . . .
before I was born and has been out of print • Is not sensitive to many simple acids.
many years. It is the authentic and complete LONG BEACH
story of amber (the gem and not the girl) and • Is often magnetic.
MINERAL & LAPIDARY
Is delightfully told in quaint and flowery lan- • Appears in over 250 different ores.
guage. It contains a frontispiece, in color, of a SUPPLY CO.
• Is chief constituent of most meteors.
necklace of amber beads containing a specimen 1850 E. Pacific Coast Highway
• Is the coloring matter in cosmetics.
of every color known. For the f'rst time I (101 Alternate)
learned that amber, like jade, has been found • Is usually taken from hematite in U. S. A. LONG BEACH 4, CALIFORNIA
in every hue. and that the finest specimens are • Is usually taken from magnetite in northern Phone 738-56
found in Sicily. Amber is a gem that few lapi- Europe.

JANUARY, 1947 37
 Quit Hetweeni/ou and Me

By RANDALL HENDERSON
ft N THE desert, even the weeds have charm for those who lived so close together in such a small world they finally got on
\ I have preserved that bit of artistry with which most hu- each other's nerves."
-—* mans are endowed. I wish every reader of Desert could Obviously, a serial based on the home life of a family which
have seen the exhibits in Twentynine Palms, California, late in no longer is united, cannot be continued. And that is the reason
November when the Women's club in that little desert com- this explanation is given. A feature with the reader interest of
munity held its fifth annual "Weed Show." Marshal South's "Desert Refuge," over a period of several years,
Just to give you a glimpse of what artistic women find in this cannot be dropped and ignored. The one bit of salvage I can
desert country to interest them, they had assembled from the report to Desert readers is that Tanya has promised to continue
drab sticks and roots and thorny bushes found on the desert sending in her poems for each issue.
landscape a replica of Huckleberry Finn, fishing in an upside- And so that is that. But I know both the friends and critics of
downstream, while a covered wagon paused for Tom Sawyer the Souths will have many questions to ask. Is Yaquitepec to be
to angle in a sheltered waterhole, unaware that Bambi stood abandoned? Who will have custody of the children? Will they
nearby. The masterpiece of the show was a woman's hat, a cari- have an opportunity to go to school? etc.
cature of Broadway's latest creation, perched on a cactus stump I can answer some of the questions. Marshal is living at
in the garden. One of the awards went to the most artistic ar- Julian, California, where he has a modest position with the
rangement of weeds contained in an object picked from a junk chamber of commerce. The children will remain with Tanya,
pile. | and they will continue for the present to live in the little 'dobe
Just weeds, but what a showing they make when there is house on Ghost Mountain. They have a comfortable home there.
added a bit of woman's artistry. Although the children, Rider 12, Rudyard 8, and Victoria 6,
* * * have never gone to school, they have been taught by their
For eight years Desert Magazine has been printing a highly mother. In the basic studies of the classroom they have advanced
controversial feature entitled "Desert Refuge." It was the month beyond their years. In the schoolroom of Nature's outdoors, they
by month story of the experiences of Marshal and Tanya South know more than a great majority of American adults.
and their three children—living alone on Ghost Mountain on There will be adjustments to make later when they take up
the western edge of the Colorado desert in Southern California. life in the outside world. I think they will make those adjust-
Marshal and Tanya, both writers, went out there in 1932 at ments without too much cpnfusion. As a matter of fact their
a time when jobs were almost unobtainable and the market for lives have been little different from those of countless families
poetry and fiction, as well as nearly everything else, was very who pioneered on the frontiers as the settlement of the United
low. They turned their backs on civilization and together under- States moved westward during the past 150 years. Those pio-
took an experiment in primitive living. neers were your ancestors and mine. Clean living, no matter how
It was an interesting experience. Marshal, being a colorful great the hardship, has never been a handicap in the fulfillment
writer, has dramatized it in a way that fascinated many of Des- of man's highest destiny.
ert's readers—and was quite disgusting to a few of the less tol- * * *
erant. However, the family has lived comfortably on a modest During the Thanksgiving weekend I camped out with mem-
income. They have minded their own business. And I thought bers of the Sierra club at the base of Kofa mountain in western
they were happy. I have visited the adobe home at Yaouitepec Arizona. The Kofa is a wild rugged massif where under the pro-
many times in the last eight years—and have never heard an un- tection of wildlife authorities mountain sheep often may be seen
kind or disloyal word spoken. on the crags and the waterholes are visited by many species of
Then one morning recently the following headline in a San game. In a dark narrow canyon on the west side of the mountain
Diego newspaper glared at me: "Divorce Plea Breaks up Her- are the only native Washingtonia palms to be found in Arizona.
mit family." Tanya had filed a complaint against Marshal. After How they came there no one knows, nor is there a visible source
14 vears. the Ghost Mountain experiment in primitive living of water. But water is there—for the native palms must have
had failed. their roots in moist sand.
The news was no less disillusioning to me than it will be to For those who like to camp out, I can suggest no more restful
thousands of Desert readers, a majority of whom have been spot than the shrub-covered bajada at the base of the Kofa. Dead
sympathetic toward the unconventional way of life the Souths ironwood is plentiful for fire, and the Yuma county road crew
had chosen. In the hope that I might contribute something in recently has bulldozed a 9-mile trail from the Ouartzsite-Yuma
the way of "Operation Salvage" I drove out across the desert and road to the base of the mountain just opposite the canyon where
talked with both Tanya and Marshal. the calms are located.
I will not go into the details. Domestic troubles are never If John L. Lewis or the bickerings of the Big Five get on vour
pleasant to discuss—nor to write about. As a friend who likes all nerves, drive out to the Kofa for a weekend. The Creator d'd a
the members of the South familv because I have always found orettv good job when he made this world, and it is good for
them kindly and sincere people, I would sum up their domestic humans to get out into the desert wilderness occasionally and
difficulties in this brief sentence: "Two temperamental poets regain their perspective.

