By EVA L. ROBINSON Los Angeles, California It's true that winter's on the wane, For daylight hours are showing gain. If drab and dry the desert lies Beneath the cold and cloudless skies. I do not moan, for this I know— The desert will awake and glow As wave on wave of colors flow— If there is rain. I love the desert's calm repose In garb of gray and mauve and rose— Its tinted dawn—its sunset skies— Its silent mountain peaks that rise Like sentinels to guard the plain. From all that hunger to obtain Possession of the vast domain— If there is rain. We lift our eyes and pray there will Fall blessings from the skies until The dormant life without a sound, Springs up in legions from the ground. Buds will appear mysteriously, To bloom in grace and purity, Where there is none but God to see— If there is rain. • • • UNTOUCHABLE By GRACE BARKER WILSON Kirtland, New Mexico The tawny, untamed desert stretches on In sandy dryness of unnumbered years. No civilizing thing yet interferes As endless time is marked from dawn to dawn. No point of conquering plow yet penetrates The wastes that lie around the stony peaks In desolation. There the redman ekes A meager living as he concentrates His energy upon a flock of sheep That draw scant strength from scattered wisps of grass. Unchanged, unchanging as the decades pass. The frontier stops, and progress is asleep.

BRIGAND By VADA F. CARLSON Winslow, Arizona The chaparral cock—droll desert cuckoo!— Mariposa Lily. Photograph taken by Josef Muench in the Petrified Forest Is an arrogant, feathered brigand, National Monument of A rizona. Who, having adapted himself to his home. Grows fat on the lean of the land. DESERT WARMTH DESERT PEACE By SAXON WHITE TAYLOR By MARIE L. WEAVER His diet may shock some folks, but it's true Grangeville, Idaho That his daily delight is to munch Ventura, California On lizards and centipedes, spiders and bugs. Today my mind is free from care. The desert night hurled down a thousand With a scorpion thrown in for lunch. For 1 am desert bound. stars I'll inhale the soft warm air, And bathed my soul in quiet ecstasy. The shade of a rock, or a cholla, will do Absorb warmth from the ground. From din of bruising city strife I came For this bird of the sun and the sand, No more ice to gnaw away To calmly look, and lo, it rested me. The marrow from my bones; Who, like Robin Hood, does his quota of The desert sands I find today good— Will case my frozen moans. Let's give the brave fellow a hand! • • o I'd rather live en desert sands DESERT FLOWERS Alone until I die, T> Than live in far more settled lands By R. C. HYDER Where drifted snowbanks lie. By TANYA SOUTH Montebello, California In drifted sands I'm at my ease Give me a Dream. And I shall rise When atmosphere is crystal clear In minimum attire. And struggle upward, daring, doing, And skies are deepest blue, Give me cactus for my garden, please. Searching with boundless Faith the And desert flowers like clustered bowers And desert sun for fire. skies, With tints of vivid hue • • o And endlessly my Dream pursuing. limbrace the earth with fresh new birth RANDOM PATTERN As far as eye can see Dreams are the core of mortal Fate. With fragrance sweet, and seem to greet By ANONA MCCONAGHY They are the root, the source of With gladness, you and me, Downey, California Man. Crisscrossed tracks in morning No height can be attained, no state, In splendor fair, I stand and stare Before wind plies her broom. Save one can weave some Dream With deep humility, Reveal nocturnal frolics to span. Proud of this land from God's own hand In sand dune rumpus room. He gave to you and me. DESERT MAGAZINE DESERT CALENDAR Feb. 2—Candlemas Day Ceremonial Dances at San Felipe, Cochiti and Santo Domingo Indian Pueblos, New Mexico. Feb. 2-5 — Imperial Valley Carrot Festival, Holtville, California. Feb. 2-5—$15,000 Open Golf Tour- nament, Phoenix, Arizona. Feb. 3-5—Parada del Sol, Scottsdale, Arizona. Feb. 4-5 — Rodeo, sponsored by Mounted Police, Palm Springs, Volume 19 FEBRUARY, 1956 Number 2 California. Feb. 5—Desert Sun Ranchers Rodeo, COVER Prickly Pear Blossoms Wickenburg, Arizona. Photograph by HUBERT LOWMAN Feb. 5—Dons Travelcade to Jerome POETRY and Montezuma Castle National February and other poems 2 Monument, from Phoenix, Arizona. CALENDAR February events on the desert 3 Feb. 6-12 — Southwestern Livestock HISTORY Show and Rodeo, El Paso, Texas. Bradshaw's Road to the La Paz Diggin's Feb. 7—Pancake Race, Clayton, New By FRANKLIN HOYT 4 Mexico. FICTION Hard Rock Shorty of Death Valley 8 Feb. 8-12 — Open Golf Tournament, EXPERIENCE Before the Law Came to Borrego Tucson, Arizona. By H. E. W. WILSON 9 Feb. 10-11—Square Dance Festival WILDFLOWERS and Fiddlers Jamboree, Phoenix, Flowering predictions for February 10 Arizona. MINING They Mine "Living Silver" from the Hills of Feb. 10-12 — University of Nevada Nevada, by NELL MURBARGER 11 Winter Carnival, Reno Ski Bowl. NATURE Termites on the Desert Feb. 10-12—19th Annual Invitational By EDMUND C. JAEGER 16 Tennis Tournament, Racquet Club, Palm Springs, California. BOTANY The Vallecitos' Strange Tree Feb. 10-13 — Outdoor Art Show, By PHILIP CURTI 17 Phoenix, Arizona. FIELD TRIP Red Rock Canyon Gem Trails Feb. 11-12—Jaycee Silver Spur Rodeo, By HAROLD O. WEIGHT 18 Yuma, Arizona. CLOSE-UPS Feb. 11-12 — Western Saddle Club About those who write for Desert 22 Stampede, Squaw Peak Mountain, GARDENING Potted Plants in a Desert Patio Phoenix, Arizona. By RUTH REYNOLDS 23 Feb. 13—Audubon Screen Tour series, CONTEST Ogden, Utah. Picture-of-the-month Contest announcement . . 24 PHOTOGRAPHY Feb. 15—Major League Spring Train- Pictures of the Month 25 ing begins, Giants at Phoenix, Cubs LOST TREASURE at Mesa, Orioles at Scottsdale, In- Treasure Canyon of the Coso Ancients dians at Tucson. By RUSS LEADABRAND 26 Feb. 16-19—Western Air Force Con- LETTERS Comment from Desert's readers 29 ference Four-Way Ski Meet, Reno, DESERT QUIZ Nevada, Ski Bowl. A test of your desert knowledge 30 Feb. 16-22 — Riverside County Fair NEWS From here and there on the Desert 31 and National Date Festival, Indio, MINING California. Current News of desert mines 36 URANIUM Feb. 17-18—Square Dance Jamboree, Progress of the mining boom 37 St. George, Utah. HOBBY Gems and Minerals 40 Feb. 18-19 — Indian Dance Show, LAPIDARY sponsored by Dons Club, Phoenix, Amateur Gem Cutter 45 COMMENT Arizona. Just Between You and Me, by the Editor ... 46 Feb. 19-26 — Ninth Annual Cactus BOOKS Show, Desert Botanical Gardens, Reviews of Southwestern Literature 47 Phoenix, Arizona. The Desert Magazine is published monthly by the Desert Press, Inc., Palm Desert, Feb. 21-25—Maricopa County Fair, California. Re-entered as second class matter July 17. 1948, at the postoffice at Palm Desert, California, under the Act of March 3, 1870. Title registered No. 358865 in U. S. Patent Office, Mesa, Arizona. and contents copyrighted 1956 by the Desert Press, Inc. Permission to reproduce contents Feb. 22-26—Better Homes Exposition, must be secured from the editor in writing. El Paso, Texas. RANDALL HENDERSON, Editor EUGENE L. CONROTTO, Associate Editor Feb. 23-26 — La Fiesta de los Va- BESS STACY, Business Manager BVONNE RIDDELL, Circulation Manager queros, Annual Rodeo, Tucson, Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs submitted cannot be returned or acknowledged Arizona. unless full return postage is enclosed. Desert Magazine assumes no responsibility for Feb. 25-March 4 — California Mid- damage or loss of manuscripts or photographs although due care will be exercised. Sub- winter Fair, Imperial, California. scribers should send notice of change of address by the first of the month preceding issue. Mid-February—Mid-Winter Ski Car- SUBSCRIPTION KATES nival, Aqua Piedra Ski Run, Tres One Year S4.00 Two Years $7.00 Ritos, New Mexico. Canadian Subscriptions 25c Extra, Foreign 50c Extra February—Arts of the Navajo, South- Subscriptions to Army Personnel Outside U. S. A. Must Be Mailed in Conformity With west Museum, Highland Park, Calif. P. O. D. Order No. 19687 Address Correspondence to Desert Magazine, Palm Desert, California

FEBRUARY, 1956 SAN BERNARDINO OLD SAN BERNARDINO

portion of the old Bradshaw road between Tabaseca Tank and Mule Spring (now dried up) is now in the Navy's Chocolate Mountain Bombing range, and although the route is passable for 4-wheel drive cars, it is open to the public only on weekends. San Bernardino, thence over El Cajon pass and along the old Mormon trail to Fort Mojave, across the river from Bradshaw's Road to the present site of Needles. From Fort Mojave it was a tedious journey over the trail to the mines at La Paz. Gold-seekers, always in a rush, the La Paz Diggin's wanted a more direct route from Los Angeles and San Bernardino to La Paz. Among them were impatient men who sought to blaze a new route through When word reached Los Angeles in the early 1860s that a rich the San Gorgonio portal to the Salton placer gold field had been discovered along the Colorado River at La Sink and thence through the Chocolate Paz, there was a stampede of fortune hunters. But it was a slow-moving Mountains to the Colorado. gold rush, for the only known routes to the new field required a detour William D. Bradshaw of Los Ange- of nearly 200 miles. Bill Bradshaw, former trooper with Fremont, solved les, who was described by writers of the problem by blazing a new trail across the Southern California that day as a bold, courageous adven- desert—the Bradshaw Road. For a few years, until the gold played turer, was one of the first to recognize out, it was the most-traveled route across the California desert. Today the need for a direct route to the rich only a few of the old waterholes—and the wagon ruts—remain. placer diggings. Stories differ as to whether it was Chief Cabezon of the By FRANKLIN HOYT Pass Cahuilla Indians, or one of his Map by Norton Allen tribesmen, who drew a rough sketch for Bradshaw, showing the waterholes along the old Indian trail which ex- URING THE winter of 1862 Reaching the mines was not easy. tended across the desert eastward to Pauline Weaver was trapping Perhaps the most comfortable way to the Colorado River. beaver and prospecting along do so was to board one of the ships In May, 1862, with this map as his the Arizona side of the Colorado River. which regularly sailed down the coast only guide, Bradshaw rode out of San About 10 miles north of where the from San Francisco and around the Gorgonio Pass to the river. In a few present highway crosses the river at tip of Lower California to the mouth days he returned, and the San Bernar- Blythe he found flakes of gold spark- of the Colorado River. Here the miner dino newspaper told the advantages of ling in the bottom of a little gulch. could buy a ticket on one of the steam- the proposed new road which Bill Panning out two or three dollars worth ers which puffed 300 miles up the river Bradshaw announced he would build of the yellow metal, he placed it in a to Fort Mojave. But the sailing ships without delay. Although wagon travel goose quill for safe keeping while he were slow. A faster way to reach the over the new route at first was difficult, continued his trapping. A few weeks mines was to take one of the stages it saved several days' time over the later in Fort Yuma, Weaver proudly which jolted and bounced out of Los Fort Yuma and Fort Mojave routes, displayed his golden quill in all the Angeles to Warner's Hot Springs and and within a few months was the most saloons, and the Colorado River gold thence along the route of the old But- popular route to the diggings. rush was on. By summer the Los An- terfield Stage line to Yuma, Arizona. Hubert Howe Bancroft, an enter- geles newspapers were printing stories A rough 60-mile trail continued north prising San Francisco book publisher, of 150 Americans, 500 Sonorans, and parallel to the Colorado River to the sent one of his employees to the mines 2000 Indians working the placers near scene of the new mining strike. over the new road and the bookstores the little village of La Paz. An alternate route passed through were soon selling a little volume en-

DESERT MAGAZINE picture of Indian Wells, one of the watering places on the Bradshaw road, was taken by C. C. Pierce in 1903. The bearded man with the pipe was George Wharton James, the author, and facing him with the straw sombrero was Carl Eytel, Palm Springs artist. titled A Guide to the Colorado Mines. From White Water the wagon track The next good water was six miles Thousands of these booklets were sold skirted the base of Mt. San Jacinto, from Sand Hole at Indian Wells, then but only two copies are now in exist- following the route of the present state called Old Rancheria. In order to ence—one in a private collection and Highway 111 to Palm Springs, which avoid deep washes and projecting spurs the other in the State Library at Sacra- was then known as Agua Caliente. The of the Santa Rosa Mountains, the mento. road followed present Indian Avenue, Bradshaw Road ran north of Indian The Guide advised the miner to pro- one of Palm Springs' main streets, to Wells. To reach water travelers were vide himself with a rifle and revolver the Indian village located near the hot forced to detour two miles south where for protection against renegade Indi- springs. Here the Guide offered the the wells were located along a sandy ans and if the party was large it should information that the Indians were wash surrounded by cool cottonwood also take a shotgun for hunting rabbits Christianized and "have a large settle- trees. These wells and the cottonwoods and quail. From Los Angeles it was ment, and cultivate the land, raising were washed out in the 1927 flood, but suggested that the miner take the main corn, barley, vegetables, etc., all of the sandy wash may still be seen a few wagon road to San Bernardino which which they readily sell to whites, when hundred feet north of the highway. passed through San Gabriel, El Monte, they happen to have any on hand. . . . From Indian Wells the present high- San Dimas (then known as Mud The proper place to camp here is one way goes east to Indio, but the Brad- Springs) and Cucamonga. San Ber- mile east of the village, where animals shaw Road turned southeast along the nardino was the outfitting center for will not disturb the Indians' patches edge of the hills through the old Indian travelers over the Bradshaw Road, and of corn and grain, which are unfenced village of Torres and on to the vicinity here horses could be secured and pro- and where there is fine water and grass of the Fish Traps where the road visions purchased before beginning the a few hundred yards south of the road. turned sharply to the east and passed long haul over the desert to the river. Agua Caliente takes its name from a through the Indian settlement of Mar- From the Mormon village the road large spring of warm sulphur water tinez where there was water in a few passed about two miles southwest of three or four rods to the left, as we deep wells about a quarter of a mile the present town of Redlands and then enter the village from the west. It from the road. twisted up San Timoteo Canyon to the forms a large pool, of proper depth "This is another Indian village, much future site of Beaumont. Here the and temperature for bathing, for which scattered, but containing several adobe Bradshaw Road through San Gorgonio it would be well adapted were the mud structures, makes a more pretentious Pass began. cleaned out." appearance than the others. Corn and Near Cabazon the route swung south After leaving the beautiful oasis of sometimes barley can be had here. The of the present highway, crossed Snow Agua Caliente, the road meandered place is embowered with mesquite Creek, and forded the White Water through deep sand easterly for about trees, which grow with great luxuriance, River, "a large stream of pure cold 11 miles until the next water hole was the bean being gathered in large quan- water, coming down from Mount San reached. This was Sand Hole, "a tities by the natives. It forms an ex- Bernardino, and which after crossing muddy pool about 400 yards east of cellent food for animals when they get the road twice, runs along it for a mile the road, and which, as it consists only accustomed to its use." and a quarter, when it bears off to the of a collection of rainwater in a small Leaving the Indian settlement of north-east, and after running a few clay basin, is always bad, and dries up Martinez behind, the dusty road took hundred yards, sinks in the sand." early in the summer. a course almost due east through the FEBRUARY, 19 5 6 through San Gorgonio Pass to White Water and Agua Caliente. At the Indian village of Torres there was an epidemic of measles and the children were dying by the dozens. "The weather was very hot; children with skins spotted with the disease . . . would be sprinkled with water ejected from the mouths of the squaws to cool them off. . . . Generally the Indian huts were made of stout posts about five feet high with sides and roof thatched with boughs and coarse grass. Into several of these I saw them pile infant corpses with clothing and vari- ous other things and set them afire." At Martinez, Fairchild became dis- gusted with the slow-moving wagon and taking a companion with him, set out oh horseback. The first day they traveled at a leisurely pace and reached 77ie ruins of the old Bradshaw Canyon Springs stage station along Salton Dos Palmas in plenty of time to make • Creek may still be seen today. This picture was taken in 1937. camp before dark. From Dos Palmas the two men traveled in an easterly direction over the high mesas, but present town of Mecca, and along the road. Plenty of good water, and a found no water all day and that night route of Highway 195 until it reached moderate amount of bunch grass. No were forced to make a dry camp. The a point about four miles east of Mecca. fuel." following day they reached Tabaseca, Here the trail continued easterly along Between Tabaseca and the next where there were two springs of fair the Mecca Hills until it reached the water at "Chucolwalla" there were 18 water but no grass for the hungry next watering place at Palma Seca, miles of hard going, more than half of horses. "Here we found the shells of Lone Palm or Soda Springs, as it was it through heavy sand. Here there was a large tortoise the flesh of which had sometimes called. This was 12 miles plenty of water, grass and wood, but evidently been eaten by Indians. . . . from Martinez "with heavy road most the miner was cautioned that his horses I carried one into camp and cooked of the way. Here there are several should not be allowed to graze "as its flesh. . . . Though there was con- deep pools of limpid, but very bad there is a species of cactus in this siderable meat upon the carcass of the water, being strongly impregnated with section of the country very abundant, reptile, I admit that I did not relish it soda and sulphur. There is but little which, fastening upon them when suf- as well as I did the ordinary plain grass, and as animals do not like the fered to run loose, causes great trouble. 'jerky' — perhaps on account of the water, it affords but an indifferent The Indians will bring enough grass manner of cooking. camping place." to keep an animal a whole day for a Stopping at Tabaseca only long Although there was heavy sand most couple of bits." enough to eat and allow the horses of the way, the traveler would be wise Between Chuckawalla Well and the to drink, they hurried on to "Chuca- to struggle on seven more miles to Dos Colorado River there was a devilish wallah." At this spring they found Palmas where there was "a deep pool stretch of 35 miles. "About one-third water, but still no feed for the horses of soft soda-water, but of a more pal- of the way heavy sand, one-third sharp, because the grass had been eaten by atable kind than at Palma Seca. It volcanic stones, hard on the horses' the horses of other parties which had discharges a large stream, which, flow- feet; balance, good road. Water is re- preceded them. Their rations were ing down, has caused several acres of ported to have been found half way almost gone so they decided to camp salt grass and tule to spring up near across this stretch since the writer until the wagon arrived. During their by. Animals do not much relish this passed over." The river was reached second day at Chuckawalla a welcome kind of feed, and the traveler will do below Blythe, and there were six miles visitor arrived—a "squaw man" who better to take his stock three miles to of hard traveling through deep sand lived with the Indians near Warner's the southwest, where there are several and around numerous sloughs until the Ranch and who was traveling alone large springs or ponds, of better water, Bradshaw Ferry was reached. This across the desert with his burro. "His with an abundance of cane grass, on primitive ferry crossed the river near business upon the desert trail I did not which they will do well. Enough mes- the present highway bridge between learn, for it was not 'good form' to be quite here, as there will be found at Blythe and Ehrenberg. too inquisitive." He was well supplied nearly all camping places, from here Early in September, 1862, Mahlon with jerky and pinole which the Indian on, for fuel." D. Fairchild traveled over the Brad- squaws had made from parched and After leaving Dos Palmas the road shaw Road, and his diary tells an in- pulverized grass seeds. "To us it was continued east for several miles and teresting story of the dangers and hard- first rate diet at that juncture, and he then turned north along Salton Creek. ships of this desert road to the Colo- gave us a liberal supply, with came Passing through a narrow canyon, or rado River mines. Fairchild and his seca galore, for which he would accept the Big Wash, as it was commonly companions arrived at San Pedro on no coin." called, the road then turned southeast the steamer Brother Jonathan, and the For four days they camped at again toward the Chocolate Mountains. following day started out over the Chuckawalla, impatiently waiting for About eight miles from the mouth of wagon road for San Bernardino, camp- the wagon. Finally, on the 7th of Sep- the Big Wash another good camping ing overnight at El Monte and Cuca- tember, Fairchild and his companion place was reached at Tabaseca Tank, monga. From San Bernardino the decided not to wait any longer but to located "two miles west of the wagon miners followed the customary route push on to the river. Traveling mostly

DESERT MAGAZINE at night because of the extreme heat, they reached the Colorado in two days. "We had reached Bradshaw's ferry, opposite the town of Olivia, now Ehrenberg. The ferry was established by William Bradshaw, a former mem- ber of Fremont's expeditions. A rude boat capable of carrying wagons and a limited number of animals, attached to a rope spanning the stream, the cur- rent being the propelling power, com- prised the affair. ... On the 10th day of the month, the wagon and party we had left at Martinez arrived, all well, but with animals pretty badly used up." It was several months before the Bradshaw Road was universally ac- cepted as the best way to reach the mines. Advocates of the Fort Mojave route claimed that the new road was dangerous because of the scarcity of water and the chances of getting lost. During the summer of 1862 the new road suffered a severe setback when the Charles Yates party of five men, and the Garrett family of father, mother, and five children, became lost on the Bradshaw Road and all died of thirst. Commenting on these trag- edies, a letter in the Los Angeles Star said: "I traveled on the well known road to Fort Mojave. If the parties that were defeated on the Cabazon Desert had gone by the Mojave route, they would now have been at the mines, and none would have lost their lives." The new road became accepted, however, and by the fall of 1862 most of the miners were using this route. Bradshaw did his part in popularizing the road by giving enthusiastic inter- This sandy wash near Indian Wells was part of the route followed by views to the newspapers and by guid- Bradshaw freight wagons and stages. ing miners over the new route. In August of 1862 he personally led a party of 150 miners from San Bernar- stage left San Bernardino with 35 pas- followed the Bradshaw Road to-a point dino to La Paz. sengers, "not counting the driver and about one mile east of Dos Palmas Freight wagons and pack trains be- a Chinaman." where the road to Yuma branched off About a month after the first coach toward the south. Late in February gan operating over the road soon after - it opened, but it was not until early in clattered into La Paz, Hall and Wilkin- Pat Murray, one of the drivers for the fall of 1862 that the first "coach son were murdered by a disgruntled Banning and Company, left Yuma over and six" came dashing into La Paz. station keeper near Dr. Smith's ranch the new route with one passenger and This was the first stage of a new line in San Gorgonio Pass. The employee some freight. Half way between Yuma from Los Angeles to the Colorado was arrested and brought to trial in and Dos Palmas he lost the trail be- River, established by Warren Hall and San Bernardino, but the jury believed cause a station camp had been re- Henry Wilkinson who were working his story that he had shot in self de- moved, and they wandered for three for the Alexander Company of Los fense and he was acquitted. After the days without water. In desperation the Angeles. With more than $5000 in death of Hall and Wilkinson the Alex- horses were turned loose, and they led gold dust in the "boot," the stage ander Company abandoned its ill- Pat and his passenger to Frink's spring. raced back to Los Angeles in four starred venture. For the next few years open freight wagons continued to carry The newspaper account of this near- days, setting a new record. For a few cargo and passengers to the mines, but tragedy said that it was understood weeks the stages operated regularly apparently there was no regular stage "that the stock of Banning and Co. from Los Angeles to the river, usually line in operation. have been removed from the newly carrying a full load of miners who were laid out road to Fort Yuma branching willing to pay the $40 fare. Concord For a short time during the winter from Dos Palmas, on the line to La coaches were built to accommodate of 1867 Banning and Company, one Paz. It is unnecessary to say that the nine passengers inside, and six more of the leading Southern California road was utterly impracticable, a desert could be perched on top, but more transportation companies, tried to use country of nearly a hundred miles ren- than double this number were some- the route through San Gorgonio Pass dering it impossible for stock to travel, times crowded on. It is said that one for its stages to Yuma. This new route with sand up to the hubs." FEBRUARY, 1956 Uncle Sam gave his approval to the City the distances between watering the Bradshaw Road from La Paz to Bradshaw Road in 1868 when the Post places were much greater. In one place San Bernardino in the spring of 1866. Office Department announced that it there was a pull of 55 miles without He later wrote that the road was not had abandoned the old mail route from water of any kind. well marked and that he had difficulty San Bernardino to Prescott, by way of With all of its advantages the Brad- following it in places. "Indian trails Cajon Pass and Fort Mojave. A new shaw Road was never very successful. led out in all directions, and our only contract was awarded for carrying the Articles in the San Bernardino news- clue to the right path was . . . two con- mail over the Bradshaw Road to La papers complained that it ran in an spicuous mountain piles." He camped Paz, Wickenburg and Prescott; mail "angling, crooked, roundabout course, at the oasis of Palm Springs where for Fort Yuma was taken off at La Paz over deep sands, and entailing 40 miles there were two palm trees and near and sent down the river on the steam- of unnecessary travel." In 1872 Franc the palms a "low, deserted cabin with ers. Until the completion of the South- V. Bishop wrote a letter to a friend wide, overhanging flat roof, which had ern Pacific Railroad, almost a decade who asked the best way of getting to long ago been thatched with palm later, buckboards and light wagons the mines. It was easy, he said; just leaves." continued to carry the mail over this take the stage from Los Angeles to During the 1870s the wife of an route to western Arizona. San Bernardino, and from there to army officer stationed in Arizona trav- Compared with other desert roads Ehrenberg and you are in Arizona. eled by stage from Tucson to San Fran- of the west, the Bradshaw Road was "You would have a pleasant ride to cisco over the Bradshaw Road. When well supplied with water, the average San Bernardino, see a queer pretty the coach pulled up at the Chuckawalla distance between water holes being town and lots of Mormons, but having station for lunch they found that Indi- about 10 miles. Between Chuckawalla seen it had better return to Los Ange- ans had made a raid and gotten away and the river it was necessary to travel les, for between you and the Colorado with most of the food during the night. 35 miles without water, but later a well lie 300 miles of desert travel, and more The meal was cooked and served by was developed half-way across this than likely there are no covered stages the station keeper who stood at her stretch. Along the old Mormon trail running. So take the steamer." elbow with a "battered, grimy, and between San Bernardino and Salt Lake Clarence King rode a mule across unclean looking coffee-pot," and asked, "will yer have coffee, tea, cocoa, choc- olate, or milk?" Then before she had a chance to reply he added, "Yer'U have to take coffee, dam'it, for that's all there is." In the spring of 1876 the Southern Pacific Railroad finished laying its Hatd Rock Sfiotty tracks down the San Gorgonio Pass to White Water. Arrival of the railroad of Death Valley spelled doom for the Bradshaw Road, but for a few months it had more traffic than at any time during its brief history. The station wagon which had "Pisgah Bill went out to the Instead of taking the steamers just stopped at the gas pump in spring to git some water to wash around Lower California, many trav- front of the Inferno store bore up a little. Time he got back to elers bound for Arizona found it more Kansas license plates. the shack the wash pan wuz half convenient to take a Southern Pacific The clerk was busy in the store full o' sand. Bill went ahead and train out through San Gorgonio Pass and Hard Rock Shorty walked did his scrubbin' an' when he to the end of the line where they could out to see what the tourist wanted. started to throw the water out board "new first-class coaches" for Eh- "See you're from Kansas," he he saw somethin' shinin' in that renberg, Wickenburg, Prescott, Phoe- drawled, "back where they have sand in the bottom of the pan. nix, Florence and Tucson. The stages all them cyclones." "He took another look an' left two or three times a week, depend- The visitor grinned. "Yep, it then let out a yell— ing upon the arrival of trains from Los Angeles and San Francisco, and the blows back there once in a " 'It's gold, Shorty, it's gold!' while," he agreed. trip to Prescott took four days. "I've heard about them twist- "So we got busy an put out all By the spring of 1877 the railroad ers," Shorty continued, "an' how the pots an' basins an' tubs we reached Pilot Knob and the stages to they do a lot o' funny things like had around the place to ketch as Arizona abandoned the Bradshaw liftin' the cookstove right outta much o' that sand as possible. Road and began running their coaches the kitchen without breakin' the "After the sand quit rainin' Bill into Yuma. AH along the new railroad fried eggs in the skillet. got busy pannin' the stuff. Got towns began to spring up—Beaumont, "We had one o' them torna- a lot o' fine gold an' some nug- Banning, Indio, Coachella, Thermal, ders out here ten twelve years gets as big as a pea. Had $167.50 Mecca. With the building of these ago. That's what started my worth of gold when he got towns new roads were constructed and partner Pisgah Bill, to lookin' fer through. old roads improved. Some of these that lost mine o' his. "An Bill's been lookin' fer the new roads followed the Bradshaw "Wind blowed so much sand placer field where that cyclone Road, but stretches of the old stage we had to shovel our way out picked up that sand ever since. route were abandoned. In some places to the woodpile to get mesquite An' between times he's readin' only a track remains—in others drift- fer the stove. Next day it died books and writin' to the scientific ing sand has covered the road until not down a little, but they wuz so fellers hopin' he'll get a clue to a trace is left. From Dos Palmas to the much dirt in the air it rained where the tornader started from Colorado, Riverside County maps still sand fer three days after the wind an' how it got here. Yep, them show the Bradshaw Road as an unim- quit blowin'. cyclones does funny things!" proved road, still traveled by a few hardy prospectors and desert rats with their burros and desert automobiles.

