Professional Documents
Culture Documents
He Planned
to Change the
Desert Climate
By DAVID HELLYER
In 1905 the Colorado river actually did break through and jor over two years poured
its entire flow into the "Widney Sea" basin, forming the present Salton Sea. This is
a picture of the old Liverpool salt works which was inundated in the 1905-6 flood.
Photo, C. C. Pierce collection.
The Salton sea of today occupies only a fraction of the area that would have been
submerged had the Widney scheme been carried out.
might swell into boa constrictors, while "The governor, during his checkered knocked the bottom out of the "Wid-
frogs could easily evolve into alligators! life, has been engaged in some grand ney Sea." That the general's measure-
Endlessly the argument raged, some of and conspicuous enterprises, but in ments and calculations are somewhat
it sheer whimsy, much of it grim seri- this case he has evidently laid his plans less than accurate may be true. But
ousness. before he consulted his figures. Let us they were sufficiently potent to dampen
Then Arizona entered the fray. None make the calculation for him. the ardor of the sea-builders.
other than General John C. Fremont, "To fill such a pond in one year, Years later, irrigation was to come
then governing the territory of Ari- supposing the bottom to be water- to the vast wasteland. Farms, and
zona, probed into the matter. The tight and evaporation entirely checked, ranches today dot the desert floor in
"Pathfinder" found the territory worthy would require a small stream 20 miles all save the bleakest and most inac-
of federal consideration, and straight- wide, 20 feet deep, with a current of cessible areas. Cities like Coachella,
way embarked for Washington to lay three miles an hour. To fill such a lake Indio, Brawley, El Centro and Calex-
the subject before his superiors. by a stream 1000 feet wide, 10 feet ico have brought man's civilizing
Meanwhile, no one had thought to deep, and running at the rate of three touch to a land where before was
consider the problem mathematically— miles an hour, would take two hundred "only the glare of the never-ending
a disastrous and embarrassing over- years!"
sand, and the silence of death."
sight. General George Stoneman, one General Stoneman then estimated Dr. Widney's contention that the in-
of the more practical residents of the that "after this lake was filled it would land sea once was part of the gulf has
Gity of the Angels, decided the time require a river 250 feet wide, 10 feet been variously supported and dis-
had come to shine the light of reason deep, and running at the rate of five claimed by opposing teams of scien-
on the issue. Said he to a shocked Los miles per hour—about the size of the tists. Opponents of his theory claim
Angeles audience: Colorado river at ordinary stages— that the countless bivalves which litter
"Much has been said of late regard- to compensate for evaporation at the the desert floor were of freshwater ori-
ing a great geological basin lying be- rate of eighteen inches each year.
tween the coast range of mountains in "Archimedes, you know, said that gin. Who really knows?
California and the Colorado river on he could move the world, only give him Today, at the site where Dr. Widney
the east. a fulcrum. Fremont says he can make sat astride his sweat-flecked horse scan-
"This basin is represented as being a sea, only give him plenty of green- ning the red rock cliffs, the silence of
three hundred miles long, fifty miles backs. When he makes his estimates death still reigns. It is unlikely that
wide, and three hundred feet deep— he will come to the conclusion that the silence will ever be broken by the
about the size of Lake Erie. We are long ere he can fill his basin with water, wash of waves on a shoreline. In the
told that Governor Fremont of Ari- the great Engineer of the universe will apt words of General Stoneman, the
zona has just returned from Washing- have filled it with the sands of the des- desert probably will remain devoted
ton, where he has been for the purpose ert, driven down by the ever-prevailing eternally to "the purposes intended by
of inducing Congress to lend the aid winds of the north." the Almighty — for occupation by
of the treasury to enable some one to Thus, with one well-aimed blow of horned toads, rattlesnakes, and the
fill this basin with water. his slide rule, General Stoneman Southern Pacific railroad!"
JUNE, 1 949
Panoramic view across the Leonard creek, Nevada, bajada placer deposit in north
Humboldt county, where water is available to extensive operations.
JUNE, 1949
ways and means for testing its gold and instructions for lawful disposal of
content. Pamphlets covering claim lo- "unprocessed" gold (i.e., in its native
cation and recording procedure can be raw state, never having been cyanide-
obtained from the California State Di- dissolved, smelted, melted, amalgamat-
vision of Mines at San Francisco; the ed or retorted) and its marketing and
Nevada State Bureau of Mines at Reno, transportation within the Continental
or the Arizona Bureau of Mines at United States through negotiable ware-
Phoenix, depending on which desert house receipts. Such unprocessed gold
region is involved. has been disposed of and traded in,
As for Nevada's bajadas, a couple of during recent months, at prices well
paragraphs from my article published above the treasury-pegged $35 per
in the Mining World for July, 1947 ounce.
("Nevada Desert Placer Mining") Many economists believe a raise in
bear directly on this: the U. S. mint price inevitable. I my-
"You need only drive up and down and
self can see no way it can be arbi-
across Nevada to see a thousand bajadas— trarily held down, in the face of the
hundreds of them from her arterial high- well known law of supply and demand,
ways alone. If they abut against the right much longer. Gold is selling in open
kinds of ranges, and the geology and topog- markets abroad (Argentina, India,
raphy below them are right, every such ba-
jada can be a potential source of short-haul Egypt, the Philippines with their fa-
placer gold. However, as to its degree of mous and rich gold mines, etc.) up to
concentration or distribution, certain simple $100 and more per ounce. That Con-
facts govern, and only a proper test sam- gress will sooner or later create an
pling, and a wash test with water, will dis-
close whether values be commercially recov- Addison N. Clark, mining consult- American free market for gold is the
erable or too disseminated to warrant
ant and author of the accompany- reasonable hope, even conviction, of
acquisition and development. So few of the
old-time, or even recent, prospectors have ing article on bajada placer mining. long-handicapped western mining in-
recognized these bajadas as possible sources terests, and of forward-looking sena-
of revenue, and they are mostly far from tors and congressmen who have been
available water or else well above, that today ing tests. And if the "plain dirt" tenta- continuously working to that end.
they are almost a completely virgin field for tively tests up to your hopes and ex-
exploration.
pectations—well, I'll quote a letter re-
"The keys to whether they offer possibili- ceived from Jay A. Carpenter, director QUARTERLY MINE JOURNAL'S
ties or not are simple: One, the uplift against
which they lie must be an amply-mineralized of the Nevada State Bureau of Mines NEW ISSUE PUBLISHED . . .
range, built of the right brand of rocks— and head of the Mackay School of
rocks that make gold (batholithic granite is Mines of the State University: Full text of the "Atomic Energy Act
ideal). Two, the eroded detritus must neces-
sarily have been estopped from transporta- "Introduction of new mechanical of 1946" and a chapter on Mineral
tion to and dissemination in the great open equipment has expedited sampling of Resources of Kern County are of par-
spaces of flat desert country, and burial placer ground. Thus, the modern jeep ticular public interest in most recent
there under prohibitive depths of alluvium." can travel off the highways to placer issue of California Journal of Mines
The property shown in the accom- ground, and with an auger attachment and Geology, just published by the
panying photographs has an almost (as used for post-hole work) can sam- State of California department of natu-
ideal detritus catchment condition. But ple shallow ground rapidly for fine ral resources.
that is only one spot in the Nevada material. Likewise, heavier truck equip- The Journal is a quarterly publica-
desert. Offhand I can name half a ment for modern well-drilling can rap-
dozen other spots, within a few hours' idly put down holes up to 30 inches tion printed and distributed by the
drive from there, where definitely fa- in diameter to 30 feet depth, allowing division of mines, Olaf P. Jenkins,
vorable conditions exist for bajada lowering of men for removal of large chief. Copies may be purchased from
placer gold deposition. In his article rocks and for inspection of gravel lay- division headquarters, Third Floor,
which I have cited Dr. Olaf Jenkins ers." Those factors, Prof. Carpenter Ferry Building, San Francisco 11,
says: "There are probably many ex- adds, plus available modernized gold- California.
amples of typical bajada placers in the saving apparatus and dirt-moving cost Other topics treated in latest issue
Mojave desert and the Great Basin re- figures, take much of the former uncer- of the Journal are:
gions of California, but recognition of tainty and risk out of placer mining Water-Flooding as a Method of In-
them as such has not yet reached publi- and put its operation more on a cal- creasing California Oil Production;
cation." In my Arizona engineering culated business basis.
safaris I've spotted likely ranges along State Geological Surveys; Industrial
the feet of which I'd be willing to put So—now that you know you don't Uses of Limestone and Dolomite. A
down a bet, at reasonable odds, I'd have to hunt for and find old-school list of new division of mines publica-
find bajada placer gold. placer-gravel, characterized by water- tions is also included.
worn pebbles and "long-haul gold"— The mineral resources of Kern
True, the water problem in the des- and know how to spot and recognize a county are covered in a report by
ert regions can be a hard nut to crack. bajada deposit with its characteristic
But it is far from insurmountable. I "lag-line"—perhaps you may be lured W. B. Tucker, R. J. Sampson and G.
can name two Nevada mining areas to prowl your favorite desert region Oakeshott. It is a comprehensive re-
whither water has been.piped a dozen for such likely-looking spots. port, technical for the scientist, under-
miles merely for use in commercially- standable for the amateur.
Especially since, although the U. S.
successful mining—in one case a large mint price of gold has been stubbornly Letters of inquiry addressed to the
scale bucket-line gold dredging opera- pegged down by the secretary of the California division of mines, depart-
tion. For any early-stage ground-test- treasury at its pre-war level of $35 per ment of natural resources, will be an-
ing, samples of dirt can always be troy ounce while about everything else swered by technical staff members fa-
taken by light truck or jeep to where has doubled in price, recently the direc- miliar with the particular field in-
there's plenty of water for simple wash- tor of the mint issued official sanction volved.
10 THE DESERT MAGAZINE
This is the author's original cabin on her Morongo valley jackrabbit homestead.
JUNE, 1949 13
The
RATTLESNAKE PEAK AREA
NEW MEXICO
CATTLE
MS LINE ROAD GUARD
"MM/
- &' CAMP URUOWHEADS
SITE \
il POTSHERDS S MORTARS
!S«•. WITH KSTUES
Keith Dewey was easily persuaded took a bit of limestone and began By 8:30 we were ascending the bold
to accompany me on my first trip to tracing the old marks. The instant my south facade of the peak. Our goal was
the peak. He is a soldier from Pennsyl- piece of stone touched the rock, a a cairn of rocks, erected by surveyors,
vania, stationed at the White Sands strange melodious sound echoed about on the top of the mountain. From this
Proving Grounds, and has often been me. At first I thought it was the wind, point we got a splendid view of this
my companion on such jaunts. yet it sounded more as if someone part of New Mexico and across the Rio
When we finally reached the trail were gently stroking a huge bell. Both Grande to Chihuahua, Old Mexico.
leading directly to the mountain, we of us were a trifle awed. I tried tapping At the east base of the mountain is
found it blocked with fine blow sand, gently, and at the merest touch, the a playa or dry lake. Possibly the ex-
passable to a car only after a hard monolith rang out. Investigation istence of this once-permanent lake ac-
rain. It was July, and the sun blazed in showed that the glyphs were inscribed counts for the popularity of Rattle-
characteristic desert fury. Our enthusi- on a rock slab no more than a foot snake peak as a campground for the
asm waned somewhat, yet neither of us thick. This was leaning against the prehistoric Indians. This big desert
wanted to quit, after getting this close. solid side of the mountain, making a waterhole may have been the conver-
So, with canteens and camera, we sort of crude sounding board. Nearby gence of several old trails, connecting
struck out across the hot sand to cover were other boulders that spoke strange- the many pueblos of southern New
ly when we stepped upon them. Mexico. A sentinel on top would pro-
the remaining two miles to the base of
the mountain on foot. That discovery ended our adventure vide protection against ambush. The
for the day. By the time we pulled our entire area for miles around is covered
We did not find much on that first feet through the two miles of sand with mesquites, assuring a generous
trip. More time was spent covering the back to the car, we were nearly ex- supply of food.
land and trying to locate the interesting hausted. We both felt that there was
points. But we did discover one ex- From the top we surveyed the desert
much more to see in the area. immediately at the foot of the moun-
quisite petroglyph on the side of the The opportunity to return came tain and located several sites to explore
mountain, and consequently, the "Sing- sooner than we expected. I became ac- for artifacts.
ing rocks." quainted with Howard Rankin, the Since Rankin, Harold and the stu-
Keith had gone up to explore a shal- owner of a jeep. Recently from the east, dent had only leather-soled shoes, they
low cavern in the south face of the he wanted to see something of the took an easy way down. This left Keith
mountain. I stayed at the foot because desert, but did not know exactly where and me to explore the face of the cliffs
I was unwilling to tote my camera up to go. I was eager to show him Rattle- for further petroglyphs. We found
over the rocks. But when he shouted, snake peak. many, but some were almost obliterat-
"Petroglyphs!" I scrambled up to see Our companions were Keith Dewey, ed by time, being recognizable only at
them. They were beautifully carved in his 12-year-old son Harold, and a a distance. Most of them were pictures
the side of the cliff. Nearby were others Turkish student at New Mexico A. & of snakes, turtles, mountain-goats or
less discernible. In an effort to make M. We started from, Las Cruces at deer—not crude sketches, but graceful,
them more distinct to photograph, I 7:00 a.m. almost modern-looking designs.
