father Kino Diorama ... At the Tumacacori National Monument Mu- seum in Southern Arizona is this striking diorama depicting Father Eusebio Francisco Kino and an Indian guide. The padre was a pioneer mission- ary explorer and cartographer whose wanderings took him over many miles of new lands around the turn of the 18th Century. Photographer of this first prize winner is Ann Seeling of Santa Barbara, California. She used a Rolleiflex camera with 3.5 Xenar lens; Plus X film; 1/100 seconds at f. 12.5 with flash. PICTURES OF THE MONTH The Jolly Turk ... W. G. Carroll of Hollywood, California, is second prize winner this month. His photo is of a balanced rock which bears a striking resem- blance to a smiling man wearing a turban on his head. The figure is in the valley below Cane Springs, about 20 miles southwest of Moab, Utah. When local inquiry produced no name for this stone, the photographer's wife dubbed it, "the Smiling Turk."
DESERT MAGAZINE DESERT CflLEIlDRR May 27-June 21—Exhibition of His- toric Maps, Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff. May 28-June 1—Annual Grand Can- yon Tour, sponsored by the Horse- less Carriage and Antique Automo- bile Club of Tucson. May 31-June 1, 2—2nd Annual Kids Rodeo, Alamogordo, New Mexico. June 1-2 — Annual Spanish Fiesta, Morongo Valley, California. June 1-2—Rodeo, Yerington, Nev. Volume 20 JUNE, 1957 Number 6 June 6-8 — Kearny Entrada, Rodeo and Historic Celebration, Raton, New Mexico. COVER Chipmunk, By W. W. RATCLIFF June 7-9—Pecos Valley Horse Show, PHOTOGRAPHY Pictures of the Month 2 Roswell, New Mexico. CALENDAR June events on the desert 3 June 7-9—Rodeo, Farmington, N.M. POETRY Sunsets, and other poems 4 June 8—Buffalo Dance, Santa Clara Where Scientists Work Above Timberline Pueblo, New Mexico. SCIENCE By NELL MURBARGER 5 June 8-9—Carson Valley Days, Gard- nerville-Minden, Nevada. Mountains Are For Everyone RECREATION June 9—Annual Tour to the Grave By LOUISE TOP WERNER 10 of Eugene Manlove Rhodes, from Judge Roy Bean's Courthouse Alamogordo, New Mexico. HISTORY By JOSEF and JOYCE MUENCH 11 June 10-17—Cattle Tagging at Boul- der, Utah. Several thousand cattle, EXPERIENCE Flash Flood! By DEE TRIPP 12 fresh from winter range, are EXPLORATION Vacation in Baja California branded, vaccinated and made ready for the summer range. By C. R. APPLEBY 13 FORECAST June 12 — La Loma Fiesta of St. Southwest river runoff predictions 16 Anthony, Taos, New Mexico. NATURE The Upside Down Mojave River June 13 — San Antonio de Padua By EDMUND C. JAEGER 18 Corn Dance, Taos, New Mexico. RECLAMATION Also celebrated in other northern Glen Canyon Dam Contract Awarded .... 20 rural villages. CLOSE-UPS About those who write for Desert 20 June 13-16 — Cherry Festival, Ban- FIELD TRIP ning-Beaumont, California. Garnets in the Inkopah Gorge June 14-16—10th Annual New Mex- CONTEST By WARNER G. TILSHER 21 ico State Championship High School Rodeo, Santa Rosa. LETTERS Picture-of-the-Month Contest announcement . . 24 June 20-22—Amateur Rodeo, Vernal, TRUE OR FALSE Comment from Desert's readers 24 Utah. FICTION A test of your desert knowledge 25 June 21-23 — Junior Rodeo, Globe, Hard Rock Shorty of Death Valley 26 Arizona. PERSONALITY He Goes by Burromobile June 22-23 — Lions Indian Capital Championship Rodeo, Gallup, N.M. REPTILES By VERNE RANDALL 27 June 23 — Corpus Christi Sunday. King Snake Is Immune to Poison Outdoor religious processions from NEWS By GEORGE M. BRADT 28 St. Francis Cathedral and Cristo Rey Church, Santa Fe; Guadalupe MINING From here and there on the desert 29 Church, Taos; and Old Mission, URANIUM Current news of desert mines 33 Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico. HOBBY Latest developments in the industry 34 June 23-24—Rodeo, J31y, Nevada. LAPIDARY Gems and Minerals 36 June 24—Annual Fiesta and Cere- monial Dances, San Juan Pueblo. COMMENT Amateur Gem Cutter, by DR. H. C. DAKE . . 41 Corn Dances at Taos and Acoma BOOKS Just Between You and Me, by the Editor ... 42 pueblos, New Mexico. Reviews of Southwestern Literature .... 43 June 24-July 5 — Southwest Writers' The Desert Magazine is published monthly by the Desert Press, Inc., Palm Desert, Workshop, Arizona State College, California. Re-entered as second class matter July 17, 1948, at the postoffice at Palm Desert, Flagstaff. California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Title registered No. 358865 in U. S. Patent Office, and contents copyrighted 1957 by the Desert Press, Inc. Permission to reproduce contents June 27-29 — Rodeo, Lehi, Utah. must be secured from the editor in writing. Miniature Parade on 27th and 28th; RANDALL HENDERSON, Editor EUGENE L. CONROTTO, Associate Editor Stock Parade on 29th. BESS STACY, Business Manager EVONNE RIDDELL, Circulation Manager June 29—San Pedro's Day Dances Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs submitted cannot be returned or acknowledged at Laguna, Acoma, Santa Ana, San unless full return postage is enclosed. Desert Magazine assumes no responsibility for Felipe, Santo Domingo, Cochiti and damage or loss of manuscripts or photographs although due care will be exercised. Sub- Isleta pueblos, New Mexico. scribers should send notice of change of address by the first of the month preceding issue. June 29-30 —Silver State Stampede, SUBSCRIPTION RATES Elko, Nevada. One Year $4.00 Two Years $7.09 Canadian Subscriptions 25c Extra, Foreign 50c Extra June 30—Procession of La Conquis- Subscriptions to Army Personnel Outside U. S. A. Must Be Mailed in Conformity With tadora, Santa Fe. P. O. D. Order No. 19687 Address Correspondence to Desert Magazine, Palm Desert, California JUNE, 1957 Sunsets
By A. MARION DURRANCE Tucson, Arizona There are suns that set in coral seas Mid shimmering waves of gold, There are suns that set from mountain leas In splendor and beauty untold. There are suns that trail through a sky blue-green, Lonely as a desert flower, Their pathway ends in a silver sheen, Beauteous in an opal bower. But here's to the sun that shines when low Through clouds of desert dust. Whose crimson robes burn red and glow Then fade in the purple dusk.
UPSIDE DOWN RIVERS By GRACE R. BALLARD Santa Barbara, California I came from a land where the rivers flow Bank full and deep beneath willow-trees; And even in summer their crystal clear Waters are ruffled; the passing breeze Sings joyously to the laughing stream That turns the ponderous mill-wheel's weight; Chattering to the abundant grain Like a happy wife to her sterner mate. But desert rivers run "upside down"; Hoarding their wealth like a miser's gold; Flash-floods end drouth; but the sand- locked tide Still clutches the earth in a deathless hold. But the miracle of the desert flowers Emerging from lands seeming parched and brown Emancipates those sun-drenched hours When desert rivers run "upside down."
REPOSE By E. A. GLANTZ Palm Desert, California On the pathless sands of the desert The feet of time shall cease. Mutation's urge will not divert The spirit's quest for peace. Arizona Sunset. Photograph by Josef Muench It is not progress here we stress, OF AN ANCIENT REGIMEN SAND-BORN COLORS Nor the lure of pleasure's bait; Only a sense of timelessness By GRACE R. BALLARD By BLANCHE M. ASHBY To calm us while we wait. Santa Barbara, California Los Angeles, California I love the sand-born colors Serene, we fold our hands, and muse, This piece of broken pottery lies Of desert flowers, bright and gay. Until the storms are past, Beside the dusty way, Brilliant reds and dainty pinks, While others, made for sterner use Where thoughtless ones discarded it Gay yellows and deep purples, Stand up against the blast. Long since as useless waste; Blue and gold That which an ancient craftsman's hands And mauve and gray. This passive mood may not appeal Fashioned from desert clay. To them in troubled times; Upon its surface, carefully, They linger in the sunset But one whose wounds are yet to heal With patient skill he traced Then steal silently away, Must rest "behind the lines." Till morning sun awakens them Those sacred, ritualistic forms In desert flowers—another day. And symbols to convey THE TRAMP DOG Traditions, long-forgotten by This restless, alien race. By LUCY JANE BULLOCK Long Beach, California The sun for light; the falling rain; The serpent—to be wise; True Worth How did you make your way The sacred eye to watch men's ways; By TANYA SOUTH Across the burning sand? To make him realize I'd rather do my daily task We tried to understand— With courage, strength and will, As quivering with joy That there is nothing hid from Him With laughter in your eyes Whose Word makes thunders wake— Nor other privileges ask, Save God's design to fill, You sensed our deep surprise. The flash of lightning's sword, whose wrath Than have much splendid world What made us take you in? In fear makes mountains quake. renown, Your trust and faith in man, How quiet, now, this fragment lies; Or worldly power and pelf. Your need to join his clan? Of an ancient regimen; The one true spiritual crown Or did you fill a place Still dignity attends its form— Is goodness in oneself. Left empty 'til you came? Casket of vanished men. Was comradeship your aim? DESERT MAGAZINE Sheltered from ocean - bred storms by the nearby High Sierras, the 14,240 foot White Mountains on the California-Nevada border Where Scientists Work afford an excellent vantage point for scientists interested in high al- titude research. This is Nell Mur- barger's story of her spur-of-the- moment drive over the highest Above Timberline v • auto road on the North American continent north of Mexico, to the scientific stations on the lofty By NELL MURBARGER Last summer while crossing the mountain. Photographs by the author southern tip of the Whites on the sunny Map by Norton Allen juniper-fringed road between Big Pine and Lida, I was thinking of that high • ETWEEN OWENS and Fish desolate desert range spreading away Lake valleys on the California- for 50-odd miles to the north. Then, gan skirting high windswept promon- Nevada boundary, the White almost before I knew it, Temptation tories from which 1 could sec all the Mountains rise to a height of two-and- took the wheel — and my car was sprawling length of Owens Valley, and a-half miles—their gaunt flanks rent bumping over the trail that leads north a whole necklace of majestic peaks in by steep canyons, their summits sown from the summit of Westgard Pass! the white-topped Sierra 30 miles to with brown malpais. In years past, The little sideroad climbed doggedly the west. My car had been pulling when business took me into the valleys through juniper and pinyon forests and hard in low gear for several miles and below this range, I looked curiously past wild gardens splashed with pen- the altimeter was hovering around 10,- at that aloof barrier and wondered stemons, paintbrushes and lupines. 000 feet, when I seemed to burst into what secrets it held, remembering that After the needle on my altimeter another world! It was an impossible, folks had said this was "good country moved from 7276 feet at the pass to impractical, outer-space world, fabri- to stay out of." 9000 feet, the steep narrow road be- cated of stone and snow, sky and
Dr. G. Ledyard Slebbins, right, and Joshua Lee, both of the University of California at Davis, plant high elevation grasses above timberline on White Mountain.
JUNE, 1957 space, and endlessness and timeless- velously bare of humankind and clut- Science Foundation. At the Crooked ness—all wonderfully big and fright- ter! In all the 600-square-miles of this Creek laboratory of this station, I was ening, and terribly beautiful. range there is not one town—not even made welcome by Paul Manis and Joe For three days I prowled the roof a gasoline station. Neither are there Wentworth, operations director and of this strange lofty land. I crossed ski runs, dude ranches, fishing or hunt- maintenance foreman, respectively. I July snowbanks to photograph deli- ing lodges, riding stables, boating or headquartered in a tenthouse on the cate Alpine plants—and from them swimming, improved campgrounds — laboratory "campus"—using a station looked down upon the parched borax not a mile of hard-surfaced road save jeep for my explorations, sharing Joe's flats of southwestern Nevada, 9000 that over Westgard Pass—and all the good cooking with half-a-dozen work- feet below! The highest auto road on permanent residents in the range could ing scientists, and taking my daily turn the American continent north of Mex- be evacuated in one truck load! at the dishpan. ico took me to the second highest Most of these folks are in the em- Established in 1948 when the Office research station in the world. ploy of White Mountain High Altitude of Naval Ordnance required a high The one quality about the White Research Station, operated by the Uni- altitude station from which to conduct Mountains that pleased and thrilled versity of California and financially guided missile and other classified re- me most during my three-day stay was aided by the Office of Naval Research, search, the Crooked Creek laboratory finding them open and quiet, and mar- Rockefeller Foundation and National was transferred in 1950 to the Office of Naval Research and its operation delegated to U.C. This development came at a time when Drs. S. F. Cook -iTO TONOPAH and Nello Pace, then professor and associate professor of physiology at the University, were seeking a site where research could be conducted into problems incident to life at high alti- tudes. Although situated at 10,170 l£ *•-•*•••>. '.•;•• ° SUMMIT:.*?'- y*d'P~?C \ •'••••: V'-!f&.' I;..''. V LABORATORY—,^ee""> V^Ov- feet elevation—more than half a mile f ••' Ti... "T"V )) 14240'..'— M^V"?'" •- f CU\ higher than any point in the United RESEARCH AREA//sgwlji "%.., <^ States east of the Rockies — the v1 Crooked Creek installation was not MT.BARCROFT,. I MT. BARCROFT "'S^'i /••'""'-. -<-- "''-"'.. • ....•• .«...! 13 023* , LABORATORY-"'
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Crooked Creek laboratory in its setting of bristlecone and limber pines. Altitude here is 10,170 feet. tion in 1948 was 20 degrees below of the annual precipitation of 7 to 12 No public facilities of any kind—gaso- zero. Summer days are pleasant and inches comes in the form of snow— line, oil, tire repairs, motels or meals sunny, but never more than 75 de- the remainder falling as rain during —are available in the entire area be- grees in the shade; and during my July midsummer months when the region tween Big Pine and U.S. Highway 95, visit, ice half - an - inch thick froze occasionally is visited by hard electri- a distance of nearly 100 miles. nightly. cal storms. Research follows no prescribed Main advantage White Mountain Use of facilities at these stations is course. Several scientific groups have has over other ranges insofar as high not restricted to the University of Cali- made this their headquarters while altitude research is concerned, is its fornia. Any qualified university in the studying cosmic radiation and electri- position behind the so-called "rain world—any individual, as far as that cal conductivity. Others have con- shadow" of the Sierra Nevada. As a goes—is welcome to use the stations cerned themselves with the effects of majority of storms in this section of while conducting research into high low oxygen and low temperatures on the country originate over the Pacific altitude. Fee for such use is $6 per living organisms. At the time of my and sweep in from the west, most of day, which includes dormitory or tent- visit, investigation was being conducted their moisture is deposited upon the house lodging and three hearty meals. into the keeping qualities of various high summits of the Sierra. Only a Additional charges are made for use foods stored in a cold low-oxygen en- fraction is carried past that range to of station vehicles, storage of materials, vironment; Dr. Arthur H. Smith, asso- fall on the White Mountains and the care of experimental animals and extra- ciate professor of animal husbandry at Great Basin area beyond. Thus, a ordinary use of power, fuel, equipment the University of California at Davis, point in the High Sierra may receive or time of station personnel. was testing the hatching potential of 400 or 500 inches of snow in the Use of station facilities is available eggs produced by the experimental course of a winter, while a comparable only through prior arrangement with poultry flock maintained at Mt. Bar- elevation and latitude in the Whites is the Berkeley office. The station is not croft laboratory; Fulton Fisher, bot- fortunate to receive even as much as set up to handle gasoline sales or the anist from Melbourne, Australia, and 100 inches. Approximately two-thirds feeding and lodging of casual visitors. Carnegie Institute, was collecting spe-
JUNE, 195? •••:,
Jeep parked on 11,800 foot plateau. Highest point in range, 14,240 foot White Mountain Peak, is at right. cimens of the 500-odd species of plants jobs of management, coordination and aridity, the range supports but few spe- native to the area; and Dr. G. Ledyard maintenance. cies of trees. Scattered sparsely over Stebbins, assisted by Joshua Lee and But despite the fact that each of us the rounded limey hills at the head of Roman Gankin, all of the Davis cam- was dedicated to his individual task, Crooked Creek are limber and bristle- pus, were making experimental plant- we also felt a sympathetic interest to- cone pines (Pinus flexilis and P. aris- ings of timberline grasses from the ward work and problems of the others. tata) in about equal numbers; but from Atlas Mountains of Spain. At the same We all ate at the same long table and approximately 11,000 feet to timber- time, but less academically, Carl and cheerfully shared the duties of K.P. line at 12,000 feet I noted only the Martin Grauer, a father-son team from Despite the important position this latter species. Twisted and tortured Gastro Valley, were running a power facility holds among high altitude re- by the high winds, their stubby dead line survey to the top of White Moun- search stations of the world—and de- limbs sandblasted to gleaming white, tain Peak; I was collecting notes and spite the significant research programs the bristlecone pines of the White making black - and - white photos for being pursued all around me—I found Mountains are as distinctive as any this article, and color slides of the it difficult to tear my attention from tree in the world. From the first one range for a natural history program; the land itself, and the plants and wild I saw, until I left the range I was fas- and Paul Manis and Joe Wentworth life inhabiting it. cinated by them—but never so com- were engrossed in their 24-hours-a-day Due to excessive winds and general pletely as during those moments when I stood beneath the patriarchal bristle- cone believed to be the largest repre- Mt. Barcroft laboratory at 12,470 feet. University of California photo. sentative of its species in the world! It is a short thick tree, its bunty trunk 35 feet in circumference at the smallest point, and its entire height not over 40 feet. It is a fine stout old fellow, and my pride in having made its acquaintance is depreciated only by the fact I failed to meet three other notable bristlecones simply because they were not discovered to science until the month following my visit. These last mentioned trees are much smaller than the giant bristlecone — being only 20 to 50 inches in diameter at the base and 15 to 20 feet high—but according to Dr. Edmund Schulman of the University of Arizona, they are quite possibly the oldest living things on earth! While investigating tree rings in furtherance of research into weather cycles of past years, he found these ancient pines breasting the elements on a high exposed ridge between Westgard Pass and Wyman Canyon. Their ages, established by the reliable •
DESERT MAGAZINE tree-ring system of dating, are 4100, 4050 and 4000 years—indicating that this patriarchal trio may have been battling for existence on this wind- riven ridge for as long as 10 centuries before the oldest sequoia now living sprouted in its seed! What is believed to be the finest stand of bristlecones in the White Mountains—including the largest, but not the three oldest trees—is assured perpetual preservation by the U. S. Forest Service which has set aside a Natural Area of 2330 acres surround- ing and embracing White Mountain Peak. Near the south boundary of this tract, at an elevation of about 12,000 feet, private vehicular travel is halted by a padlocked chain across the road. Only horseback riders, hikers, station- owned vehicles and motorists having s'pecial permission of the operations director — and a key — may proceed beyond this point. On the second day of my stay I accompanied the four botanists — Stebbins, Fisher, Gankin and Lee—on an all-day trip into this area. With our cameras, binoculars, can- teens, lunches and collecting gear stowed in two jeeps, we set forth at mid-morning. Stopping occasionally to collect plants and shoot pictures—and once to observe a pair of fat marmots ambling over a rock slide, and another time to watch the antics of a big buck deer—we drove to Mt. Barcroft sta- tion where we tarried about an hour. While Dr. Stebbins and his volunteer assistants planted high elevation grasses, I climbed to the rounded sum- mit of Mt. Barcroft, 553 feet above the 12,470 foot high station. Then we got back into the jeeps and headed for the still higher country beyond. Having seen the last bristlecones Author at base of world's largest known bristlecone pine (Pinus aristata) long before reaching Mt. Barcroft, the in White Mountains, at about 11,500 ft. Tree measures 35 feet in circum- remainder of our out-bound journey ference at smallest point between base and crown. was made well above timberline in the strangest alpine world one can imagine. Nothing about these summits suggested flowers. Few of these representatives vada's desert mountains — the Silver the dizzy heights and depths associated were more than an inch or two in Peaks, the Monte Cristos, the Cactus, with mountain climbing. As we neared height, and some were almost micro- the Kawich, the Reveilles, range be- 13,500 feet, our road still followed the scopic—yet, that warm July day found yond range until the rim of the world gentle undulations of the land which each driving forward toward its bud- was lost in the blue-shadowed haze of could have passed for the rolling hill ding, flowering and seeding phases in infinity. country of Nebraska or Iowa—except mighty thrusts of vigor aimed at com- From the snowbank at our feet we these naked heights wore no conceal- pletion of its life cycle and perpetua- looked down more than 9000 feet to ing cover of prairie grass, shrubs or tion of its kind in the few brief weeks the heat-shimmering flats of Fish Lake trees. Yet, plant life was not lacking. allotted between snow and snow. Valley, almost directly below us, and Botanists believe there are not less With the long snowy Sierra Nevadas on the slopes surrounding those flats than 500 species of plants native to hemming our world on the west, and we saw pin-point clusters of trees that this portion of the range above timber- the bald head of White Mountain Peak marked the home buildings of ranches, line. Many of these varieties never at our back, we halted for noon lunch and the spidery line of the main valley have been described botanically. at the edge of a deep snowbank be- road. Examination of the ground surface tween 13,000 and 14,000 feet. North- In three days I had learned a little, between the closely-set rocks revealed ward stretched the remainder of the at least, about this strange world be- that almost every cupful of topsoil White Mountain range, terminating in yond timberline. I was glad Tempta- held its abundance of vegetation — 13,145-foot Boundary Peak, highest tion had taken the wheel and turned wirey tufts of grass, dry mosses, coty- point in Nevada. Spreading to the my car into the dim dirt road that ledons and myriad species of alpine east were 10,000 square miles of Ne- leads upstairs from Westgard Pass.