DESERT MAGAZINE LIFE ON THE DESERT Before the Law

Creek in October, 1902, for a winter Came to Borrego of prospecting and search, Collins had a tale of trouble to tell me. Two of these men wearing six shoot- ers had called on him and ordered him Many people ask how Collins Valley in the Borrego State Park of to leave Coyote Creek. They killed California got its name. Here is the story, as told by a man who was a his cow and later killed one of the witness to some of the tragic events which took place in that remote burros. Then they set fire to the brush desert wilderness over a half century ago. fence in the night, trying to burn down the house while the family slept within. By H. E. W. WILSON These men asserted that one of them owned the land on which Collins had filed. At the San Diego land office John learned that the man had made FEW YEARS ago a memorial home. He left his tent and camp equip- a mistake in the section number when plaque was erected along Coy- ment with me with the understanding he filed and therefore did not own the ote Creek in California's Bor- that when I went back to Los Angeles land. rego State Park as a tribute to Captain 1 would return it to him. Soon after I arrived the government Juan Bautista de Anza and his band Collins used his four burros to pack of courageous settlers who came this surveyors working on the Indio Quad- my gear to a site near his house. We rangle, camped near the Collins home. way in 1776 to establish the first white put up the tent and built a mesquite colony in California at Monterey. John became well acquainted with fence around it to keep the stock away. them and told them of the trouble. Nearly 125 years later, another For 13 months, over a period of four They investigated and found that a staunch white man came to Coyote winters, John Collins and I prospected section marker had been moved a Creek and tried to establish a home and hunted for lost mines. When one quarter of a mile. John presented this there—a man whose courage should makes desert trips with a companion information to the county authorities be remembered, even though no mon- or partner and the two work, eat and who had one of the three men arrested, ument ever has been erected to honor sleep together, they get to know each and a trial was set before the justice him and his fine family. other very thoroughly and that was the of the peace at Ballena in San Diego •I am referring to John Collins for case with John and I. He was a fine County. man, liked by all who knew him, and whom Collins Valley was named. The lawyer who was sent from San he liked everyone. He was a real man, My acquaintance with the Collins Diego to prosecute the case was the with no prejudice toward race, color or family began in early October, 1900, attorney for the two men not on trial, creed. when Frank Hike and I went to Coyote and the whole affair was a gross mis- Creek on a prospecting trip. We drove When an Indian rode up Coyote carriage of justice. When the judge from Los Angeles in a Studebaker farm Creek, John would always invite him bound the defendant over to keep the wagon drawn by two fine horses. We into his home where Ella Collins would peace for six months, Collins re- camped along lower Coyote Creek be- give the traveler something to eat. The marked, "Gentlemen—you have this cause of its splendid water supply. Indians all liked John and were willing day laid a premium on crime." One day Hike walked up the creek to do almost anything for him. Leaving Ballena we encountered a and came to a little clearing in which Bernado Segundo was chief of the snow storm and the whole party in- was a house built of native materials, tribe on the San Ignacio Reservation. cluding John, Mrs. Collins, the three occupied by a man, his wife and their He had been educated at the Sherman children, three burros and myself took three small children, two boys and a Institute at Riverside and spoke very refuge in a farm house near Julian, girl—the Collins family. good English. He told John many owned by a man named Johnson. The When Frank told me about it I was things about the Indians and the Salton snow was so deep it was a week before quite surprised. We had traveled from Sink desert country where his people we were able to return to the Coyote Julian to Borrego Spring, and across formerly had lived. I met Segundo Creek homestead. Borrego Valley to Coyote Creek in a twice and liked him very much. When Collins told Johnson about raw desert so uninhabitable that it But, all was not peaceful in the the trial, the latter volunteered to get seemed to be about the last place on area. the owner's permission so the Collins earth to which a man would bring his About 25 miles north of the Collins family could occupy a vacant log cabin family. But Collins had the heart of a place, in the Coahuilla district, were at the Ella mine situated between frontiersman. three men who banded together, for Julian and Banner on the old Canyon We became better acquainted with reasons known only to themselves, to road, if they decided to leave Coyote the Collins family. Then my partner drive Collins from his home. One Creek. But Coyote Creek was their decided to return to the city. He sug- lived in an apple orchard, the other home and they did not want to leave gested that I get Collins to help me two were brothers and had a cattle it unless they had to. move my camp outfit nearer to his ranch. When I went back to Coyote Arriving in Collins Valley a scene

FEBRUARY, 1956 of desolation greeted us. The house, wagon, and my tent, had been burned to the ground. It was evident three Winter R$in$ Heeded to Assute separate fires had been started, and the tracks in the soft ground left no doubt that it had been done by the man who was under bond to keep the peace. We Wild flower Display This Season... were certain of this because the horse usually ridden by the man had a de- Prospects for a lavish showing of formed foot, requiring a special shoe, no sprouts are showing," writes Fred wildflower color in the desert areas this the track of which could be readily W. Binnewies, superintendent of the season are not too promising accord- Death Valley National Monument. "If identified. ing to early reports from Desert's no rain is received in January, then I advised the family to leave, since Southwest correspondents. However, the outlook will be poor indeed." it appeared unlikely that we could ex- these reports from various sectors of At Lake Mead National Recreation pect any protection from San Diego the Southwest were based on a Decem- Area the situation is the same. Writes County authorities. John drove back ber survey, and are not a conclusive Park Naturalist O. L. Wallis: "So far to Julian and arranged to occupy the forecast of what may be expected. we have had little moisture this fall— cabin which Johnson had secured for Generous rainfall in January would the weather has been relatively warm him. completely alter the situation. — actually it has been shirt-sleeve Then he returned with the wagon to "The desert is very dry, the plants weather! During February our wild- pick up what few possessions were left are brittle and no wildflower sprouts flowers, especially the brittlebush, be- at the homestead. He was able to sell are showing yet," reports A. T. Bick- gin to bloom down along the Colorado his pigs to Mr. Vandeventer who nell of the Casa Grande National Mon- River and Lake Mohave portions of ranged cattle further up the creek. The ument at Coolidge, Arizona. Bicknell the Lake Mead National Recreation creek road had been washed out so it adds that his area had a very rainy Area. Generally the blooms at the was necessary for him to pack his 28 summer, but only a trace of rain since higher elevations come a few weeks hives of bees and the few chickens he September. later, but, we will have a better idea could round up two miles on the three Jane S. Pinheiro of Lancaster, Cali- of the wildflower situation after Janu- burros to where the wagon had been fornia, tells much the same story for ary." left. He was a skilled packer and I the Antelope Valley in the high Mo- John G. Lewis of the Saguaro Na- never knew a man who could throw a jave Desert. Despite the moisture tional Monument at Tucson, Arizona, more expert diamond hitch. shortage, however, Mrs. Pinheiro re- is of the opinion that "the wildflower ports that the Antelope Valley always picture appears to be no better than The Indians did not want John to has wildflowers although the great average for the coming spring in south- leave, and Segundo offered to rebuild masses of color occur only occasion- ern Arizona. We have had excellent the cabin and guard it for six months ally and unless the rains come in rainfall for the year as a whole, but if he would stay. But John felt that January, they will not occur this spring. most of this came in late summer and the lives of his family would be Also from the high desert, where has long since been absorbed or evap- jeopardized if they remained, for he the flowering season starts about a orated. A good rain that fell in early would be away on prospecting trips month later than on the Colorado Des- December has pretty well dried up much of the time. ert, comes word from Samuel A. King now and the weather has been warmer I remained with the Collinses in of the Joshua Tree National Monu- than normal and very dry. There are their new cabin home for six months, ment. He reports that the area has no wildflower sprouts showing yet." and John and I made numerous desert had above normal precipitation for the But, by way of compensation, Lewis trips from Banner. year and some protected perennials reports that if the warm weather con- have come into flower during Decem- The family remained there for sev- tinues, the ocotillo may send forth its ber. January precipitation will be blossoms in late February. eral years and then moved to Signal needed, however, for a fine spring dis- Hill at Long Beach. play. • And the dry and warm situation pre- We did not find anything of value vails in California's Coachella Valley. on our prospecting trips, but I learned "There has been practically no rain The record storms that hit northern much about the desert, and it had a this fall, except for one light shower California around Christmas time failed fascination for me which has resulted in the north end of Death Valley, and to reach the desert. in my return to the Borrego country at every opportunity. Tom and John, Jr., the two Collins DESERT FLORA RECOVERY was recorded and the interval between boys, are still living. The latter's ABILITY DISTINCTIVE FACTOR effective rains was still longer. They daughter married a ranger and they The chief distinction between desert came to the end of the dry period with reside not far from the log cabin at the plants and those of moister lands lies scarcely a leaf left—as miserable a old Ella mine. not, as we are lead to believe, in their lot of plants as one ever saw. How Today, many people wonder how ability to get along with scant amounts they ever became green again is little Collins Valley got its name—and this of water, but in their power to endure short of a mystery. is the story of the unfortunate family long-continued wilting and to recover Desert plants are great drinkers and which sought to establish a permanent from it unharmed when the rains come almost reckless spenders of water when home there—and had to leave because again. they can get it. In fact, in many cases, they came to the frontier when it was Creosote bushes near Bagdad on they aopear to be more improvident still beyond the range of the laws the Mojave Desert stood through the with their water supply than plants which normally protect American citi- long drouth of 1909-1912 when for of humid regions!—Edmund C. Jae- zens. 32 months not a drop of precipitation ger's The California Deserts

10 DESERT MAGAZINE 1

ANTIQUE two-pipe open-hearth furnace was built by MODERN mill equipment at the Red Rock quicksilver Walter Dunnigan's father in the late 1920s. mine is inspected by Walter Dunnigan. They Mine "Living Silver" From the Hills of Nevada

After 25 years of mining mercury, Walter and Roberta Dunnigan lines, the elder Dunnigan began roam- know that you must take the good with the bad in this business of ing restlessly from one mining camp to boom and bust. Their Red Rock mine is one of the few continuous another. Shortly after World War I producers in the nation—proof that they have learned their lesson well. he drifted to Fish Lake Valley in And the happy years they have spent under the Nevada sun has Esmeralda County. There he obtained taught the Dunnigans something else — they would not trade their work on the old Patterson ranch. isolated stretch of mountainside for the city life they knew before Although he was not a prospector, becoming quicksilver miners. the elder Dunnigan spent much of his free time prowling idly through the By NELL MURBARGER nearby hills and canyons, and one day Photographs by the author came up on an unusual formation a mile above the mouth of Dry Canyon Map by Norton Allen on the east flank of the White Moun- tains. It reminded him of formations ALTER DUNNIGAN'S Red Walter and Roberta Dunnigan knew found near the Knoxville and Manhat- Rock mine is not the most little of the mercury business when tan quicksilver mines in Lake County, important producer of mercury they arrived at Red Rock. They were California, where he had been em- in the West, or even in Nevada; lifelong city dwellers. Tall, red-haired ployed in his youth. neither is it the largest or deepest or Roberta had been employed for nine Suspecting he had found a good oldest mine, nor is its ore the richest. years in the auditing department of mercury prospect, the old boomcamp Yet, I consider it a very remarkable Montgomery Ward & Co., at Oakland; teamster staked claim in 1927 to institution. and Walter was a 13-year employee what has since become the Red Rock So far as I have been able to learn, of Union Oil at Oleum, California. mine. And scarcely had the dust set- it is the only quicksilver property in Walter's father, George Dunnigan, tled from building the location monu- Nevada that has produced continuously was responsible for their conversion to ments when he began urging his son through high prices and low for the mercury mining. He was known as "a to quit his good job, come to Nevada, past 30 years—and all this time under good man with mules," and had en- and help develop the property. Three the same family ownership. In this gaged in teaming supplies to Tonopah years later, with considerable reluc- day of fast profit and quick turnover, and Goldfield, Nevada, during their tance, Walter yielded to his father's this latter fact alone is enough to make great boom days. As the booms sub- entreaties, but Roberta still was not it an outstanding mine. sided and railroads replaced the freight convinced that quicksilver mining held

FEBRUARY, 1956 11 promise of a secure future. She con- Forest. There, in the pinyon pines seems a little silly—since the canyon tinued working in the city until 1932 and jumpers at 7115 feet elevation, abounds in deer —- but we've never when she followed her husband to Red the Dunnigans have their attractive killed one in all the 25 years we've Rock. She applied her nine years of frame home, electrically lighted by lived here. We'd rather make friends auditing experience to the assorted their own power plant, and complete with them, even if it meant going with- problems incident to living in a small with modern plumbing. out meat altogether! rock cabin, cooking, washing and "We still have to haul our water "We make pets of all the wild keeping house for Walter and his from Chiatovich Creek, but it isn't too things—even the skunks!" she laughed. father, hauling all domestic water from big a chore," says Roberta. "We haul "Last winter a little civet established Chiatovich Creek in the next canyon, it in a 100-gallon tank, mounted on living quarters under out kitchen floor. and driving 75 miles over unpaved the back of a Model A Ford truck and We could hear him bobbing around road to the nearest town for supplies. a couple of trips each week supplies and playing under there, and he would After the death of George Dunnigan, all our domestic needs—including the take the food we put out for him. He Walter and Roberta had no obligation modern plumbing!" was a real gentleman—a harmless little to remain at the mine. They were free The water from a small spring, too neighbor. We were looking forward to go back to Oakland, to their old mineralized for drinking or cooking, is to the time when he would take a jobs and old friends and the life they piped down the mountain a distance bride and raise a family; but when had known in the days before Red of two miles for mining and milling spring came, I guess he thought he no Rock. But, by then, it was too late. operations, and to irrigate a 100 square longer needed the protection of our They had become quicksilver miners foot garden plot. Here the Dunnigans house for he returned to the woods. and Nevadans. The prospect of ever produce practically every vegetable We're wondering if he'll come back returning to the city was frightening. adapted to the short growing season to us again this winter." In the 25 years since Walter Dun- imposed by this northerly latitude and The Dunnigans are rockhounds and nigan moved to Red Rock, it has lost high elevation. Neither dry beans nor have an elaborate lapidary outfit, built some of its remoteness, but is still iso- winter squashes, they have found, will by Walter in spare moments from scrap lated enough to satisfy almost anyone mature; and sweet corn, although tasty, materials, and from it has come a with a hankering to "get away from it forms only very small ears. But, ex- beautiful collection of cabochons and all." Dyer, the nearest postoffice, is cept for a few such crops, the roster polished cabinet specimens. On the 30 miles away; Tonopah, the closest of their garden reads like the index of living room walls hang several hand- town is 76 miles away; and Goldfield, a seed catalog, and provides a large some frames of agate and obsidian the county seat, is 102 miles distant. portion of their annual food needs. arrowheads and spearpoints, all col- In each case, the last leg of these Enthusing to the self-sufficiency of lected within a mile or two of their journeys lie over an unpaved mountain the Dunnigan place, I suggested they home, and Roberta told of finding a road that climbs more than 2000 feet likely could get all the wild game they large petroglyph-covered rock in near- in 10 miles, and lifts the traveler from needed for meat. Roberta nodded. by Trail canyon, where smoke-black- the glaring heat and greasewood-cov- "Yes, that's true. We wouldn't have ened caves, once the dwelling place ered flatness of Fish Lake Valley to to buy a penny's worth of meat—but of ancient man, are also found. the cool, bracing air of Inyo National we never kill anything. Maybe it My original business at the Dunni-

4^% \ f • TQ BISHOP

12 DESERT MAGAZINE Roberta Dunnigan had her doubts at first about becom- Walter Dunnigan holds an old hand-welded quicksilver ing a mercury miner, but they have long since disap- flask from the famous Almaden mine of Spain. Tall peared. She alternates her duties between homemaking, flask on step is modern American and stubby one elec- tending a large vegetable garden and helping out at trically-welded flask from Almaden. All carry exactly the mine. 76 pounds of mercury. gans was to get a story on quicksilver determined the best features of each ter the water passes through the jig it mining—an annoying fact of which I and shuffled them together in one of runs into a settling basin. We pump was reminded every time my gaze my own contriving." it back and run it through again and strayed toward the south. There, across Walter's jig is an oversized adapta- again until the water is practically a juniper-speckled flat, lay a brightly- tion of the placer gold rockers and worn out." tinted waste dump. Back of the dump long toms of the early Gold Rush days. Scooping up a couple of pounds of stood an aluminum-colored mill, and Quicksilver ore, crushed to egg size the pulverized concentrates recovered back of the mill rose a hillside pocked and smaller, is dumped in the top of a by the sluice, Walter panned the ma- by tunnels, cuts and glory-holes, and chute tilted at a 30-degree angle. terial in the same manner placer gold bound by a spiderwebbing of roads Water, running over this crushed rock is washed free from gravel. When he and trails. and sand at the rate of 132 gallons a finished, the tail of color in the bottom "That's the Red Rock mine," said minute, washes the material down the of his pan showed none of the buttery Walter. "It's not the greatest mine in chute, meanwhile ejecting the sand and yellow gold, but resembled dark iron the world . . . but it's faithful. It is finely pulverized mercury concentrates. rust, scattered through with a few in its 28th year of continuous produc- A shaker then carries the remaining small, vermilion nuggets. tion and still going strong. Want to pieces of rock and ore to the tail of These nuggets or granules, Walter take a look at it?" the chute where each piece is scrutin- explained, are almost pure cinnabar— Riding in his 1930 Model A Ford ized by a sorter, usually Roy Griswold, the red sulphide of mercury — and pick-up, which Walter claims can do or Roberta. Pieces of rock containing heated to 1300 degrees Fahrenheit anything a jeep can do and twice as cinnabar in visible quantities are re- both they and the dark, sand-like con- good, we drove past the mill and over moved for retorting, together with the centrates are transformed into the that winding maze of roads to a point pulverized concentrates, and the re- shimmering, quivering quicksilver of half-way up the hill where the Dunni- maining valueless rock is permitted to commerce—that strange, liquid metal gans' one employee, Roy Griswold, travel over the tail of the sluice into known to the ancient Romans as Ar- was working at the business end of an a waiting dump car. gentum Vivum, the living silver. animated sluice-box arrangement Wal- I remarked that their spring must Mercury mining, said Walter, is one ter calls "The Jig." While he does not have a good flow for them to use 132 of the world's oldest industries. Rec- claim to have invented the machine, gallons a minute to operate the ma- ords of mercury production date from he admits having built it. chine. Walter shook his head. 300 B.C. and Romans in the time of "After studying the designs of sev- "No," he said. "Actually it flows Nero were mining the great quicksilver eral similar arrangements," he said, "I only about four gallons a minute. Af- deposits in their own land and in

FEBRUARY, 1956 13 the appearance of a small community rather than the home of only one 1 man and his wife. Leading away to the right of the buildings, our eyes could follow the winding course of the little mountain road as it left the cool pinyon belt to spill down the sage- grown fan toward the flatness of Fish Lake Valley, at whose northern end lay the dead white lakebed where Ne- vada's borax industry once had flour- ished. Still farther to the east, rose the Silver Peak range, whose rugged heights, on this mid-July day, carried only a fraction of the snow that lay on the 13,145-foot crest of the White Mountains at Boundary Peak, only half a dozen miles to the west. Driving back down the hill we passed the two-pipe open hearth fur- nace built by Walter's father to free the liquid mercury from the ore, and continued on to the modern plant where the Dunnigans now accomplish this far more efficiently and with much less risk to health than was possible under the more primitive method. Equipped with a 30-ton Gould ro- From r/ie Dunnigan home, right center, it is 75 miles to the town where tary kiln furnace, the present plant these quicksilver miners buy their supplies. Fish Lake Valley and Silver transforms raw ore into molten quick- Peak Range are in the background. silver in 30 minutes or less, and is capable of handling 25 to 32 tons of Spain, where one mine—the Almaden authorities on industrial matters even concentrates in a 24-hour shift. Cost- —has been worked constantly for 2000 have expressed the opinion that this ing $65,000 to install, a mill of this years. Awed by its lethal properties, new use in batteries will absorb more type is economical to operate and re- fascinated by its many uses, and mysti- mercury than previously required by covers from 95 to 98 percent of the fied by its volatile nature and its abil- all other users combined. quicksilver, said Walter. Only one ity to change form at normal tempera- From the jig we drove to the top of man to a shift is required to oversee ture, early alchemists gave to this the hill over a series of one-way roads its operation; the Model A Ford en- strange metal the name of the Greek which began as sweeping systems of gine that revolves the brick-and-as- divinity, Mercury, personal messenger sampling trenches and resulted in dis- bestos-lined rotary kiln burns only a of the gods. Regarding the element as closing several new deposits which gallon of gasoline per hour; and the half natural and half supernatural, the have been worked profitably. One heating unit, which maintains a tem- ancients further accorded it religious vein so revealed produces close to 60 perature of 1200 to 1600 degrees F. in significance and tied it into the cycle pounds of quicksilver from each ton the roasting drum, burns from seven to of life and death and creation. Not of rock—or at the current price of nine gallons of diesel oil per ton of ore until the 16th Century, when alchemy $300-plus per 76-pound flask, approxi- in the course of 24 hours operation. surrendered to chemistry and metal- mately $240 a ton. Due to the present Leaving the roasted ore in the form lurgy, did the true nature of quicksilver system of bulldozing the ore from shal- become known. of vapor, the quicksilver passes through low tunnels and glory-holes, consider- a series of condenser pipes and is ulti- But before going to Red Rock I able waste rock is necessarily included could have named only three definite with that from the actual "paystreak," mately deposited in special containers uses for mercury — silvering mirrors, which means the material passing filled with water. Having a specific gauging temperature in thermometers, through the jig runs only about .5 per- gravity of 13.6, the liquid mercury and amalgamating gold. To this brief cent, or 10 pounds of quicksilver to settles immediately to the bottom and roster, Walter added several even more each ton of ore. the covering water effectively seals off important functions of mercury, such the poisonous fumes which formerly as its widespread use in pharmaceutics, The present custom of working the presented a grave hazard to anyone mine by the open-cut method has electric apparatus, munitions, indus- who worked around mercury. trial and control instruments, and anti- proven highly successful and has done fouling paint. much to offset the rising cost of labor. "In earlier times, the spectre of 'get- The older portion of the mine, de- ting salivated' was an assured hazard One of its newest uses is as an veloped by the senior Dunnigan, is of mercury mining and milling," said important component in an improved entirely underground, comprising 4000 Walter. "Some men would get sali- dry cell battery, developed in 1944. feet of tunneling. vated after working as short a time as Chief advantage of the new battery, As we stood at the highest mine two weeks; others might work several according to Walter, is its ability to workings on the brow of the hill, we years before the ill effects were first function well in both high and low were almost directly over the Dunnigan noticed. But the end was inevitable. temperatures and high humidity, its camp, which with its maze of looping Teeth loosened and fell out, the whole long shelf life, and its much greater roads, sheds, power plant, machine system was affected, and there was no power for the size of the unit. Some shop, and sundry other buildings, had known cure." H DESERT MAGAZINE "Naturally," said Walter, "we use every possible precaution. Although I handle the concentrates with my bare hands, I never roll a cigarette without first washing my hands." Even the minute amount of mercury carried to the lips on a dust-smudged cigarette paper may be sufficient to plant the lethal poisoning in a man's system. Quicksilver, in other ways as well, is a tricky commodity. Due to its great concentration of weight in liquid form it is especially difficult to trans- port. Back in the dim aisles of an- tiquity some ingenious person devised for this purpose the so-called quick- silver flask, an iron container shaped like a bottle. Evidently these vessels proved more satisfactory than any used previously and for more years or centuries than anyone knows, the iron and later steel flask has been accepted throughout the world as the standard shipping container for mercury. Although flasks originating in dif- ferent nations and from different mines show variances in quality of workman- ship and design, the general shape is the same and regardless of other vari- ances, each flask must hold exactly 76 pounds of quicksilver. The empty flask weighs 15 pounds and filled ap- proximately 90 — an amazing weight when concentrated in a cylindrical tube five inches in diameter and 12 inches high. Due to the fact that quicksilver flasks enjoy the common exchangea- Dunnigan, left, and Roy Griswold at work on The Jig, a home-made bility of milk bottles and box cars, the device for sluicing concentrates from quicksilver ore. stack of empties waiting to be filled with Red Rock mercury exhibited many variations in workmanship and mainder came from Yugoslavia and time peak of $340 per flask, with design. various other countries. Foreign quick- black market buyers reportedly offer- "When we ship quicksilver there is silver carries a duty of 25 cents per ing as much as $450 to $500 a flask. no assurance that we will get our same pound, or $19 a flask. As a result of the current high prices, flasks back," said Walter. "Sometimes Due to a combination of factors numerous mines have reopened, and we get flasks from foreign countries. the close of World War II sent. the public interest in prospecting for This—" indicating a neat but rather mercury market into its worst tailspin "quick" has soared to heights barely chubby container—"is a modern, elec- in years, and from 1946 through 1950, short of uranium. trically-welded flask from the Almaden the price of quicksilver on the New What will happen to the quicksilver mine in Spain. See, the name is York market averaged less than $84 mining industry when the government's stamped in the iron here on the end, a flask. Coupled with the rising costs guaranteed price program ends on De- 'Almaden, Espana.' And this crude of labor and materials, this adverse cember 31, 1957, is something even old lunker, here, is a very old, hand- market forced one after another of the experts do not claim to know, and welded flask from Almaden. Whether the country's quicksilver mines to close, the manner in which the mercury old or new, one serves the purpose and in 1950, according to the U.S. market responds to withdrawal of fed- about as good as another, and all types Bureau of Mines, mercury production eral support will likely be cause for are worth around $1.25 each." in the United States dropped to its making and breaking millionaires. Despite self-sufficiency in most com- lowest point in 100 years. In that But come fair weather or foul, high modities, United States' production of year only 16 quicksilver properties in prices or low, it is my guess that the mercury invariably falls far short of the nation reported any production, Dunnigan home in the pinyon-juniper the demand. In 1953, for example among them the Red Rock. belt of Nevada's White Mountains will quicksilver mines in the United States In an effort to restimulate mining still be one of Earth's favored places. produced only 14,337 flasks, or 14 of this vital element, for which no The soft call of mourning dove and percent of the 100,000 flasks required satisfactory substitute has been found, quail will still fill the quiet air at day- to supply the country's industrial needs. Uncle Sam, in 1954, adopted a three- break. The rain will fall, and the sun Of the imports required, some 66,000 year quicksilver program carrying a will lay softly warm on the rocks and flasks came from Spain and Italy, the guarantee of $225 a flask. For some hills—and the little Red Rock quick- world's leading producers of quick- strange reason the immediate effect of silver mine will continue to put forth silver for the past 20 centuries; Mexico this price support program was to send its small but vital quota of argentum supplied 13,637 flasks, and the re- mercury quotations soaring to the all- vivum, "The Living Silver."