38 THE DESERT MAGAZINE

 •

Rock. Canyon, California—Infra-red photo by Robert /. Schulz.

YUCCA MOTH OLD PROSPECTOR

By LAURA LOURENE LEGEAR By MURRAY SKINNER
Long Island, New York Los Angeles, California
By W H E E L E R FORD N E W M A N
Cradled by the blossom, With eyes that look at distances for ports
San Pedro, California The feet will never step upon, he walks
Nursed on dulcet dew,
In a petaled blanket Face forward, shoulders bent, a man of sorts,
This troubled age of deep uncertitude! Who lives alone, and, lonely, often talks
The larva grew.
Small wonder that the souls within us turn To self and burro tripping at his side,
Nurturing strange satin, At last, despairing, to the mysteries Ladened with grub-stake, water, miner's tools;
The thin sepals fade; Only the desert knows. Indifferent to the world of men, takes pride
From curling anthers, In self-reliance; thinks city-men are fools.
Antennas made. And yet, though he may sometimes touch a dock
Oh, eager land Where wealth lies waiting for his eager hand,
That runs to meet the sun! Oh, spacious land Grown simple in his ways, the certain shock
Yucca blooms iie fallen
As the white flower swings, With breathless dawns unfolding like the gates Of his arrival is too much to stand . . .
Opened to twilight Of Paradise itself! Tis there a Hand Then city-men reap his reward, while he
On frosty wings. Shall touch and heal the wounds to heart and Goes on . . . prospecting through eternity.
mind
AFTERNOON CALL And to the soul; 'tis there the strident shout
By CLARICE WIDMAN That is the voice of progress for this age
Loveland, Colorado
On a desert road, a shady nook
Shall fade and die, till only to our ears
Sounds the clear message—
ON THE TREK
By TANYA SOUTH
Beckoned to me one day.
I must only snatch a moment to rest. "Ye who need me, come; The Future looms so crystal clear
Then hurry on my way. Ye who are heavy laden, come and rest To all who but restrain their fear,
But before me the grandeur of a natural bridge On my clean sands, beneath low-swinging stars, And hate and dominance o'er others;
Towered against the sky, And listen to the lips of Solitude And see all people as their brothers
And a gnarled greasewood sprawled spiny arms Struggling upon the Path. A turning
Whisper, 'Let not your heart be troubled nor Here and there and all their yearning
On a rocky ledge nearby. afraid,
The distant peaks of the mighty La Sals Is realized or lost to view
Let not your soul be bitter, nor your mind As they play false, or staunch and true.
Were clothed in bridal white, Put on a cloak of darkness, but believe
And a cooling breeze caressed my cheek In God, so that in time your turn will come, And all are in the self-same trek,
To herald the coming night. The self-same way of good or sin.
Against the glow of the setting sun Beside some desert campfire and alone,
To entertain an angel unawares No one has all, nor can all lack.
Wound the highway: a ribbon of grey . . . And all have Paradise within.
I thought I had only paused to rest, And break with him the bread of brother-
But my heart had come to stay. hood.' "

JANUARY, 1947 39
THE DELUXE GIFT... Our favorite delicacies—the new roasted almond date
cake, date butter balls, daterolls. dates, and new desert
candy made of dates, roasted almonds, pineapple and
3 POUNDS $ 3.50 raisins. Hand packed and colorful.
5 POUNDS 5.70
12 1-POUND PACKS—
(To One Address) 13.20 Valerie Jean Date Shop
(DELIVERED PREPAID) RUSS NICOLL, Owner THERMAL, CALIFORNIA