By CHARLES KELLY
day in the spring of 1882, J-
Slippery Jim, handyman on Bas-
sett's ranch in Brown's Hole, was
busy mending fence. Ann Bassett, 7 Nl
years old, had been tagging his heels
all day. She was dressed in a buckskin
suit given her by a friendly Indian
and wore a fancy headdress which sat
on her head like a crown. Because of
this, cowboys on the ranch nicknamed
her "Queen Ann."
"Listen, Ann," Slippery Jim said,
"how come you foller me around all
day wearin' that Injun suit? Why'nt
you wear dresses like a gal should, and
stay in th' house? You're gettin' big
enough to learn to act like a lady."
"I don't want to stay in the house,"
replied Ann, who already had a mind Ann Bassett Willis. She was "Queen Ann" of Brown's Hole.
of her own. "I don't want to wear
dresses and I don't want to be a lady. costume gives her priority to the title 1852, and wrote his brother, Herbert,
I want to be a cowboy." of "first cowgirl." describing the place as a wonderful
Ann never outgrew that ambition To appreciate the story of Queen location for a cattle ranch. Herbert
and never allowed anyone to call her Ann, one should know something of Bassett came west, worked for a time
"Miss." She spent most of her time on the early history of Brown's Hole, as bookkeeper for A. C. Beckwith &
a horse, learning to ride, rope and which lies in the extreme northeast Co., in Evanston, then went to the
shoot. When she found a stray calf corner of Utah, where the Utah-Colo- Hole to become one of its first set-
she roped and branded it herself and rado line joins Wyoming's southern tlers. Queen Ann was born there in
was started in the cattle business. By boundary. Parts of it lie in all three 1875.
the time she was 16 she had a fine states. It actually is a deep hole or After the railroad came to Wyoming
saddle horse and a herd of her own, valley almost completely surrounded in 1868 this hidden valley became the
was rated the best cowhand and best by high mountains, through which runs hideout for a number of desperate
shot in Brown's Hole, and already had Green river. Being protected from se- characters. Because it was so well
become, through force of personality, vere winds, it was an ideal wintering hidden and difficult of access, it re-
recognized leader of the stockmen in ground for cattle. mained an outlaw rendezvous until
that wild section. She held her own Between 1825 and 1840 Brown's 1900. The McCarty brothers, Matt
against some of the roughest characters Hole became a favorite winter camping Warner, Butch Cassidy, Elza Lay and
the west ever produced, maintaining place for the old Fur Brigade and their many others were well known there,
the dignity of her title, Queen Ann. Indian friends, boasting a trading post even after the place had been occupied
known as Fort Davy Crockett. Queen by several pioneer families.
When she was about 15 an Indian Ann remembers old trappers like Jim Since the law never ventured into
woman she had befriended gave her Baker, his brother John, and Uncle Brown's Hole, settlers had to get along
a beautifully beaded buckskin riding Louie Simmons, Kit Carson's son-in- with the outlaws as best they could.
habit consisting of fringed jacket, di- law, who remained there even after it These bad men usually behaved them-
vided skirt and laced leggings. After- was settled. Soon after the Civil War selves while living in the Hole and were
ward she had others made on the same great herds of cattle were driven into tolerated, but their presence gave the
pattern and believes she set the style Wyoming from Texas and the Hole place a bad name and outsiders con-
for cowgirl costumes. While she may was their favorite wintering ground. sidered everyone living there to be an
not have been the first girl to own cat- Queen Ann's uncle, Sam Bassett, an outlaw or cattle thief.
tle, the introduction of this distinctive army scout, first saw Brown's Hole in Before many years all of Wyoming's
JUNE, 1 949 17
range land had been occupied and the these activities a cowman once had her night, just before the Indians burned
homesteaders in Brown's Hole found arrested for cattle stealing, but failed it to the ground.
themselves surrounded by big oper- to prove his charge. During the 90's Butch Cassidy, no-
ators owning up to 100,000 head of Finally, to stop such trespassing, torious Utah outlaw, and his Wild
cattle. These cattle barons wanted the Ann Conceived the idea of herding Bunch were frequent visitors in
Hole for a wintering ground, and tried sheep over a wide strip entirely sur- Brown's Hole. They attended all local
in every possible way to squeeze out rounding the Hole. Cattle would not dances and were well liked personally.
the original settlers. Some left, but voluntarily cross ground on which Elza Lay, Cassidy's partner, was a tall
Queen Ann and a few others decided sheep had grazed. When driven over it dark dashing young man, originally
to stay and fight it out. they were shot. Such activities made from Boston. Queen Ann met him at
Since every kid in the valley was an her very unpopular with the big outfits. one of the dances and they struck up a
expert rider and roper, a miniature The following incident will illustrate lasting friendship. When Cassidy and
rodeo was in progress every day. the kind of fool-hardy courage Ann Lay held up a train at Wilcox, Wyo-
Queen Ann was always the leader in possessed. When she was 17 years old ming, and took $30,000 from the ex-
these activities. One fall, when she was she started with two cowboys to de- press car, they rode straight to Brown's
14 years old, a herd of 50 strange liver a herd of cattle on Little Snake Hole, knowing they would not be fol-
cows was found grazing in the valley. river, a dry drive of 45 miles. Arriving lowed. Making camp in a hidden side
They had been run in by one of the at Thompson's ranch she learned that canyon, Elza Lay went to the Bassett
big outfits just to see what would hap- two overzealous game wardens had ranch after dark, called to Ann, and
pen. If they were not molested thou- tried to arrest a young Indian for kill- asked for food. She fixed him a big
sands more would be brought in. ing game. The boy's mother had tried basket which he took back to camp.
Without notifying any of the parents, to resist the officers, whereupon they He told her he had buried his share of
Queen Ann and other young buckaroos shot both mother and son. the loot in a certain spot, gave her a
in the valley rounded up the cows, Ann knew trouble would follow. map of the place, and asked her to
drove them across Green river and When the wardens tried to leave she send it to his mother if he failed to
scattered them on Diamond mountain forced them at gunpoint to remain and return within a year. He later retrieved
so effectively some of them haven't help defend the ranch, after telling the money, but in another train holdup
been found yet. When these animals them exactly what she thought of their at Folsom, New Mexico, was caught
could not be found, Ann was accused action. Then, although she had been and sentenced to the pen. After being
of rustling cattle. Newspapers began in the saddle for 18 hours, she rode pardoned he went straight and Queen
calling her Queen of the Rustlers, a directly to the Indian camp, hoping to Ann kept in touch with him until his
name that stuck for many years. But explain to her Shoshoni friends that death in Los Angeles in 1933. Butch
it served notice on the owners to keep she did not approve of the killings. Cassidy avoided entanglements with
off her range. When she got there, long after dark, women. While Ann knew him well,
no Indians were in sight, but smoke she never liked him. She also knew
After a few years other big operators Matt Warner, another well known out-
tried similar tactics. When this hap- signals were rising among the hills.
Recognizing her horse, the Indians did law, who was good company when
pened Ann would organize a drive and sober but a terror when drunk. He
push the cattle off her range, scattering not molest her. After an all night ride
she reached Brown's Hole at sunrise later became a peace officer in Price,
them in the hills. This was illegal on Utah.
public domain, but it was the only way to give the alarm. Those left at Thomp-
to keep from being overrun. Because of son's ranch abandoned it during the In 1897 Harry Tracy, a desperate
Grave of Jack Bennett, outlaw who was hanged on Bassett's corral gate in 1898.
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spot on the pioneer wagon road known the merchant returned to the old town- of Quartzsite were not content to see
as Picture Rock and Point of Rocks. site and prospected for his lost safe. their principal historical monument
At Picture Rock a big natural tank— Since then, many others have searched, melt back into the soil. After much ef-
a gravel-filled depression in the arroyo but no one has reported finding it. fort, in which Bill Keiser was a leader,
bed—furnished a semi-permanent wat- Down in the valley, in the meantime, the state reconstructed Fort Tyson.
er supply for settlers and travelers. Charley Tyson found shallow water at Then, apparently, there were no funds
Half-obliterated petroglyphs on the the spot which became known as Ty- to furnish accommodations for a care-
rock show this spot to have been a son Wells. The washed-out villagers taker, and fires and vandals wrecked
desert watering place in ancient times. set up their new community at the it again. More reconstruction has been
Exact date of the first white settlement wells. Today only a tumbled rock wall done, and Bill and other Quartzsite
at the tank is uncertain, but a man and holes dug into the hillside to act residents are not going to give up until
named Valenzuela ran cattle there in as crude ore-reducing furnaces, mark the work is completed and old Fort
the early '60s. the old camp at Picture Rock. Tyson Tyson preserved.
The end of the settlement at Picture Wells became a stage station on the Quartzsite had a boom during the
Rock came abruptly in 1870 when a Ehrenberg-Prescott road, and not a mining excitement which swept the
cloudburst obliterated the community. particularly attractive one, according to Western states in the first decade of
Just before the flood, the storekeeper Martha Summerhayes, army wife, who this century. Between 1900 and 1906,
at Picture Rock and his wife visited passed through it in the '70s. In Van- a man named Beamer built a road from
the home of Mrs. Joe Martinez, half ished Arizona, she reported it as reek- the area to the Congress mill, and
way between the old town and the ing "of everything unclean, morally planned to run gold placer through a
present one, to return some borrowed and physically." huge stamp mill to be located west of
sad-irons. When the waters subsided Not far west of the Yuma road in- Quartzsite. Foundations for a 65-
so that they could return, it was im- tersection and on the south side of stamp mill were put in before experts
possible to locate even the spot where Highway 60-70 stand the partially re- told him the "cement" placer he
their store once stood. Before the constructed adobe ruins of old Fort planned to work was not amenable to
storm, the wash had been only 200 Tyson. Soldiers never were stationed that method of recovery. Beamer in-
feet wide arid the store was on its east there and, so far as I know, it never stalled three stamps and proved the
bank. After the torrent, the merchant underwent siege. It was built by the experts were right, then abandoned the
could not determine where the bank settlers around Tyson Wells as a pro- enterprise.
had been. tective measure when trouble with the Miners were scratching about all
And there Quartzsite's lost treasure Aoache-Mo'fve Indians loomed. When over the area, and some were making
story started. The storekeeper asserted the threat of Indian warfare passed, it wages and better. Promoters were even
there was $50,000 and his wife's became the Oasis hotel—the town's more successful than the miners. They
jewelry in the store safe when it washed finest. Finally it was abandoned, and would "beg, borrow or steal" speci-
away. For 15 years, according to Bill, has weathered away. But the citizens mens, go to the coast or back east and
JUNE, 1949 21
sell stock on the strength of the try. And whenever, over here, the found near Lavic, although we did not
samples. camels saw mules, burros or freight locate any of the beautiful moss in
"O. A. Pease bought up all the nug- outfits, they insisted upon joining the chalcedony which sometimes is found
gets he could get," Bill told me. "He party and could not be held back. in the California field.
gave a big dinner in San Francisco for Their intentions were friendly, not Incidentally, I wish someone would
stock prospects. When they lifted their vicious, but the results were disastrous. establish a Board of Mineralogical
plates, there was a gold nugget under The mules stampeded in all directions Names, patterned after the Board of
each one." It was effective promotion, as the weird and monstrous animals Geographic Names, to name and de-
but not much help in actual develop- bore down , upon them. Desperate fine minerals and gem stones. It would
ment of Quartzsite properties. The freighters even resorted to shooting the save much confusion. Few stones mean
boom passed and the 11 saloons which camels. so many things to so many people as
once dominated the town's main street It was late and cold when I went to jasper, jasp-agate, jasp-opal, moss jas-
vanished. Mining has continued spo- my cabin, and during the night the per, flower jasper, paisley—and all the
radically. Bill and his partner have temperature dropped below freezing. other official and unofficial names for
shipped eight carloads of ore from their But a bright morning sun promised a this group. When I say moss jasper, I
Humdinger lead mine. Most of the perfect December desert day. I had mean a rock at least slightly translucent
residents hold claims and prospect the come to Quartzsite more or less as an with a tangle of what looks like moss
hills and wait for the price of gold to advance scout, to locate an accessible in it. Some collectors insist that if it is
go up or the cost of labor and equip- rock field. My wife, Lucile, and Marion at all translucent it isn't a jasper.
ment to go down. Hewes and Martha Berry drove over Others say that a moss jasper is one
from Desert Magazine's Palm Desert which has tendrils of moss in clear
For most tourists, the item of princi- chalcedony, but to my mind that is the
pal interest at Quartzsite is the monu- pueblo Saturday afternoon and we set
out for the Brenda field. Bill, who was stone called flower agate, but which I
ment to Hi Jolly, over his grave in the believe should be called flower chal-
town cemetery. There is a fascination chopping energetically at a pile of iron-
wood snags he had dynamited and cedony.
in the history of our army's experiment
with camels and native drivers in the hauled in for wood, stopped his exer- Perhaps we should look at some
western deserts. With the gold discov- tions to wave. basic definitions. Dana identifies jasper
ery and opening of the port at La Paz, Bill's directions to the field were as impure opaque colored quartz, and
the camels were used to carry supplies simple and direct. We zeroed the Quartz Family Minerals further de-
between La Paz and Fort Whipple for speedometer at the intersection of the scribes it as being essentially fibrous
several years, while the road was be- Yuma road with Highway 60-70, and under the microscope, which sets it
ing built. Some time after the gold dis- followed the highway along the long apart from other quartz minerals.
covery, Hi Jolly quit cameling and valley slope toward the rugged Plo- There are many varieties. Usually jas-
started mining. He was not a prospec- mosa mountains. The great washes per forms from a jelly-like solution of
tor, according to Bill, but he would along the highway were crowded with silica and it frequently is found in
follow the strikes and wash out enough palo verde trees and ironwoods, or places where there are recent lava flows,
gold for his needs, which were chiefly palo fierro, and spotted with grotesque- which fits both the Brenda and Lavic
of a liquid nature. ly posing saguaro. At 8.3 miles we fields.