FEBRUARY, 1956 15 ON DESERT TRAILS WITH A NATURALIST - XXII Termites on the Desert...

The next time you come across a clump of bunch grass that appears legs and appropriately is called the to have been spattered with mud, examine it closely. Chances are a black-legged termite. colony of termites are busily devouring the stems beneath the mud. All species have social caste systems. Contrary to the widely held belief that the desert is termite-free, many The majority in the colony are usually species of these diligent and destructive insects thrive in the Southwest. white to tan bodied, wingless workers; others are big, brown-jawed soldiers; •*v By EDMUND C. JAEGER, »D,Sc. a few are queens, given over to egg Curator of Plants laying. Riverside Municipal Museum Examine the next termite colony Photographs by Stanley 'Phair you find and note these different kinds of individuals and their major and FRIEND OF mine cbntemplat- galleries is the Arizona termite, Ami- minor differences with the aid of a ing the purchase of a desert termes arizonensis. magnifying glass — something you home asked his real estate Watch for such termite work on should always carry on your desert broker for a certificate of inspection your next desert walk. These highly walks. guaranteeing that the structure was specialized social insects mud cover By diligent search you may turn up free of termites or so-called white ants. not only grass and shrub stems, but "Why go to that expense?" asked three or four different species in a also the fecal droppings of animals and single day. Each is identifiable by the agent:* "We don't have termites on pieces of fallen wood from trees. the desert. I've never heard of such peculiar structural differences and col- pests around here." Break open the fragile earthen tubes ors of the members of the colony as and perhaps you will see the slow- My friend asked me later if this was well as by the kinds of galleries they moving insects busy at their work of work in. true, to which question he received a devouring the dry plant materials very definite negative reply. which constitute their only food. Most I suggest you take some notes and make a few drawings, no matter how The signs of termite activity are in termites are able to utilize this woody evidence in many places on the desert, crude. It is in this manner that you material as food only because they impress on your mind the things you particularly in summer after thunder- harbor single-celled protozoan para- showers or cloudbursts. Among the see. Moreover, by sketching the in- sites in their intestines which pre-digest sects, you are better able to note small many desert oddities are the structures, the cellulose. Strangely enough, the really tubes of soil, which certain of similarities and differences you would Arizona termite needs no such food otherwise never notice. these very diligent insects leave as evi- predigestors. dence of their work on the stems of The Sahara and other deserts have shrubs and grasses. Some stems of Other light-shunning white ants termites which build mud galleries and bunch grass are almost completely work in dead wood of desert trees and sand tubes very similar, if not identical, covered with saliva-moistened soil so shrubs and in the wood of houses to those made by termites on our that they appear to have been spattered where there is a bit of dampness. These American deserts. Some of the sand with gravy-like mud. The termite toil- do not mud cover their food. They tubes they build are unusually large, ers, working day and night, devour live and thrive in the dark galleries constructed by termites called Psam- most of the enclosed grass stems, leav- they build within the wood. motermes (Greek sand termites or ing the mud tubes intact. The insect One peculiar species I sometimes woodworms) by the scientifically- responsible for these strange shelter find in wood has, unlike others, black minded specialists.

The mud galleries of desert termites on bunch grass. -• A lump of vegetable refuse mud-covered by termites.

16 DESERT MAGAZINE The I.-.* Vallecitos' Strange Tree illll

Here is a tree that starts off to be a colossus and ends up a dwarf. The result is a curious plant that has held the interest of botanists and desert travelers for many years—and will con- tinue to hold that interest so long as the strange Elephant Tree sends its short, crooked branches into the desert sky. Massive lower trunks of Elephant Trees taper rapidly giving the stunted plants a striking appearance. By G. PHILIP CURTI

HE STRANGE, the odd and the soms, and yellow-tipped creosote green of the bark and the blue of the peculiar never fail to fascinate, bushes—is seen the darker green of the single-seeded berry. 7 and on the isolated hillslopes of leaves of the major stand of California's Proof that this is the Elephant Tree eastern San Diego County, California, Elephant Trees. may be found a shrub with an ele- is in the dark red sap that flows like phantine trunk and blood-like sap, Named in honor of the sixteenth blood when the bark is cut. The shrub intriguing to both botanist and layman. century botanist, Joachim Burser, this will more readily bleed in summer than Although varieties are known in the unneighborly shrub does not grow in in winter, and the oil exuded has an Gila Range of Arizona south through groves. The two specimens that I aromatic smell similar to turpentine Sonora and Baja California, the Bur- found in closest proximity in this or varnish. In Mayan and Aztec times sera microphylla, or Elephant Tree, group of a hundred were 30 feet apart. the wood was burned as incense in has an extremely restricted distribution From beneath a gray boulder, the temples and, until quite recently, medi- in California, principally on the west- obese, foot thick trunk appears, hesi- cinal properties were ascribed to its use in the treatment of venereal disease ern side of the Colorado Desert on the tantly wondering whether this arid and rocky slopes of the Vallecito Moun- and scorpion bites. Indians also use desolate region would accept him in the bark as a source of dye and tannins. tains. A few of the trees have been its desert vegetative association. Satis- found near the base of the Santa Rosa fied, the twisted elephantine trunk, Of all the California shrubs, surely Mountains of California. within a foot of the ground, separates this is the strangest: blue berries, yel- The Split Mountain Road south- into two or three branches, each about low-green paper-like bark turning to wards from Ocotillo on State Highway half the size of the base stem. Further reddish brown on the twigs, dark green 78 affords the only accessible route to crooked branches taper rapidly, and leaflets and blood-like sap of deep red these strange plants in the Vallecitos, the fronds of tiny green leaflets, remi- make a unique color combination. The but the comfort of modern transporta- niscent of the pepper tree, lend a pleas- Elephant Tree has a trunk that appears tion ends where an almost indistin- ing color contrast to the yellowish from the ground as if to bear a con- guishable trail wanders westward from the tarmac, threading its way through siderable tree, but the branches taper ocotillo, mesquite and cholla. Endeav- rapidly toward their tips. Some bot- oring to avoid the boulders that in- anists believe this is caused by frequent crease in number and size as one freezings back in the plant's early years. approaches the alluvial fan debauch- The Elephant Tree ranges in height ing here from between two eastward- from six to 15 feet, but some 30-foot reaching rocky spurs, the path mean- giants have been found in Mexico. ders with the wash it follows. At an It is a shrub whose resin has been elevation of 500 feet the trail, which may be traversed by jeep for a short used for the healing of man's wounds way, leads into an amphitheater be- and for the amelioration of God's tween the spurs and the higher Valle- wrath. Of a sub-tropical family of 15 cito mass ahead. A trifle higher up genera and 400 species, but a single the sloping baiada scattered over an genus and a single species is native to area about a mile long from southwest - California, and that, with unelephantine to northeast, and about half as deep, reserve, grows hidden in the arid rocky amidst ocotillo with their flaming blos- washes of the mountains of Vallecito.

FEBRUARY, 1956 17 Red Rock Canyon Gem Trails ...

Rock collectors have been following the gem trails in California's Red Rock Canyon for many years—and the material is not as plentiful there as in former days. But there is more at Red Rock than merely beautiful stones, as you will realize when you read Harold Weight's story of his most recent trip to this fantastic area.

By HAROLD O. WEIGHT Map by Norton Allen

Both of them came from Red Rock. I had found them in the middle 1930s, while spending several days scrambling over and across cliffs, mesas, buttes and gulches there. At that period my consuming in- terest was infra-red photography. Red Easter Sunrise Services at Red Rock Canyon attract an Rock's magnificent erosional forma- increasing number of people every year. Photograph courtesy tions seemed expressly designed for Paul Hubbard. that film's harsh contrast and haze- eliminating, sky - darkening properties, and I gave the canyon a thorough go- ? IN THE Mojave Desert part endowed with natural wonders, there ing over. Rocks, so far as I was con- of Kern County, California, would long ago have been agitation cerned then, could be divided into two efforts are under way again to to make Red Rock a national park. It classes—pretty and not pretty—and I convince the State Division of Beaches is a sort of California Bryce—smaller wasn't looking for either kind. and Parks that Red Rock Canyon than the Utah park, true enough, but Nevertheless, when I was clambering should be made a California State more friendly and more approachable. over that big backbone of Red Rock Park. To those of us who have known My introduction to the wonderful southwest of Ricardo, I found myself and loved Red Rock's beautifully col- red canyon could hardly have been among rocks so outstandingly in the ored, spectacularly eroded sedimentar- more ideal. It came in the late 1920s pretty class that for a time I forgot ies and volcanics through most of our when we arrived among its looming photography. It was a long way back lives, it seems strange that anyone cliffs at dusk, with just light enough to the car and I was festooned and should need convincing. to set up camp. Then, well after dark, loaded with camera and equipment so Of course, that isn't the whole prob- a full moon swept above the easterly that I did not have even a free pocket. lem. When I wrote to the Parks Divi- ramparts to half display, half conceal, But I felt I just had to have those two sion about it, they explained that this with unearthly beauty and mystery, the special pieces, so I hauled them back area was proposed many years ago ridged promontories and shadowed in my shirt front. but, "Its acquisition has not been real- coves in the great battlements beside About two years after that the rock ized, mainly because of the lack of which we had halted. Later years re- fever really caught up with me. In matching funds which are necessary vealed more but no greater beauties those pre-military days, when the pub- to assist in its purchase." These out- as my interests in desert history and lic domain was public, collectors could side funds are required by the beaches in photography and in rock collecting hunt almost anywhere in the Western and parks appropriation bill of 1945, all drew me back to Red Rock again deserts and it was several years before which stipulates that each dollar spent and again. I worked around to Red Rock on a by the state in acquisition shall be Going through some old boxes a few real collecting trip. On that trip, with matched with another dollar from other months back, I came upon two of the my mother and father, we found that sources or by donations of lands of first pieces of cutting rock that I ever south of Red Rock a rough trace of a equal value. brought home. One was a big chunk road led west from the highway and This geological and scenic wonder- with green and yellowish moss threads then northerly, to a spot behind the land is unique and unexcelled in Cali- in chalcedony, the other a colorful familiar formations. And there was fornia. In some states less abundantly jasp-agate in greens, browns and reds. abundant jasper, agate and chalcedony 18 DESERT MAGAZINE Some of the most striking and most frequently visited sections of Red Rock Canyon are privately owned, but so far remain open to visitors through the generosity of the owners. But Utterbugs could quickly change the "Keep Clean" on this sign to "Keep Out." Photograph by the author.

in various mixtures and colors, on the World War II. The rockhound areas was racing around smoothing roads steep slopes and in the gullies which in Last Chance Canyon and the El and additional camping areas for new form the side of Red Rock not seen Pasos, to the northeast, are extensive arrivals. from the highway. We found cutting and I knew that in them petrified wood The tranquillity and friendly activ- rocks both as float and in ledges. We and opal, as well as the jaspers and ity of the scene was in striking contrast also found evidence that rockhounds agates of formations like those in Red to the greeting I remembered in that had been hunting and working hard Rock, were still being found. But the same area when I had been picture around these hills and gulches for a spot at the western edge of Red Rock taking so long before. On that occa- considerable period of time. that I had in mind is limited in extent. sion I learned in a forceful way that Examining those two rocks 20 years It is close beside a major highway to Red Rock was mining country. I had later I was surprised at their quality. one of California's tourist attractions. driven through this cove and as far Often the "high-grade" I hauled home It has been known to rockhounds eastward as a wandering trace of road at the beginning of my rockhound ca- almost since the beginning of the would take me. There I found an reer seemed poor stuff in later years. hobby. If any field was cleaned, it interesting angle on a huge cliff I had Wondering whether more of that grade might well be. It would be interesting never seen pictured before. to learn how it had fared. was left at Red Rock, I recalled a rock- I fixed my camera on the tripod and hound gathering of a few nights before. Red Rock is hot in summer and composed my picture carefully, squint- There Red Rock had been suggested can be very cold in winter, when winds ing frequently through the small view for a possible field trip. And the cry from the Sierras and the upper Mojave finder and doing quite a bit of general —so familiar to field trip chairmen— sweep down through it. Easter Week, fussing. During this, I was dimly con- was "Aw, that's cleaned out!" Lucile and I decided, should be a per- scious of another car racing down the Rockhound collecting fields do be- fect time to visit the canyon. The trail I had used at a clip which left come exhausted. Especially today, weather should be pleasant, the wild- great dust streamers rising into the with an expanding hobby and a de- flowers well hi bloom. We might even air. But I paid little attention to it creasing number of collecting areas. be on hand for the Easter Sunrise until, while I was exposing the shot, But the cry of "Cleaned out!" often Services which attract an increasing the car swerved into my side track, means that a little work will be neces- number of people to Red Rock each swung across it to block any chance of sary to obtain good rock or that the year. my escape, and halted. fellow doing the hollering does not want too much competition around We arrived in the canyon the day Out of it piled a grim and authentic- before he has completed his own clean- before Easter, with the weather unex- looking Western character with an ing. pectedly hot. Many cars and trailers enormous revolver strapped to his hip. already were camped against the great He demanded to know what in the hot While I had driven through Red cliffs in the cove to the west of the desert I thought I was doing. Simply Rock frequently, I had not stopped to highway where the services were to be taking a picture, I explained. The hunt rocks there since shortly after held. A busy little jeep hauling a drag Westerner snorted his disbelief and

FEBRUARY, 1956 19 stomped over to investigate my camera the canyon. But it was a surprise to values per yard made any expensive minutely. me that any mining claim in Red Rock development unprofitable. Though Wherj he came back, he seemed would be considered worth shooting good sized individual nuggets were convinced that probably I was telling over. Later I learned that there had found, by 1895 the California Bureau the truth. And he explained that—my been a real gold excitement in the of Mines reported only seven dry- camera being a very tiny one on the canyon in early days. Oldtimers say washers in operation. But the strikes top of a very tall tripod — he had there were strikes in the 1860s. The at Red Rock and elsewhere in the El thought that I was surveying. And I big rush came in 1893, in this same Paso Mountains—particularly at Black was pointed right at one of his gold area of the canyon. The original dis- Mountain and Goler—were credited claims. And he had been having coverer reportedly took out $150 in with bringing the rush of prospectors which a few years later resulted in the trouble with attempts at claim jumping. four days, went to Mojave, came back discovery of the Yellow Aster and the He had thought I was one of the unre- with a partner, and took out another constructed trouble makers. birth of Randsburg. There has been $260 in two days. The gold was placer, only intermittent mining since then— As he clambered back into his car, hauled down to the little intermittent the most recent rush being by person- still unmollified, he gave me a last stream in the canyon to be worked. nel from Edwards Air Force Base who scowl. "You want to be careful," he When the word got out, hundreds not long since announced a uranium warned, "or one of these days you of hopefuls made the rush to Red strike in the canyon. may get shot." Rock. But there was no water for With those early miners came an- I moved to more peaceful parts of real placer operations and the over-all other kind of prospector who brought the Red Rock area to the permanent attention of the scientific world. That was the geologist H. W. Fairbanks, who, in 1896, published a description of the spectacularly exposed Red Rock formations. Much earlier—in 1875— they had caught the attention of G. K. Gilbert, working on the Geographical and Geological Explorations West of the 100th Meridian, but Fairbanks gave the first details and discovered the first fossil remains in the region-— leaves which were identified as belong- ing to the Eocene period. Other investigations followed, the principal ones made by expeditions headed by C. L. Baker, J. P. Buwalda and John C. Merriam, from 1911 through 1915. The results were pub- lished by the University of California in 1919, in Merriam's Tertiary Faunas of the Mojave Desert. Merriam named ;, \ Jasper the beds the Ricardo formation, for the little station and postoffice just north of the most colorful sections of Red Rock Canyon. From that Ricardo

y^y -KOEHN •••• formation came quantities of teeth and '(/••••'•'• '•' • DRY LAKE '•' fragments of fossil bone which, when patched together and identified, be- came what has been declared one of the largest and most important assem- blages of mammalian fauna known Wogon Wheel Shi. from the Pliocene of western North America. Apparently these creatures found their graves in a huge freshwater lake which developed in Indian Wells and Cantil valleys in the Pliocene and in which 7000 feet of Ricardo sediments and volcanics were deposited. No com- plete skeletons and few unbroken bones have been found in these sediments. It would seem possible that the animal population suffered from the geological violence taking place at that time. According to T. W. Dibblee, Jr., Geology of the Saltdale Quadrangle, California, the El Paso and Garlock faults may well have been created dur- ing mountain-making upheaval at this period's beginning. Vulcanism which

20 DESERT MAGAZINE ' v1-"- r-.•'•;" =:'-H.'.::

" ii •••***•

««

i?y.^.* ;x*; •WE . I Rock presents its ornate front to the public, but its comparatively drab rear yields prizes for the rockhound. Here a vein of chalcedony with white moss is exposed on a slope favored by Mojave asters. Photograph by the author. followed, deposited huge ash beds and Canyon, a few miles northeast of Red to the north, crossing a sandy wash. extruded red andesite and breccia. Rock, in the El Pasos. In the wash was a cattle fence and After a peaceful period it started again, Over the land had wandered giant gate which I did not remember from with tuff breccia and four flows of camels as well as smaller versions, my last visit. But there was no "Keep basalt. Then, after Ricardo sediments pronghorns, early forms of grazing Out" sign on it and we judged it was and flows were laid down, a new and horses and large browsing horses and to keep the cattle in rather than us out, tremendous upheaval, believed a local deer. There were long jawed masto- so we passed through, closing the gate effect of the rising of the Coast Ranges, dons, rhinoceroses, saber-toothed cats, as we had found it. There are no caused thin wide flows of Black Moun- dogs and bear-dogs, with rabbits and spectacular cliffs at the back of Red tain basalt, activity along the Garlock weasels as more familiar inhabitants. Rock, but we were close beside small and El Paso faults, and the uplifting dark hills. Among them we found of the Rand Mountains. On our last trip to Red Rock at chalcedony, including veins of clear Easter-time, we found the coves along with mossy white at the edges. We A picture of this part of our South- the highway occupied with campers. found jasper, some of it with green west in the Clarendonian age of the We sought a more secluded spot for moss. I picked up one large geode. early Pliocene has been built up from our own campground, and turned west There was a scattering of banded agate. the flora and fauna found in the Ri- on the old trail I had followed many cardo formations. According to the years ago. There were even more flowers here. Geology of Southern California, re- In a matter of minutes the desert The almost bare white limbs of the cently published by the California Di- closed in around us. There was no Indigo bushes on the steep slopes were vision of Mines, the country was a other car or human in sight and only sprouting beautiful purple peas. On sort of early California version of the an occasional heavy thunder to remind the slopes over which we scrambled present African veldt, "a woodland- us of the nearby highway. Beautiful were little pink globe mallows, tiny savanna association, with chaparral clumps of beavertail were blooming pink gilias and lavender gilias, bloom- and some arid subtropical scrub near- on and near the slopes. Pincushion, ing white Rafinesquia, thistle sage and by. Precipitation was about 15 inches pale sand verbena, small and medium Mojave aster. yearly. Summers were hot, but win- blazing stars, cream and yellow eve- We continued on the narrow, deeply ters were mild and probably frostless." ning primrose, chia, malacothrix and rutted road, rounding the massive Plant remains which experts identified the pink stars of the canchalagua slopes which enclose Red Rock's fa- were live oak, pinyon pine, locust, brightened the land around us. On the miliar formations, and angled east cypress, acacia, buckbrush, "desert nearby slopes I found yellow and again. Here we searched over a great thorn" and palm. Some of this ma- brown jasper, little seams of chalce- reddish slope which, I was sure, was terial was found among the famed pet- dony, small natrolite nodules. the very one where I had picked up rified wood collected in Last Chance We followed the curve of the hills my first pieces. And to prove it, I

FEBRUARY, 1956 21 • ••••..•.•..••••• ••••

"Bradshaw's Road to the La Paz Diggin's," in this month's Desert, is the first article written by Franklyn Hoyt for a popular magazine although several of his works have appeared in scholarly historical journals. Hoyt is a history teacher at Mt. San Antonio College in Pomona, California. He is a native of Riverside, Califor- nia, and in 1941 was graduated from the University of Redlands. After four years in the Navy, Hoyt entered III the University of Southern California 111 where he received his Ph.D. degree. His specialty is California History. The Hoyts, who have two children, John, 8, and Nancy, 4, are camera enthusiasts who enjoy traveling to far off places for their photos. "We are making rather vague plans at this time to drive to Fairbanks, Alaska," writes Mr. Hoyt. Brown, green and red moss jasper, threaded with chalcedony, from the Red * * * Rock Canyon rock fields, and a cabochon cut from it. Photograph by the G. Philip Curti, who wrote "The Val- author. lecitos' Strange Tree" in this month's issue, is credited with making the first comprehensive study of the Borrego found material which seemed to match warmed the rich red of the andesite Springs, California, area. It was while exactly the two chunks I had hauled above us, the owls were still calling making this study that he became ac- home so long before. We came upon questioningly from the dark coves of quainted with the Elephant Tree found other scattered pieces of jasper in Red Rock. The nearby canyons be- in that vicinity. greens, tans and browns, some red came alive with the varied warble of Curti was born in San Francisco, flecked. Some, with moss patterns, the finches. Doves spoke softly from but spent most of his life in London. would cut into beautiful stones. the wash below. The early light spilled During the war he was a pilot and And we were satisfied, again, that on down the slope and illuminated a navigator in the RAF. He is currently the cry of "cleaned out!" certainly did little wild garden of globe mallows as connected with the Department of not apply to this field. True, the ma- the small dawn wind made them dance Geography at UCLA. terial was not as abundant as it had and tremble. On a green ledge already * * * been. Probably it had been pretty well warmed by the sun, an early-rising New address of the National Spele- high-graded of its finest material. But gridiron-tailed lizard pumped himself ological Society is 1770 Columbia good pieces still could be found, more up and down, genuflecting toward the Road NW, Washington, D.C., advises was weathering out all the time, and east. The sun cleared the ridge and Dr. W. R. Halliday, author of "We more could be dug out. Explored the Winding Stair Cave" across the wide wash a mockingbird which appeared in the December, 1955, We collected until dusk, then turned broke into clear, full-throated music. back. With the Jeep we could have Desert. followed the road on through to a Bathed in the beauty of those golden junction with the highway above Ri- notes and in the ever-renewing promise BLACK WIDOW'S VENOM MUCH cardo, but we had no desire to camp of the desert dawn, I felt a twinge of STRONGER THAN RATTLESNAKE'S in the crowded main part of Red Rock. sorrow for the rock collector back The black widow is the principal Instead we found a little cove in the there in the city who had cried that spider in the United States with poison hills at the edge of the big wash. Dark- Red Rock was cleaned out. Even if sufficiently toxic to affect a healthy ness fell shortly after supper, and with he had been right about the rocks, he adult. The poison is neurotoxic, that it a pleasant coolness. But sleep came would still have been wrong. There is is, it affects the nerves. so much more to rock hunting in the slowly, with snatches of our conversa- Weight for weight, the venom of the desert than the bringing home of a car- tion recurring, conjuring up the strug- black widow is now believed to be load of rocks. And there is also, in more virulent than that of any other gling weary remnants of the Forty- such wonder spots as Red Rock, al- niners who had escaped Death Valley poisonous animal. It is rated as six most a guarantee of expanding hori- times stronger than that of the cobra and made their way through these zons. Even as the canyon once made bright canyon walls, of the bandit Vas- and 15 times that of a prairie rattle- me forget my photography to look at snake. It is indeed fortunate that this quez thundering through after a raid beautiful rocks, it may make rock- on the stage station farther north. spider is so small. In 217 years only hounds drop their picks to gaze at 1300 bites were recorded, with a death We watched Easter Dawn from our beauty and next time perhaps they will rate of four percent. Outdoor Hazards, bedrolls and when the first light bring cameras along. Real and Fancied by Mary V. Hood. 22 DESERT MAGAZINE HOME ON THE DESERT

Each desert home may become a lovely oasis if its occupants will give thought and effort to its land- Potted Plants in scaping. Where water is in short supply, the problem of growing things may best be solved with a Desert Patio ... potted flowers and shrubs — and here are some suggestions from Ruth Reynolds of Tucson for those who are interested in decorating By RUTH REYNOLDS Or, why not get one of those indus- the yard or patio with a movable trial hand trucks? A small lightweight landscape. IN THE Desert one?" I asked. Southwest is half spring, half "Because," answered my husband, winter, and many plants in the In the first group almost any flower "we don't have any potted plants." I —from the petunia to the rose—can desert garden are now in a dilemma— agreed that we didn't have—yet. enticed into bloom by the warm day- be pot grown successfully. Even the time sun and chilled into retreat by This is an increasingly popular type very common African Violet or ger- the cold night temperatures. The of gardening — a type many people anium can be dramatized by the gar- gardener too is perplexed—tempted to consider less, rather than more, work dener's ingenuity by using them in get things going in the garden but aware than regular gardening. A potted gar- numbers and grouping them effectively that there is yet too much danger of den can be confined to a concentrated for bright color accents. freezing weather. area, protected from extreme tempera- In the garden I have in mind, the ture changes. All the work of water- In contemplating this period of un- foliage plants predominate, and texture ing, weed and insect control is reduced and form as well as color shadings are certainty I began thinking of potted to a minimum and each plant can be plants and portable gardens. When characteristics to be considered by the given its own best soil to grow in and pot gardener, especially if she is in- I mentioned the idea to Ted his its own particular diet. thoughts turned immediately to "tub fluenced by an artist-designer-gardener toting" and who was going to do it. Plants suitable for potting are nu- like my friend, Helen Gardiner Doyle, merous and varied. They are divided who has turned the small patio and "Don't worry about that," I told into two main classes—those grown brick paved terrace of her desert home him. "Only a few plants require tub- for flowers and those for foliage, al- and art center, Hacienda Bellas Artes, size containers and the nurseries now though many plants fit equally well into a green oasis where the native carry dollies with which to move them. into both categories. and the exotic combine to create an

Handsome carved door in keeping with the patio's Potted Saguaro and cocoa palm, right foreground, enjoy Spanish motif is framed, from left, by rubber plant, fan the sun at the edge of the patio walk. Palo Verde in leaf palm and sweet potato plant that could pass for a background grows in a brick lined island giving it the philodendron. In background is a privet tree. - : appearance of being potted too.