JUNE, 1957 Mountains Are For Everyone
(probably the highest ancient Indian workshop yet uncovered in the United States), and several low, crescent- shaped stone walls of ancient vintage, such as Indians used for blinds while hunting bighorn sheep. The Desert Peakers, through the Board of Directors of the Sierra Club, have asked the Forest Service to set this plateau aside as a Wilderness Area. For such high country, Pellisier Flat is easy of access. An old Indian trail coming up the east side, from Post k Meadow, Nevada, was widened in the 1860s by a lumbering concern, one of whose wagons may still be seen smashed against a pine just below the rim of the Flat. In this vicinity grow some of the Bristlecone Pines recent research has proclaimed as a species that may date back even farther than the Sequoia, making it our oldest liv- ing thing. A road to a tungsten mine makes the lower end of the Flat almost ac- cessible by jeep; planes have already landed on the carpets of Alpine flow- ers that are trying to reclaim the soil. Unless it receives protection soon, an- Pellisier Flat, a unique strip of desert high country that rises gently from other exceptional bit of desert wilder- 12,000 to 13,500 feet in seven miles in the White Mountains of east cen- ness will be lost to those who love to tral California. Seen from the Nevada side. These cirques show signs explore the virgin mountain areas. of glaciation. Photo by Arnold Shulman. The Desert Peakers presented to the Forest Service a photographic ex- The Desert Peaks Section of the Driving: 600 miles roundtrip from hibit, a botanical report and a map Sierra Club, a group that makes Los Angeles, via highway 395 to Big marking the proposed boundaries. a hobby of exploring the desert Pine, California, (last gas at Big Pine) When we jogged them about it months mountain ranges of the Southwest, then east to the summit of Westgard later, they said they had lost the data. has scheduled a trip to this bristle- Pass where the party will rendezvous Another file was made up and sent to cone pine area in White Moun- at 8 a.m. Saturday, to caravan from them. They have now postponed fur- tains. Here is advanced informa- there up the road. ther consideration until the issuance tion for readers who may wish to Leader: Bob Bear, 1980 Rangeview of a new topographic map of the area. join them. Dr., Glendale 1, California. Phone June and July are the best months TH 8-0819. to hike on Pellisier Flat. The flowers By LOUISE TOP WERNER The highest desert mountain in the are then at their best; run-off from U.S., (14,240 feet) White Mountain snowbanks usually makes it unneces- sary to carry water. We know of no JUNE 8-9 Peak in the southern end of the White Bristlecone Pine Area and Reed Mountain Range, was a favorite ob- other place where mountain terrain Hat (11,033 ft. el.) jective of Desert Peakers until the so gently rises from 12,000 to 13,500 armed forces took it over as a station feet. ACCESSIBLE ONLY via the for high altitude research, cutting a 4*£ narrow, steep, unimproved jeep road almost to the summit. road along the backbone of North of the peak, between it and the White Mountains. The leader Mount Montgomery, lies a unique bit warns that only drivers experienced in of high desert called Pellisier Flat, a forcing their cars up such roads should strip roughly half a mile wide and attempt it in a stock car. Four-wheel seven miles long, rising gently from drive or low-geared trucks are recom- 12,000 to 13,500 feet. Formerly de- mended. nuded by sheep-grazing, it is now Beautiful camping area at Reed coming back with carpets of miniature Flat, at 10,000 feet. Bring water for alpine flowers. the entire week-end. Easy five mile During several exploratory trips into hike to the peak affords unsurpassed the area the Desert Peakers identified view of 85 miles of the Sierra Nevada dozens of plants, found a scattering of under snow. obsidian chips at about 13,500 feet
10 DESERT MAGAZINE HISTORIC PANORAMAS IV Judge Roy Bean's Courthouse
By JOSEF and JOYCE MUENCH
At Vinegaroon, Texas—renamed Langtry, for the had a share in stabilizing life on the frontier and the famous singer—a shady-porched cabin keeps alive the legends which grew up around his memory are full of legal and extra-legal traditions of Judge Roy Bean, a salty and authentically western flavor. self-styled "Law West of the Pecos," This simple wooden structure symbolizes in the ex- At once saloon and courtroom, the building on U.S. treme the raw west's early attempts at meting justice. Highway 90 in west Texas is a legendary spot. Bean, Tragic errors and brilliant horse sense decisions were who lived from 1825 to 1903, handed down unortho- all in a day's work for the early judges. dox legal decisions with a free hand, often fining culprits Lily Langtry, whom Bean so admired, accepted his a round of drinks for the assembled crowd. Whether invitation to visit the town named for her, but after the prejudiced or wise, this flamboyant pioneer character death of the Judge.
UNE, 1957 LIFE ON THE DESERT FLASH FLOOD! When the vagrant rains come all at once, the dry washes quickly overflow their banks and become madly rushing rivers. For the Tripps, flash flood had meant a few washed-out roads and an uprooted shrub or two—until the sum- mer cloudburst filled the canyons above their home and sent a surging torrent upon them.
By DEE TRIPP
HE MOON was shining brightly startled by what sounded like ocean around Barbara's waist, holding on to over the Arizona desert that waves breaking against the house! In- her tossing body until she regained her 7 warm summer evening several stantly the same thought crossed our footing. Her little wet hand was more years ago—-an evening I shall never minds. Friends and neighbors had precious to me now than ever and she forget. warned us about building our home held on with all her strength. My husband Roger, our 11-year-old close to the wash and we had assured We struggled forward a few more daughter, Barbara, and I had gone for them that the water was never more yards and then the awful realization a refreshing swim in one of the stock than a few feet deep even after the that we would not be able to walk to ponds on our ranch. They were over- heaviest rainfall. But, they countered, high ground came to us. The current flowing with the precious liquid usu- Waterman Wash had in the past over- was too strong—the trail too treacher- ally so scarce on the desert, for the run its banks—and we had ignored ous. We would have to turn back, but summer rainy season had begun. At this admonition. where could we go? The house still midnight we returned to the ranch And now the wash was a raging river was standing, but it would have been house, removed the canvas covers and with each flash of lightning we too dangerous to re-enter. A flash of from our outdoor beds and climbed in. saw the rising water threatening us lightning silhouetted it and the big tree Another wonderful day had ended, with increasing fury. The river's roar in the back yard. Tree and house I thought. This was the kind of life grew in intensity, and instinct dictated looked as if they had been companions we had dreamed of living during the our next move. for ages and were now joined as one cold foggy days and nights we spent Barbara was awake now, sitting up in a desperate struggle for survival. in San Francisco before buying the in bed with wonder in her eyes. Roger, ranch. Our home was 35 miles from The tree! If it could survive, so with a composed and assured voice, could we! It was our only hope. We Phoenix, the last 10, rough dusty miles told her that we were going to wade from Highway 80. waded toward it. Our cocker spaniel, out to the road and that everything whom we had completely forgotten It had been love at first sight for would be all right. He spoke in the both Roger and I when we found this prior to this moment, swam up to us same tone he used for telling bed time and I took her in my arms. Then we 160-acre piece. The land looked as stories. though it had been lying here through climbed the tree. Darkness and rain Her first thought was for the new entombed us. We could not see one the ages waiting for us. The valley dress I had just finished for her and stretched before it, as level as a table another except when the lightning she sprang out of bed and ran to her flashed. for miles and miles to the hazy moun- closet. With a determined fling she tains in the distance that formed a rain- tossed the dress atop a pile of boxes I After what seemed an eternity, signs bow-shaped range around us. To the had stacked in a corner, and then took of daybreak lightened the eastern hori- east were the highest of these moun- my hand. zon beyond the Estrella Mountains. In tains, the Estrellas, and like the others the dim light of the new day, a familiar they were hazy, barren and blue ex- I glanced quietly around the room. shrub growing in the yard caught my cept when gilded by the desert sunrise. My eyes fell on each cherished posses- eye. I watched it as if it would run We constructed a simple wooden sion. Roger turned to me and asked away if I turned my head. Soon more dwelling on the bank of the Waterman that I join him in prayer. We asked of its leaves and stems came into view Wash which cut through our property, God to protect our home and to spare and I knew the waters were receding. our lives. and now our small ranch was our At six o'clock we climbed out of the home. Flashlight in hand, Roger led us out tree and waded to solid ground. Sur- About two o'clock that morning we the back door into waist-high water. veying the wet world around us, we were awakened by big raindrops pelt- With Barbara between us we pushed realized just how close we had come ing our faces. We scrambled out of forward toward higher ground and the to death. Trees much larger than the our cots, covered them with a tarp and road, less than a mile away. one we had been in were tumbling and ran laughing into the house. Rain was At once a strong current caught us tossing madly in the water. Why had a blessing to this arid land. By the and swept Barbara off her feet. I lost our tree remained firm and sure? Why flashes of lightning through our win- my grip on her hand and in the dark- was our frail little home still on its dows we groped our way to our bed- ness she was gone. My scream was foundation? How did we escape with rooms and soon were lulled back to lost in the flood's din and Roger could our lives? We had prayed; we had sleep by the soothing sound of rain. not hear me. But then, in a flash of asked God for these things and He At four that morning we were lightning, I saw Roger with Ms arm answered our prayers.
12 DESERT MAGAZINE The author and his wife study their road map. Vacation in Baja California It is a long and rugged road from the U.S. border to Santa Rosalia our two weeks we drove from near Los in Baja California but for those who can accept in good spirit the bumps Angeles to Concepcion Bay, 700 miles on the highway, and look beyond the discomforts of primitive living to south of San Diego, and back—and the beauty and majesty of the landscape, it Is high adventure—one of still had time for fishing, exploration those experiences you would not want to repeat every day, but thai and relaxation. We did this by having would remain always a pleasant memory. Here is the story of what good luck on the road and by crossing you would find along the way. by boat the Gulf of California from Santa Rosalia on the peninsula to By C. R. APPLEBY Guaymas on the mainland. Photographs by the author We made the trip from the U. S. Map by Norton Allen border to Santa Rosalia in six days. The return drive from Guaymas to 5 PARTISANS of the wild Last year we drove down. For the the border took us six hours! This desert peninsula of Baja Cali- two-week tourist, driving this anything- graphically illustrates the difference fornia, my wife and I have but-smooth peninsular road presents a between highway travel on the main- been taking our annual vacations there dilemma: Either you drive over its land of Mexico and byway travel in for many years now. bounding surface night and day and Baja. We belong to that legion of Ameri- have no time to enjoy the country, Not that the peninsula jaunt is such cans who have only two weeks of va- which is no vacation; or you drive in an odyssey. It has been made by cation each year, and in the past we easy stages and fail to reach those de- truck, car, motorcycle, bicycle and had flown to Santa Rosalia, Loreto or lightful oasis towns south of the Viz- mule. One hardy youth, Alan Zock, La Paz and depended on local trans- caino Desert, 500 road miles below walked it all the way from La Paz. portation to take us to neighboring the border. But, Lower California's highway pueblos. We reconciled these alternatives. In should not be taken too lightly. It is
JUNE, 1957 possibly the worst regularly-traveled thoroughfare for its length on the North American Continent. Its pave- ment ends at Arroyo Seco, 145 miles south of the border. From here south- ward is a potpourri of washboard, sand, powdery silt, immense cobble- stones and jagged granite. It tests the mettle of any vehicle and driver. ENSENADA r ME Ahead of us, we were told by the rancheros we passed, was another SANTO TOMAS party of Americans. They were two hours away, then five, then half a day, then two hours. We caught up with them at San Ignacio. They had been driving 18 hours a day. Blowouts had plagued them. Tires had been shredded and were replaced at prime effort and cost. There was engine trouble. One of the women in their party observed, "We broke our rear axle. And we only had one extra!" We, on the other hand, had as good fortune as they had bad. We blew only one tire and our '53 Ford pick- up came through in perfect shape. We did get stuck four times, through a want of four-wheel drive, wide tires and good judgment, but kindly Mexi- can truckers either pulled us or helped us dig out. We met from two to five vehicles a day. The meeting often called for a chat. People encountered in the peninsular desert are friendly, honest and helpful without motive. For years travelers on the road have been assisted by persons like Senora Anita Grosso Espinosa, a lady of ed- ucation and excellent command of English who runs the store at El Ro- sario. Or the Kenneth Browns at El Marmol. Or Manuel Ortiz at Punta Prieta. Or Col. Harvey Greenlaw, who has in a varied career of soldiering been a British pilot, a U. S. cavalry officer, chief of staff of the famous Flying Tigers under General Chen- nault, a major general in the National- ist Chinese Army, and who now watches over his mining interests in the bleak hamlet of El Arco. Or Dr. C. S. MacKinnon at Santa Rosalia, who has lived in Baja for more than 35 years and knows the central penin- sula as few men ever have.
SANIGNACIO^ Ensenada is the last stop for sup- plies other than necessities. The pave- ment ends 80 miles south of here. Before it reaches the coastal town of El Rosario the road becomes a river of dry silt. Beyond El Rosario the Camino Real turns east and wanders down the in- •BAHIA DELA terior of the peninsula. The terrain CONC£PCION offers a new experience to the desert fancier. The cirio forest begins, biz- arre stands of thorny plants resembling great up-ended carrots {Desert, Oct.
14 DESERT MAGAZINE '55). Here the giant cardons (Desert, Dec. '56) grow in profusion and the elephant trees (Desert, Nov. '56) ap- pear. Camping was a delight in the cool and quiet evenings with firelight rest- lessly playing on the pillars of the huge cardons. The morning sun, however, was slow to break through the thick Pacific Ocean fog. In this country we found that a name on the map is usually a ranch house or at most a cluster of adobes. Just as the bleak mesas of the Viz- : caino Desert become oppressive in their monotony, the road drops into a palm-lined arroyo of glinting blue lagoons, orchards, fields and quiet streets, dominated by the tower of a magnificent mission. This splendidly preserved edifice, begun by the Jesu- its in 1728, gives the town of San fgnacio its name. Half a century ago the adventurer Arthur Walbridge North, whose two books on Baja are regional classics, stumbled into the arroyo. He had run out of water crossing the Vizcaino and was nearly demented with thirst. "At the bottom of the chasm, five or six hundred feet below, lay a long narrow valley of perhaps 2000 acres, with water—pools of fine, rippling water flowing through green masses of sedge —and palms—thousands of tall, grace- ful palms, shading numerous thatched houses ..." I doubt if there is a trav- eler who enters San Ignacio after crossing the Vizcaino who does not share in some measure North's emo- tions at first sight of this lovely iso- lated inland town. Rooms are available here at Casa Leree and we paid 10 pesos, or 80 I cents. Frank Fischer and his son, Os- car, operate a garage in the pueblo, and are competent auto mechanics. Southeast from San Tgnacio the road
Top—A hay within a bay is exquis- ite El Coyote. It is carved from the west shore of Bahia de la Concep- tion and, as legend has it, once served as a haven for pirates and smugglers. Center — The splendid mission at San Ignacio, begun by the Jesuits in 1728 and completed by their Dominican successors. The pueblo is 570 miles south of the border and the first major settlement south of Ensenada. Bottom—A portion of Baja's prin- cipal highway. Here on the Vizcaino Desert the sandy roadbed is rein- forced by stalks of cordon and yucca. A little farther south, where , the sand is just as deep, but there are no crossties, the author got stuck. ':•'"
JUNE, 1357 climbs over a pass near the volcanic We were repelled by our first sight of the little hotel on French Mesa there peaks known as the Tres Virgenes, of the town. Instead of the adobe lingers a Gallic evanescence. Perhaps and then drops down to the shores of walls, courtyards and rambling streets it is in the odors that rise from the the azure Sea of Cortez. A few miles characteristic of Mexico, we found a kitchen where the hotel's French pro- beyond is the town of Santa Rosalia, line of decayed wood tenements. In- prietress supervises the finest cookery a faded clapboard monument to eco- stead of the bell tower of an antique between Ensenada and La Paz. nomic imperialism. mission, there was the prefabricated South of Santa Rosalia 42 miles we The great copper deposits around church of iron. entered a village reminiscent of San Santa Rosalia were developed 60 years But Santa Rosalia is not as bad as Ignacio. It has the same small jungle ago by European capital. A French first impressions would have it. It has, of date palms, grapes, pomegranates, company, El Boleo, laid tracks, built in fact, considerable charm. The peo- figs, mangoes and bananas lining a smelters, docks and offices, and in the ple are the same here as in other fresh water lagoon which meets an arroyo laid out rows of wooden houses. pueblos. The fishing is good and can estuary and mingles with the salt water They dismantled an iron church at a be pursued at nominal expense. The of the Gulf. Rare is a view of the European exposition and shipped it to French have gone and Mexicans oper- waterway that does not include a mul- Santa Rosalia. ate the mines, but about the veranda let or two flashing above the surface. This is Mulege, as pretty a spot as can be found on the peninsula. Two hundred and fifty-three years Reports Indicate Near Normal ago two robust Jesuit fathers, Fran- cisco Maria Picolo and Juan Basaldua, were attracted to the river valley as Flow for Southwest Rivers... their superior, Juan Salvatierra, had been two years earlier. Here they Generally favorable river runoff Rainfall during March was above built a mission, Santa Rosalia de Mu- forecasts were made this month by the normal over the upper Gila Basin, lege, and its record book, a registry U. S. Weather Bureau for the major near normal over the headwaters of of births and deaths from 1718 to streams of the Southwest. Most of the the Salt and Little Colorado Basins in 1845, is a fruitful source of peninsular watershed areas received near average Arizona, and below normal over the history. rainfall in March to offset the below- Verde River Basin. The November to average precipitation of the previous June runoff of the Little Colorado at During the Mexican War of 1846- month. Woodruff, Arizona, is forecast to be 48 Mulege became a center of Baja 79 percent of average. Near 115 per- California resistance against United Total rainfall since last September States soldiery. When La Paz wel- over the upper Colorado Basin has cent of average runoff is expected for the creeks near Winslow, Arizona. The comed an occupation by two U. S. been above normal over the extreme companies under Col. Henry Burton headwaters of the Colorado River water-supply outlook for the upper Gila Basin continues to be very poor, in 1847, outraged patriots set up a near Granby Reservoir, over the upper provisional government at Mulege. An drainage of the Gunnison River and with forecasts ranging from 19 to 48 percent of streamflow average. The American sloop of war sailed north over the Taylor River basin in Colo- from La Paz and landed 80 Marines rado. The seasonal precipitation has Verde Basin should have a 35 percent of average runoff. near the mouth of the estuary. The averaged below normal over the Un- Marines marched into town, stayed a compahgre and Dolores Basins in Col- March precipitation averaged above few hours and then returned to the orado. Near average to above average normal over the Rio Grande Basin. ship. The rebels were little impressed streamflow is forecast for the basin Near, to slightly above average April by the maneuver and immediately except for the Dolores and Uncom- through September runoff is expected marched south to attack the Ameri- pahgre rivers for which runoff near for the tributaries in Colorado along cans at La Paz. 80 percent of the 1938-52 average is the San Juan Mountains and for the expected. The Colorado near Cisco, extreme upper Rio Grande. Forecasts Mulege was then known by the full Utah, is forecast to have an April to of April to September streamflow are name of its mission, Santa Rosalia de September streamflow of 4,450,000 lower for the eastern tributaries, rang- Mulege. But when copper began to be acre-feet, or 99 percent of average. dug 42 miles to the north, the mine ing from 65 to 80 percent of the 1938- operators appropriated all of the able- Streamflow of the Yampa and White 52 average flow. Rivers in Colorado is expected to be bodied Mulegenos they could lure and The water-supply outlook for the near, or slightly above, the 15-year the name Santa Rosalia as well. Great Salt Lake Basin ranges from average. The Green River at the Utah- Mulege is the site of the territorial favorable to poor. Forecasts for the Wyoming border is forecast to have prison. Few penal institutions in the April to September streamflow are: streamflow about 15 percent less than world are governed by such an en- upper Provo and Weber rivers and for average. The outlook for the Duchesne lightened policy, either from the stand- the Blacksmith Fork in Utah, 95 per- River in Utah is for near average flow point of the felons or the taxpayers. cent of average; lower Provo and in the extreme headwater area, with The convicts sleep in the prison, but Weber Rivers and the Logan and Og- near 70 percent of average flow pre- most are freed at daybreak to work den rivers in Utah, 85 percent of dicted for the lower reaches. For the and earn their board in town. Some average; upper Sevier Basin, less than Green River at Green River, Utah, have their families with them. There 50 percent; lower basin of Sevier, 60 April to September runoff is forecast is a comfortable lodge here called Club percent; Beaver River, 70 percent; to be 3,350,000 acre-feet or 95 per- Mulege, which offers full facilities to Humboldt River Basin, 50 percent; cent of the 1938-52 average. Runoff sportsmen. Walker and Carson rivers, 65 percent; of the San Juan near Bluff, Utah, is Owens River in California, 73 percent. South again from Mulege is vast expected to be 1,680,000 acre-feet Bahia de la Concepcion. Its beautiful for the period April through Septem- Outlook for the Mojave Basin in bays and beaches marked the south- ber, or 113 percent of the 15-year California is poor with less than half ern terminus of our trip. From here average. the normal streamflow expected. we had only to return to Santa Rosalia 16 DESERT MAGAZINE and catch the boat for Guaymas whose Those who plan to travel Lower ing Baja's terrain. Remember that even schedule calls for two Gulf crossings California's main thoroughfare should though you may have had experience weekly. But sometimes the boat runs consider the venture from three as- with miserable roads, driving them for less regularly. Facilities on board per- pects: six hours is one thing and driving them mit one automobile to be carried each (1) Vehicle. Take something rugged for six days is quite another. Don't trip and the vehicle should not be too and with plenty of clearance. A jeep cram your schedule to the point where long. Our pickup truck extended out or pickup are best. Four-wheel drive, it won't admit delays. Plan for mis- over the deck railings on both sides. while not necessary, is desirable. Mak- haps. Then if they are minor, you can If you plan a trip to Santa Rosalia ing the trip in the company of another rejoice. allow sufficient time to retrace your vehicle also is desirable and contrib- The summer months can be uncom- route in the event the boat is not run- utes to one's peace of mind. Include fortably hot in Baja and occasional ning on schedule or cannot carry more three spare tires. winter rains make the roads impassable cargo. Arrangements for passage can (2) Supplies. Camping equipment, in certain sections. Therefore the best be made in Santa Rosalia with Rigo- provisions, auto parts and repair gear time to make a trip is in the spring berto E. Garayzar, the shipping agent, or fall. or with the helpful dentist, Dr. C. S. depend on individual taste. Canned MacKinnon. Fare is approximately goods and occasionally eggs can be American citizens will need a Tour- $50. purchased in the villages, but emer- ist Card to drive south of the border gency rations are recommended. In- towns. Proof of U. S. citizenship, such On our way down the peninsula we clude a minimum of five gallons of as a birth certificate, and payment of might have included a 90-mile side water (plus halazone tablets) and 15 $3 are the only requirements. They trip to that anglers' Elysium, the Bay to 20 gallons of extra gasoline. An are obtainable at any Mexican con- of Los Angeles. Or we could have axe, long-handled shovel, tow chain sulate and are good for six-month vis- gone a little farther south to the de- and a chamois and funnel for filtering its. The Baja traveler should have a lightful pueblos of La Purisima and gasoline may be needed. On the inside smallpox vaccination certificate to show Commondu. But, we were afraid of back cover of "Log of Lower Califor- the U. S. border officials upon re-enter- stretching our schedule. We had come nia," published by the Automobile ing this country. 700 road miles from the border and Club of Southern California, is an ex- now had time to fish, swim and relax. For those who accept its challenge, cellent check list of supplies. Baja California offers a vast country, (3) Attitude. "An adventure is only some beautiful and untrammeled pue- an inconvenience rightly considered," blos, splendid fishing, and a history of wrote G. K. Chesterton. "An incon- greater antiquity than that of our own venience is only an adventure wrongly American West. For the aficionado of considered." Something of Chester- the desert, it can hold a limitless fas- ton's philosophy is helpful in negotiat- cination. And it's not far away.