Hi Jolly is Americanese for Hadji passed the dirt road, right, which Two quartz rocks similar to jasper
Ali, the driver's Mohammedan name. eventually winds to Bill's lead mine on are flint and chert, the principal dif-
He also was known as Philip Tedro, the slopes of Dos Picachos, and to the ference being in the manner in which
probably the name his mother gave old Apache mine. they originated. Flint occurs as lumps
him. He reportedly was a Syrian, half- or concretions in chalk and limestone
Greek and half-Arab. The Arabs raid- The highway reached its highest ele- and is composed of a mixture of quartz
ed Greek settlements and carried off vation in the Plomosas nine miles from and opal. It may have formed from
women, and Hi Jolly and his brother the Yuma junction, and curved down silica in the muds at the bottom of the
were said to be the result of such a toward the Ranegras plain. We passed ocean. Chert, once classified as an im-
union, and were raised as Arabs. Brenda service station at 16.3 miles pure form of flint, now is believed to
and started looking for the Indian on be beds of limestone replaced by silica.
It was a surprise to me that Hi Jolly the hill. The Indian was one of Bill's
had a brother, but Bill Keiser knew chief points of identification—a white- Personally, I'll go along with Dake,
them both. The brother, whom they painted figure with outstretched point- Fleener and Wilson, writers of Quartz
called Blackie, was a barber at Ehren- ing arm—on the north side of the road. Family Minerals, that material well
berg. Blackie told Bill some interesting I don't know why the Indian was colored and suitable for gem purposes
things about the camels. They could, placed there, but he is handy for rock- can be termed jasper, although actu-
he said, carry 600 pounds 60 miles a hounds. His hand points a little to the ally a chert. Moss jasper, according to
day and go three days without water. east of the jasper field, but he did not the same authorities, shows a mixture
But they never were loaded that heav- miss it far.% of colored jasper and chalcedony. Of
ily and were watered every day. They course, it isn't really a moss in the
performed well in the desert, but their Our two-car caravan pulled off the stone, no matter how much it looks
pads became sore on terrain different road 17.2 miles from Quartzsite. I like it. The black ferns or moss in the
than that to which they were accus- opened the pickup door and there, on familiar moss agates of Montana and
tomed. the scraped shoulder of the highway, Wyoming are due to the presence of
was a bit of red moss jasper. We scat- manganese. The colors in moss jasper
And if Blackie was correct, he has are believed to be due to impurities in
explained something which always puz- tered over the slope and wash, south of
the highway—and soon dropped the the percolating silica from which the
zled me—the difficulties mule drivers stone was formed. Similar moss has
and freighters had with camels stam- first small specimens we had picked up
as bigger chunks came into view. been made in laboratory experiments
peding their animals. Why couldn't the where artificial silica jel was mixed
outfits be kept apart? According to There seems to be a great deal of ma-
terial here, and many colorful varieties. with various substances.
Blackie, camels, mules and burros went
together in caravans in the old coun- The jasper most closely resembles that The collecting at Brenda is almost
22 THE DESERT MAGAZINE
too easy, but there is always the possi-
bility that other and more varied rocks
can be obtained by searching farther
into the hills. The jasper is weathering
down from a big dike, but there is
float enough to last a long time. Much
of the material has the common fault
of many jaspers—the iron which fur-
nishes some of the brilliant coloring
also occurs as red and yellow ochre
in tiny holes which ruin the piece for
cutting and polishing. However, it is
possible to find much solid jasper with
lines and patterns, and there is red
and yellow moss.
We collected the specimens we want-
ed within a short distance of the road
and in less time than we expected to
use. There was a chill in the air that
warned us temperatures might again
fall to freezing when night came, and
a protected camping spot would be
necessary. Many places in washes near
Brenda would have been excellent for
camping, but for scenic attractions and
rugged country to hike over in the
morning, Bill Keiser had recommended
one back in the Plomosas near his lead
mine, so we headed back west along
the highway and turned south along
the dirt mine road, into a maze of
jagged hills and volcanic buttes.
As we followed a wash into the
mountains, we stopped from time to
time to pick up pieces of ironwood and
dead palo verde branches for use at
the campfire. We reached the camping
place just before dark—a spot which
evidently was a long-time favorite with
prospectors. It was a protected little
flat, almost at the base of Dos Pica-
chos. We found a pile of rocks in the
clearing, with flat slabs on top to form
a table. And there was a small rock
fireplace which, after minor repairs
and the addition of a grill, we used to
cook our evening meal over ironwood
coals.
When supper was cleared away and
OldLeatherBellows...
Second prize in the April contest was won by
Nell Murbarger, Costa Mesa, California, with her
picture, OLD LEATHER BELLOWS. The photo-
graph was taken in May, 1948, at 2:30 p.m. with
an Argoflex. She used Eastman Verichrome film,
a K-2 filter, set the camera at 1/50 second, f. 16.
••n
*
\ Billy the Burro
• ^
By WILLIAM A. RAYMOND
Upland, California
Billy the Burro has long been dead;
Or passed away, it is better said.
A sandy grave now holds his bones,
%
Under a pile of desert stones.
He had followed me for many a day,
^>- Over a hard and rocky way.
* Always he patiently plodded along
Though never honored by verse or song.
When water was gone and feed was rare
He would shrink a little—but did not care.
Sometimes at night he would stand by my
bed
And waggle his ears and nod his head.
^
For looks he never would take a prize,
Except for his gentle trusting eyes.
His faded coat had a dingy hue.
There were saddle sores where the white
hair grew.
It seemed that his overgrown head would
fail
To balance the weight of his flimsy tail.
* — ~ "
r
" He had his faults, I regret to say
He would rifle the camp while I was away.
r He would scatter the loot that he could find
Then leisurely chew on a bacon rind.
In spite of his faults when all is said
0 He was a faithful and loveable quadruped.
• • •
ELDORADO'S GONE
By CAROLYN B. BAUMAN
DESERT WEST DESERT SAND San Diego, California
By E. M. BARTLETT There's a covered wagoh' train traveling
By NITA R. ENGLISH the sand,
Pioche, Nevada Angels Camp, California
Slightly south and east of Needles, going
Brothers of mine, who share with me ever westward and
Have you ever seen the sunset The land, the sea, and the sky, The wagons creak and grumble and the
As the day drew to a close, Choose a place to call your home oxen strain and bawl,
Evening skies ablaze with brilliant To live, and toil, and die. But the men who drive the wagons never
Orange, purple, rose? And leave it a name, with honor and fame— speak at all, at all.
Give it the best you've got.
Have you ever smelled the tang of cedars But don't let them tell you the desert land Oh, you drivers going westward, listen to
And the stunted mountain pine? Is the place that God forgot. my long hello,
Have you stood entranced, and gazed with You'll never find the gold you seek, you
awe Live in the cities and towns if you will died too long ago,
At the far horizon line? And hobble your soul in a street; For I found a rotting wheel and a bit of
Or find you a piece of land to till chain and bone,
Have you searched for Yucca blossoms And plow the sod with your feet. Slightly south and east of Needles, so there's
Or the fragrant juniper? But give me the land of the cedar and sage, no use going on.
Have you seen the waxen cactus blooms The cactus, the sun and the sand.
And desert lilies rare? Let me dream in the peace of a still desert The cities you would build are already fall-
night ing down,
Have you seen the old deserted mines, And commune with the Great Master- Eldorado came and went leaving ghost town
With buildings gaunt and bare, Hand. after town.
And sensed the hopes and efforts So rest beside your whitened bones, forget
Of those who labored there? your westward vow,
This is the West I know and love The desert loves and holds its own, you'll
With its peace and majesty.
And its mighty silence throbbing 06,, never leave it now.
• • •
With the pulse of centuries. DUSK ON CAT CREEK
By TANYA SOUTH By MABEL L. COOPER
You may walk in mighty forests, San Diego 10, California Mack, Colorado
And hills in foliage dressed
But the peace of all the ages Oh dawn, oh dawn, come swiftly, The moon rides high in the twilight sky
Lies in the Desert West. while the night O'er the rim of the canyon wall,
Is softly shedding moonlight o'er the Its silver beams through the gray dusk
plains. streams
Within the inky shadows terror strains, And the night birds softly call.
DESERT IN BLOOM And all the world is clamoring for Coyotes croon to that shining moon,
light. And a chord within me rings;
By GRACE PARSONS HARMON As the rhythmic beat of my pony's feet
Los Angeles, California Too well we sense the dangers that Re-echoes the song it sings.
are near.
The desert in bloom 'neath a high, white sun, Where can we turn away from death The soft winds sigh as they pass me by;
Is gaudy and gay, with colors o'errun; and grief? And they carry a perfume sweet—
The desert in bloom when the sun is low, Oh help us, Lord, through love and Of the mesquite bush and the painted cup
Is rich with the warmth of the twilight glow: true belief That is bruised by my pony's feet.
To gain that light where is no longer The trail leads on and I lope along
But the desert in bloom, when a great moon fear. Unmindful of fret or care;
gleams, The moon climbs up to meet the dawn
Is a shrine for the desert-lover's dreams! And a new day, bright and fair.
26 THE DESERT MAGAZINE
Emigrant Flowers
That Never Fade
By MARY BEAL
everyone knows the vivid-hued garden
Cockscomb of the Amaranth family and its culti-
vated relatives Love-lies-bleeding and Prince's
Feather. In addition to these tropical, introduced species
of old-fashioned gardens, many of their kinfolk became
emigrants, and some of the most aggressive are now black-
listed as obnoxious weeds. In desert regions they have
colonized chiefly in cultivated areas, especially along
roadsides, garden borders and in waste places. The flowers
have the fadeless quality which their name Amaranth
means in Greek, and the herbage quite often is red-tinged.
Some of them are known as Pigweed, Chinaman's Greens,
Careless Weed, Red Root, or Beet Root. The typical
desert species is the Fringed Amaranth.
Amaranthus fimbriatus
The whole plant is colorful, the smooth herbage with
a purplish hue and the flower spikes lavender or rose-
colored. Several sparingly-branched or simple stems rise
from the base a foot or two high, the linear leaves
alternate, an inch or two long. The rather loose clusters
of tiny flowers are scattered along the stem, crowding
closer as they ascend to form a long terminal spike. The
fan-shaped sepals of the pistillate flowers are thick at the
base, the margin conspicuously fringed, while those of the
staminate flowers are oblong and acute. There is no cor- This commonest of the Amaranths lias the inelegant
olla, a family trait. This species grows in sandy and name of Rough Pigweed, but its fruit is welcome food
gravelly soils, particularly in washes of the Colorado and for birds and rodents. Beat photo.