FEBRUARY, 1956 23 artistic setting to be lived in the year Among plants more commonly used the holes in the bottom of the container around. indoors were the jungle natives—the with pieces of broken crockery, adds Mrs. Doyle, I must admit, has the easy-to-grow philodendrons, including a layer of charcoal, then a layer of advantage of having planned ahead for the dramatic, huge split-leaf Monstera peat moss and fills in with potting soil just such a display. Her husband, Luke as well as the more familiar vining —a large percentage of which is peat Doyle, is a contractor and the two of oxycardium, with small heart shaped moss, except for arid climate plants them together designed and built their leaves; a rubber plant and a Strelitzia which do well enough in a more com- house. The home is Spanish in style Reginae from Hawaii. pact soil. For the more acid-loving and it encloses, on three sides, an inner Plants more tolerant of sun but plants—bougainvillea and camellia— court or patio where plants can be sensitive to cold are shrub-formed a little soil sulphur may be added. placed in direct sun, in the shade of bougainvillea, camellias and hibiscus. Once the plants are established they a sheltering wall or under the over- All of these make attractive plants are fed and watered according to their hanging roof. even when not in flower. requirements. The unpaved central part of the In choosing plants and arranging patio is in grass, and the focal point them an artist would of course be Most thrive on a balanced fertilizer, of interest there is a palo verde tree adept^achieving a nice balance be- applied in liquid form. A completely with the free-form outline of the pav- tween the tall and the low growing soluble fertilizer with a 10-20-10 anal- ing reaching out to encircle it so that plants; harmonizing or contrasting the ysis—four tablespoons to 12 quarts of it appears to be potted too. shades of green—the dull with the water—is a good formula, higher in On a recent visit to this desert ha- bright, the glossy textures with the phosphorus than in nitrogen and po- cienda, 14 miles from Tucson, I found softer or rougher ones. tassium. In fertilizers there is a differ- Helen unoccupied, for the moment, Containers, according to Helen, ence between soluble and completely with teaching art, painting or designing should be in keeping with the archi- soluble, so manufacturers' directions and as eager as I to talk about plant- tectural styling. The more modern the should be followed carefully. growing. It was then and there that I architecture, the more modern the con- How frequently a plant should be became a pot garden enthusiast, in- tainers. However, the pot should never fed and watered depends upon the fluenced by Helen and her portable outshine the plant and, obviously, plant, the temperature and humidity. garden. should be large enough and only large As a general rule a once-a-month wat- The first thing that impressed me enough to accommodate its root sys- ering with the above solution is suffi- was her use of some rather common tem and accentuate its best features. cient to feed each plant according to plants — a shrub sized potted olive Helen likes small redwood tubs painted its size and need, the larger plants in tree, a nepal privet tree, an 18-inch a dark, dull green for larger plants larger containers receiving more than high saguaro, fan leaf palms, cocoanut and clay pots of assorted sizes for the smaller plants. An exception to palms—all requiring little or no pro- plants of smaller sizes. Many of these this rule is made for flowering plants tection from sun or frost. With their pots come from Mexico. which may be given double the amount roots confined, their growth had been Her gardening, after plants and con- of fertilizer to the given amount of retarded and their attractiveness en- tainers have been selected, begins with water. hanced. drainage. To pot a plant she covers Each plant's water requirement must be carefully gauged. Over saturation leaves the soil waterlogged and airless. Too little water results in the obvious drying up of soil and plant. Ptofif Ftom Yout Photos. . . In most small containers the soil is If your hobby is photography and if you use the desert's wide kept sufficiently moist with one or two stage to work upon, then you will want to enter the Picture-of-the-Month waterings a week, while larger contain- Contest this month and every month. Any subject will do—from the ers require water less often. When timeless flow of an ancient lava bed to the miraculous birth of a new there is doubt the soil beneath the wildflower—so long as the picture is from the Desert Southwest. Two surface should be checked. cash prizes are given each month for winning entries. All plants benefit from an occasional Entries for the February contest must be sent to the Desert Maga- washing to clean them of dust and zine office. Palm Desert, California, and postmarked not later than insects—mealy bugs, thrips, red spiders February 18. Winning prints will appear in the April issue. Pictures —which helps keep them attractive. which arrive too late for one contest are held over for the next month. At this point I persuaded Ted to First prize is $10; second prize $5. For non-winning pictures accepted read this manuscript. for publication $3 each will be paid. "What do you think?" I asked HERE ARE THE RULES brightly when he finished. 1—Prints for monthly contests must be black and white, 5x7 or larger, printed on glossy paper. "I think," said my husband, "I'd 2—Each photograph submitted should be fully labeled as to subject, time and better start looking around for that place. Also technical data: camera, shutter speed, hour of day, etc. hand truck." 3—PRINTS WILL BE RETURNED WHEN RETURN POSTAGE IS ENCLOSED. 4—All entries must be in the Desert Magazine office by the 20th of the contest "Oh yes," I agreed. And then I had month. an idea, two ideas really. "You know," 5—Contests are open to both amateur and professional photographers. Desert I said, "we could put some sort of roof Magazine requires first publication rights only of prize winning pictures. over our brick terrace . . . and wquldn't 6—Time and place of photograph are immaterial, except that it must be from the desert Southwest. it be nice if I had a little lath house— 7—Judges will be selected from Desert's editorial staff, and awards will be made just a tiny one, where I could pot the immediately after the close of the contest each month. plants and keep them until they were ready to display—" Address All Entries to Photo Editor Ted was overcome with enthusiasm, PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA I guess, for his answer was quite un- intelligible.

24 DESERT MAGAZINE Pictures of the Month

Spider Web

L. D. Schooler of Blythe, California, repeats as the first prize contest winner with this striking study of a spider web stretched across the fork of a cholla cactus skeleton. Schooler used a Rolleicord camera, plus X film, flash, f. 22 at 1/50 sec.

Monument

Second prize winner is this photograph of the Ragtown Crossing Monument near Fal- lon, Nevada, photo- graphed by A. L. Seel- ing of Santa Barbara, California. Camera data: Rolei 3.5 Xenar lens, Ansco Supreme film;f. 11 at 1/100 sec. sec.

FEBRUARY, 1956 25 Somewhere in the rugged Coso Range on California's Mojave Des- ert is a hidden canyon where the TREASURE CANYON OF ancients are said to have stored a rich treasure in gold and artifacts in caves. Here is the story of the man who learned about this treas- the Coso Ancients ure from an aged Indian—and who believes that he once located the caves—only to lose them again. By RUSS LEADABRAND This tableland, cut by endless rocky Photographs by the author ravines and tortuous arroyos, knows explorers in the area — the single- few watering places. The lonely Joshua blanket burro prospectors—often stood Map by Norton Allen trees stand sentinel here and the coyote in awe of the vast canyons filled with is familiar with the evening ridges. the Ancients' writing. (ROODING OVER the northwest Few roads invade the Coso badlands The Paiutes who still lived in the corner of California's Mojave even today and in those days of the area told Bishop that the Coso Range Desert is the bleak Coso Range, late 1920s when Frank Bishop was was a place set apart—a place that a grim, burned series of volcanic cones prospecting the Panamints and Argus once belonged to the "old people." and wind-scoured crags that crowd up Range there were many blank spots Some of the Indians hinted of other to an apex at Coso Peak, 8160 feet. on the map between Brown and Dar- things in the dark range and these The Coso Range rises out of the win. stories intrigued Bishop. Indians in melancholy salt flats of the China Lake This was the haunt of early man the Mojave, like Indians elsewhere, country to form a wide, somber mesa. and he left his mark. The first modern are not talkative. But one Indian pros- pector dropped a couple of references to a hidden canyon. The remark stuck in the back of Bishop's mind. He had seen gold in the Argus Range and had reason to suspect that there was more of the yellow stuff in the neighboring hills. Snow fell early on the upper desert that year and the gaunt, gray giants of the Sierra scarp were dusted with white when Bishop stopped off at a cabin near Brown on his way back to civilization. The Indian prospector was inside and they spoke again of the Coso back country. That night, before the pale light of a kerosene lamp, the Indian showed Bishop a strange necklace. It looked incredibly old, yet the sinew stringing was still tough for it had been well preserved. The tiny red shell beads were laced together in an overlapping pattern. Single flat beads, scarcely a quarter inch across, were laboriously pierced by some tireless ancient with a stone drill. There were three pendants on the necklace. At first Bishop took them to be green-black stones—dirty pieces of tarred obsidian. He rubbed one of the stones. The grime came away under his touch. The pendants were pierced gold nuggets, each the size of an acorn! The Indian wouldn't part with the necklace, but in the yellow smear of light on the rough table he drew a map—a map that was to lead Bishop across hundreds of strange miles in Invokern — the years to come. Ridgecres It was a rough map that the Indian drew with a gnarled finger across the

26 DESERT MAGAZINE It is in a rugged terrain such as this that the hidden canyon and its caves of treasure are believed to be concealed. Petroglyphs are evidence that the prehistoric aborig- ines spent much time in this region. At the top, Fred Morgan of Pasadena, Cali- fornia, who guided the author into the Coso range.

rough pine boards—a map to a hid- discover even stranger things at Little dying sun making long shadows across den canyon in the Coso Range. Lake at the foot of the Cosos. the inhospitable range Bishop at last Within the canyon, the Indian said, Two years passed before Bishop looked down into the box canyon. He were the caves of the old people. It returned to the Cosos. In the months camped at the canyon entrance that was from such a cave that the neck- that followed he criss-crossed the night. lace with the gold ornaments had come. Range and in these wanderings saw The next morning he discovered why Dry caves, dust dry, where rain or many incredible sights. Indian writ- he had been unsuccessful in his earlier wind never touched. Caves where the ings were scattered throughout the searchings. old people may have been buried in vast rocky ravines of that forbidding The yard-wide mouth of the box the strange custom of the ancients with range. canyon, which opened into a larger arms and legs folded and covered with Bishop crossed fields of glass where wash, had been covered by a cave-in. a giant basket; caves where the tools the obsidian shards sliced the soles of The only way to find the canyon— of labor and war were still scattered his shoes. There were alkali fields little more than 100 feet in length— under the dust; caves that white men hidden in secret valleys. On the rims was to stumble upon it from above as had never seen. of these dry lakes he found the rem- he had done. nants of old Indian campsites. Arrow- The map contained landmarks to Bishop climbed over the rubble at points and stone implements were com- the canyon's mouth and stared in as- a small box canyon. Entrance to the mon in these areas. canyon was through a rock crevice tonishment at the sight before him. scarcely wide enough to admit a man. Every day there was something new It was almost as the Indian had de- The opening appeared in the side of and strange, but the hidden canyon scribed it. A narrow canyon, one wall a rocky ravine. Inside, a shadowy slot escaped his search. covered with petroglyphs, the other cut across the floor of the range. On With summer almost spent the pros- perforated with cave mouths. one wall were Indian writings, the pector despaired of finding the cave The caves had obviously been used petroglyphs of the old people. On site. At sunset one evening he was as places of habitation. Soot from in- the other wall, high above the floor crossing a long purple plain some- numerable fires had made great smudge of the narrow canyon, were the dozen where in the vicinity of Lamotte smears up the sheer canyon face above shelter caves. Springs when he noticed the dark line the yawning holes. of a ravine on the edge of the flat. The map etched itself in Bishop's But the caves were too high to reach It was in an area that he had from the canyon floor. There were mind. He took the vivid mental pic- searched before, but the distant line ture with him back to Los Angeles. handholds on the face of the wall, but aroused his curiosity. Bishop could not climb up them. The museum people with whom he It was a walk of a hundred yards checked doubted that Indians in the Exploring the canyon floor he found and on the way he passed a low wall obsidian points, scrapers and chips in area had used golden ornaments but of stones. profusion. they did not discourage Bishop. They In a few moments he reached the Later he climbed back up to the didn't know it then but they were to ravine and with the last rays of the rim of the canyon hoping to reach the FEBRUARY, 1956 27 HE for roads in that country went in the wrong directions. The peaks had shifted. The landmarks had vanished. Nowhere could he find the gray peak and the red cinder cone. The hidden canyon with its caves of mystery was lost again. Bishop looked for a week and then gave up. Things have changed even more in the Coso Range since Bishop tramped over them. The U. S. Navy has taken over most of the country for its giant Inyokern Naval Ordnance Test Station at China Lake. The old roads into the country are lost or closed. Once you could enter the range from Darwin, Brown or Coso Junction. Now the Darwin and Coso Junction roads are fenced off. To enter from the south, through the enormous ord- nance station, requires security clear- ance and special permission. The Navy has been zealous about protecting the known petroglyph can- yons. But the only ones who drive the terrible road up Renegade Canyon out of the salt flats onto Wild Horse Mesa today are the security patrols. They stick to the well-defined jeep ruts and leave the exploring to the wind and the wild burro. Recently the Southwest Museum es- IRS tablished that Little Lake, not too many miles from the Hidden Canyon area, Petroglyphs are everywhere in this rugged country. This glyph resembling a was once the home of Pinto and Gyp- ladder stretches from the bottom to the top of a ravine. sum Cave man—proof that the old people walked these lava hills at least 8000 years ago. caves from above, but his single piece Bishop marked the canyon as well Somewhere in the back country, of rope was too short to stretch down as he could in his memory and also possibly near Lamotte Springs, there to the cave mouths. There was no made pencilled notations of a gray is a small box canyon. Staring from way to reach them. peak on the left and a red cinder cone one wall of this rocky cul-de-sac is a From the opposite side of the can- to the right of the canyon. row of cave mouths. These dry caves yon he tried to peer into the caves. Five years passed before he returned may contain the ornaments of ancient In one he saw, or thought he saw, a to the Cosos. The unfriendly range man—smooth, water-worn nuggets of piece of matting or a basket. - had changed. The tire ruts that pass gold.

Somewhere in the bleak, burned Coso Range is the Lost Canyon of the Ancients. The Renegade Canyon road, foreground, leads to the Wild Horse Mesa.

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^af# ill tation to our friends north of the equator. CRAIG BURNS, M.D., President, Central Andean Rocks and Minerals Society Limns • • • "Highest" Rockhound Society . . . Moccasin Arch in Reverse . . . La Oroya, Peru San Francisco, California Desert: Desert: I recently became acquainted with I don't generally find fault with your Desert Magazine and each time I pick covers but I must take exception to up a new issue I am tempted to write the December, 1955, issue. you a letter. Now, with an issue in Having traveled and painted consid- front of me, I take action on my im- erably in the Navajo country, and be- pulse. ing very partial to the Monument Valley area, I was amazed to discover I have thought that perhaps you and you had printed the picture of Mocca- your readers would like to know about sin Arch in reverse, and then labeled the "highest society" in rockhound it "Window Rock," which is something circles in the world — The Central else again, being located at least a Andean Rocks and Minerals Society. hundred miles away at the Navajo Our meeting place, the last Friday of Agency. each month, is Mayupampa School, La Oroyo, Peru; La Oroya is at an Hold the picture up to a mirror, altitude of 12,200 feet above sea level then compare it with one you must and there are mountains all around! have of the famous Moccasin Arch Our membership is cosmopolitan, con- or better still, drop in sometime and sisting of 11 North Americans (9 U.S., look at the painting I made of it on the 2 Canada), 4 Peruvians, 3 Germans, spot. CHARLES L. REED 3 Argentinians, and one each from the Above —• The Lima to La Oroya following countries: Austria, India, highway at the continental divide. Dear Chuck: You are right—and Switzerland and Great Britain. Ac- Altitude here is 16,000 feet above I have no alibi. Apologies to you cording to our constitution, meetings sea level. Below—Cluster of quartz and all the Navajo Indians and are conducted in English. crystals from the Andes Mountains Harry Goulding for transposing There are both advantages and dis- of Peru. those two lovely arches.—R.H. advantages to being the highest mineral society in the world. One of our ad- vantages is that we are in the middle too. Actually, the tops of the Andes Ccttalpa Club Formed . . . of tremendous mining activity and it are sedimentary and the predominent is an easy matter to get a first-class fossil is the ammonite, a large circular Lenwood-Grandview, California geologist or mining engineer to talk snail-like animal looking like the pres- Desert: at our meetings—be he Dutch, Swiss, ent-day chambered nautilus. It is com- A group of us are in the process of Australian or North American — the mon to find specimens a foot in organizing a Desert Catalpa Club only condition being that he must diameter. Then there are the usual whose main objective it will be to speak in English. appearing small fossil snails, several sponsor an annual festival in June types of fossil shells, and fossil sand- when the Chilopsis linearis (known Another advantage is the wealth dollaiu (somewhat of a rarity here). also as Desert Catalpa, Desert Willow, of collecting material. Rockhounds Desert Orchid) blooms. are an oddity here, and mining super- But, let's not forget the disadvan- intendents readily give their approval tages. First, there is the high altitude. We plan to hold our first festival for our visits to their dumps and mines It takes a period of adjustment before in 1957. In the meantime we are just for the novelty of the situation— one can search ardently for minerals launching a campaign to introduce the and perhaps for someone to talk to. here, since one must often go even plants to home gardeners by sponsor- Of course women are not allowed in higher than La Oroya for most of the ing a home-planting contest with cash the mines—an Indian superstition in minerals. The principal mines are at and other prizes. Judging will take the Andes, probably originating with 14,000 to 15,000 feet above sea level. place in June of this year. the early Spaniards who also felt that Did you know that you can scarcely In my work here I have developed a woman brought bad luck to a sailing make wood burn at these altitudes? some very fine color variants ranging vessel. However, the climate is ideal and the from white to maroon, almost purple high altitude produces no serious or and cerise—and some of the plants The mines in the Central Andes lasting effects. have a very fine fragrance. yield beautiful specimens of quartz, pyrite, sphalerite, galena, bismuthinite, The second disadvantage is that we TED HUTCHISON argentite, tetrahedrite, realgar — the don't have many visiting rockhounds —-in fact, we dont' have any. Nobody list goes on and on incorporating 17 Small Price for Liberty . . . different metallic elements ending with to show our fine specimens to besides indium and thalliuir. Most of the ourselves, and nobody to take around China Lake, California world's indium comes from the Cerro to the finest places, mineralogically Desert: speaking, of course. Perhaps we are de Pasco Corporation's huge smelter I would like to present the other just too far south or too hidden. But side of the military land-grab question in La Oroya. we would welcome any fellow rock- in which you have repeatedly expressed This is good fossil-hunting territory, hound and herewith extend our invi- the opinion that the Government has

FEBRUARY, 1956 29 usurped too much desert land for mil- this country be well armed. This does But, someone asks: "What about itary bases and test areas. not only mean that we be well sup- the sea? Why not test the weapons As an employee of one of these plied with existing weapons, but that there?" In the first place, we do not desert test bases (Naval Ordnance Test we continue to develop new ones. control the sea beyond the three-mile Station at China Lake, California) I Surely, no desert dweller will dis- limit. If a fishing boat wants to wander feel I must come to the Government's count the value of preparedness. into a test area, we can ask it to leave, defense and explain why desert bases As we develop newer, longer range but we can't force it to do so. If fish- are needed. weapons, we must have adequate space ing is good an important test may be The present international situation in which to test them. The desert is an delayed. being what it is, it is imperative that ideal place for this work. Another problem is weather. In weapons testing we need to see and photograph what goes on. The clear fill!** ^ms 's Desert Magazine's monthly test for atmosphere of the desert is far su- VIIIIZ those who want to become acquainted with perior to the foggy, stormy weather so the Southwest desert country. In these ques- often found at sea. And, too, the deli- tions you'll find a bit of geography, history, botany, mineralogy and the cate instruments used in weapons test- lore of the desert and its white and Indian population. There are no ing need solid ground under them and penalties if you miss—and a lot of satisfaction in making a good score. would be useless on the rolling deck Twelve to 14 is fair. 15 to 17 good, and 18 or better exceptional. The of a ship. answers are on page 39. I regret as much as anyone that 1—One of the following reptiles is venomous: Chuckawalla Horned some very interesting country is closed lizard .„ . Gila Monster ... Desert tortoise . to the public. I regret that desert bases 2—A mescal pit was used by the desert Indians for: Storing food have to exist at all. In some happier Cooking mescal ...... Burying the dead Ceremonial pur- time we can hope that they can all be poses abolished and the public domain 3—Tahquitz was a god of the: Apache Indians . Cahuilla Indi- opened up to all. In the meantime, ans . Paiute Indians . Hopi Indians _.. ... however, they seem to be a small 4—Gem stone most sought by the Indians of the Southwest is: Tur- enough price to pay for our liberty. quoise - . Garnet . Topaz . Tourmaline CHARLES E. HENDRIX 5—Squaw or Mormon tea is made from the stems of: Common sage Dear Mr. Hendrix—Desert's po- Nolina . .. . Desert holly Ephedra sition is this: We have no quarrel 6—The home of the Chemehuevi Indians was along the banks of the: with the purpose of the Army, Navy Rio Grande . Colorado River ... . Gila River San Juan or Air Force to establish adequate River... training and testing facilities on the 7—The study of tamarisk would properly be undertaken by a: Zoolo- desert. But, we do object to the gist Botanist... Archeologist... Herpetologist policy of having 17 of them within 8—Rappel is a term commonly used in: Skiing ...... Hiking the desert areas of California, Ne- Mountain Climbing . Swimming vada and Arizona. A great deal of 9—The Tarantula Hawk preys on: Mice . Rabbits. . Fish this range area is lying idle much Spiders of the time—unused but closed to 10—Kaibab is the name of a forest in: Arizona Utah New all civilians. It is our view that if Mexico . California the operations of the three branches 11—Among students of the desert the name Philip A. Munz is associated in their training work were co-ordi- with: Mining . Archeology Botany Reclamation nated as they must be in the event 12—The Indians who live in a tributary of the Grand Canyon are: of a war, then the ranges could be Hopi Papago Havasupai Pima . reduced to one-third of the present 13—Obsidian is an: Igneous rock ..... Metamorphic Rock Sedi- number. We think they would con- mentary Rock . Conglomerate stitute a more effective defense force 14—Marcos de Niza was: The founder of Tucson A friar with in wartime if they practiced some Coronado's expedition . First white man to navigate the Grand co-ordination in peace time.—R.H. Canyon The padre who proved that California was not an • • • island Why Kill Porcupines? . . . 15—The highway across the top of Hoover dam links: California with Arizona California with Nevada Arizona with Nevada Portland, Oregon Utah with Nevada Desert: 16—One of the following cities is not on U.S. Highway 66: Albuquer- I am at a loss to understand why que Flagstaff Tucson Barstow Utah hunters are being urged to kill 17—The army officer in charge of the first camel caravan across the United porcupines (Desert, December, 1955, States was: Kit Carson Lieut. Beale Lieut. Emory p. 30). As a person who was saved Gen. Kearny from starvation by eating porcupines 18—Historically, the name Butterfield was associated with: The capture —the only animal I was able to catch of Geronimo._... . The Gadsden Purchase The Mormon mi- —I realize their value—and also rea- gration to Utah The operation of the first transcontinental lize that they destroy trees and stock stage line to Southern California are injured once in a while by them. 19—Kayenta is a town in: Utah.— . California New Mexico But, do they destroy as much timber Arizona as do careless loggers or careless smo- 20—Hohokam is the name given an extinct Indian tribe in: Death Val- kers and campers? ley Salt River Valley of Arizona Imperial Valley of Can it be that man is excusing him- California Tribesmen who built the cliff dwellings in New self from self-inflicted losses by point- Mexico ing a finger and gun at the porcupine? JIMMIE JAMES