At Mulege the main road meanders through palms and mangroves beside a broad mullet-crowded estuary. A mile up the waterway from here lies the attractive pueblo of 1000 inhabitants.
JUNE, 1957 17 ON DESERT TRAILS WITH A NATURALIST -- XXXVIII The Upside Down Mojave River... What it lacks in size, the Mojave River makes up in a fascinating in the San Bernardino Mountains to array of unusual attributes that have long caused travelers, explorers Soda Lake far out on the Mojave Des- and scientists to speculate and theorize. This month Dr. Jaeger takes ert. I saw the same sights along the us down the broad sandy bed of this underground-flowing stream to tree-bordered sands of this enchanted explain some of these phenomena. river that they saw and in a sense re- lived their experiences. I have traveled By EDMUND C. JAEGER, D.Sc. by foot and jeep every scenic mile of it, Curator of Plants and of all the fascinating sights, Cave Canyon, where the river flows between Riverside Municipal Museum the Cave and Cady Mountains, is the Map by Norton Allen most outstanding. Fray Garces euphoniously named it HE MOJAVE River of Califor- For over half its length, this strange Arroyo de los Martiers, the Canyon nia, a mere pygmy among impoverished river flows underground, of Martyrs. Why he gave it this fore- 7 streams, presents many queer just beneath the moist sands that hide boding name is a mystery. He spoke contradictions and wide variances from its precious water from the onslaught of it as a place where "grows the wild the usual ways of rivers that have of desert sun. "Upside Down River" grape; where there is much grass; also earned for it such apt names as "River it is in truth. mesquite and trees that grow the of Mysteries," "The Inconstant River," Finally it vanishes completely screw." and "Upside Down River." through a double mouth into two sinks Cave Canyon gets its present name Unlike most rivers it is largest near or dry lake beds deep in the desert's from the three natural caves in its its source. At its beginning it is a interior, Cronise Dry Lake and Soda steep metamorphic conglomerate walls perennial stream; at its mouth an in- Lake, the latter sometimes called the at a point where the river sweeps termittent or dry one. It flows north- Sink of the Mojave. around a sudden circular course and eastward for nearly 140 miles, away Along the Mojave River's broad makes a kind of U-bend about a half from the ocean, and for 90 miles it sandy bottom traveled in years long mile east of Afton Station. According crosses a thirsty desert in which it re- past many colorful pioneers, among ceives not a single tributary. them Padre Fray Francisco Garces To Death Valley -*4 This is a perverse, super-imposed on his way to the San Gabriel Mis- river, not obeying the usual laws of sion in 1776. Other early travelers \S]Silurian Lake flowing streams. Instead of flowing attracted to the river by its water around buried rock barriers as most and forage were trapper and trail rivers do, it has persistently cut a path blazer Jedediah S. Smith (1826), through them to form several steep- Captain Ewing Young and the ??. walled narrows along its established youthful Kit Carson (1833) and a way. It has been able to do this be- host of mid - century immigrants cause the whole region it traverses was coming west to the gold diggings V elevated with extreme slowness. Its and early Southern California set- \S Silver currents at flood tide shift restlessly tlements. like a vagrant from side to side, scour- Some years ago I traveled over ing its banks rather than its broad flat this historic trail, going the whole w .•i?/''V. bed. length of the river from its source '**&BAKER
ToMninv..
ToVictorville 6t Son Bernardino
18 DESERT MAGAZINE to the late Elmo Proctor, one of these coil of that cable now lies rusting on also in summer when the stream fur- caves was destroyed in 1904 when the the ground across the canyon near the nishes the only watering place in a Los Angeles and Salt Lake (now the railroad. The mine has not been wide region of almost total drouth. Union Pacific) Railroad bored a 542 worked for many years. Among the resident birds I have ob- foot tunnel here to avoid going around Cutting back through the deep and served ravens, Brewer blackbirds, red- the river loop. A portion of this cave, extensive lake clay deposits are a num- winged blackbirds, Baird wrens, house it is said, still exists but is walled off ber of minor canyons. Several run in finches and English sparrows. During by the timbers lining the tunnel. tortuous north-south directions to end the migratory season I saw Savannah The other two caves I visited twice. in colorful deposits of lava-capped and Lincoln sparrows, western robins They are shallow but high-ceilinged minerals in the higher parts of the sur- and many warblers. Among stream- crypts in the south canyon wall about rounding mountains. Of these can- frequenting birds were killdeers, a a quarter of a mile farther south. They yons, Cathedral Gorge, emerging just wood ibis, a white-faced glossy ibis, are close together and each might offer south of the railroad bridge upstream an Anthony green heron, several shelter in inclement weather to a dozen from Afton Station, is perhaps the most egrets and the black-crowned night or more men. Since they are the only beautiful. Everywhere in this side- heron. natural shelters for miles around, it canyon splendid views abound. Here For many years until reduced by can be presumed that they often were too, we observed to advantage the ways hunters, a rather large band of desert used by both Indian and white travel- of cliff-dwelling birds. Nests of rock sheep dwelling in the nearby barren ers. The roof of one still is black with the soot of many old campfires. Each cave is about 15 feet deep and as high. In high floods, water carrying debris comes in and partially covers their floors. High athel trees grow in front of these caves today. Recently two companions and I camped in the canyon on a night when the moon was bright so we could look at the cliffs in the eerie light. Next day we explored the canyon proper and found it not to be very long, only about four miles, nor is it very deep, the highest walls being not over 300 or 400 feet high. But, what it lacks in extensiveness it makes up in dignity and sublimity. It is a place of great scenic grandeur which sharply con- trasts to the rather dull country of low barren hills and broad plains upriver. A sort of land of yesterday. An ante- diluvian looking place where the scen- ery is at once austere and highly color- ful. At evening, just at sunset, the strikingly beautiful banks of buff and In many places the light-colored soils in Cave Canyon are overlaid by red conglomerates glow with vivid near-black lava caps. Photo by the author. shades of golden bronze, ruddy browns and brilliant magentas. wrens, ravens and prairie falcons, Say mountains came here to drink. Many South of the river, near where it en- phoebes and turkey vultures are in the of their old trails leading off into the ters the canyon, are a series of steep crevices, niches, pot holes and shelv- heights still can be seen, especially on cliffs made up of the greenish sedi- ing caves of the vertical conglomerate the eastern side of the canyon. Above ments of prehistoric Lake Manix lying walls. the river bluffs are several rock blinds beneath the thin layers of more recent An emerging bed of rock near the erected by Indian hunters. alluvial deposits. Some are eroded to beginning of the Cave Canyon gorge In the water of the Cave Canyon form fantastic columns, buttresses and brings the Mojave's underground wat- streamlet we were surprised to find battlements of unusual scenic splendor. ers to the surface for the last time. not only the California mud turtle On the western side of the canyon are The small stream runs throughout the (Clemmys californica), but several especially beautiful beds of buff and year as a "rapid rivulet, its clear waters red conglomerates. species of small gray minnows. These making melody with the pebbly shore." probably are descendants of fishes About a mile and a half east of It is bordered by green meadows of which have inhabited the river since Afton Station where the gorge makes carex, salt and wire grasses and cattails. Pleistocene times. The waters of the its rather abrupt turn to the north, Even in midsummer there is a steady present Mojave River, connected into there is a spectacular and beautiful flow. Here are scattered growths of a single flowing stream only during area of pink, green, yellow, blue-gray trees and shrubs: screwbeans, willow, times of floods, contain only two spe- and whitish rocks on the east side of sweet odored baccharis and mesquite. cies of native fish. Both are minnows the canyon. Here we found a deposit Their greenness always lends to the belonging to the fish family Cyprini- of magnesite which once was mined. place a lively atmosphere of cheer and dae. The Mojave River chub (Sipha- Some of the old mine machinery and friendliness. teles mohavenis), adapted to life in adjoining structures of wood are It is a spot, as may be imagined, the ancient lakes of geological times, perched high on the canyon wall. Ore much frequented by birds, both land has persisted to the present time and was transported to the railroad in cars and stream-loving species. Not only now occurs regularly with the stream hung from a high cable and a large in migratory season do they come, but minnow Gila orcuttii. The two fishes
UNE, 19 5 7 v have interbred freely so that many hy- conspicuous as are the big clusters of time tables they once advertised this brid individuals, not too closely re- tightly-twisted small inch-long beans as Rainbow Gorge and for several years sembling either parent stock, are found. still hanging on from the previous attached special roofless observation Some larger fishes such as the catfish summer. The screwbeans comprise the cars to several of their passenger trains have been introduced and are occasion- most noticeable woody growth in the so passengers could better view the ally seen. canyon, comparatively few willows, scenic splendors of this wonderful Along the stream running through cottonwoods and honey mesquites be- gorge. Cave Canyon's sandy bottom is one ing present. There are low thickets of There is a road of sorts from Afton of the best places to get acquainted flowering salt cedars in many places. Service Station on Highway 91-466 to with that remarkable small thorny- When these pink-flowered shrubs are the canyon entrance, about four miles branched tree, the screwbean mesquite, in blossom they present a colorful sight distant. From then on it is mostly a "the tree that grows the screw" of indeed. case of foot travel, although jeeps can Father Garces. In winter its gray bark The Union Pacific Railroad runs the go farther if they drive through sand and long sharp silvery thorns are very entire length of Cave Canyon. On the and water.
San Juan; reservoir area: 164,000 acres or 256 square miles; elevation of Low Bid fot Glen Canyon Dam crest: 3715 feet; maximum water sur- face elevation: 3711 feet; normal water surface elevation: 3700 feet; maximum downstream river level: Is $27,600,000 Below Estimate 3183 feet; difference in elevation, crest of dam and Glen Canyon Bridge, 113 A New York company, Merritt- well under seven years if all goes well. feet. Chapman and Scott Corporation, was He said at least one of the eight gen- awarded a contract for construction of erators may be in operation by mid- Glen Canyon Dam on a low bid of 1962. $107,955,522. It was $10,380,954 The major items of work included under those submitted by three other under the prime contract are (1) drill- contracting firms and $27,652,648 un- ing of left diversion tunnel, (2) lining der the estimate of $135,608,170 made both left and right diversion tunnels, by U. S. Bureau of Reclamation engi- (3) building two coffer dams of earth neers. to divert the river around the damsite "I don't like crowded cities and At the same time, the Bureau ad- during construction, (4) constructing have always spent every possible min- vised agencies of lower Colorado River the concrete dam from bedrock to ute outdoors," writes Warner G. Til- Basin states that larger gates capable crest, (5) constructing the powerhouse sher, author of this month's "Garnets of annually passing the entire flow of and related features, (6) drilling and in the Inkopah Gorge." the river—even in high runoff years— lining the spillway tunnels and build- An industrial and management en- will be installed in the left diversion ing the spillways. gineer in the East, he gave up his tunnel. The Lower Basin agencies had The remote location of Glen Can- business to move to California where voiced concern that the plan for clo- yon Dam is one of the major circum- he started a small wood-working shop sure outlined in the bid specifications stances to be met during its construc- and went into free-lance photography. might be detrimental to downstream tion, according to the Bureau of Recla- He and his wife live in South San interests. mation. The nearest town, Kanab, Gabriel and their home is surrounded The prime contract is the lar- Utah, is 76 miles from the damsite and by fruit, berry, vegetable and flower gest single construction contract in the the nearest railroad at Flagstaff is 135 gardens. Their son is in the Army history of the Bureau, more than doub- miles away. A railhead also is avail- reserve and their daughter is married ling the largest previous contracts of able at Marysvale, Utah, 190 miles to a Naval officer. $48,928,100 for the Trinity Dam and from the Glen Canyon damsite. * * * $48,890,995 for Floover Dam. The cement and pozzolons (volcanic Dee Tripp, author of this month's Glen Canyon Dam will be the third ash materials) used in the concrete Life on the Desert feature, "Flash highest dam in the world, rising about would require delivery of a 20-ton Flood!" was born in Savannah, Geor- 700 feet above lowest bedrock. Hoover truckload to the damsite continuously gia, and educated in Tampa. She Dam is 726 feet high, and when com- for every hour of every day for about studied short story and article writing pleted the Mauvoisin Dam in Switzer- four and a half years. The steel in under Sanders M. Cummings of Colo- land will be 780 feet in height. reinforcing the concrete, in penstocks rado Springs, Colorado. The Tripps Glen Canyon Dam will exceed and outlets, and in many other installa- now live in Tucson. Hoover Dam in volume of concrete. tions, will total 35,340 tons, enough * * * With 4,770,000 cubic yards of con- steel to produce more than 20,000 Cucamonga, California, is the home crete in the dam proper, and a total automobiles. of C. R. Appleby, author of this of 5,200,000 yards in the dam and Here are some other statistics on the month's "Vacation in Baja California." appurtenant works, it will be one of dam: its height will be 700 feet above Both he and his wife are graduates of the largest concrete dams in the world. bedrock and 580 feet above down- U.C.L.A. and both served in the U.S. The 900,000 kilowatt power plant stream river level; crest length is 1500 Marine Corps. to be installed at Glen Canyon Dam feet on the arc of the crest—about Appleby is associated with The will be the seventh largest in the world. 1200 feet in a straight line from rim to Daily Report, published in nearby The contractors will have 2500 days rim at abutments; base width is 300 Ontario. His firm affection for the —nearly seven years—to complete the feet; reservoir capacity: 20,040,000 desert country began 10 years ago dam, but Construction Engineer L. F. acre-feet extending 186 miles up the during his first newspaper job in the Wylie believes the dam may be finished Colorado River and 71 miles up the Coachella Valley.
20 DESERT MAGAZINE Inkopah Gorge. View is from the top oj the ridge above the scarred mountain At lower right is the old highway which leads to the third garnet field visited by the author. Garnets in the Inkopah Gorge.
By WARNER G. TILSHER Whether you prefer to collect Photographs by the author Leaving Jacumba the highway gem stones near the roadside or climbs a long but easy grade which Map by Norton Allen to hike up cactus-studded hillsides levels oil at 3000 feet. Just beyond for them, there is outdoor adven- the Desert Tower the road starts its ture for all in the Inkopah Gorge long glide down through the fabulous between San Diego on the western slopes of Imperial and El Centro, California, Inkopah Gorge to the floor of the County, California. Far a field trip Colorado desert. scenic U. S. Highway 80 dips not only rewarding in red garnet southward almost to the Baja Califor- crystals, but in lovely botanical One glance at the rugged terrain nia border. In this area and almost displays and thrilling desert vistas, told us why this highway was looked at the highway's edge is a favored spot follow the author's trails in the upon as a major feat, of engineering where red garnets in untold numbers Inkopah country. when finished in 1913. At each twist await the collectors. I have stopped and turn of this rocky bob-sled run, at these fields for many years now, the desert stretched out below us to and the supply of gem stones never the bluish haze of the far off moun- seems to run out. indeed, and what a welcome sight it must have been to the desert-weary tains. On our most recent visit, we drove men and donkeys of the Yuma mail _ A few miles down the gorge the east from San Diego, and 75 miles line. And here it was, over 100 years from that city passed through the highway curves around Mountain ago, that a rugged citizen, James Mc- Springs, cool and invitingly green in bright little resort spa of Jacumba— Coy, built a fort from which he held "Hut-by-the-water." It was pleasant its nest of giant boulders. We parked off 400 attacking Indians. here, crossed the road and climbed JUNE, 1957 underneath the loose rocks. Garnet- bearing rock runs all through these mountains and there probably are many outstanding gems waiting for
7.6 MILES TO the rockhound with time and ambition COYOTE WELLS to find them. .-. STATION Some of the adjacent mining prop- erty is being worked by a new com- pany, Tyce Engineering of Chula Vista, and the usual no trespassing signs are up. However, Tyce told me that as long as rockhounds did not bother anyone at the mine or its equip- ment, they have his permission to ex- plore the garnet deposits. The second trail at the gash—the one into the hidden valley—brought us into a botanical wonderland. This is a warm and pleasant valley with a moonscape look, where one can wan- der for an hour or a day, kicking off some of your worries along the sandy washes. This beautiful garden is so neat and orderly, it looks like it was planted and V tended by a phantom caretaker. Here ^^rrfr--""""" ^ grew the greatest variety of desert na- 3.3 MILES TO MOUNTAIN SPRINGS tives I had ever seen for such a small 5.2 MILES TO DESERT VIEW TOWER area. A little fish-hook cactus crouched F'** behind the apron of a big tough bar- rel cactus; staghorns that asked for V//'.- S;- .r IMPERIAL'.-,; and gave no quarter; agaves shooting their flower stalks straight up into the ELCENTRO blue; the desert's armored upside down octopus, the ocotillo; and dozens of other plants—each busy with its personal struggle for survival. Fascinating at all times, the desert garden really had its hour of glory on this spring day. Dull and gray the rest of the year, the ocotillo flung out its : -• JACUMBA" ":.•< lf|SSs:^ P ..' flaming red flags against the brilliant sky while the thorny ground-huggers spruced out in boutonnieres which, quite unlike anything else on this earth, look as if Nature had made them from shavings of delicately colored wax. over the bank. Almost immediately turn down the short dirt road which leads directly to the foot of the gash. There is a third garnet field in the we saw the white outcroppings of rock vicinity that we visited that day. We and found some red garnets imbedded If you are driving from the direction crossed Highway 80 a little north of in the quartz. They were small, but of El Centro, start looking for the gash the turn-off at the hill and picked up nice specimens. Some extra fine gem. after passing Shepard's Bridge, a few the old road. Where this road starts quality stones have been found in the miles west of Coyote Wells. to bend around to the right, two essonite deposits in this area. To the right of the gash are two washes almost meet after angling down But this was only a preview of what trails—one twists left up the hill and from the mountains to the west. We awaited us that day. We returned to the other leads off to the right into a hiked up the wash on the right which the car and continued down grade, hidden valley. The hill trail is easy twists through a maze of boulders and keeping a sharp eye to the hills on our walking and directly over the top it right. Our landmark was a long white drops off into a gully. Part way up the gash on the face of the mountain, left other side of the next ridge is another Top — The garnet is found in the over from a mining operation. The garnet field. Crystals by the handful light-colored outcroppings along the scar runs from the bottom of the hill are everywhere. Those lying loose are ridges. to about half way up the side and is a nice amber brown color, but are hard to miss. But, drive slowly for by weathered and crack easily. With a Bottom—A gem in its own right is the time you sight it, you will have Just bit of work we had little trouble pry- this rare desert garden in the hidden enough leeway to make the sharp right ing out some good specimens from valley.