Mojave deserts, Arizona, north into southern Nevada and
Utah, and south into Mexico, blooming from August to
December. seeds, food for birds and rodents, and grist for Indian
grinding stones. The plant was used medicinally by the
Amaranthus palmeri Indians as well as for food, especially to check hemor-
Another strictly desert species is Palmer's Amaranth, rhage.
a stout, erect, usually branched annual, 2 to 4 feet high, Tidestromia oblongifolia
entirely hairless or only slightly so. The broadly ovate Another genus of the family that follows different
leaves are 1 to 4 inches long, the petioles equal or twice habits of growth is Honey Sweet, also called Arizona
as long. The spreading, awl-shaped bracts of the pistillate Honey Sweet.
flowers are rigid and awn-tipped, much longer than the A white-wooly perennial with stems widely branching
flowers. Under the common names Quelite and Bledo it into low broad bushes 9 to 18 inches high and up to twice
is valued highly as greens in the young, tender stage of as broad. The roundish-ovate leaves are less than an
growth, especially by Mexicans and Indians. I've eaten inch long, the sweet-scented yellow flowers minute but
Quelite greens many times and agree with the explorers' often very profuse, crowded in axillary clusters, blooming
endorsement of its asparagus-like flavor, much tastier than in late summer and early fall. After the flowers are gone
many an ordinary dish of greens. It also makes good feed the plant is still attractive, the leaves and stems turning
for livestock, both for fresh grazing and dried for hay. lavender or red late in fall, a pleasing adornment to the
It ranges from the Mojave and Colorado deserts through sandy washes and flats they frequent in the Colorado and
southern Arizona to western Texas and central Mexico. Mojave deserts, Arizona and southern Nevada.
• • •
Amaranthus retroflexus Smoke Tree Will Blossom in June . . .
The most widespread Amaranth is commonly known While most of the annual flowers on desert levels below
as Rough Pigweed, found in all kinds of cultivated crops, 3000 feet will have completed their blooming season be-
gardens, orchards, waste places and roadsides. From the fore June, many of the perennials, especially on the higher
characteristic red or pink tap-root it sends up one to elevations, will be in color throughout the month.
several stout branching stems, 1 to 4 feet high. The herb- Smoke tree is the most conspicuous among the June
age is rough and more or less hairy, the oval, wavy- flowering shrubs on the lower levels. Its leafless branches
margined leaves 1 to 3 inches long, the veins prominent will be carrying heavy clusters of deep purple blossom
on the underside. The green papery flowers, subtended for two weeks in the early part of the month.
by 3 to 5 rigid, spiny-tipped bracts, are crowded into On the south rim of Grand canyon and on higher
spikes 1 to 4 inches long, these often disposed in stiff elevations around Death valley a wide variety of blossoms
erect panicles. The wrinkled, bladder-like fruit when ripe will greet those who have the opportunity to visit these
splits around the middle to scatter countless shiny black areas during the month.
JUNE, 1949 27
Las Cruces, New Mexico . . .
An extensive deposit of euxenite,
valuable element used in the atomic
bomb, is claimed by Bill Houser to
have been discovered eight miles north-
DeKa, Utah . . . Tonopah, Nevada . . . east of Las Cruces. Houser has been
Alta, Utah's first mining district and for 13 years a prospector operating
What many claim will be the greatest from the village of Organ. Houser says
for years one of the most active, may boon to Nevada mining and general
come back to life. In recent years a he found the mineral with a Geiger-
prosperity in many years is expected Mueller counter. He has samples of
rendezvous for ski enthusiasts, Alta at to follow discovery of a satisfactory
one time had all the romance and vio- the ore that back his claims. Houser
and economical method of treating said the deposit is in the White Sands
lence of an early-day mining camp. Nevada's immense deposits of zinc ox-
After the rich, near-the-surface de- Proving Grounds area, and that the ore
ide ore. At Henderson now the Basic contains uranium oxide and other rare
posits had been mined—with a report- Reduction company is preparing to
ed production record of $37,000,000 minerals.—Las Cruces Citizen.
treat 200 tons daily of zinc oxide ore, • • •
—Alta slipped into virtual oblivion. using facilities of the big state-owned
Recent renewed interest is the result of Basic-Magnesium plant. Since mining Tonopah, Nevada . . .
discovery of a new ore body near the began in the early boom days of the The Nevada Uranium Production
line of the famous old Cardiff and Comstock lode, a profitable method of company, first company in the state to
Columbus Rexall properties. From this treating zinc oxide ore has eluded launch a real development campaign
ore body 20 shipments have already chemists and metalurgists. After years on radium-bearing ore, has started a
been made, ore of a grade reminiscent of intensive work by the U.S. bureau winze from the tunnel level on the
of the boom days of Alta. The ore of mines at Henderson and men from Rainbow group of seven claims, op-
was reportedly found by the second the University of Nevada, a satisfactory tioned from the Henneberg brothers,
generation of a pioneer Alta family process for treating the oxide form of Round Mountain. The winze is located
after driving only about 10 feet of new zinc ore has been evolved, it is claimed. on ore at a point 225 feet from the
tunnel. The old tunnel had missed pay —Tonopah Times-Bonanza. tunnel portal. Inclination of the winze
dirt by this close margin.—Millard is 70 degrees, it is 8Vi by 5 feet in size,
County Chronicle. • • • outside the timbers. Manager W. J.
Goldfield. Nevada . . . Loring recently reported that 11 sam-
ples cut the entire length of the 352-
Nevada's lead production increased foot tunnel about 30 feet apart and
Morongo Valley, California . . . 32 percent in 1948, second highest in- cut from wall to wall, all showed
Reopening Joshua Tree Monument crease in the United States, according uranium. Five general grab samples
to active prospecting, on the same basis to Senator Pat McCarran. The senator taken from muck also showed uranium
that mining is permitted in Death Val- quoted from a report compiled by the in satisfactory amounts, he said. There
ley, a similarly classified National U. S. bureau of mines, said Nevada's was not a blank in the lot. This despite
Monument, is being supported by the total production was 9480 tons, ap- the fact the average underground
Western Mining Council, Inc., which proximately half of which came from depth is not more than 40 feet.—
held its annual desert area meeting re- mines in the Pioche district.—Gold- Tonopah Times-Bonanza.
cently. Those who argue that the field News.
Monument should be reopened for • • • • • •
mining say mines now operating are Round Mountain, Nevada . . .
producing tonnage quantities of good Esmeralda County, Nevada . . . Originally located and held for their
gold, lead and silver ore, even under W. B. Naismith of Tonopah has possible gold content, an option has
present difficult limitations and restric- been granted a permit by the .Esmer- been taken on the Zuzzalo gold claims
tions. It is claimed that if mining is alda board of county commissioners to at Round Mountain following discov-
resumed on the basis permitted in prospect four claims in the Divide dis- ery of a vein carrying good percent-
Death Valley, results will be favorable trict known as the Belcher 1, 2, 3 and ages in uranium. The Zuzzalo prop-
so far as tourist interest and conserva- Fraction. The same property was in the erty is located not far from the Henne-
tion of scenic qualities are concerned. news a few months ago when the Bent- berg ground, where the Nevada Ra-
—Banning Record. Peatman company of San Francisco dium Production company is actively
made overtures to purchase it, no deal developing a group of seven claims.
was closed.—Goldfield News. Both these properties were originally
White Canyon, Utah . . . • • • tied up for their gold, establishment
Construction of a pilot mill in White Pioche, Nevada . . . of the uranium vein came largely
canyon, across the Colorado river from Installation of complete mining through accident years after the origi-
Hite, is being rushed by Vanadium equipment is in progress at the Gold nal notices had been posted. Claims
Corporation of America with the aim Seam mine located in the Divide dis- are being staked all over the Round
of processing ores having as little as trict, Esmeralda county, where work Mountain area, all based on a potential
one-twentieth of one per cent uranium, was halted last December by unusually uranium value. — Tonopah Times-
and especially designed to handle ore severe winter weather. Exploratory Bonanza.
having a copper content. Most of the work was resumed earlier this spring. • • •
carnotite ores of the White canyon The company has uncovered several Discovery of one of the richest lead-
area contain copper as well as uranium "good showings," according to Charles ore deposits on the continent on the
and vanadium. Prospectors are now Mayer, Las Vegas, manager, plans lonely shores of an arctic harbor has
working some 50 claims in the area. now to sink to the 200-foot level from been reported by the Edmonton, Alas-
Initial operations at the mill call for where lateral operations will be started. ka, Bulletin. In a copyright article the
processing 40 tons of ore dailv. Ca- Optimistic about possibilities of the Bulletin said the Gateway Gold Lim-
pacity will be expanded to 200 tons property, Mayer said he hopes ship- ited reported staking out a multi-mil-
daily if operations prove successful.— ments of ore can be made by early lion dollar claim at Detention harbor,
Moab Times-Independent. summer.—Pioche Record- Coronation gulf.
JUNE, 1949 29
Story of Arizona's "Wild Angoras" Relic of the Jesuit Days? . . .
Cottonwood, Arizona Willcox, Arizona
Desert:
Desert: Re-reading your issue of March,
Some time ago I received your Janu- 1947, I believe John D. Mitchell's
ary issue and was much interested in story "Bells of Old Guevevi" has fur-
the picture on the cover. It touched a nished a clue to the identity of a
For the Sake of Accuracy . . . tender spot in my heart, for as a child strange artifact found by my friend
Albany, California I herded a large band of those so-called Bonnie Wiprud in 1932.
Desert: "Arizona wild goats" and in just such Bonnie is an amateur collector of
On page 7 of the April 1949 issue, a rocky country as you pictured. Indian artifacts, and the bowl shown
specimen No. 4 in the illustration is I did not do it of necessity, but be- in the picture I am enclosing, was
labeled, "(4) Aragonite (Uraniferous cause I loved the freedom of the out- found on the desert south of Tucson
calcite. . . . )". doors— the majesty of the Arizona near the Tumacacori mission.
Aragonite is related to calcite only mountains. And because Angora goats
in that they have the same chemical are interesting creatures. They were a
composition. They are distinct mineral constant challenge—and from them I
species, calcite crystallizing in the learned something of mountain climb-
rhombohedral division of the hexag- ing.
onal system and aragonite in the ortho- The purpose of this letter is to give
rhombic system. Dana states (Dana, you a little of the history of this goat
E. S., A Textbook of Mineralogy. 4th and its ancestors.
edition, 1932, p. 511): "The Anhy- Ten or 12 years ago my husband's
drous Carbonates include two distinct stepfather, J. F. Dean of Phoenix, had
isomorphous groups, the Calcite group 5000 acres of the White Tanks moun-
and the Aragonite group." tains and foothills under lease. He ac-
As the title of the illustration was quired a small band of Angoras to run
printed it would seem that aragonite this range. He established a small camp
is the uraniferous variety of calcite; near the base of the mountains, and
whereas, the title should have read: got a Mexican herder to take over.
"uraniferous aragonite" or "uranifer- The goat business was doing well
ous calcite" whichever the case may when the herder decided one evening
be. It can not be both. to go to town, and due to temptations
MORT D. TURNER stronger than his will, he failed to re- This bowl is AV* inches high, and
turn to camp on schedule. Some of the has a base 4Vi inches in diameter. It
goats took advantage of his absence, weighs 10 pounds. The thickness of
and left for higher ground. the metal is uneven. The roughness on
Botanical Freak . . . After several similar occurrences the bottom was caused by an assayer
Blythe, California most of the goats had migrated to who at first thought it was pure gold.
Desert: greener pastures. I think we ate the More careful examination proved it to
remaining few. be an alloy of gold, silver and copper.
Attached is a print of a curiosity I It is hand-turned with no markings
thought might interest your readers— The goats gradually climbed into except five little dots that may have
a young saguaro cactus growing in the the mountains, and the last we heard symbolic significance.
crotch of an ironwood tree. It was dis- of them they were located in a remote Bonnie took the bowl to the Arizona
covered recently by J. Davenport of canyon near a good spring. We never state university museum, also to sev-
Blythe, and the man in the picture is bothered to go after them, but were eral collectors,
Walter Paselk, mine owner operating told that hunters had shot a few of identified. Noneinrecognized
an effort to have it
the metal,
near the place where the freak was them for sport. nor did they have any similar objects.
found. I was very fond of these goats. They John Mitchell's story told of the
The location is in the Trigo moun- are beautiful creatures and in the sun- heavy black silver-copper ore the
tains 22 miles southeast of Blythe. light their fleece glistens like silver. Jesuits used in 1691 to make articles
R. D. BRAMAN Also, they are very intelligent animals. for the church altars. After having
The goat on the cover of the maga- supplied the needs of the mission altars
zine is a young nanny, and from the they turned their attention to the
appearance of her fleece these goats fashioning of cups, plates and bowls
have fared well in the wild, despite for household use, using the same
the drouth. heavy metal.
The bowl shows no signs of having
Who knows but that if these animals been used. It has the appearance of
are given the opportunity they may be- copper—copper that has been dulled
come one of our protected game ani- by time, and yet lacking the reddish
mals? They will survive where cattle cast that modern copper articles ac-
cannot. Surely these creatures of the quire when tarnished.
high and rocky fastnesses are entitled We believe this bowl may well have
to their freedom. They've battled storm been left by the Jesuits when they
and drouth and predator — and even were recalled by King Charles of
man's misconceived idea of sport. I Spain in 1767. It certainly is not of
say, "Long may they range!" modern origin.
