Desert Magazine 1952 October
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Through Yon Window . Gold? Ontario, California Desert: 1 was very interested in John D. Mitchell's "Lost Mine with the Iron Door" in the July issue of Desert Mag- azine. Mitchell indicates the lost mine is located one league northwest of the Ventana or "Window Rock" in the Catalinas. According to this story, "when the miners stood at the mouth of the tunnel, they could look to the southeast and see through this window." On the south slope of the Catalinas, near the top, the.c is a rock formation with a V.entana facing in a southerly direction. Situated as it is, it is possible to look through it to the southeast, south or southwest. On top and at the west end of this formation is a stone face carved by nature. A picture taken looking to- ward the southeast shows the image facing the northeast. Although the directions do not gibe exactly, could it be that nature placed this stone sentinel to watch and guard the entrance to the Lost Mine with the Iron Door? This rock formation in the Catalina Mountains of Arizona may be the clue R. L. WITTER to the long-lost Mine with the Iron Door, believes Desert Reader R. L. Witter. • • • ing one of America's foremost prob- of $500 and six months in jail. In "Beercan Highway" . lems today. I believe more of this view of the terrible desecration com- Portal, Arizona type of "Beercan Highway" article mon in western caves, the society w 11 Desert: might reform some of the worst of- vigorously aid the prosecution of any I have long been engaged in a one- fenders. No one likes to be called a s:;ch vandalism discovered. man campaign to remove beer cans moron, and the:;: articles definitely ! Many mineralogists innocently seek and litter from our highway-sides. I put var.' ; :, and beer can throwers in cave specimens. A warning against am glad to learn, from "Between You that c'r.s sLich collecting might prevent serious and Me" in the September Desert, WELDON F. HEALD trouble as well as protect the beauty of that I have company. many a ca.ve. In this editorial, it is suggested that Rock'iounds Take Warning! . DR. W. R. HALLIDAY the brewing companies be forced to Salt Lake City, Utah Member. Board of Governors pay for the roadside cleanups. How- Desert: National Speleological Society ever, I cannot feel that the fault is Recent issues of Desert have car- • so with those who sell cans, but rather Virgin or Virgen? . with those who use them. ried brief notes mentioning talks given before gem and mineral groups by Washington, Utah I have written a humorous satire members of the National Speleological Desert: called "Beercan Highway" which will Society. I would like to point out that In "Lost Lead of the Santa Clara" be published in American Forests in slides illustrating these talks always in the September issue, I notice Des- the spring. I suggested to the editors ert uses the modern spelling of the that breweries be approached and show cave minerals in situ, it being against society policy to collect cvc:i Virgin River. persuaded, if possible, to include in I spell it Rio Virgen, the way it ap- their advertisements a note reminding broken specimens. To do so would encourage others to break off speci- peared in the old geographies. Many their customers: "Keep America's of us maintain that it was named for Highways Clean! Please do not throw mens, soon producing a thoroughly Thomas Virgen, one of Jedediah our cans out of your car." This would vandalized cave. Smith's men, and not by the Spaniards make them thousands of friends and Rockhounds should further be after the Virgin Mary. might have an effect on the thoughtless warned against collecting in caves since Escalantc called it "Sulphur River" nitwits who heave their empty cans in most states and in all national parks because of the sulphur springs near out on your roads and mine. and monuments it is against the law. La Verkin. Vandalism of all kinds is becom- Violators are subject to maximum fines RUFAS JOHNSON DESERT MAGAZINE DESERT CALENDAR September 27-October 6—New Mex- ico State Fair, Albuquerque, New Mexico. September 29-30—San Geronimo Fi- esta, Taos, New Mexico. October 1-2 — Taos Village Fiesta, Taos, New Mexico. October 1-31 — Special Exhibit of American Indian handicraft from collection of the late Kathryn W. Leighton, noted artist. Southwest Volume 15 OCTOBER, 1952 Number 10 Museum, Highland Park, Los An- geles, California. COVER Storm over Taos Pueblo, New Mexico October 3-4—Spanish Village Fiesta, By Willard Luce, Provo, Utah. Rancho de Taos, Taos, New Mex- LETTERS Comment from Desert's readers 2 October 4—Feast Day of St. Francis CALENDAR October events on the desert ........ 