22 DESERT MAGAZINE •
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UNE, 1957 : : urnnsTest for Doodle Bug Engineers Los Angeles, California Desert: During my many years in mining and prospecting circles and more espe- cially since the appearance of my story, "We Lost a Ledge of Gold," in the September, 1955, Desert, I have had many dealings with Doodle Bug Engineers. A Doodle Bug is a contraption that usually is hung on a string or wire and manipulated by the engineer who holds the other end of the line in his out- stretched hand. In essence they all Cluster of garnets from the Inkopah diggings. work the same—supposedly swinging toward the metal, vein or object desired with pendulum motions, or in circles leads up to a warm cactus-studded up here makes a fellow feel pretty when directly over the desired object. hillside. good inside. Looking up at a towering Choice garnet crystals are scattered The engineer usually claims that he redwood tree makes most of us shrink has an excess of static electricity in over the hillsides here and we col- a bit — looking down from a desert lected some nice cabinet specimens. his body that gives him this power to mountain tails you up—especially if make the Bug function. After the Bug But, equally rewarding is the grand you make it up there on your own two vista from this high perch. Being way has "located" the treasure, the engin- legs. eer often estimates depth and amount of treasure—but seldom takes his coat off and helps with the digging. The Bugs are all different, most are home-made—and none shown to me Cssfi foe Oesett Photographs... could pass a simple test I set up for Wherever your travels take you in the Southwest, unlimited them. I pass this test on to your read- camera subjects await you. Add to this the region's sun-filled days ers so they will not be misled by these and shadow-etched backgrounds and the combination of setting and miracle machines. subject is matchless. If you are a desert enthusiast who regards a Go to a metal salvage yard and buy camera as standard travel equipment, Desert Magazine's monthly a five or 10 pound piece of pure cop- photo contest can add both enjoyment and cash profit to your hobby. per as compact as possible. For silver It's a simple contest to enter and is open to both professionals and go to your bank and ask for 25 or 30 amateurs. silver dollars. These two metals usu- ally are enough, but if you must use Entries for the June contest must be sent to the Desert Magazine gold, you can rent it from a dentist or office. Palm Desert, California, and postmarked not later than June 18. jeweler's supply smelter. Be sure it is Winning prints will appear in the August issue. Pictures which arrive 1000 fine, however, and do not use too late for one contest are held over for the next month. First prize is old watch cases. Another possible $10; second prize $5. For non-winning pictures accepted for publication metal to use is zinc. All four metals S3 each will be paid. are non-magnetic. Do not use steel, iron or anything else that is magnetic HERE ABE THE RULES for this test. And do not make this 1—Prints must be black and whits. 5x7 or larger, on glossy paper. test in your backyard, for the Engineer will claim that your neighbor's silver 2—Each photograph submitted should be fully labeled as to subject, time and place. Also technical data: camera, shutter speed, hour of day. etc. and gold is confusing the Doodle Bug. 3—PRINTS WILL BE RETURNED WHEN RETURN POSTAGE IS ENCLOSED. Bury your metals in separate holes, about two feet deep, along a 50-foot 4—Entries must be in the Desert Magaiine office by the 20th of the contest month. line stretched between two broom- 5—Contests are open to both amateur and professional photographers. Desert stick handles. Be careful not to leave Magazine requires first publication rights only of prize winning pictures. signs on top of the ground of your 6—Tims and place of photograph are immaterial, except that it must be from the diggings—I usually rake the whole 50 desert Southwest. feet under the line to eliminate all 7—Judges will be selected from Dessrt's editorial staff, and awards will be made traces. Immediately after the close of the contest each month. And when this is ready, ask the Address All Entries to Photo Editor Doodle Bug man to walk along the plumb line and locate the separate t 72&W& 7Ma^f6$te PALM DESERT. CALIFORNIA metals. Be sure to ask him before the test if he can locate five or 10 pound deposits for his first excuse will be r: that his machine is set for larger More on Tamarisks, Tamaracks . . . ranch signs and the maps of the Auto- bodies of ore. Twentynine Palms, California mobile Club of Southern California. It I have never found a Doodle Bug Desert: would have been silly and confusing that could pass this simple test. What goes on with this tamarack- for me to attempt to change the spell- Enjoy yourself on your desert trips. tamarisk business? fn the March let- ing to Tamarisk Ranch. Also it would If you find an unusually heavy rock, ters, C. N. Clinesmith refers to "Har- have been wrong. quartz vein or anything else of interest, old O. Weight's calling your desert The Tamarack Ranch was not send it to a qualified assayer. He will tree the tamarisk a tamarack." named for a tamarisk tree. It was determine if the find is worth work- 1 never have called the tamarisk a named for a large tree still growing on ing—and if it is, you can hire a quali- tamarack. And Desert Magazine more the ranch, which Lucile and Eva Wil- fied field engineer to supervise this than once (and apparently unsuccess- son believe to be a Casuarina, an work. But, don't dig holes on Doodle fully ) has attempted to dispel the tam- Australian tree named for its resem- Bug swings, arisk-tamarack confusion. blance to the drooping feathers of the ASA M. RUSSELL For the record, in identifying a turn- Cassowary bird. Casuarinas are not 5143'/2 Almaden Drive off to a field trip 1 mentioned the relatives of the tamarisk—but, accord- • • • Tamarack District. The Tamarack ing to botanists, they are "easily mis- taken for pines." That probably ex- Memories of the Early Desert . , . District is named for the Tamarack plains the reason for the Tamarack San Clemente, California Ranch. As the editor of Desert pointed out, both are old and well-known place name, and takes the question entirely Desert: names in Imperial Valley. They will away from the tamarisks—I hope. While enjoying the sun in a delight- be found on official road signs, private HAROLD O. WEIGHT ful spot in your desert area recently my thoughts drifted back 45 years to the day when my mother and I arrived in Lancaster on the high Mojave coun- If you are one of those unfor- try and opened a real estate office in • tunate persons who find it pain- an abandoned saloon. Not a paved TRUE OR FALSE ful to be wrong, then do not road within 40 miles, no electricity and take this test. For unless you are some kind of a prodigy you will miss for water we piped into a neighbor's some of these questions. But if you don't mind making a mistake, then water tank. True or False will be fun, and perhaps you'll learn something from it. If Through the years both the faint and your score is 13 to 15 you have a fair knowledge of the Southwest desert. stout of heart took up the battle with Sixteen to 18 is excellent. Very few people have a breadth of knowledge a resisting desert and its allies of wind, which will enable them to score over 18. Answers are on page 34. cold and heat. Now, nearly a half 1—An arrastre was used by pre-historic Indians to kill bufFalo. True century later, big machines that rip False and tear out brush have replaced the 2—-Smoke trees commonly grow on sand dunes. True. . False railroad iron with a team hitched to 3—Blossom of Larrea, commonly known as creosote or greasewood, is each end, and powerful land planes yellow. True False . flatten out a sand dune in a day—a 4—Brigham Young was leader of the westward Mormon trek to Utah. challenge that would have taken a rug- True , False. ged early day rancher weeks or even 5—Scotty's Castle in Death Valley is a reconstructed prehistoric Indian months with his team and fresno ruin. True. False . scraper. 6—The chief industry of Searchlight, Nevada, is sheep-raising. True . Courage and vision, together with False . our matchless progress in engineering, 7—Camelback Mountain is visible from Phoenix, Arizona. True . have conquered the desert. The radio False beside me at this desert spa gives the 8—California's Salton Sea was a popular watering place for prospectors slogan of an engineering firm: "Prog- prior to 1900. True ... . False. ress is our most important product." 9—The Indian Pueblo, San Ildefonso, is located in New Mexico. What a wonderful world this would True ...... False be if, through the years, we had made 10—Going west on Highway 66 through Arizona, the motorist would the same progress in love and under- pass through Holbrook before coming to Flagstaff. True _ standing — in being neighborly and False . unselfish. It was the sharing with 11—Meteorites often contain nickel. True . False... others of our work, equipment and 12—The Havasupai Indians sell pottery at little roadside stands along know how—of just being friends with the road leading into their village. True False people — that remain as our most 13—The Chaparral Cock and the Road Runner are two names for the pleasant memories of the early desert same bird. True False . days. 14—Intake on Lake Havasu for the Metropolitan water aqueduct is up- FRANK B. RUTLEDGE stream from Parker, Arizona. True False
••-. 15—Hopi Indians use only rattlesnakes in their annual Snake Dances on Good News for Avery Moss * . . the Hopi Mesas. True False Weed Heights, Nevada 16—Mohs' scale is a system for classifying the hardness of minerals. Desert: True False I wonder if any of your readers can 17—The King snake is non-poisonous. True False help me locate Avery Moss, who was 18—Kit Carson helped Wyatt Earp clean out the lawless element in in the cattle and meat business in Ari- Tombstone, Arizona. True False... . zona. Last time I saw him he was at 19—No human being has ever stood on the top of Rainbow Natural Yuma 15 years ago. I have a check Bridge. True False . for him, in payment for an interest in 20—The Valley of the Goblins is in the Painted Desert of Arizona. some mining claims. True . False . THOMAS W. BRETT
JUNE, 1957 Indians and the Good Earth . . . pictures. One of them went into the actually stolen from them. I am hogan and a moment later returned ashamed at the way we have treated Aurora, Illinois and said, "Yes, you can take the pic- the Indians. Desert: tures if you pay us $5.00." I did not We point with scorn at those na- After reading your April editorial feel that I could afford such a luxury, tions who would subject the people of I am inclined to believe that the In- so drove on. other countries to their will, while we dians who killed the two prospectors Another instance, and more to the are guilty of so much injustice our- for desecrating the Good Earth men- point raised earlier in this letter, was tioned by Harry Goulding are far dif- selves. the roadside scene near an Indian Res- CLAUDE VALENTINE ferent than the Indians of today. ervation. There were hundreds of tin We have made many trips through- beer cans and bottles strewn along the Dear Mr. Valentine: out the West and have always felt highway for several miles—but only You and Harry Goulding are both kindly toward the Indians, in spite of on one side of the highway—the one right. Harry was talking about the a couple of disappointing experiences the Indians drove on their way home older generation — your experience with them. from the nearby town. The other side was with the new generation. I am one who loves to spend his of the road was free of litter. Indians are human beings—just vacations with his family on trips to If this isn't desecrating the Good like you and me. There are good the Indian country. I have an inexpen- Earth, then digging a few prospect ones and bad ones—honest and dis- sive movie camera and while traveling holes isn't either. honest. They are all going through through Arizona recently I stopped at But, I hesitate to point my finger at a critical period of change. Ameri- a hogan and asked the Indian children the Indian whose lands were not only cans are doing the same—and it is in front of it if I could take their desecrated by many white people, but true all over the world for that mat- ter. Young people generally have a different set of values than old peo- ple—and that is true on the Indian reservations no less than in our American cities. Rock Shorty The final test of every situation— of every marriage, of every fraternal of Death Valley or civic organization, of every form of government, and every ideology and religion, is whether it brings out A lone prospector, dust-cov- the best or the worst in the human ered and dragging his feet with beings who come within its influ- weariness as he plodded behind 'em over the pack saddle. But ence. the paper wuzn't as strong as his burro, trudged down the Certainly the white man's liquor Bill thought, an' on the way home sandy trail toward Inferno store. is not bringing out the best in the one o' them bags busted an' Indians, any more than it does in "Huh!" said Hard Rock Shorty, leaked honey all over the burro. white Americans. Perhaps it is too perched on the bench under the It wuz an awful mess, an' when soon yet to form a conclusion as to leanto porch of the dilapidated Bill got back he turned the burro whether the white man's civilization frame building. "Guess OF Pis- loose fer a few days. gah Bill ain't found his mine yet. as a whole is good medicine for the He'd be steppin' along spryer 'n "When that burro didn't show Indians or not. I do not know the that if he had any gold in his up fer a week Bill went out answer.—R.H. poke." lookin' fer 'im. Finally found him up the canyon near them . The well-tailored tourist who soda springs. The hair o' the Program for Meteor Hunters . . . had stopped for a tank of gas, animal wuz all caked with sand Sedona, Arizona waited for Shorty to go on with where he'd been rollin' in the Desert: his story. Finally, he could re- gravel. As Bill wuz lookin' the strain his curiosity no longer. Paul Linsley's letter in the April beast over tryin' to figger how Desert suggesting the formation of a "You mean he's got a gold mine to get rid o' that sand an' honey, out in those hills?" he asked. Meteorite Hunting Club surely merits he saw somethin' shinin' on the consideration. I hope the following Shorty's only response was a side o' the burro. It was a speck suggestions prove helpful: o' gold. So Bill scraped all the grunt. But the tourist wanted to Meteorites are very rare among the hear more about that gold mine, sand he could get off'n that bur- ro's hide an' brought it back to rocks on our planet and all organized and kept asking questions. Fi- efforts to find them should include suf- nally Shorty, seeing there was camp an' panned it out. That sand wuz lousy with color. ficiently broad programs so that no no other way out, continued. excursion will prove entirely fruitless. "Yu see it was this way, "Somewhere out around this I can predict with confidence that many stranger. It all started with that desert that burro did his rollin' searches will fail to turn up meteorites, bee cave up Eight Ball crick. in a rich placer field. It might but they can be planned so they will Wasn't much sugar durin' the be two miles away or twenty, and be interesting and educational whether war, and Pisgah'd lost his ration Bill hasn't any notion which di- meteorites are found or not. book anyway, so one day he took rection. He's blame near wore Meteorite hunters should make spe- his burro an' went up the crick hisself out this winter pannin' cial studies of those varieties of ter- to rob a wild bee hive. He filled gravel all over Death Valley and restrial rocks which are most often a couple of them cement bags, its side canyons—but I know by mistaken for meteorites. A collection which he'd cleaned out, an' hung his looks he didn't find it today." of pseudo-meteorites should be made and studied along with various kinds
26 DESERT MAGAZINE of true meteorites. The Club head- quarters could maintain a growing col- lection of iron concretions, sulphide nodules (found in shale and coal beds), basaltic pebbles and boulders, oxidized bits of artificial steel, etc. An important activity of such a club should be laboratory examina- tions and tests on all kinds of suspected specimens. (A series of such tests is described in my book, A. Comet Strikes the Earth, pp. 51-60). Our museum is always glad to assist with identifica- tions that prove too difficult for those less experienced. Encouragement for Linsley's sug- gestion may be found in the fact that nearly all of the meteorites discovered in the United States during the past 30 years have been recognized by in- dividuals who had received such in- Ihris Hansen waves from his burromobile. struction as I have outlined above either in a lecture or by visits to mu- seums where meteorites are displayed. H. H. NININGER He Goes By Burromobile American Meteorite Museum Four miles an hour is average and transportation and his address is speed for Chris Hansen's burro- wherever he happens to be. The wagon Calcified Wood in Utah . . . mobile—but, it's fast enough for is stocked with the tools of his trade Atascadero, California this genial locksmith of the South- including a small gasoline motor to Desert: ern California back roads . . . turn his grindstone. There is a bunk Thanks to Desert Magazine, my at the rear, a small butane gas range wife and I have become very interested By VERNE RANDALL used both for cooking and heating, an in rockhounding. The thing that came ice box, a small table and a butane gas HOULD YOU happen to be lamp. most forcibly to mind while attending driving along one of the desert a recent gem and mineral show were S highways in Southern California Chris' unique rig not only rides on the times during my youth in Utah and suddenly hear the tinkle of tiny rubber tires, but his burros walk on that [ kicked aside or ignored many bells, you might imagine that Kris rubber as well. He has found that it treasures at my feet. I discovered Kringle and his celebrated reindeer is less expensive to keep his burros geodes by the score and found a plat- are somewhere in the vicinity. But, it shod with horseshoes fashioned out of eau covered with petrified wood. Some is more likely to be Chris Hansen in old rubber tires. Besides the longer day I hope to return to see if I can his quaint red rubber-tired rig being wear with less noise, they give better relocate some of these collecting areas. pulled along by his four Spanish bur- traction to the animals. My terminology may be wrong, but ros, Pete, Suzy, Pedro and Poncho, About 10 years ago Chris used a among the specimens I saw as a boy with small brass bells jingling around motor truck, but now finds his present were calcified branches. Many people their necks. means of transportation more econom- probably are wondering how these I met Chris and his burros moving ical and satisfactory. "I don't like to branches became calcified. At Wood- along at the unsensational speed of stay in one place very long—got to side, which is approximately half way four miles an hour on the Mojave be on the move — see things, meet between Price and Greenriver, on desert between Mojave and Monolith. people, and be my own boss—besides Highway 50, a wildcat driller sank a However, you are likely to meet Chris it's less expensive," he told me. hole in search of oil and then aban- and his strange rig as far north as Chris feeds his burros twice a day doned it when it proved unsuccessful. Bakersfield or as far south as Indio on barley and hay, and sometimes they Soon afterwards it began to spout and the Salton Sea. are left to forage for themselves on the water regularly in 10 to 12 foot gey- Chris is a native of Denmark and desert vegetation which grows along- sers. I remember many people stop- came to this country in 1911. He is side the highways. A bale of hay is ping beside the dusty road to marvel a medium-sized elderly man of stocky usually slung to the back of the wagon at this little Old Faithful. build whose ruddy complexion, twink- just in case they should run out of Before long vegetation began grow- ling-blue eyes and gray-blond hair to- feed between towns. As an itinerant ing around the dampened edge of the gether with his amiable smile and na- tool-grinder Chris provides a useful geyser's sink. Dead branches were tive accent give evidence of his Scan- service to the farmers and ranchers coated with this highly mineralized dinavian heritage. A bachelor, he has living in the desert as well as to the water and when I returned to the gey- been an itinerant tool-grinder for 30 people in the small towns through ser after an absence of several years years. which he passes. the ground was covered by these hard- His only companions on his travels The sight of four plodding shaggy ened and beautiful formations. I are his burros. They also furnish the burros jingling tiny bells as they slowly knocked off a piece and brought it motive power for his vehicle. In addi- pull a quaint little red rig along is the home to show my parents. We ad- tion to tool-grinding, Chris files saws, unique trademark of Chris Hansen's mired it and then tossed it aside. How sharpens scissors and lawn mowers occupation and way of life—a striking foolish and thoughtless I was. and makes duplicate keys. contrast to our present era of super- LAURENCE CHRISTENSEN His quaint rig serves as home, shop sonic speed and acceleration.
UNE, 1 957 King Snake is Immune to Poison The two serpents pictured on this page, although bearing strikingly different markings, are members of the same family. Part of the diet of these and other King snakes are any other snakes that happen along—including rattlers, mocca- sins and poisonous corals—for the King snake is relatively immune to their venom.
By GEORGE M. BRADT Photographs by the author . '' ING SNAKES (Genus Lampro- Banded King Snake (Lampropeltis pyromelana) or Arizona Mountain peltis) are distinguished by King Snake. This gorgeous species has bright white rings separated by their striking markings, satin- black bands split with vivid red. Its whitish snout differentiates it from smooth scales, short tails and practice its near relative, the Coral King snake. It is found from northern Mexico of eating other snakes. This last trait through Arizona and New Mexico into Utah. is particularly interesting when we consider that even the poisonous coral, moccasin and rattlesnakes are among This resistance to venom is upwards or by merely bumping into it. When its victims. The popular belief that to 100 times greater than in mammals food is plentiful a snake's appetite is King snakes purposely seek out poi- of similar size. prodigious; yet the same snake that sonous species is, however, untrue. Snakes are all carnivorous predators. stuffs itself on two dozen mice at one They simply eat any snake they hap- Most species are of an opportunistic feeding can survive an entire year on pen to find. If the prey is poisonous, nature and eat a varied fare: small three or four large meals. Snakes can- the King snake's amazing degree of im- mammals, birds and eggs, insects, am- not live without water, however, and munity to snake venom protects it from phibians and reptiles. Their prey is they drink much as a horse does, with serious consequences. detected by sight, bodily warmth, smell nose under the surface of the water. For a limbless and comparatively helpless animal, snakes have solved Sonoran King Snake (Lampropeltis getulus splendida). This handsome the problem of capturing live and elu- shiny black creature with a bright yellow dot on each scale, ranges from sive prey admirably. Some species northern Mexico into southeastern Arizona and western New Mexico. seize their victims in their mouths and immediately swallow them. Others hold their prey down with body coils until subdued, or constrict it, or poi- son it. While the first method seems the easiest, it precludes the taking of large or active prey. The second method is used only by fairly long and heavy types such as the whipsnakes and racers. The third by species sufficiently powerful to stop their victim's heart action by squeezing as do the boas and pythons, and our own bull, pine and King snakes. The fourth is used solely by species possessing the neces- sary poison-producing apparatus. King snakes make interesting pets. While individuals may strike and bite when first captured, they usually be- come quite docile. Not only for their snake diet are these fine snakes bene- ficial to man. They help farmers by eating destructive rodents. They should be protected wherever found, not only as an ally in man's war against rodent pests and poisonous snakes, but as a beautiful member of American wild- life. o DESERT MAGAZINE Death Valley Loop Road Asked . . . DEATH VALLEY — Inyo Associ- Hete md Then on the Omtl.,. ates voted in favor of a proposal to complete the road northward out of ARIZONA Elk Kill Totals 302 ... Death Valley National Monument to Glen Canyon Study Planned . . . PHOENIX-—Hunters killed 302 elk connect with Westgard Pass and Big FLAGSTAFF — Several groups of during the 1956 season, the state Game Pine. About 30 miles of the road are scientists soon will begin a race against and Fish Department reported. Hun- yet to be completed, six miles of which time to make all the archeological dis- ter success average was 19.1 percent compared to 29.3 percent in 1955.— are within the monument.