MRS. T. J. WILLIAMS GRACE B. SMITH
30 THE DESERT MAGAZINE
Mystery of Keyhole Canyon . . .
Boulder City, Nevada
Desert:
One lovely day in February, 1949,
a member of our Clark county gem
collectors' group suggested that we
take a trip to Keyhole canyon to see
the petroglyphs and look for garnets
he thought were there.
The hills here are of red rock, and
at one place an overhanging block of
stone had fallen down, leaving a cavity
in the pile of talus at the base. Out of
curiosity I crawled under the pile and
began scratching around in the sand
with my pick.
My first discovery was the feet and
legs shown in the left corner of the
accompanying picture. At first I
thought it might be a piece of obsidian,
but when I had cleaned the sand off
and saw what I had I let out a yell.
The rest of the gang came running—^
and in all my rockhounding I have
never seen sand fly so fast.
It was difficult work in the little 7x15 These are the artifacts described in Paul Mercer's letter. When and why
foot cave, and none of us could stand they were buried in Keyhole canyon in southern Nevada remains a mystery.
up, but as piece after piece was un-
earthed the excitement grew. And here
is a description of what we found— mouth and nose have holes for water mold the pieces. What do you think
the artifacts shown in the photograph: to run from, leaving the impression it of them?
The white face is carved on very was part of a fountain. PAUL MERCER
porous pumice. The two pottery jugs I never hope to make another find Dear Paul: We submitted your
are a tan clay covered with a black as exciting as this one. There is more photograph and letter to M. R.
glaze. The decorations were made mystery attached to these things due Harrington, curator at Southwest
separately and fitted on after the jug to the fact they appear both Aztec and museum. His comment was as fol-
was shaped. These decorations are Mayan. And how did they .ever get lows: "All appear to be fakes ex-
most interesting as they consist of eagle under the rocks at Keyhole canyon? cept the stone statue to the right,
heads, tiny dolls with mummy sort of Did the Spanish come up the Colorado which may well be genuine. The
wrappings, and frogs ready to hop. river bringing with them the Aztecs as other articles look to be tourist
slaves, and the slaves carried these goods made in Mexico, not recent-
The large idol is carved from basalt things as part of their worship? Are ly, but in the 1890's. Many of
—whatever the hands were holding is these things genuine—or are they fakes such had a tin base. In fact I have
missing. It is about 22 inches tall and placed there near the petroglyphs for seen statuettes of that period made
heavy as lead. The pot-belly figure at someone to find just for the fun of it? in the same technique as the two
left is a pitcher—handle missing. Right They have been there a long time, be- disks shown in the photograph,
below it is a face with elaborate head cause the sand was packed inside the and modelled on old rectangular
dress, and I think it is a part of the jars so tightly we had a time getting it tin oyster cans. I am not sure that
statue belonging to the knees and feet out. The nose on the face of the water all the fakes are of the same early
—but I never could find the stomach. jug shows that at some time a fire had vintage, but they look to be in the
The two round plaques are the silli- been built over it and the nose was picture. It certainly seems strange
est of all, as they seem to have been burned. All objects were buried in this that such things should be 'plant-
made by squirting a silica clay through protected spot beneath sand two to ed' in that remote spot."—R.H.
a cake decorator. The clay glistens. The three feet deep. Keyhole canyon is not • • •
black around the edges is obsidian as a place many people see. It is way off
the highway with practically no road The Spelling Is Optional . . .
are the eyes. But most amazing of all, El Centro, California
they were made on metal discs, parts of to it.
which resemble buck-shot welded to- Desert:
gether. The center piece is definitely an We have never had these things ap- In the May issue of Desert Maga-
Aztec calendar, as I bought one of the praised by anyone who would know zine you use the word "sherd" in re-
exact size in Mexico City last fall, whether they are genuine or not. In ferring to broken pieces of pottery. I
which was made of travertine. fact we don't care. If they were Wool- find it spelled "shard" in my books.
worth's specials it was fun to find them. O. M. CHEESEMAN
Not shown in the picture is a water I made a trip to Mexico especially to Webster's Unabridged, 1949,
jug about 30 inches tall that I dug up see the pieces in the National museum, gives three forms for the word—
out of the roots of an old mesquite and found ours are very similar. At shard, sheard and sherd, but indi-
bush. The water jug and basalt idol the pyramids is sold a lot of junk made cates a preference for shard. How-
were not under the rocks. The water for tourist trade, but the clay and ever, Southwest Museum and
jug has a human head (life size) that glaze cannot compare. Our pieces are many other authorities prefer
protrudes in its entirety from the jar. handmade as we can place our fingers sherd. Either spelling is correct.—
Part of a headdress is on it, and the in spots the makers used to hold and R. H.
JUNE, 1949 31
tended three high schools and four as editor and publisher of the border
colleges, finally receiving his bachelor newspaper 6V2 years, then moved to
DESERT of arts degree from Willamette Uni- El Centro, California, to become edi-
versity at Salem, Oregon. tor-publisher of the Imperial Valley
CLOSE-OPS He took a year of post-graduate Weekly and manager of El Centro
work in the school of journalism at Printing company.
the University of Southern California, For years Haworth has been recog-
Addison N. Clark who has written and then came to Calexico for his first nized as one of the most promising
about the possibilities of placer mining newspaper job on the staff of the daily young journalists of the desert country,
in the desert bajadas for this issue of Chronicle, then edited by Randall and he brings to the Desert Magazine
Desert Magazine is a consulting engi- Henderson. staff not only a thorough training in
neer and geologist of Oakland, Cali- First as reporter and later as city desert journalism, but a fine record
fornia. His work has given him an inti- editor he remained four years on the for integrity and public service, having
mate acquaintance with both the min- Chronicle, and then left to set up a served as president of the Calexico
ing properties and the geology of the public relations and advertising depart- Rotary club.
western country, and out of this ex- ment for the Imperial Irrigation dis- Dorothy, the other half of the Ha-
perience he contributes regularly to trict. worth team, has been closely associ-
mining papers. For the last 14 years In 1941 he and Tazewell H. Lamb, ated with her husband in his news-
he has written a column for the Min- another former Chronicle associate, paper enterprises. They have a 13-
ing Journal and the Mining World bought the newspaper from Henderson year-old son, and expect soon to ac-
with which it merged in 1946. And who in the meantime had launched quire a permanent home in the Palm
just to prove that a mining man doesn't Desert Magazine. Haworth remained Desert community.
necessarily have a one-track mind, he
occasionally produces very readable
poetry.
TOcutfo
Residents of the Imperial and Coa-
chella valleys in Southern California
will be amused and amazed to learn . . . Prize Contest Announcement
through this issue of Desert Magazine
that serious consideration was given June is the month of Desert Magazine's annual cover contest. This
in the 1870's to a proposal that this year, the staff hopes to obtain many of the photographs which will be
entire area be converted into a great
inland sea, by diversion of the waters used on the magazine during the ensuing 12 months. To make the
of the Colorado river. contest worthwhile for photographers, a cash prize of $15.00 is offered
David Hellyer came across this to the winner, and $10.00 for second place. For acceptable cover
strange proposal while delving through pictures which do not receive prizes, $5.00 each will be paid.
the files of newspapers of that period.
Hellyer is professor of journalism at
San Diego State college, but finds time Entries in the cover contest should be approximately 9x12 inches—
to do a great deal of free lance writing vertical shots. Photographers should keep in mind that the pictures
outside of his classroom schedule. should be so composed that the masthead to be printed across the
His feature stories have appeared in top will not block out any important feature of the photograph. Any
Saturday Evening Post, Coronet, The
Woman, American Home, National desert subject is acceptable including scenics, wildlife, rock formations,
Geographic and many smaller publica- flowers, etc.
tions.
His hobby is fishing, and he espe- HERE ARE THE RULES
cially enjoys goggle fishing at La Jolla,
California. He and Mrs. Hellyer and 1—Prints must be black and white verticals, about 9x12 or larger, printed
on glossy paper.
their three children live in "wonderful 2—All prints must be in the Desert Magazine office by June 20, 1949.
seclusion on a citrus ranch in Rancho 3—Each photograph should be labeled as to subject, time arid place.
Santa Fe, surrounded by quiet, coyotes 4—PRINTS WILL BE RETURNED ONLY WHEN RETURN POSTAGE IS
and eucalyptus trees from Australia." ENCLOSED.
5—Contest is open to both amateur and professional photographers. Desert
Magazine requires first publication rights only of pictures accepted.
Al Haworth, who became editorial 6—Time and place of picture are immaterial except that they must be from
associate on the staff of Desert Maga- the desert Southwest.
zine April 1, makes no claim to being 7—Desert Magazine's editorial staff will serve as judges, and awards will
an old-timer on the desert, and yet his be made immediately after the contest.
journalistic career dates back to the
days before air coolers were an essen- ADDRESS ALL ENTRIES TO PHOTO EDITOR, DESERT MAGAZINE
tial part of the equipment in every
desert home and office.
Al was born and raised in Cuba
where his parents were Quaker mis-
sionaries. By the time he was ready for
high school his father had been as- Palm Desert. California
signed to a pastorate in United States,
and during the ensuing years he at-
32 THE DESERT MAGAZINE
YOU WILL BE PLEASED
With the service and quality of goods
you will receive by ordering from the
o*t Heart of the Navajo Country.
Navajo Rugs and Saddle Blankets
Genuine Handmade Silver Jewelry
ARIZONA It's "Navaho". Not "Navajo" . . . Set With Turquoise
Petrified Wood and Agate Settings— '
Desert Protects Its Own . . . If a plea of the tribal council's ad- Made by Indians
Twenty-nine years ago Felix Buba visory committee is heeded, the Navajo Write Me for Prices and Descriptions
left the Cholla placers near Quartzsite Indians will hereafter be called "Nava- E. P. WOODS
on what he thought would be a short hos." Supt. James M. Stewart of the Navajo Blankets - Indian Handicraft
trip to the American river placers in "Navaho" Indian agency has relayed Wholesale Distributor
California. Before he left his camp in that request. "Members of the com- FARMINGTON, NEW MEXICO
the Chollas, he buried his tools, acids, mittee said they were sick of the Nava-
blasting, powder, caps, fuse, other ar- jos being called 'Joes,' and they want
ticles—and two bottles of placer gold. to be called 'Navahos'," Stewart ex-
Recently Felix returned for the first plained. "Further, they want it spelled
time since 1920, "just out of curiosity" like an American would spell it, not
went to the Chollas to see if anyone the way the Spaniards spelled it."—
had disturbed his cache. No one had, Coconino Sun.
he found everything intact, including
the two bottles of gold.—Yuma Daily
Sun.
Irrigated Land for Hopis . . .
Hf Jitter- Zribal
May Get More Funds . . .
Approximately 75,000 acres of land
will be open to re-settlement by Indian
families from other reservations when
Indian Ceremonial
Total recommended in the interior August 1 1 - 1 4 , 1949
department's appropriations bill, ap- the land subjugation and irrigation
proved by the house appropriations program at the Colorado River Indian GALLUP. NEW MEXICO
committee, for the Bureau of Indian reservation in Parker valley is com-
Affairs, is $32,127,971, an increase of pleted, according to long-range plans "America's Greatest
$7,817,657 over the last appropriation. of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Al-
Besides a special Navajo-Hopi fund ready 36 Hopi Indian families have Indian Presentation"
of $8,000,000, the bill includes $12,- been relocated there and more Hopis
200,000 for education of Indians; $7,- are expected to be moved there before Write for Folder
731,000 for health work; $500,000 year's end. This is in the southern divi-
for welfare work; $1,000,000 for man- sion. In the northern region there will M. L. WOODARD, Secretary
agement of forest and range resources; be 25,000 acres reserved for present
$2,400,000 for a revolving loan fund; tribes which live on the reservation.
$3,575,851 for construction of irriga- Total acreage of the reservation is
tion systems; $4,206,600 for construc- 242,711, of which 20,621 acres are
tion and repair of buildings and utili- in California, remainder in Arizona.—
ties; $2,750,000 for roads. Yuma Daily Sun.
• • •
Old West Crime Problem . . .
