195108 desert magazine 1951 august

8/14/2019 195108 Desert Magazine 1951 August

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They Like the Sandy TerrainPhotography by GEORGE BRADT

Here are two of the Speckled Earless Lizards (Holbrookia approximans)whose habitat is the sandy floor of the desert in New Mexico, Arizona andeastern Texas. Like most of the other American species of lizards they are quiteharmless. They are unique in lacking an external ear openinghence the commonname.

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D E S E R T C A L E N D A RAugust 3-6State Little League Play-offs, Prescott, Arizona.August 4Annual Smoki Ceremoni-

als at Prescott, Arizona.August 8-10Unitah Basin IndustrialConvention, Roosevelt, Utah.August 9-12Cowboy Camp Meet-ing, R. E. Perkins ranch, Prescott,Arizona.August 9-12 Annual Inter-tribalIndian Ceremonial, Gallup, NewMexico.August 10-11Annual Square DanceFestival, Flagstaff, Arizona.August 10-11Junior State A.A.U.Swimming Meet, Tempe, Arizona.August 14-19 National ConventionMilitary Order of Purple Heartand auxiliary, Phoenix, Arizona.August 15-17Future Farmers Asso-ciation Leadership Conference, Pres-cott, Arizona.August 16-18Senior State A.A.U.Swimming Meet, Phoenix, Arizona.August 17-19Quay County Sheriff'sPosse Rodeo, Tucumcari, NewMexico.August 20-29American NumismaticAssociation Convention, Phoenix,Arizona.August 20-30Rocky Mountain Re-gional Softball Tournament, Phoe-nix, Arizona.August 31-September 3 AnnualSanta Fe Fiesta, Santa Fe, NewMexico.

D U R I N G A U G U S TFiesta of San Lorenzo, Picuris Pueblo,27 miles from Taos, New Mexico.Taos Indian dances in town plazaevery Monday and Friday, 8:15p.m., and Spanish-Colonial folkdances every Wednesday. 8:15 p.m..Taos, New Mexico.Southwest Museum in Los Angeleswill display a selection from itscollection of Indian musical instru-

ments. Museum is open daily ex-cept Monday, 1 to 5. Admissionfree.

V o l u m e 14 A U G U S T , 1951 N u m b e r 10CO VERN A T U R E

CALENDARH ISTO RYINDIAN LIFEFIELD TRIPC O N T E S TLO ST MINEPOETRYWEATH ERQUIZLETTERSEXP LO RATIO NN E W SFICTIONMININGLAPIDARYH O BBYB O O K SC O M M E N TCLO SE-UP S

HOPI BUTTERFLY DANCERS. Photo by Andre deDienes of PhoenixThey Like the Sandy Terrain

By GEORGE BRADT 2August events on the desert 3So They Built Fort Bowie

By FENTON TAYLOR 4Mescal Roast. By RANDALL HENDERSON . . 8Where Turquoise Was Mined by the Ancients

By A. LA VIELLE LAWBAUGH 9Prizes for Photographs 12Cave of the Golden Sands

By JOHN D. MITCHELL 13Ode to a Smoke Tree, and other poems . . . 15Wanted: A Desert Thermometer

By GEORGE FITZPATRICK 16A test of your desert knowledge 18Comment from Desert's readers 19We Climbed Avawatz

By LOUISE TOP WERNER 20From here and there on the desert 25Hard Roas Shorty of Death Valley 28Current News of desert mines 31Amateur Gem Cutter. By LELANDE QUICK . . 32Gems and minerals 33Reviews of Southwest literature 37Just Between You and Me, by the Editor . . . 38About those who write for Desert 39he Desert Magazine is published monthly by the Desert Press, Inc., Palm Degert,California. Re-entered as second class, matter July 17, 1948, at the post office at Palm Desert,California, under the Act of March 3. 1879. Title "registered No. 358865 in U. S. Patent Office,and contents copyrighted 19S1 by the Desert Press, Inc. Permission to reproduce contentsmust be secured from the editor in writing.RANDALL HENDERSON, Editor BESS STACY, Business ManagerMARTIN MORAN, Circulation Manager E. H. VANNOSTRAND, AdvertisingLos Ange les Office (A dverti sing Only): 2635 Ade lbert Ave.,Phone NOrmandy 3-1509Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs submitted cannot be re turned or acknowledgedunless full return postage is enclosed. Desert Magazine assumes no responsibility fordamage or loss of manuscripts or photographs although due care will be exercised. Sub-

scribers should send notice of change of address by the first of the month preceding issue.SUBSCRIPTION RATESOne Yea r $3.50 Two Years $6.00Canadian Subscriptions 25c Extra. Foreign 50cExtraSubscriptions to Army Personnel Outside U. S. A. Must Be Mailed in Conformity WithP . 0. D. Order No. 19687Address Correspondence to Desert Magazine, Palm Desert, CaliforniaA U G U S T , 1 9 5 1


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General view of old Fort Bowie as it looks today. The author believes the largeruin in the foreground was the mess hall. Stone breastworks still may be seen onthe hillside in the center of the picture.

So They Built Fort Bowie . . .Apache warriors under the wily chieftain Cochise were collectingtoo many white scalps at Apache Pass. Something had to be done toprotect this main travel route across southern Arizona if the road to

California w as to be kept open . So the War Department built FortBowieand here is the story back of the crumbling adobe v/alls whichthe occasio nal visitor finds near Apache Pass today.By FENTON TAYLORMap by Norton Allen

O OTHER eight-mile s tretch ofroad in the United States haswitnessed a more sanguinaryhistory than the winding defile ins outheas te rn A r i zo na kn ow n asApache Pass. Located in Cochise'sApache empire, this rocky way was anideal spot for savage ambushes ofstages, wagon trains, travelers, andtroops of U. S. cavalry.

"Bloody Apache Pass" it was calledin the brochure published a few yearsago by the Willcox Chamber of Com-merce. The few old-timers to whomI've talked confirm this name.Because of the slaughter in the pass,

Fort Bowie was built. For thirty-fiveyears this soldier outpost stood as adesert sentinel for all who had occa-sion to travel this route,

For two years I talked of making anexcursion to see the ruins of old FortBowie. Work and excuses delayed thetrip. Finally, during the 1950 Christ-mas vacation, I announced firmly,"Tomorrow we're going to pay thatvisit to Fort Bowie." The family wasdelighted, and everyone began makingpreparations almost at once.Next morning we drove to Bowie,the railroad town on Highway 86.Here we turned south toward ApachePass on a road designed to carry mod-ern tourists peacefully through thepass and on to Chiricahua NationalMonument .Four months ' drouth and the workof a highway grader had laid a powderymulch over the road that our tireschurned up into a yellow billowagainst the blue December sky.



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Eleven miles south of Bowie, webranched to the left on a ranch roadwhich dropped through a wash andwound around bulging hills toward aneat white house situated on a low hillahead. Just about the time I began towonder if I'd missed the next fork,this time to the right, I saw the turnahead. A mile on this right-handbranch elevated us into a narrowingcanyon and finally brought us to a stopbefore a wire gate.The fence to the north of the roadalso boasted a gate through which anold road angled on up the canyon. Ona fence post we saw a dark woodenarrow. The faded words "Fort Bowie"pointed to the old road.We left the car at this junction andproceeded on foot. After hiking a fewhundred feet of this rocky way, we

were glad that we hadn' t attempted todrive.Up ahead loomed what appeared tobe an old windmill. Climbing nearer,I saw that it was the headframe of anold graphite mine which ceased opera-tions about 10 years ago.We didn't stop here, though, for thesummit of the climb was just aheadand we could discern through theleafless mesquite the yellow adobe ofthe first ruins. This sight gave an im-petus to our hiking that soon broughtus out in view of the level area onwhich Fort Bowie was located.My first impression was of rows ofbroken adobe walls standing in straight

soldierly fashion. They were scatteredover an area as large as three good-sized city blocks. Old Fort Bowie wasmuch larger than I expected it to be.Spread out in a sweeping panorama,30 or more ruins were in various stagesof disintegration. The walls that hadbeen reinforced with blocks of rockstood highest. Plain adobe walls, forthe most part, had almost rounded offinto piles of rubble.I stood looking over the mute re-mains, so forlorn in the solitude. Ihad read much of the history of FortBowie, and I recalled the thrillingdays when it was garrisoned withtroops.A bou t 100 years ago this story be-gan. At that time Apache Pass, thenarrow defile that winds between theChiricahua Mountains on the southand the Dos Cabezas Mountains onthe north, was the route followed bypersons crossing the southern desertto California.F or the earliest travelers, this roadran through Mexican territory. TheGadsden Purchase in 1853 turned itinto a United States road.Securing water on this desert cross-ing was the problem of the travelerof that time. Along this route the wa-ter holes seemed to be spaced abouta day's journey apart. This road pro-vided water at Stein's Pass, San Simon

Cienaga, Apache Pass , SulphurSprings, Dragoon Spring, the San Pe-dro River, Rillito Creek, and finally.

Tucson. Apache Pass, ideal for Indianambushes, was the bloody spot alongthis route.The first Butterneld Stage from St.Louis to San Francisco wound throughApache Pass. It left St. Louis onSeptember 15, 1858, and arrived inSan Francisco on October 10, cover-ing 2535 miles in 25 days, a recordfor stage travel at that t ime.Apache Pass was the setting forLieutenant George Bascom's meetingwith Cochise in 1860. After Cochisehad been persuaded to come into Bas-com's camp under a flag of truce, thelieutenant attempted to take the In-dian chief prisoner. Cochise escaped,bu t a few of the warriors accompany-ing him were seized by the soldiers.Striking back, Cochise captured somewhite prospectors and a stage station

attendant. He offered to exchangethem for the Indian prisoners. WhenBascom refused, Cochise had thewhite prisoners put to death in sight ofthe soldiers. In retaliation, the soldiersselected the sturdy limb of an oak treeand hanged the Indian captives.After this incident, Cochise declaredwar on the whites. For 12 years thiswa r was waged with great cruelty. Tomake matters worse, the Civil War,which broke out the following year,caused removal of all United Statestroops from the territory, virtually

leaving the Apaches in full control.Shortly after the outbreak of thewar between the states, Lincoln's ap-A U G U S T , 19 5 1


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Water was hauled to the fort in wagons and stored in these rock cisterns.peal for volunteers sounded through-out the nation. In California the his-toric "California Column" was organ-ized in answer to the call. This grouphoped to be sent East as combattroops. However, there was somequestion as to the loyalty of some ofthe men. Rather than risk having anyof them desert to the Confederacy,the army gave the Californians thetask of defending Arizona and NewMexico against Indian depredations.