—Inyo Reg- coveries possible in Glen Canyon be- Safford Guardian Farmer ister fore water rising behind the projected dam engulfs the area. Miss Gene Fos- • • • ter, an associate of the Northern Ari- Bracero Wage Demands Made , , . ABOUT TO RETIRE zona Museum, is scheduled to head NOGALES, Mexico—A strong de- WHY NOT IN ONE OP THE MOST three separate month-long expeditions mand for the national minimum wage BEAUTIFUL SPOTS IN ARIZONA? this summer along the Colorado River, of $1 an hour for Mexican braceros Are you one who has worked hard all your life, and who would like to spend the re- Traveling by boat from a point above working on American farms was made mainder in a sunny, scenic, healthful cli- the upper reaches of the lake which by Mexican and U. S. union leaders mate? I am sole owner of just such a spot, located in the Verde Valley in Northern will eventually form behind the dam, at a three-day labor conference in Arizona. A place that attracts thousands of the expeditions will explore all possible April. The resolution passed said the people each year. It is within short driving distance to such scenic places as Grand Can- sites of prehistoric dwellings, burials, present section of the international yon, Petrified Forest, Painted Desert, Oak etc. William C. Miller of Mount Pakv- bracero agreement calling for payment Creek Canyon, and the Ghost Town, Jerome. For those who enjoy hunting, fishing, It mar, California, also a museum asso- of "prevailing wages" was "ambigu- includes elk, deer, antelope, bear and tur- ciate, will conduct a similar search in ous" and "permits the payment of key. There Is trout fishing in beautiful Oak Creek. We have a dry, healthful year-round Navajo Canyon. Federal law requires wages which fall far below the require- climate, very beneficial to those suffering that such a search be conducted before ments of the American people's con- from asthma, sinus, arthritis, and all other diseases requiring a dry climate. One of the land becomes inundated and the cept of adequate wages for a healthy the finest hospitals in the entire west is Department of Interior has contracted economy."—Yuma Sun located here. I have at the present time 2 beautiful homes for immediate occupancy, with the museum for the actual survey • • • or I'm in a position to build you your dream work.—Phoenix Gazette home according to specifications. There are Solar Heat Prizes Offered . , . free color photographs for the asking. For • • • further information, write F. E. Bradley, PHOENIX — The Association for Box 334, Sedona, Arizona. Drouth Is Over, Expert Says . . . Applied Solar Energy announced it TUCSON— The two-year Arizona will award $5250 in prizes to winning drouth has ended, believes Dr. Robert architects of its international contest R. Humphrey, associate professor of to obtain designs for a solar-heated range management at the University of Phoenix climate house. Contest closes GLORIOUS RDVERTURE Arizona. It was the opinion of many August 15 and entries should be sent that prior to the winter rains, the state to James M. Hunter, 1126 Spruce St., was in the worst dry cycle in 700 Boulder, Colorado. The winning resi- years. Ranchers rated range prospects dence will be constructed at Sundown as "excellent."—Phoenix Gazette Ranch in Paradise Valley and will be the focal point of the 1958 solar house • • • symposium.—Phoenix Gazette Plans New Canyon Trail . , , • « * GRAND CANYON—D. F. Ham- Hohokam Ruins Found . , . blin of Kanab, Utah, operator of a FORT HUACHUCA—The remains guide service and lodge on the north of a village of the Hohokam Indian rim of the Grand Canyon, reported tribe, one of the oldest Indian people that he is planning to make a new to have lived in the Southwest, were trail to the bottom of the canyon. The discovered at the mouth of Garden proposed trail would take off from the Canyon on the Army Electronic Prov- South Saddle Mountain, — Southern ing Ground at Fort Huachuca. Various In the Canyons of the Colorado Utah News artifacts including pottery, grinding * • • and San Juan Rivers stones and other stone implements and Sturdy boats and skilled boatrnen-gusdes State Creates Parks Board . , , arrowheads, both bone and stone, insure safe and thoroughly enjoyable passage PHOENIX—A bill creating a state marked the site of the village found by through the most colorful canyons of the park board was signed into law by the two Fort Huachuca soldiers.—Tomb- Southwest desert. governor. The controversial measure stone Epitaph SAN JUAN AND COLORADO RIVERS is described as a compromise between • • • Mexican Hat or Hite, Utah, to Forbidden the Arizona Parks Association, cattle Canyon and return CALIFORNIA If the Glen Canyon damsite is closed to interests and the Legislature. A direc- Salton Corvina Again Spawn , . . navigation, motors will be installed for return tor, to receive a salary not more than trip from Forbidden Canyon to Hite. $8400 annually, will supervise the SALTON SEA — Ocean corvina GRAND CANYON OF THE COLORADO Parks Department activities under the transplanted in Salton Sea from the Lee's Ferry to Lake Mead bill. Of the seven board members, Gulf of California again have spawned, 18-day trip in July one would automatically be the state adding to the bright: hope for good Special charter trips may be arranged. land commissioner, with the other six future fishing. Department of Fish and Write for 1957 summer schedule and rates. appointed by the governor. The board Game research workers report netting i. FRANK WRIGHT MEXICAN HAT EXPEDITIONS could acquire up to 160 acres of land of three-inch baby corvina. — Inyo P.O. Box 427 Blinding, Utah for each park.— Yuma Sun Register
JUNE, 1957 •'• ASSAYS. Complete, accurate, guaranteed. Highest quality spectrographic. $3 per sample. Reed Engineering, 620 S. Ingle- THE DESERT TRADING POST wood Ave., Inglewood 1, California. Classified Advertising in This Section Costs 12c a Word, $2.00 Minimum Per Issue DESERT AND mountain lover has trailer space or trailer to rent retired person or low income, near Escondido, San Diego. Ed Hufsmid, Box 732, Valley Center, BOOKS—MAGAZINES TREASURE MAP 17x22 shows the loca- California. tion of 50 of the most famous Lost Mines OUT-OF-PRINT books at lowest prices! and Treasures of the west. Printed in gay BARRY STORM—famed writer "Thunder You name it—we find it! Western Ameri- colors. Portrays the romance of the Old God's Gold," "Practical Prospecting," etc., cana, desert and Indian books a specialty. West. Ideal for hanging in game room (see Cardex files most public libraries) Send us your wants. No obligation. In- or den. In addition you get the history has ready for publication: ternational Bookfinders, Box 3003-D, of how each of the 50 were found and TALES OF THE SOUTHWEST. Beverly Hills, California. lost. Data and clues to their location. Incredible frontier stories of miners, In- HAVE REAL fun with desert gems, min- The result of 9 years of prospecting and dians, gunfighters, cowboys, outlaws, pi- erals and rocks. The rockhound's how- research by the "author. Send $1.50 to oneer women, adventurers, considered to-do-it magazine tells how. One year Prospector Milt, 3915 Lamont, San Diego capable making dozen to one profit on (12 issues) only $3.00. Sample 25c. Gems 9, California. speculative investment in year or two plus and Minerals, Box 687-D, Mentone, Cal. probable additional thousands royalties REAL ESTATE from pocketbook rights. Need fifty only WESTERN TRAVEL Books: Send for actual copyright co-owners underwrite our mapped list of Books on Western NEAR ANZA, house, barn, well, $3300. 40 printing, advertising, national book store, Travel and Rock Collecting. 101 titles acres or less, $300 an acre. 971 Barbour, library exploitation. $75 per each 1/100th to choose from. Scenic Guides, Arizona Banning, California. co-owner copyright interest, payable $10 $1.00; California $1.50; Colorado $1.50; down, balance 60 days. 56 year book Nevada $1.50; Oregon $1.50. Save by CHOICE HOMESITES and acreage. Salton Sea vicinity. Low as $1495, $95 down, copyright life. I operate deal, own half mail! We pay postage. Scenic Guides, interest. Book publishing contract for Box 288, Susanville, California. $25 month. Pon & Co., Box 546 DA, Azusa, California. actual copyright co-ownership sent on ap- proval or upon receipt of first payment. CLUBS—ORGANIZATIONS NICE SHADY oasis planted to grapefruit, STORM PUBLISHING ASSOCIATES, ARE YOU interested in prospecting for tangerines. Good house, swimming pool, Box 74, Inyokern, California. minerals, or rockhunting? Write for lit- 33 acres, Coachella Valley. $85,000. erature to United Prospectors, 701V4 E. Ronald L. Johnson, broker, Box 162, Edgeware, Los Angeles 26, California. Thermal, California. Museum Construction Seen . . . CRAFTS—HOBBIES NOT "FOR A SONG" but a song goes with DEATH VALLEY — Early con- it: Pre-Cambrian granite soil, mountains struction of a museum in Death Valley PAINT OILS: Exciting home-courses. Trial and lush desert. Elevation 2400 to 3500. lesson $1.00, specify landscape or still- Dry, sunny, dust-free climate. Near National Monument is assured through life. Folders free. Prickett's Desertwind Phoenix and Scottsdale. Good roads, an agreement between the National Studios, Millerton, New York. water. Let us show you Cavecreek and Park Service and the State Division Carefree Town, $300 per acre up, terms. of Beaches and Parks. The state will INDIAN GOODS Darlington & Palmer, Box 214, Cavecreek, erect the building and own it, but the FIVE FINE Prehistoric Indian arrowheads Arizona. $2.00. Perfect stone tomahawk $2.20. Ef- National Park Service will provide HAVE UNTESTED placer ground. Account plans and will, when the structure is figy pipe $5.00. Perfect flint thunderbird of ill health want partner. One man. $3.00. Flint fish hook $3.00. List free. High water only or dry washer. Informa- complete, handle museum administra- Five offers for only $12.00. Arrowhead, tion, write Box 32, Salmon, Idaho. tion without cost to the state. The Glenwood, Arkansas. museum, to be built on a 50-acre site AUTHENTIC INDIAN Jewelry, Navajo MISCELLANEOUS adjoining Furnace Creek Camp do- Rugs, War Bonnets, Squaw Dresses, GHOST TOWN ITEMS: Sun-colored glass, nated by the Pacific Coast Borax Co., Squaw Boots, Fine old Indian collection. amethyst to royal purple; ghost railroads Pow-Wow Indian Trading Post, 19967 will contain, in addition to exhibit materials, tickets; limited odd items from space, an auditorium large enough to Ventura Blvd., East Woodland Hills, Cal. camps of the '60s. Write your interest— Box 64-D, Smith, Nevada. seat 700 persons.—Indian Wells Val- SELLING 100,000 Indian relics. 100 nice ley Independent ancient arrowheads $25.00. Small grooved VERMONT MAPLE syrup — direct from stone tomahawk $2.00. Large grooved sugar orchard to you. Guaranteed pure • • • stone tomahawk $3.00. Perfect spear- Grade A syrup. All shipments postpaid State Seeks River Refuge . . . head over 8 inches long $20.00. Flint and insured. Check or money order must scalping knife $1.00. Indian skull $25.00. EL CENTRO — California's Fish accompany order. $8.95 per gallon; and Game Commission favors asking Ancient water bottle from grave $7.00. $4.75 per Vi gallon. M. G. Corti, Wal- List free. Lear's, Glenwood, Arkansas. den, Vermont. the Federal government for a 5100 acre strip of "no man's land" along FINE RESERVATION-MADE Navajo and LADY GODIVA "The World's Finest Zuni jewelry. Old pawn. Hundreds of Beautifier." For women who wish to the Colorado River near Yuma to serve fine old baskets, moderately priced, in become beautiful, for women who wish as a wildlife refuge. Everett Horn, excellent condition. Navajo rugs, old and to remain beautiful. An outstanding des- executive officer of the Wildlife Con- new, Bayeta, native dyes, Two Gray Hills. ert cream. For information, write or call servation Board, told the Commission Artifacts and gems. A collector's para- Lola Barnes, 963 N. Oakland, Pasadena dise! Open daily 10 to 5:30, closed Mon- 6, Calif., or phone SYcamore 4-2378. that Arizona has shown no interest in days, Buffalo Trading Post, Highway 18, the land in its negotiations with Cali- Apple Valley, California. ROCKS FROM deep underground: Core specimens taken from tests drilled for oil fornia to redraw the boundary between LARGE COLLECTION of Indian Relics in West Texas. May be polished for the two states which was obscured by for sale by private party. Alice R. Oat- paper weights, pen stands, etc. One dol- the course-changing river.—Yuma Sun man, 11045 Blix Street, North Hollywood, lar per specimen. Corox, P. O. Box 2933, • • • California. Midland, Texas. Glamis Road Work Begun . . . MAPS FOR SALE: A school bus in fine condi- EL CENTRO—Surveying and en- SECTIONIZED COUNTY maps — San tion. Interior changed for living quarters. Inspection invited. Noel Cunningham, gineering on the new highway connect- Bernardino $1; Riverside $1; Imperial ing link between Palo Verde and Im- 50c; San Diego 50c; Inyo 75c; other Cali- Red Rock, New Mexico. fornia counties $1.25 each. Nevada coun- JEB GROUND-AIR scintillator. Never perial valleys was due to start in early ties $1 each. Topographic maps of all used. Paid $250. Will sell for $125. April, Imperial County officials an- mapped areas. Westwide Maps Co., 114 Chas. LeGrande, 640 Lincoln Highway, nounced. The county has received the W. Third St., Los Angeles, California. Fairless Hills, Pa. long-overdue check for $660,000 30 DESERT MAGAZINE which the government has paid as Predatory Control Asked . . . State Seeks Land Transfer . . . compensation for the Navy's closing WASHINGTON, D. C. — Senator SANTA FE—State Land Commis- of the road across the Chocolate Moun- George W. Malone urged the Senate sioner Murray E. Morgan has begun tain Gunnery Range, This money, it to increase its appropriation for pred- a long-range campaign that he hopes is estimated, will construct the road atory animal control in Nevada. A will result in the transfer of 14,500,- from Orita across seven miles of sand shortage of jackrabbits has caused 000 acres of land from the Bureau of hills and the All-American canal ex- coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions, Land Management to the state of New tension into Glamis. Imperial County deprived of their customary source of Mexico. He contends that the lands proposes to complete a passable route food, to turn their attention to lambs administered by the BLM belong to to the town of Palo Verde. — Palo and sheep, it was claimed. The gov- Verde Valley Times ernment, which owns 87 percent of • • • Nevada, has contributed approximately Looking for a PUBLISHER? Goler Canyon Highway Studied , . . $50,000 a year for predatory animal Do you have a book-length manuscript you RIDGECREST — Cross Country control over the past 10 years.—Reese would like to have published? Learn about our unusual plan whereby your book can be Highway Association officials plan an River Reveille published, promoted and distributed on a professional basis. We consider all types of inspection tour of Goler Canyon, south • • • work—fiction, biography, poetry, scholarly of the ghost town of Ballarat, to study Antelope Placed on Range . , . and religious books, etc. New authors wel- come. For more information, write for valu- the possibility of routing the projected LOVELOCK — Ninety antelope able booklet D. It's free. highway through there. At present, were imported from Yellowstone Na- VANTAGE PRESS, INC. one of the development's most serious tional Park and released in Pershing 8253 lloll> wood Blvd., Hollywood 28, Calif. problems is to find a suitable right-of- and Mineral counties. The current Main Office: .New York 1, N. V. way across the Panamint Mountain program calls for a total of 275 ani- range east of Trona. The Nevada end mals to be brought to the Nevada of the highway, which runs to the ranges from Yellowstone. — Reese BRING THE FAMILY .... California line near Shoshone, has River Reveille YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT IT! been completed for two years. The • • • original route across the Panamints is First Jitterbug Signs Appear . . . YOU'VE READ ABOUT IT! blocked by the Navy's gunnery range, GARDNERVILLE — First signs this year—SEE IT! —Indian Wells Valley Independent warning motorists traveling Nevada • • • Highways to "Don't Be a Litterbug" intertribal mdian NEVADA were erected in Douglas County recent- Navy Drops Black Rock Plans . . . ly. The attractive orange signs depict- ing a vicious-looking litterbug were FALLON —- Full use of Sahwave AUGUST 8-9-10-11 gunner)-1 range in Pershing county and provided by the Nevada Department SPECTACULAR DANCES substitution of the Air Force's Tono- of Highways.—Record-Courier pah range for the Black Rock range * • a SPORTS • RODEOS by the Navy for aerial gunnery prac- NEW MEXICO PARADES • CRAFTS tice was indicated in announcements State Raises Speed Limit . . , EXHIBIT HALL from Washington, D.C. According to SANTA FE—State police have re- PONT YOU MISS IT! Senator Alan Bible, the Tonopah ceived instructions to allow speeds up Bombing Range will be put to imme- to 70 miles an hour on four-lane high- CEREMONIAL ASSOCIATION diate use by the Navy. It will utilize ways and the wider modern two-lane Box 1029. Dept. D6 the range by flying 4000 sorties annu- routes, but to crack down on speeds Gallup, New Mexico ally, to be stepped up to 16,000 at over 60 miles an hour on old, narrow the first of next year. The Navy highways.—New Mexican announcement climaxes a long battle • • • to block further Navy land grabs in Porcupine Hunter Sought , , , You'il want to keep those Northern Nevada and to force the SANTA FE—The State Employ- armed services to share in part some ment Service will hire a hunter to live of their land facilities. in the high country to track down and MAPS destroy porcupines in the state's pine which appear each month in Comstock Monument Funds , , . forests. Porcupines have been multi- Desert Magazine—maps which CARSON CITY—The Nevada leg- plying rapidly for the past 15 years in will be your guide on many de- islature passed a bill which provides New Mexico and are causing increas- lightful excursions into the great $2000 appropriation for construction ingly heavy losses among young pine desert playground. of a monument commemorating the trees, the state reported.—New Mexi- discovery of silver on the Comstock in can Attractive loose-leaf binders em- 1859. Plans call for completion of the bossed In gold not only will monument in time for unveiling at the Bo Sure to Visit preserve the maps, but will be start of the year-long celebration of NEVADA'S PICTURESQUE a beautiful addition to your Nevada's Silver Centennial Year in GHOST TOWN home book-shell. Each binder 1959.—Territorial Enterprise RHYOLITE holds 12 copies. Easy to insert, • » » they open flat. 4>i Miles from Beatty Lehman Caves Hours Given , . . Last Bonanza of the Golden West Mailed postpaid ior LEHMAN CAVES—Raymon Sel- —HISTORIC SITES TO SEE— $2.00 lers, park ranger in charge of Lehman The fabulous H.R. Depot—Old Cemetery— Bottle House — Forgotten Gold Mines — Caves National Monument, announced Skeleton Bldgs. of yesteryear and many the following hours for tourist visits: other strange Death Valley Phenomena. daily tours start at intervals from 9 Courteous Information with Your Depot Hosts a.m. to 4 p.m. Mountain standard MR. « MRS. H. H. HEISLEK PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA time.—Ely Record
JUNE, 1957 ' the state; that the state could do a Observatory Open to Public . . . Golden Spike Historic Site . . . better job of handling them; and that CLOUDCROFT—The world's lar- PROMONTORY — A seven-acre possession of the lands would "make gest solar observatory will be open to tract at Promontory has been desig- New Mexico solvent." He likens his the public every Sunday this summer. nated the Golden Spike National His- campaign to the successful efforts of The observatory houses the world's toric Site. The original Golden Spike Texas, Louisiana and California to biggest instrument for observing the ceremony held here 88 years ago, cele- obtain title to tideland oil lands. — sun — a 16-inch coronagraph, twice brated completion of the first trans- New Mexican the size of the next largest one at Pic continental railroad. The site will be du Midi, in the Pyrenees Mountains administered as a non-federal project, of southern France. The instrument with the Golden Spike Association of Book Manuseripts is on Sacramento Peak, 17 miles south Box Elder County and the Utah His- by cooperative publisher who offers authors of Cloudcroft, at an altitude of 9,200 torical Society charged with preserva- early publication, higher royalty, national tion and administration. distribution, and beautifully designed books. feet. All subjects welcomed. Write, or send your • • • • • • MS directly. GREENWICH BOOK PUBLISHERS, IXC. Much Farm Lands Idle . . . Tribesmen Win Court Decision . . . Atten. Mr. Slocum, 489 Fifth Ave., N.Y., N.Y. SANTA FE—About three-fifths of SALT LAKE CITY—A group of New Mexico's entire farm land acre- southeastern Utah Navajo Indians was age will be taken out of cultivation awarded 30 individual judgments total- this year, much of it to remain un- ing $186,017 in U. S. District Court FUN IN MEXICO farmed for the next 10 years, the Agri- for loss of 101 horses and 39 burros RETIRE-VACATION cultural Stabilization and Conservation in a range land controversy. The judg- Committee announced. Officials said ment came four years and five district ON $150 A MONTH 575,000 acres — mostly dry farming court proceedings after the Indians or less in a resort area, 365 days of sun a brought suit against the United States year, dry temp. 65-80°. Or maintain lux. country—had been signed under the villa, servants, ALL expenses $200-$250 a nio. of America. Each of the 30 tribesmen Am.-Eng. colony on Lake Chapala. 30 min. conservation reserve phase of the Soil to city of Va-miHion, medical center. Schools, Bank.—New Mexican will receive $3500 for loss of livestock arts, sports. Few hours by air. Train, bus, plus other amounts for "harrassment paved roads all the wsiy. Full-time servants, • • • maids, cooks, $6 to $15 a mo., filet mignon and intimidation" on the part of gov- 50c lb., coffee 45c, gas 17c gal. Houses $10 Pecos Project Approved . . . mo. up. No fog, smog, confusion, jitters. ernment agents in rounding up the Just serene living among considerate people. WASHINGTON, D. C—A bill to Indians' stock and allegedly attempting For EXACTLY how Americans are living in authorize construction of $2,750,000 world's most perfect climate on $50, $150, to rid the range of the animals. $250 a mo., mail $2.00 for complete current worth of water conservation projects information, photos, prices, roads, hotels, • • • hunting, fishing, vacationing and retirement in the Pecos River Basin of New Mex- Glen Dam Road Estimates . . . conditions from Am. viewpoint (Pers. Chk. ico and Texas has the approval of the OK) to THAYER OF MEXICO, File 20, Ajijic, KANAB — Making Glen Canyon Ja.l., Mexico. Money Back Guarantee. Interior Department. The basin is now accessible to vehicular travel from both experiencing one of the most severe sides of the river is going to cost in drouths on record. Pending bills con- excess of $10,000,000, the Bureau of tain a Reclamation Bureau project to Reclamation estimates. A general Fishing Line FREE! provide a 16-mile diversion of Pecos breakdown shows that more than $4,- River waters from near Artesia, New 000,000 will be spent in Arizona build- Mexico, to McMillan Reservoir. The ing the Bitter Springs route from U. S. object is to salvage water now lost 89 to the damsite. Utah is spending through evaporation and transpiration or will spend over $5,000,000 on the from 13,500 acres of salt cedar and road from Kanab to the dam. The other water-using scrub vegetation. In Arizona road is expected to be finished addition, the inflow of saline water s several months before the Kanab-Glen from salt springs would be short-cir- We've been eating loco weed here at Canyon road.—Southern Utah News WESTERN SPORTSMAN and may be tempo- cuited by installing pumps to transport rarily off our rockers,, but you can depend • • • on this offer being guaranteed—no "catch" the brine into the Queen Lake depres- whatsoever. sion.—New Mexican Indians Win Bureau Appointments We have a big supply of the famous Gude- FORT DUCHESNE — Three men brod bait casting fishing line, 15 lb. test. It • • • retails at $2.60 per 100-yds. (Two 50-yd. spools of Indian descent were involved in in a handy plastic box.) Man, it's terrific! UTAH position changes recently announced SPECIAL! So long as the line lasts, we'll send you a 16-issue stibscription to Western Park Tour Dates Announced . . . by the Indian Bureau. Darrell Flem- Sportsman ($2.40) and this line ($2.60)—a ing, who had been superintendent at $6.00 value for just $2.00! CEDAR CITY—Utah Parks Com- I told yon we'd been eating loco weed! pany tours will begin June 16 and run Fort Belknap Agency, Harlem, Mon- WESTERN SPORTSMAN is crammed with daily through September 4, it was an- tana, for nearly five years, took over articles on hunting, fishing, Old West arti- cles, guns, boats, fishing tackle, true adven- nounced. Seven different bus tours the Ouray Agency, Fort Duchesne, ture, tips and information on our great, wild, replacing John O. Crow who trans- rugged West. It's a different, real he-man's are scheduled to leave Cedar City each magazine on a very masculine country—the day bound for Zion, Bryce Canyon ferred to the Bureau's Washington of- 22! western states. fice as a program officer. At Fort IMPORTANT! Don't lay this magazine down and Grand Canyon National Parks. without cutting out the coupon below—or Stops are also included on the loop Belknap, Fleming was succeeded by you'll forget it sure and miss the greatest otter of our publishing history! tours in Bryce Canyon National Park Howard Dushane, former program and Cedar Breaks National Monument. officer at the Portland, Oregon, office WESTERN SPORTSMAN —Iron County Record since 1955. P.O. Box 5008M, Austin 31, Texas Boys, I want that $5.00 bargain for $2.00! Send me 16 issues of Western Sportsman KENT FROST JEEP TRIPS 122,585 Deer KUle'd in '56 ... and, as a premium—absolutely FREE!—two Into the Famous Utah Needles Area 50-yd. spools of Gudebrod line in the handy Junction of the Green and Colorado rivers; SALT LAKE CITY—Deer hunters plastic utility box. Indian and Salt creeks; Davis, Lavander, Monument, Red, Dark and White canyons; in Utah killed 122,585 animals during Dead Horse and Grand View points; Hoven- Name weep and Bridges national monuments. the 1956 hunting seasons, according to 3-Say or longer trips for 2-6 person parties the Fish and Game Department. This Address —$25 daily per person. Includes sleeping City State bags, transportation, guide service, meals. marks an increase of 10,678 deer over Write KBKT FROST, Montlcello, Utah. the previous year's harvest.