Irked by frequent loss of cattle from
their herds, the Mojave Livestock asso-
ciation has decided to take steps to see
PERSONALIZED AIR TOURS
that cattle rustlers are punished to the
full extent of the law. The association
has voted to offer a $500 reward for to any or all the following Passengers may book
information leading to the arrest and flights from any of the
conviction of anyone caught stealing scenic wonders: following points:
cattle belonging to association mem-
bers.—Mohave County Miner. Chaco Canyon, New Mexico
Monument Valley, Utah
Canyon de Chelly, Arizona World's Largest Cliff Dwelling
Zuni Indian Pueblo, New Mexico
Marble Canyon, Arizona
DESERT HOfliESITES Grand Canyon, Arizona
Inscription Rock, New Mexico
Fine water, excellent drainage, surfaced
Moro National Monument
streets, electricity, natural gas, telephones, Flights pass over Rainbow Bridge, Utah; Painted Desert, Arizona, and
new school under construction—-an ideal Petrified Forest, Arizona
location where you can enjoy all today's
conveniences in the clean atmosphere of a All Flights Arranged for the Convenience of Our Passengers
well-planned desert community. Write for Rates and Free Folder
Lots range from $950. Write for informa-
tion. Thutiderbird Aviation Co.
PALM DESERT CORPORATION Municipal Airport Gallup, New Mexico
Palm Desert. California Special courtesies to amateur and professional photographers
JUNE, 1949 33
CALIFORNIA
Historic Spots May Be Marked . . .
THE D6S6RT TRADING POST
Classified Advertising in This Section Costs 8c a word, $1.00 Minimum Per Issue
Working through the California
Centennials commission, the Coa-
chella Valley Pioneers society is seek-
ing to have plaques placed at historical
spots throughout Coachella valley
INDIAN GOODS MISCELLANEOUS commemorating the days before man
AUTHENTIC INDIAN Music Recordings, Plains SILVERY DESERT HOLLY PLANTS. One dollar
and Southwestern tribes. Fine for collectors each postpaid. Greasewood Greenhouses, RFD, had partially broken the desert's hold
and anthropologists. Made in the field with Barstow, California. on this now cultivated area. On the
natural surroundings. Send three cent stamp
for complete list. Russell C. Mosby, 510 W. POCKET MAGNET with clip. Guaranteed. list of historical spots to be marked
Oklahoma Ave., Anadarko, Oklahoma. Prospectors, Engineers send dollar bill to
King's, Gallatin Gateway, Montana. are Dos Palmas stage station and
FOR SALE—Collection of old Indian things, PALM SPRINGS VILLAGER — the monthly spring, Indians Wells, Shavers Well,
some with real scalp locks. Also five hundred magazine that reflects in picture and story,
Kachina dollars, one or all. One dollar up. life in a great desert vacation land. Single first commercial date grove, first date
Daniels Indian Trading Post, 401 West Foot- copies 45c, a year, 10 issues, $3.50. Palm palm, site of the old salt works on
hill Blvd., Fontana, California. Springs Villager, Palm Springs, California.
banks of the Salton sea, Whitewater
FOUR VERY FINE ancient Indian Arrowheads, GOLD! YOU CAN PAN GOLD — It's easy! ranch and the Bradshaw stage route.—
$1.00; 4 tiny perfect bird arrowheads, $1.00; Healthy, profitable occupation or hobby. Send
1 ancient stone tomahawk, $1.00; 2 flint skin- for big, illustrated book, "Gold Panning for Coachella Desert Barnacle.
ning knives, $1.00; 1 large flint hoe, $1.00; 2 Profit"—$1.00. Want some of my genuine
spearheads, $1.00; 10 arrowheads from 10 California gold? One beautiful nugget, $1.00.
states, $1.00; 20 damaged arrowheads, $1.00; Four nuggets, $2.00. Other wonderful speci- • • •
10 fish sealers, $1.00; 10 hide scrapers, $1.00; men gold nuggets, $5 and $10 each. Desert
4 perfect saw edged arrowheads, $1.00. The Jim, 627 Lillian, Stockton, California. Kept Alive by Barrel Cactus . . .
above 11 offers $10, postpaid. List free.
Lears, Kirby, Arkansas. PALM SPRINGS Annual Pictorial. Beautiful Lost more than three days on the
desert pictures. On desert newsstands 35c, desert in the Wingate Pass country
by mail 45c. Villager Magazine, Palm Springs,
WE STILL HAVE a lot of our $8000.00 collec- California. near Trona, California, Joseph J. Mar-
tion of Indian material for sale as advertised
in March Desert Magazine. H. A. McHenry, KODACHROMES ON APPROVAL. Did it rain on
your vacation? No pictures? Try ours, keep
cure, 38, said he was kept alive by
1282 Summit Ave., Pasadena 3, California. only those you like. Yellowstone, Petrified water of barrel cacti. He was rescued
Phone Sycamore 4-3920. Forest, Grand Canyon, Olympics, Oak Creek
Canyon, Zion, Bryee, New Mexico, Lassen, following a search by men in planes,
Banff. Scenes, wild life, Indians. Just name
the area desired and we will send selection.
jeeps, on horses and on foot. With
BOOKS—MAGAZINES Douglas Whiteside, Yosemite, California. Vance D. Danford, 35, Marcure was
BOOK OF CACTI for the amateur collector. PANNING GOLD — Another hobby for Rock- stranded when the fan of the car they
Describes and classifies over 500 varieties,
over 200 photographs. Subjects on care, their
hounds and Desert Roamers. Know how to
pan gold, where to look for it and be able to
were driving broke loose and punched
culture, how to plant in rock gardens and recognize valuable quartz ledges. The places a hole in the radiator. Danford walked
pots. Sent postpaid $1.00. Discount to dealers. you go are where rich virgin ground is found. for a day and a half to reach Trona,
Published by M. Nowotny, 1401 Broadway, Two instruction booklets 25c or send your
San Antonio, Texas. name for free literature and catalogue of but Marcure became ill and could not
mining books and supplies for beginners.
1943 and earlier issues of Arizona Highways to Old Prospector, Box 21-B246, Dutch Flat, continue. When Danford returned with
California.
trade for 1940 and earlier issues same maga-
zine. Del Gerbaz, Box 323A, Rt. 2,, Meander-
help, Marcure had wandered from the
ing Rd., Fort Worth, Texas. CACTI AND SUCCULENTS—From the deserts appointed place and it was two days
of the world. Don-Rita brand. By appointment
OUTDOOR RAMBLER—An outdoor publication only. Write us your needs and we will try to before he was located.—Trona, Cali-
help you. Michael Donnelly Cacti Gardens, 334 fornia, Argonaut.
that's different. Two years, $1.00; 60c year; Lowell St., Daly City, California.
10c copy. Outdoor Rambler, Box 884, lone,
California. • • •
LEARN the profitable jewelry and goldsmithing Anti-Tram Move Killed . . .
URANIUM PROSPECTOR'S Handbook, $1.00; trade at home. Simplified course teaches
non-technical, complete, Dept. T., Craft- jewelry designing, manufacture and repairing;
Connor Publishing Co., 601 S. Vermont, Los gemsetting, etc. Gemcrafters, Dept. F., Kalis- Killed in committee by the Cali-
Angeles 5, California. pell, Montana. fornia State Assembly committee on
BOOKFINDERS—Scarce, out of print, unusual FRED AND JESSIE PORTER welcome you to governmental efficiency and economy,
books quickly supplied. Send wants. Clifton, the "Pow-Wow" Trading Post, Yermo, 14 a bill to abolish the Mount San Ja-
Box 1377d, Beverly Hills, California. miles east of Barstow, Highway 91. Rocks!
Rocks! Rocks! Rocks in the rough, slabbed,
preforms and cabochons. Fluorescent and rare
cinto Winter Park Authority has
specimens. Caledonite, Linerite, Benitoite, failed to accomplish its purpose. The
DESERT CRAFTS Neptunite and many others. See your own
cut. Gifts and Souvenirs. measure would have repealed an act
DESERT SAND-ART: Fascinating modern ver-
KARAKULS—Producers of Persian Lamb fur
passed in 1945 authorizing a tramway
sion of. ancient Indian art. Marvelous new from Chino canyon near Palm Springs,
method enables anyone to make beautiful are easy to raise, adaptable to any climate
paintings! Desert Sand-Art kit (beautifully or altitude. For further information write to top of Mount San Jacinto. Support-
boxed, colorfully decorated in the desert Addis Kelley, 4637 E. 52nd Place, May wood,
manner) comes complete with all materials California. ers of the bill to kill the tramway act
necessary to make seven beautiful permanent said construction of the tramway will
paintings in vibrant colored sands. Famous WHOLESALE LOTS, Cactus, Resurrection
artist originated these designs for your seven Plants, Boxed Cactus. Aztec Cactus Co., P.O. destroy one of the few remaining
paintings (5y.i"x7%"). Simple and easy to do! Box 833, Presidio, Texas.
No art training necessary. Guaranteed. Com-
plete kit only $6.95 postpaid. Desert Sand-Art
primitive areas in the state. When
COLOR SLIDES—Travel, Nature, Geology, etc.
Studio, Hondo, California. Free list (with sample 30c, three for dollar). built, the tramway will take passengers
Kelly D. Choda, Box 5, Los Alamos, New from floor of the desert to 8000-foot
Mexico.
mountain greenery in a matter of min-
REAL ESTATE METEORITES WANTED, iron or stone, highest
prices. Stuart Perry, Adrian, Michigan. utes. The area it will reach is now vir-
FIVE ACRE DATE GARDEN. Full price $7500.
WILL SELL one half interest in good gold,
tually inaccessible.—Banning Record.
Owner will buy crop for $2000.00. 60 acres
rolling sand dunes between Palm Springs and silver and lead claims to dependable person. • • •
Indio, $3750.00. Write Ronald L. Johnson, Partly developed. Assays are good. No triflers
Realtor, Thermal, California. need apply. P.O. Box 88, El Mirage, Arizona. Apple Valley Gets Postoffice . . .
DESERT LOTS: $99.00. Magnificent view. Only PHOTOSTAMPS DOLLAR HUNDRED l"xiy 2 ", In true pony express fashion, 10
six left at this price, ten at $129.00 and twelve person, products. Send print, free samples.
at $179.00. All 50x135, water, electricity. Sold Photostamps Studios, Jonesboro 271, Tennessee riders on fast horses carried the mail
in pairs only. 1 Vz blocks off main Hiway.
Clear Title. $25.00 down, $10.00 monthly per U.S. ARMY (SCR-625) Mine Detectors, for buried from Victorville to Apple Valley, Cali-
lot. Address: Evelyn Subdivision, Superstition metals and metallic ores only. Very sensitive, fornia, to inaugurate in colorful style
Village, Mesa, Arizona. deep range, complete with case F.O.B. $52.50.
Kenneth Mayhall, Belmont, Mississippi. the first Apple Valley postomce. Rac-
SHADOW MOUNTAIN DRIVE Apartment COLOR SLIDES of Fluorescent Minerals for ing along Joshua-lined highway 18,
Homes: Single $7550—Double $8550, including your collection, study and identification. A the riders made the IV2 miles in 22
electric range, refrigerator, heaters and cool- complete set of 30 Kodachrome slides glowing
er. The last word in a Desert Home at mini-
mum expense. Carl Henderson, Box 201, Palm
with fiery brilliance including explanatory
text $15.00 postpaid. Frank Knaus, 2113 Park-
minutes, handing first bag of mail to
Desert, California. side Ave., Los Angeles 31, California. Postmaster Emaline "Dutchy" Korba.
JUNE, 1 9 4 9 35
with its rock formations, Indian pueb- More Money for Navajo-Hopi . . . Bombing Range Opposed . . .
los and Red Buttes to be seen from the Nearly $3,000,000 more than was The proposed purchase of land by
highway. "But there is no turn-off, no allowed last year has been recommend- the government for a bombing range
short detour which gets the people ed by the house appropriations com- is to be strongly opposed by New
back into the country," Bursey said. mittee for the Navajo-Hopi Indian Mexico ranchers involved, it was voted
He advocates a loop road from Manu- service. Total recommended appropri- unanimously at a special meeting in
elito into the Valley of the Great ation, $8,000,000. At the same time advance of the 35th annual convention
Ruins, to provide access to sites of the committee wrote into the interior of the New Mexico Cattle Growers
many ruins in the area and circle back department money bill a prohibition association. Big reason for the oppo-
to highway 66 in front of the red cliffs effective July 1 against use of any Na- sition is that in many instances prices
at Lupton.—Gallup Independent. vajo-Hopi welfare funds for payment paid to dispossessed ranchers are said
of social security benefits. Funds ap- to be too low. Much of the land in-
proved for the Navajo-Hopi service volved is public domain, owned by the
YOU CAM VISIT include $5,000,000 for industrial, government and leased to ranchers un-
PALM SPRINGS agricultural, educational, health, wel- der the Taylor Grazing act. Govern-
fare and employment services, $3,000,- ment appraisers are allowed to offer
— through the pages of The Villager. 000 for construction work.—Gallup only a small amount for improvements
Pictures of life in the
famous desert resort — Independent. placed on the public domain, and a
informative articles. small amount for the grazing privileges
Sample copy, 45c the rancher would lose.—Alamogordo
News.