In 1862, therefore, the CaliforniaVolunteers occupied some of the aban-doned army posts and built new ones,of which Fort Bowie was one, namedin honor of Col. George W. Bowie ofthe Volunteers.Fort Bowie had a bloody beginning.In July, 1862, according to one ac-count, three companies of infantry andone of cavalry left Tucson for NewMexico, following the Apache Passroute.Indians harassed them at many

places, particularly between waterholes. The soldiers filled their can-teens at Sulphur Springs and beganthe hot dry trek to the pass.

In the meantime, Cochise had beenpreparing a surprise for the oncomingtroops. Under his direction his war-riors had blended rock redoubts withthe natural outcroppings of the hill-sides in such a way as to block thepath to the water supply. MangasColoradas and his braves joined Co-chise there.As the Californians neared the pass,the scouts scented danger. But the two

howitzers which they had along gavethem additional strength, ancf theywere ready for anything the Indianswanted to give them.When the hidden Apiaches openedfire, the troops wheeled the howitzersaround into position and started plop-ping shells onto the hillsides. The ex-ploding shells were too much for theIndians and they fled in panic. OneIndian later reported that the soldiershad shot wagonwheels into the Apachedefenses.This battle occurred on July 14. A

second attack was attempted by Co-chise when the wagon train carryingsupplies came into the pass. Againthe Indians suffered defeat, probably

Cochise's worst, for he lost over 60braves. Two soldiers were killed andthree wounded in this fighting.General James Henry Carleton ofthe Column realized the necessity fora strategic fort in this area. He gavethe order for its construction. Build-ings were erected without delay.Fort Bowie didn't diminish the In-

dian menace at once. Mail was sched-uled to arrive at the fort from Tucsononce a week. In a period of 16 monthsthe Indians killed 22 mail carriers.Stage drivers and mail carriers wereoffered a pay bonus for risking thedangers of Apache Pass.After the Civil War, regular soldiersreplaced the volunteer troops. Manyof the Californians remained in thesurrounding country as ranchers andfarmers.During the years that followed. FortBowie saw many historical characters

and events. It played its part in thepeace that lasted until the great chief-tain's death in June, 1874.Major Sumner, son of the famousCivil War general, commanded for abrief term at Fort Bowie. GeneralGeorge Crook, for whom the CrookNational Forest is named, made thefort his headquarters during the timehe persuaded many fugitive Indiansto return from Mexico to the reserva-tion at San Carlos.Geronimo was held at Fort Bowieafter his surrender in 1886 until the

army was ready to transport him bytrain to Pickens, Florida, where hewas held until he was re-united withhis family two years later and removedto Fort Sill, Oklahoma.In 1897 the government finallyabandoned Fort Bowie in favor offewer and bigger posts. Travelers wereusing Apache Pass less frequently, too.When the Southern Pacific Railroadcrossed Arizona in 1881, it followedthe easier grade around the Dos Ca-bezas and through Railroad Pass. Theoverland route followed the railroad.With the abandonment of FortBowie, any part of the buildings worthsalvaging was sold at auction. Theroofs were torn off for the lumber.The ice plant was sold and carried toThatcher, Arizona, where it was putinto operation for that community.Loss of the roofs laid the walls opento the forces of erosion and the attackwas begun without delay. Foundationrocks are all that remain to mark thelocation of a few of the buildings. Ifound myself wishing as I lookedaround that some means could be

found to preserve these ruins fromfurther disintegration. They should bekept as a monument to the fortitude ofthe builders of the Southwest.D E S E R T M A G A Z I N E


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Excited voices of the childrenturned my attention in their directionfor a mom ent. They were findingsomething interesting for the souvenirshelf. Purple glass was eagerly sought,but large pieces were scarce. Old nailsfrom the walls made additions to therelic bag. The discovery of some but-tons caused excitement.Leaving the children to their hunt-

ing, I started prowling among the va-rious ruins. Up the hill to the south-west yawned the uncovered rock cis-terns. No water there now; just anaccumulation of rocks, dirt, leaves,and a struggling mesquite or two. Theplaster finish on the interior of thetanks is clinging with astonishing ten-acity after so many idle years.South of the cisterns is the old can-teen. Brown glass of broken beer bot-tles littered this ruin. Whiskey wasnot allowed in the fort area. For thisreason, most of the glass scattered

about is brown.Empty shells, I was told, were abun-dant. Perhaps they used to be, but Ihunted diligently to find two corroded,gray-green rifle shells and one .45 cal-iber shell. Fragments of cannon ballsare often discovered , too. 1 wasn 't for-tunate enough to find one.Initials cover every standing wall.I rounded one corner and was aston-ished to read the name, Curly Bill,1871, on the wall. A second look re-vealed that the name and date hadbeen scratched into the wall just re-cently. But I couldn't help wonde r-ing if the Galeyville outlaw mighthave left his initials there, and somemodern visitor, noting that time wasobliterating them, had obliginglygouged them deeper for the benefitof future visitors.Over to the east side an old rock-walled ruin reared up higher than anyof the others. Two high openings onthe east and west sides could havebeen loopholes, but they seemed toohigh for that. When I found the doorand looked in, I decided that they

were narrow windows and that thiswas undoubtedly the remains of theguard house. I wasn't certain, but itwas just the type of building for a jail.From the Fort Bowie site you havea beautiful landscape view northwardtoward Apache Pass. To the east youcan look down the trail we followedup to the fort and into the shimmeringbrown vastness of San Simon Valley.A high conical peak rears to thesouth, an unmistakable landmark.One record labels it Helen's Dome,

but an old-timer assures me that thisname is wrong. It should be Helen'sDoom. Helen was the name of an offi-

, .?**>**>* , .:.

Above Looking from the ruins toward Apache Pass. The old cem eteryis in the valley, hidden by the trees.BelowSouvenir hunters still comb the area around the fort seeking relicsof the past.

cer's wife. Cap tured by the Indians,she was carried to the top of this peakand put to death. This sad incidentgave the landmark its name.To the southeast is Bowie Peak.This mountain top was once the busi-est heliograph station in the West.Down the wash to the right of theold road from Apache Pass are theremains of the cemetery. Wood encrosses at one time marked many ofthe graves. Souvenir hunters, showing

no reverence for such a spot, havestripped the cemetery of these mark-ers. Only faint mounds are visible.

Close to the cemetery is the spring,source of Fort Bowie's water supply.Water was hauled from here in tankwagons and stored in the cisternabove the fort.Two hours in such a spot pass fartoo rapidly. Before it should be time,it seemed to me, the sun was dippingtoward the western peaks, signallingtime to go home. And so we left OldFort Bowie, now a desert sentinel ina vast, peaceful silence, but ever

ready to reveal fascinating stories ofthe past to any sympathetic visitorwho will enter the ruined portals.A U G U S T , 1 9 5 1


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VAi. iM E S C A L R O A S TBy RANDALL HENDERSON

One of the important items of food for desert Indiansfar back into prehistoric days has been the mescal roast.On a recent trip into Baja California, I found the Pai-PaiIndians in Arroyo Agua Caliente still preparing the youngmescal buds for food as did their ancestors.Botanically classified as Agave deserti, the plant isknown in Mexico as maguey or mescal, and among Anglo-Americans as wild century plant. It grows in the UpperSonoran and transitional zones, between 1500 and 5000

feet, and flowers only once in its long life.In April or May, depending on altitude, the plantwhich is nearing the end of its life span sends up a hugebud as shown in the upper left picture. This bud becomesa flower stock from 6 to 10 feet in height, with yellowblossoms. After flowering, the plant dies.

The Indians used a sharpened stick, as demonstratedby Hector Borquez of the Pai-Pai tribe, to gouge the budout of its roseate of thorn-rimmed blades. It is a laboriousprocess. When extracted from the plant and prepared forroasting the lower part of the bud, the edible part, re-sembled a big pineapple.Preparatory to the roast, a pit about 2Vi feet deepand 3 feet wide was excavated and lined with rocks. Thena wood fire was built in the hole and fed with fuel until therocks were well heated. Below on the left, Victor is toss-ing the mescal bud into the bed of coals. Then more hotrocks were heaped on top, and the roast covered withseveral inches of earth.Twelve hours later the pit was opened, and the charredbud removed. Benita Arvalla of the Pai-Pais is shownwith the roasted bud after its charred husks had been re-moved and the heart split open. Well cooked, its colorand consistency is about that of southern cooked yamsand it has much the same flavor.


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Looking up the slope toward the old Toltec workings. The ancients left their marks in the basaltic rocks.

W here Turquoise W asM ined by the A ncientsFrom distant lands, perhapseven from the Montezumas inMexico, came trusted men tomine with crude tools the beau-tiful blue stone found on theMojave desert of what is nowCalifornia. The old Indianworkings have all but disap-pe are d but in more recentyears the white men also foundit profitable to work the tur-quoise claims in the ShadowMountains. Toda y the min eshave been abandoned, but LaViel le and Neva Lawbaugh

found it an intriguing place forexploration.

By A. LA VIELLE LAWBAUGHPhotos and map by the au thor

a and I once befriended anold-timer on a California deserttrail. He had lost a section of ra-diator hose and luckily the spare lengthwhich we always have with us was ofcorrect diameter. After installing thenew radiator hose and while sharingour lunch he told a story which laterled us on several trips to the old Tol-tec Mine in the Shadow Mountains ofnortheastern San Bernardino county.He recounted an interesting tale ofturquoise; of primitive miners in ourown great American Desert, who,many centuries ago, came into the

land of the Desert People in search ofprecious stones. They made friendswith the natives and began to workmany mines. For centuries great quan-tities of the beautiful blue stone weretaken from the area and transportedannually to their far off country.The new-comers to the turquoisecountry were unlike other Indians,with lighter complexions and hair.They were possessed of many arts andwere very industrious. It was they whomade the rock carvings and who taughtthe ancestors of the desert Mojavesthe same things. A powerful neighbor-ing tribe distrusted these "new things"and resolved on a war of extermina-tion. After a long conflict, most of thestrangers were slain, and the mines

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escarpment of basalt are caves which are believed to have been usedby the prehistoric miners for shelter.were abandoned until some of the oldworkings were rediscovered in 1897by T. C. Bassett. He had observed inthis neighborhood a small hill wherethe float rock was seamed and stainedwith blue. Digging down a few feet, hefound a vein of turquoisea whitetalcose material inclosing nodules andsmall masses of the mineral. At a depthof 20 feet he found fine gem color aswell as two aboriginal stone hammers,similar to those found at the Los Cer-illo Turquoise mine just above the So-noran border.At the first opportunity Neva and Iwith our good friends Ruth and MerleCoger were headed for the ShadowMountains. We traced the Arrowheadhighway through the ancient lake bedsat Manix; through beautiful CroniseValley, the valley of the cat. Manytravelers driving west discern the hugesitting figure of a cat which nature hasformed through the medium of a slideand drifted sand on the steep slope ofthe granite mountains which form thewestern shore of East Cronise dry lake.After leaving Baker we paused atHalloran Springs service station wherewe met M. H. Kohlars and talked withhim about the country to the northof the highway. We found him a like-able and interesting person whose hob-by is model railroading.

Checking the speedometer just afew hundred feet west of the servicestation we took a trail to the righttowards some hills, through an area

strewn with large and small basaltblocks. Nearing them we; came uponan old black top road at the Edisonpower line. It served us for only ashort distance before we turned leftonto another desert trail,A huge vulture lumbered into thea i r as we approached Hal loranSprings. A raven had been swoopingsavagely groundward at the vulture.The attack was continued until the twowere lost to sight.Here, at this ancient haunt of man,it was easy to turn back in time andvisualize this idyllic spot as it waswhen the climate of late Pleistoceneage supported a greener, more pro-fuse cover than is now evident. To-day, only a few dying rnesquites arethere; trees which hospitably furnishedthe more recent aborigines with foodand shelter. The spring has been cov-ered over, for protection, with onedrain pipe feeding an open tank forstock and another at a higher levelwhich w ould drain off any excess flowof water.At the fork beyond the spring weturned left and dropped clown a sandyslope past a large outcrop of brownstone and on across a wash. A beaver-tail cactus flaunted its rich blooms atthe side of the trail. Off to the rightwere two magnificent Joshua trees.Near one was a huge pile of rustingtins and in the clearing a rusting stoveand other litter. Between an old Zero-lene advertisement and the first Auto

Club marker we stopped to move adesert tortoise which blocked our path.It was a good excuse to stretch ourlegs and to observe at close hand thewind poppys and buttercups whichformed splashes of color on bothsides of the trail.Just past the cut-off to the WanderMine we took a still fainter trail to theright toward another group of hills.Creosote bushes, sage and desert teascraped the sides of the car as werocked along. A little antelope groundsquirrel scurried along the side of thetrail and then dashed abruptly out ofsight behind a group of Engelman'scereus. Cholla, niggerhead, barrel, andfishhook are other beautiful cactiwhich make up the varied ground cov-er. Th e deserted shack descibed byKohlars was nestled in the lee of ahill at the mouth of a canyon. A color-ful group of Joshua trees lined theterrace in front of the cabin. The hill-side was dotted with the delicate col-ors of Mojave asters.We climbed the ridge to the northfollowing the old burro trail whichundulates sharply and traverses fourridges and three canyons. At the sec-ond ridge Neva found an old glory holewhich had been run into the groundunder the trail. It is quite near the rug-ged, reddish brown outcrop of rockwhich the local people call the glassmountain. While crossing the bottomof the third canyon we found a flowerwhich always thrills us with its vivid

10 D E S E R T M A G A Z I N E


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signs still remain. Pieces of pottery,and many petroglyphs are to be found.During that peaceful and delightfultime when the sun had abruptlydropped behind the Soda Mountainsand as dusk approached we talked ofturquoise; its age-old history and itsplace in modern economy. The wailof a coyote brought us back to theToltec. The desert night came swiftlyupon us. A full moon mounting thevault of a star-studded sky clearlylighted the trail back to the car.Neva and I have made several suchtrips into the turquoise district andhave found the principal area to occu-py 15 miles by 3 or 4 in width. Theregion is volcanic in aspect, beinglargely covered with flows of basalticrock reaching outward from a groupof extinct craters. These flows extendfor miles and appear as long lowridges, separated by valleys and roughirregular canyons. Among these basal-tic rocks and in the valleys are foundsmaller areas of low rounded hills ofdecomposed sandstones and porphy-ries, traversed at times by ledges ofharder crystalline rocks, quartzites,and schists.

In the canyons and on the sides ofthe hills are the old mines,, which ap-pear as saucer-like pits, from 15 to30 feet across and half that depth.They are scattered about everywhere,but time and mining activity since theturn of the century have obliteratedmost of them. Stone tools were abun-dant in the old workings and the indi-cations were that the locality had beenexploited on a great scale and over along period. For here was an impor-tant source of the turquoise used bythose early people, some of whomlived in the many caverns which pock-mark the canyon walls. Smoke-black-ened roofs and rudely sculptured wallsindicated that they were occupied fora long period by those early miners. Inthe blown sand and debris which cov-ered the floors, stone implements andpottery shards have been found. Someof the cave openings had been partiallyclosed with rough walls of trap blockspiled one upon the other.Another impressive feature is theabundance of petroglyphs in the wholeregion. They are numbered by thou-sands, incised in the hard basalt ofthe cliffs, or on large blocks of the

P h o t o P r i z e s in A u g u s t . . .Every month is picture month on the desertin the wintertime atthe lower levels, and during summer in the higher elevations of themountain ranges which cross and crisscross the desert Southwest.In order to have the best of these pictures available for publication,Desert Magazine offers cash prizes for the finest of the photographicart secured by our readers. There is a wide range of subjectsland-scapes, wildlife, strange rock formations, sunsets, desert people, bot-any, mineralogythe field is unlimited, but the pictures must havebeen taken on the desert.The next Picture-of-the-Month contest will close August 20, andal l members of the photographic fraternity are invited to suomit theirprints.Entries for the August contest mus t be in the Desert Magazineoffice. Palm Desert, California, by August 20, and the winning printswill appe ar in the October issue. Pictures which arrive too late for onecontest a re held o ver for the next mon th. First prize is $10; seco ndprize $5.00. For non-winning pictures accepted for publication $3.00

each wil l be paid. HERE ARE THE RULES1Prints for monthly contests must be black and white, 5x7 or larger, printedon glossy paper.2Each photograph submitted should be fully labeled as to subject, time andplac e. Also technical da ta: cam era, shutter spe ed, hour of day , etc.3PRINTS WILL BE RETURNED WHEN RETURN POSTAGE IS ENCLOSED.4All entries must be in the Desert Magazine office by the 20th of the contestmonth.5Contests are open to both amateur and professional photo graphers. DesertMagazine requires first publication rights only of prize winning pictures.6Time and place of photograph are immaterial, except that it must be from thedesert Southwest.7judges will be selected from Desert's editorial staff, and awards will be madeimmediately after the close of the contest each month.

Address All Entries to Photo Editor"Detent 7Jaf


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Here is a lost gold story thatreads like fictionand yet JohnMitchell , who perhaps knowsmore about the lost treasures ofthe Southwest than any otherliving person, has related thestory just as it was told to him50 years ago .

C a v e o ft h e G o l d e nS a n d s . . .

By JOHN D. MITCHELLIllustration by Don Percivalifty years ago, about the time theSalt Lake railroad was beingbuilt from Salt Lake City to SanPedro, California, many small mining

camps were springing up all along theline and the hills were full of prospec-tors. An old man with long whitewhiskers, mounted on a burro anddriving four others ahead of him,showed up at the little mining campof Crescen t, Nevad a. After wateringhis burros at the water trough near thewindmill he pulled off to one side andmade camp. By the t ime his burroswere unpacked and hobbled and thecampfire going, Winfield Sherman, IkeReynolds, Bert Cavanaugh, Jim Wil-son and the writer had gathered aroundto pass the time of day with the new-comer.During the conversation, which wascarried on mostly by Winfield Sher-man, a typical long-haired, bewhis-kered desert rat, the old prospectorvolunteered the information that hisname was Riley Hatfield, that hehailed from Raleigh, North Carolina,and that he had come out west on theadvice of the family doctor. He saidhe was headed for Searchlight, Neva-da, to purchase provisions and to seea doctor about a heart ailment thathad been troubling him.

The old man was very polite, had agood outfit and looked prosperous.However, he did not seem to be muchinterested in the Crescent camp, de-

DONPERCEVAL.

spite the buildup we old-timers hadgiven it while sitting around the camp-fire.The old man broke camp shortlyafter breakfast the next morning andby sunup was headed out over thetrail in the direction of Searchlight.Two days later the writer happenedto be in Searchlight to pick up mailand provisions and met the prospec-tor at Jack Wheatley's boarding house.After dinner I joined the old manon the front porch for a smoke and alittle chat. During the conversation hetold me he had some placer gold forsale and asked me if I knew anyonewho would buy it. I referred him tothe assay offiice at either the Duplexor Quartette mine. Later that after-noon he told me he had sold the goldat the Duplex assay office. He reachedinto his pocket and pulled out five orsix of the most beautiful gold nuggetsI had ever seen. He said he was send-ing them to a friend.

I saw the prospector several timesthe following day and late that after-noon he told me he had purchasedhis supplies and had seen a doctorand would be ready to pull out earlythe next day. He asked me to accom-pany him as far as Crescent where Ihad my own camp.

After breakfast the next morning

The bottom seemed to drop outof the cave and the water rushedout with a roar like thunder.

we headed our two pack outfits in thedirection of Crescent Peak 14 mileswest.About noon we stopped for lunchand to give the burros a chance tobrowse. While the bacon was sizzlingand the coffee pot was sputtering theold man told me he had discoveredfour pounds of gold nuggets in a blacksand deposit near the Clark Moun-tains northeast of Nippeno (nowcalled Nipton.) He invited me to gowith him as he did not like to be outin the desert alone.He said that one day while campedjust below Clark Peak, he climbed ashort way up the mountainside andsaw off to the east a dry lake bed thatsuddenly filled with water. It lookedso real he could see trees along theshore and their reflection in the water.The route he was following to Cres-cent and Searchlight was in that gener-al direction so he decided to investi-gate the lake or whatever it was. Ashe approached the lake later it hadentirely disappeared, and he then rea-lized that it was only a beautiful mi-rage. Fortunately he had brought agood supply of water along. About

noon while skirting the western edgeof the dry lake bed he saw whatseemed to be the entrance to a caveon the east side of a small limestoneA U G U S T , 1 9 5 1 13


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hill about 50 feet above the level ofthe dry lake bed.There is something interestingabout a cave. It may contain anything an iron bou nd chest full of gold andsilver and precious gems, bandit loot,old guns, saddles, artifacts, bones ofman or long extinct animals. I some-times think this love of the cave hasbeen handed down to us by ancientancestors who lived in caves. Whenone of those old-timers headed forhis cave two jumps ahead of a three-toed whangdoodle the cave lookedgood to him.Likewise this cave looked good tothe old prospector and he decided tomake camp and explore it. At least itoffered shelter from desert sandstorms.The entrance was a long tunnel. Hehad not gone far inside when he heardthe sound of running water. Returningto the mouth of the cave for a lantern,he made his way back along the nar-row entrance and soon came to agreat dome-shaped chamber resem-bling an amphitheatre full of churningwater. As he stood there a smallwhirlpool appeared in the center andsuddenly the water rushed out with aroar like thunder. The bottom seemedto have dropped out of the cave. Thefloor was shaped like a large basinwith bench-like terraces or steps thatled down to the dark center. The ter-races were piled high with black sandthat trickled down with the recedingwater.Hanging from the ceiling were thou-sands of beautiful stalactites whileother thousands of stalagmites stoodup from th e floor of the cave. Inplaces they formed massive columns.Around the interior of the cavernwere many grottos sparkling withcrystals. The walls were plastered withlime carbonate like tapestries studdedwith diamonds. Never in his life hadhe seen anything like it. Above thetop terrace was a human skeleton andin a nearby grotto were the bones ofsome extinct animal, probably aground sloth.The center of the basin-shaped bot-tom of the cave was now filled withblack sand that had slid down fromthe surrounding terraces. On the wayout he gathered a few handfulls of thesand which later was found to besprinkled with yellow nuggets thatgleamed in the desert sunlight. Thatnight the old prospector sat by hiscampfire smoking and reveling in thedreams of a Monte Cristo. Was he notrich?

According to his story the water inthe cavern rises and falls with the ebband flow of the tides in the Pacific andis active twice every 24 hours. Firsta rumbling sound like a subterranean

cannonading is heard coming fromthe dark interior and then suddenlythe pile of black sand that chokes thetube-like chimney, is seen to rise up,and a dark column of water 18 feetin diameter bulges up from the centerand reaches a height of 45 or 50 feet.This dome of water and sand spreadsout into waves and breaks into whitespray as it dashes against the terraces.The play or intense agitation keeps upfor several hours and then the poolsettles down and is as quiet as a mill-pond.

If the old man told the truth aboutthe sand in the lake bed and in thecavern, it would be difficult to com-pute the value of the gold that couldbe taken from this cave. Then, too,every time the tide comes it brings upmore gold. How far the: black sandreaches down the underground stream,I am unable to say.Our dinner was over by the timethe old man had finished his story, andwe began to break camp.He invited me to go along with himto his cave and work with him. ThisI readily agreed to do as soon as Icould sell my mining claims in theCrescent camp. The old nan promisedto be back in about thres weeks withmore gold at which time I hoped to beready to accompany him.I sold my claim to an old FrenchCanadian named Joe Semenec, who

was prospecting for a Dr. John Hor-sky, of Helena, Montana.The old prospector never returnedand to this date no word has evercome out of the desert as to his fate.I have since learned that an old manwith long white whiskers was founddead on the dry lake bed near Ivan-pah. He and his burros were shot todeath. I do not know if this was thesame man or not.

The old man had told me that therewas from three to six feet of this heavyblack sand on the dry lake bed, whichis now covered by a shroud of snowwhite sand.Naturally I do not know the exactlocation of this million dollar cave. IfI did I would locate it myself insteadof writing this story which will, nodoubt stir interest in that part of thedesert. This cave should not be con-fused with one that recently was dis-covered out on Highway 91 east ofSan Bernardino, California, which issaid to extend for a distance of eightmiles and to contain a fortune in gold.Some old prospector or desert ratwith a magic lamp to transport him tothis hole in the ground, could live likea king, if he had enough money to buya small electric light plant, some railsand an ore car. He could live in afairy palace with nothing to do butwait for the tide to come in with moregold.

W ouU THafo 'DeficitProper methods of desert agricul-ture could turn millions of square milesof unproductive, desolate land into asupplementary area for man's use. Thisis the opinion of Dr. Raymond S.Cowles, professor of zoology at theUniversity of California at Los Ange-les, who specializes in research withthe flora and fauna of the southwest-ern deserts. He recommends selectivebreeding and harvesting of native plantsalready adapted to the drying winds,

burning sands and infrequent rainfall,rather than further efforts at irrigation,as the answer to wide-spread desertagriculture."The possibility of reclaiming desertland through irrigation seems to benearing its limits," the UCLA scientistpoints out. "But there are a great manyplants which require no water exceptthe small amount they are accustomedto in their desert hom es. In fact, adesert agriculture based on such plantswould have failures only in the yearswhen there was too much rainfall."Dr. Cowles suggests that a scientificanalysis of all desert plants wouldreveal hundreds of specimens of poten-tial commercial value.These plants would either be useful

in the production of essential foods orof materials valuable to medicine, agri-culture or industry. He points to St.John's bread or the locust tree as anexample of food-producing plants. Thistree has a high food yield per acre ofnutritious pods which are eaten byanimals and sometimes by man.The jojoba, or goat nut, is anotherplant whose nut is readily eaten bylivestock. It is hardy and drought-resistant and grows wild in a largearea in the Southwest. The nut con-tains a high percentage of an oily wax,which has been found to be useful inmaking candles which have a highmelting point. The jojoba oil has an-other unusual qualityit does not be-come rancid.Another interesting plant is the na-tive tobacco, which has a delicatefragrance somewhat similar to Turkishvarieties. There are also many kindsof bunch grasses which feed grazingstock. Dr. Cowles readily admits thatmany problems remain to be solved inthe field of desert agriculture. But hesuggests that since the many plantsliving there now have come to termswith their environment, man shouldbe able to match their adjustment.



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' ; ' "

Photograph by George M. RoyAUTUMN'S TOUCHBy MARGARET FOX BALLOUGHAlbion, MichiganAutumn . . . hesitatingTo make known her visit here . . .Though longing to be noticedStands trembling . . . as in fear.'Tis now she must be subtleAnd task with quiet graceTo weave her spell . . . and yetNot change in character, this place.

In other lands, left far behind.He r ha ndiw ork is* knownBy crimson trees . . . and fallen leavesBy Autumn's breath are blown!Encircled by her arms, the world'sHeld firm in Autumn's clutch . . .Though desert sands and arid landsYield slowly to her touch.As Autumn trails her fingers through thesand.

THE DESERTBy RUTH A. MooRiiHealdsburg, CaliforniaSometimes the desert is cool and calmSometimes it's harsh and cruel.When wind and heat and blowing sandBegin their endless duel.Sometimes the desert's a devilish fiendWho likes to taunt and foolThe lost and dying thirsty manWith mirage of waters cool.Sometimes this beast is like a lambSo gentle, meek and kind.It's then I like to search her outAnd all her beauties find.Sometimes the desert's a fairy landWhen bathed with pale moonlight.And starry sequins overheadLend their magic to the night.

Ode ta a Snto&e *7*eeBy Lois ELDER RO YPalm Desert, California

A smoke tree is a filmy wispOf wind-blown spray;Gossamer as silken web, whereinThe errant night winds play.Argent glory down arroyosWhere blue-veined mountains drain,Pouring down in tumbling cadenceDesert's golden wine of rain.A smoke tree is a silver urnPlaced near a duneWhere hoarded treasure spillsAnd overflows in June.Blossoms, deep as midnight,Form pools of shadowed blue;An angel artist breathed upon herworkWhen she was through.A smoke tree is a magic loom, whereon.With mystic thread,The sunlight spins dark, shadowed laceTo lay across the white sand bed.And up the wash, like silver ribbonsShimmering in the sun,The magic of the trail unwinds. 1 followWhere wild quail and coyotes run.

ESCAPEBy SIBYL J. LAKEDumas, Texas

Star-studded sky and desert calm,And silhouette of waving palm,And sleepy flowers on the hillAnd stately cactus standing stillAgainst the night!These things can calm the weary soul.And teach us Heaven is our goal,And help our hearts to understandThat God is here on every hand

To guide us right.Oh, weary soul, forsake thy quest.Renounce the city's raw behest."Take up thy bed" and seek the hillsFar from the scene of clashing wills.And win the fight.

ARROWHE ADBy ROBERT TURNERGreybull, Wyoming

Polished by the shifting sands,Black as desert nights that hide it.Chipped by copper-colored hands,Used but once . . . a Red man tried it,Sent it speeding toward its mark.An instant . . . then its work was done.No w it rests through still and dark.And shimmers 'neath the desert sun.

By TANYA SOUTHSleep then, nor dream of mightysplendors.Nor envy them when you awake.Those august greatnesses andgrandeursWork and determination take.The heights and conquests each mustearn,Carved on his inmost soul, in blood.And he who sleeps, though he mayyearn.Cannot attain the Great or Good.

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W anted: A Desert ThermometerThe desert's summer heat is greatly over-ratedmostly becauses c ien ce ha s not yet d ev is ed a thermometer which will register tempera-tures in terms of bodily comfort. The Fahrenheit thermometer now inu se not only is an inadequate instrument but it is a downright prevari-cator. In the meantime folks go on "suffering" from heat which mayb e 20degrees imaginat ion.

By GEORGE FITZPATRICKEditor of New Mexico Magazine

Art by R aymond McC oyY W I F E and I were walkingalong Wilshire Boulevard inLos Angeles after driving in

from New Mexico across the Mojavedesert. Sauntering casually, window

shopping, I shed the coat which I hadput on for custom's sake. My shirtwas sticking to my skin. My foreheadoozed perspiration."Either I've got a fever,"' I said, "or

'We were more uncomfortable at 85degrees inLos Angeles on anexcessively humid day . . .

this place is hotter than Needles wasyesterday." (It had reached a maxi-mum of 110 degrees there.)My wife made the usual remarkabout Los Angeles' unusual weather,an d I wondered aloud what the tem-perature actually was. In a few min-utes we had our answer. A large ther-mometer in the shade of a doorwayshowed the temperature to be 85 de-grees. As far as comfort is concernedthat thermometer was a barefaced pre-varicator. We were more uncomfort-able at 85 in LosAngeles on an exces-sively humid day than we were inNeedles under the full force of thedesert sun that had sent mid-afternoontemperatures to a high of 110.

So thethermo meter doesn't really tellyo u the temperature insofar as yourbody reacts to that temperature. Andactually 85 in LosAngeles on a humidday is not the same temperature as 85in Los Angeles on a dry day. Thehuman skin registers these two 85-degree readings differently.I have been so hot in Chicago whenthe temperature registered 95 that Ispent the few hours between trains inan air-conditioned movie instead ofsight-seeing as I would have preferred.I have really sweltered many a timeback east in Erie, Pa., when the tem-perature reached only 83 degrees. Yet83 or 93 or even 103 in any of adozen places in the Southwest, Albu-querque, Tucson, Palm Desert, or anyother you name, is so pleasant thatwe southwesterners wonder how peoplecan live anyplace else.The explanation, of course, is in thetrite old saying, "It isn't the heat; it'sthe humidity."Using myself as a guinea pig, I havebeen keeping a weather eye on thethermometer and have come to thisconclusion: The recorded temperatureseldom agrees with my skin's reactionto various types of heat and cold.The high temperatures reported fromsouthwestern points during the sum-mer frighten easterners who begin toget faint when they think of tempera-tures over 90.Yet as far as skin comfort is con-cerned a temperature of 100 in theSouthwest actually is about 80.A meteorologist friend explained itfor me by saying that the body hasa very efficient cooling process, andthat the evaporation of a single ounceof moisture removes more than 1800calories of heat from the body. Thedifficulty is that the rate at which thisevaporational cooling takes place de-pends upon the relative humidity. If

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the humidity is high, the rate of evapo-ration of the skin's moisture is slow.If the percentage of humidity in theair is low, the rate of evaporation israpid.Thus in dry Needles or Phoenix orAlbuquerque, the rate of evaporationin the middle of summer is rapid, whilein New York or Baltimore or Phila-delphia on a usual summer day, therate of evaporation is slow, due to thehigh percentage of humidity in the air.So the skin is actually more comfort-able in higher temperatures in thedesert than in temperatures 15 to 25degrees lower in the damper East!It boils down to the fact that com-parative temperature readings for va-rious parts of the United States havelittle or no significance. Th ey ma y beas much as 15 to 20 degrees off inrelation to the reading your skin wouldgive.So the true measure of temperatureshould be the degree of hot or coldthat we feel.At present there is no measuring de-vice to approximate the reading theskin would give to the temperature,although some climatologists believethat the wet-bulb temperature moreclosely approximates the reading thandoes the dry-bulb. Wet bulb record-ings are made daily by the WeatherBureau to compute humidity, but thesereadings are seldom published.To obtain wet-bulb readings andto determine relative humidity, theWeather Bureau uses what is called asling psychrometer. Two identical ther-mometers are mounted together on astrip of metal. To this are attachedthree or four links of chain and ahandle that can be grasped in the fist.One of the thermometers is coveredwith muslin. This is then dipped inwater to wet the cloth thoroughly.Holding the sling, the operator whirlsthe thermometers rapidly in the air.Evaporation of water from the muslincauses a lower reading on the wet bulb

than on the dry-bulb thermom eter. Indry air, water evaporates faster, andthe rapid cooling therefore gives alower reading. The difference in read-ings provides a measure of moistureby which relative humidity is com-puted.In the dry climate areas of the Westand Southwest, the difference betweenthese wet and dry-bulb readings willvary as much, on a summer day, as25 or 30 degrees. The wet-bulb tem-perature, of course, is the lower oneand this more closely approximatesthe temperature that the skin actuallyfeels.This explains why a temperature of100 degrees in Tucson is not uncom-

fortable and why temperatures up to120 degrees are not unbearable. Thebody actually feels a temperature con-siderably lower than the dry-bulbthermometer registers.Direct rays of the sun, of course, arehotand we feel hot. But move overinto the shade. There the wet bulbreading might be as much as 30 de-

grees lower than the hundred that thedry-bulb thermometer registers.A thermometer that more accuratelymeasures the temperature in terms ofskin comfort would have a tremendouspsychological effect on southwesternvisitors. People who are frightenedaway from the desert by temperaturesof 100, and 110, would feel no dis-comfort if those temperatures weremore accurately recorded at 85 and90 .Even though the wet-bulb thermom-

eter is frequently more accurate insummer in approximating the tempera-ture the skin feels, the Weather Bur-eau experts say it is not the solutionto the problem, since other factorsspeed of air movement, barometricpressure, muscular activity, clothinginfluence the temperature we feel.F. W. Reichelderfer, chief of theWeather Bureau, Washington, declaresthat "the problem of determining anindex of human comfort (involvingthe four factors of temperature, rela-tive humidity, air movement and radi-ation) has been a matter of concernfor some time." He goes on to say,however, that an index suitable forone set of conditions may not be suit-able for another."For example," the Weather Bur-eau chief says, "a person exposed toa strong wind may experience wind

" . . . than we were in Needles under the fullforce of the desert sun at 110 degrees.

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chill, but a person in a sheltered placedoes not suffer similar effects."The American Society of Heatingand Ventilating Engineers years agorecognized the inadequacy of the dry-bulb thermometer as an index of com-fort. It has evolved wha t it calls "ef-fective temperature." This is definedas "that index which expresses the

composite effect of air temperature,relative humidity, and air motion onthe hum an body." "Effective" refersto physiological effects on the body.While this "effective temperature"would hardly be applicable to thedesert outdoors, it is interesting inpointing up the problem of finding aproper index of human comfort.By a series of research tests the So-ciety developed a formula by whichthe known dry and wet-bulb tempera-tures and other factors can be read interms of "effective temperature." Un-der certain conditions the dry-bulbthermometer might register 76 andthe wet-bulb thermometer give a read-ing of 63. According to the Society'sformula, the "effective temperature"would be 70 if the movement of airis slow, 67 if moderate and 65 if rapid.A printed scale makes rapid compu-tation possible when the wet and dry-bulb temperatures are known.Under the formula, with wet-bulbtemperature at 60 and dry-bulb tem-perature of 90 the "effective tempera-ture" would be 75.9 degrees. This isthe nearest thing to what the skinwould register as has yet been devised.But it still would hardly be suitable forgeneral outdoor use.The scale was designed for indooru s e , and in their research before WorldWar II they determined that peopleshould not work in non-air conditionedbuildings when the "effective tempera-ture" reaches 84 degrees.As to the outdoors, the problem isstill unsolved. Weather Bureau ChiefReichelderfer points out: "There isno well established comfort indexknown to us suitable to cover the en-tire range from the extremes of winterto those of summer, valid under allconditions out-of-doors."So science still has to catch up withitself on a simple little thing like athermometer that actually registers thetemperature the body feels. The fieldis wide open.As to the prospects of solving theproblem, we have only this nof-too-hopeful statement from the WeatherBureau chief:"Several organizations are workingon this complex biological-environ-mental problem, and when a comfortindex suitable for general meteorologi-cal application is produced, we shallgive serious consideration to its use forlocal dissemination to the public."

D e s e r t Q u i z The Quiz is a monthly test for those whowant to learn more about the geography, thebotany, the history, the wildlife and person-alities, past and present, and the lore of the desert country. The questionscover a wide range cf subjects about people and places and things ofinterest to those who travel. 12 to 14 is a fair score, 15 to 17 is good, 18or better is exception. The answers are on page 30.1When frost comes in the fall the foliage of Juniper trees turnsWhite . Red . Yellow . Rem ain green2Arizona's famous Camelback Mountain is seen fromFlagstaffPhoenix . Tucson . Nogales3 A balsa was used by the Indian s To kill game . As a magicprayer stick . As a funeral pyre for the crem ation of thedead . Raft used by Colo rado river Indians to cross thestream4The ripples on desert sand dunes are caused by HeatWind . Rain . Earth tremors5The cactus skeletons used by wood-workers to make lampstands andother novelties come from a species ofCholla . HedgehogPrickly pear . Night-blooming cereus6Old Indian trails generally followedThe bottoms of the arroyosRidges . Mesas or slopes of the foothills . Th e sand dune s7Amethyst is violet coloredCalciteObsidian . Qua rtz . Feldspar8Harqua Hala is the name of a mountain range inArizonaNew Me xico ___.. Uta h Ne vada9 John Hanc e was a famous story-teller at Tom bstone . GrandCa nyo n .__.. . De ath Valley . San ta Fe

10 The famous Goosenecks are in theS an Juan River . ColoradoRiver Green River . Gila River

11Correct spelling of the range of mountains overlooking Death ValleyisPannam int . Panimint . Panamintt Panamint12C lifton, Arizon a, is famous for itsSilver mines Goldmin es ___. Co ppe r mines . Lead depos its13 Th e Com stoek lode is generally associated with the mining cam p ofRhy olite .__ . To nop ah . Goldfield . Virginia City14The structure known as The Hopi House is in Zion NationalPark . Petrified Forest National Mo num ent . BandelierNational Monum ent Grand Canyon National Park15The Earps of Tombstone had their famous gunfight withBilly the

Kid ..... Geronim o's Apac he warriors _ . The Clanton GangButch Cassidy's outlaws16 The Shivwits Indian reservation is in Utah . Nevad aCalifornia . New Mexico17 The Smoke tree generally blossoms in Febru ary . JuneMarch Throughout the year18The epic story of Imperial Valley's reclamation, The Winning ofBarbara Worth, was written by Edw in Co de . Harold BellW righ t . Zan e Grey .___. J. Fr an k Do bie19The Spanish word Cienaga, commonly used in the Southwest,means Small moun tain Marsh or miry place . Flowingspring . High level platea u20Window Rock in Arizona is the agency headquarters for theApacheIndians . Mojaves . Navajos . Pa pag os... .....



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G eron imo , Ap ache or Greek . . .Phoenix, ArizonaDesert:When I bought your June issue andbegan looking through the pages, oneof your stories was quite surprising"Geronimo, Apache or Greek."Eleanor Hodgson quotes most ofher material from Angelo Doxa, aGreek writer who suggested that thename, Geronimo, came from the Greekname Heronimos, and that the famousApache chief may in reality have beena Greek.This assumption is quite unlikely.Geronimo's name, before he brokeaway from Cochise's Apaches, wasGoyathlay. He then changed it to

Geronimo which is the Mexican ver-sion of Jerome.Angelo Doxa also suggests thatGeronimo had the features of a Greek.Actually, he was a perfect example ofthe Apachehigh cheekbones, hookednose and thin lips. He was short andhad a broad chest.The locket which the writer offersas proof, could easily have been stolenby the Apaches from a foreigner trav-eling through their country.Although there is no proof, it isbelieved Geronimo's p ar e nt s w erekilled by Mexicans when he was veryyoung.After looking up all the availablerecords, I am convinced Angelo Doxais mistakenand that Geronimo wasa full-blooded Apache.D O N P A L M E R

Desert: Corona del Mar, CaliforniaThe Greek writer, Angelo Doxa,who is quoted in your June issue, wasmistaken about Geronimo being aGreek. I was captured by the Apachesin New Mexico in 1885. I put in 18years in the Apache country and knewGeronimo. He was a full-bloodedApache. S G T. F RED F . V ED D ER Chandler, ArizonaDesert:Referring to the article by EleanorHodgson, in the June issue of theDesert Magazine calling attention tothe book "The Charming Tropics,"written by Angelo Doxa, a native ofthe Island of Keofalonia, Greece.It is a long cry from the Island ofTenos, in the Aegean Sea, to the hillsand valleys of the Great Southwestwhere the notorious Geronimo, the

Apache Chief, rode at the head of hislittle band of Apache warriors. Thename Geronimo is Spanish and meansJerome in English. Many Indians ofthe Southwest and Mexico were givenSpanish and American names by thepioneers as their Indian names werevery difficult to pronounce. As anexample the Am erican governmentsent a numb er of scholars into the Westto rename a small tribe of Indians.Knowing the Indian superstition, theygave instructions to make the newnames sound as much like the old onesas it was possible to do. Coming toa buck whose name was "Bobtail Coy-ote." they renamed him "Robert T.Wolf."I have seen several of these old-timesilver lockets among the Ind ians a roundTaos and Isleta, New Mexico, and theyall contained a lithographed picture ofthe Virgin Mary, with the inscription"Virgin of Taos," not Tenos. as the

Aegean Island is spelled. It is there-fore just possible that the author couldhave been mistaken in distinguishingbetween the words Taos and Tenos asit was said to have been very dim atthe time she tried to read it.I happen to know that Geronimo'sfather was a pure-blood Apache mar-ried to an Apache squaw. Let us hopetha t she was beautiful. They wereof the wild pagan tribes of the hillsand probably never heard of the Islandof Tenos in the far away Aegean Sea.If the notorious Apache chief was a

Greek I am a Chinaman.J O H N D . M I T C H E L LW ho Gets the Treasure? . . .Silver City, New MexicoDesert:Can you inform me as to the properprocedure necessary to establish own-ership if a person finds a cache of lostor buried treasure? Who should benotified, and does the governmentclaim a percentage of the wealth?Where can I get this information?ED WIN P . P A TCH F O RD

Desert Magazine referred thisinquiry to the California Divisionof Mines, and was advised that"Disposition of buried treasurefound on public domain and onprivate property depends on manylegal factors. Ordinarily, buriedtreasure found on privately ownedland belongs to the owner of theproperty, but in some cases, bycourt decision, such rights havebeen given to the finder."The American Antiquities Actof 1906 appears to apply in someinstances, but the conditions areso diverse as to make it impossibleto quote a general rule which willapply. R. H.

Ancient Spanish Mines . . .Santa Fe, New MexicoDesert:

Noting Glenn Holmes' letter con-cerning Spanish mining in the South-west in the May issue of Desert Maga-zine, a brief historical item may notbe amiss.I, too, have seen the Spanish relicsat Santa Rita, New Mexico, in facthave been present when some werediscovered. They are typical of relicsfound wherever ancient Spanish minesexist and are similar to those describedin my article about the "Mina delTiro" in the March issue of Desert.There was essentially no change inmining methods as used by the earlySpaniards until the advent of theAmericans a few years prior to theAmerican occupation in 1846.

The relics at Santa Rita were allrecovered from the early Spanish w ork-ings opened there by modern miningoperations. The copper deposits atSanta Rita were discovered in 1800and actual mining operations beganabout 1804. Thus the Santa Rita relicsare from mining operations of theearly 19th centuryCH A RLES L . K N A U S No W ater at Corn Springs . . .Desert Center, CaliforniaDesert:Motorists who may be going to CornSprings oasis to camp should be in-formed there is no water at the presenttime. The spring ceased to flow sev-eral years ago, and some prospectorsfrom Aztec Well helped me put downa well among the palms. But thewater is not up to standard for drink-ing, and should not be used, even if itcan be gotten out of the hole.WILL LEWISDesert Magazine has written toRiverside County authorities urg-ing that the well be re-conditioned,as Corn Springs has been one ofthe historic watering places on thedesert dating back to a time long

before the white men came to thedesert, as evidenced by petro-glyphs on the rocks there.R.H. Let's Leave It Alone . . .San Francisco, CaliforniaDesert:Is there any chance to get a piece ofthat big petrified tree trunk in Nevadawhich Nell Murbarger wrote about inyour July issue? T I M T I M O T H YNo one will ever get a piece ofthat grand old petrified veteranof a prehistoric forest withoutusing dynamite and no one withthe heart of a true rockhoundwould ever do that. R. H.A U G U S T , 1 9 5 1 19


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man leading and Marge Hendersonbringing up the rear as assistant lead-er. The elevation at the Smith cabinis 1800 feet. The highest point in therange is 6200 feet, so we had about4400 feet to gain, within a distance ofabout nine miles.Adelina Smith had decided to makethe climb with us. "In the 16 yearswe've lived here, I've been all the wayup the canyon only once," she said.The wash was wide open at first.

Gradually it became light enough tosee who had come. Fritz Sloman,Marge and Bill Henderson, Berniceand Walter Heninger, were all veter-ans of previous attempts and wereespecially eager to make the top thistime. Three members of the San DiegoChapter of the Sierra Club were withus : Barbara Lilley, Frances Piersonand Eugene Vinson. From the LosAngeles Chapter: Muriel Pope, GlenWarner, Dorothy Campbell, EleanorAbove Some of the climbers along the route. It took seven hours to ascend

4400 feet to the top.Below The bald summ it of A vawatz. Joshua trees are seen growing nearly

to the top with a sprinkling of pinyon and juniper.

Smith, Georgie White, Larry Ames,Peggy Fredricks, Bert Baldwin, RalphHarlow, Elgin Pierce, Louise andNiles Werner. James Bonner hadbrought two guests: Rosamond Ba-ker, a prospective club member, andAdele Millerd, from Sydney, Austra-lia. Adele is an International Educa-tion student this year at the CaliforniaInstitute of Technology. We asked herabout the Australian deserts. She saidthey are very much less accessiblethan our deserts.

The wash narrowed between smoothwalls of white, pre-cambrian marble.Now and then we encountered a littlerock scramble up dry falls. As the sunrose higher we welcomed the shadeof the canyon walls.About four miles above the Smithcabin, Mrs. Smith pointed out theUpper Spring, running water from apipe. Clumps of desert willow grew

at this spot and fresh droppings ofmountain sheep were all around."We estimate we have six or eightmountain sheep back in here," Mrs.Smith told us. "We'd have more if themountain lions didn't get the lambs.One old ram is quite friendly with Mr.Smith. Allows him to come almostwithin petting distance. Two years agothe Los Angeles County Museum senta group in here to get a sheep formounting. Mr. Smith showed themwhere to find the sheep. They took anewe and their taxidermist prepared itright in front of our house. It waslambing time and they took a perfectlittle lamb out of the ewe and stuffedit too. I understand they're both ondisplay in the American animals ex-hibit at the Museum at ExpositionPark."

The girls wanted to know how Mrs.Smith kept her skin so soft and whiteliving on the desert."It 's natural," she said. "I never usecreams. I guess I'm lucky."We rested at the Upper Spring, giv-ing everyone a chance to catch up. Formost of us the breakfast hour hadbeen too early to enjoy much food.Lunch bags came out of knapsacksand out of lunchbags came oranges,apples, carrots, celery and sandwiches.Sounds like a vegetarian picnic. Thesefoods we especially enjoy in desertlunches, because of their moisturecontent. Everyone carried at least aquart canteen of water and many car-ried canned fruit juice besides. Sea-soned climbers usually carry, on one-day trips: a sweater or parka, flash-light, dark glasses, matches. The lead-er is required to carry a standard firstaid kit. Niles Werner always carriesa pair of pliers for two reasons: topull out boot nails that give trouble,



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and to pull out cactus spines fromvictims' hides.At the Upper Spring we took the leftfork which is narrow for a short dis-tance. Here grow clumps of real wil-low. Then the canyon widens to awash again, its sides rising gently tored-brown volcanic-like ridges. Thisgentle rise is generously dotted withJoshua trees, smaller varieties of yuc-ca, and beavertail cactus.Around a bend the formations in-dicated we were coming to the end ofthe canyon, and to the foot of somesteeper climbing. The lead group hadalready paused there to consider theroutes. Yellow cliffs to the left weredeeply furrowed with steep gullies andtopped by a craggy summit. Beyondthis summit, we suspected, was thepeak. To the right was a scree slope.Above the scree slope the ridge ran, in

a short arc, toward the top of the yel-low cliff.While the leaders pondered thequestion of which way to go, the restof us whiled away the time resting,talking and laughing. Someone won-dered where the name 'Avawatz' camefrom."We have always assumed it wasIndian," Mrs. Smith said, "but wehave never been certain as to the ori-gin." Later in Erwin A. Gude's Calif-ornia Place Names, I found the fol-lowing information:"The name appears on the map ofthe Me rriam expedition (18 91 ) asIvawatch, a name doubtless suppliedby the Indians. It is derived fromSouthern Paiute na-hu-watz, 'moun-tain sheep.' The use of the prefix iva-'white, clear' in place of na-hu mayimply that the word referred to 'whitesheep ' (O. J . F isk ) . The name wascommonly pronounced a-va-watz byth e s ettle rs . . . "There is always a great deal oflaughter on such trips. We laugh atmany things that don't seem funny

when one tries to put them on paperafterward. W hether the joke is goodor not, doesn't seem important. Peo-ple in high spirits will laugh at theslightest excuse."That must be the old gate we'resupposed to pass through," said BillHenderson, pointing to an old postwith a cross-piece sagging from it.That way lay the scree slope."The cliff is more direct," was Lar-ry Ames' opinion."That may be so, but it 's no placeto take a large party without ropes,"judged Fritz Sloman, the leader. Andhe started up the scree slope. Half adozen others liked the looks of thecliff and decided to try it. The restfollowed Fritz up the scree, sliding

A U G U S T , 1 9 5 1

back halfway every time they took astep. But the scree slope wasn't longand they soon reached a ridge, whichclimbed in an arc, toward the top ofthe yellow cliff. Most of the cliff partymade it easily, but a few found thelast 10 or 15 feet steep and the footingpoor. Fritz ran up the ridge to assistthem.We could see by now that we werestill a long way from the summit. Wecouldn't even be sure which ridge ledto the highest point.

Fritz and Niles started up the rightridge with Barbara Lilley and EugeneVinson following. Bernice and WalterHeninger decided to wait until it wascertain which was the true summit.Larry Ames and Muriel Pope went upa draw between the two summits andthe rest straggled out behind.Pinyon Pines decorate the slopesabove the scree, and fine large juni-pers are all over the hills.Fritz and Niles disappeared overwhat looked like the top. After a littleAbove On the trail to Avawatz. Peak. Proper dress for such a m ountain

climb is whatever you want to wear.Below This is the canyon up wh ich the party came. The going was rough

in some places.


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o* t t&eARIZONA

Arizona to Improve R oads . . .TUCSONHighway budget f iguresreleased in Arizona include $1,039,-600 ear-marked for improvement ofHighway 66. The moneys will be usedfor completion of the Yucca cutoffbetween Kingman and Topock, grad-ing and draining 12 miles betweenTopock and Franconia, 35 miles ofresurfacing between Topock and Kas-ter, 19 miles of grading and drainingbetween Topock and Kingman, threemiles of grading and an overpass nearYucca, and four miles grading, drain-ing and surface work east and westof McConnico. Desert Star. Wel l Drill ing Ba nn ed . . .PHOENIX W. W. Lane , s ta teland commissioner, has declared 400,-000 acres of Pinal county lands as a"critical area." The declaration callsfor restrictions against drilling waterwells for new land development. De s-ignation of the area as critical wasmade under provisions of the StateGroundwater act of 1948. The Pinalarea is the third and largest section tobe placed under state water control.Only one small segment of the county,north of Red Rock, remains free ofstate water jurisdiction. Tucson Citi-zen. Travel Increase Noted . . .GRAND CANYON T r av e l t oGrand Canyon national park is 8 .2percent above last year's total to June1, park service officials have disclosed.So far this travel year, which startedOct. 1, 228,688 visitors have beenchecked into the park, compared with211,261 for the same period last year.May of this year, however, has showna slight decline with 49,726 visitorscoming into the park, as comparedwith 50,109 for May of 1950. Thisyear's visitors have included travelersfrom all 48 states and many foreignlands. Coconino Sun. Water User s Get Project . . .YUMA Valley division of theYuma projectoldest Bureau of Rec-lamation development on the Coloradoriverwas slated to be turned overJuly 1 for operation and m aintenanceto the Yuma County Water Users as-sociation. The transfer was to be madein accordance with a recently executedcontract between the Bureau and waterusers. The Valley division containsapproximately 50,000 acres. Water isdiverted at Imperial Dam, 18 miles

northeast of Yuma, and is carriedthrough the Ail-American Canal for14Vi miles to Siphon Drop where itis turned through the Siphon Droppower plant into the Yuma main canal. Yuma Sun.Peyote-Eating Defended . . .FLAGSTAFF Eating of peyotebuttons is not "debauchery" but aharmless and valuable religious sacra-ment as practiced by the Native Ameri-can Church, it is claimed by a Navajogroup. Peyote or mescal buttons arethe dried, disc-like tops of the smallspineless Mexican cactus, resembling apotato chip covered on one side witha tuft of down-like cotton. Rec entstatements protesting the use of peyoteas harmful and habit-forming are theresult of misinformation, the Navajogroup advised. K. F. Parker, curatorof the herbarium at the University ofArizona has recently indicated thatmost scientific investigation has shownthe peyote plant to be non-habit form-ing and harmless. Coconino Sun.

Hidden Canyon Goal oi Trek . . .PHOENIXIncluded in the vaca-tion plans of six Arizona youths is a400-mile trek into some of the wildestcountry in Mexico. The group hopesto explore the fabulous Hidden can-yon, supposedly larger than the Grandcanyon and containing newly discov-ered species of tropical animals. A150-mile hike with burros from Ala-mos, a Mexican town 500 miles southof the border, to the edge of the can-yon is planned. Tw o members of thegroup are from Phoenix college, twoare from the University of Arizona,one has just graduated from NorthPhoenix high school and one attendsthe Massachusetts Institute of Tech-nology. Tucson Citizen. Arizona W i n s Water Vote . . .WASHINGTONSenate approval ,50-28 of the Hayden-McFarland billauthorizing the $788,000,000 CentralArizona Reclamation Project marks thesecond successive Arizona victory overCalifornia in the quarter century-longfight over Colorad o River water. Themargin was five votes closer than inFebruary, 1950, when a similar pro-posal passed 55-28. The Congressionalfuture of the proposal is still in doubt,however, since the House Interior-In-sular Affairs committee some months

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A U G U S T , 1 95 1 25


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T H E D S R T T R A D I N G P O S TClassified Advertising inThis Section Costs 8c a Word, $1.00 Minimum Per Issue

INDIAN GOODSFOUR PERFECT AND FINE Indian Arrowheads$1.00. 2 large arrowheads $1.00; extra finestone tomahawk $2.00; 4 beautiful bird ar-rowheads $1.00; 2 flint knives $1.00; fineeffigy peace pipe $8.00; bone fish hook $2.00;6" or over spearhead $5.00, thin and perfect.List Free. Lear's, Glenwood, Arkansas.WE SEARCH UNCEASINGLY for old and rareIndian Artifacts, but seldom accumulate alarge assortment. Collectors seem as eager topossess them as their original owners. Tothose who like real Indian things, a heartywelcome. You too may find here somethingyou have long desired. We are continuallyincreasing our stock with the finest in Navajorugs, Indian baskets, and hand-made jewelry.Daniels Trading Post, 401 W. Foothill Blvd.,Fontana. California.COLLECTORS ITEMS in Indian Handicraft. Oldbaskets from 20 tribes, buckskin garments,war bonnets, beadwork, Navajo and ZuniPawn silver jewelry, peace pipes, headbreak-ers, old bows and arrows, handmade Indiansaddle, beaded saddle blankets, bone breastplates, Navajo yea rugs. Pat Read, Indian

Trader, Lawrence, Kansas.

BOOKS MAGAZINESBOOKS FOUND: Any subject, any author. Fastservice. Send wantsno obligation. Interna-tional Bookfinders. Box 3003-D, Beverly Hills,California.PANNING GOLD Another hobby for RockHounds and Desert Roamers. A new booklet,"What the Beginner Needs to Know," 36 pagesof instructions; also catalogue of mining booksand prospectors' supplies, maps of where to goand blue prints of hand machines you canbuild. Mailed postpaid 25c, coin or stamps.Old Prospector, Box 729, Desk 5, Lodi, Calif."GOLD PANNING FOR PROFIT." Healthy out-door hobby. Beginners' big illustrated instruc-tion book$1.00. Miners' gold pans, $2.00.Prospectors' powerful magnifying glass, $1.00.Desert Jim, 627 Lillian, Stockton, California.WE WILL PAY 50 cents each for good copiesof the Desert Magazine issue of September,October, November, 1945, and January. Feb-ruary, 1946. Desert Magazine, Palm Desert,California.FOR SALE: Western Americana, limited selec-tion; Covers Ghost mine and railroad items,glass. Write your particular interest, I mayhave it. Box 64-D, Smith, Nevada.

K E E P V O U R I M P S . . .Every month Desert Magazinecarries two or three maps especi-ally prepared for readers whocome to the desert for recreation

or field trips.These maps are best retainedfor permanent reference by filingyour copy of Desert Magazineeach month in one of the loose-leaf binders supplied by themagazine publishers.Covered with imitation leatherand gold embossed, each binderholds 12 copies. They are easyto insert and they lay flat when

open.

TH EMAILED POSTPAID FOR$2 .00

mflGRZMEPALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIESTRADING POST, Hiway 80, Rox and IndianGoods. 1 acre, 3 houses, soft water well.

Healthy, good living for couple. Reason oldage. $8500. Trading Post, Boulevard, Calif.FABULOUS EARNINGS Fascinating pastime.Growing Genuine, living miniature (Ming)Trees. New Sensational Business or Hobby.Astounding information FREE. Dwarf Gar-dens, Box 355N, Briggs Station, Los Angeles48, California.

MISCELLANEOUSFRED AND JESSIE PORTER welcome you to"Pow-Wow" Rock and Gift Shop. East endof Yermo, Calif. Hi-way 91. You are assuredof an interesting stop here; whether it berocks, gifts, information or a souvenir.What's your hobby? Ours in rocks. Come inand "Pow-Wow" with us.LADY GODIVA "The World's Finest Beautifier."For women who wish to become beautiful, for

women who wrish to reman beautiful. Anoutstanding desert cream. For information,write or call Lola Barnes, 363 No. Oakland,Pasadena 6, Calif, or phone SYcamore 4-2378.COLOR SLIDESTravel, Nature, Geology, etc.

Free list (with sample 30c, three for dollar).Kelly D. Choda, Box 5, Los Alamos, NewMexico.GEIGER COUNTER Nucleus, $1(i, Postpaid.You add battery and phones to make a reli-able, sensitive, beta-gamma detector at low-est possible cost. Free informative literature.Westcoast Products, Dept. D-M 8227 Grove,Sunland, California.DESERT TEA. One pound on? dollar postpaid.Greasewood Greenhouses, Lenwood, Barstow,California.SILVERY DESERT HOLLY PLANTS. One dollareach postpaid. Greasewood Greenhouses, Len-

wood, Barstow, California.COLOR SLIDES: Photomicrographs of raretypes of Agate. World Travelogs; GrandCanyon, Petrified Forest, Yosemite, CarlsbadCaverns, White Rands, Indian Ruins, Big Bend.Brice, Zion, Wild Flowers, cacti, reptiles.Four samples 2x2 or stereo and literature,$1.00. Dave Harris, 2401 Pittsburg, El Paso,Texas.FOR SALE: Under $10,000, n ce modern homein mountains. Wi acres, 216 feet on HighwaySO Good business location. Oak and fruit,trees, berries & garden. Plenty flowing water.Location: Manzanita, Calif. Address HarveyK. Deeds, Star Rt. Pine Valley, California.PROSPECTORS AND ROCKHOUNDS WANTED.To join the newly incorporated United Pros-pectors Organization. If yoi. are experiencedor beginners the articles in our magazine arebound to help you enjoy your hobby and theoutdoors. Send your name for our new bro-chure and literature. United Prospectors, Box729, Lodi, California.FISHER LIGHT WEIGHT economy Model M-Scope type ME metal locator, cost $137.50.Also small Geiger counter, cost $37.50. Perfectcondition. $85.00 for both. .1. A. Stiles, 10930Mines Ave., Whittier, California.FOR SALE: 1941 Dodge army ambulance, 4wheel drive, 5 new 9:00x16 tires and tubes inaddition to 4 on truck. New Dodge 120 h.p.motor installed in 1948. Hive been getting14-16 miles per gallon. Inside of body re-modeled for camping; will s eep 2 adults and2 children. $650. Paul Crockett, 750 E. Al-varado, Pomona, California.SAVE 507c On New Binoculars! Free catalog.Free book, "flow to Select Binoculars." Writetoday! Bushnell's 43-D-00 Green, Pasadena 1,California.TWO-BDRM. HOME furnished, on half-acrewalled-in lot. 6-in. walls, poured concrete.Plenty of cheap water. Gorgeous view. Only$8600. Located seven miles NE of PalmSprings. R. H. McDonald, Desert Hot Springs,California.

ago voted to postpone further con-sideration of a counterpart bill untilthe water row is settled by bindingagreement between the states or acourtruling. Los Angeles Times. Indian Service MenPromoted . . .SAN CARLOSCommiss ioner ofIndian Affairs Dillon S. Meyer hasannounced appointment ofThomas H.Dodge as superintendent of the SanCarlos Indian agency. Dodge, a Na-vajo Indian andformer chairman ofthe Navajo Tribal council, succeedsArthur E.Stover who retired May31after 18years in the Indian Service.Dodge's former position as head ofthe Truxton agency at Valentine willbe filled byAustin F.Ladd. Ladd hasbeen finance officer at the ColoradoRiver agency for thepast two years .He was chief clerk of that agency for10 years, from 1939 to 1949. Bur-ea u ofIndian Affairs.

Davis DamPlay Area Planned . . .D A V IS D A M Res iden t s of Ari-zona andNevada have a vast newwater playground they hardly knowexists. It is 67-mile-long Lake Mo-jave, behind the Colorado's DavisDam. Lake Mojave is s o m e w h a tsmaller than Lake Mead tothe north,but National Park Service officialshave drafted a plan for joint recrea-tional development of the twoareas.Principal recreation site to bebuilt onthe Arizona side of Lake Mojave will

be atKatherine, just north ofthe dam.According toPark officials thebiggestattraction at thelake during thenextfive years will be fishing.Desert Star.CALIFORNIANavy Uses Salton Sea . . .

E L C E N T R O U. S. Navy sea-planes plan to use the north end ofSalton Sea as an emergency landingplace. On request of the EleventhNaval District, theImperial IrrigationBoard of Directors recently gave per-mission for such use. Thepermit, itwas disclosed, protects land leases onthe marginal area ofthe sea. The Navyexplained in its request that the newlanding place would beused incaseofunfavorable weather conditions atSanDiego. Imperial Valley Weekly.

o Huge Land Sale Announced . . .C A L E X I C O Imperial Valley'slargest farm land deal, a cash sale ata figure reportedly inexcess of $800,-0 0 0 , has been announced. W. LeeJohnson, Harold H. Johnson, Ole C.Johnson, and Rex T. Drysdale pur-chased the entire capital stock ofMartin C.Wahl, Inc., including 1280acres of farm land about three mileseast of Calexico. All improvements

26 DESERT MAGAZINE


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went with the land, including feed lotsfor 6000 cattle. The land sold for $500an acre a record price for large tracts.Known inthe Valley asthe old Cudahyranch, the land hasbeen farmed al-most exclusively torow crops such asvegetables and sugar beets . Under thenew ownership theoperation is to bechanged. Nothing butfield crops areplanned. Purchase of theWahl landbrings total holdings of thebuyers tomore than 6000 acres of Valley land. Imperial Valley Weekly.Refuge Opening Opposed . . .

L A Q U I N T A E d m u n d C. Jaeger,dean of desert naturalists, warns thatthe greatest concentration of desertbighorn sheep in southern Californiais threatened with extinction if theSanta Rosa State Bighorn Sheep refugeis opened to deer hunters . Jaeger dis-counted statements made by O. T.Harvey, Riverside County Conserva-tion Commission member, that sheephave made little progress inthe refuge,hence no justification for maintainingthe closed area. Those who reallyknow the refuge have learned thatthere are many bighorn wanderingover the rough terrain there, Jaegercontended. Heproposed a four-pointprogram to preserve theSanta Rosasheep consisting of retention or en-largement of theexisting refuge area,better sign posting, assignment ofmorewardens, and increased conservationeducation.Date Palm.Scotty Castle Road Opened . . .D EA TH V A LLEY S cot ty Cas t l eroad, 21-mile stretch of new highwayofficially designated as Route 72, isnow open following recent dedicationceremonies. The dedication took placewhere theroad crosses theCalifornia-Nevada state line with Governor Rus-sell ofNevada and other state officialspresent. Itwas followed by open houseat Death Valley Scotty's castle with aluncheon forthe official guests. Scottyrecalled that hehad first travelled thecourse of the present highway in1883with his burros. T imes Herald.Warren Signs Tramway Bill . . .

PALM SPRINGSLast legalbar-rier tobuilding a $6,000,000 tramwayin Mt. San Jacinto State park wascleared recently when Governor War-ren of California signed legislationchanging the territorial limits of theWinter Park Authority. Thebill fa-cilitates acquisition of the right of wayfor theprojected lift up theslope ofM t. San Jacinto insouthern California.The tramway is contemplated as thelargest aerial cable car in theworld.It would beused as a lift for winterskiers and summer touris ts . Los An-geles Times.

High w ay 91 Dangerous Road . . .BA RS TO W Highway 91, fromBarstow to theNevada state line, isthe most dangerous stretch of road inCalifornia, according to a recent state-ment by Chief of Police Floyd W.Howard of Barstow. Chief Howardpointed outthat Barstow is theinter-section of two trans-continental high-ways, 91 and 66, and that it takes con-stant patroling tokeep accidents downwithin the city. He attributed muchof the danger to thefact that touristscoming in offthe desert roads are usedto speed and light traffic conditionsand when they reach the Barstow areathey fail toreduce speed. He also citedtrouble encountered by the highwaypatrol with drivers who aretired andsleepy after a weekend inLas Vegas.Chief Howard estimated 2,500,000cars pass through thecity each year. Las Vegas Review-Journal.Land Sale s Reported . . .INDIOSale of a ranch, date gar-de n and city property, representing$130,000, wasreported in theCoa-chella valley recently. V. C. Smithsold his Jackson street ranch, with 125acres in cotton, to Dr. William G.Durnin of Long Beach. Other trans-actions included the sale of Centerstreet property byJack Milam to J. R.Griswold of LosAngeles, and PaulPreston's disposal of his20-acre dategarden onAvenue 58 to James. Arm-strong, Valley rancher. Date Palm."Wetbacks" Flown H ome . . .EL CENTROFlying Tiger air lineflights from ElCentra are carrying 240"wet" Mexicans daily topoints in theinterior of Mexico. Under contract to

the Immigration Service, the flightswere instigated recently in an effort

195108 desert magazine 1951 august

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