32 DESERT MAGAZINE Oakland, California . . . Kaiser Steel Corporation announced an additional $81,000,000 expansion program to its current $113,000,000 capital additions MINES an plan. The added expenditures will hike Kaiser Steel's ingot capacity from 1,536,000 to about 3,000,000 Ions annually. Among Fctrmington, New Mexico , . . the planned projects are improvements at Alpine County, California . , . the company's Eagle Mountain, California, Plans are underway to re-open the famed Shell Oil Company announced formation iron ore mine and at the Sunnyside, Utah, Mogul Mines of Alpine County, the Alpine of the Farmington production division and Raton. New Mexico, coal mines.—Salt Eureka Mining Corporation announced. headed by R. R. Robison, Bakersfield, Cali- The Mogul mining district lies directly fornia. The company confirmed a huge Lake Tribune south of the Comstock Lode. Last work drilling program for the Paradox and San on the property, following its discovery in Juan Basins aimed at filling a new crude 1863, was in the early 1900s and terminated oil line to be built to the Los Angeles area Grand Canyon, Arizona . , . in 1922. The Mogul ore is so complex from the Four Corners area. Shell said it What veteran steclmcn describe as the and holds so many minerals that special "planned a big development program" that most arduous job of its kind they have ever smelting is required.—Eureka Sentinel may run up to 100 wells this year. tackled in 40 years, an aerial cableway • •• * * • across the Colorado River was due for com- pletion in May. When finished it will be Washington, D. C. . . , Salt Lake City . . . the longest single span freight tramway in A novel method of ore trealmenl—some- The Utah attorney general has ruled that the world and will run from the top of the what similar to making coffee in a perco- /olcanic cinders are considered to be "min- precipitous south rim of Grand Canyon to lator—has been successfully used to recover eral" and, in consequence, state land con- the northerly side. The span will be 8377 manganese from certain low grade ores of taining cinders cannot be sold by the State feet in length. The tramway will be used Arizona and Nevada, the Bureau of Mines L.and Board. Sand and gravel deposits can by New Pacific Coal and Oils, Ltd., of reported. Known technically as "percola- ">e sold, but mineral deposits must be leased Toronto, Canada, to transport bat guano tion leaching," the process recovered from iy the state.—Salt Lake Tribune from Bat Cave, about 600 feet above the 78 to 97 percent of the manganese from Colorado River at a point near the head- soft, wad-type ores which could not be waters of Lake Mead. An estimated 100,- handled by conventional gravity concen- 000 tons of the valuable fertilizer is con- tration or flotation methods. In the new Washington, D. C. . . , tained in the explored portions of the cave. treatment methods, sulphur dioxide gas is The Supreme Court ruled that the U. S. —Mohave Miner passed upward through piles of crushed ore, retained rights to minerals under the lands and then water is percolated downward.— it gave the Union Pacific Railroad for its Phoenix Gazette right-of-way. The decision involves about • • • 1000 linear miles of right-of-way or about 50,000 acres. Some government legal ex- Grand Valley, Colorado . . . perts immediately interpreted the Court de- MINERALOGY Hopes for the development of the vast cision as broad enough to cover other rail- Offers unlimited opportunity for rock eollsctor or Ura- Green River oil shale deposits in eastern road right-of-way grants by acts of Con- nium prospector. Make it your career or hobby. We train Utah and western Wyoming rose sharply gress between 1862 and 1871. If true, the you at home. Diploma course. Send for Free Catalog. with the announcement by Union Oil Com- government may own the mineral rights to pany of California that it will construct a 450,000 acres of land.—Salt Lake Tribune MINERAL SCIENCE INSTITUTE $4,000,000 processing plant near Grand Desk 7 • 159 E. Ontario • Chicago II Valley. The company's reserve is estimated to contain five billion barrels of recoverable oil. The company is completing a retort capable of handling 300 tons of shale daily. Meanwhile, the U. S. Geological Survey Campion Rock Shop increased its estimate of the oil contained only in the richer shales (15 gallons of oil METAL DETECTORS to the ton or more) to 900 billion barrels in western Colorado alone, which means a • Battery test switch trillion barrels or more in the entire forma- tion extending into Utah and Wyoming.— • Head phones with clear signal Vernal Express • Great sensitivity • Low cost operation • • • » One nob control » Easiest of all to operate Salt Lake City . . . Bureau of Mines research workers in MORE ACCURATE, it's the first METAL DETECTOR designed SPE- Salt Lake City have developed a "do it CIFICALLY for detecting placer gold, nuggets, and other small metal yourself kit for detection of selenium, a objects. Depth range 7 feet—comes complete ready to use. valuable element in high demand by the electronics industry. The Bureau said the MODEL 27—instructions included $110,00 new kit and procedures for using it are so simple that a person unskilled in metallurgy MODEL 711—with 21 ft. depth range .$138.50 or chemistry can detect the presence of minute amounts of selenium.—Salt Lake Tribune MINERALIGHT—Complete line from $14.95 up to $114.00 : Send for Complete Information Blythe, California . . . HARDNESS TESTING PENCILS— Construction was scheduled to start June 1 on a $195,000 rockwool plant in Blythe, complete with diamond, in leather case $ 10.50 Woolstone, Inc., announced. The new firm PENSCOPES — 20-40 Power .. $ 12.00 controls 1800 acres of ore-bearing lands in the Big Maria Mountains, east of Midland. LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES—TOOLS—GEMS—JEWELRY The plant has a projected capacity of 50 tons of spun rockwool per day.—Palo Verde CHEMICAL KITS, MORTARS & PESTELS—PICKS—BOOKS—ETC. Valley Times FOR THE WOOD WORKING HOBBYIST WE NOW STOCK A
EXPLORE FOR COMPLETE LINE OF ATLAS AND PORTER CABLE POWER TOOLS TREASURE! Find wealth lost or bur- (buy from an experienced wood worker) ied for years! Search for gold and silver coins, bul- lion, and other valuables Comhton a\oatz czinoji with M-Scope Treasure- Meta! locators. Used world- wide. Guaranteed. Terras. 1405 S. Long Beach Blvd. 3 blocks south of Olive Fisher Research Lab., lise. Dept. D-l Palo Aito, Cal. NEmark 2-9096 Open Friday Evenings Compton, California
UNE, 19 5 7 lgnacio, Colorado . , , Increased oil drilling activity in South- URANIUM NEWS western Colorado is forecast following bids by major oil concerns of $4,358,000 for rights to drill on 46,000 acres of Mountain Ute tribal land. Twenty companies par- URANIUM ORE SHORTAGE ENDS; ticipated in the bidding. The Mountain Utes apparently will accept these bids on their land, but there was some doubt that the Southern Utes will accept the bulk of AEC TO REVISE OPERATIONS ... the bids on their tracts which, with only two exceptions, brought less than $10.11 per The nation is no longer faced with ura- longer can be justified on the basis of a acre. Average offer for Mountain Ute land ] nium shortages and operations of the military emergency," Jones said. use was $92 per acre, plus a 12 /i percent Atomic Energy Commission must be For these reasons, the Marysvale, Utah, royalty on all production and $1.25 per changed in this light, Allen E. Jones, man- and Globe, Arizona, buying stations were acre annual rental. The leases are for a ager of the Grand Junction Operations Cen- closed. The White Canyon, Utah, station 10-year period or as much longer as oil ter for AEC declared. Uranium processing is expected to be closed within the next few production continues.—Dove Creek Press plants are now treating ore at a rate of months. But, David D. Baker, director of • • • about 3,250,000 tons a year and mining and the mining division of the AEC's Grand Atomic Treated Coal milling are about in balance, he said. Junction office, assured independent pro- Powers Rio Grande Train "In fact, in one recent month, more ore ducers they would not suffer from the Com- The successful use of coal irradiated with was processed than was produced and de- mission's program to fit the pace of domes- atomic energy as diesel fuel was announced livered by the miners," Jones added. tic ore production into the needs of its by the Rio Grande Railroad. Finely ground The important objectives of the new AEC new uranium concentrates buying program. Colorado coal was treated with waste prod- domestic procurement program, according "In order to encourage continued pros- ucts from atomic reactors, mixed with oil to Jones, are to assure an adequate supply pecting and exploration by the independent and burned as fuel. of uranium to meet the government's re- ore producers and prospectors, the AEC has The impact of the radiation is to reduce quirements during the next 10 years and to sought to provide a future market for the the coal into a dust so fine that it floats in have a strong domestic uranium industry small producer and for newly discovered air like smoke. When mixed with oil it to support the nation's future industrial ore by writing into milling contracts the increases the energy content as diesel fuel, needs. This means maintenance of ade- provision that the milling companies must a company official said.—Salt Lake Tribune quate ore reserves and long-range planning buy some part of their requirements from • • • on the part of uranium producers. independent producers," Baker said. Formal Opening Set for Therefore, it is the AEC's objective to As a result, anyone who makes a big Compton Rock Shop provide a market for ores through private find will, by apparent necessity, be forced Mamie landiorio, owner, announced June milling contracts which will permit the gov- to associate himself with an integrated mill- 15-16 formal opening dates for the Comp- ernment to withdraw from its ore purchas- ing firm or else limit himself to a smaller ton Rock Shop's new location at 1405 So. ing program at the earliest date to assure an monthly production than anticipated.—Salt Long Beach Blvd., Compton, California. orderly transfer from a guaranteed ore price Lake Tribune Hours for the opening are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. to a guaranteed concentrate price in 1962. on the 15th and 9 to 6 on the 16th. Open "The operation of ore buying stations house will continue throughout the follow- and the accumulation of ore stockpiles in ing week. excess of current mill requirements no TRUE OR FALSE ANSWERS Questions are on page 25 1—False. An arrastre is a crude with OREMASTER'S Atlas to Close $9,000,000 mill for grinding ore. STRIKE II filCH "Rockhound" Delta Mine in June 2—False. Smoke trees grow in the SUPER arroyos. GEIGER COUNTER In what apparently amounts to a $7,000,- 000 loss, Atlas Corporation's Delta Mine 3—True. 4—True. will be closed by June of this year, Floyd 5—False. Scotty's Castle was built B. Odium announced. under the direction of Albert Johnson for himself and Death In two years of operations, the mine will Valley Scotty. have shipped 100,000 tons of ore worth about $2,000,000. Atlas purchased the prop- 6—False. Searchlight is a mining erty from Vernon Pick for $9,000,000 in town. August, 1954. The property has been writ- 7—True. < 9" ^ ten down on the books to $160,000. 8—False. There was no Salton Sea before 1905. An Atlas spokesman said depletion al- 9—True. 10—True. 11—True. lowances and losses attributable to the Delta 12—False. The Havasupai reside in venture served a useful purpose in offset- a remote canyon inaccessible by ting profits from other company operations. road. Thorium, and Thus Atlas had a net income of $2,991,036 13—True. 14—True. Rare Earth Minerals) in 1956 which is not subject to federal in- 15—False. The Hopi gather all spe- come taxes because of the offsetting losses cies of snakes for their ceremo- The new OREMASTEB "Kockhound" is carried forward in connection with the nial. a SUPEH Geiget Counter thai excels merger into Atlas of five formerly affiliated many $500 instruments. It is sensitive 16—True. 17—True. enough ior airborne; and mobile pros- companies.—Salt Lake Tribune 18—False. Kit Carson lived in an pecting, yet weighs only five pounds. earlier generation. Big 4Vi" Super Sensitive Meter. Power- 19—False. Many rock climbers have ful built-in speaker, bismuth tube, water- $$.$ TREASURE $$$ reached the top of Rainbow Improved metal detector finds lost or hidden Bridge. proof, indicates the direction of radio- treasure, coins, gold, silver, jewelry, relics. active deposits, and numerous other Profitable hobby. Also new underwater metal 20—False. Valley of the Goblins is features. detector. Detects sunken ships, outboard mo- in Utah. tors, etc., in Send for free literature and photo! 300 ft. of salt or fresh wat- PRICE ONLY $129.50 er. Operates from a boat. Fully guaranteed I Free litera- THE PROSPECTOR'S CATALOG Terms if desired: $35 down •1 ture. We are pleased to announce the advent of a new Minerals Unlimited Catalog, specifi- $10 per month GARDINER cally designed for the amateur or profes- Largest stock of used instruments of all ELECTRONICS sional prospector. If you are interested in makes. Expert servicing. Geiger Counters, Mineralights, Blowpipe Sets, DEPT. 9 Gold Pan or any of the other equipment necessary to a field or prospecting trip, WHITE'S ELECTRONICS 2545 E. INDIAN send 5c in stamps or coin for your copy SCHOOL ROAD MINERALS UNLIMITED, Dept. D 1218 M. Street — Sweet Home, Oregon PHOENIX, ARIZ. 1724 University Ave., Berkeley, California
34 DESERT MAGAZINE Colorado Land Rush, Expected standard sodium-hydroxide, hydrogen per- In its open position, the "Over-niter" oxide method. makes the rear of the wagon into six- On Reclassilied U-Lands The chemists are Dr. H. J. Seim, Dr. Colorado Bureau of Land Management Robert J. Morris and graduate student D. foot upper and lower bunk beds to officials believe the July 20 opening of 98,- W. Frew. provide comfortable sleeping accom- 976 acres of land to mining claims may The new assay method has proved cheaper modations for four. And it can be produce one of the biggest land rushes this and quicker than older methods, and one set up out of the car as a table. nation has ever seen. man can make 20 analyses per day, two The potential uranium land is in south- times more than by the previously used The table-bed platform weighs 45 western Colorado in Montrose and San tests.—Nevada State Journal pounds and fits all station wagons. Miguel counties. It was withdrawn from • • • public domain by the AEC for exploration for fissionable materials, between 1948 and Lightweight, Insect-Proof 1955, The BLM said the AEC has requested Tent Weighs Only 36 Pounds restoration of the areas following comple- SEW PRODUCTS Morsan Tents of 10-27 50th Ave- tion of its surveys. On July 20 the Grand FOR DESKKT LIVING Junction office of the AEC will make avail- nue, Long Island City, New York, has able for public inspection exploration dala designed a new lightweight family cot- of the area, which will include drilling logs New Bed-Table Accessory tage tent with four-way ventilation, the and other pertinent information. For Station Wagons company announced. Scaled maps of the exact areas to be A new accessory for station wagons The new tent has roll-up walls with opened are being made available at $1 each, and can be obtained from the Manager, that doubles as a sleeping platform insect netting and the entire front is Land Office, Room 357, New Customs and picnic table was announced by insect-proofed with a full size zippered House, 19th and Stout Sts., Denver 1.— the GorDag Industries of 2808D Fo- door. Reese River Reveille shay Tower, Minneapolis, Minnesota. The tent's rear wall has a large in- Basically, the "Over-niter" is a large sect-proof window. In addition the Chemist Develops Electrolysis sheet of %-inch plywood framed in tent has a sewed-in floor. The tent Process for Uranium Recovery oak. Four adjustable arms reach out weighs only 36 pounds in the 9'6" x Theodore Crawford, a Los Alamos, New and fit into the window sills. Thus 9'6" small family size. Also available Mexico, chemist, has evolved a new method while traveling the space at the rear is a 10'6" x 12' large family size. A for extracting uranium from ore which free catalog and handbook is offered could replace all present methods if it of the station wagon can be divided proves out. into upper and lower compartments, bv the concern. At present, uranium is extracted from ore by a laborious process of crushing the ore to powder and slowly leaching the metals with acids and other chemicals. Crawford's process is to extract the metal by electrolysis—that is, a current passing Prospectors' Headquarters through a solution of crushed ore and boil- ing water carries the uranium metal from the solution and deposits it on steel plates. GEIGER COUNTERS AND SCINTILLATORS These plates are cleansed in vats of nitric The "Snooper" Gci^er counter—model Itth acid. This solution is then evaporated and The "Lucky Strike" Geiger counter—Model 1000 !)9.Sfl The "Professional" Geiger Counter—Mode! 107C . 149.50 what is left is "yellow cake." The "Special Scintillator"—Model 117 According to independent tests, this proc- The "Deluxe" Seintillalor—Model II IB ess yields 95 percent extraction of available uranium in the ore and "cake'" of better ULTRA-V!OLET MINERALSGHTS than 90 percent purity—far higher percent- Model NH—Operates on 110 AC only... I 1.75 ages than current processes are obtaining. Model M12—Operates on batteries only—with battery. _ _.. . 40.65 —New Mexican Model STJ-2537—Operates on batteries or 110 AC—without case and batteries S9.50 With No. 303 case and batteries. _ _ _ i With No. 404 case and batteries ______lili.till Faster, Cheaper Uranium Assay Method Developed BOOKS
Three University of Nevada chemists •Prospecting with a Geiger Counter" by Wright • , have developed a rapid method of assaying Uranium Color Photo Tone" Uranium Prospectors Hand Book". _ ; for uranium. Their method of assay makt:s The Uranium and Fluorescent Minerals" by H. C. Dake use of the modern ion exchange resins, and •Popular Prospecting" by 'H. O. Dakc... - Uranium, Where It Is and How to Find It" by Proctor and Hyatt is adopted from original investigations by Minerals for Atomic Energy" by Nininger.
resin manufacturers. Let's <»o Prospecting" by Edward Arthur 1 The resin absorbs, or attracts and holds dissolved particles of the uranium, while MAPS other metals pass through the resin, thus Map and Geology (Uranium and Mineral Districts of California). • separating it from unwanted metals in the Map of Kern County (New Section and Township)... Map Uranium and Minerals (The Nine Southwest States* ore. After thorough washing, the uranium Book and Map "(Jems and Minerals of California" by McAllister. held on the resin is extracted with a certain Hook and Map "Lost Mines and Treasures of the Southwest" type of acid, and the uranium content therein is determined colorimetrically—that is, by depth of color through use of a OTHER SUPPLIES Mineral Hardness Test Set 2.1X1 Radiassay—Uranium Test Kit 14.93 Mercury—Detector Fluorescent Screen Scheelite Fluorescent Analyser -;, v Fluorescent Mineral Set—10 Specimens-boxed Mineral Specimen Boxes (35 named Minerals) 1.50 Prospectors Picks (not polished). 4.40 find Valuable Prospectors Picks (polished) 4,75 12" Diameter Steel Gold Pan 1.25 Strategic Minerals! IB" Diameter Steel Cold Pan.. !.-(( Uranium—Tungsten—Zinc All prices F.O.B. Los Angeles Mercury—Zirconium Add 4% Sales Tax if you live in California Outdoors lor fun and profit? Member of American G'ern & Mineral Suppliers Association Take along on yitra-violet Mtrseraligb?!
Write DepL D lor free prospecting information kit ? ALLEN LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT COMPANY 3632 West Slausosi Ave., Dept, D Open Monday evening until 9:00 Los Angeles, Calif. ULTRA-VIOLET PRODUCTS, INC., San Gabriel. California
JUNE, 1957 35 DROUTH INDIRECTLY CAUSES CLOSING OF GEM FIELD Another well known collecting field has n E R fi L sbeen closed to rockhounds with the posting of the great Diamond A Ranch properties is 90 cents per day. The show will be held near Engle, New Mexico. Large quantities at the Great Western Show Building in Los of carnelian agate, jasper and vari-colored Angeles. petrified wood have been secured from this area in the past. Reason for the closure, Federation Asks Hotel reservations for those attending according to the management, is that the Gem-0-Rama are being handled by the New cattle on the property have been fed from Hotel Clark, 426 So. Hill St., Los Angeles. automobiles and trucks during the recent Five Hundred rooms are reserved for rock- drouth and now follow all vehicles driven Early Gem-O-Rama hounds and their families and room requests onto the property. This causes a loss of should be made as soon as possible, officials weight, a very important consideration in added. the raising of beef animals.—El Paso, Texas, Space for 100 trailers or cabanas on the Rockhounds' The Voice Great Western Show Grounds has been Registrations made available at a charge of $1 per day per space. Tents will not be permitted on SURFACE SPEED OF BLADE Advance registration of California Feder- the show grounds. Sanitary facilities and ation of Mineralogical Society members showers are in the building. Requests for DETERMINES EFFICIENCY who plan to attend the July 5-7 Gem-O- trailer space should be sent to J. C. Coon, Diamond abrasive cut-off wheels as used Rama was called for by officials in charge 15521 So. Harris, Compton, California. in lapidary work should be operated at from of the show. The Display Committee has set up space 2000 SFPM (surface feet per minute) to All clubs and societies were asked to send for 400 cases of competitive displays and 2550 SFPM. Thus the revolutions per min- in lists of members who will attend along deadline for all entries is June 1. Display ute of a six-inch wheel should be approxi- with the $1 registration fee for each. A information is obtainable from H, R. mately 1550; eight-inch wheel: 1150 rpm; name badge, which will serve as an admit- Rhoads, 648 E. 87th St., Los Angeles 2. 10-inch wheel: 925 rpm; 12-inch wheel: tance ticket for the three days, will be pre- Also planned are 32 cases of special dis- 775 rpm; 16-inch wheel: 550 rpm; and 18- pared for all who request advance registra- plays and exhibits including George Ash- inch wheel: 500 rpm. tion and will be available at the registration ley's carved bowls from crystals; the Smith- It is essential that an adequate flow of desk at the show. Non-member admission sonian 20 pound rubellite tourmaline; and coolant be provided at the point of blade an outstanding diamond collection. entry and on blade sides at all times. When A club bulletin editor's breakfast is sched- cutting materials of extreme hardness and uled for July 6 at 8 a.m. at the Hotel Clark. density, such as agate, recommended cool- TURQUOISE NUGGETS Cost is $1.75 per person. At 10 that morn- ants and lubricants are: light flushing oil; Clean — Graded — Good Color ing the federation convention will officially kerosene and lubricating oil mixed 1 to 1; ¥a to Vsrinch size, per ounce... $1.00 open its regular meeting and the day will or a mineral base soluble oil mixed in the 3 ounces (about 60 nuggets)... 2.00 end with a banquet at the show grounds proportion of one part oil to eight or 10 Shop rejects, above sizes, per Dunce .25 for which a charge of $3 will be made. parts water. Use a motor of ample power Those desiring information on the spe- which does not allow the blade to slow Drilled Nuggets, Our Best Quality cial tours to Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, down during the cut. Variations in blade 1/2-inch 35c each, 3 for $1.00 La Brea Tar Pits and Marineland should rpm destroy accuracy, reduce cutting effici- %-inch 50c each, 3 for 1.25 write to Ardis Mahan, 11650 Virginia, Lyn- ency and dull cutting edges of blade. The % to 1-inch 75c each 3 for 2.00 wood, California. operator should use light but firm pressure. • • • Too much pressure dulls the blade and Minimum order $2.00. Tax and postage paid. reduces cutting speed and efficiency. No C.O.D. The San Francisco, California, Gem and Mineral Society announced October 19 and Grinding wheels operated at higher speeds LOST MOUNTAIN GEMS 20 dates for its annual show this year. The have much less tendency to become bumpy. P.O. Box 5012 Phoenix, Arizona Scottish Rite Auditorium has been reserved Thus when an eigh-inch wheel is worn for the event.—The Mineralog down to six-inches, motor speed must be increased to about 3900 rpm to get the same SFPM as before. However, no grind- ing wheel should be operated at speeds greater than the maximum recommended by the manufacturer which usually is 3600 rpm for an eight-inch wheel and 4140 rpm GEMorama for a six-inch wheel. The safety factor in- creases as the diameter of the wheel de- JULY 5TH, 6TH AND 7TH, 1957 creases. Crystolon grinding wheels should be op- 18TH ANNUAL SHOW AND CONVENTION OF THE erated at speeds that give maximum effici- CALIFORNIA FEDERATION OF MINERALOGICAL SOCIETIES ency. An eight-inch wheel should run at about 3000 rpm which produces 6400 SFPM. HOSTED BY COMPTON GEM & MINERAL CLUB, INC. OF COMPTON, CALIF. To obtain the same SFPM, run a six-inch To be held at the GREAT WESTERN SHOW GROUNDS, Los Angeles wheel at 3900 rpm.—Contra Costa, Cali- fornia, Mineral and Gem Society Bulletin On Eastern Avenue, South of the Santa Ana Freeway • • • FEATURING — TREASURE TRAILS Jet is a black variety of brown coal or lignite. The best specimens are uniformly Doors open at 9 a.m. each day — 400 compeiitive club displays in all black, compact and will take a beautiful branches of the rock hobby — gems — minerals — fossils velvety polish. Its hardness is 3 to 4 on Mohs' scale. Jet has been used since Ro- Many special displays, generally featuring "first time" major exhibits man times as mourning jewelry and also Large working lapidary area — General public invited had a flurry of popularity in the late 19th Century. Because jet is coal, it will burn, Trailer and cabana parking for $1.00 a day. Limit 125 giving a sooty flame.—Evansville, Indiana, Plan a vacation the whole family will remember as Lapidary Society's News Letter
MAPS "§ar GEMorama wacation" Locations of Desert Gems Visit many nationally known nearby playgrounds — Knott's Berry CALIFORNIA • ARIZONA • NEVADA 12 Maps $1.00 Farm, Disneyland, Rancho La Brea's famous pre-historic mammal Also a list of over 100 other locations of burial pits, Television City, Hollywood studios, great museums, Old Gems and Minerals Mexico — and many others. GEM HUNTER P.O. Box 968—Mvormore, California
DESERT MAGAZINE PLANS DRAWN FOR NEVADA GEM SHOW, JULY 20-21 Many Smmet Gem-Mineral Shows Scheduled for July 20 and 21 is the Nevada Gem and Mineral Show at Idlewild Park, Reno. Individual rockhounds and gem and min- Beckon Vacationing Rockhounds... eral clubs throughout the state were invited to exhibit at the show. Those interested should write to Claude R. Mowry, 3325 The following gem and mineral shows June 22-23—Grants Pass, Oregon. 5th Smith Drive, Reno. have been announced for the summer annual show of the Rogue Gem and Geol- months. agy Club. Already planning exhibits are the Washoe May 31-June 2—Lewiston, Idaho. Second June 22-23—Lake Almanor, California, Gem and Mineral Society and Pyramid annual Hells Canyon gem show. 5th annual rock swap, sponsored by the Gem and Mineral Club, both of Reno; and the Lahontan Gem and Mineral Club of June 1-2 — Grand Junction, Colorado. Lassen Rocks and Minerals Society. Annual show of the Mineralogical Society. June 27-30—Platteville, Wisconsin. Mid- Fallon.—Gardnerville Record-Courier June 7-9—Casper, Wyoming. State min- west field trip convention. eral and gem show. July 4-6—Bend, Oregon. Annual show June 8-9—Anderson, California. 1st An- of the Deschutes Geology Club. nual Rock Swap at Coleman Fish Hatchery. July 4-7—Ellenburg, Washington. Annual Shasta Gem and Mineral Society. All Rockhounds Pow Wow. Hill PARR June 8-9—Brookings, Oregon. Mt. Emily July 5-7—East Los Angeles. 18th Annual Gem and Mineral Club's annual show. convention and show of the California Fed- THE LAPIDARY'S eration of Mineralogical Societies, Great STANDARD OF VALUE June 8-9 — Roseburg, Oregon. Annual Western Fair Grounds, show of the Umpqua Mineral Club. June 15-16—Paradise, California. Annual July 13-17 — Buhl, Idaho. 7th annual BUY THE BEST show of the Gem and Mineral Club. show of the Magic Valley Gem Club. FOB LESS June 21-22 — Emmett, Idaho. Gem July 19-28—Santa Rosa, California. Red- Congo IMa Blades — Sizes County rock and mineral show in conjunc- wood Gem and Mineral Society show, So- Range from 4" to 24" in tion with the Cherry Festival. noma County Fairgrounds. Light, Standard, Heavy July 20-21—Reno. Second annual All and Extra Heavy duty. Nevada gem and mineral show, Idlewild STAINLESS STEEL SEEN AS Park. GOOD SILVER SUBSTITUTE July 21—Placerville, California. Third Highland A. L. Patterson of ES Paso believes thin Annual Stifle Memorial mineral and gem Park sheet stainless steel is as good or better auction, sponsored by the El Dorado County Trim Saws than silver for making bases for mounting Mineral and Gem Society and the Sacra- C o m p a c t an d cemented gems on bola tie slides and other mento Mineral Society, at Stifle Memorial rugged for long jewelry pieces. Park. lasting service The gem base, if an irregular baroque July 27-28—Delake, Oregon. 15th annual shape, should be lapped flat on a horizontal show of the North Lincoln Agate Society. K-l Trim Saw Sap or wheel, using 220 grit and left rough August 10-11— Bayfield, Colorado. An- so as to give the cement good holding sur- nual rock show of the Navajo Trails Gem face. and Mineral Club. A Leader The gem then is placed on a thin sheet August 17-18—Hermosa Beach, Califor- In Its Field of stainless steel and using a sharp-pointed nia. 8th annual show of the South Bay Lap- tool such as an ice pick, the outline of the idary and Mineral Society, Clark Stadium. Highland Park Fow«r-fti«d gem is made on the smooth surface of the August 29-September 1—Old Point Com- Slab Siuvw. Sizes range metal. Next cut the metal nearly to the fort, Virginia. 7th annual convention and from 12" to 24". Metal line with tin snips and then finished to the show of the Eastern Federation of Minera- or Lucite hood. mark with a small metal file, beveling from logical and Lapidary Societies. the bottom side. Stainless steel is easily August 29-September 2 — Northridge, soft soldered to the piece upon which the California. Mineral Dealers show, Devon- gem is to be mounted. After the piece has shire Downs Fairground. cooled, place cement on the steel and the August 31 -September 2—-Tacoma, Wash- Highland Park Combination Unit gem and then set. The steel is as light ington. Northwest Federation convention Available in all sizes. Perfect Combination or lighter than sterling silver, never tar- and show, Unit for Lapidary work. Handles sawing, nishes and is much less expensive. — El grinding, sanding and polishing. Excep- September 14-15 •— Anlioch, California. tionally quipi operation. Paso, Texas, Rockhounds' The Voice Lapidary Club's annual hobby show.