30 DESERT MAGAZINE Ancient Spear Points Found . . . BISBEE — Big game hunters who Hete and Urn on the Demi... killed huge mammoths in Arizona 10,- 000 years ago have again left their ARIZONA Wetback Labor Declines . . . tracks {Desert, Oct. '55, p9). Mem- bers of the staff of the Arizona State Canada-Mexico Highway . . . PHOENIX—Executive Vice Presi- dent C. B. Moore of the Western Museum under its director, Dr. Emil KINGMAN—Delegates to the In- Growers Association declared that Haury, have unearthed mammoth and ternational Five States Highway Asso- users of Mexican laborers "are watch- buffalo bones together with spear ciation Convention have urged the points in the San Pedro Valley near swift completion of unimproved sec- ing carefully to see that no illegal labor Bisbee about 15 miles from the Mexi- tions of Highway 93 in order to elevate (wetbacks) is used in their fields." can border. At least three and possi- that route to the status of a major Moore said the immigration depart- bly four mammoth skeletons were in- Canada to Mexico highway. The fed- ment "to a large degree has cleaned termixed with buffalo bones, five spear eral highways numbering committee up the wetback situation."—Phoenix points, a stone knife, scraper and a has been asked by the State of Arizona Gazette big stone that was probably used as a to designate 93 as a United States chopper.—Phoenix Gazette Highway from Kingman south to the • • • Mexican border. It is presently a U.S. Park Plan Endorsed . . . route only from the Canadian border Coyote Poisoning Begun . . . to Kingman, but a state route from YUMA — The Arizona Recreation Association has endorsed, in a resolu- SNOWFLAKE—Control of coyotes Kingman to Mexico.—Mohave Miner through the use of Compound 1080 tion, plans for a widespread state park • • • is underway in Northeastern Arizona system proposed by the Arizona De- reports Vernon L. Frazier, U. S. Fish Navajos Seek Industry . . • velopment Board. Arizona is the only WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo and Wildlife representative. Lethal state in the Union without a park stations will be set up at strategic lo- tribe opened a $300,000 campaign to system, the Board reported. change its way of life from pastoral cations and when they have served to industrial. The money, to be taken their purpose, usually by March, they from tribal funds for industrial devel- will be picked up and destroyed, Fra- zier said. The stations consist of car- opment, was appropriated by the Tri- Deer Kidnappers Warned . . . bal Council in a 68 to 2 vote. How casses or other baits treated with PHOENIX—Game and Fish De- Compound 1080, a lethal poison for the money is to be used is up to the partment officials report that an unusu- Navajo Advisory Committee and the which there is no known antidote.— ally heavy epidemic of deer snatching Holbrook Tribune-News tribal chairman, Paul Jones. — New has broken out in the state among Mexican persons who, with the best of inten- • • • tions, take fawns home with them. In Hopis Elect Council . . . spite of these good intentions, how- GLORIOUS DDVEnTURE HOPI RESERVATION—The Ho- ever, such acts are really heartless and pis in their 12 self-governing villages to be condemned by all thoughtful citi- went to the polls recently to elect rep- zens, the department declared. Ninety- resentatives to the tribal council, the nine times out of a hundred the mother number being governed by population. of the fawn is hiding nearby when the The Hopis elected a tribal council after would-be rescuer blunders onto the organizing under the Indian Reorgani- fawn. Because of her tremendous sense zation Act in 1935, but by 1942 of smell, sight and hearing, there is no dissension became so great the coun- more chance of a doe losing her fawn cil was disbanded. Later, it was reor- than there is of a human mother mis- ganized, but has functioned in only a placing her baby. It is normal for the quasi-official manner. The Hopis have doe to nurse her fawn only a few times steadfastly refused to unite, even each day and to depart for long though their reservation has been en- stretches of time to feed. Kidnapping circled by the huge Navajo tribe. The fawns is as serious as shooting the new tribal council will be recognized animal and will be treated accordingly, In the Canyons of the Colorado by the U. S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. the department said. — Casa Grande and San Juan Rivers —Phoenix Gazette Dispatch Sturdy boats and skilled boatmen-guides insure safe and thoroughly enjoyable passage • • • through the most colorful canyons of the Indian Alcoholism Hit . . . Southwest desert. Stove Pipe Wells Hotel SAN JUAN AND COLORADO RIVERS WASHINGTON, D. C. — Indian Mexican Hat to Lee's Ferry Death Valley 7-day trips scheduled in May and June Commissioner Glenn L. Emmons said California he hopes soon to be able to take some $200 for each person GLEN CANYON OF THE COLORADO positive and practical steps to deal Home of the Famous Annual Hife, Utah, to Lee's Ferry with the problem of alcoholism among BURRO-FLAPJACK 8-day trips in August and September American Indians. Emmons' state- CONTEST $150 for each person GRAND CANYON OF THE COLORADO ment is in reply to criticism of the Stove Pipe Wells Hotel was until his Lee's Ferry to Lake Mead situation voiced by Federal Judge Carl death in 1950 owned and operated by 18-day trip in July Hatch in Albuquerque. Hatch said George Palmer Putnam, renowned Special charter trips may be arranged. author and explorer. It continues un- Write for 1956 summer schedule and rates. there has been a growing number of der the personal management of Mrs. intoxicated Indians since repeal of fed- George Palmer Putnam. J. FRANK WRIGHT eral and state bans against sale of MEXICAN HAT EXPEDITIONS liquor to Indians.—Phoenix Gazette Season: October 1 to June 1 P.O. Box 427 Blanding, Utah

FEBRUARY, 1956 31 CALIFORNIA Farm Labor Contract . . . Palo Verde Bids In ... MEXICO CITY — Negotiations BLYTHE—The new permanent di- Sierra Nevctdcrs Studied . . . were opened in Mexico City for a new version dam on the Colorado River to LONE PINE—Dr. Daniel I. Axel- contract to send Mexican farm hands divert water in Palo Verde Irrigation rod, UCLA professor of geology, has to U.S. fields. The Bracero question district canals will cost almost half a completed an extensive study of the long has been a sore spot on the Mexi- million dollars more than engineers' fossil plants on the Sierra Nevadas. can conscience, observers report. Al- estimates for the project. This was His research has helped establish ap- though the Mexican is pained to see revealed when bids from seven con- proximately when the life zones on the strong young backs of his country- struction firms were opened at the the mountains were established; when men heading north to be bent in stoop U.S. Reclamation bureau office in evolution began to operate in them; labor, statistics show why every con- Blythe. The two low bidders were W. and why there is such a diversity of tracting center in the republic is E. Kier of El Segundo with a bid of life in the area. Dr. Axelrod's fossil swamped with thousands of applica- $2,009,760 for construction of the studies indicate that 15,000,000 years tions every year. Seventy percent of earth and rock fill dam, and Haddox ago the range was a gentle slope that Mexican families survive on less than and Fisher of Yuma with a bid of reached a height of probably no more 10 pesos (80c U.S.) a day. Another $1,144,892 for construction of levees than 3000 feet.—Inyo Independent 23 percent manage on between 11 and and drains.—Palo Verde Valley Times 27 pesos daily. The 50 to 75c an hour paid by U.S. farmers looks like big Open Border Urged . . . money to the Braceros. Mexican offi- Fish Adapt to Salton Sea . . . WASHINGTON, D. C—Immigra- cialdom insists it is not equivalent to SALTON SEA—A first-rate sports tion Commissioner Joseph M. Swing what the U. S. Worker gets for the fishing area may be developed in the urged early easing of entry require- same work.—Salt Lake Tribune Salton Sea, investigators believe. Two ments for Cubans and Mexicans and • • • types of fish—pan-sized gulf croakers denied the move would open the flood- Trail Use Declines . . . and large, gamey corvinas—seem to gates to Communist infiltration. Under MT. WHITNEY—While use of the be adaptable to the tepid waters of proposed agreements with Cuba and Mt. Whitney Trail declined slightly the vast desert body of water. The Mexico, the government would drop during the past summer, the registra- croakers were introduced in 1950-51, visa requirements for visiting Cubans tion on the July 4 weekend set a new and have multiplied rapidly. The cor- and Mexicans.—Yuma Sun record for that holiday period, figures vinas were only planted two years ago, compiled by District Ranger Roy but are increasing at a rate that prom- Saarni showed. A total of 6010 per- ises good fishing in two or three years. Coyote, Bobcat Hunt . . . sons registered on the trail during the —Indio News LONE PINE — A two-day Inyo summer, a decrease of seven percent from the 6470 of last year which was County coyote and bobcat hunt was Water Appeal Denied . . . to be held January 7 and 8, according the record season. Approximately to the county board of supervisors. 2100 hikers reached the top of the DESERT HOT SPRINGS — In- Those registered for the hunt were mountain, a drop of 17 percent from terior Southern California communities eligible for a $2 bounty for each ani- the 2519 of the previous summer. •— may be barred from receiving Colorado mal killed.—Inyo Register Inyo Register River water following a ruling by the • • • Metropolitan Water District rejecting a request by Desert Hot Springs for Trout Planting Set ... annexation to the Western Muncipal LOS ANGELES—At least 75 per- Water district. The community's ap- cent of the catchable-size trout planted plication was denied on the grounds in Southern California next season by that the MWD can only legally serve the Department of Fish and Game the coastal plain of Southern Califor- will be not less than seven and a half nia.—Desert Sun /FURNACE inches long and will average five to CREEK INN the pound. Increasing the size of AMERICAN PLAN catchables to be planted over the for- Park Site Studied . . . mer program centered on a six to eight LONE PINE—A representative of FURNACE CREEK to the pound trout, is in line with the the Department of Parks and Beaches expressed wishes of sportsmen and the was in Lone Pine recently to investi- RANCH . * recommendation of the DFG.—Inyo /x'%. EUROPEAN PLAN >'* gate the possibility of establishing a A Register state park in the Alabama Hills. Nu- merous local organizations have been actively urging creation of a state park at Alabama Hills since 1948.—Inyo OLD WEST Independent For folders and reservations If you like the OLD WEST, you'll treas- ure TRUE WEST—only slick-paper mag- write 5509 Death Valley Ho- azine of its kind. Each bi-monthly tel Co., Death Valley, Calif. issue crammed with factual, exciting articles written by top authorities. Or phone Furnace Creek Inn Plenty of action photos, too—all about Lookine for a PUBLISHER? at Death Valley. Or call your the Old West: BAD MEN, LOST MINES, Po you* have a book-length manuscript you local travel agent. BURIED TREASURE, RANGE WARS, would like to have published? Learn about INDIAN FIGHTS, OUTLAWS, GHOST- our unusual plan whereby your book can be TOWNS, TRAIL DRIVES, GOLD RUSH, published, promoted and distributed on a COWBOYS & RANCH LIFE. Truly, professional basis. We consider all types of TRUE WEST is the real thingl work—fiction, biography, poetry, scholarly Subscribe NOW. and religious books, etc. New authors wel- SPECIAL GET-ACQUAINTED OFFER: come. For more information, write for valu- able booklet D. It's free. -K i years of TRUE WEST 112 issues! $3.00 * A years of TRUE WEST 124 issues) .....$5.00 VANTAGE PRESS, INC. 6253 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28, Calif. Rush bills, check or M.O. to: Main Olfice: New York 1, N. Y. TRUE WEST • P.O.Box 5008-M» Austin 31,Texas

32 DESERT MAGAZINE NEVADA Pyramid Rancher Sued . . . Bctrbary Rams Surveyed . . . NIXON — Uncle Sam, who may State Sues Navy . . . ROY — A scientific expedition, soon be sued for $200,000,000 by the armed with high-powered rifles, field HAWTHORNE — A legal action Pyramid Lake Indians, recently filed glasses and kibitzers is trying to deter- has been filed by the State of Nevada a lawsuit in their behalf, a civil action mine if the nation has a new big game in district court seeking to compel the charging W. J. Cerasola of Wadsworth animal to hunt. A group of 60 per- Navy to comply with Nevada's water with trespassing on the Indian reserva- sons invaded the 30-mile stretch of laws. The action involves six wells tion at Nixon. The suit seeks $1000 the cliff-rimmed Canadian River can- used by the Navy to supply water for general damages from the Wadsworth yon, seeking 25 Barbary rams, part of the Hawthorne Naval Ammunition rancher plus a $561 penalty provided a herd of about 200, the only wild Depot. The complaint alleges that the by Federal statute. The suit charges group of its kind on the North Ameri- federal government must comply with that since June, 1954, Cerasola has can continent. Purpose of the hunt Nevada laws governing appropriation driven his cattle on the reservation on was to gain more information on the of underground water.—Nevada State eight separate occasions without per- sheep. The scientists hope to learn Journal mission of the Indians.—Nevada State specifically what the animals eat, if any Journal parasites bother them, and their habits. • • • —New Mexican Quake Shifts Valley . . . Traffic Deaths High ... • • • FALLON — Dixie Valley between CARSON CITY — The National Farm Sizes Increase . . . Fairview Mountain and Westgate Safety Council reports the mileage shifted eight feet during the December SANTA FE—New Mexico's farms death rate in Nevada last year was and ranches continue to diminish in 16, 1954, earthquake according to re- 10.5 persons per 100,000,000 miles cent findings of the U. S. Coast and number and expand in size. This is of travel, compared to the national one of the main trends noted by Vin- Geodetic Survey. The quake, one of average of 6.5. Although the state's the major shocks of modern geological cent T. Ximenes of the University of 225,000 residents own only 100,000 New Mexico's Bureau of Business Re- history, shifted the Westgate area ap- automobiles, out of state traffic will proximately four feet south and the search in an analysis of the most re- send an estimated 3,000,000 automo- cent U. S. Census of Agriculture. Rea- Fairview Mountain area about four biles carrying better than 8,000,000 feet north. Several hundred scientists sons for the trend, started in 1940: passengers through the state by the attraction of cash wages in the larger are expected to visit the area next end of 1955.—Nevada State Journal spring, according to Prof. David B. cities; lower commodity prices; short- Slemmons, assistant professor of ge- • • • ages of water; and higher cash require- ology at the Mackay School of Mines. NEW MEXICO ments for mechanical equipment. — —Fallon Standard Lovington Press Land Transfer Pushed . . . • • • SANTA FE—Floyd Lee and Dee Low Unconstitutional . . . Gambling Winnings Up . . . Brownfield, leaders in the promotion SANTA FE—The law which sup- CARSON CITY — Nevada's legal- of the range-saving Taylor Grazing Act porters called a boon to attract new ized gambling industry was expected of 22 years ago, are at work on an- industry to the state has been thrown to set a new record in 1955 in terms other land reform that observers pre- out as unconstitutional. It violated the of gross winnings. The state gaming dict will lead to all the federal public constitutional ban on government aid- board reported that gross winnings of domain being ceded to the states. The ing private enterprise, the state su- 34 major casinos in the Las Vegas, process is expected to follow the course preme court has ruled. Passed by the Reno and Lake Tahoe areas alone for that led to the federal government re- 1955 Legislature, the act permitted the first nine months of 1955 were cently ceding the tidelands to the states. municipalities to issue revenue bonds about $11,000,000 higher than for the The program is being carried forward to acquire industrial or business prop- same period of 1954. Preliminary by the New Mexico Land Resources erties for leasing to private interests. figures for 1955 show the present Study Council, not initially organized —New Mexican gambling tax will yield $3,955,532 or with the idea of getting the federal land for the state but to try to bring slightly more than double 1954's col- (Advertisement) lections.—Nevada State Journal order to federal land operations within the state. It was only after the program was developed that observers con- People 60 to 80 Carson Loses Out . . . ceived that if successful it would lead to the federal government giving its We Have a Letter CARSON CITY — Statistics show lands to the state.—Will Harrison in that Carson City is no longer the na- the New Mexican tion's smallest state capital. Montpe- We'd Like to Send Vou... lier, Vermont, may now claim that . . . but we don't want to send it title, and general consensus among without your permission! Carson City businessmen is that some- 1000 TRAVEL SCENES It will tell you how you can apply thing must be done to regain the "title," for a $1,000 life insurance policy to held for so many years by the historic help take care of final expenses Nevada city.—Territorial Enterprise without burdening your family. And you can handle the entire SPECIAL OFFER transaction by mail — with OLD To introduce readers of DESERT to our AMERICAN of KANSAS CITY. No TRAVEL DREAMS COME TRUE! 2"x2" COLOR SLIDES for home projec- Cast loose to follow the sun...explore the tion, we are offering a FREE 20 page obligation. No one will call! byways, relax by a rippling stream... enjoy catalog and a FREE sample color slide. You can give us permission to the sea, the woods, the mountains, with all Travel, Science, Nature, National Parks the comforts of home. Write for free booklet! and the southwest. Write today to — send this free information by simply AIRSTREAM TRAILERS INC. mailing a postcard or letter (giving 110 CHURCH ST., JACKSON CENTER, OHIO KELLY D. CHODA write dept P 1755 N, MAIN ST., LOS ANGELES 31, CALIF. age) to Old American Ins. Co., 1 W. 732 URSULA ST. AURORA 8, COLO. 9th, Dept. L248M, Kansas City, Mo.

FEBRUARY, 1956 33 INTERESTED IN Prospecting for Gold and Industrial Minerals? Join United Prospectors and read Panning Gold. THE DESERT TRADING POST Write for application: United Prospec- tors, 701V4 E. Edgeware Rd., Los Ange- Classified Advertising in This Section Costs 12c a Word, $2.00 Minimum Per Issue les 26, California. URANIUM MAP of Southwest. Geiger counters, scintillators, snooper, $29.95 INDIAN GOODS WARM, BEAUTIFUL 80 acre desert par- up. Free catalog, or better, send $1.00 cel overlooking Coachella Valley. Owner for authentic uranium map of Southwest 5 FINE ANCIENT Indian arrowheads, $2. will guarantee big well at his cost. $500 Desert and catalog. Harry's Geiger Flint eagle ceremonial, $2. Perfect Fol- per acre. One acre near Box Canyon. Counters, 360 So. Hawthorne Blvd., some, $5. Spearhead, $1. List Free. Lear's Has domestic water. Price $1850, will Hawthorne, California. Glenwood, Arkansas. consider trust deed or late model car. Lovely Palm Village home, pool, garden, INDIAN PHONOGRAPH Records. New priced for under real value at $50,000. Singers! Latest Songs! As well as many BEAUTIFUL OBSIDIAN arrowheads from For any type Desert Real Estate write old-time songs and chants—all completely the Klamath Country. Black $1.00; gray Ronald L. Johnson, Box 162, Thermal, authentic. Write for free record list No. $1.50; translucent $2.00; profusely illus- California. 5. Canyon Records, 834 N. 7th Avenue, trated catalog 50c. Moise Penning, 158 Phoenix, Arizona. Dolorosa, San Lorenzo, California. UNSURPASSED gasoline station and trailer SILVERY DESERT HOLLY plants: One camp. Location in most beautiful part dollar each postpaid. Greasewood Green- BEAUTIFUL TURQUOISE and Silver jew- of the Imperial Valley, California. Close elry by the Pueblo Tribes — Authentic to deluxe hot dog and coffee shop now houses, Lenwood, Barstow, California. Navajo rugs. The Bradleys, 4639 Cren- doing a paying business. Location on HAyE REAL FUN with desert gems, shaw Blvd., Los Angeles 43, California. U. S. Highway 80, 24 miles west of El minerals and rocks. The rockhound's Centro, California. Frontage 400 feet how-to-do-it magazine tells how. One SIX FINE Ancient Indian Arrowheads— with 3 level acres. Price $3500 with year (12 issues) only $3.00. Sample 25c. $2.00. Fine granite Tomahawk —$2.10. water and electricity to property. Write Gems and Minerals, Dept. J10, Palmdale, Effigy pipe $4.00. Perfect flint thunder- H. D., P. O. Box 151, Plaster City, Cali- California. bird—$3.00. Flint fish hook—$3.00. List fornia, for full particulars. free. Arrowhead, Box 1249, Hot Springs, BUY SURPLUS DIRECT from govern- Arkansas. ment at tremendous savings. Farm tools, MISCELLANEOUS machinery, feed, truck, jeep, tractor. OLD INDIAN horn spoon, $1.75. Fine, Hundreds of others. List $1.00. Box old Indian basket, $3.00. Five ancient DESERT TEA. One pound one dollar 169-Daa East Hartford 8, Connecticut. arrowheads, $1.00. 24-inch strand Cali- postpaid. Greasewood Greenhouses, Len- fornia Mound trade beads, $1.00. Abalone wood, Barstow, California. FIND BURIED TREASURE, gold and sil- shell pendant, $1.00. Have other relics, ver, with Goldak's sensational 3Vi lb. beadwork, pipes, pipe-tomahawks. Also GHOST TOWN ITEMS: Sun-colored glass, "Find-It" locator, only $49.50. Write for want to buy or trade for all kinds old amethyst to royal purple; ghost railroads free literature on complete line of mineral, Indian material. (Have Indian-Western materials, tickets; limited odd items from metal locators; Geiger and scintillation books, guns, swords, Navajo rugs—sell camps of the '60s. Write your interest— counters. Goldak, 1541 W. Glenoaks or trade). Paul L. Summers, Canyon, Box 64-D, Smith, Nevada. Blvd., Glendale, California. Texas. BECOME A GAME WARDEN, Profes- BUILD YOUR OWN real swimming pool! sional Hunter! Join Forestry, Park, Fish- OVER 600 fine old baskets. Many rare Fun for the entire family! Easy plan and ery Services. Good Pay! Opportunities Navajo rugs, both old and new, Bayeta- instructions, only $1.00. Delta Pools, Box Open! Free! Revealing "Select-Job Chart," Germantown. Artifacts, gems, and fine 604, Stockton, California. details, job-getting secrets. Write Home Indian jewelry. Open daily 10 to 6, closed Study Educators, 1036-33 La Brea, Los Mondays. Buffalo Trading Post, Highway SECTIONIZED COUNTY MAPS — San Angeles 19, California. 18, Apple Valley, California. Bernardino $1; Riverside $1; Imperial 50c; San Diego 50c; Inyo 75c; other Cali- NEW! Uranium detector kit, $8.49. Guar- fornia counties $1.25 each. Nevada coun- anteed. Postpaid. Free catalog. CMG ties $1 each. Topographic maps of all Industries, Box 611-DM, Laramie, Wyo. BOOKS — MAGAZINES mapped areas. Westwide Maps Co., 114 W. Third St., Los Angeles, California. LADY GODIVA "The World's Finest BOOKS FOUND—Any title! Free world- Beautifier." For women who wish to wide book search service. Any book, FOR SUPER SHARP knives use patented become beautiful, for women who wish new or old. Western Americana a spe- "Rolit" sharpener. Guaranteed. $1.25 to remain beautiful. An outstanding des- cialty. Lowest price. Send wants today! postpaid. "Rolit," 392 W. Center St., ert cream. For information, write or call International Bookfinders, Box 3003-D, Springville, Utah. Lola Barnes, 963 N. Oakland, Pasadena Beverly Hills, California. 6, Calif., or phone SYcamore 4-2378. STAMP COLLECTORS lists. Old Ameri- WOOD AND WEEDS. Fun with dried cans free. All Southwests available. Col- KEY RING of Beauty and Utility. Beau- things by Frances Bostic. Sixteen illus- lections purchased. Hammond D78J, tiful gem stone of either squared or irreg- trations of dried arrangements with text. Crystal Beach, Florida. ular shape mounted on attractive domestic $1.35 Postpaid, Desert Crafts Shop, Palm or exotic wood. Each Key Ring carries Desert, California. PAN GOLD: $1 for 75 panning areas in with it the name and origin of the gem 25 California counties. Geological for- stone. Also common name of wood, the WANTED—Back issues of Desert Magazine. mations, elevations, pertinent notes. Pan- botanical or scientific name as well as Will pay $5 for Nov. '37; $1 for Apr. '38; ning pans $2.75, $2.25. Leather nugget origin of wood. Equipped with chain for $1.50 for Sept. '38, in good condition. and dust poke $1. Fred Mark, Box 801, keys. $1.50 plus federal excise tax. E. F. Desert Magazine, Palm Desert, California. Ojai, California. Dival, 515V2 Geneva Street, Glendale 6, California. OLD WALL TELEPHONES—oak cabinet, REAL ESTATE good condition. Regular $15—now $9.95. Two $18.50. Six $50.00. Tontz's, Dept. Range Feed Increases . . . SAVE, BUY DIRECT from Government, 31, Elsinore, California. LAS CRUCES—The United States Surplus Farms, land, homes, etc. List Department of Agriculture's Office of $1.00. Box 169-DMA, East Hartford 8, GOLD PROSPECTING CATALOG—List- the Agricultural Statistician says the Connecticut. ing, placer and lode maps, steel gold pans, mining and mineral books, books on New Mexico range feed supply is much VIEW LOTS — Palm Desert Heights. Just lost mines, pocket magnifying glasses, larger this year than for the last sev- above Desert Magazine block. Near mineral collection sets, blueprints of dry eral years. The office said that al- Shadow Mountain Club, school, church, washers and wet washers you can build market, bus. 70x100, $1200 up. Paved, yourself. Catalog and Gold Panning Les- though ranges are becoming dry, live- gas, elec, water. Restricted. For brochure sons — Free. Old Prospector, Box 729, stock is entering the winter in good write Box 65, Palm Desert, California. Desk 5, Lodi, California. condition.—New Mexican 34 DESERT MAGAZINE Navajos Report Tiger . . . Project Gains Support . . . Dinosaur Display Planned . . . GALLUP—Drivers for the General WASHINGTON, D. C. — Spokes- VERNAL—A life-size, 15-foot high Services Administration and Navajo men for two conservation groups have and 76-foot long dinosaur skeleton Indians reported seeing large cat tracks given Rep. William A. Dawson of Utah model is planned for the front lawn which a professional government hun- written assurance that they no longer of the Utah Field House of Natural ter said are not those of a mountain will oppose the upper Colorado stor- History at Vernal. More than 500 lion. Immediately speculation cen- age project now that Echo Park has concrete castings will be made and tered on the incident four years ago been deleted. President Richard West- assembled. The dinosaur model is a when a circus wagon was wrecked wood of the American Nature Associa- diplodocus.—Vernal Express about 50 miles north of Gallup and a tion and Carl D. Shoemaker of the • • • lion and tiger escaped and were never National Wildlife Federation have Lake Bed Studied . . . recaptured. Others believe the "tiger" agreed to withdraw their opposition to OGDEN—Southern Pacific Railroad may be a giant jaguar which has mi- the project.—Salt Lake Tribune engineers and scientists are conducting grated north from Central Mexico.— • • • extensive studies of the bottom of the New Mexican Cloud Seeding Progress . . . Great Salt Lake to determine the most • • • MOAB-—The result of four years feasible route for a solid earth and 10,000 Deer Killed . . . (1951-55) of cloud seeding operations stone fill across the central part of the SANTA FE — Reports from 13 over Southern Utah by Water Re- lake to carry trains. Eventually the major Game Department checking sta- sources Development Corp. of Denver, fill is expected to extend 13 miles, tions showed New Mexico hunters Colorado, show benefits of from 10 connecting the ends of existing shal- bagged nearly 10,000 deer, 434 tur- to 30 percent of normal precipitation lower fills. The new road across the keys and 12 bears during the general to the target area, the corporation re- lake will by-pass the world-famous hunting season. However, State Game ported.—San Juan Record trestle which spans the 75-mile long Director Homer C. Pickins estimated and 31-mile wide lake. — Box Elder that the total deer kill will reach ap- News proximately 30,000 when complete re- ports are in.—Alamogordo Daily News • • • New and Improved one with a cross handle for hand op- eration and a model that can be oper- UTAH ated with an electric hand drill. Indians Shun U.S. Move . . . Products for It is designed to bore holes of ideal size and depth to apply enough com- SALT LAKE CITY — National mercial fertilizer to keep shade trees Congress of American Indians execu- Desert Living in good foliage, flowering shrubs tive council, representing some 200,- blooming more abundantly, and fruit 000 Indians from 20 tribes, went on trees bearing at peak capacity for sev- record opposing national legislation eral seasons with one feeding. which will withdraw federal guardian- NEW CHEWING GUM AIDS The auger is sold in hardware and ship of Indians. The Council, headed MOTION SICKNESS VICTIMS department stores and other garden by Joseph R. Garry, Plummer, Idaho, A pharmaceutical company, Chas. supply outlets. Additional informa- declared that "the legislation which has Pfizer & Co., announced development tion can be had from the manufacturer, passed will mean abrogating all treaties of a chewing gum that prevents mo- A. B. Chance Company of Centralia, between the United States and Indian tion sickness. The new product, Bona- Missouri and 815 Tennessee Street, tribes. It will be the end of all con- mine chewing tablets, will protect trav- San Francisco, California. tractual relations between the two elers against queasy feelings for 24 parties." The Indians said they were hours at a stretch, the manufacturers not too concerned over the withdrawal claim. A dose of one or two tablets is You'll want to keep those of government services, but were con- effective for all types of travel. cerned over the status of Indian lands. The first travel gum ever marketed, The Congress' annual convention will Bonamine is especially useful for chil- MAPS be held at Salt Lake City in September dren since it eliminates the need for a which appear each month in of this year.—Salt Lake Tribune water "chaser" and can be taken at • • • Desert Magazine—maps which any moment. will be your guide on many de- Dugway Surveyed . . . The gum contains a compound of lightful excursions into the great TOOELE — The Bureau of Land meclizine hydrochloride in sugar coat- desert playground. Management announced the comple- ing. Clinical tests conducted by the Attractive loose-leaf binders em- tion of official surveys of the boun- Armed Forces aboard troopships and bossed in gold not only will daries of Dugway Proving Ground, the during airborne operations showed that preserve the maps, but will be Army's vast experimental chemical the Bonamine contained in one piece a beautiful addition to your warfare range southwest of Tooele. The af gum will protect a traveler up to home book-shelf. Each binder Dugway area originally was estimated 24 hours. holds 12 copies. Easy to insert, at 279,000 acres, but actually is closer • • • they open flat. to 286,000 acres, according to the NEW AUGER DESIGNED TO BLM. A survey of the Cedar Moun- FEED TREES AT ROOT LEVEL Mailed postpaid for tain portion of the proving ground's A new small and inexpensive auger $2.00 eastern boundary for a distance of especially designed for applying plant more than 18 miles now definitely food to the feeding roots of trees, establishes a line which since 1942 had shrubs, and hedges has been put on been designated only as "the summit the market. It bores a hole 2 inches of Cedar Mountain Range." — Salt in diameter and up to 36 inches deep. PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA Lake Tribune The new product comes in two models,