3 of Assisi, patron saint of Santa Fe. Santa Fe, New Mexico. POETRY Land-Locked Sea Monster, and other poems . 4 October 4 — Annual Fiesta and MEMORIAL Nevills Plaque is Dedicated 5 Dances, Nambe Indian Pueblo, New Mexico. EXPLORATION Glen Canyon Voyage October 4-6 — Navajo Indian Fair, By RANDALL HENDERSON 7 Shiprock, New Mexico. TRUE OR FALSE A test of your desert knowledge 12 October 5—Fifth Annual Colorado INDIANS River Outboard Motor Boat Race, Tribal Meeting of the Navajo 13 Needles, California. By DOROTHY PILLSBURY FICTION Hard Rock Shorty of Death Valley 16 October 7-11—Eastern New Mexico State Fair, Roswell, New Mexico. INVITATION Pegleg Trek and Liars Contest 16 October 9-11 — Las Cruces Lions' WILDLIFE Death Valley Playmates, by PAT STURTEVANT 17 Cotton Carnival, Las Cruces, New Mexico. PLAYGROUND Cliff Home of the Ancients October 9-12 — Tri-State Fair and By WELDON F. HEALD 18 Rodeo, Deming, New Mexico. MINING Current news of desert mines 22 October 10-12 — Greenlee County PHOTOGRAPHY Picture of the Month 23 Fair, Clifton, Arizona. LOST MINE Lost Pima Indian Gold October 11-12—Annual Liars Con- test (formerly on New Year's Eve) By JOHN D. MITCHELL 24 and Pegleg Smith Gold Trek. CONTEST Prizes for camera pictures 25 Borrego Valley, California. I See page 16.) HISTORY The Salt in Salton Sea, by W. DEANE WILEY . 26 CLOSE-UPS October 17-19—15th Annual Pioneer About those who write for Desert 28 Days Celebration, Twentynine NEWS Palms, California. From Here and There on the Desert 29 HOBBY Gems and Minerals 35 October 18-19—Cochise County Fair, Douglas, Arizona. FIELD TRIP Gems, Minerals and Mines Along Southwestern Trails, by CLAUDE A. CONLIN, JR. ... 38 October 19-25—Southwestern Cattle LAPIDARY Festival. Clovis, New Mexico. Amateur Gem Cutter, by LELANDE QUICK . 41 COMMENT October 31—Hallowe'en Mardi Gras, Just Between You and Me, by the Editor ... 42 Barstow, California. BOOKS Reviews of Southwestern literature 43 The Desert Magazine is published monthly by the Desert Press, Inc., Palm Desert, California. Re-entered as second class matter July 17, 1948, at the post office at Palm Desert, California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Title registered No. 358865 in U. S. Patent Office, and contents copyrighted 1952 by the Desert Press, Inc. Permission to reproduce contents must be secured from the editor in writing. RANDALL HENDERSON, Editor MARGARET GERKE, Associate Editor BESS STACY, Business Manager MARTIN MORAN, Circulation Manager Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs submitted cannot be returned or acknowledged unless full return postage is enclosed. Desert Magazine assumes no responsibility for damage or loss of manuscripts or photographs although due care will be exercised. Sub- scribers should send notice of change of address by the first of the month preceding issue. SUBSCRIPTION RATES One Year $3.50 Two Years $6.00 Canadian Subscriptions 25c Extra, Foreign 50c Extra Subscriptions to Army Personnel Outside U. S. A. Must Be Mailed in Conformity With P. O. D. Order No. 19687 Address Correspondence to Desert Magazine, Palm Desert, California OCTOBER, 1952 Sea By ALICE PUSTER Pomona, California What strange weird things I see In the twisted branches of a Joshua tree: A two-headed sea monster thrashing about. Its feelers and tentacles reaching out Twisting and turning in its sea of sand. For the unwary caught near at hand. So don't go too near, unwary one, But come stroll with me 'neath the desert sun: We'll look for other strange fantasies In the twisted limbs of a Joshua tree. • • • A DESERT FAIRYLAND By SUSIE EAGLESON My soul in solemn reverence knelt today For I'm sure the Great Creator passed ihis way. I stood where yesterday was barren sand And gazed upon a Desert Fairyland. The regal lilies with their snowy crest. So like the silken ruffles on a bridal dress. Brought to my mind the words of Jesus when He said. "They toil not neither do they spin." Yet the royal robes of Solomon ne'er com- pared With all the gorgeous colors growing there. The mountains in a gay parade were clothed Twisted Joshua tree along U. S. Highway 395 south of Red Mountain, In robes of purple interlaced with gold. While nestling at their feet in sandy nests. California. Photo by Alice Paster of Pomona, California, was awarded Like babes afraid to leave their Mother's second prize in Desert Magazine's August Picture-of-the-Month contest. breast. It was taken with an Argoflex camera, Super XX film, 1/100 second at fl6. Were tiny snow-white flowers with golden MONEY CANT BUY hearts DESERT PEACE So small and yet they still must have their By THELMA BLACK COMES WITH MOONLIGHT part Whittier, California In all this glorious Desert Fairyland By PAUL WILHELM Fashioned by our Great Creator's hand.