,4%e
Petrified Wood, Moss Agate, Chrysocolia K-10 Combination Unit Turquoise, Jade and Jasper Jewelry Arbors of all sizes—-Tumblers, two models. Wet and dry belt sanders—Lapidary units HAND MADE IN STERLING SILVEH in two different sizes. Bracelets, Rings, Necklaces, Earrings 32 MODELS TO CHOOSE FROM and Brooches The most, complete line of lapidary machin- ery offered by any manufacturer. See these SPECIALLY SELECTED STONES WITH iit your local Highland Park dealer or write for free literature. CHOICE COLORS AND PICTURES ; A of Write for Foider With Prices ELLIOTTS iEi SHOP HIGHLAND PARK 235 Eaa! Seaside Blvd. Long Beach 2, Caliiorniu MANUFACTURING CO. A cross irom West End of Municipal 1009-1011 Mission Street Auditorium Grounds Hours 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Daily Except Monday South Pasadena. California
U NE, 19 5 7 '>.-• TEN POINTS TO REMEMBER 2. Use balance in your lay-out. Work heat the case glass and possibly burn a from the center out, and intermix dull pieces viewer. Ventilate the case and keep glare WHEN DISPLAYING IN A SHOW with more colorful ones. off of it. Gordon Bowser of the Ventura, Califor- 5. Care should be exercised from collect- nia, Gem and Mineral Society, outlines the 3. Set off your display with a good back- ing the specimen to cleaning, packing and following 10 point program for displaying ground. Contrasting and colorful, but not displaying it. Use "Please do not handle" gems and minerals: gaudy colors work best. Don't use stripes signs if necessary and do not yourself or sharp designs. Where possible, place the handle the specimen at a show for others 1. Specimen is most important part of specimens in their natural element — cut the display; quality rather than size should will think they can be just as careful as stones or jewelry in sand and crystals stand- you were. be determining characteristic. Factors of ing in small gravel. Plastic foam bases give quality are good crystal terminations, clean good contrast, are easy to shape and speci- 6. Labeling. Use standard labels and specimens and complete examples. Color mens can be pushed into them so they stand give accurately name and location of speci- also is important. Best examples of color upright. men. With small specimens, use numbers rather than washed-out specimens should and a key sheet. be used. Matrix sometimes sets off a speci- 4. Lighting. Use front and top lights 7. Position of case is important. Proper men. without glare. Place lights so they will not height so the viewers need not stoop adds to the display. Keep it away from doors which may become congested, and pay at- tention to possible glare from windows, doorways or overhead lights. 8. Attend your display and answer ques- tions. 9. Remember: competition is friendly. 10. Always try to improve quality and size of your display.—Rockhound Rambling • • • CALCITE IS SECOND MOST ABUNDANT MINERAL ON EARTH Next to quartz, calcite is the most abun- dant of all minerals, and occurs in an almost endless variety of forms over 300 of which have been described. Crystals may be flat plates a foot across (Palm Wash, Califor- -af nia), golden scalenohedrons two feet long EXCITING (Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma lead district), or transparent masses a foot thick (Iceland). •ON JANUARY 1st, WE 'RELEASED, Marble, cave formations, travertine and onyx are all calcite varieties. a Edition of our Encyclopedia Calcite effervesces when hydrochloric acid is dropped upon it. An interesting and Super-Catalog of the\ Lapidary & Jewelry Arts. feature is its marked property of deflecting YOU MAY PURCHASE THESE AT: Here's What One Customer Says about light rays, so that a line or object placed $1.95 for Paper Bound Copies our Encyclopedia. behind a piece of clear calcite appears Your catalog & "Bible" is getting more valuable to me double. $2.95 for DELUXE Book Binding Calcite's physical properties are: hard- Add 25c for Domestic Postage & Packing or every day. Removed my first batch of tumbled stones ness 3; specific gravity 2.7; colorless to 50e for A. P. O.'s, Foreign, or U. S. Territories. yesterday and they turned out swell, thanks to your white or when impure, yellow, brown, This is a book of 240 PAGES 8V2" x 11" in instructions in the "Bible". green, red or blue; luster vitreous to dull; H. D. Bushey, Bakersfield, Calif. transparent on thin edges.—Miami Florida, size, the equivalent of 480 regular textbook Mineral and Gem Society's Chips and Facets size pages. EIGHT COLORS of ink are used. • • • New officers of the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies are: of NEW ond VALUABLE .information for th^ Henry B. Graves, Miami, Florida, Mineral JEWELRY CRAFTSMAN ond 3EM CUTTER. It is an out and Gem Society, president; Paul E. Desau- standing NEW BOOK —not just 0 catalog. It is tels, Baltimore Mineral Society, vice-presi- excellent for SCHOOLS and their CRAFT dent; Mrs. B. E. Hunt, Gem and Mineral Society of Virginia Peninsula, executive vice TEACHERS. president; Mrs. Elsie Kane White, Gem Cut- NEITHER TIME, COST OR RESEARCH HAVE BEEN SPARED ters Guild of Baltimore, secretary; and Louis THREE STAR Eaton Shaw, Newark Lapidary Society, to MAINTAIN THE HIGHEST STANDARD OF USEFULNESS PREMIUM OFFER No. BEE treasurer.—Chips and Facets AND SCOPE. IT SUGGESTS THINGS TO DO—THE MOST ONE PREMIUM OFFER No. GllE; • • • APPROVED METHODS OF DOING THEM AND IS FILLED contains 3 GENUINE ROCK CRYSTAL FACETED STARS os Arizona's commercial gem stone produc- WITH ILLUSTRATIONS and INSTRUCTIONS DESIGNED illustrated. Regular VALUE $3.45. NOW $1.50 tion jumped from $97,000 in 1955 to $120,- FULFILL YOUR EVERY REQUIREMENT. 000 last year, the Bureau of Mines reported. WITH the purchase of an Encyclopedia. Gila County, with 45 percent of the output IT LISTS 2200 items—-machinery, tools, supplied NOTE: Word your order like this: total, accounted for the largest portion of for gem cutting and jewelry making. Baroque gemsi I No. GEE (Point Drilled) . . .1 . . . $ 1.50* the total value. Turquoise headed the list books, Jewelry metals am parts. Gilding metal anq I Encyclopedia . . . ..,].. . 1.95 of gem stones collected.—Pioche Record copper forms for enameling. TOTAL PRICE of the 2 items . ... $3.45 DEALERS: SEND FOR Dealer information YOU GET BOTH ITEMS for the 1957 NATIONAL GEM Gold Filled ACCESSORY REGULAR PRICE OF THE STARS. AND MINERAL SHOW SPECIAL OFFER No. $-194 "Add 10% Fed. Tax to DBS & 25c postage DENVER, COLORADO contains all metal parts needed to make complete" June 13-14-15-16 necklace ond earrinp from stars in P-84. REGULAR National Guard Armory East 3rd Ave. and Logan St. VALUE $4.05- Joint American and Rocky Mountain NOW I for $3.70* 3 for $8.30 Federation Convention and Show *Add 10% Fed. Tax to S-194 Woodruff and Parser Trophies to be awarded California residents K»-?J Please < d d 4% sales fax. Competitive Exhibits For information write to: 4.IE 11 4.i:it~S. Inc. ^:? 38 K-; A i i K STEEL HAND LAP GIVES FLAT this technique to be known as the Wheet ATOM-TREATED QUARTZ Wheet Method of Lapping.—Carroll Kelley SURFACES BETTEH FINISH in the Minnesota Mineral Club's Rock PLACED ON MARKET Flat surfaces such as specimen slabs, Rustler's News Clear brilliant quartz gems which have book ends, etc., can be given a better • • • been treated inside an atomic pile until finish by lapping than by sanding. If you True aventurine is green, red or brown they have acquired a smoky or citrine color have only an occasional piece to work, quartz with flakes of mica or hematite. are now on the market, li has been known there is no need to invest in expensive Chief world sources for this gem stone are for a long time that diamonds can be given equipment. A piece of cast iron machined India and Russia. By accidentally dropping artificial color by exposing them similarly, flat on one side or even a piece of plate copper fillings into molten glass, Venician but the practice has not been widespread, glass supported on a wooden block will do glass makers discovered a striking material ll is a question whether any gem so col- just as well. now called goldstone, but formerly known ored or artificially altered by any other To start with, be sure your saw will cut as aventurine. True aventurine. and gold- means will be acceptable as a substitute for as smooth and as flat as possible. This slone greatly resemble one another.—Evans- a natural stone, particularly by those who will save a great deal of time at the lap- ville, Indiana, Lapidary Society's News know gemslones and appreciate them for ping block. Begin lapping with 100 or 150 Letter their natural characteristics. carborundum grit and water in a figure- eight motion. Keep the grit wet, never al- lowing the lap plate to dry off. Visual GRIEGER'S Parade of Values inspection will show you when the stone : is flat. If the original surface was very Watch this page for new offerings. Don't buy elsewhere until you have compared our low prices uneven, it may be necessary to add new er high quality. grit as the old grains break down. Large grit like 100 breaks down quite rapidly while the smaller sizes break down very t t little or hardly at all. ^ SPECIAL OFFER No. S-I #• When no depressions from the sawed We wont you to see the quality of surface can be seen, flush the stone and lap thoroughly with water, and recharge k. these eorwires. We'll send you ONE LMking for with 320 grit. Very little pressure is re- Special Offer No. S-I consisting of I pair quired when using this and the smaller each #43-2, 43-10, 43-11 & 43-27 in STERLING sized grits. Don't worry about any of the SILVER (Regular Value) $3.75. larger grit being embedded in the lap. These usually break down at once. By NOW 1 for $2,55 3 for $5.70. holding the work to a light you easily will SPECIAL OFFER No. S-2 see if the larger scratches and pits from the first lapping have been replaced by the y Some as above EXCEPT in GOLD FILLED. finer ones from the 320. Again flush Regular Value $4.00. w the stone and lap as before, and go to 600 for $3.00 3 for $6.70* grit. The resulting finish should be a series of fine pits which give a velvety smooth appearance. •-^STERLING SKVER (SS) LOW AS 50c a pair in 3dzlofs Here and there, however, will be a scratch or two from grit that was embedded in the lap. These can be removed by us- ->-GOLD FILLED (GF) LOW AS 50c a pair in 3dz!ots ing a lap of hardened steel held in the hand. A ground tool bit like those used >4 KARAT YELLOW GOLD (l4Ky) LOW AS $3.72a pair in machine shops works nicely as does a piece of file with the teeth ground off. Any 'EALERS: You can buy these items & thousands No. 43-10 steel piece, in fact, that fits the hand will ore at LOW WHOLESALE PRICES. Write do so long as it is hardened and flat. for dealer information. ' EARWIRE FOR DANGLES Use 600 grit and water and move the lap over the stone with a circular or figure- No. 43-2 Made with large eight motion, using little pressure and keep- IARWIRE FOR ear pad. Super ing the grit wet. Examine with a good DANGLES fine finish, '/i " full ball ornament. magnifying glass, tilting the stone at vari- No. 43-10 SS ous angles to the light. When no scratches Made with large ear pad and 7 mm I pr $1.00 I dz pes $3.80 3 dz $8.95 are visible, wash as before and lap with shell front for extra neatness. 1200 final lapping compound or one of No. 43-10 GF the optical powders. Be careful not to let No. 43-2 SS lpr$.75 the grit dry out. Dry grit sticks together 2 pr $1,35 1 dz pes $3.35 3 dz $8.95 I pr $1.00 I dz pes $4.00 3 dz $8.95 in masses which do not roll. They skid This listing is only a part of Grieger's huge across the work surface producing scratches. iMo. 43-2 !4Ky When all scratches are removed, buff the 1 pr $6.00 2 pr $9.95 3 pr $11.15 variety. Get our Encyclopedia now. It LISTS 2200 items —all comparable values. piece. If it happens to be a good quality No. 43-2 GF stone, the buff should produce a surface as FEATURE VALUE smooth and flat as glass. lpr$l.00 Idz pcs $3.90 3 dz $8.95 No. 43-1! A pleasant "wheel wheet" sound is made FEATURE VALUE by the steel lap when in operation causing EARWIRE FOR No. 43-27 DANGLES EARWIRE Heavy construction. Made with large Heart ornament. ear pad and 7 mm Vi ball ornament. No. 43-11 SS I pr $1.00 I dz pcs $3.90 3 dz $8.95 I pr $1.00 I dz pcs $3.45 3 dz $8,95 No. 43-27 GF No. 43-11 GF I pr $1.00 I dz pcs $4.45 3 dz $10.00 I pr $1.00 I dz pes $4.85 3 dz $10.85 PRICES QUOTED APPLY ONLY TO THOSE QUANTITIES MENTIONED GtKUIKE FKDRERA ONYX approximately %.jnch diameter in various PER ITEM AND COLOR OR LARGER MULTIPLES THEREOF. striking colors ana -patterns, set in gleaming ADD 10% FEDERAL EXCISE TAX EXCEPT WHERE NOTED. white finish, sturdy action back cuff link. Cuff links per pair-, , ..-$4.00 California residents K9-40 Please odd 4% sales tax. Alligator tie clip ...-.-.„ 2.00 tax & postage paid — no C.OVt^ please THE TRIBAL CRAFTSMEN , Inc P. O. Box 5012 — Phoenix, Arizona O. BOX 4185. PASADENA. JUNE, 1957 THE FAMOUS new West German syn- thetic stones. White. Brilliant. Hard. ADVERTISING RATE Diamond cut. 58 facets. 1-10 carat sizes. 12c a word . . . Minimum $2.00 $2 per carat. 10% tax. Round and em- GEfll mfiRT erald cuts. Each stone in its own trademarked diamond paper. Warranted against scratching, chipping or breaking or free replacement. On display. Mail C. EARL NAPIER "for rocks." 19 Lake GEMS A-PLENTY: Beautiful baroque gems, orders. Visiting rockhounds welcomed. View, Boulder City, Nevada. Free guide large variety, tumbled polished all over, Mexico and Texas Gem Co., 721 N. El service to collecting areas. $10.00 for one pound (about 100 stones). Paso St., El Paso, Texas. 10 lbs. of top grade gemstone prepaid for FOR SALE: Beautiful purple petrified wood $7.00. Wholesale price to dealers on ba- IN RUIDOSO, New Mexico, visit the Gem with uranium, pyrolusite, manganite. Nice roque gems and gemstone in the rough. Shop. Gemstones, mineral specimens, sample $1.00 Postage. Maggie Baker, Satisfaction guaranteed on every sale. gemstone jewelry, cutting materials, slabs, Box 7, Hackberry, Arizona. San Fernando Valley Gem Co., 5905 crystals, decorative items, sea shells, In- COLORADO MINERAL specimens, cut- Kester Ave., Van Nuys, California. dian points. James and Woodie Gayden. ting and tumbling materials. Send 2 cent One mile west of Post Office on Main VISIT GOLD Pan Rock Shop. Beautiful Road, Upper Ruidoso. stamp for list and terms. Dealers please sphere material, gems, mineral specimens, write for wholesale list. John Patrick, choice crystals, gem materials, jewelry, TUMBLED GEMS of the desert for sale. Idaho Springs, Colorado. baroques, etc. Over 100 tons of material Agates, jaspers, obsidians, etc. Mixed 12 POUNDS OF beautiful Colorado min- to select from. John and Etta James, lots $4 per pound. T & J Rockhounds, eral specimens, $8.00 prepaid. Ask for proprietors, 2020 N. Carson Street, Car- 9000 National Blvd., Los Angeles 34, list of others. Jack the Rockhound, P. O. son City, Nevada. California. Box 245, Carbondale, Colorado. COLLECTORS ATTENTION! Rough and POLISHED PREFORM slices of all kinds. WE ARE MINING every day. Mojave Cut Stones at lowest prices. Large assort- Beautiful for Bolos. Sample Order 3 for Desert agate, jasper and palm wood, ment. Ask for price list. Will send on $1.00 prepaid. Approximately 85 to the shipped mixed 100 pounds $10.50 F.O.B. approval to responsible party. L. de pound $15.00 per pound. Parts for Bolos Barstow. Morton Minerals & Mining, Crissey, P. O. Box 93, Times Square and all jewelry findings. Lowest prices. 21423 Highway 66, R.F.D. 1, Barstow, Station, New York 36, N.Y. Wholesale to dealers. Jewelgems by Jay California. O'Day. P.O. Box 6, Rancho Mirage, Cal. HAVE REAL FUN with desert gems, OPALS, DEEP red, blue, green, golden, minerals and rocks. The rockhound's JUREANO WOOD, gem quality, 65 cents flashing in all colors of the rainbow, how-to-do-it magazine tells how. One plus postage. A. B. Cutler, Box 32, direct from the mine, 15 for $5.00. 10 year (12 issues) only $3.00. Sample 25c. Salmon, Idaho. Slabs, tumbled, J. E. ringsize stones, (opal, amethyst, etc.) Gems and Minerals, Box 687-D, Mentone, Cutler, Gearhart, Oregon. ground and polished, ready to set $5.00. California. Kendall, Sanmiguel d'Allende, Guana- TREAT 600 GRIT BEFORE juato, Mexico. RONETA AGATES of fire — rare gems with many colorful bubbles in chalce- LAST SANDING OF SLABS ICELAND SPAR—double refraction, clear, donic quartz of exceptional gemstone For sheer beauty, nothing equals a per- $1.50-$2.00. Fluorescent calcite, blue, quality. Write for information if you fectly polished slab. The most drab appear- pink.—$1.50. Phosphorescent calcite (will want "rare" gemstones of lasting beauty ing rock often can be made into an object fluoresce) $1.50. Tiger-eye, $1.00. Ver- for ring, pendant or other jewelry. Jua- of beauty that could well grace the collec- miculite, $1.50. Dolomite (pure white) nita Mines and Laboratories, Ervin E. tion of the most discriminating person. $1.50. Agate-jasper. R. V. Coleman, 812 Spiers, 123 N. Main, Blythe, California. The final sanding before polishing is the Montana, San Antonio 3, Texas. most critical step in producing good flats. SOLID COPPER specimen, six pounds, Usually 600 grit abrasive is used and often GEMS OF THE desert, tumbled polished some gold and silver. Assay included. the amateur gem cutter will be plagued baroques. Mexican lace and carnelian $25. Write Doris Bucy, P. O. Box 64, with scratches across the face of the stone. agate. Death Valley jasper agate, rose Buena Park, California Here is how to produce grit that is truly quartz, petrified wood palm, black fig, 600 in size: many others. General mixture, $6 pound. OPALS AND Sapphires direct from Austra- Place one tablespoon of water glass Mexican agate slices and various cuff link lia. Special — this month's best buy: (silica gel) in a gallon of water. Pour in preforms. Slabs and findings. Earring Rough Australian Gem Stones; six opals, a pound of commercial grade 600 grit size tumbled turquoise $8 pound, larger three black star sapphires, three blue abrasive. Shake and stir until it rattles or size $ 1 ounce. Price list. Golden West Gem sapphires; three zircons; three garnets. is well mixed, whichever results first. Let Co., 7355 Lankershim Blvd., North Hol- All 18 stones for $18. Free airmailed. stand 15 minutes. Siphon off water, leav- lywood, California. Send personal check, international money ing residue in bottom of container. Let order, bank draft. Free 16 page list of siphoned water stand in second container SURPLUS TUMBLED gems. Less than all Australian Gemstones. Australian for 30 minutes and that which settles to wholesale. Mixed material and sizes. Gem Trading Co., 49 Elizabeth Street, the bottom is real 600 grit. Inspect the Petrified wood, rose quartz, agate, obsid- Melbourne, Australia. coarse residue from the first step and you ian and others. Two pounds for $5; 10 will see why scratches occur without this LARGE VARIETY mixed tumbled stones treatment to the grit. In this operation, pounds $22.50 postpaid. Western Min- silica gel acts as a wetting agent.—Dave erals, Box 61, Boulder City, Nevada. —tigereye, agates, obsidian, palm root, quartz. 40-60 stones in pound—only $4. Davis in the Contra Costa, California, Min- eral and Gem Society's bulletin. OPEN 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. Monday through Free: matched preforms with every Friday. Other hours by appointment or pound purchased. Cash or money orders, • • • when home. Residence back of shop. tax paid. Sid's Originals, Route 1, Box Mile west on U.S. 66. McShan's Gem 369, Beaumont, California. COLLECT METEORITES IN Shop, Box 22, Needles, California. YOUR OWN ROOF GUTTER MEXICAN AGATE Nodules: a beautiful polished specimen postpaid $1.00 or 10 An estimated 20,000,000 meteorites strike GENUINE TURQUOISE: Natural color, for $5.00. B.