FEBRUARY, 1956 35 Santa Fe, New Mexico . . . Officials of the New Mexico Economic Development Commission believe there is a good chance for development of an im- portant mica industry in Northern New MINES 9nd MINIM Mexico and perhaps in other portions of the state. Sam Glassmire, Los Alamos Henderson, Nevada . . . Salt Lake City, Utah . . . geologist, is preparing a detailed report on The American Potash and Chemical Corp. Kennecott Copper Corporation has pur- mica deposits for the EDC which will be of California has purchased control of the chased the Butterfield mines in the Oquirrh presented to the Office of Strategic Materials, Western Electrochemical Co. at Henderson Range south of the big Bingham copper pit Office of Defense Mobilization, the Depart- for $5,000,000. The Henderson plant man- in a million dollar deal. Seller was Samuel ment of Commerce, and other federal agen- ufactures fuel for Jato units for the armed S. Arentz, Salt Lake mining engineer who cies interested in stockpiling the strategic forces and insect control chemicals such as had obtained a lease and option to buy the material. The federal government recently DDT.—Humboldt Star highgrade lead-silver-zinc producer from announced that a substitute for mica will be Combined Metals Reduction Co. In all sought.—New Mexican o » © about 3800 acres of land were included in • • a Drake, Arizona . . . the transaction. Most of the claims on the Plans for a $6,500,000 cement manufac- property are patented. These original min- Tempiute, Nevada . . . turing plant in Northern Arizona were an- ing claims establish the property as among Wah Chang Mining Corporation an- nounced by officials of the Republic Cement the oldest in the state. Some of the loca- nounced that tungsten production at its Corporation. The plant is expected to pro- tions go back as far as 1870.—Salt Lake largest operation, the Lincoln Mine at Tem- Tribune piute, has reached approximately 825 tons vide employment for 81 persons. It will be daily, with 700 tons per day milled on a located at Drake, midway between Prescott 24 hour per week basis. The company's and Ash Fork. Plans call for a daily pro- California operations are centered around duction capacity of 2500 barrels of gray Boron, California . . . the Black Rock M^ne, 32 miles north of cement and 750 barrels of white cement.— Isbell Construction Co. of Reno, Nevada, Bishop where production totals approxi- Phoenix Gazette has been awarded the contract for prelim- mately 700 tens per day and 500 to 600 G c o inary stripping of dirt in the Pacific Coast tons per day are milled at the company's Washington, D. C. . . . Borax Company's open mine development mill and the remainder shipped to a nearby Western miners apparently have no seri- project at Boron. The contract calls for cu:;tom mill.—Nevada State Journal removal of 10,000,000 tons of dirt from ous objections to a new regulation limiting • • • the size of hard rock mineral prospecting the borax deposit. Open pit mining opera- permits and leases on certain federal lands. tions are scheduled to start early this year. Tucson, Arizona . . . At least they have not made objections —Boron Enterprise Wesley P. Gross, president and general known to Interior Department officials ad- manager of San Manuel Copper Corp., and ministering the acreage restrictions on lands Magma Copper Co., announced recently acquired by the federal government through Grass Valley- California . . . that the San Manuel mine will reach full purchase or other means. The new regula- production of 35,000 ore tons daily by mid- tion limits to 10,240 acres the total holdings The Idaho-Maryland Mine Corporation, 1956. 7 he new mine is located 45 miles of one permittee or lessee for one mineral largest gold mining concern in the Grass northeast of Tucson on State Highway 77. in any one state under combined prospecting Valley area, reported it is experiencing a At full production, Goss estimated 1850 permit and lease. The Interior Department's boom in tungsten mining and will erect a men—500 more than at present—will be Bureau of Land Management recently an- new mill. Approximately 22,000 pounds of employed. The mill operation is expected nounced it would suspend action on pend- concentrate have been delivered since Au- to produce about 400,000 pounds of copper ing applications in excess of 10,240 acres. gust and the ore is running 75 to 80 per- daily, and about 18,000 pounds of molyb- This will permit officials to study testimony cent. The new mill is planned for a site denum and molybdenum sulphites.—Phoe- presented at a recent hearing on the regula- at the New Brunswick mine.—Pioche Rec- nix Gazette tions, during which Eastern miners protested ord • • • the acreage restriction.—New Mexican • • • Washington, D. C. . . . • • • Oro Quay Park, New Mexico . . . Congress will be asked to authorize funds Moab, Utah . . . Onego, Corp., has discovered what ap- for construction of a concentration mill for pears to be one of the most important gold the nation's stockpiled manganese. Rep. Atlas Uranium Corp. has blocked out John J. Rhodes of Arizona said he will copper ore valued conservatively at $2,- deposits ever found in New Mexico on Oro Quay Park in the San Pedro Mountains, submit the proposal as the result of studies 500,000. The discovery was made on two made by the house interior committee's Atlas claims in Lisbon Valley, southeast of 47 miles southwest of Santa Fe. Besides gold, copper in abundance and iron ore of subcommittee on minerals. At the present Moab in San Juan County. Wells have been time most of this nation's stockpiled man- drilled to assure an ample supply of water high quality have been located on the 400 acre property acquired by Onego. — New ganese is of too low grade for direct use in for a processing mill. Ore lies near the steel-hardening processes.—Phoenix Gazette surface so that economical strip mining will Mexican be possible.—Dove Creek Press • • • • • • Salt Lake City, Utah . . . Ruth, Nevada . . . Kennecott Copper Corporation announced Removal of an estimated 2,000,000 tons that it will cease being landlord to thou- "OVERLOOKED FORTUNES" of earth that tumbled into the Kennecott sands of employees in four western states IN THE RARER MINERALS Copper Company's huge open pit mine at as a result of a $5,000,000 deal with John Find war minerals! Here are a few of the Ruth was expected to begin as soon as the W. Galbreath & Co., Columbus, Ohio, real 40 or more strategic rarer minerals which cause of the accident was determined. One estate firm. Many employees in company you may be overlooking in the hills or in worker was buried by the huge slide and housing will be given an opportunity to that mine or prospect hole: columbium, tan- two others were injured.—Salt Lake Tribune own their own home. Affected are the talum, uranium, vanadium, tungsten, nickel, company towns at Copperton, Magna and cobalt, bismuth, palladium, iridium, osmi- Garfield in Utah; Ruth, New Ruth and um, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, titan- McGill in Nevada; Ray and Hayden in ium, tin, molybdenum, selenium, germanium, Arizona; and Hurley and Santa Anita in manganese, cadmium, thallium, antimony, RADIUM MINES, INC. New Mexico.—Salt Lake Tribune mercury, chromium, etc. Prices booming; 140 N. VIRGINIA ST. • • • many much more valuable than a gold RENO, NEVADA Lone Pine, California . . . mine: cassiterite now $1000 a ton; bismuth Saline Valley and other areas threatened $1500 a ton; columbite $2500 a ton; tanta- with mining closures through military ac- lite or microlite $5000 a ton; tungsten $3 Why not deal with a prewar corporation? quisition, came in for outstanding support pound; platinum $90 ounce, etc. Now you INCORPORATED 1940 at the recent Western Governors Minerals can learn what they are, how to find, iden- Policy Conference. The governors recom- tify and cash in upon them. Send for free FOR SALE: Uranium, Germanium, Rare Earths, mended that Congress investigate Federal copy "overlooked fortunes"—it may lead Claims in three states. lands withdrawn from mineral entry to to knowledge which may make you rich! determine whether some could be returned A postcard will do. WANTED: Claims of uranium and all other to private owners. They also recommended that hearings be held before future land DUKE'S RESEARCH LABORATORY rare elements. withdrawals and that further withdrawal Box 666, Dept. B, Hot Springs, New Mexico should be opposed.—Inyo Register

36 DESERT MAGAZINE Happy Jack Changes Hands BOOM DAYS IN URANIUM In Record Transaction The famed Happy Jack mine was sold recently in the largest uranium transaction w Titanium in history. Fletcher Bronson, his son Grant and Joe Cooper, all of Monticello, sold it to a new uranium mining and processing firm to be known as the National Mining and Milling Corporation for an outright cash payment of $10,000,000 and additional pay- The Grand Junction Operations Office of areas. One firm, which several months ago ments with a guaranteed minimum over a the AEC believes there was more activity was granted a contract to build a modest- 10 year period that could bring the total on the uranium fields of the Colorado sized concentrator, has now requested a price to a maximum of $30,000,000. Plateau at the end of 1955 than there was new contract which would increase input The letting of an option to buy the prop- in December, 1954. capacity up to six times that originally pro- erty and its final sale occurred almost simul- Sheldon P. Wimpfen, manager of the grammed. taneously. T. R. Gillenwaters of Grand Grand Junction Operations Office, said there Junction, Colorado, and Los Angeles, rep- had been a seasonal decline in letters re- Wimpfen added that he was never con- resented the Bronsons and Cooper in the ceived and inquiries made at the AEC's vinced "uranium fever" was a good thing original negotiations for an option with the office, but he rejected current stories that for the industry or for the public if it led Barlu Oil Co. of Dallas, Texas. National the decline in interest reflected a failure to to speculation. Mining will take over the option from Barlu. find large ore bodies in the area adminis- There has been so much interest, in fact, The new firm plans to cover mining, mill- tered by his office. ing, metal reduction and nuclear reactors, Fifteen proposals were made to him from on the part of mining, oil, chemical and engineering firms in uranium that the Grand should the latter prove a profitable venture various parties seeking establishment of mills after research work is done. National Min- serving rapidly developing uranium ore Junction Office is preparing a sample pro ing plans initially to mine the Happy Jack forma contract for purchase of uranium and to construct a uranium processing mill concentrates for study by interested parties. in the White Canyon area, probably at Hite, Such contracts are only guides and do not Utah. However, a company spokesman said Infant Uranium Industry preclude the necessity of negotiation with the plans of the new company go much In Adjustment Stage AEC on concentrate purchasing.—Salt Lake farther than the Happy Jack property. — Tribune San Juan Record Uranium, viewed as a new industry akin to the early days of railroads, oil and auto- mobiles, is now in the confused stage inevi- table whenever any new industry is launched and is in its early struggles to find its place in the world. Dr. Donald M. Menzel, physi- cist and director of Harvard observatory, Prospector's Headquarters Sli What is happening to uranium has oc- GEIGER COUNTERS AND SCINTILLATORS curred to almost every new industry in i'lic "Snooper" OciKor counter—Model ION $ 2:>.9."> history, he points out. Dr. Menzel is con- The "Lucky Strike" Geiger Counter—Model 1(1(1 1)9,80 The "Professional" Goiger Conntei—Model 107 ISD.30 vinced that uranium is only now at the The "Special ScintMIator"—Model 117 290.50 beginning of its importance in the future The "Deluve" Srlutilllltor—Model 111B 403.(10 development of worldwide industry. Only recently has its full impact en the world's ULTRA-VIOLET MINERALICHTS future begun to be organized. Accepted at Model Nil—Operates on 110 AC only H.7S first as an important and vital item in war Model MI2—Operates on batteries only—with battery 40.05 munitions of amazingly destructive power, Model SI.-2537—Operates on batteries or 110 AC without case & batteries SO.5(1 it has moved ahead to a place where its With 303 ease and batteries 01.00 future is limitless, as indicated by nuclear With 404 case and batteries 0(1.00 powered submarines and aircraft carriers, and the steady advances being made in nu- CHEMICAL TEST KITS clear powered plants to develop cheap elec- Kit for 1-1 Minerals (Uranium not included)-. 10.95 tricity as a sideline. Kit for :UI Minerals (Including Uranium) 31.25 Dr. Menzel expressed concern over the BOOKS limitation on the government's uranium "Prospecting With a (leister Counter" by Wright (id purchasing program: "Some persons have "Cranium Color Photo Tone" '.. 1.00 voiced concern because the government's "Facts Voll Should Know .About Cranium" by It. W. Kamsey 1.00 "Uranium Prospectors Hand Book" 1.00 program to buy uranium runs only until The Cranium and Fluorescent Minerals" by II. C. Dake 2.00 1962. The prospects are good that demands 'PopulaPl r PiProspecting" " by IIII . C. DakDke " 2.00 by private industry for uranium power will "Cranium, Where It Is and How to Find It" by Proctor and Hyatt 2.50 be able to support the uranium industry well "Minerals for Atomic Energy" by Nininger 7.50 before that time. However, it seems unbe- "Let's go Prospecting" by Edward Arthur 3.50 lievable that the government could refuse to extend the present legislation if the MAPS Map and Geology (Uranium and Mineral Districts of California) - 1.50 growing uranium industry should require Map of Kern County (New Section and Township) J.50 such assistance."—Reese River Reveille Map Uranium and Minerals (The Nine Southwest States) 1.00 Rook and Map "flems and Minerals of California" by McAllister 1.75 Book and Map "Lost Mines and Treasures of the Southwest" 2.00 OTHER SUPPLIES Prospectors Seek U-Ore Fluorescent Minerals set—10 Specimens—boxed 2.50 Prospectors Picks (not polished) 3.85 On Candian Lake Bed Prospectors Picks (polished) 4.10 Mineral Specimen Boxes (35 Named Minerals) 1.50 A Salt Lake City, Utah, firm will engage Pocket Camp Stove 0.95 in underwater prospecting for uranium ore 12" Diameter Steel Cold Pan 1.25 in the Beaver Lodge Lake north of Saska- toon, Sask. Treasure Uranium and Re- All prices F.O.B. tos Angeles sources, Ltd., a subsidiary of Treasure Ur- Add 3% Sales Tax if you live in California. 4% if in Los Angeles anium and Resources, will use underwater Member of American Gem & Mineral Suppliers Association scintillation equipment to prospect its claim in the area — three-quarters of which is under the lake, says Dsvid A. Robinson, ALLEN LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT COMPANY Secretary of the firm. If response is favor- able, core drilling through the ice will be 3632 W. Slauson Ave. Open Monday evening until 9:00 Los Angeles 43, California conducted.—Mining Record

FEBRUARY, 1956 37 Uranium Discovery in Yuma, Arizona, uranium seekers were Fluorescent Light Aids encouraged by a recent report from Gila In Lithium Discoveries Grand Canyon Reported County that 60 uranium claims near Tonto Richard Wyman, superintendent of West- Basin were included in a lease-option agree- Fluorescent mineralight, invented for the ern Gold, reports that the Golden Crown ment recorded with Tom Frates, represen- Nevada Massachusetts Company and a his- Mining Company, a subsidiary of Western tative of the Boswell-Frates Co. of Tulsa, toric aid in tungsten exploration and other Gold and Uranium, Inc., is now drilling Oklahoma. The 60 claims are owned by mineral discoveries, has a new use in dis- and developing a uranium deposit that ap- the Conway family of the Tonto Basin area. covering lithium, a potential new atomic pears to be one of the largest yet found energy source. in the United States. If the buyer exercises its option, a total of $1,270,000 will be paid to the family.— The deep rose glow of eucryptite, an ore The property is known as the Orphan Yuma Sun of lithium, has been added to the long list Mine and is located on the south rim of of fluorescent colors which the mineralight Grand Canyon on the only private property fortune seekers are look.'ng for. within Grand Canyon National Monument. Others in this class are the yellow green Some assays showed three percent U3O8 Book Describes California fluorescence of uranium, the bluish green and minable vein widths of 40 feet are Uranium Discovery Potentials of zinc, the golden yellow of zirconium, the indicated. The deposit is in a mineralized Where to Look for Uranium in California bright blue of thallium in solution and the sheer zone in the Coconino sandstone. — black ultra-violet absorbing vapor of heated Washington County News is a comprehensive study of the state's ur- anium mining potential by counties. Author mercury. Lithium is the lightest metal • • • Lee Raymond provides complete bibliogra- known.—Lovelock Review Miner Geologist Says New Mexico phies with each county discussion for those interested in more technical research. The Leads in U-Ore Reserves author also touches on the more basic phases Fourteenth U.S. U-Ore Albuquerque geologist Henry S. Birdseye of uranium hunting: where a prospector is Mill Approved by AEC predicted that New Mexico will one day be allowed to hunt uranium, what he should The AEC and Continental Uranium, Inc., the leader in every aspect of the uranium take with him, what he should look for, of Grand Junction, Colorado, have signed industry. where to send samples for identification and a contract for the construction and opera- He said the enormous ore reserves of the assaying, etc. tion by Continental of a uranium processing Ambrosia Lake district near Grants, com- mill at La Sal, Utah. Construction of the bined with anticipated increases in the state's Published by the Western Mining Maga- zine, P. O. Box 787, Sonora, California. plant was expected to begin in December milling capacity, should put New Mexico with completion scheduled for summer. out front in the future. Paper cover, tables, charts, seven maps of Birdseye said security regulations prevent the state showing physiographic provinces, The new uranium mill will be owned and knowledge of detailed information on pro- copper deposits, lead-silver-zinc deposits, operated by Continental and the entire out- duction rates, ore tonnages and grade of known pegmatite areas, known fluorspar put of uranium concentrates will be pur- ore among states. But, certain clues, he deposits, known coal deposits, cobalt and chased by the Commission. La Sal is in said, show that New Mexico almost cer- bismuth minerals, 40 pp., $1.00. San Juan County on the northern edge of tainly is far in the lead among states in the famous Big Indian Wash mining district. proven tonnages of uranium ore. Completion of the La Sal mill will bring "At least I 1 major ore bodies are now Nuclear Metals Corporation is negotiat- to 14 the number of uranium processing known in the Grants area," Birdseye de- ing with the Atomic Energy Commission mills operating in the western United States. clared. He described a major ore body as to establish a uranium mill in White Can- Nine mills are producing uranium concen- one with blocked-out reserves in excess of yon, San Juan County. The firm has been trates and four others were still in various 100,000 tons of ore.—New Mexican successful in getting 383.4 acres of land stages of construction at year's end at Edge- two miles east of the junction of White mont, South Dakota; Moab, Utah; Tuba Canyon and the Colorado River set aside City, Arizona; and Maybell, Colorado. — for a mill and townsite. San Juan Record • • • — Annual Inventory — Initial publication of the withdrawal from the Public Domain was contained in a AEC Approves Work on CLEARANCE SALE November issue of the Federal Register.— Salt Lake Tribune Major Utah U-Ore Find Factory-to-You Prices! A penny stock company has been certi- fied by the AEC to develop a "major occur- rence" of uranium on the Colorado Plateau. New Uranium Ore, Coffinite, The occurrence is the mine being developed Discovered in Mesa County jointly at Indian Creek, 39 miles northwest of Monticello, Utah, where ore reserves Coffinite, a new uranium mineral, has valued at $3,000,000 in place have been been discovered in Mesa County, Colorado. confirmed. Coffinite has a high uranium content, but can be identified only by means of X-ray Boyles Brothers, drilling and mine con- studies. Initial discovery was made at the tracting firm of Salt Lake City, took over La Sal Number Two mine in the Gateway development of the property on a 50-50 area. Since then, coffinite has been identi- basis after initial discovery had been made fied in Wyoming, Arizona, Utah and sev- more than two years ago by Royal—a firm eral foreign countries. Some deposits are which raised its initial capital by selling black and shiny, heavier than other pitch- shares at six cents each. blende type ores, other deposits are of a The AEC describes the property as a reddish tinge while still others are black channel of some of the nation's purest pri- and powdery.—American Prospectors Jour- mary grade uranium ore determined to date nal to run a distance of 3000 feet. The ore averages eight feet in depth on the face. Reg. $139.50 URANIUM SCOUT The channel varies from 70 to more than TREASURE HUNTERS a hundred feet in width. The company has been shipping at a rate of 85 tons daily from De Luxe Geiger Counter.... $79.50 New type metals detector. Distinguishes metals from black magnetic sands. Ideal for a small (12 man) three-shift operation Reg. $249.50 SCINTILLA - DYNE locating gold nuggets, placer deposits. De- employing two front end loaders. Initial tects metals under salt water. Locates coins, incline shaft and mining tunnel is in 500 j ewel ry on feet on the 3000-foot long channel. — Salt Scintillation Counter $165.00 beaches. Free from false de- Lake Tribune Reg. $35.00 C-18 Geiger Counter tections. Each 1 .' •:;,. " .. ';*: ' >• • •'•: •,• '>• •-•:.• • •••:: •: unit supplied with two dif- THE PROSPECTOR'S CATALOG (pocket-size) $21.00 •.. .;, . • i • • ferent search We are pleased to announce the advent of coils. Ask for a new Minerals Unlimited Catalog, specifi- ACT NOW! - SUPPLY LIMITED! • •; "• •: •••:•.•.•• • •:: •""': •..,• •.. *,'• • free litera- cally designed for the amateur or profes- FREE 1956 Spring Outfitting Catalog . : • . • ture. sional prospector. If you are interested in ... ! . . ••••• ' , GARDINER Geiffer Counters, Mineralights, Blowpipe Sets,

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38 DESERT MAGAZINE The uranium ore body that set off the year's biggest rush of exploration activity has finally been reached. The Mid-Contin- ent Exploration Co. shaft is close to 400 feet down and is into the ore. Claud Jones, superintendent, reports miners are making d ta TZecovet entries into the ore. This initial mine in New Mexico's newest mining area came to The nation's biggest uranium mill was Jack Knaebel, manager of the uranium life amid nationwide publicity last summer. scheduled to go into operation at the first mill, explained that the necessity to find a —Grants Beacon of the year, mass producing the source of better way to take uranium from ore out atomic energy by a new process. of the firm's Jackpile Mine paved the way Anaconda Copper Mining Co. will open for the creation of the plant. the new division of its giant Bluewater, New DESERT QUIZ ANSWERS Mexico, mill which will use sulphuric acid The company will not shut down its car- to leach uranium from sandstone ore. The bonate leaching mill. That part of the Questions are on page 30 massive plant will supplement the com- operation will continue handling ore from pany's original carbonate leaching mill, built Anaconda's first mines, in limestone about 1—Gila Monster. to handle limestone ore. A new subsidiary eight miles north of the plant, and from 2—Cooking mescal. plant to make acid from sulphur shipped the Santa Fe Railway's big Haystack Moun- 3—Cahuilla Indians. in from Texas is already in operation. tain Mine to the northwest, which also is 4—Turquoise. in limestone. 5—Ephedra. It" will mean, however, that Anaconda 6—Colorado River. Atom Electricity Predicted will cease accepting ore from smaller oper- 7—Botanist. By AEC Chairman Strauss ators, one of the principal reasons being 8—Mountain climbing. Atomic Energy Commission Chairman that all its ore crushing apparatus will be 9—Spiders. The Tarantula Hawk is Lewis Strauss said there is justification for hard pressed to handle its own production a wasp. believing economical electricity from the and that from Haystack. 10—-Arizona. atom may be attained in the U. S. sooner While the sulphuric acid mill has been 11—Botany. than even the most hopeful predictions. under construction, the original mill has 12—Havasupai. Strauss clearly set out in a speech in been handling both limestone and sandstone 13—Igneous rock. Cleveland recently that he is highly opti- ore, but the acid mill will handle the sand- 14—Friar with Coronado's expedition. mistic about the nearness of competitive stone ore much more satisfactorily, Knaebel 15—Nevada and Arizona. atomic power. He said it may arrive "pos- explained. Together, the two mills will have 16—Tucson is on Highway 80 sibly sooner than even the most optimistic four times the capacity of the original plant. 17—Lieut. Beale. of the prognosticators believe." 18—Operation of the first transcon- "There are areas of present-day research Jackpile, on Laguna Reservation land, is where break-throughs could occur to upset one-half mile wide and one mile long. One tinental stage line to Southern all our calculations," he said. "There is of the principal parts in the leasing agree- California. both justification and need for optimism." ment calls for employment of Lagunas 19—Arizona. He did not supply any details, however.— wherever possible. — Alamogordo Daily 20—Salt River Valley of Arizona. Pioche Record News • • • Rep. Cliff Young of Nevada said recently that developments in Washington have aroused renewed interest in establishment of a small-scale experimental nuclear power 11 plant in his state. Recent invitations have "PROSPECTORS been made by the AEC to open the way for American industry to develop, fabricate, construct and operate experimental nuclear SCINTILLATORS • NUCLIOMETERS • GEIGER reactors. Nevada's chances for such a plant will greatly depend on its success in inter- COUNTERS & MULTIPLE TUBE COUNTERS esting industry in the potentials of the state, he said.—Nevada State Journal • • • Demonstrators on Hand Offered at a Substantial Magnet Cove Barium Corp. of Houston, Discount Texas, will have its Battle Mountain, Ne- vada, plant in full operation by the first Bank terms arranged on approved credit in California of the year, according to W. E. Edgar, resident manager. The mill, with a capacity of 200 tons per day, will be operated on a WE CARRY A COMPLETE LINE OF LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT 24-hour schedule. • • • "ROCK-A-TEER" TRIM SAW METAL DETECTORS Senator George W. Malone recently re- FINDINGS CAPS ETC. MINERALIGHTS ported that the federal government has in- vested $1,499,321 to assist in Nevada ex- GRINDING WHEELS CHEMICAL KITS plorations for strategic minerals. A total STERLING SILVER MORTARS & PESTELS of 52 contracts have been issued in the state from April, 1951, to October, 1955. Tweny- BAROQUES BOOKS one of the contracts involved a search for MINERALS MINER PICKS tungsten; 14, lead-zinc; three each for cop- per, lead-zinc-copper, manganese and mer- CUTTING MATERIAL HARDNESS TESTING SETS cury; two for uranium and one each for MOUNTINGS JEWELRY TOOLS antimony, fluorspar and corundum. — Eu- reka Sentinel SANDING CLOTH DIAMOND WHEEL DRESSERS domhton cfyoah cShoh.

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FEBRUARY, 1956 39 POLISHING GEM SURFACES IS A DELICATE ART Much remains to be learned about the GEMS ** MINERALS polishing of gem stones. The average lapi- dary is content to know that under certain conditions which he can bring about, the surface molecules of a gem will "flow" to NEW TRANSPARENT GEM OVER 800 KINDS OF form a shiny film, slightly harder than the STONE FOUND IN BRAZIL IGNEOUS ROCKS FOUND underlying material. A new- gem quality material, amblygonite, Two most common members of the igne- During the critical period when the buff- has been discovered in Brazil. The new ous rock family are the granites, which pre- ing wheel can be felt dragging or pulling gem is transparent and dichroic in two dominate in intrusive rocks, and the basalts, on the stone, these molecules, for reasons shades of yellow. Tests made by the Gem which predominate in extrusive rocks. Every not yet determined, will flow almost like Testing Laboratory of London indicate that extensive formation of igneous rock is cut liquid to fill tiny sanding scratches and its hardness is approximately 6, the specific by joints that are arranged in more or less smooth out much the same as water in a gravity 3.029, refractive index 1.609, 1.626 well-defined sets. The joint system may glass. Water is also harder on the surface and 1.637 and the composition (LiNa) Al divide the rock mass into roughly cubical than underneath. This is known as surface POf F,0H. Mrs. Betty Campbell of the or rhomboidal masses. Sometimes the joint tension. Polishing is a rearrangement of Washington Lapidary Club has cut a faceted system forms columnar masses of basalt. the gem surface, not simply a very fine cut- stone of amblygonite and reports that it The important minerals of igneous rocks ting operation as once believed. handles like synthetic rutile. The stone re- are quartz, feldspars, hornblende, augite, Not all materials respond to the same sembles beryl, but is distinguished by its biotite mica and muscovite mica. polishing technique. This explains the va- strong birefringence. — Oklahoma Mineral riety of buffing wheels and polishing com- and Gem Society's Sooner Rockologist Over 800 different kinds of igneous rocks have been recognized.—The Mineralogist pounds found in the lapidary shop. Soft material such as onyx is usually buffed on cotton; gems of about quartz hardness do BLUE-GREEN SPANGOLITE IS well on leather. Since it is in this range The Monterey Bay Mineral Society will that most amateurs start, it is suggested STRIKING GEM MINERAL hold its ninth annual gem and mineral show that the leather buff be the first one ac- Ford and Alice Wilson report that Spang- at the Y.M.C.A. building in Salinas, Cali- quired. Minerals of the hardness of 7, 8 olite is in several ways of more than usual fornia, on Feb. 25 and 26. Doors will be and even 9 polish well on a hard felt buff, interest. The color of this rare basic sulfate open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the 25th although many emeralds and star sapphires of copper and aluminum is a striking bluish and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the 26th. are still both cut and polished on horizontal green, a color that can be described as fall- laps. ing between the blue of azurite and the green of malachite. The beginner might do well to try one Chester L. Baker was recently elected of the finest of many polishing compounds Spangolite forms tiny, transparent, hex- president of the Oklahoma Mineral and on the market, Levigated Alumina, on all agonal crystals which may be hemimorphic, Gem Society. Also elected were Mrs. Has- but the tougher, harder stones. These he i.e., with the termination at one end differ- kell C. Yount, vice president; Mrs. Alvin can more readily polish with Linde "A" ent from the other. It was first described Markwell, secretary; O. C. Bundy, treasurer. Ruby Powder.—Ralph E. Hagemier in the 65 years ago as coming from a locality then —Sooner Rockologist Indiana Geology and Gem Society's Geolo- and still unknown "some 200 miles from gem Tombstone, Arizona." Subsequently, the mineral has been reported from six other localities in the world: Sardinia; St. Day, Ed Reardon was unanimously elected England; Grand Central Mine, Tintic, Utah; president of the San Fernando Valley, Cali- New officers of the Long Beach, Califor- Majuba Hill, Pershing County, Nevada; fornia, Mineral and Gem Society. Also nia, Mineral and Gem Society are Frank Czar Mine and Copper Queen Mine, Bisbee, named to office were Maurice Hebner, vice Pyles, president; John Gunning; vice presi- Arizona; and Metcalf Mine, Clifton-Mor- president; Mrs. Selma Stang, secretary; dent; Marguerite Bunch, secretary; Harvey enci District, Arizona. — El Paso, Texas, Henry Hasbach, treasurer. — Rocks and Hardman, treasurer; Carl Brenner and Nor- Mineral and Gem Society's The Voice Gems ris Bunch, directors.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY FAIR AND NATIONAL DATE FESTIVAL February 16 through 22, 1956 — Indio, California

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THE ONLY DATE FESTIVAL IN THE U. S. A.

40 DESERT MAGAZINE a ten-penny nail or horseshoe nail will do. It only takes a few minutes to flake out a rough point, but polishing it down with tiny, evenly spaced flaking to give it form and taper, a straight edge on each side, and an overall faceting to catch the light re- quires somewhat more time. The average shard was worked into a jewel-like arrow- There is as much profit in discarded and a hole to keep the rough glove in place. head in about an hour. broken objects as one's ingenuity can de- He found the most efficient tool to be the Ransom made one variation in the an- velop. Jay Ransom of El Segundo, Cali- Indian's carved prong of a deer's antler cient's technique—he utilized the rock-pol- fornia, makes amethyst colored arrow points which has a rather sharp tip. Due to the isher's drill made of a fine copper tube from common desert glass. natural curve, this tool can be given con- turning in diamond bort. With this he drills Desert glass, so familiar to travelers in siderable pressure at the point of contact holes in the bases of the most beautifully the Southwest, gets its color through years between the hard tip and the edge to be colored points and arranges them on a gold of lying in bright sunlight. Old glass takes flaked. Where a deer horn is not available, chain.—The Mineralogist, Portland, Oregon on the best color because its makers used manganese to "decolorize" the green effect of iron compounds in the glass-making sand. Under the action of ultra-violet light from the sun, the manganese is converted slowly LINDE "A" RUBY POWDER $3.75 PER LB. into the purple permanganates. The longer a piece lies in the sun, the deeper the ame- For a LIMITED TIME the factory has asked us to sell "factory seconds" thyst tint. Usually glass requires from three of this wonderful polishing agent which normally sells for $20 per lb. to five years to show the faintest tinge; 40 Actual professional tests show this to be perfect for polishing cabochons years produces an extraordinarily deep color of outstanding beauty. and for use in tumbling barrels. DEALERS WRITE FOR DETAILS. QUANTITY IS LIMITED but we should be able to fill orders until the Ransom, a writer whose hobby is mineral and gem collecting, uses the same technique end of the year. 8 oz. $2.00; 1 lb. $3.70; 5 lbs. for only $13.90. the ancients did in manufacturing their points from obsidian. After the shard has been roughed into TIN OXIDE $1.50 PER POUND general shape by tapping on the bench sur- If you buy $5 worth of Basic Lapidary Supplies from the following list. face with a tack hammer, Ransom turns to A $10 purchase entitles you to buy 2 lbs. Tin Oxide at $1.50 per lb. simple pressure-flaking with the tip of a blunt instrument. To protect his left hand A $25 purchase entitles you to buy 5 lbs. of Tin Oxide. against the sharp slivers of glass, just as the ancient arrow-makers did with a piece NORTON CRYSTOLON GRINDING WHEELS . . . of rawhide, Ransom cut a piece of leather to fit the palm, inserting the thumb through Siie 6xVi" 6x1" 8x1" 8x11/2" 10x11/2" 80 grit $8.20 100 grit $2.90 $3.95 $5.85 8.20 $12.40 220 grit 3.25 4.30 6.45 9.00 13.65 320 grit 3.65 4.90 7.35 10.25 15.50 Friends of C. H. Smith will regret to Shipping weight 2 lbs. 3 lbs. 5 lbs. 6 lbs. 9 lbs. learn that he died December 17 at the Holly- Crystolon Wheel Dressing Brick 6"x2"xl" _. .$1.05 wood Presbyterian Hospital where he had been taken late in November for medical CRYSTOLON ABRASIVE for the Lapidary treatment. "Rocksmith" as he was known to collectors and lapidaries, was one of Grit Size 1 Pound 5 lb. Lots Grit Size 1 Pound 5 lb. Lots Southern California's veteran hobbyists who 80, 100, 120, 180, 220 $ .90 $ .56 Graded 400 1.09 .75 had endeared himself to all who knew him. 2F (320, 3F (400) .94 .60 Graded 600 ..... 1.35 .98 Five years ago he and Mrs. Smith erected a comfortable cabin in the woods at Mock- DURITE (Silicon Carbide) ROLL SANDING CLOTH— ing Bird Hill near Applegate, Oregon, for Dry Rolls-Available in 120, 220, 320 grits their retirement. Mrs. Smith plans to re- 2" wide, 25 ft. long-$2.15; 150-foot roll—$ 9.60 main at the Oregon cabin where the home 3" wide, 15 ft. long- 2.15; 150-foot roll- 14.10 will always be open to the many friends. 10" wide, 5 ft. long— 2.15 12" wide, 5 ft. long- 2.40 DURITE SANDING CLOTH in round disks . . . ALTA INDUSTRIES Dry Type Available in 120, 220, 320 grits Wet Type Avail, in 150, 220, 400, 600 grits 2133 W. Encanto Blvd., Phoenix, Arizona 6" discs 8 for $1.10 25 for $ 2.40 6" discs 5 for $1.00 25 for $ 3.90 8" discs 5 for 1.10 25 for 4.40 8" discs- 3 for 1.10 25 for 7.00 LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT 10" discs 3 for 1.10 25 for 6.90 10" discs 2 for 1.15 25 for 11.00 MANUFACTURE AND DESIGN 12" discs 2 for 1.10 25 for 10.10 12" discs 2 for 1.65 25 for 16.00 New 10-12 inch powerfeed slabbing CONGO OR FELKER DI-MET DIAMOND BLADES saw unit. 4" diameter by .025" thick $ 7.80 10" diameter by .040" thick.... $14.80 16-18 inch powerfeed slabbing saw 6" diameter by .025" thick 7.80 12" diameter by .040" thick _ 18.20 14" diameter by .050" thick 25.20 units. 6" diameter by .032" thick 7.80 8 and 10 inch trim saw units. 16" diameter by .050" thick 28.60 8" diameter by .032" thick 10.40 20" diameter by .060" thick.__ 39.20 Plain and ball bearing belt Sanders. 8" diameter by .040" thick 11.40 24" diameter by .060" thick ...... 50.60 Send postal for free literature. When ordering please state arbor hole size

ALL PRICES F.O.B. PASADENA - ADD 3% SALES TAX IF YOU LIVE IN CALIFORNIA AUSTRALIAN FIRE OPAL All types in stock. Blue, green, Jelly, white, opal chips. Faceting material, slabs, fine specimens. Opal prices on request. GRIEGER'S, Inc. H. A. IVERS Mailing Address: P.O. Box 4185 — Catalina Station, Pasadena, Calif. 1400 K. Hacienda Blvd., Fhone OXford 7124$ 1633 EAST WALNUT ST. PASADENA 4, CALIF. . La Habra, California.

FEBRUARY, 1956 41 TRAILING WITH THE ROCKHOUNDS —new book portrays desert trips, areas ADVERTISING RATE visited, minerals, personalized experience GEfll miiRT 12c a word . . . Minimum $2.00 by rockhounds. Your name may be in- cluded. Advance sale—$3 copy. Delivery 90 days. Retta Ewers, 5893 Grand, Riv- erside, California. OEMS OF THE DESERT. Highly polished NOTICE: After August first we will be baroques tumbled variety. Agates, jasper, located at 2020 North Carson St., Carson BLANK BEZEL Mountings in sterling, gold rhodenite, petrified woods. General mix- City, Nevada. Mail address, P.O. Box or plated brass, for your polished stones. ture, $6.00 pound. Also findings, send 117. Gold Pan Rock Shop, John L. and Your designs executed to order. Write for price list. Dealers wholesale prices. Etta A. James, prop. for cost list No. 4, Jewelry Accessories, We do commercial gem cutting. Tur- 5435 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 27, quoise our specialty. Prices on rough tur- FOR SALE: Beautiful purple petrified wood California. quoise invited. Golden West Gem Co., with uranium, pyrolusite, manganite. Nice 7355 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, sample $1.00. Postage. Maggie Baker, TUMBLED GEMSTONES — variety of California. stones and colors, mixed sizes; Vi lb. Kingman, Arizona. $3.50. Vincil Brubaker, 5318 West Ave. L-12, Lancaster, California. ROCKS—opposite West End Air Base, ag- McSHAN'S GEM SHOP—open part time, ate, woods, minerals, books. Local infor- or find us by directions on door. Cholla JEWELRY MAKERS attention. Folder mation. Ironwood Rock Shop, Highway cactus wood a specialty, write for prices. with 60 modern, original designs for 60-70 West of Blythe, California. 1 mile west on U. S. 66, Needles, Cali- pendants, necklaces, earrings, etc. No fornia, Box 22. soldering. Complete set $1 postpaid. Dills-Gould, Box 87, St. Helena, Calif. OPALS AND SAPPHIRES rough, direct HAVE REAL FUN with desert gems, from Australia. Cutting opal, 1 ounce minerals and rocks. The rockhound's FINE CRYSTALLIZED Minerals and mas- $5, $10, $20, $30 and $60. Blue sap- how-to-do-it magazine tells how. One sive ore specimens direct from western phires, 1 ounce $10, $30 and $60. Star year (12 issues) only $3.00. Sample $25c. mines. Mmeralights and specimen kits sapphires 12 stones $10, $20, and $30, Gems and Minerals, Dept. J-10, Palmdale, for prospectors. No cutting material etc. Post free and insured. Send inter- California. handled. Write for free list. Rocky national money order, bank draft. Aus- Mountain Minerals, Box 1204, Idaho tralian Gem Trading Co., 49 Elizabeth ICELANDSPAR — double refracting rhom- Falls, Idaho. St., Melbourne, Australia. Free list of behedron-type crystals. Several crystals all Australian stones rough and cut, 16 pp. — 50c. Send for catalog with other GIFT AND LAPIDARY Store for Sale. minerals listed. No CODs. Satisfaction Fixtures, tools and merchandise. Excel- GENUINE TURQUOISE: Natural color, guaranteed. Ryzelite Minerals, Box 455, lent location. Good lease. W. G. Hurrle, blue and bluish green, cut and polished Golden, Colorado. 3825 7th St., Riverside, California. cabochons — 25 carats (5 to 10 stones according to size) $3.50 including tax, ROCK COLLECTORS — Attention! For postpaid in U.S.A. Package 50 carats (10 better rocks visit the trailer rock store, to 20 cabochons) $6.15 including tax, 69-457 Hiway 111 between Palm Springs PROPER CUTTING ORIENTATION postpaid in U.S.A. Elliott Gem & Mineral and Palm Desert. Open any day you find RESULTS IN BEST GEM COLOR Shop, 235 E. Seaside Blvd., Long Beach us home. Mail address: Box 181, Cathe- 2, California. dral City, California. The Rockologist In cutting stones possessing easy cleav- (Chuckawalla Slim). age, it may be necessary to orient the stone BEAUTIFUL FREE GOLD — Specimens so the cleavage direction is not parallel to $1.00 each. Return if not satisfied. Prices GEMS A-PLENTY: Beautiful baroque the direction to be polished, rather than to dealers, J. N. Reed, Box 102, Cabazon, gems, large variety, tumble polished all letting the most attractive color be the con- California. over, $10.00 for one pound (about 100 trolling factor. stones). 10 lbs. of top grade gemstone COLORADO MINERAL specimens, cut- prepaid for $7.00. Wholesale price to In colored stones, maximum of beauty ting and tumbling materials. Send 2 cent dealers on baroque gems and gemstone of color and, to a lesser extent, brilliancy, stamp for list and terms. Dealers please in the rough. Satisfaction guaranteed on is the desired aim. To produce maximum write for wholesale list. John Patrick, every sale. San Fernando Valley Gem brilliancy, light falling upon the table and Idaho Springs, Colorado. Co., 5905 Kester Ave., Van Nuys, Calif. crown facets should be refracted and then reflected and finally emerge from the crown. The polish should be near to perfect smooth- ness as possible. Thus a maximum amount GRINDS! I 12" bench model, $72 of light is reflected from the exterior of the SANSSIMJFFSII 16" floor model, $110 I facets on the crown and also from the Everything in- I 20" floor model, $155 interior of the facets on the base. Dirt on eluded except I Real rockhounds saws motor. Uses all! the base of a stone permits unnecessary favored far their big Hillquistacces-I leakage of light through the base and thus capacity and lifetime sories-ldealforl reduces brilliancy. HILLQUIST DIAMOND SAWS construction. "Magic- beginners. Only I Cut Faster-Last Longer-Cost 1 Brain" automatic feed I $42.50 complete Less. Available in all sizes. for above $46£5_ Spots of desirable color are sometimes HILLQUIST TRIM SAW You'll swear by 'em, not at'em! placed near the cutlet in order to improve The "Cadillac" of trim saws. Exclu- the appearance of an otherwise colorless sive "up-and-down" Before you buy any lapidary or faintly colored stone. This is frequently ^arbor. "No-splash" seen in sapphires and amethysts. By varia- plastic guards. equipment-send for our big tion from proper proportions the color of Precision rock clamp and guide. a pale stone is frequently improved; this is Complete with 8" FREE CATALOG! done by increasing the thickness of the blade, $62.50 FULL OF HELPFUL LAPIDARY stone, but this results in a sacrifice of bril- 0 liancy.—Victor Henry, Jr., M.D., in the Wichita Gem and Mineral Society's Quarry I DrillHILLQUISs finestT hole GEFDRILL-HOLs E SAW_ '"inn*"VSlIlp CO •HILLQUIST DRUM SANDER I The most popular drum Quips lot high 1545 W. 49 St. SEATTLE 7, WN. Ispeed and saws I sander made. Patented I discs up to 114". I "quick-lock' screw make: I Exclusive ramrod I it easy to change sanding • action prevents I cloth. 3"x7"- $9.50 In terms of all the common elements, I core plugging. the earth as a whole has been calculated to I Furly automatic. HILLQUIST COMPACT LAP UNIT consist of: Iron as metal, 31.82 percent; I Bigger than the Gem-Master. HJLLQUiST COMPLETE FACETER I up to a 10" saw. Saws, grinds, nickel, 3.16 percent; oxygen, 27.71 percent; Only $62.50 complete with 31 I sands, polishes, laps, facets, silicon, 14.53 percent; aluminum, 1.79 per- ^ index plates. You can cut anyl UUUUUM^r^rOuWl Takess I cuts spheres ~ does every cen; iron with silicon, 7.94 percent; mag- ! faceted form quickly and I Big! Ru99e° ."Valuable for pro- I thing and does it better. nesium, 8.69 percent; calcium, 2.52 percent; easily. The equal I 2" * 12" wh»to.vai ^^ (a5,, I Thouands m use. sodium, .39 percent; potassium, .14 percent; of faceters I ika k or any°any°"" $S350 I Everything inelU' sulphur, .64 percent; phosphorus, .11 per- "costing twice I cent; all others, .56 percent. — The Earth the price. I lot $122.50 Science News

4/1 DESERT MAGAZINE COLORADO PLACER MINER separation of the gold from other heavy the lighter material is rocked out in the TEACHES TRADE TO VISITORS materials takes place. usual manner. Extreme care must be ex- Spitz uses a small home-made wire bas- ercised here for the gold can easily be lost William C. Spitz of Denver, Colorado, over the side of the pan. is one placer miner who has become tired ket of V4 to \*2 inch mesh to shake the chasing poachers off his "diggin's." He de- gold bearing materials into the upper part Next, Spitz places a handkerchief over cided, instead, to cash in on them. For 25c of the long torn. This basket serves two a magnet and works it around the remain- a person Spitz allows them to visit his dig- purposes. First the gold bearing material ing materials in the pan. This removes the gin's, examine his equipment and receive a is quickly and evenly fed into the long torn; iron. When the handkerchief is taken from lecture from him on placer gold mining. secondly, the larger stones which remain in the magnet, the iron falls to the ground. His diggin's are located on Clear Creek near the basket can easily be discarded. The garnets are picked out with tweezers Central City, Colorado. Crystals of yellow iron pyrites, hematite, and then the gold nuggets are removed in For equipment, Spitz has a sluice box, magnetite, garnet (almadine) and other the same manner. Spitz uses a large eye- a dam to divert water to his diggin's, a long heavy minerals are found with the gold in dropper to pick up the flour gold.—Norm torn riffle and the standard gold pan. He the diamond shaped depressions. Moore in the Compton, California, Gem demonstrates how it all works, and then After the mat is rinsed in the gold pan, and Mineral Club's Rockhound Call for $1 he allows the visitors to use his equipment for 30 minutes and put their newly gained knowledge to practice. All the gold they take out they can keep. The sluice box carries water to the long This is but a small portion of GRIEGER'S INC. stock of torn riffle. The box has holes drilled in its sides to allow just the right amount of water BRACELET CHAINS KEY CHAINS NECKLACE CHAINS to run into the riffle. The flow must be great enough to carry the lighter rocks If you do not have our FREE CATALOG #551, send for if. down over the riffles and yet not so great as to wash away the gold. No. 39-5 The long torn is one-foot wide and about 10-feet long. Instead of cleats across KEY RING I" its bottom, Spitz uses only two cleats to & I" FANCY hold a common floor mat in place. This CHAIN mat contains hundreds of small diamond THIS ILL PORTION OF CHAIN AND CARD Chain will nor kink. shaped depressions which catch the gold RHODIUM PLATED and hold it far better than do the ordinary No. 26C-6 cleats. This mat can easily be taken up NECK CHAIN — 18" 2 for $1.00 and rinsed off into the gold pan where the YOUR COST—78 c each I dz $3.85 3 dz $8.65 in I doz lots. GOLD PLATED On fancy display card, jump rings made 2 for $1.00 NEW GUIDE TO PETRIFIED from as large as 19 gauge wire will fit in dz$3.75 3d* $8.45 these links for hanging baroques. FORESTS OF U.S. PRINTED YOUR COST—24c each A new guide to the petrified wood collect- STERLING SILVER RHODIUM PLATED ing areas of America has been issued by $I.IOea 3 for $2.80 I dz $8.35 in 3 doz lots. the Mineralogist Publishing Co. of 329 S.E. GOLD FILLED 32nd Ave., Portland, 15, Oregon. DEALERS WRITE FOR PRICES Petrified Forest Trails by Jay Ellis Ran- $l.25ea 3 for $3.10 I dz $9.30 som is a thorough coverage of the many localities where rockhounds can collect pet- rified wood. The author adds to the value of the handbook by presenting the broad, general geologic picture of each collecting NECKLACE area as well as details concerning specimens taken. Several fine photographs of interest- foldover clasp. Any of ing specimens are included in the book. The author describes the origin and physical properties of petrified wood and carboniferous age forests. Eighty pages, paperbound, $2. • • • MIDWEST'S BIGGEST GEM SHOW BEING PLANNED These bracelet chains are ideal for mak- Directors of the Midwest Federation of No. 28-3 BRACELET CHAIN 7" ing of baroque bracelet jewelry. The Mineralogical and Geological Societies and clasps are the foldover type which allow the American Federation of Mineralogical STERLING SILVER RHODIUM PLATED easy hooking. Any of our jump rings will Societies announced that the July 12-15 95c eo 3 for $2.15 I dz $7.60 joint convention and show in the Twin fit in the links. Cities will be the largest gem and mineral GOLD FILLED YOUR COST— 73c each show ever held in the midwest. Ninety $I.IOea 3 for $2.50 f dz $8.80 in I doz lots. commercial booths and 750 feet of tall glass-front display cases will hojd exhibits in three inter-connected exhibition type buildings. Unlimited free parking, free camp No. 28-4 These bracelet chains ore ideal for mak grounds and trailer park and many other BRACELET CHAIN 7" ing of baroque bracelet jewelry. The features are planned by the show directors. clasps are the foldover type which allow • • • RHODIUM PLATED 3 for $1.00 I dz $2.70 3 dz $7.30 easy hooking. Any of our jump rings wil Harvey Pierce is credited with discovery fit in the links.YOUR COST—20c eac of the sandspike collecting area on Signal GOLD PLATED in 3 doz lots. Mountain, Mexico. The discovery was made 4 for $1.00 I dz $2.45 3 dz $6.60 in 1936 and since then Pierce has donated PRICES QUOTED APPLY ONLY TO THOSE QUANTITIES MENTIONED over 6000 specimens of this phenomena to colleges and museums throughout the na- PER ITEM AND COLOR OR LARGER MULTIPLES THEREOF. tion. Over 40 varieties have been classified ADD 10% FEDERAL EXCISE TAX EXCEPT WHERE NOTED. varying in length from half-an-inch to three- California residents — Please add 3% sales tax. feet. For some unexplainable reason 90 percent of all sandspikes are found pointing to the west. The spikes are usually found 4.1(11:4.i:it*S. Inc. buried in sand mounds, some as much as six feet below the surface.—Coachella Val- MAIL ADDRESS: P. O. Box 41 85, CATALINA STATION, PASADENA, CALIF. ley Mineral Society's Lik 'n Lap

FEBRUARY, 1956 43 The old-fashioned sandstone wheel of NEW GEOLOGIC MAPS OF Pn1yimjQtcm. DIAMOND BLADES every well equipped farm became an antique \JjV ^-\- «• "Treat uoar-self to the best" shortly after the first artificial abrasive, sili- CALIFORNIA NOW AVAILABLE con carbide, was crystallized by Dr. Edward Eight sheets of the new geologic map G. Acheson in his laboratory in Monanga- of California are now available in prelim- hela, Pennsylvania, in 1893. Since then, inary form, the State Division of Mines two other important artificial abrasives have reports. The eight sheets include: Death been discovered: aluminum oxide and boron Valley, Long Beach, San Luis Obispo, carbide. Silicon carbide is the most com- Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Trona, Santa monly used in lapidary work and, chances Maria and Santa Ana. Scale of the sheets are, is the kind of wheel you are now using. is 1:250,000, on a topographic base pre- —Paul Martin in Gems and Minerals pared by the U. S. Corps of Engineers and the Geologic Survey. The maps are in three colors and geologic Arbor Size formations are indicated by contact lines, x in California CRYSTAL COLLECTORS MUST but are not colored. Price of each map is Allow for Postage and Insurance USE EXTREME CAUTION one dollar plus three cents tax for Cali- Most important in collecting crystals is fornia residents. Orders should be sent to Covington Ball Bearing Grinder that the specimen be taken in perfect con- the Division of Mines, Ferry Building, San and shield H arc dition. A specimen with marred crystals Francisco 11, California. furnished in 3 loses much of its value. The collector must sizes and price take into consideration the fact that crystals ranges (<> suit are of varied hardness and, more important, Nine Riverside County clubs will partici- your require- of varied degrees of tenacity. An advanced pate in the gem and mineral exhibits at the meii<8. Water and collector wilt treat all types of crystals as County Fair and National Date Festival at delicate, fragile and brittle specimens. Crys- Indio, California, on February 16-22. The COVINGTON 8" TRIM SAW tals should be properly wrapped for their entire exhibit will be under one roof, in the trip home. Very fragile material must be new Junior Exhibit building. Many of the and motor are com- placed in boxes on cotton or similar soft displays will feature rocks of the nearby pact and do not material. More durable specimens can be desert area and some hobbyists will be at is* splash. Save blades the show during fair week to explain the and clothing with wrapped in tissue or ordinary newspaper. this saw. Never wrap two specimens together. exhibits to both beginners and experienced rockhounds. A detergent soap and warm water usually BUILD YOUR OWN LAP will clean the crystal once you have it safely and SAVE with a COV- home. Follow this with a soft brushing. Opal is an amorphous (haying no definite INGTON 12" or 10" Lap Some crystals will not clean in this way and form) form of silica containing water. Pre- Kit. We furnish every- you may have to use acids. Experiment on cious opal contains between three percent thing you need. Send poor specimens of the same material before and 9 percent water, while common opal for new free lapidary attempting to clean the better specimens. may contain as much as 22 percent water. catalog. Crystals are stored in many ways and —Verdugo Hills, California, Gem and Min- of course, labelling the specimens is very eral Society's Rockhound News and Views COVINGTON Multi-Feature important. Include the name of the crystal, 16" Lapidary where discovered, chemical composition, the Unit Does Dana number and other information that The Rohr Aircraft Rockhound Club of everything is felt pertinent on the label. Chula Vista, California, installed new offi- cers recently. Seated were Geoffrey Baker, Arranging your crystals according to the president; Lee Weatherbie, vice president; COVINGTON elements is not difficult. Any mineralogy 12", U" book will describe the elements contained Barbara Furlong, treasurer; and Joyce Baker, or Ifi" secretary. On the board of control are Lyle Power Feed in each mineral.—Jack Schwartz in the Sheverman, Nathalie Black, Bob Marra, Diamond Montebello, California, Mineral and Lapi- Ruth Weatherbie, Paul Fisher, Charles Dib- Slab Saws dary Society's The Braggin' Rock ble, Bill Furlong and Bill Bennett. 8AVJS • • • BLADES Mary Frances Berkholz, California Fed- The Eastern Arizona Gem and Mineral Used by the U. S. Government eration field trip chairman, urged rock- Society has filed 20 placer mining claims in Send for New Catalog, IT'S Fit UK hound clubs to file mining claims on local Limestone Canyon, near Clifton, Arizona, DEALERS WANTED collecting areas as a means of safeguarding in order to reserve that area for future col- them for future rockhounds and for other lecting by hobbyists. All rockhounds have Covington Lapidary Eng. members of the hobby.—Coachella Valley been invited to collect at the club's claims. REDLANDS D, CALIFORNIA Mineral Society's Lik 'n Lap —-Gems and Minerals

Elected president of the Gem County Rock and Mineral Society was E. C. Brook- ins. Other officers who will serve with him Ate are Mrs. Zella Kent, vice president; Mrs. Myrtle Albee, secretary; Mrs. Grace Mon- Ifiaccve 'Seat Aoa&ttty roe, treasurer; A. R. Albee, federation di- rector; Mrs. Cora Holman, publicity chair- Petrified Wood, Moss Agate, Chrysocolla man. Turquoise, Jade and Jasper Jewelry HAND MADE IN STERLING SILVER BLANK MOUNTINGS Bracelets, Rings, Necklaces, Earrings for and Brooches AGATE JEWELRY SPECIALLY SELECTED STONES WITH WHOLESALE CHOICE COLORS AND PICTURES Rings — Ear Wires — Tie Chains Write for Folder With Prices Cuff Links — Neck Chains Bezel — devices — Shanks ELLIOTT'S GEM SHOP Solder — Findings Send stamp for price list No. 3 235 East Seaside Blvd. Long Beach 2, California Across from West End of Municipal O. R. JUNKINS & SON Auditorium Grounds 440 N.W. Beach St. Hours 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Daily Except Monday NEWPORT, OREGON

44 DESERT MAGAZINE Easy does it when holding stones for shaping on the grinding wheel. By resting the stone on the forefinger and supporting AMATEUR GM CUTUR the upper back corner with the thumb, or back of both upper corners with two thumbs, PROPER USE OF SILVER ORIENTING ASTERIATED QUARTZ you can shape the top on all sides without SOLDER IS STRESSED FOR BEST CABOCHON RESULTS fear of gouging the stone or the wheel. A One of the most important items in jew- A six-rayed star is exhibited by asteriated damp tip of the forefinger will hold your elry work according to Raymond Addison quartz when it is cut so that its optic axis cabochon safely against the side of a vertical of the San Jose, California, Lapidary Soci- runs through the center of the top of the smoothing wheel when working on the flat cabochon. The optic axis can be located ety is silver solder. The wrong kind of bottom of the cab. A padded arm rest, solder can produce failure and difficulties with a simple apparatus consisting of two and there are many silver solders on the pieces of polaroid, a means of supporting proper lighting, and freedom from annoy- market that have no place in jewelry mak- them in a "crossed" position and a light ing spray are aids for relaxation.—Minne- ing—solders, for instance, that are made source. The latter can be any source that sota Mineral Club's Rock Rustler's News for industry and are used to solder steel, gives a beam of light smaller than the piece copper, brass and other metals. As a rule of polaroid. A small hole cut in a cigar these are unfit to use with sterling silver box containing a light bulb will do. because they are usually yellow in color Place one polaroid over the light source and many of them have high melting points. and support the other a few inches above Producers of fine metals make several it with a bracket or other means. To "cross" solders, each melting at different degrees the polaroids, turn on the light source and of heat. It is very important that you know while looking directly into it through the at what heat a solder will melt. For in- two polaroids, rotate one of them until the stance, if one is making several soldered position of greatest darkness is reached. joints on the same piece, it is better to use With the polaroids "crossed" you are a solder with a higher melting point for the now ready to examine the rough piece of first joint and one with a slightly lower quartz which is held by hand between the melting point for the last joint. The reason two polaroids and examined in the same is obvious—the first joint will not be affected manner as for "crossing" the polaroids. The when you make the second weld. A bezel, piece of rough quartz must be free of large for instance, will not come unsoldered when surface opaque areas that do not pass light you put on the safety catch. readily, and the location of the optic axis Usually, two grades of solder are all the is best done in a dark or dimly lit room. amateur jewelry maker needs, one that melts Step 1. Slowly rotate the piece of rough at about 1350 degrees and one with a 1150 about a vertical axis. If one piece of rough degree melting point. It is best to specify remains dark while being rotated 90-degrees, the melting point when ordering solder from its optic axis is vertical. Mark it. Slice the a manufacturer rather than merely ordering piece of rough perpendicular to this axis by solder number for these numbers vary and use the cut as the base of the cabochon. with the producers. Usually the quartz will not remain dark Shun the use of high-heat solders. Sterl- while being rotated, but will be alternately ing itself melts at just a little higher tempera- light and dark. This means the optic axis is not vertical. The optic axis can still be ture than the solder, and trouble is in store HILLQUIST *without motor. for you if high temperature solders are used. located by making a series of rotations about —Gems and Minerals imaginary axes. For brevity in the follow- tOMPARE! ing directions, an imaginary horizontal axis • Put the Hillcjuist Gemmaster beside any lapidary pointing away from the person who is machine — cheaper, flimsy "gadgets" or units that manipulating the piece of rough will be sell at twice the price. Compare construction! Com- called the north-south axis. An imaginary pare ease of operation! Compare how much you EASY WAY TO MOUNT STONE horizontal axis runing from right to left get for your money and you'll say, "I'll take the AS A LASTING LAPEL PIECE will be called the east-west axis. Gemmaster!" Here is a worthy companion for our larger and The simplest way to mount a rare speci- Step 2. Rotate the piece of rough about more expensive Hillquist Compact Lapidary Unit. men as a lapel piece is to lay the stone its vertical axis until it become dark; then Tho smaller in size, the Hillquist Gemmaster has on a piece of 18 gauge silver, trace around rotate it about the east-west axis. If the many of the same features. It's all-metal with spun it with a sharp awl and then draw flanges piece of rough remains dark, carry out aluminum tub. You get a rugged, double-action rock at strategic points on the outline. Flanges Step 3. If it is alternately light and dark, clamp, not a puny little pebble pincher. You get a must be long enough to anchor the stone skip Step 3 and carry out Step 4. full 3" babbitt sleeve bearing and ball thrust bear- tightly when bent up around it, but not so ing. You get a big 7" Super Speed diamond saw long that they detract from the stone de- Step 3. Rotate the rough 45-degrees and all the equipment you need to go right to work. sign. Cut out the silver pattern, solder a clockwise about the vertical axis then rotate it about the northwest-southeast axis until USES ALL ACCESSORIES pinback on the reverse side, lay your stone You can use all the regular Hillquist accessories in place and very gently ease the flanges the piece of rough become dark. The optic with the Gemmaster: The Hillquist Facetor, Sphere into place. axis is now vertical. Mark it. Slice a piece Cutters, Laps, Drum and Disc Sanders, etc. of rough perpendicular to this axis and use If you want something more ornate, lay the cut as the base of the cabochon. WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG your stones on a large piece of paper and make several tracings of the shape — and Step 4. Rotate the piece of rough about then let your imagination go to work. the vertical axis for approximately 90-de- You will eventually come up with some- grees until it becomes dark, then carry out thing pleasing. Cut the background sheet Step 3. on 16 or 18 gauge silver from your pattern. The final check on whether the optic axis Make it enough larger than the stone to is vertical is to rotate 90-degrees about the take care of ornamentation. Excess metal vertical axis. If the optic axis is vertical I BIG 7" Diamond Saw • 6" x 1 " Gi can be filed off after the soldering is com- the piece of rough will remain more or I Wheel . 6" Felt Buff • 6" Backing Wheel pleted.—Ernestine Thomas in the Minne- less uniformly dark, depending somewhat | 6" Disc Sander • Double-action Rock sota Mineral Club's Rock Rustler's News on surface irregularities. If the final check j Clamp • Oil Feed Cup • Water Feed reveals that the optic axis is not vertical, | Hose & Clamp • Dop Sticks S Dop Wax* grasp the piece of rough in a new position | Polish, Compound, Etc. and start over with Step. 1.—Georgia Min- BUILT FOR LONG SERVICE! eral Newsletter No other low-cost lap unit When polishing a thin slice of material, gives you full 3" sleeve such as iris agate, dop it to a larger piece bearing, boll thrust bearing of agate and then proceed to sand carefully, and pressure lubrication. bringing the stone in contact with the sander From Australia comes the news of the for only a few seconds at a time. The discovery of a 820-carat black star sapphire larger piece of agate will tend to draw the near Ruby Vale. The stone is the size of /I heat away from the thin specimen.—Lapi- a golf ball and may be the largest star dary Journal sapphire ever found.—The Mineralog

'EBRUARY, 1956 45 By RANDALL HENDERSON The experience of other communities provides ample evi- dence that these fears are well justified. Y NEIGHBORS in the Coachella Valley of California are about to make a very important Americans of this generation have grown up with the decision—and since the problem is one which idea—if they stopped to think of it at all—that pure air sooner or later will confront many other communities and good water are inexhaustible resources. Every cham- in the Desert Southwest I want to bring it out in the open. ber of commerce was seeking more industry—and any industry which brought a jingle to the cash register was Coachella Valley is a small community — approxi- good. mately 10 miles wide by 40 miles long, almost entirely encircled by mountains, with a year-around population of Unfortunately, that is no longer true. The pressure 22,000, and a winter population of double that number. of increasing population and our growing dependence on the gadgets of factory production have brought us to the We have two main industries—agriculture and resorts. time—whether we like it or not—when we must evaluate Last year the 49,594 acres in cultivation produced crops our air and water resources and determine whether or not valued at $26,152,000, of which grapes were No. 1 and they arc to be conserved. Many years too late, Los Ange- dates No. 2 in gross returns. Tomatoes ranked third and les has come to this realization—and recently announced grapefruit fourth. that future applicants for industrial sites are to be screened The resort industry includes accommodations and as to their use of water and their potential for air pollution. services for visitors who range all the way from transient tourists to recreation and health-seekers who remain In a little valley, rimmed in with mountains as we are through the winter season. While no exact figures are here in Coachella, we cannot have both heavy industry, available, the estimates of our resort income range from and a prosperous resort and agricultural economy. It will $22,000,000 to $34,000,000 a year. not take much heavy industry to give this valley a per- petual overcast of smudge—and if that time comes we will The agricultural industry centers in Indio at one end have killed the goose that laid the golden egg—for agri- of our valley and the resort industry at Palm Springs, 25 culture cannot thrive in such an atmosphere, and the miles away, at the other end of the valley. Palm Desert is winter tourist business will go to Nevada or New Mexico half way between. There is no sharp line of cleavage. — to places like Wickenburg and Sedona in Arizona Some of the finest date gardens are on the outskirts of where far-sighted community leaders have taken a firm Palm Springs, and Indio derives millions from transient stand against any industry which pollutes the air or con- and seasonal tourists. taminates the soil. So much for the background of the controversy which now threatens the peaceful co-existence of our community. Heavy industry is necessary. There are places for it Indio, not satisfied with the multi-million dollar agri- where the water supply is abundant and geographical cultural and resort industries we now have, wants to add features permit the free movement of air. Undoubtedly a third—manufacturing. Directors of the Indio chamber the time will come when chemical and mechanical inven- of commerce have announced that they want industry— tion will solve the problems of atmospheric contamination. light, heavy, any kind of industry that will increase the But that probably is many years away. local payrolls. They have already approved the construc- If a community wants heavy industry, the good old tion of an ore reduction plant not far from their city limits. American tradition of free enterprise gives to every group They like to refer to this policy as "progress." the right to determine what its economy shall be. But Palm Springs and our Woman's Club here in Palm there should be no illusions. Heavy industry does not mix Desert, realizing that the main tourist attractions of our with a prosperous agricultural and residential community valley are its winter sunshine, pure air and the beauty of where people come for retirement, health and recreation. our snow-capped horizon, and that the air pollution of One of the things I have learned about my neighbors factories and truck traffic of heavy industry could destroy during 45 years on the desert frontier is that in every com- all this are against it. munity there are always two groups: (1) Those who have Many of the fruit and vegetable farmers in Coachella come to this desert community to establish permanent Valley share this view. They have visited the Los Angeles homes. They are the folks who build for the future. (2) coastal plain on the other side of the mountains and have Those who come to the new community to make a stake seen what an almost perpetual cloud of thick brown smog and get out. To them, life on the desert merely is some- is doing to the vegetation in such places as Riverside and thing to be tolerated and money is the only thing that San Bernardino and Pomona and Santa Ana. They are counts. It is a sorry day for the future of any town which afraid of what will happen to their grapefruit and dates entrusts its policy-making functions to those whose only and leafy vegetables if heavy industry comes to this valley. stake in the community is to-get-rich-and-get-out.

46 DESERT MAGAZINE sketch, notes on each trip, map of the travels and photographs of mission Tubutama. Number one of the Great BOOKS*HxSOUWMST Southwest Travel series. 82 pages, with index. $7.50. THE DESERT THAT LIES by the Arizona Pioneers' Historical • • • BEYOND THE MASK OF ARIDITY Society. STORY OF THE 20-MULE "There are places where the creo- Jacobo Sedelmayr was born in Ba- TEAM BORAX WAGONS sote bush is a more useful plant than varia in 1722, and like his predecessor, Nearly everyone knows about the cotton. . . . We must live for something Jesuit Francisco Kino, entered the 20-mule team borax wagons which besides making a living. If we do not Spanish mission field in America. He freighted across Death Valley in the permit the earth to produce beauty was assigned to the mission of Tubu- 1880s. In motion pictures, radio and and joy, it will in the end not produce tama for 16 years, then to southern television—and on the shelves of the food either." missions, and "set up the finest record grocery stores wherever borax is sold These are the conclusions of Joseph for exploring north country and per- —the 20-mule teams have been glam- Wood Krutch, naturalist-philosopher, haps for missionary efficiency." orized. whose home is on the desert near Tuc- His first account, Relacion, narrates But detailed and authentic records son, and whose most recent book The his explorations of 1744 from Tubu- of that colorful episode in western Voice of the Desert, is one of the most tama mission to Gila River, up the mining history have seldom appeared illuminating interpretations yet to be Colorado to Bill Williams Fork. The in print—and it is to fill this gap, and published on the botany and biology second is a log of the journey in 1749 to reconcile some of the contradictions of the desert world. into Yuma country. The third is the of previous reporting, that Harold O. Krutch's book is for those who diary of an unknown ensign among Weight has compiled the third booklet would see beyond the mask of the soldiers stationed in Caborca and their in his Southwestern Panorama series: desert to the processes — sometimes trek down the Colorado, accompanied 20-Mule Team Days in Death Valley. complex but always interesting to an by Sedelmayr. His letter to the Vice- Insofar as has been possible Weight eager mind—by which the denizens, roy in Mexico City in 1751 is the obtained his material from original both plant and animal, survive and fourth account, explaining the need for sources — from old-timers who knew multiply in this arid land. missions along the Gila and Colorado the men and their mules and from the While the author is a scientist, sci- rivers. records of that period. entific observation means little to him The translating of Peter Masten The new publication is in two edi- unless it contributes to the vast fund Dunne, S.J., Chairman of the Depart- tions, the first being a limited printing of knowledge which human beings ment of History, San Francisco, pre- of 750 copies which contains the 1883 need to retain a proper sense of values serves the vision and zest of the mis- report of California State Mineralogist in charting their own lives. sionary explorer's writings. Jacobo Henry G. Hanks. A second edition Since men and women are a part of Sedelmayr is worthwhile, factual read- without this report also is available. the same world and the product of the ing of life in the southwest in the latter Published by Calico Press, paper- same creative forces as are the dip- part of the eighteenth century. It is a bound, halftone illustrations and map. podomy and the saguaro—and have beautifully printed volume with hand- First edition 44 pages, $1.25. Second many of the same problems to solve— set chapter headings, biographical edition 36 pages, 75c. the observations of a scientific man who is also a philosopher are interest- ing to the layman no less than the FROM A NATURALIST, I have learned more about this desert in an scholar. evening's reading than in 40 years of tramping over the arid terrain. I While Dr. Krutch is a comparative have been reading Joseph Wood Krutch's latest book, The Voice of the newcomer to the desert, his five years Desert. It is a most revealing story about the lowly things of this desert on the Sonoran llano at Tucson have land.—Randall Henderson, editor of Desert Magazine been years of intensive study, and The Voice of the Desert, is the second SEND NOW FOR YOUR volume to come from his studio, his previous desert book, The Desert Year, COPY OF having been published in 1952. Tn the east he is widely known as a teacher, drama critic, biographer, jour- The nalist and public speaker. His Ph.D. degree was granted at Columbia Uni- versity where he held a professorship VOICE of the of dramatic literature. Published by William Sloane Asso- ciates, New York. 223 pp. Half tone DESERT illustrations. $3.75. A Naturalist's Interpretation • • • 18TH CENTURY MISSIONARY JOSEPH WOOD KRUTCH EXPLORES THE SOUTHWEST The four original manuscripts nar- Desert Crafts Shop —- Palm Desert, Calif. rating the explorations of Jacobo Sed- elmayr, missionary frontiersman in Ari- 223 pages, illustrated—$3.75 zona and Sonora, are translated and annotated for the first time by Peter (Please add Sc pstg.. California customers add 3% tax) Masten Dunne, in the book published

FEBRUARY, 1956 47 BOOKS ABOUT THE THINGS THAT LIVE AND GROW ON THE DESERT

W4 DESERT PARADE, W. H. Carr. Photographs W25 THE TREES AND SHRUBS OF THE SOUTH- by M. H. Frost. Ideal gift for anyone prizing WESTERN DESERT, L. Benson and R. Dar- choice book on natural history. In splendid pho- row. This revised edition has all the information tographs and text is caught the fascination of the a beginner in botany will need for identifying the Desert wildlife and plant life. 95 pp $2.50 perennial vegetation in the entire Southwest. Ap- pendix, 115 illustrations, 9 in full color. 437 pp. $8.50 W5 DESERT WILD FLOWERS, Edmund C. Jaeger. Fine handbook on desert flora, almost W26 ANIMALS OF THE SOUTHWEST DESERT, 800 species described and illustrated by line draw- G. Olin. One of the series of the Southwestern ings or photos. Includes material on discovery and Monuments Association; an invaluable book on naming of plants, animal associations, Indian and the desert-dwelling animals; habits, detailed draw- pioneer uses, explanation of botanical names. $5.00 ings, charts. Paper-bound. 112 pp $1.00 W27 SONGBIRDS IN YOUR GARDEN, John K. W8 FIELD GUIDE TO WESTERN BIRDS, Roger Terres. A treasury of information on feeding Tory Peterson. Method of field identification, birds, building houses, charts of seasons, gardens especially helpful to layman. Profusely illustrated that attract hummingbirds, lists of songbird food with drawings showing characteristic markings ob- ratings in the U. S. Illustrations, construction served in flight. Field-marks, size, manner of plans. 274 pp $3.95 flight, voice range. 40 pp. halftones, 6 pp. full color $3.75 W28 INSECTS CLOSE UP. Ed. S. Ross. Splendid pictorial guide for photographer and collector. W9 POISONOUS DWELLERS OF THE DESERT, Includes 125 photographs, drawings, also how-to- Natt N. Dodge. ". . . should become as much do-it sections on finding, mounting, and photo- a part of the kit of any desert visitor as his can- graphing insects. 80 pp $1.50 teen." Description and habitat of giant desert centipede, scorpions, black widow spiders, kissing W29 WILDLIFE IN COLOR, Roger Tory Peterson, bug, bees, Sonoran coral snake, rattlers, Gila Mon- sponsored by National Wildlife Federation. sters, and others. First aid. Illus., index, paper. 450 full color illustrations by 18 of America's lead- $ .50 ing wildlife artists. Arranged by wildlife com- munities, with accompanying text. Pocket size, W16 WILD PALMS of the California Desert, Ran- paper $3.75 dall Henderson, Editor of Desert Magazine. W30 THE FLOWERING CACTUS, R. Carlson, G. Most interesting and descriptive stories of the M. Avey, R. C. and Claire Meyer Proctor. wild palms that grow in—Palm Canyon, Andreas More than 80 magnificent full-color photographs of Canyon, Fern Canyon, Eagle Canyon. Photos. Map. the cactus flowers in full bloom, with explanatory $ .50 text. Treasured gift for every visitor to the South- west, or lover of flowers and photography. 95 pp. W17 FLOWERS OF THE SOUTHWEST DESERT, $7.50 Natt N. Dodge. Written for those who, lack- ing a scientific knowledge of botany, would still W31 THE VOICE OF THE DESERT, Joseph Wood like to learn the names of the more common Krutch. In which a Naturalist explores the species of desert flowers and shrubs. Both the rich, intriguing, unexpected variety of life on the scientific and common names of 145 species are Southwestern desert. 223 pp $3.75 given. 110 Illus. paper cover $1.00 W94 WHAT KIND A CACTUS IZZAT? Reg. Man- ning. Humorous drawings, informative text W17A FLOWERS OF THE SOUTHWEST MESAS, make this an easy-to-read book for everyone inter- Pauline M. Patraw. Identifies by an easy-to- ested in the "Who's Who" of the desert cacti life. follow color key, the common plants of the Pinyon- 107 pp $2.25 Juniper Woodland extending from about 4500 to 7500 feet in elevation. Descriptive drawings by Add 5 cents a book for postage Jeanne R. Janish. Paper cover, index, 112 pp. $1.00 California buyers add 3% tax W18 OUR DESERT NEIGHBORS, Edmund C. Jaeger. A fascinating book of a naturalist's Send orders to experiences with the jackrabbit, the packrat, the coyote, the canyon wren, the sidewinder, and scores of birds and animals and reptiles of the Southwest Desert. Illus. Index, 239 pp $5.00 PALM DESERT- CALIFORNIA