A Year, $3.50 Kit Carson Memorial . . . • • •
VILLAGER MAGAZINE The New Mexico state legislature Indians Want Citizenship . . .
465 No. Palm Canyon has allocated $10,000 and designated An Indian plan for his destiny as an
Palm Springs, Calif. the Kit Carson cemetery as a state American
memorial park.—Taos El Crepusculo. ment ward citizen instead of a govern-
has come out of the South-
west Indian conference recently con-
cluded at Phoenix, Arizona. Comment-
COUNTY MAPS ing on the long-range program, Robert
L. Bennett, conference chairman, said:
For Schools, Hunters, Fishermen, Public Offices, and Travelers
CALIF.: with Twnshp., Rng., Sec, Mines, Roads, Trails, Streams, Lakes, R. R., Schools,
Rngr. Sta., Elev., Nat. Forest, Pwr. Lines, Canals, Boundaries, etc.
"This is not the end of the trail, but
Sizes: 20x30 to 73x100 Inches
the dawning of a new day in which the
Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Indian people will be just plain Ameri-
Glenn, Kings, Lake, Marin, Mariposa, Merced, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sacramento, San cans—free citizens with the blessings
Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Solano,
Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Ventura, Yolo, Yuba—each SI. of life, liberty and the pursuit of hap-
Tuolumne, Santa Barbara, Plumas, Pla- Fresno, Kern, Riverside—$2.50 - $5. piness." The plan calls for the govern-
cer, Modoc, Madera—-S1.50.
Tulare, Tehama, Imperial—each $2.
L o s Angeles—$1 and S3. ment first to bring the Indian up to
San Diego, Mendocino, Humboldt— Siskiyou—$2 and S4. comparable standards of the white
$2.50. Inyo County, $15; E or WVi $".50; San man, then to return to tribal corpora-
Trinity, Shasta, Mono, San Luis Obispo, Bernardino, 73x110, $15; No. or So. Vi tions full control of the Indian's land
Monterey, Lassen—$3. $7.50; NW., SW., NE., or SEVi, $3.75.
Also Oregon, Idaho and Washington County Maps and resources. States in which reserva-
tions are located would participate in
WORLD'S MINERALS 2417 San Pablo Avenue — TEmplebar 2-3870
OAKLAND 12, CALIFORNIA
SYcamore 3-8133
3464 E. Foothill Blvd.. Pasadena 8, California
RYan 1-6329 ATlantic 2-5104
DESERT CRAFTS SHOP
Palm Desert, California
JUNE, 1 949 37
NEVADA will carry the gypsum from crushing
NEW FOLDER READY plant in the quarry to processing plant
NOW it's LUCERNE VALLEY, high desert Stock Brands to be Listed . . .
community—center of interesting deposits, near at the mill. The extensive building pro-
mountains, lakes, fishing, winter sports. Here History and description of livestock
are all-year homesites, egg ranches, alfalfa
brands, an ever-fascinating topic, is to . gram, including housing for personnel,
fields with back drop of majestic peaks. WRITE
today for new folder with picture-map, free. be the subject of a book contemplated is expected to be completed, the plant
ADDRESS Chamber of Commerce in operation by year's end.—Winne-
LUCERNE VALLEY, San Bernardino Co., Calif. by Velma S. Truett, researcher now in
Ely delving into musty files of the mucca Humboldt Star.
county recorder's office. Formerly of • • •
UTAH PICTURE STONE Elko and now business manager for Archer Kills Huge Lion . . .
the firm of Gehrett-Truett-Hall, book Two arrows from a bow in the hands
publishers of Los Angeles, Miss Truett of Walter Kennison killed a huge 200-
said the book will be the first of its pound mountain lion near Pioche,
kind for the cattle industry. It will con- Eagle valley, recently. After the big cat
tain each cattle and horse brand of had been treed by Bud Hines' famous
which records can be found. These lion dogs, Kennison and Sheriff Fogli-
records go back to 1873 in county ani were summoned from Pioche to do
files, prior to that cattlemen announced two kinds of shooting—motion picture
their brands through publication in and bow and arrow.
newspapers. The book will deal only Kennison sank two arrows in the
with Nevada.—Ely Record. animal's body, angry strokes of a
lightning paw immediately broke off
The Most Beautiful Stone on Earth both shafts before the cat jumped out
— for — of the tree to make a final dash to
Fireplace Veneer and Hearths New Desert Gypsum Plant . . . safety. He was treed again by the dogs,
Conceded so by all who have seen a A new plant with capacity equal to made it to top of the tree where he
Fireplace job done with this Stone. the company's plant at Plaster City, posed against the skyline briefly before
Send dimensions for estimate. California, on the Colorado desert toppling to the ground. Before the lion
$7.20 sq. ft. Veneer or Hearths. Some Super west of El Centra, is to be built by was shot by Kennison, Sheriff Fogliani
Choice $14.40 sq. ft. Grade included in each climbed a nearby tree and got some fine
Fireplace order $100.00 or over, for center- U. S. Gypsum company at Gerlach,
pieces, etc. F.O.B. St. George, Utah. Nevada, on the Western Pacific 110 movie shots of the snarling cat and the
Send for Price List and Descriptive Folder
miles north of Reno. The new mill is bow and arrow kill.—Pioche Record.
UTAH SCENIC STONE CORP. located close to large high-grade gyp-
22 E. 1st. N. St. St. George. Utah sum deposits in the mountains only
five miles away. An aerial tramway E. MAYO & ASSOCIATES
General Contractors
Mountain and Desert Homes
Riverside, California
Telephone Riverside 8847 J-l
9870 Union Avenue Rt. 2. Box 525-B
4
• SWIMMING
location. To satisfy his own curiosity, The Brown School for Girls, Glendora
First -Through Ninth Grade
he made another trio down the river,
searched along the cliffs for some dis- June 13th to September 16th
— WRITE OR CALL —
tance. LOS ANGELES OFFICE MAdison 2551 643 So. Olive St., Los Angeles 14
He found the mastodon undisturbed,
about a quarter of a mile upstream
from the rockslide. — Moab Times-
Independent.
• • •
River Veteran Plans Trip . . .
This summer when he will be 80
years old, Bert Loper, who has spent
56 years on the Colorado river, plans
another trip down the river. For this
trip he plans to build a new boat, his
old one having made three trips down
the Yampa, trips through Split Moun-
tain, Whirlpool and Desolation can-
yons, three trips through Cataract can-
yon and a journey all the way from the
THISTLE
Continental divide to Lake Mead. He
has material for his boat, is starting RESTAURANT
construction.—Moab Times-Independ- Silver Lake & Glendale Blvds., Los Angeles, California
ent. Adolph Rempp NOrmandy 2-7470
JUNE, 1949 39
VACATION TIME !
Take these with you:—
The "Gemlap", small portable Lapidary
Unit.
The Highland Park Trim Saw—8" blade.
Cut and polish as you go. See what you find
where you find it.
We will mount on board with your motor.
S-T GEM AND MINERAL SHOP
6924 Foothill Blvd. Tujunga, California
I. I. JEWELCRAFT
ROCK SHOW, IMPERIAL VALLEY The Junior Rockhounds of Prescott con- 915 E. Washington Street
ATTRACTED 1400 VISITORS vened April 22. Tommy Ryan gave a talk Pasadena 6, California
on the fossils of Death Valley. Two new
Attendance during the two-day Rock members were admitted to the club, Paul
show the Imperial Valley Gem and Mineral Burkhardt and Wilson Dusho. The Rock- Visitors welcome. Open every day except
society and Imperial Lapidary Guild held hounds have received a letter from the Sunday. Hours 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
April 16-17, El Centro, was 1400. California Junior Gem and Mineral club of St. Paul,
was represented by 39 cities, and visitors Minnesota, asking for minerals from the
were registered from 17 states. Members Prescott vicinity. The club is preparing a
exhibited in new show cases built by the package hoping to start an exchange.
club. Displays included crystals, cabochons,
rough and polished material, silver work,
geodes, Indian artifacts, concretions and rock
oddities. L. G. Beleal demonstrated the use
of lapidary equipment, junior members
RUTILE RAINBOW DIAMONDS
assisting. A fluorescent exhibit attracted RUTILE IS THE GEM OF THE HOUR — IT IS NOW A REALITY
wide attention. After years of experiments, synthetic Rutile is now available in cut gems of unbe-
• • • lievable beauty. This magnificent substance has been given the name of "TITANIA."
LAST MINUTE NOTES ON THE
BIG MINERAL CONVENTION "TITANIA" IS INDEED "QUEEN OF ALL GEMS"
TITANIA LOOKS LIKE WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK A DIAMOND SHOULD LOOK
With the addition of six new societies, the LIKE. It is a warm, colorful, exciting, and desirable gem. This gem is far more beautiful
California Federation will be represented by than the diamond. When viewed with proper lighting every facet "will reflect all the
49 societies at its annual convention, making colors of the spectrum. Because of this, one of our customers wrote to tell us how pleased
it 49 for '49. Hotel Sacramento has been they were with their beautiful new RAINBOW DIAMOND.
chosen as convention headquarters for the
dates June 24-25-26. TITANIA MUST BE PROPERLY CUT
A conducted bus tour of Sacramento has We are VERY PROUD of the FINE QUALITY GEMS produced by our cutters.
been scheduled. Another feature will be a NO SALE IS FINAL unless you are perfectly satisfied with the cut gem you purchase
free swapping area in a prominent location. from GREIGER'S. We will mount TITANIA GEMS in any type mounting and GUARANTEE
Plans have also been completed for a gold A PERFECT JOB.
panning contest. Contestants must dress in
garb appropriate to the occasion. Ultra Vio- "THE STORY OF RUTILE RAINBOW DIAMONDS"
let Products Inc. will exhibit its extensive is a pamphlet which is sent free upon request. It gives all the facts about this
fluorescent mineral collection, reputed to be AMAZING NEW GEM. The colors range from almost colorless to a light canary diamond
spectacular. color. Then there are occasional blue green gems and other odd colors for the connoisseur
• • • of rarities.
EARTH SCIENCE CONTESTS TITANIA GEMS are priced at —
$12.50 for small sizes of 3A carat or less
HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED $15.00 per stone for gems of 85/100 carats to 1 1/5 carats
First of a series of contests sponsored by $12.50 per carat for gems of 1 Vi carats to 3V4 carats
the American Federation of Mineralogical $40.00 for any stone of 3V4 carats to 4 carats
societies has been announced by President $10.00 per carat for any gem of 4 carats or larger
Richard M. Pearl. The purpose of the con- Above prices are for round brilliant cut gems
tests is to encourage further activity in the ENTIRE BOULES OF RUTILE ARE PRICED AT 75c PER CARAT
earth sciences. SAWED SECTIONS ARE PRICED AT 85c TO $1.00 PER CARAT
The contest is open to boys and girls in Add 20% Federal Tax to above prices. Residents of California also add
the United States and Canada under twenty, 2 Vi % State Sales Tax
who have not yet enrolled in a college or
university. Original articles will be accepted BE THE FIRST IN YOUR COMMUNITY TO OWN ONE OF THESE
on any subject connected with the earth BEAUTIFUL NEW RUTILE OR TITANIA RAINBOW DIAMONDS
sciences.
A $25 Savings Bond and fine mineral DEALERS' INQUIRIES SOLICITED
specimen will be the first prize. Additional Everyone to whom you show this new gem will wish to purchase one of them. Send
prizes will include specimens, equipment for details of our discount plan that will permit you to own one of these new gems at
and books. Papers should be submitted be- no cost to you. You merely sell several to your friends and the discount you earn will
fore October 15 to Prof. Richard M. Pearl, pay for yours. We can mount these in beautiful gold earrings, rings, brooches,
Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colo. pendants, etc.
• • • OUR STORE WILL BE CLOSED TO ALL DROP-IN TRADE DURING THE
COLORFUL '49ER NIGHT MONTHS OF JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST, 1949
Mail, phone, and telegraphic orders will be promptly filled by our regular staff
THEME OF CLUB MEETING
Early day relics—scales with weights of
gold pieces, miners pans from large to a 1633 EAST WALNUT STREET
small six-inch, horn spoon, gold nuggets
valued from $25 down to 50 cents—were on PASADENA 4, CALIFORNIA.
display at the April meeting of the Pacific PHONE. 5Y6-6423
Mineral society. Members enjoyed a color- OPEN ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ONLY 8:30AM-5:30PM-
ful evening attired in garb appropriate to MONDAY THRU THURSDAY OPEN BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
"49er Night." Speaker of the evening, Wm.
R. Harriman, discussed "Geology of Mother
Lode."
JUNE, 1949 41
$6.00 BRINGS YOU 10 beautiful rock, mineral
and crystal specimens. All from Colorado. Ask
A D V E R T I S I N G R A T E for list and prices of other fine specimens and
CATALOG-
3Z pages packed-full of helpful Lapidary Inst-
UTAH LABRADORITE clear facet quality
stones, 10 generous pieces, Thomas Mt. Gem-
mey Topaz, 15 specimens. Both for $1.00 plus
postage. Ed Dowse, 329 Reed Ave, Salt Lake
MINERAL SPECIMENS
GEM MATERIALS
City, Utah.
ructions...should be inevery rock nuis library. A huge selection of BEAUTIFUL MINERALS,
ffluAcompie^e informarion on the-famous j ROCK HOUNDS! A large collection of the finest
Arizona Quartz Crystals in singles and slabs. RARE MINERALS, COMMON MINERALS
Hillquist line of Lapidary E^uipmenf" including] Slabs from 2x2 to 10x10 inches. Also cutting
material and gold specimens. H. P. Williams, and GEM MATERIALS.
Hillqu/srCOTibdcrUplAiir, Hillq,uisrl6"1?ocl< Saw, \
Quartzsite, Arizona. P. O. Box 15.
HillquisrTrimSaw, Hjll<juisr 4ufe Feed, HWlq/ih — One Price to All —
G r i / I l H l l^ i u t oH 7 l t l y FOR SALE: Large collection of rocks, cabochons,
mineral specimens. Also show cases. All goes. WE'LL WELCOME YOUR VISIT
Zanders 5 uisf Pidmond Saws Priced to sell. Chuck Hunley, 8452 Beechwood,
South Gate, California. BURMINCO
/? . t/Send HOW to
A VERY UNUSUAL Red and Golden Moss Agate 128 S. Eneinitas Monrovia, California
Jahtaa/u/ EQUIPMENT CO* from Arizona. This makes beautiful cabochons.
We've tried it and know! The supply is very
limited so HURRY! $1.25 per lb., postpaid.
(In same block with postoffice)
'ISQS H 49 ST. 'SBfiTTU 7, WASH. Tucson Thompson, 10016 N. Seventh Place,
''NOTIONS LAMEST MFGRS OF FINE IAPIDARY EQUIPMENT' Phoenix, Arizona.
JUNE, 1949 43
GEM VILLAGE ROCK SHOW Over 1400 persons attended the Monterey
Moj&ae Sbed&d Qe*n SCHEDULED FOR JULY Bay Mineral society show held in February.
The Gem Village Rock Club, Bayfield, Special jade, emphasis was placed on Monterey
and Mineral Slt&p. . . . Colorado, has announced that the Gem county rhodonite and fossils. Other
Village Rock show will be held July 4—one exhibits of mineral specimens including
On Highway 91, 11 Miles East of Barstow day packed with everything interesting for fluorescents attracted wide attention. "Thun-
One Mile West of Yermo, California the hobbiest. Display space will be free for der", the sculpture of Wyoming jade by
E. W. Shaw, P. O. Box 363, Yermo, Calif. either exhibiting or selling. After the show Donal Hord of San Diego, was on display.
an auction will be held and refreshments • • •
served. The tenth anniversary of the Mineralogi-
• • • cal Society of Utah was celebrated with a
dinner and program April 1. Old time square
Fourth annual banquet and election of dancing rounded out the evening's enter-
RX-47 officers of the Minnesota Mineral club was tainment.
held at the Curtis hotel March 12. Color • • •
A Complete films of the Grand Teton national park and Mineral transparencies, as illustrated by
Lapidary Shop Jackson Hole country with comments by Harry Hazlitt at the March meeting of the
in One Dr. Clayton G. Rudd were highlights of the
Compact evening's entertainment. Elected as club offi- Mineralogical Society of Arizona, proved
Machine cers were: Arthur Anderson, president; Mrs. to be something more than a new experience
Wm. Cooper, vice president; Mrs. Lydia in color on a screen or a new slant to the
The most practical
ever devised for Heumann, secretary; Percy A. Brown, treas- lapidary art. The study of minerals and
gem cutting and urer; Wm. Bingham, program director; Mil- rocks in thin sections under the microscope
has been practiced for years. The use of
polishing. ton Fehling, tour director; Paul Sandell, thicker
Send for Circular A publicity director. slices for direct projection is more
recent, and indicates possibilities for the
• • • study of intricate structures especially in the
Price. Less Motor and Saw Blade Judge Blanchard, president; Mable microcrystalline varieties of the quartz fam-
$157.50 F.O.B. O'Neill, vice president; Mrs. F. Purdy, secre- ily minerals. Pinacle Peak rose quartz local-
tary-treasurer; and Harold Godby, field ity was the objective of the April field trip.
RX LABORATORY scout, are the new officers of the Kern • • •
1355 S. Chico Street EL MONTE. CALIF. County Mineral society. Election was held Members of the Yakima Rock and Min-
at a pot-luck supper in March. The society's eral club were entertained by Mrs. Claire
March field trip was to Boron where speci- Hillyer at the March meeting. Mrs. Hillyer
mens of palm fiber were found. presented a travelog in color. Proposal of
• • • bi-monthly field trips was voted on, and a
The Tucson Gem and Mineral society is three day trek into south central Oregon
now affiliated with the Arizona State mu- scheduled for July 4.
seum in Tucson. • • •
"Strike It Rich I!" • • • The South Bay Lapidary society, serving
you'll exclaim In a parcel of 100 zircons imported from the communities of Manhattan Beach, Her-
Australia by Geo. W. Chambers, Encinitas, mosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo,
When you join the . . . California, came an enormous crystal be- Hawthorne, Torrance, and Lomita, Califor-
lieved to be the largest and most perfect nia, has started its second year. Newly elect-
zircon crystal known. The crystal weighs ed officers are: Gary Britt, president; Mrs.
3 lbs. 8% ozs. Three of its faces measure Jane Hagar, vice president; Mrs. Alice Be-
UNITED PROSPECTORS 2Vi inches while another is 3V4 inches. The mis, secretary; Bob Fredericks, treasurer.
crystal is not of gem quality. Meetings are held the first Tuesday of each
An organization to further the cause of • • • month at Clark Stadium, Hermosa Beach.
the beginner as well as the experienced Utah is considering the possible formation A cordial invitation to attend is extended to
prospector. of all the mineral societies in the state into anyone interested in lapidary work.
a federation such as exists in other states. • • •
Join the 20th Century '49ers and actually • • • Santa Monica Gemological society elect-
pan gold to your heart's content on the Newly elected officers of the Pomona ed the following officers at the April meet-
newly acquired 1400 acre camping and Valley Mineral club at the April meeting ing: C. E. Hamilton, president; Vern Ca-
placer grounds in the mother lode country. are: F. H. Smith, president; Pauline Saylor, dieux, first vice president; Prof. W. R. B.
vice president; Alice Cohoon, secretary; Osterholt, second vice president; Edward L.
A few Charter memberships are still W. B. Cohoon, treasurer; J. A. Kryder, di- Oatman, treasurer; Mrs. Doris Baur, cor-
open at $5.00. The regular membership is rector. The evening's entertainment was fur- responding secretary; Mrs. Estelle Tesh,
$1.00. "Panning Gold" booklets at 25c per nished by Nancy Taylor, who showed col- recording secretary. Annual dinner and in-
copy can be had by addressing Head- ored slides of western national parks, and stallation of officers was scheduled for May
quarters. Mrs. Emma Kryder, who related a field trip at the Santa Monica Windemere hotel.
to Topaz mountain. Mrs. Kryder brought • • •
JOIN TODAY topaz specimens. At the April meeting of the Mineralogical
UNITED PROSPECTORS • • • Society of Southern California Charles L.
J. D. Churchill brought a small laboratory Heald showed a series of kodachrome slides
Box 13 with him to the April meeting of the Texas of national parks and monuments of the
DUTCH FLAT, CALIFORNIA Mineral society, and demonstrated the test- Southwest. While a traveling photographer
ing of minerals. Tests were run on cinnabar, for the United Geophysical company, Heald
iron, manganese, calcite, copper. Blow-pipe acquired the knack of glamorizing natural
and test-tube experiments were made. subjects. He has established a business of
supplying slides of geological subjects to
schools, museums and other educational in-
JUNE, 1949 45
%u5t fsetureen
By RANDALL HENDERSON
THE DESERT I have never been able to tell the work as section hands. The other 5,000 were distributed
difference between flowers and weeds. The dictionary in a wide range of occupations—the beet fields, citrus
doesn't help. Webster defines a weed as any plant groves, army posts, grain fields, and as domestic workers.
that is "useless or troublesome." "The Navajo are careful conscientious workers," Miss
According to that definition, it would appear that most Bowler reports. "They are rather slow in occupations new
of the cacti species should be regarded as weeds. But no to them, and when they do piece work as in picking
person who has seen the beavertail cactus or the hedgehog oranges, their wages are not high, but they learn readily
in blossom would ever give it so ignoble a term as weed. and are especially eager to acquire mechanical skills."
And if you will carry a pocket microscope as I did On the Navajo reservation there are approximately
on a recent trip through Joshua tree national monument, 11,000 men and 2,000 women available for seasonal or
you will be reluctant to call any of the desert plants weeds. permanent jobs in the Southwest. Many of them cannot
It really wasn't necessary to carry a microscope to find speak English, but when they are employed in groups
beauty in the Monument on this early May trip. The there generally is at least one among them who can serve
ground was carpeted so thickly with tiny mimulus and as interpreter.
gilia and eriophyllum it was almost impossible to walk The Indian Service works in cooperation with the state
without trampling them. And indigo bush and the golden employment agencies, and Miss Bowler's desk is in the
desert senna and scores of other more conspicuous shrubs California State Employment office in Los Angeles. When
were blazing with color. an order comes in for Indian workers they are recruited
But I carried the microscope because I have learned on the reservation by young Indians with school training.
that there is a great world of beauty on the desert never The progress being made by the employment division is
seen by the naked eye. There are numerous little plants heartening. Sending bundles to Indians is commendable
with blossoms so drab and inconspicuous they are never charity—but employers who will provide jobs for these
given a second glance. You and I normally would call workers from the reservation are making a much more
them "weeds" of the desert. important contribution to the problem of over-crowded
But one of those little pocket magnifying lenses such as Indian lands.
every prospector and rockhound carries in his kit, reveals Miss Bowler is going about her job with missionary
forms and colors of fantastic brilliance. It almost appears zeal—and it is a very important job.
as if Nature had tried to compensate in splendor what
these pigmy blossoms lack in size.
When you have the opportunity, just focus your lens I hope the water-witches will give me a little recess.
on the tiny blossom of the lowly burroweed, and you'll Since the subject was opened for discussion in the Letters
know what I mean. page three months ago I have read so many opinions
about this mysterious art of locating underground water
with a green forked stick I am in a daze.
Much has been written about the plight of the desert And the more I read the less I know about it.
Indians, especially the Navajo. But not all the news from I wish some of the scientific men, now that they have
the reservation is bad. I learned of a more cheerful aspect solved the problem of atomic power, would turn their
of the Indian problem recently in talking with Alida attention to the unsolved mysteries of the human body.
Bowler, Indian Service placement officer in California. As far as I am concerned, most of the so-called water
Miss Bowler represents a special division organized by dowsers are honest men, and when they tell me some
the Window Rock agency to find off-reservation jobs for unseen force nearly twists that green stick out of their
the Navajos and Hopis. She and her associates have gotten hands I believe them. But all this mail has convinced me
rather surprising results. Last year nearly 12,000 Indians of one thing—that those humans who are endowed with
were given off-reservation employment in the Southwestern whatever it takes to make the stick go through strange
states. About 7,000 of them were hired by the Santa Fe, gyrations do not know any more about the reasons than
Union Pacific and Denver & Rio Grande railroads for I do. To me it remains a complete mystery.
46 THE DESERT MAGAZINE
fight for growth and prosperity and the
struggle to find ways to use every drop of
available water permeates throughout.
Stanford University Press, Stanford, Cali-
fornia. 1948, 265 pps., photographs, index.
$4.00.
JUNE, 1949 47
ft*
\JoULEARMA LOT ABOUT Ut8XtCAffT$,WO*t0MG MM
EN6M5S THAT TURN FASTER TWAA/7,000 RFVOW77OA/S
_ . : THE WORLD'S
HWROPLAUB RECORD OF IS. '52 M.P.H.
-•
«mn < - « . -
WHAT/Si
ABOtrri
TRITOM CONTAINS A SPECIAL
COMPOUND THAT RESISTS
ACID FORMATION SO COM-
PLETELY THAT TRITOJ WILL
ACTUALLY SHOW A LOWER
ACIDITY AFTER MOMTHS
OFDRIVINS THAKJ N O N -
COMPOU MDED OILS WILL
INOMLY I,OOOMILE'S!
Notice: Triton is now sold by
independent dealers