&H. Rock Shop, 29 Cherry the earth's atmosphere every day and par- blue and bluish green, cut and polished Lane, Granbury, Texas. ticles from some of them may be in your Cabochons—25 carats (5 to 10 stones roof gutter. A. C. Carpenter of the Wichita, according to size) $3.50 including tax, SPECIAL OFFER on New Jersey Minerals. Kansas, Gem and Mineral Society recently postpaid in U.S.A. Package 50 carats (10 A set of 10 minerals from Franklin in- removed a pint of mud from his roof gut- to 20 cabochons) $6.15 including tax, cluding rare and fluorescent, or 10 from ter and with a magnet isolated a few small postpaid in U.S.A. Elliott Gem & Mineral Paterson's zeolite localities for $3.50 per metallic spheres. The largest ones were Shop, 235 E. Seaside Blvd., Long Beach set. Allow postage for 4 pounds. R. about 0.25 mm. or 1/100 of an inch in 2, California. Hauck, 49 Montgomery Street, Bloom- diameter—mere dust to «ie naked eye. field, N.J. With a powerful microscope, Carpenter ROCKS—opposite West End Air Base, ag- saw that some of the particles were pear- ate, woods, minerals, books, local infor- MRS. DAVID SCOTT wishes to sell late shaped, sugf^ang that they had cooled mation. No mail orders please. Iron- husband's extensive mineral collection. before fuming a true sphere as they wood Rock Shop, Highway 60-70 West 985 So. Orange Avenue, Pasadena, Cali- ld off from the main meteorite.— of Blythe, California. fornia. SY 9-9498. Quips 40 DESERT MAGAZINE The agate may carry a small amount of iron and it is desired to remove this prior to "burning" for green colors, otherwise a dull or muddy green may be obtained. To AMATBUR MM CUTTER remove iron compounds the stone is placed in warm nitric acid for Iwo or three days By DR. H. C. DAKE, Edito:: of The Mineralogist and then placed in warm water for several days. The purpose of the nitric acid is to The following article, the first of a two- blue coloring was discovered and in 1853 render any iron present soluble, so the water part series which will be concluded next- green colorings were introduced, all the soaking may remove same. The warm water month, is the original translation made result of experiment by the lapidary. bath should be changed a number of times. by Dr. Dake in 1925 of a paper published The manner in which the coloring pig- The knowledge of obtaining carnelian and in Germany in 1913 by Or. 0. Dreher ment is introduced into the agate varies sard (reddish) colors in agate by "dry burn- of the Idar agate cutting center. It deals according to the color desired. In all cases ing" was first discovered in 1813, but the with the artificial coloring of agates which where a permanent color is attained, the "bath" method of obtaining the red shades up to that time had been a highly guarded coloring matter is not introduced in a dis- came later, and at uncertain date. secret. Practically all of the English papers solved form directly, but by the use of NOTE—The author here gives a lengthy published on this subject since were based various chemical reactions; these lake place detailed method of making a solution of on this article. within the agate. iron nitrate by the use of iron nails and In general Ihere are two methods of col- nitric acid. The formula calls for about There will surely be much disapproval, oring an agate. In one case the soluble half a pound of iron nails and about a from the gem-cutting industry, through the metallic salt is permitted to soak into the quart of nitric acid. Phis method need not publication of this paper. While some of pores of the agate. This soluble salt in be followed for it is much more advisable the technique given here may not be gen- turn is changed to a colored insoluble to purchase the refined iron nitrate salt and erally known, it is understood that the gen- oxide by heating. In the other method two dissolve same in water. eral principles arc not a secret to those solutions or "baths" are used in succession, outside the industry. Further, one cannot the second bath causing a colored precipi- learn the coloring of agates and other stones tate of an insoluble metallic salt to be de- DIAMOND BLADES merely by reading a paper: practice plays an posited within the agate. * Treat yoursalf to the besit important part in gaining proper results. The following will serve to illustrate how Hi-avy-IMllv .MI per Stall which fail to respond are those lacking in lor • iron compounds, present as an impurity. AGATE JEWELRY This was finally solved by soaking the agate BUILD YOUR OWN WHOLESALE LAI* and save. Free in a soluble iron salt and then "burning" Catalog shows 13 by oven treatment, fn 1845 the method of Rings — Ear Wires — Tie Chains Build Your Own Cuii links — Neck Chains Items. Bexel — devices — Shanks PERSIAN TURQUOISE Solder ~— Findings USED BY THK U.S. COVERNMKNT New Shipment of Persian Highgrade Sem! for latest Catalog showing CovingUm Send stamp for price list No. 4 Mie largest lapidary equipment line ii Native Cut Cabochons America. IT'S FKKE. Wholesale Only — Send for List O. R. JUNKINS IM5ALKRS WANTKD LOST MOUNTAIN GEMS 754 N.W. Alpine St. — P.O. Box 1233 Covington Lapidary Eng. P. O Box 5012 IPhoenix, Arizona NEWPORT, OREGON REDLANDS 1), CALIFORNIA JUNE, 1957 i Hatween If on and Ma By RANDALL HENDERSON ATE IN THE 1920s a little group of California those who bought in good faith and then discovered it promoters came up with a get-rich-quick scheme would require a small fortune to create the home of their which was a bonanza for them—until the Califor- dreams. nia Real Estate commission stopped their racket. * * * They paid the Southern Pacific company from 50 cents Arizona and California have long been feuding over to $1.00 an acre for some of the rocky terrain the rail- their respective rights to Colorado River water—and the road company had acquired as part of its federal subsidy feud is not settled yet. But there's a new issue now in when it built the southern transcontinental railroad. The which they are fighting together in a common cause. Southern Pacific had sold its best land, but there remained Both states are alarmed over the threat that in the large tracts in the Chocolate and Little San Bernardino filling of Glen Canyon reservoir, following the completion mountains in Riverside and Imperial counties of Cali- of the authorized new dam, the lower basin valleys will fornia, so rocky and inaccessible that no one wanted it— be deprived of an adequate water supply. until the real estate promoters came along. Reclamation Commissioner W. A. Dexheimer says These men opened offices in coastal cities and began there will be no interference with the rights of downstream selling the land sight unseen at $5.00 and $10.00 an acre water-users. Nevertheless, California and Arizona rep- in 10-acre tracts. They printed glowing literature about resentatives have joined in a request that no bids be let "little desert estates only a few miles from the rich and for the new dam until the program has been investigated fertile Imperial and Coachella Valleys." And of course by a congressional committee. they made no mention of the fact that the tracts were It is common knowledge that the Colorado River in 1500 feet higher than the irrigation system, with a moun- recent years has not discharged enough water to keep tain range between. Lake Mead at Hoover dam filled to a normal level. It is Many hundreds of these tracts were sold, and since reported that the power plant at Hoover dam is operating the lands were not worth the taxes, most of them soon 25 percent below capacity because of the water shortage. became delinquent, and it cost the two counties many In view of these facts, it is only natural that lower thousands of dollars to carry them through the tax sale basin areas which depend on Colorado River water for procedure. both irrigation and domestic purposes, should be asking, I became well acquainted with the racket when I spent "Where is the water coming from to fill a great new three days climbing over the rocks and taking pictures of reservoir upstream in Glen Canyon?" the "10-acre estates" on a reporter's assignment from the All of which gives emphasis to the very important Los Angeles Times. truth that in the final analysis it is Mother Nature who And now the U. S. Bureau of Land Management has governs the destinies of men. It is certain that as long as embarked on a real estate promotion which in some re- the present dry cycle in the Southwest continues, there will spects is comparable to the swindle of 30 years ago. It not be enough water to supply both the needs of the low is to Uncle Sam's credit that he has put out no misleading basin and put storage water behind Glen Canyon dam. literature. But he is auctioning off some of the most The tree ring records indicate that such cycles do occur. unproductive of his desert terrain, in some instances to The coming of a wet cycle eventually will solve the sight-unseen buyers at prices which have been much problem, but in the meantime it is understandable that higher than the promoters of the '20s were asking. Most those of us who depend in a large measure on Colorado of it is rocky hillside land that has neither roads nor River water will guard zealously the rights we have to water—nor any immediate prospect of these essentials that water. being available. * * * The federal government is doing virtually what the I like the title which Louise Werner has given to the California Real Estate commission forbid many years ago. mountaineering copy she writes for Desert Magazine— But the state authorities are powerless to do anything "Mountains are for Everyone." Not everyone can climb about it now because Uncle Sam owns the land. mountains in the physical sense. But every human can be It is to the credit of most Americans that they aspire a mountain climber intellectually and spiritually. It is an to own a parcel of land—free of debt. And if the buyer arduous trail. There is no easy route to the top of any in this instance knew exactly what he was getting, had mountain, whether you and I climb it on our own two feet, the capital and the will to build roads and develop water, or through the medium of books and study and plain hard and create a tidy little home on the desert, then there thinking. But it pays a tremendous reward. The world could be no criticism. seen from the mountaintop is a much more stimulating But a public auction is not the way to select that kind and satisfying place than the world that is seen through of buyer. If the federal government persists in this policy, a porthole. Each of us has the opportunity to make our I am afraid it is going to bring endless woes to state and own choice—whether we will view the world from the county officials—not to mention the disillusionment of mountaintop—or the porthole. 42 DESERT MAGAZINE After early authorities examined the area and agreed that the crater was not of volcanic origin, the chief con- troversy has been whether the valuable nickel-iron fireball that struck here LIFE IN WESTERN BOOM articles, reprinted almost exactly as still is underground, or whether the CAMPS TOLD IN NEW BOOK. they appeared in the early newspapers, force of the collision caused it to ll has been many years since the that make up a new book, Arizona: vaporize into the billions of tiny metal- old prospectors and desert rats at their The Last Frontier. Edited by Joseph lic particles found strewn for miles winter rendezvous in Death Valley Miller, who earlier used the same tech- around. In his work during the past have sung: nique for Arizona Story, the selection 17 years, Dr. Nininger has pretty well We've warned the hills and made new is well made and provides an interest- established that no nickel-iron mass trails, our burros by our side; ing journey through the; last half of exists underground. We've looked for gold, but ain't found the 19th century on the Arizona fron- Aside from the semi-technical sci- none, Old Timer don't you cry . . , tier. entific work described in the book, the But the memory of these bonanza days In common with all ages, unfortun- reader is made aware that unless im- (1900-1920) is revived by Frank A. ately, the bad news made the headlines mediate federal park service action is Crampton in his autobiography, Deep and the book gives emphasis to the taken, to preserve this wonder of Na- Enough, a Working Stiff in the Western lawlessness of the territory. But. also ture, it will be loss beyond full poten- Mine Camps. in keeping with the age, there is humor tial scientific use. As a protected tour- At 16 years of age the author ran throughout. ist attraction and scientific laboratory away from his wealthy New York par- Published by Hastings House. New. a National Monument here would ents and became a mining stiff in the York; with drawings by Ross Santee; benefit the residents of Arizona and boom camps of the west. The first index: 350 pages; $6.00. the nation to a great extent. Dr. Ni- lesson he learned from the two kindly ninger feels. The crater surely is as hard rock miners who took him under FULL STORY *OF* METEORITE valuable as are the giant telescopes wing was never to stay on a job after CRATER RESEARCH TOLD which probe space for the very phe- there was no more to learn from it. To Southwest readers the name nomena that lies spoiling in the Ari- This usually took three months with Nininger is synonymous with scientific zona highlands. the author and the result is an ex- advances in the field of meteorology Published by the American Meteor- tremely mobile and interesting life. and more specifically with our in- ite Museum, Sedona, Arizona: 44 From a top hard rock miner swell- creased understanding of spectacular pages of illustrations; drawings, charts; ing with professional pride, Crampton Meteorite Crater in northern Arizona, bibliography: index: $3.75. became a self-taught surveyor and as- one of the world's most accessible and sayer and finally a mining engineer, best preserved collision craters. The uniqueness of this book stems And now Dr. H. H. Nininger of Books reviewed on these pages are from the fact that the author moved Sedona has written a book, Arizona's available at Desert Crafts Shop with equal ease among the working Meteorite Crater, which gives the com- Palm Desert, California men as well as the mine management plete story of all the research work Add three percent sales lax on orders and owner levels. His youthful en- undertaken at this 50.000 year-old to be sent to California Ihusiasm and sense of humor are re- crater by scientific observers in the Write for complete catalog of flected on every page. past half century. South western books Published by Sage Books, Denver. rado; with many historic old photos; 275 pages; $4.00. Mail your orders today for • # • three exciting books on life on the desert EARLY ARIZONA DESCRIBED by NATURALIST-PHILOSOPHER WITH REPRINTED STORIES ". . . the (Prescott) Miner cannot lower its dignity and character . . . by noting so contemptible a blockhead, JOSEPH WOOD KRUTCH dog-robber, liar and slanderer as we • The Desert Year have, time and again, proven the con- The author's introduction to the Eascinaiinq world, of duct of the (Tucson) Citizen to be ... She desert. 270 pp. $3.75 Back dog to your kennel!'' This scurrilous 1871 editorial snatch • The Voice of the Desert sets the tenor for a collection of lively His further explorations oi the desert's rich, intriguing phenomena. 223 pp. $3.75 • The Great Chain of Life Desert Best Seller List* Trie long and tedious process in which IIK.IT: has !. Ghosts of the Glory frail emerged from the amoeba. 227 pp. $3.75 Nell Murbarger —. - . S5.75 2, Geological Story of Death Valley Trie Desert Year and The Voice of the Desert, are available in Thomas Clements ..$1.50 attractive boxed sets for $7.50 3. Lost Mines and Buried Treasure John Mitchell .... $5.00 Please add 15c postage foi each volume; California purchasers 4 Poisonous Dwellers of the Desert add 3 percent sales tax Natl N. Dodge-... . . $ .50 5. Flowers of the Southwest Desert Null N. Dodge $1.00 DESERT MAGAZINE BOOK SHOP * Based on April sales by Desert PALM DESERT Magazine Bookshop. CALIFORNIA 9 5 7 YOU MAY NOW COMPLETE YOUR FILES OF DESERT MAGAZINE To the thousands of Desert readers who axe pre- of these are rare numbers for which we paid a pre- serving their back issues we are glad to announce mium to get back. They are not new magazines but that we can now supply any missing copies (with are guaranteed to be complete and in good condition. the exception of Yol. 1, No. I) needed to complete We suggest you check through your back copies your file. Below you will find listed every issue of without delay, and order the missing numbers while Desert Magazine, with the current selling price. Some they are available. 1937 Jul. .50 Mar •50 1947 Sep 35 May .35 Nov. Aug. .50 Apr •50 jan 25 Oct 35 Jun. .35 (When available Sep. .50 May .... Feb '25 Nov 35 Jul. .35 sold only with Oct. .50 Jun. .... •50 Mar .50 Dec 50 Aug. .35 complete Vol. 1) Nov. .50 Jul •50 Apr. .... 195 Sep. .35 Dec. .... $ .75 Dec. .50 Aug .50 May .... :io ° Oct. .35 Sep •50 Jun Nov. .35 1942 Oct •50 Jul 50 Jan 50 Dec. .35 1938 F : Jan...... 50 Nov •50 ;25 eb 50 ,.M. •50 Aug. .... Feb. .50 Feb .50 Dec. . Sep. .... 25 Mar 50 1953 /' Tn.i .50 Mar .50 Oct 50 Apr 50 Jan 35 Apr .50 1945 Feb 35 Apr. 1.00 ro Nov ^50 May 50 .50 May .... .50 Jan. .... DGC 50 Jun 50 Mar 35 iri .50 Jun .50 Feb 50 !50 Jul 50 Apr 35 Jul. .50 Jul .50 Mar .50 1948 Aug 35 May 35 Aug .25 Aug. 1.00 .50 Apr Jan .50 Sep 35 Jun 35 Sep. 2.00 Sep .50 May .... .50 NovOct . .3505 Jul 35 .50 Feb .25 .35 Oct. .50 Oct .50 Jun Mar .50 Dec. Aug 35 Nov. .." Nov .50 Jul .25 Sep 35 Dec Dec. :•>() .50 Aug lo May .... .50 1951 Oct 35 Sep Jun .50 Jan. .50 Nov 35 1939 1943 Oct 25 Feb .50 Dec 35 05 Jul Jan. 1.00 Jan .50 Nov Aug '25 Mar 50 Feb. 2.00 Feb .50 Dec Sep •50 Apr 35 1954 •50 Mar. 1.00 Mar .50 Oct 50 May 35 Jan 35 Apr. 1.00 Apr .50 1946 Nov 50 Jun 35 Feb 35 May 1.00 May .... .50 Jan .50 Dec .25 Jul 50 Mar 35 Jun. .50 Jun .50 Feb .25 Aug 35 Apr 35 Jul. 1.00 Jul .50 Mar Sep 35 May 35 Aug. .50 Aug .50 Apr Oct 35 Jun 35 Sep. :HI Sep .50 May .... ^25 Jan .50 Nov 35 Jul 35 Oct. .50 Oct .50 Jun .25 Feb .50 Dec 50 Aug 35 Nov. .50 Nov .50 Jul .25 Mar .35 Sep 35 Dec. 50 Dec .50 Aug .75 Apr .50 1952 Oct 35 Sep .50 May ... .35 Jan 50 Nov 35 1940 1944 Oct .25 Jun .35 Feb 35 Dec 35 Jan. .50 Jan. .50 Nov .25 Jul .50 Mar 50 Feb. .50 Feb. .50 Dec .75 Aug .50 Apr 35 1955 Mar. Jan 50 Apr. Feb 35 May 50 COMPLETE VOLUMES IN BINDERS Mar 35 Jun. .50 Apr 35 Jul. 50 Vol. 1—$12.00 Nov. '37 to Oct. '38 Vol. 13— 6 00 Nov. '49 to Oct. '50 May 35 Aug. ...is Vol. 2— 10.00 Nov. '38 to Oct. '39 Vol. 14— 6.00 Nov. '50 to Dec. '51 Jun 35 Sep. :,o Vol. 3— 7.00 Nov. '39 to Oct. '40 Vol. 15— 6.00 1952 Jul 35 Oct. .50 Vol. 4— 7.00 Nov. '40 to Oct. '41 Vol. 16— 6.00 1953 Aug 35 Nov. .50 Vol. 5— 7.00 Nov. '41 to Oct. '42 Vol. 17— 6.00 1954 Sep 35 Dec. Vol. 6— 7.00 Nov. '42 to Oct. '43 Vol. 18— 6.00 1955 Oct 35 Vol. 7— 7.00 Nov. '43 to Oct. '44 Vol. 19— 5.00 1956 Nov 35 I 941 Volume prices are postpaid and in- Dec 35 Jan. .50 Vol. 8— 6.00 Nov. '44 to Oct. '45 Vol. 9— 6.00 Nov. '45 to Oct. '46 clude binders. Deduct $2.00 for each ,50 volume ordered without binder. Mar. .50 Vol. 10— 6.00 Nov. '46 to Oct. '47 1956 & 1957 Apr. .50 Vol. 11— 6.00 Nov. '47 to Oct. '48 19 Volumes in binders $110.00 to date May .50 Vol. 12— 6.00 Nov. '48 to Oct. '49 19 Volumes without binders.. 72.00 .! uri. 35c each WE BUY I Just now we are needing are available for your back copies of Desert. Embossed the following magazines and will pay with gold lettering, each of these binders has space for the prices indicated. BINDERS 12 magazines. Postpaid to you $2.00. Nov. '37 $5.00 Oct. '38 50 Feb. '38 50 Aug. '46 .75 Mar. '38 50 Sep. '47 50 Apr. '38 1.00 Oct. '47 50 May '38 .50 Sep. '48 50 Aug. '38 1.00 Jul. '49 .50 PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA