Professional Documents
Culture Documents
NOGALES-MEXICO CITY
ROAD IN GOOD REPAIR The Most Novel Motel in the West
YOUR BIG Reports of bad road conditions from
1955 VACATION Nogales, Arizona, to Mexico City over
BY BOAT Mexico Highway 15 are not true, the
Nogales Chamber of Commerce has
Hite, Utah, to Lees Ferry, Arizona announced.
Colorado River
COMB see with us and help explore The highway is surfaced from No-
America's last frontier! XHRIIXi when gales to Mexico City, according to Lt.
you stand under "Rainbow Bridge," at
"Hole in Rock," in Indian ruins and Gen. Charles L. Mullins, Jr., Chamber
"Crossing of the Fathers." GO while you manager, and there are only two points
can into the untouched land of wonders
and beauty. 12 full days of exciting ex- which require fording or ferrying.
perience in the land of many yesterdays
:•(,'(>.
''Ferrying is necessary only occa-
Sailings: June 11 and 25 sionally during the January-February Do your squaw and papooses get
season and from the middle of May on the warpath? Let 'em sleep like
July 9 and 23 Indians at Wigwam Village Motel,
Fare: $150.00 per person through September during the long San Bernardino, west side, U.S. 66.
rainy season," Gen. Mullins explained. You Indians never had it so good!
$25.00 deposit required TV, tile baths, innersprings.
For reservations and complete • • •
information contact KEARNY INVASION FETED Recommended by leading travel
JOHANNES RIVER SAFARIS agencies. Visitors are welcome.
BY RATON. NEW MEXICO You don't need much wampum.
120 K. 4(h North — Price, Utah RATON—Celebration of the con- 2 people, $5; 4 people $8.
quest of New Mexico by Gen. Stephen WIGWAM VILLAGE MOTEL
W. Kearny is scheduled for the north-
ern New Mexico city of Raton for the 2728 Foothill ISlvd.
Stove Pipe Wells Hotel San Bernardino, California
Death Valley weekend of June 18. A sham battle,
California exhibition Spanish dances, square and
round dances, parade featuring his-
Home of the Famous Annual torical characters and crowning of a Share the Expense
BURRO-FLAPJACK queen comprise the Kearny Entrada, RIVER TRIPS
CONTEST which honors the general who routed Write for details on the following:
Stove Pipe Wells Hotel was until his the Spanish from New Mexico in 1846.
death in 1950 owned and operated by Glen Canyon on the Colorado
• • •
George Palmer Putnam, renowned San Juan River
author and explorer. It continues un- TULARE BACKS HIGHWAY Grand Canyon on the Colorado
der the personal management of Mrs. THOUGH HIGH SIERRA
George Palmer Putnam. Big Salmon River of Idaho
INDEPENDENCE—Joint action by Middle Fork Salmon of Idaho
Season: October 1 to June 1 Chambers of Commerce in Tulare Hell's Canyon of Snake River
County favoring the completion of
Highway 190 from Quaking Aspen GEORGIE AND WHITY
HEY ADVENTURERS! Camp in Tulare County to Lone Pine
defeated another move for a second
435 West Laconia Blvd.
Los Angeles 66, California
— Boat the Modern Way — trans-Sierra highway until the first is
Travel the Scenic River Canyons, Colo-
completed. A new Mammoth Pass
rado. San Juan, Green, Yampa, Salmon, route in Madera County across the Si-
Snake and others in our — erra had been planned, but members SEE THE WORLD FAMOUS
New Specially-equipped of the Chambers decided to let nothing rnmt-a** DANCES
MOTOR BOATS disturb the priority of Route 190 proj-
For Schedules and details write ect. Inyo Independent
HARRIS-BRENNAN EXPEDITIONS • • • SPORTS
2500 E. 4800 So. Salt Lake City, Utah
GUIDE LINES PAINTED
Member—Western River Guides Assoc. ON UTAH HIGHWAYS
SALT LAKE CITY—Right shoul- ARTS
der guide lines were to be painted on
Utah highways this spring as an aid CRAFTS
SAN JUAN and COLORADO to reducing the number of accidents,
RIVER EXPEDITIONS the Utah Road Commission has an- H1213 14 IQCC
Enjoy exploration, safe adventure and Thurs. thru Sun. I *f*J *J
nounced. Reflectorized yellow guide
scenic beauty in the gorgeous canyons of lines will result in a sense of security, More than 500 costumed Indian dancers,
Utah and Arizona. Staunch boats, experi- craftsmen, sandpainters, horsemen in a
enced rivermen. For 1955 summer schedule the Commission believes, and motor-
unique presentation — in its 34th year —
or charter trips anytime write to— ists will drive closer to the outer edge a must for photographers -— write to -
I. FRANK WRIGHT of the pavement. About 1000 miles
of the guide lines will be painted on CEREMONIAL ASSOCIATION
MEXICAN HAT EXPEDITIONS highway widths 28 feet or more. Ver-
Blanding, Utah Dept. B — Box 1029 — Gallup, N.M.
nal Express
DESERT MAGAZINE
DESERT CALENDAR
May 1 — San Felipe Pueblo Corn
Dance, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
May 1—-Turtle Races, Joshua Tree,
California.
May 1, 7-8—Ramona Pageant, Hemet,
California.
May 1, 8-15—Palo Verde Festival
Events, State Museum, University
of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
May 3 — Corn Dance, Taos, New
Mexico.
May 3—Palm Springs Museum, Cali-
fornia, film for public, "Tribe of
the Turquoise Water." Volume 18 MAY, 1955 Number 5
May 4-7—Las Damas Ride, Round-
Up Club, Wickenburg, Arizona.
May 4-8—Fiestas de Mayo, Nogales, COVER Desert tortoise in Joshua Tree National Monument.
Arizona. By HAROLD O. WEIGHT, Twentynine Palms,
May 7-8—Phoenix Metropolitan Ten- California
nis Tournament, Phoenix, Arizona. CALENDAR May events on the desert 3
May 7-8 — Yuma County Sheriff's FIELD TRIP Bell Rocks that Ring in Big Sandy Valley
Posse, Junior Rodeo and Horse
Show, Yuma, Arizona. By HAROLD O. WEIGHT 4
May 7-8—Sierra Club, Los Padres CONTEST Winners of 1955 Life-on-the-desert Contest . . . 8
Chapter (Santa Barbara) trip to SPORTS Trout Streams of the Mojave
Joshua Tree National Monument.
California. By GASTON BURRIDGE 9
May 7-8—Lone Pine Stampede, Lone DESERT QUIZ A test of your desert knowledge 10
Pine, California. CLOSE-UPS About those who write for Desert 10
May 7-8—-Newhall-Saugus Rodeo at MINING They Mine Marble in Apacheland
Saugus, California.
By NELL MURBARGER 11
May 7-29—29th Annual Julian, Cali- WILDFLOWERS
fornia, Wildflower Show; 2500 dif- Flowering predictions for May 15
ferent specimens gathered within 10 ARCHEOLOGY
Where Ancients Wrote in Stone
mile radius.
By CHARLES GALLENKAMP 16
May 11-14—Junior Livestock Show, NATURE
Spanish Fork, Utah. Hard-Shelled Denizens of the Wastelands
May 12-15 — Helldorado Days and By EDMUND C. JAEGER 19
FICTION
Rodeo, Las Vegas, Nevada. Hard Rock Shorty of Death Valley 21
POETRY
May 13 — Palm Springs Museum, The Sing, and other poems 22
California, film for public, "Cali- PHOTOGRAPHY
fornia Heritage." Pictures of the Month 23
GARDENING
May 20-21—Black and White Days, When the Palo Verdes Bloom
Stock Show, Richmond, Utah. By RUTH REYNOLDS 24
LETTERS
May 21-22—Grubstake Days, Yucca EXPERIENCE Comment from Desert's readers 26
Valley, California. Life on the Desert
May 25-26—Uintah Basin, Jr. Live- By HAL HOFFMAN 27
stock Show, Spanish Fork, Utah. MINING
NEWS Current news of desert mines 28
May 25-28—Elks' Rodeo, Carlsbad,
New Mexico. HOBBY From here and there on the desert 29
May 28-29 — Fiesta San Felipe de LAPIDARY Gems and minerals 33
Neri, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Amateur Gem Cutter, by LELANDE QUICK . . 40
COMMENT
May 29 — Sonoita Quarter Horse Just Between You and Me, by the Editor . . . 42
Show, Arizona. BOOKS
Reviews of southwestern literature 43
May 28-29—Espanola Valley Rodeo,
Espanola, New Mexico.
The Desert Magazine is published monthly by the Desert Press, Inc., Palm Desert,
California. Re-entered as second class matter July 17, 1948, at the postoffice at Palm Desert,
California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Title registered No. 358865 in U. S. Patent Office,
and contents copyrighted 1955 by the Desert Press, Inc. Permission to reproduce contents
must be secured from the editor in writing.
RANDALL HENDERSON, Editor JACK WHITEHOUSE, Associate Editor
BESS STACY, Business Manager EVONNE RIDDELL, Circulation Manager
Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs submitted cannot be returned or acknowledged
unless full return postage is enclosed. Desert Magazine assumes no responsibility for
damage or loss of manuscripts or photographs although due care will be exercised. Sub-
scribers should send notice of change of address by the first of the month preceding issue.
SUBSCRIPTION UATES
One Year $3.50 Two Years $6.00
Canadian Subscriptions 25c Extra, Foreign 30c Extra
Subscriptions to Army Personnel Outside U. S. A. Must Be Mailed in Conformity With
P. O. D. Order No. 190S7
,\(l<lress Correspondence to Desert Magazine, Palm Desert, California
MAY, 1955
The phonolite ledge, black and shining, stands out
from all surrounding country rock. Size of outcrop is
indicated by two figures, just left of center.
DESERT MAGAZINE
Guy and his friend Nick were wait- To Boulder City ') ;•: To Hockberry
& Las'
ing and ready, and in a few moments
we were heading southeast toward
Wikieup. The road, after we left U. S.
66 just east of Kingman, was unpaved
but in good condition. In fact a stretch
of it near Wikieup, which had been a
winding desert trail on my last visit
there, was now a fenced freeway. It
was part of new State Highway 93, I
learned, being cut through and im-
proved from near Congress Junction.
When completed and paved, it will be
a direct, high speed route between
Phoenix and Las Vegas, Nevada.
We wanted to take time to examine
and photograph the magnificent des-
ert vegetation through which we passed
along the eastern base of the Hualpais
and the edge of the Big Sandy Valley.
There were large numbers of the un-
usual palo de cristo, which looked like
a coarsened relative of the palo verde.
Great, healthy junipers grew and spread
like forest trees. There were cholla
cacti like trees, up to ten feet tall, first
of that kind we remembered seeing
outside the Organ Pipe Cactus National
Monument. But most astonishing was
the sight of big saguaros growing side
by side with Joshua trees. But there
was no time to botanize and still keep
Guy's speeding dust column in sight.
The freeway has left old Wikieup
bypassed, but the store and postoffice
have relocated on the new highway.
This is about the third Wikieup, Guy
said. It is an old town, but the reason
for its name is still older, going back
to the brush shelters of a Paiute village
which once existed there.
The known history of the valley goes
back, too. The Spaniards of Onate's
expedition in 1605 passed the mouth
of the Big Sandy, about 30 miles be-
low Wikieup, where it and the Santa
Maria join to form the Bill Williams
River. But the fur-trappers probably
were the first whites to travel througha crop of fresh grass, and occasionally ple was struck by the vegetation of the
the valley. The famed trapper Captain a few spring flowers . . ." area. He described the ocotillo, with
Joseph R. Walker is credited with Antoine Leroux, Whipple's guide, its "exceedingly beautiful" blossoms,
naming the Big Sandy River, about advised him to go straight west, rather and the "famed Cereus giganteus." He
1840. Lt. A. W. Whipple, command- than down the Big Sandy. But the especially noted the tree cholla: "To-
ing explorations along the 35th paral- broad valley looked like a natural rail- day we have found a new species of
lel for a transcontinental railroad road route to Whipple. So he followed cactodendron, called chug. It grows
route, was the first to explore it com-it, and then went down the rough val- in extensive patches to the height of
pletely, in 1854. ley of the Bill Williams and reached eight or ten feet; a confused mass of
He liked the country. He wrote: the Colorado River near the present angular joints, whose sheathed spines
"Big Sandy Creek abounds in ante- site of Parker Dam. Across the river at a distance glisten beautifully in the
lope, deer, rabbits, and partridges, a wall of mountains faced him. So he sun; but a near approach requires cau-
feeding upon the rich grama-grass, and had to work up the Arizona side, tion. The joints, about three inches in
the seed which it yields." And: "The through the spectacularly rugged Need- length, are so fragile that, for some
valley, except where the sand has bur- les Peak area, to the Mojave Valley. distance around, the ground is cov-
ied the stream, presents a refreshing On the way he was forced to abandon ered with them; and the sharp barbed
picture of fertility. Willows, alamos, all his wagons except one light spring spines, now difficult to avoid, wound
and large groves of mezquite grow in carriage. Leroux had been right. Today severely the feet of men and beasts."
such dense profusion as sometimes to the Santa Fe goes north of the Hual- Whipple also gave what appears to
render it difficult to find a passage pais and down the great Sacramento have been the first description of the
through them. Beneath the trees, and Wash to the Mojave Valley. Joshua tree for Arizona and possibly
bordering the water-courses, there is Like most visitors since then, Whip- for the West: "Another beautiful ad-
MAY, 1955
browns of the country rock. I was
amazed at the size of some of the
individual blocks. Their smoothly
rounded edges made most of them look
like water worn boulders rather than
slabs from a ledge eroded right there.
At Guy's suggestion, Nick had
brought along a sledge hammer. At
the phonolite ledge, the rockhound
must also be a hammerhound if he is
to have any notion of what he is col-
lecting, and a great many of the bell-
rocks are too big to be transported
unless they can be broken up. On the
pile, Nick proceeded to strike a few
solid notes on the big rocks while we
tapped away with our prospectors
picks. Lucile, down in the canyon be-
low, declared that it sounded like a
xylophone ensemble tuning up, with
the stones ringing from somber bass
to high thin soprano.
There did seem to be enough of the
scale represented so that it would be
possible to hammer out a few tunes.
But my advancing of the publicity
possibilities of a summer musical fes-
tival with brawny single-jack miners
beating out "pop" concerts was greeted
with raised eyebrows.
When Guy and Nick had selected
DESERT MAGAZINE
their chunks of phonolitc, they hauled were climbing a narrow but good dirt almost any driver experienced in des-
them to the cliff edge and tossed them road to the west of the little settlement. ert or mountain driving. For anyone
down into the sandy wash beside the Almost immediately we came upon interested in botany and scenery, it is
car. But I was afraid the sample 1 plants of the palo de cristo and were a wonderful trip. Saguaro, Joshua tree,
picked—a large oblong, rather thin able to examine them closely. The palo de cristo, juniper, ocotillo and no-
slab that weighed about all I could seed capsules—five-valved with tiny lina grow in natural gardens along the
lift—might break if treated so roughly. whitish seeds like miniature wheat lower slopes. Higher we found the
I pictured it drilled and hung up intact grains—and the way they grew showed ocotillos and nolinas still blooming,
—or perhaps en masse would be bet- that they did not belong to the palo and passed Rhus ovatas — the sugar
ter—as a colossally impressive door verde family and were not Holacantha berry—growing lushly like trees. Then
chime. So I carried it. emoryi, the crucifixion thorn with came mesquitc and scrub oak, and all
Going back down Bronco Canyon which we were familiar. Since the throughout were pancake cacti, bar-
he had our own tracks to follow, knew branching was definitely not that of rel cacti, Bigelow and tree cholla. Well
where the likely trouble spots were and the Koeberlinia, also called crucifixion down on the Sacramento Wash side,
made good time. But this trail is not thorn, we deduced the palo de cristo we came into forests of Joshuas with
recommended for anything except four- must be Canotia holacantha, the third scattered Mojave yucca.
wheel-drive vehicles, or those with spiny plant known as crucifixion thorn. We reached the settlement of Yucca
compound gears, and for those who Again we found Joshua trees and and the broad freeway of U.S. 66 at
want to hike. Possibly rain and a little the giant saguaro cacti growing to- dusk. It was pleasant, at this stage of
travel would pack a road that passen- gether. As Lyman Benson and Robert the trip, to have smooth, wide paving
ger cars with good rough-country Darrow point out in their Manual of to follow.
drivers could navigate. Southwestern Desert Trees and Shrubs, But these great fenced freeways
Guy and Nick were heading back these two plants are perhaps the most through Sacramento Wash and Big
for Kingman. They suggested that we familiar symbols of the desert — the Sandy Valley are unhappy evidence
take a road across the Hualpais which Joshua tree for the Mojave, the saguaro that Arizona, like all the rest of our
would save nearly 50 miles on our for the Sonoran desert of Arizona. deserts, is becoming civilized. The
return trip to Needles and also give us Only in a few spots near the Bill Wil- fencing undoubtedly saves lives by
botanical specimens to study as good liams River and along the Hualpais keeping cattle out of the way of high
as those we had passed on the trip have they been found together. speed traffic. But there is a question
down. We parted near old Wikieup This road, across a low section of whether it will save as many as already
and in a few moments Lucile and I the Hualpais, should be passable for have been lost through excessive speed
Nick Tasertano "rings" one of the big musical rocks while Guy Haz.en checks
it for tone and pitch.
MAY, 1955
w& 55 gotttett
The true desert philosophy of Shine
Smith became the pathway to victory
for Fred Glimpse of Phoenix, Arizona,
as his story of the great missionary to
the Navajos won first place in Desert
Magazine's 1955 Life - on - the - desert
contest. First award was $25.00.
Glimpse's outstanding entry caught
Shine Smith's inner spiritual calmness
—a calmness which overcomes all ma-
terial obstacles through a recognition
of his oneness with the desert.
Second prize of $15 went to a most
thrilling story of the Battle of Agua
Prieta by Cordelia Brinkerhoff of El
Monte, California. Mrs. Brinkerhoff's
eye-witness account of Pancho Villa's
attack on the Mexican border town
just south of Douglas, Arizona, is one
which Desert readers will not soon for-
get.
Third prize, also $15, went to Cap
and Olga Smith of Des Moines, Iowa,
for "Phantom of the Desert," a story
of their experience with a family of
kit foxes in southern Imperial County,
California.
From 88 entries, the following won
honorable mention and will appear in
future issues:
"The One Eyed Snake of Betatakin"
by Lolita A. Olaine of Palo Alto, Cali-
fornia.
"The Cattle Drive," by Billie Yost
of Flagstaff, Arizona.
"The Healing Interlude" by Helena
Ridgway Stone of Glendalc, California.
"Flash Flood" by Dee Tripp of Tuc-
son, Arizona.
Easiest way to deliver small pieces of the musical rock to the car was to
throw them jrom the top of the cliff which hides the ledge from the "The Lost Gold of Morgan City
canyon floor. Wash" by Palmer C. Ashley of Santa
Monica, California.
on the new freeway. The long miles from border to border not daring to "It Happened on the Colorado Des-
with scarcely a gate must be very dis- lift their eyes from the road. Perhaps, ert" by H. E. W. Wilson of Willits,
concerting to prospectors and rock- in time, cattle will be fenced and cat- California.
hounds and the more adventurous tle-guarded into their ranges rather "Get Juan to Do It for You" by
tourists who once were able to take than having people fenced out of the Nona B. Mott of Hereford, Arizona.
off wherever a wandering track or public domain. "Life on the Desert" by Tom May
likely looking bit of scenery called to For it is certain that as time passes, of Wilmington, California.
them. and the West becomes more crowded "Prayer Stick Vengeance" by D. D.
Probably there will be a wire fence and cut by freeways and private fences, Sharp of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
across the mouth of Bronco Canyon, the little sideroads and the canyons "Dreamers of the Mojave" by Ken-
too, when State Highway 93 is com- with no roads will become more im- neth M. Stewart of Tempe, Arizona.
pleted. After all there is no through portant. Even now more and more "The Bill Williams on the Rampage"
road up it. No remarkable scenery people from the cities are turning to by the Rev. Norman Sorensen of Pi-
that can be exploited for tourist dol- the lonely places that are left open to oche, Nevada.
lars. Nothing, in fact, of commercial them. "A Visit to Cross Canyon" by
value. They may say they are hunting bell- Editha L. Watson of Window Rock,
But perhaps in time even the most rocks, or scenery to photograph, or Arizona.
modern minded of highway commis- strange plants to study, or unpolluted "Trogon Ambiguus Ambiguus" by
sioners will come to realize that it is air to breathe, but many of them are Dorothy W. Allen of Napa, California.
a good thing to have visitors pull off really seeking something far more im- "A Desert Comedy" by Mrs. John
for an hour or a day or a week on portant and vital to the nation—a few E. Plummer of Milo, Oregon.
side roads or even where there are no moments of peace and quiet where "Christmas on the Desert" by Kay
roads, rather than race between fences they can find themselves. : Gregor of Douglas, Arizona.
DESERT MAGAZINE
Trout Streams of the Mojave
. . . WHERE A MILLION RAINBOWS GROW
It seems unlikely that the fleshy
rainbow trout could ever have
lived in any but the icy mountain
streams of Southern California. But
the chances are it got its start in
60-degree waters of the Mojave
Desert, p a m p e r e d with three
square meals a day, plenty of des-
ert sunshine and clear fresh air.
No wonder fishermen love them!
By GASTON BURRIDGE
Photo by the Author
MAY, 1955
Why was this particular spot chosen ciate your dropping them a card say-
for a trout nursery? It is because of ing where you caught it, its length, its
the good and abundant water supply weight, its general condition and, if
which occurs at just the right tempera- caught in an extraordinary spot, a
ture. This water has to be aerated description of that spot. In fact, any
constantly to add enough oxygen for information you can give about these
the trout. Good clean air, free of marked trout will be used to further
smog, is essential. the Department's work in making bet-
The best temperature for growing ter fishing for you. Address cards to
Mojave River State Fish Hatchery, P. Anthropogist Charles Gallenkamp,
trout is approximately 60 degrees. A of Houston, Texas, author of this
female trout is the most fertile and will O. Box 938, Victorville, California.
month's "Where Ancients Wrote in
produce the most eggs in water from The Mojave River State Fish Hatch- Stone," is writer, lecturer and traveler.
65 to 66 degrees, but water that warm ery is one of the most interesting of Currently he is writing a book on the
would make the young trout grow too California's activities. It is a joint des- American Indians which is due to be
fast and they would become suscepti- ert-mountain endeavor, using the des- published in the fall by Vanguard
ble to their many diseases. ert's clear warm climate to produce a Press, following which he plans a trip
Rainbow are planted in mountain superb mountain trout. to Mexico to photograph archeological
lakes and streams of Southern Califor- sites and to visit some of the little-
nia counties every month of the year ex- Desert Magazine's press run known tribes in central and southern
cept February, that month being ex- this month is 32,500 copies — Mexico. Among his recent lecture
cluded because roads are snowed in 5,000 more than the circulation tours, Gallenkamp spent time in Eu-
deepest, lakes and streams frozen over a year ago. All printing, includ- rope where he found the people fas-
hardest. The hatchery operates on an ing the 4-color cover is done at cinated with the true picture of Indian
all year basis, however, with six full- Desert's own printing plant in life. Paris at that time was featuring
time employees. Palm Desert, California. an exhibit of Indian paintings and
McFarland told me that while trout Navajo silverwork.
are interested in all colors it is his be-
lief that red is their favorite. I learned
also, that the California State Fish, According to the law of averages
the golden trout, is a variation of the
rainbow trout.
The truck used to transport the trout
TRUE OR FALSE you should get half of these
right even if you never saw the
Great American Desert. Regular readers of Desert will do much better
from this nursery to streams or lakes than that. Fifteen is a fair score, 18 is exceptionally good, and for any-
is an especially designed affair, the thing over 18 you may go to the head of the class. Answers are on page 28.
result of many years' experiment and 1—Indians were living in Death Valley before the white man came to
experience. Gone are the days of the the West. True False.- .
milk can full of fish! The large tank 2—Arrastra is a word associated with early day mining. True
holds 500 gallons and is equipped with False .
two gasoline engines and two pumps, 3—The Yampa River is a tributary of the Green River. True
one for service, one for stand-by. This False .
engine and pump keeps the water ae- 4—Lowell Observatory is near Flagstaff, Arizona. True . False
rated and swiftly moving all during 5—Papago Indians eat the fruit of the Saguaro cactus. True
transportation. Should it stop for very False
long, the trout would die. They must
6—The Chuckawalla is a poisonous lizard. True ._ . False ... .
have constantly moving water when
confined in so small a place—and the 7—Canyon wrens are seen only in the Grand Canyon of the Colorado.
water must be provided with plenty of True . False
air—air with good oxygen in it. These 8—The book Death Valley in '49 was written by W. A. Chalfant.
tanks are iced that their temperature True . False .
may remain just right also. 9—Uranium is obtained in many places in the Southwest by placer
mining. True False
When the fish are planted an eight- 10—The Smoke Tree blooms every year despite the amount of rainfall.
inch pipe is attached to the tank and True False
run into the water of the stream or 11—Timpanogos Cave National Monument is in Utah. True
lake. A gate in the tank is opened. False
Out rush the fish with the water and
12—Joshua trees grow only in California. True . False.—-—.
from then the trout are on their own.
13—-The door of a Navajo hogan always faces north. True
The hatcheries are always interested False
in propagating fish more resistant to 14—Headwaters of the Little Colorado River are in the Wasatch Moun-
disease, having a wider range of living tains of Utah. True False .
conditions and food. They are con- 15—Pauline Weaver was a famous stage driver. True . False
tinually experimenting with new foods 16—The blossom of the datura is white. True.. . False _ . .
and different methods of feeding. They 17—Sunset Crater in Arizona is visible from the Wupatki National Monu-
like to know how their fish are doing ment. True False
after they are planted. Many methods 18—The Mohs scale is used to classify the purity of gold. True
for finding this information have been False
devised, but none have proved too 19—A line drawn east and west through Albuquerque, New Mexico,
successful. Now, fish are being tagged would pass north of Phoenix, Arizona. True . False
with a small number at the side of 20—Fairy duster is the common name of a desert butterfly. True
their mouths. Should you catch such False
a trout, the hatchery will much appre-
10 DESERT MAGAZINE
Nine-ton block of Naretina marble ready for shipment.
in Apacheland
In
are yielding some of the finest
marble to be found in this hemi-
sphere and the Ligiers have grown
to love the wild country where
Geronimo and Cochise and their
By NELL MURBARGER Apache warriors once lived and
Photographs by the author fought.
Y REGARD for marble, until of sculpture have been wrought, and quarries produced stone for municipal
quite recently, had never been the stateliest temples of Time, created. buildings of San Francisco and New
been especially warm. It was "No," he had declared, shaking his York, as well as many other notable
an attractive stone, to be sure; but it head, "Marble isn't a cold, unfriendly structures including the Lincoln Me-
always seemed aloof and unfriendly. stone. It's just dignified and queenly morial and the tomb of the Unknown
It reminded me of pale winter sun- —and very proud!" Soldier.
shine, and hushed voices, and chilly
This veneration for marble has been Then Leon Ligier had wandered
places like mausoleums and morgues.
in the blood of the Ligiers for two down to Cochise County, in the south-
And then, one day last fall, Destiny
generations, possibly longer. eastern corner of Arizona. There, in
had trailed me down to Dragoon, Ari-
zona, and a chance meeting with De- Leon Remy Ligier—Bud's father— the north fringe of the rugged Dra-
Forest Ligier. was a graduate of the University of goons, he had found another marble
Dayton, a geologist and marble pros- mountain!
DeForest—or "Bud," as he is known pector, a sculptor of some repute and
over most of Arizona—is one of the Decorative marble, in that year of
owner of one of the first monument 1909, was in active demand by quality
best marble men in the business. By works in the frontier city of Phoenix,
his own enthusiasm he had helped me builders, and Ligier had hastened to
Arizona. It is said to have been he stake several claims. Due to his prom-
see marble as the first great building who discovered the white marble moun-
stone of Man's civilization—the noble inence in the stone-cutting industry,
tain that launched the 50-years-ago this implied approval of the new field
rock of Ancient Rome and the Caesars. marble boom in Gunnison County, had the result of luring to that region
He pointed out that it is the stone from Colorado. During their many years of a throng of boomers and claim jump-
which the world's greatest masterpieces operation, those western Colorado ers. Half the Southwest, it seemed,
MAY, 1955
had been centered about her home,
her club-work, the theater, music,
dancing and drama. Bud, while a na-
tive of Mesa, Arizona, had grown up
on the Coast and knew virtually noth-
ing about the desert.
"And I certainly didn't know any-
thing about marble!" he laughed. "I
was a hardwood floor contractor in
Los Angeles; was working about 20
hours out of every 24, and making
lots of money.
"Then, suddenly, the whole picture
seemed to go sour. We were simply
fed up with the noise and congestion
and cocktail parties and late hours—
everything that contributes to the life
of a businessman in a large city. We
told our friends we were going to quit
The Ligiers at their Dragoon Mountain home. and get out; that we were going to
Arizona and develop Dad's old marble
suddenly had become marble minded, zona State Highway 86, driving from claims. Everyone thought we had lost
and claims were being staked right and Bowie to Nogales. About 20 miles our minds; but that was our decision."
left and on top of one another. southwest of Willcox this road enters
A smile flickered across his face, and
Out of this flurry of excitement there Texas Canyon and for several miles for a moment his eyes caught and held
had risen an impossible tangle of con- is bordered by strange rock formations. the amused eyes of Mrs. Ligier.
fusion. The morning was warm and lazy. With
As a result of that confusion, the a few white clouds drifting over the "That was eight years ago," Bud
splendid marble claims staked by Li- hills and the smell of autumn in the went on. "We've learned a whale of a
gier were still embroiled in litigation air, the urge to go exploring was too lot since then — particularly about
and untouched by development when great to resist. At the first branch marble. We've learned that develop-
their original claimant died in 1922. road I turned off the highway into the ing a marble quarry is just about the
hardest, hottest, heaviest work in the
Upon Mr. Ligier's death his marble rocks. world. You breathe marble dust, and
holdings—together with his law suits Circling the formations, the little
eat it, and tramp through it, and dream
—descended to his five sons, then in by-road led down a tree-lined wash, about it at night—and pretty soon it
their twenties and early thirties. Litiga- past an old cemetery and a few crum- gets into your blood, and you know
tion over the ground continued; and bling adobes; and, suddenly, it was you're in it to stay. You're a 'marble
not until the matter had dragged entering the outskirts of a small desert man', and wild horses couldn't drag
through the courts for 20 costly years, station set astraddle the Southern Pa- you away from it!"
was a decision rendered in favor of cific tracks, on the north apron of the
the Ligier heirs. Dragoon Mountains. Later, Bud suggested we drive up
By the federal census of 1950, the to the quarries. "We're closed for a
By this time, the national economy few days," he said, "but it'll give you
was in the doldrums, and with build- town of Dragoon, Arizona, is credited an idea of what we're doing."
ers tightening their purse strings, there with a population of only 44 persons;
was no market for decorative marble. yet, it has a store and a postoffice, and Heading south out of the little town,
After the depression came World War it wasn't long before I was visiting with we soon began climbing toward a faint
II, bringing labor shortages and cur- the storekeeper. The matter of mining white smudge on the mountainside, a
tailment of private construction. Thus, conditions crept into the conversation few miles distant.
for one reason and another, it was not —as it generally does, in a mining Springing from the mouse-colored
until 1946—-nearly 40 years after the country—and the storeman said there flat of Sulphur Springs Valley, the dark
claims had been staked—that the Li- wasn't much doing in the Dragoon area island of the Dragoon range rises
gier holdings produced their first block except at the marble quarries. This abruptly to its maximum elevation in
of marketable stone. had invited more questions and 10 Mount Glen, 7512 feet. Spread over
Since that time those quarries have minutes later, I was sitting under a those higher levels is a dense thatch
given to the building industry thou- China berry tree in the front yard of of conifers and other shrubbery; but
sands of square feet of marble com- the Ligier home, and Bud and his in the lower elevation zone through
parable in quality, color and beauty, wife Mary were telling me the story which we were passing—from 4600
with any produced in the famous mar- of an industry already old in the days feet at the town of Dragoon, to a mile
ble districts of the Old World. of Pompeii. high at the quarries — the vegetation
Yet, all the marble thus far taken In his early fifties, and as brown as was strictly that of the highland desert.
from these quarries has barely any Apache who ever roamed the Sprinkled over the dry slopes were cre-
osote bushes, and the thin, gray whips
scratched the surface of that remain- Dragoons, big, good-natured Bud Li- of ocotillo. There were a few yuccas
ing. According to surveys by geolo- gier fits into the Arizona landscape
and cactus; and, now and then, the
gists and mining engineers, the Ligier like its rust-colored rocks. Looking stout flower spike and toothed blades
holdings at Dragoon embrace not less at him and his unusually attractive
of an agave. A flock of desert quail
than 2,000,000,000 cubic feet of mar- wife, I found it hard to believe that sprinted across the road ahead of us,
ketable stone — roughly 186,000,000 less than 10 years ago this sort of
and a roadrunner cocked his head
tons—or what is probably the largest thing was almost as foreign to them quizzically as we passed.
supply of decorative marble in the as life on another planet.
Western Hemisphere! Born in the San Fernando Valley, "This was Chief Cochise's country,"
One day last October I was on Ari- of Southern California, Mary's life Bud was saying. "His headquarters
DESERT MAGAZINE
were about five miles down the range,
south. He's buried here in the Dra-
goons. Some say down in the Strong-
hold but no White man knows where—
and the Apaches don't talk about it."
Rattling and bouncing over the
rocky road, the old sedan had climbed
tl
the last steep pitch and Bud had
brought it to a halt at the lip of a
large open cut.
Wherever a block of marble had
been removed from the quarry, there
remained a squared pocket; and over
every inch of that cubistic face were
long, straight, parallel furrows ground
out by the drills. In order that the
great block may be removed with a
minimum of fracturing and waste, it
is necessary that marble be drilled,
rather than blasted, explained Bud.
"Twenty centuries ago, they quar-
ried it with slave labor, using ham-
mers and wedges." He grinned. "We
still do it the same way. The only
difference, we pay higher wages now
and use pneumatic drills!" •••
.
MAY, 1955 13
Geronimo pink. When they showed it
to the woman, she was delighted.
" 'That's it!' she cried. 'That's what
I wanted all the time—bright, like the
sunrise.'
"And so," he concluded, "There's
at least one mausoleum room that's
finished in Geronimo pink—'like the
sunrise.' "
Marble from the Ligier quarries has
been used in finishing many beautiful
buildings, some of the more notable
in the Southwest being St. Mary's hos-
pital, at Tucson; the newest three
buildings at the University of Arizona;
the new chemistry-geology building at
U.C.L.A.; the new hospital at Ven-
tura; the gym and armory at Tempe;
and store fronts and banks throughout
the area. In addition, buildings in all
sections of the Middle West and East,
and as far distant as the Canal Zone,
have used this highly colored Arizona
product.
Turning back toward Dragoon, we
detoured to the Ligier crushing and
sacking plant at Manzaro siding on
the railroad, midway between the
Southern Pacific stations of Cochise
and Dragoon.
By means of a jaw-type crusher,
having a capacity of 50 tons daily,
waste marble unsuited to slabbing is
here transformed into marble chips
ranging from dust particles to frag-
ments the size of an almond. Screened
to uniform size and sacked in 100-
pound burlap bags, these chips find
use in a wide variety of ways—chiefly
as a stone surface coat for roofing,
and in terrazo work.
Due to its beauty, durability, ease
In these Dragoon Mountains, Cochise County, Arizona, was discovered of cleaning and economical mainte-
the largest decorative marble deposit in the Western Hemisphere. nance, terrazo is becoming one of the
most popular types of flooring for
threads. Marble from the Apache "'Mausoleums generally use the more public buildings—particularly in areas
quarry is a warm, tawny golden; Tonto subdued colors of marble, but in one of heavy foot traffic, such as corridors.
is salmon colored; Numidian a rich California mausoleum there's a private Mixed with white or pre-colored ce-
rose; and Breche Saguaro and Nare- room finished in Geronimo pink," he ment for a binder, the chips either are
tina are so-called conglomerates. Thus cast in slabs about an inch in thickness
went on. "When her husband died, or poured directly on the floor, and
far, 10 distinct colors and types of the woman had contracted for the room
marble have been taken from the Li- after hardening are polished to a soft,
at the mausoleum and had said she velvety gloss. The resulting product
gier quarries. wanted it re-finished in a warm, pink is a perfectly smooth, stone-hard slab,
"As a matter of fact," Bud said, "we marble, 'Bright and full of promise— more durable than ceramic tile, and
can produce a marble comparable to like the sunrise,' she had said. She with multi-hued marble chips adding
almost any marble in the world!" was told that such a job would cost flecks of color to its basic tone.
As we walked over the Geronimo her $15,000; but that seemed quite
pit our feet were crunching in a thick In addition to floors, many builders
agreeable with her, and the manager of high quality homes now are em-
carpeting of marble chips. In their of the mausoleum began combing the ploying terrazo as a finished material
unpolished state these fragments bore quarries for pink marble. Every time in bathrooms and kitchens.
little resemblance to the finished prod- he got on the track of a new sample
uct, but by wetting the pieces we could As Bud turned the old sedan back
he would show it to her, but none up the road toward the little town of
gain some idea of the rich, warm tones suited her.
of this most-highly-colored pink mar- Dragoon, the sun of late afternoon
ble. Geologically speaking, marble is "Years passed. It began to look as was lying warmly golden on the gaunt
recrystallized limestone, and thus dates if the old lady wouldn't live to see her range to the south. In their gray-green
from the Devonian age when much of mausoleum room finished as she whiskering of agaves and yuccas, and
the earth's surface was covered by wanted it. Then we got into produc- their eternal cloak of wistful loneliness,
warm seas, and tropical corals flour- tion here at Dragoon, and the mauso- it was difficult to imagine those moun-
ished where only desert wastes now lie. leum folks happened to see a piece of tains as an abiding place of marble—
14 DESERT MAGAZINE
more easily associated with the great towns had bloomed and faded; where starting to bloom now—late March)
upthrust crag of Carrara, the fierce cattle barons had come and gone. but I don't think there will be much
cold ruggedness of Vermont. For more than four centuries man appeal to the average person who
Nor was it any easier to visualize had penetrated these hills with hope, thinks of wildflowers in the desert in
these quiet desert hills as a setting for and briefly had conquered. With their terms of fields of massed blooms."
the stirring days of Arizona's dark and harvest gathered, he had moved on to Lake Mead National Recreation
bloody past. Through this tawny dip other hills, other harvests, other worlds. Area, Nevada—Still one of the most
between the main Dragoons and the After the plundering conquistadores encouraging reports comes from O. L.
Little Dragoons, to the north, Coro- of Spain, the pillaging Apache raiders, Wallis, park naturalist at Lake Mead.
nado's mounted legions had passed in the murderous bandits of the border "Our wildflower display . . . started off
their fruitless search for the Seven country, the seeking prospectors and with a bang in mid-March with a spec-
Golden Cities of Cibola. Through here land-hungry cattlemen, this great silent tacular array of sundrops, desert pop-
had rolled the dusty, arrow-pierced land of the Dragoons now is entering pies, chicory, purple phacelia and Ari-
coaches of the Butterfield Stage line; upon a new phase, a new era of prod- zona lupines along the roadway to
through here had swept the great Co- uctivity. Willow Beach on Lake Mojave," he
chise and his Chiricahua warriors. Here stated. Beavertail cactus, creosote
was a land where early-day hold-ups In years to come, history may show bush and brittlebush began to bloom
of stage and train had occurred with that all those phases gone before were in late March. Forming an excellent
such frequency as to provoke little but poor preliminaries; and after four display along the shores of Lake Mead
comment. Here was a land where centuries of trial and error, the true were desert poppies, suncups and pur-
mining for gold and silver once had treasure of the Dragoons may at last ple mats. Cool weather should extend
flourished and gone its way; where be found to lie in their marble heart. the better-than-average flower show
much longer than usual, Naturalist
Wallis believes. Best May displays
will be found at higher elevations in
itt the plateau and mountainous terrain,
where such flowers as the desert mari-
posa, firecracker flower, Palmer's pen-
TMead die*, Se&t stemon, Indian paint brush, ocotillo
and many forms of cacti will be most
As nearly two weeks of rain ushered road and on the road to Daylight Pass. colorful.
in 1955 in the Southwest, hopes soared The phacelia were excellent along Highway 95, Quartzsite to Yuma,
for an outstanding wildflower display. Highway 190 and good from Furnace Arizona—Margaret Gerke, who took
Since that time rains in most portions Creek Inn to Badwater, while good this trip just in time for Desert's sur-
of the area have been disappointing stands of desert star were noted along vey, reports the desert was lush and
and flower predictions are now some- Highway 190 from San Dune Junc- green in the northern part of the Yuma
what spotty—good for some areas and tion to Furnace Creek Inn. The nama Test Station, where there were occa-
average in others. Prolonged cold were very numerous along the same sional patches of phacelia and good
weather stunted the verbenas which route. Flowering cacti were expected encelia flowering with many more
sprouted in the dunes, and evening in April and May. bushes budding and green. Miss Gerke
primrose failed to reach the blossom Joshua Tree National Monument, said the ocotillo should be especially
stage. California—Monument Superintendent good in this area. Good patches of
Here is the wildflower picture as Samuel A. King reports that the dis- verbena and desert lily were noted just
described by Desert Magazine's cor- play of annuals at lower elevations is south of the turnoff to Martinez Lake.
respondents: nil. Bladderpods were blooming in the She also spotted some desert roadside
Antelope Valley, California — Jane Twentynine Palms area and in the sunflower.
S. Pinheiro reports that the Antelope Monument, while from the mouth of Casa Grande National Monument,
area is about two inches behind last Morongo Canyon to Highway 60-70 Arizona—Average shows of the nor-
year's rainfall, which was deficient it- and along the Dillon highway the brit- mal April and May wildflowers will be
self. This is causing many seedlings tlebush was due to bloom by mid- seen in this area, according to Monu-
which the first rains brought out to April. At the Monument's 4000-foot ment Superintendent A. T. Bicknell.
dry up. Some rain in April could bring level the peak blooms, although not The mallow and squawberry were
a bumper crop of flowers, Mrs. Pin- in profusion, would be reached just blooming in late March and buds were
heiro maintains. prior to mid-April, Superintendent King forming on the ocotillo and staghorn
predicted, showing desert rock pea, cholla.
Phacelia, pepper cress, bird's eye primrose, scarlet astragalus, mentzelia
gilia and California poppies came into and alfillaree. Joshua tree blooms Saguaro National Monument, Ari-
March bloom and the Joshua trees would be showy during the same zona—No prospects for a better-than-
were preparing to bloom well. Summer period. average wildflower season were in
temperatures at the last of March sight, according to Monument Super-
brought flowers to earlier maturity than April will be the showy month for intendent John G. Lewis. There were
expected, but without April rain there cactus and ocotillo, too, he added, but no flowers in bloom in late March, al-
will be no mass displays. the picture is generally not outstanding. though ocotillo, false mesquite and a
Death Valley National Monument, Borrego State Park, California—Best few others were expected by the first
California—Flowers in this area are cactus and ocotillo blooms were seen of April. Brittlebush, yellow paper
in the Park in April, according to Park daisy, wild mustard, lupine and lark-
becoming better as May approaches, Supervisor James B. Chaffee. "For spur were to be at their best by mid-
according to the National Park Service. the true desert lover May is a beauti- April, Superintendent Lewis believed.
Desert gold and white evening prim- ful month in this area," he stated, "and A good show of cactus was predicted,
rose were dense along Highway 190 there will be scattered blooms which with hedgehog cactus first, followed by
late in March, with good stands of yel- will appeal to them with the possibility prickly pear, cholla and pincushions
low evening primrose on Jubilee Pass of a desert lily or two (which are just late in the month.
MAY, 1 955 15
One of the finest natural galler-
ies of primitive American art is
found near the ruined city of San
Where Ancients
Cristobal, in northern New Mexico.
Not many people know about
these giant panels of pictographs
and petroglyphs, and the few who
Wrote in Stone
do know their location are inclined
to keep it secret for fear vandals By CHARLES GALLENKAMP
will destroy these valuable ancient Photos by the Author
chronicles as others have been
destroyed. The editors of Desert
offer this story with confidence
that those r e a d e r s interested
enough to seek out San Cristobal
7 WENTY-FIVE miles south of
Sante Fe, New Mexico, the
ruined pueblo of San Cristobal
lies hidden in a lifeless, silent valley.
reports, this once flourishing center of
Indian life has all but vanished from
memory.
will respect this ancient art gallery It was my friend, John Skolle, who
as a heritage to be protected and Few people know it is there. It is un- first led me to San Cristobal and the
preserved. marked on state maps, and rarely do amazing gallery of prehistoric art con-
the residents of nearby towns visit it. cealed in the mesas high above it. As
Except for a few obscure archeological a painter he was especially interested
in primitive art and had assembled a
valuable collection of drawings and
photographs of cave paintings, petro-
glyphs and native designs from many
parts of the world. On his first visit
to San Cristobal, several years before,
he had been greatly impressed by the
veritable museum of stone drawings
hidden in the rim of mesas surround-
ing the ruined village.
Indians had a particular fondness
for painting and etching on stone, and
discoveries of this kind are plentiful in
the Southwest. I have photographed
close to 15 similar sites within a few
miles' radius of Sante Fe alone; but if
these at San Cristobal were as fantastic
as Skolle described, I wanted to see
them for myself. Early one Sunday
morning we loaded the cameras and
enough food for the day into the car
and set out for the ruins.
We drove south on a well-paved road
that gradually dropped down into a
broad valley, scarred now and then by
cone-shaped mountains and flat, awk-
ward looking buttes. The countryside
reflected a myriad of brilliant colors in
the warm morning sun. Finally we
turned into a dirt driveway and stopped
before a red gate with a sign that read:
SAN CRISTOBAL RANCH
GATE 5
16 DESERT MAGAZINE
MAY, 1955 17
ate badly weathered drawings with
chalk.
By mid-afternoon we had a fairly
complete film record of the ancient
drawings, and the disappearing sun
plunged the remaining ones into deep
shadow. I gathered up our equipment
and started toward a ridge where Skolie
had located one more group. As I
was climbing I noticed a narrow pas-
sage between two sheer walls of stone.
At first I took it to be the entrance of
a rock shelter, but once inside the
passageway I found that it led over a
slight ridge and dropped into a basin
on the other side. Halfway through
the pass, I came quite unexpectedly
upon the most exciting discovery of
the day. A beam of sunlight directed
my attention to a small shelf-like ledge
a few feet ahead. The light fell square-
ly on a natural projection of rock
which had been carved to resemble a
massive serpent's head with wide-set
eyes and a row of jagged fangs. It re-
minded me of the Feathered Serpent
effigies from Mexico, though this image
was of crude workmanship by com-
parison to the Aztec and Mayan stone
masterpieces. Yet its serpentine fea-
tures were unmistakable even in the
fading sunlight, and its weathered,
grotesque face had looked down on
Ancient artists' chisels added eyes and jagged teeth to a natural projection that narrow pass for centuries.
of stone to create this mammoth rock serpent.
What it had seen we can only guess.
Many changes had come to the valley
It was a quick walk from there to were more of the mysterious designs below since it was first sculptured into
the crest of the mesa overlooking the incised in the rocks. For several hun- form. The village of its makers flour-
ruined pueblo. Far below we could dred feet along the face of the ledge ished and fell to decay. Spanish con-
make out the dim outline of what had there was hardly a smooth surface of quistadores had come and gone, and
once been several sections of the vil- stone that did not bear faces, the im- a great tide of white settlers had rolled
lage joined by plazas or courtyards, print of hands, animal effigies, lines, through the valley, leaving behind
and at the west end of the ruin, one circles, geometric patterns or masks; powerful seeds of a new civilization.
remaining wall of a Spanish mission and at places in the cliffs we found
towered 20 feet above the piles of shallow caves and rock shelters, the San Cristobal was founded sometime
weathered gray stone. walls of which were covered with spi- around 1250 A.D. by pueblo tribes-
rals, bird-like figures and hands with men migrating from the north. It was
No one has seen San Cristobal in occupied until the end of the 17th
its glory since the last of the 17th outstretched fingers.
century when a series of epidemics
century. It had been the largest of 28 While I set up the cameras, Skolle followed by the relentless raids of ma-
pueblos in the Galisteo Basin—all were searched the rocks ahead for new rauding Apaches threatened to extin-
abandoned early in the Spanish con- drawings. Within two hours we had guish its inhabitants. Spanish mission-
quest and have long since crumbled taken over 50 photographs, and the aides had established a church in the
to ruins. In 1912 the archeologist Neils imaginative skill of San Cristobal's an- village shortly after the conquest, but
C. Nelson excavated the portion of San cient artists revealed itself at its finest they were powerless to prevent the
Cristobal nearest the mission, but most before our cameras. Indians from abandoning their homes
of its secrets still lie unearthed beneath Archeologists draw a subtle line of in search of a safer location. By 1692
the debris and rubble of almost three San Cristobal was deserted, and its oc-
distinction between petroglyphs, which
centuries. Only the curious etchings cupants gradually moved west toward
on the rocky ledges above the ruin are designs pecked into the surface of
rocks with stone tools, and pictographs, the Hopi pueblos, settling finally at
remain as visible evidence of the In- Hano.
dians who had dwelled there for 500 figures painted on with vegetable or
years. mineral paint. The people of San Cris- As displaced people inevitably will,
tobal employed both methods to con- they carried remnants of their former
From where Skolle and I stood we vey their artistic conceptions. In caves culture with them. Many of the designs
could see nothing in the rocks ahead and under protective ledges, colored carved in the rocks at San Cristobal
of us. For ten minutes or more we pictographs are still plainly visible; but are still seen today in the work of Hopi
climbed higher on the side of the mesa. the open faces of the cliffs are covered craftsmen. All that was left behind
Then I glanced up and suddenly saw with bold, chiseled petroglyphs which were the dead, their deserted homes,
them: dozens of faces, masks, animals have turned white or dull gray with and the carved faces of gods and spirits
and figures peered down at us from the the passing of time. Only in a few to watch from the surrounding cliffs
black boulders. Everywhere we looked instances was it necessary to accentu- as the village crumbled away.
18 DESERT MAGAZINE
Photo by Richard L. Cas.seII.
W H I L E trekking often happens in such cases, each was upper shell and webbed toes, or with
across country north of the doing little else than quoting his father, limbs, some or all of which are modi-
Chuckawalla Mountains of Cali- with much fervor. After listening a fied as flippers or paddles."
fornia, I came upon two vacationing moment I volunteered to give some "The land tortoises," I said further,
high school-age boys who were en- reason why trained scientists have de- "are of robust build and have a high-
gaged in an argument over whether the cided that the creature they had before arched upper shell covered with horny
reptile they'd just found should be them should properly be called a land shields showing prominent growth
called a desert turtle or a desert tor- or desert tortoise and not a turtle. rings. Toes at the end of the stubby
toise. "The latter name," I said, "is usu- limbs are unwebbed and furnished with
Neither had had much to offer by ally reserved for water dwelling crea- strong claw-like nails."
way of scientific authority and as so tures with comparatively low-arched "We found this big fellow," said one
MAY, 1955
of the boys, "by following the trail of Once a tortoise has made a burrow
footsteps in the sand. The strange for itself it stays rather close to it,
tractor-like, double, wide-spaced foot- seldom traveling farther away than a
marks were different from any tracks quarter or half mile. I generally find
we'd ever seen before. We walked up these reptiles most plentiful in fairly
this sandy wash, about a quarter of a high desert (2500 to 3000 feet eleva-
mile before we found him. tion) and in the vicinity of large gran-
"When we first came near him, he ite rocks such as occur in the Joshua
was eating grass at the base of a big Tree National Monument.
rock. As we got closer he quickly Tortoise numbers have never been
drew his head, feet and tail into the great and now with the encroachment
shell, making a hissing noise." of man into their natural habitat they
This desert tortoise, which the boys are gradually disappearing in places
had found, was the largest one I had where once they were quite plentiful.
ever seen. It was fully 15]/2 inches In California it is illegal to remove
long and 12 inches broad. These were them from their native habitat, but
the measurements I got when I ran a numbers of them are picked up by
flexible tape over the curvature of its travelers and taken to their homes in
Dotted portion of map shows distri- towns and cities to serve as pets where
shell. Although the boys wanted me to
tell them, I did not venture to estimate bution area of Desert Tortoise. many of them die from neglect or meet
its true age for there is no way of their end by being run over by automo-
determining it either by size or by the shelled oval eggs in shallow holes biles.
growth lines on the scales. It had which she digs in the earth with her My friend John Laughlin of the
doubtless spent many decades wander- rather clumsy hind feet. The eggs are California Fish and Game Commis-
ing over its desert home-land. It may about one and a half inches in diam- sion, tells me that a surprising number
have been 30, or even 40 years old. eter. There may be as few as two and of these gentle creatures found wan-
as many as nine of them; but the aver- dering in the streets are fortunately
The actual weight at any age is age is four or five. The eggs hatch in
rather difficult to determine unless one brought by thoughtful people into the
a little over three months. September commission headquarters in Los An-
knows the quantity of green food the and October are the usual months for
reptile has recently eaten or how much geles. Several times each year whole
emergence of the young. truck loads of them are transported
water it has drunk. After a summer
thunderstorm when free water is found When a young desert tortoise comes back to the far desert and turned loose
in rock pools a tortoise may nearly from its egg it is a small, almost round, in favorable places where natural food
double its weight by drinking water. replica of its parents, mustard yellow and shelter is available.
There may also be much stored water to light brown in color, with soft shell
and measures only about one and a Man is the animal's greatest enemy.
in the large bladder and in the sup- Next probably are the coyotes, ravens
plementary water storage sacs beneath half inches in diameter. Hardening of
the bony plates underneath the brown- and hawks. All of these prey upon
the shell. All this adds to its varying the young tortoises; the birds especi-
weight. ish scales of the shell does not take
place until about the fifth or sixth year, ally, during the period when they have
The tortoise the boys had cornered or even later. Growth continues very young in their nests. The soft-shelled
was a male. "How does one know," slowly. dollar-sized babies are particularly
they asked. tempting morsels for predators; coyotes
The period of greatest activity of
"There are several differences be- desert tortoises is in spring and early kill even 1/3 grown tortoises.
tween the sexes," I explained. "First summer when they may be seen wan- Frequently I find empty broken tor-
of all, the under shell, or plastron, is dering about in search of green food. toise shells with all the soft parts of
somewhat concave in the male, the tail As mid-day temperatures become high the body removed, presumably by hun-
is longer than in a female of similar they go into their burrows or under gry birds or mammals. Only the hard-
size and the forked projecting horn rocks where it is cooler, remaining shelled older individuals of large size
or gular shield, at the forepart of the there until evening when they may
shell, is also better developed and can find complete protection within
emerge to forage. If no green food is their bony armature. The sagacious
longer in the male." available they may take to eating dry resourceful ravens are said to take off
The pugnacious males advantage- vegetation such as grass. Tortoises in into the air with baby tortoises held in
ously use this large gular horn in bouts captivity eat many kinds of green food,
with other males during the breeding their beaks and crack them open by
especially lettuce, of which they may letting them fall on rocks. I have not
season. Brandishing it as a weapon, consume unbelievable quantities.
they lunge into their rivals or even use confirmed this by my observations, but
When winter approaches, these che- knowing these birds as well as I do
it as a kind of prying instrument to try lonians dig underground burrows of
to turn over the other contestant. A it seems entirely possible.
considerable size and depth and into
male tortoise may even make thrusts these they retreat. The temporary Should a tortoise by any chance
at the female with this gular horn. summer burrows go under ground only meet injury to one or more of the
The time of courting and mating three or four feet but the winter tun- bony plates comprising its carapace, or
occurs in spring and early summer. nels may be 12 or 15 or even as much shell, the break is very efficiently, al-
The male's attentions toward the fe- as 30 feet in length. Sometimes sev- though slowly, repaired. Such a repair
male are shown by rather rapid, amus- eral tortoises "hole-up" together. In takes years to complete. A new horny
ing, up and down movements of his one instance, Dr. A. M. Woodbury of scute and new piece of bone is slowly
extended head. He also may be seen the University of Utah, found 17 in formed while the old horn and cracked
repeatedly nipping the edges of the one winter den. While in hibernation bone is gradually pushed upward and
shell of the female, going around her they live on the fat stored in the body shed. The repair is so neat that no
again and again. during the spring and summer feeding sign of the injury remains.
The female lays her white, hard- season. There are about 40 species of land
20 DESERT MAGAZINE
w
^4
•'
MAY, 1955 21
SILVERSMITH
By LORNA BAKER
Los Angeles, California
A wide and knotted scarf of flaming red
Is draped with careless grace, about his
head.
His smooth and sinewed hand of copper-
brown
Guides carefully each tool and then sets
down
Bright symbols of an art that knew its birth
Before the white man came and found its
worth;
At last the matchless craft is set aside—
Goal of perfection reached. In silent pride
High tribute is accepted—all the while
About his mobile lips, there plays a smile
As fleeting as a breath upon the air
That makes one wonder if it had been there.
I saw him later, etched against the sky.
He stood on mountain bluff, his proud
head high.
And gazed across a land his fathers owned
Before the white man came. His dark eyes
shone,
Then, meeting mine, a sleeping hunger
blazed.
And branded in my heart, there lives that
gaze.
For, 1, ashamed, saw in the sunset glow.
A naked soul—and not a Navajo.
DESERT WONDERLAND
By VIRGINIA L. BRUCE
Hemet, California
The wanderer found the summer's sun
Reflecting blinding heat
Across the endless rolling sands
This photo of the aged Navajo woman and her young grandson wastaken That burned beneath his feet.
beside her hogan a jew weeks before the incident told below.
The autumn winds blew out the fire;
The winter rains were cold.
Situ? Then once again the wanderer came
To watch the spring unfold.
Editor, Desert Magazine: By INEZ H. GOSS
For the past three and a half years, Prescott, Arizona He looked with wondering awe across
my husband and I have lived at two The land of sun and sand . . .
different trading posts in an isolated No sign of life outside the hut It bloomed in wild abandonment—
section of the Navajo Indian Reserva- Which blends with muddy bank and A desert wonderland!
tion. The past year and a half, my rut;
husband was manager at Inscription Within, the chant of weird refrain
House Trading Post where we were Is muted by the falling rain. GHOST TOWN HOMESTEAD
the only white persons for 20 miles. By GLADYS B. MARSHALL
This did not worry us as we soon Now comes forth an ancient One San Diego, California
made friends with our Navajo neigh- Led by her devoted son; Gnawed by the teeth of vengeful years.
bors in spite of the fact that few of Her feet and withered breasts are bare, Her sagging frame picked clean of paint.
them spoke the English language. And March winds toss her graying The doomed house moans no said complaint
Many of these people were destitute hair. To grant winds that steal the tears
and we often took them food and Night sheds on her and disappears.
clothing. One day 1 drove our pickup &he looks with her unseeing eyes She leans on buckling knees, this saint,
truck to take a box of groceries to Toward sodden hills and weeping Who housed her wards without constraint—
an old blind Navajo, Millie Luther, Whose happy voices still she hears.
whom I had heard was very ill. As I skies; Though man may cleave her beams to parts
drove up to her hogan, the place Lovelier in her memory Her sanctuary is in many hearts.
seemed deserted. When 1 turned off Than they appear to those who see.
the motor, I heard a weird chanting
from the hogan and knew she was The Singer folds his magic wares
And gently leaves her with his prayers.
having a "sing." My experience that
afternoon, waiting to deliver her gro- The crone sinks down on the warm On
ceries to her, prompted me to write dirt floor; By TANYA SOUTH
the little poem which is enclosed. Her ills have vanished through canvas
INEZ H. GOSS door. The troubles of the heart have sacred
right.
Our every inner hunger, strife and
fight
Are stepping stones, and with fulfill-
DESERT ART RESURRECTION ment rife
By AMY VIAU By KIT PAXTON For an enlightened life.
Santa Ana, California Tucson, Arizona
Roseate dawns—and winds too strong It cannot happen just by chance I view man's desperation and his trial
Spacious silence, fair days belong That blossoms bloom on thorn'd tree As the important highlights of his
To the desert. With moon-drenched sand, And Mariposa lilies dance. Fate.
Burning suns and unfurrowed land; It cannot happen just by chance: They guide him to the things that are
Whispering smoke trees, mountains tall Rebirth, oh desert, comes to thee worth while,
And low-brush shadows. From these, all, In flower fields, when rain falls free. The spiritual state.
Lure beats strong in the desert-heart It cannot happen just by chance Prescott, Arizona
Melding its moods into precious art. That blossoms bloom on thorn'd tree.
22 DESERT MAGAZINE
D
24 DESERT MAGAZINE
ling that thrives on sunshine and leaves pruned off the lower ones to make it poles, the others when six or eight
much to be desired as a shade tree. more tree-like. Its somewhat anemic inches high.
Hence in recent years most of the palo condition is probably my fault too— I discovered why they call these
verdes in El Centro have been replaced for planting it on a calichi bed and small tracts Jackrabbit Claims. It is
by ornamental trees with dense foliage. then trying to force its growth with because the jackrabbits claim every-
My tree is nice and tall—about 15 too much water. thing you plant, from smoke trees to
feet now and almost strong enough to Still, with enough patience and only cacti. 1 now put a screen around every-
stand upright under the weight of its enough water, I hope to sit, one day, thing I plant.
few branches. That it has so few under a gloriously festive tree in my The elephant tree is my next adven-
branches disappoints me, although that own back yard—when the palo verde ture. I missed gathering the seeds this
is not entirely the tree's fault. I have blooms. year, being anxious to complete our
house. But I will get them next year.
MAY, 1955 25
urnns
Time for Thanks . . .
Desert:
Needles, California
Members of many gem clubs, indi-
were staking him, came up and spent
some time trying to find it, my brother
hunted for it, others hunted for it, I've
looked for it. It is still a lost mine.
I am 76 years old but I'd still like
another try at finding that mine.
• • •
More Vandalism . . .
H. C. BAILEY
Banning, California
altogether, as we may not even find a
cabin shell left on our next trip out.
Do we have company or are we
alone having this experience?
ROBERT M. REID
• • •
Twisted Geography . . .
Desert:
Memphis, Missouri
26 DESERT MAGAZINE
LIFE ON THE DESERT
From muddy Luzon to the broad reaches of New
Mexico, the Hoffmans have begun a new life — one
filled with adventure and grandeur of the Southwest.
By HAL HOFFMAN field was a notable first-time event for less than a year our children have
parents and children alike. traveled through a fairyland of won-
NEARLY four years we Best of all, straight away from and ders. They have rolled in glee down
lived in the mountains of north- 20 miles beyond the cotton field stand the dunes of White Sands Monument.
ern Luzon in the Philippines. the Organ Mountains — spires lifted They have puddled in mountain snow,
On the weather map our locale was heavenward from the desert flats. Many for the two younger ones an unknown
described as having no true dry sea- artists have tried and most have failed experience. They have trudged in near-
son. Most anyone will agree that a — to capture the wondrously soft, reverent silence through the nether
rainfall averaging 125 inches a year is ever-changing red-purple glow of sun- world corridors of Carlsbad Caverns.
on the generous side. It may have set on the Organs. My wife and I have They have sighted the far reaches of
been purely psychological but there scaled lofty Long's Peak in Colorado Grand Canyon, stood on the brink of
were times when the mud seemed mud- and proud Fujiyama in Japan. We Meteor Crater, wondered at the ancient
dier than ordinary mud. Except for know that to challenge the intimacy of Indian petroglyphs in Arizona's Pet-
a few uncertain weeks in the year the great mountains is a memorable ex- rified Forest and meandered through
humidity never broke off its warfare perience. But at setting of the sun the restored cliff-dwellings at Walnut
with our fungus-susceptible leather our Organ Mountains do not lure us Canyon. What a collection of rich
goods, book covers, camera lenses and with awe-inspiring might. Unlike many memories for future years!
clothing. By the time we sailed for the of the great peaks which clothe them- We soon discovered that the South-
United States rain no longer intrigued selves in secret robes of mist at ap- west is filled with people from all over
us. proach of night, the Organs frequently the United States. Some old-timers
Back home we could work up no shine forth in brightest grandeur at who migrated here earlier than we,
enthusiasm for a cold damp winter. sunset. assert with considerable conviction that
All things considered, the dry, sunny High clouds! Hushed wind! the Southwest puts a spell of enchant-
Southwest appealed to us. Hard, clean heat on the desert floor; ment upon those who come to live
Rather arbitrarily we limited our Organ pipes: Purple light; within its far flung borders. They say
choice to southern New Mexico. Rec- Tender close of day once more. that even those who leave are inevi-
onnoitering southward through that The mass of rocks which compose tably drawn by that spell to return
State we finally came to Las Cruces the Organ Mountains depend upon the once again. Perhaps so!
in the heart of the Mesilla Valley and sun for their open-faced radiance. Yet,
decided that this was it. Las Cruces there are rocks in the Southwest which
was small enough, yet near a city of have inherent beauty of imprisoned
good size. The state agricultural col- color and pattern, set by Nature mil- DATES ANNOUNCED FOR
lege was nearby at Mesilla Park, while lions of years ago.
White Sands Proving Ground, a likely DEATH VALLEY PROGRAM
place of employment, was on the other Rockhounds, a friendly crew of na-
ture lovers, band themselves together Dates for the 1955 annual encamp-
side of the Organ Mountains. ment of California's Death Valley
in the Las Cruces area as elsewhere
Possessing a minimum of household in the United States. Agate, turquoise, '49ers are to be November 10, 11, 12
furnishings we decided that a one- opal, petrified wood and all the other and 13 according to Dr. Thomas Clem-
package home in the form of a trailer choice stones of the Southwest are ob- ents, president. In general, the four-day
would be the best way to get started. jects of private and corporate search program, which is open to persons re-
After establishing our trailer home, we by these rock hunters, who will cut gardless of membership in the organi-
found the employment we desired, en- and polish their finds. Already our
tered our three small children in kin- zation, will follow the same pattern
children are confirmed, though very as last year except that the first day's
dergarten and elementary school, and, amateur, rockhounds. For them the
among other things, waited for a sunny, events, Thursday, November 10, will
desert and the mountains are still a be limited to a campfire program in the
dry winter to come. vast, uncharted region for exploration
We were not disappointed. Looking evening.
and discovery.
back upon nearly a year in this sun- Like so many other newcomers to Details of the Encampment were
land, several life-size experiences can the desert we were astounded by the discussed at two recent meetings of
be evaluated. Taking practical con- myriad desert plants and flowers which the board of directors, at Kernville
siderations first, we found that, despite flourish in spite of searing heat, infre- and Trona. Artists', Authors' and
the misgivings of our parents and quent showers, and flying sand. The Photographers' breakfasts, to which
friends, a medium-length trailer pro- garden-like spacing of desert flora is the public is invited, are to be held
vides a feasible home, even for a reminiscent of the work of some master Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings.
family which includes three children unseen hand. For us all manner of
with ages ranging from four to eight Since November 11 is Veterans'
cacti are intriguing examples of Na- Day, tentative plans are being made
years. Nearly every day has been an ture's ingenuity in the face of heavy
outdoor play day for the children. for the American Legion and possibly
odds. It was not long before we yielded
We like our location, one block off to the temptation and transplanted other veterans' organizations to partici-
the highway at the edge of the city some of them in our front yard. But pate this year.
limits. Eastward across our driveway, before that monarch of the desert, the The '49ers are working for the suc-
unfenced, is a large cotton field. New saguaro cactus, we almost stand as cess of a measure introduced by Sen-
Mexico provided our first experience unbelievers. To think that he could ator Charles Brown which would allot
with growing cotton and we watched grow so tall and live so long! $350,000 of California's off-shore oil
with curiosity as the bolls opened fluffy The story of our first year in the royalties for the building of a museum
and white. Cotton picking day in the Southwest could be enlarged upon. Tn in Death Valley.
MAY, 1955 27
Monticello, Utah . . .
28 DESERT MAGAZINE
12 months. The sea stood at a minus
MAY, 1955
Beaches has announced. Almost 15,-
000 acres of shore line will be added
THE DESERT TRADING POST
Classified Advertising in This Section Costs 10c a Word, $1.50 Minimum Per Issue
to the park, plus another 5140 acres
now held by private owners. Desert
Sun . . .
Bill Protects Burros . . .
SACRAMENTO—Two year exten-
INDIAN GOODS SILVERY DESERT HOLLY PLANTS: sion of the prohibition against killing
One dollar each postpaid. Greasewood
5 FINE ANCIENT Indian arrowheads, $2. Greenhouses, Lenwood, Barstow, Calif. undomesticated burros, with an added
Flint eagle ceremonial, $2. Perfect Fol- provision they could not be captured
som, $5. Spearhead, $1. List Free. Lear's, URANIUM CLAIMS with merit, wanted as pets except with special permission,
Glenwood, Arkansas. for development. Will give liberal over- is the goal of a bill before the Califor-
ride. Can furnish bank reference. Give nia legislature. Wild burros have been
INDIAN HANDCRAFTS — Made by the detailed description of property in first
Hopi, Navajo, and Zuni Indians. Whole- letter. Rex R. Moore, 2904 Liberty Bank killed for cat and dog food. The mea-
sale only. Indian Crafts, Wickenburg. Bldg.. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. sure has been approved by the Senate
Arizona. Fish and Game Committee, although
DESERT TEA. One pound one dollar it is opposed by William P. Dasmann
NAVAIO RUG REPAIRING — worn or postpaid. Greasewood Greenhouses. Len-
damaged rugs re-woven. Write: Arizona wood, Barstow, California. of the Department of Fish and Game.
Weavers, 1702 West Earll Drive. Phoenix. Desert Star
Arizona. IN LUCERNE Valley and Apple Valley— . . .
BOOKS — MAGAZINES We are proud to be known for high qual- Hunter's Alibi Tops . . .
ity desert-designed houses at low cost. For
more information and map showing how INDEPENDENCE—When Depart-
BOOKS FOUND—Any title! Free world-
wide book search service. Any book, to reach our desert headquarters, write or ment of Fish and Game Warden Jack
new or old. Western Americana a spe- phone our branch office: Russell Brothers Roof of Lancaster saw a car driving
cialty. Lowest price. Send wants today! Desert Builders, 1157 E. Green St., Pasa- along a road with the hunter holding
International Bookfinders, Box 3003-D, dena 1, California. Phone RYan 1-9914.
his gun outside, he grew suspicious.
Beverly Hills. California. GOLD PROSPECTING CATALOG—List- Asked how come, the hunter explained:
ing, placer and lode maps, steel gold pans, "Well, 1 know it's against the law to
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES mining and mineral books, books on lost
mines, pocket magnifying glasses, min- have a loaded gun inside the car,
IMPORT-EXPORT! Opportunity profitable, eral collection sets, blueprints of dry so . . ." Didn't work! Citation issued.
world-wide, mail-order business from washers and wet washers you can build fnyo Independent
home, without capital, or travel abroad. yourself. Catalog and Gold Panning Les- . . .
Established World Trader ships instruc- son — Free. Old Prospector, Box 729,
tions for no-risk examination. Experience Research Station Highest . . .
Desk 5. Lodi. California.
unnecessary. Free details. Mellinger. WHITE MOUNTAIN—The world's
E981, Los Angeles 24, California. BOTTLES: Purple bottles, lavender bottles, highest research station will be estab-
old bottles. Also pieces, some very thick, lished this summer atop White Moun-
REAL ESTATE excellent for cutting. P. O. Box 94, Corn-
ville, Arizona. PAN GOLD: $1 for 75 panning areas in
VIEW LOTS—Palm Desert Heights. Just 25 California counties. Geological for-
above Desert Magazine block. Near PROSPECTORS: Wake up! Don't walk mations, elevations, pertinent notes. Pan-
Shadow Mountain Club, school, church, over a fortune in minerals. We have a
markets, bus. 70x100, $1200 up. Paved, complete line of United States Govern- ning pans $2.75, $2.25. Leather nugget
gas, elec, water. Restricted. For brochure ment Maps at 50 cents, California Survey and dust poke $1. Fred Mark, Box 801,
write Box 65, Palm Desert, California. Maps at $1.20, and Geological Survey Ojai. California.
Maps. We handle all types of Geiger URANIUM MAP of Southwest. Geiger
(1) BEAUTIFUL, YOUNG, producing 3 Counters, Radiation Instruments, and counters, scintillators, snoopers, $29.95
acre date garden located in center of Mineralights. Check for Uranium and 18 up. Free catalog, or better, send $1.00
Coachella Valley on main road. Owner other economic minerals with our on the for authentic uranium map of Southwest
will maintain for 5 years in return for spot easy to use Assay Kit at $6.00. For Desert and catalog. Harry's Geiger
crop. Ideal for non-resident desert lover identification of minerals we also have Counters, 360 So. Hawthorne Blvd.,
who desires to build home on small ranch 20 commercial boxed and labeled samples Hawthorne. California.
but avoid responsibilities. (2) 20 acre of the desert, ideal to use for comparison
Horse Ranch with nice improvements. when prospecting. Send for our free price OCOT1LLO WELLS, HIGHWAY 78. Will
$35,000. (3) Level, 3 acres—piped, all list on Mining Supplies and prospectors' deed free to responsible party, 200 Feet
utilities, $2000 cash. Write Ronald L. equipment. "We handle everything for Highway frontage 300 feet deep, about
Johnson, Thermal, California. mining and prospecting." Order your l'/2 acres, who will drill well, build ren-
supplies now. all postage paid by Western tals, tennis courts and pool. Come and
WESTERN WOODS of Hesperia offers Mining Development & Supply Co., 173 see us. Rogers, Box 86, Del Mar, Calif.
nearly 400 choice one and two acre sites E. Highland Ave., San Bernardino, Calif.
—fully improved as your desert head- AGATE MARBLES are again available.
quarters. Nothing under an acre! $890.00 Genuine old fashioned ones. Small size
and up. Write: 3951 Market St., River- CABIN SITES—Desert highlands between
Palmdale-Hesperia. Beautiful view, plenty $1.00. Medium size $1.25. Large size
side, California. $1.50. Genuine buckskin marble bag
of Joshuas, junipers. 5 acres $675 up.
Free Spring Catalog. Sunstate Land Co.. $1.00. California residents add 3% tax.
FOR SALE—2-Bedroom Home with guest 7075 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles 28. Satisfaction guaranteed. Deslie's, 282 N.
house. 230 feet frontage on paved street. HO. 3-1108. Palm Canyon, Palm Springs, California.
Located in Morongo Valley 18 miles from
Palm Springs. Elevation 2,650 feet. Smog GEIGER COUNTER KIT, only $64.00 FOR. SALE—Bargain. A group of four (4)
free dry desert air. No cooler needed in Assembled $76.00. More sensitive than mining claims with millsite, two (2)
summer. Write Box 1024 Palm Springs. most scintillometers. Save the price of good wells. Two miles from Searchlight,
California, or Phone 5640. a $250 instrument because of our low Nevada, on River Road. Dr. J. Len-
cost. Counter diagrams, instructions, 50c. ninger, 1141 N. Vermont Ave., Los An-
1.00% U3O8, $1.00. Evaluate your ore geles 29, California.
MISCELLANEOUS
with this accurate sample. R. T. Barrett, WANTED—Dried decorative seed pods in
LADY GOD1VA "The World's Finest 22319 Kathryn Ave.. Torrance, Calif. any quantity. Send prices and samples.
Beautifier." For women who wish to Banner Queen Ranch, Julian, California.
become beautiful, for women who wish GHOST TOWN ITEMS: Sun-colored glass,
to remain beautiful. An outstanding des- amethyst to royal purple; ghost railroads WANT TO become acquainted with another
ert cream. For information, write or call materials, tickets; limited odd items from lone young woman interested in desert
Lola Barnes, 963 N. Oakland, Pasadena camps of the '60s. Write your interest— treks this spring. Phone Lynwood, Cali-
6. Calif., or phone SYcamore 4-2378. Box 64-D. Smith, Nevada. fornia. Newmark 27733.
30 DESERT MAGAZINE
tain, near the California-Nevada bor- Cloud Seeding Legal . . . Statue Honors Indian . . .
der, at the 14,242-foot level. From CARSON CITY — Cloud seeding GALLUP—A huge statue of gran-
this scientific laboratory University of is now legal in Nevada following the ite and steel, higher than the Statue of
California researchers will be able to signing of two measures by Governor Liberty, is planned for a red rock bluff
trap cosmic radiation from outer space, Charles H. Russell. The first measure east of Gallup as part of a $9 million
view astronomical sights without being allows for cooperative agreements for memorial to the Indian. The statue,
hindered by lower atmospheric debris weather modification operations while sponsored by the Memorial to the
and keep a better check on weather a second gives the counties the right American Indian Foundation, Ann
conditions in the upper air. Inyo In- to budget funds for cloud seeding pur- Arbor, Michigan, will be 250 feet high.
dependent poses. Cloud seeding programs are Included at the memorial will be an
• • • expected to alleviate Nevada's water amphitheater seating 30,000 where the
New Trails Established . . . shortage. A rain-making agreement annual Intertribal Indian Ceremonial
TWENTYN1NE PALMS — Addi- has been entered into by the Nevada will be held and where daily Indian
tion of new natural history trails at the State Cloud Seeding Committee and dances will be staged during the tour-
Joshua Tree National Monument has the Water Resources Development ist season. A museum is also planned
been announced by Samuel A. King, Corporation of Denver and actual for the site. Fund drive for the project
Monument Superintendent. Plant ex- cloud seeding operations have been is now under way. Alamogordo Daily
hibit* are identified by markers along started in several Nevada counties. News . . .
the trails. Explanatory leaflets describ- Wells Progress
Boxes for Fines . . .
ing the plants and shrubs are located • • • SANTA FE—The yellow boxes in-
in containers at Indian Cove, center of Ichthyosctur Site Probed . . . stalled in the business section of the
campground, near parking area; Cap
CARSON CITY—Work has started city in which parking violators can de-
Rock, Joshua Tree and Lost Horse
in the second season of exploration of posit their one dollar fines appear to
Valley roads; and Cholla Gardens,
the ichthyosaur site near lone, as ex- be working out satisfactorily. During
Pinto Basin road. Desert Trail
cavating and sand blasting crews began the first month of operation the boxes
• • • operations. Prior to this season 14 collected $139 for 139 overtime park-
Wildflower S h o w M a y 7 . . . huge ichthyosaurs have been uncov- ing offenses. New Mexican
JULIAN—The ladies of Julian, a ered at the site. Plans to create a Ne-
mountain village 60 miles west of San vada ichthyosaur park in Nye County
Diego, will don old-fashioned costumes have also been proposed. Fallon Stan-
for their roles as hostesses in the 29th dard
annual Julian Wildflower Show May 7 • • •
to 29. One of the most unique flower NEW MEXICO
shows held in California, it features
about 2500 different specimens of Drought Answer Seen . . .
wildflowers gathered within a radius SANTA FE—One possible answer
of 10 miles around Julian. Fresh to the long drought period which has
flowers are placed on display each day. plagued New Mexico was advanced by
Approximately 10,000 persons attend State Senator I. N. Curtis of Quemado.
this show annually. Appearing before both houses in Nav-
ajo regalia, Sen. Curtis said the drought
• • •
was caused by the present yellow state THE UNIVERSA1 WATER BAG
NEVADA flag, a yellow flag denoting quarantine. Sold at all better stores and service stations
Lake Mead Low . . . He proposed a red, turquoise and white
BOULDER CITY — Water in Lake flag. New Mexican AMES HARRIS NEVILLE CO.
Mead is at its lowest point since the • • •
lake was forming in 1938 and was ex-
pected to drop another five feet before Grants Growing Fastest . . . You'll want to keep those
reaching the turning point. Officials GRANTS — Grants was rated by
of the Bureau of Reclamation's river
control office at Boulder City said the
the United States Chamber of Com-
merce as the fastest growing town in MAPS
surface level in mid-March was the nation during a majority of months which appear each month in
1094.80 feet above sea level and still in 1954, it was announced. Postal Desert Magazine—maps which
going down. Normal level is 1200 feet. figures now show its size to be 6000 will be your guide on many de-
They said the receding lake level won't persons. With a population of 2500 lightful excursions into the great
stop until inflow from runoff exceeds in 1952, the town has grown 140 per- desert playground.
that of the outflow through Boulder cent since that date. Grants Beacon
Dam. Pioche Record Attractive loose-leaf binders em-
bossed in gold not only will
• • • preserve the maps, but will be
Joint Water Pact Sought . . . 1000 TRAVEL SCENES
a beautiful addition to your
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congres- home book-shelf. Each binder
sional approval of a plan to allow Cali- holds 12 copies. Easy to insert,
fornia and Nevada to sign a compact they open flat.
for distribution and use of Sierra-Ne-
vada waters supplying both states has SPECIAL OFFER Mailed postpaid for
been sought by senators from the two To introduce readers of DESERT to our $2.00
2"x2" COLOR SLIDES for home projec-
states. The compact concerns directly tion, we are offering a FliEE 20 page
the Truckee, Carson and Walker rivers. catalog and a FREE sample color slide.
Travel, Science, Nature, National Parks
Lake Tahoe and all tributaries. Need and the southwest. Write today to •—
for water storage reservoirs and power K E L L Y D . C H O D A
plants is said to be the purpose of the BOX 588 STANFORD, CALIF.
PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA
action. Gardnerville Record-Courier
MAY, 1955 31
New Mexico Water Critical . . . relocation in Los Angeles where they city by the National Humane Alliance
SANTA FE — February brought will receive training for jobs with pri- during the period when horses were
more rain and snow to New Mexico vate industry. The senator said this the main mode of travel. Salt Lake
but 1955 is still shaping up as the was the first step in a program to take Tribune
most critical year of the long drought Indians from uneconomic lands in the • • •
period for New Mexico's rich Rio state. Salt Lake Tribune Biologists Capture Shrew . . .
Grande Valley. W. F. Resch, project • • • SALT LAKE CITY—Two Univer-
manager for the Rio Grande in New Historic Site Planned . . . sity of Utah biologists have recently
Mexico and Texas, said he may have Plans to establish a National His- reported capturing a small mammal of
to close Elephant Butte and Caballo toric Site at Promontory, Utah, scene the rare shrew family which has been
reservoirs during May. He called of the Golden Spike ceremony when seen only six times in the world. Dr.
water conditions "the most critical of the transcontinental railroad was com- Stephen D. Durrant and M. Raymond
any time during the drouth period." pleted, are now under way. A Golden Lee trapped the tiny shrew 25 miles
New Mexican Spike project committee is discussing west of Blanding in southern Utah. The
• • • the plan with the National Park Serv- pair are cataloging animals of south-
UTAH ice and representatives of the Union ern Utah and thus far have classified
Paiutes Enter Industry . . . Pacific Railroad company and South- 70 different mammals. Iron County
WASHINGTON — The Bureau of ern Pacific Railroad. Box Elder News Record
Indian Affairs has notified Sen. Arthur • • • • • •
V. Watkins of Utah that five Utah Pigs Get Limit . . . Navajo Judgment Overthrown . . .
Paiute Indians have been approved for BRIGHAM CITY — Residents of DENVER—A group of Navajo In-
Brigham City are now limited to two dians may not get the $100,000 judg-
DON'T GET LOST! pigs apiece and in some areas pigs are ment awarded them by a U.S. District
/
LEARN TO USE MAP AND COMPASS CORRECTLY...
JIt)St
—-r=S£<f\ complete pocket-size book ever written
outlawed altogether. The City Coun- Court for government destruction of
\ on maps and compasses. 144 pages of praeti-
ap ami compass methods used by for-
cil recently approved a new ordinance 150 ponies and burros in Utah last
Bters, smoke-chasers, hunters, fishermen.
Kasy-to- understand. Fully ill list rated.
eliminating hog raising in the business year. The decision was reversed by
Tells how to: Orient a map. r i o t a
course to camp. Locate your position
districts and limiting two pigs per fam- the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
in the Field. Order today! Mail only. ily in the rest of the city, adding that In reversing the decision, the govern-
Carters Manual Company, $ B S O pig pens must be kept unoffensive. Box ment cited a Utah statute applied on
P. O. Box 186, Estacada, Oregon Dept i)M Ppd
Elder Journal abandoned livestock and contended
• • • the Indians failed to take action when
JOSHUA TREE AREA
SPLENDID 5-ACKB TRACT SITES Watering Trough Gone . . . warned about the unsupervised stock.
LOW PRICED CABINS SALT LAKE CITY — A historic Salt Lake Tribune
U.S. Government Tracts
$10-$20 per acre. Roads, water, electricity granite watering trough located on the • • •
planned. Joshua Tree-29 Palms area.
No. 1 Mai> $1.50 plus 6 cents postage Salt Lake City and County Building SAM AHKEAH LOSES
E. B. MOORE CO., INC. grounds served up its last drink re- NAVAJO ELECTION
EJxp. on "The Great American Desert" cently as the relic was added to the Sam Ahkeah, running for his third
No Smog. No fog. Elevation 3000 feet. Pioneer Memorial Museum's collec- term as chairman of the Navajo Tribal
Localor, 200 Hwy., Joshua Tree
tion. The trough was donated to the Council was defeated by more than
3000 votes when 15,000 Navajos cast
their votes at their first unsupervised
THE LARGEST election. Winner of the election was
Paul Jones. The chairman's term is
HOTEL I N four years.
Chairman Jones and his running
LOS ANGELES SENSIBLE RATES
mate Vice-chairman Scott Preston
were installed March 28. In addition
Singles from $3.50 to the chairman and vice chairman,
Doubles from $5.00 the Navajos elected 24 new members
Twin Beds to the council and re-elected 50. Aside
from $6.00 from the 15,000 votes cast on the
reservation another 5000 votes were
cast at six off-reservation polling places
in California, Arizona and Utah.
Present federal law limits a tribes-
man to two terms as chairman. Ahkeah
! / weekly was given special permission to run
•and monthly'
"rates on request
for a third term on the condition that
the Navajos decide in this election
whether there should be any limit on
OVERNIGHT GUESTS the number of terms a chairman may
In the heart of the important downtown serve. The majority favored the limit.
business and shopping districts, the
I Rosslyn offers more for your money
I than any other high class hotel . . . Ad- LOQK/m A MILLION THRILLS!
[ vance reservations accepted and defi- High Power
I nitely confirmed with no time limit on BINOCULARS
I your stay . . .You'll enjoy the perpetual 3 0 DAY FREE TRIAL
I sunshine of our Garden Sun Roof.
Circulating Ice Water in Every Room
the
ROSSLYN frte/ Catalog & Book
"How to Select Binocular*"
Dept. D-5 4 3 E. Green
111 WISt Slli St - 10S ANGIliS BUSHNEU Pasadena. Calif.
32 DESERT MAGAZINE
Minerals, artifacts, lapidary, gems, fos-
6EMS mtMINERALS
New officers of the Yuma, Arizona, Gem Harry Zolars, of the El Paso, Texas,
sils and juniors are the six categories for
exhibits at the spring show of the Wichita,
Kansas, Gem and Mineral Society. The
show was scheduled to be held April 23 and
24 at the St. Anthony's School recreation
center. • • •
and Mineral Society were elected at a recent Mineral and Gem Society, has completed a One of California's newest rock clubs was
meeting. Joseph Baker, of the Navajo Cen- cigarette holder and ash tray of light green recently formed at the Fred C. Nelles
ter Art and Gem Shop, was re-elected ricolite, done in the shape of a country fire- School for Boys. The boys are studying
president. Other officers are: Anthony De- place and removable grate in which the rocks, making shelves and other items nec-
Crescenzi, vice-president, Mrs. Ferrer De- ashes are caught and easily emptied. essary for display, but are unable to obtain
Crescenzi, secretary-treasurer, Vernon Lohr, • • • much of their own cutting materials. The
trek chairman, Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Mara- chairman of the club has stated that any
ble, publicity chairmen, and Mrs. D. Monica The Los Angeles Lapidary Society will used or discarded equipment and cutting
Baker, parliamentarian. President Baker ap- join with the Southwest Art Association for materials would be appreciated. Such items
pointed the following committee chairmen: their 1955 Annual Exhibit May 7 and 8, should be sent to the Fred C. Nelles School
Mrs. Mary Payne, hospitality, Mrs. Nellie the groups have announced. The two groups for Boys, Whittier, California.
Clendencn, membership. plan an outstanding exhibit of the lapidary
art, gemstones, jewelry, oil paintings, water-
• • • colors and pastels. Saturday hours are from
May 7 and 8 are the dates for the Fifth 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., while the hours on new—different.
Annual Gem Show of the Delvers Gem and Sunday will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Mineral Society of Bellflower, California. • • • Uranium Radioactivity
At least 60 standard display cases of cut Detector
gems and minerals will be shown. The show May 15 is the date set for the Modesto,
6EI6EKC0PE
will be held, as in past years, at the Simms California, Swap Day. The swap will be
Park community building. held at the Legion Park in Modesto, spon-
• • • sored by the Stockton Lapidary and Mineral
Inquiries for space in the International Club. ' • • • INDICATES
ACTIVE CONTENT WITH
SPARKLES OF LIGHT.
Gem and Mineral Exposition in San Fran- Theme for the 1955 show of the Comp- MORE SENSITIVE (OR
USEONSAMPLESTHAN
cisco this year should be addressed to Ralph ton, California, Gem and Mineral Club is A GEIGER COUNTER.
Paine, 119 28th Avenue, San Francisco 21, Holidays in Gems. The sixth annual show WILLDETECTCONTAM
INATION OF FOOD,
California, up to May 15. The Exposition is to be held June 4 and 5 at the Veterans WATER
AND
CLOTHING,
il IE N S I L S
will be held in the Civic Auditorium, July of Foreign Wars Hall in Compton. CAUSED BY RADIO-
ACTIVE FALL OUT.
PROFESSIONAL MODEL
8-10, 1955. • • •
• • • Check mineral specimens for uranium
More than 600 Baltimoreans welcomed Snake River, Idaho, Gem Club held its with this amazingly sensitive, inexpensive optical
the first formal exhibit of work of members rock and mineral show at the Washington radioactivity detector. FOR PROSPECTORS, ENGI-
of the Gem Cutters Guild of Baltimore, Hotel at Weiser on March 3 and 4. Dis- NEERS, CIVIL DEFENSE, HOBBYISTS, everyone
Maryland, on February 26. Cabochon interested in atomic energy. Thousands used in
plays of sunburned glass and sagebrush field, labs, and mi Us. Durable, portable as pocket
making, faceting and a fluorescent mineral lamps were highlights of the show, in addi- watch; needs no power source. Complete with
collection were among the highlights of the tion to the usual fine rock exhibits. uranium ore sample. Radium standard. Weather-
show, held at the Roosevelt Park recreation proof holster. Complete instructions.
center. • • • UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED $5
The December issue of Rocks and Gems,
monthly bulletin of the San Fernando Val- IMMEDIATE DELIVERY ATOMIC PROSPECTOR'S HANDBOOK $1
Valuable data on radioactive ores, field, lab and mill
On GEIGER and SCINTILLATION COUNTERS, methods, and map. Everything you need know about this
ley, California, Mineral and Gem Society, vital new field! Send for Handbook or Geigerscope sepa-
will be in the form of a yearbook, the so- NUCLIOMETERS, METAL DETECTORS and rately . . . better yet, order both today!
ciety's board of directors has decided. The MINERAL1GHTS
We Pay
publication will include features impossible We handle t h e most complete
Poitage
to include in a small monthly publication, line o f radiation detectors in
plus a roundup of the year's activities. the west. 6 8 1 M A I N STREET • HACKENSACK
• • • SEND FOR
Eleventh annual show of the Long Beach, FREE
California, Mineral and Gem Society will Detectron DG2 LITERATURE
be held in the Armory Building April 30 $88.50 Ppd.
Dealer for
COME!
and May 1. Displays of uranium, first Detectron, Goldak, Ultraviolet and
showing of specimens of petrified wood Precision Radiation Instruments
1:15 N. Sirrine Street
COME! COME!
from classic wood localities of the West,
Mesa 3, Arizona
Death Valley onyx, fluorescents and jewelry WO 4-6233 to the Show
will be features of the show.
Glendale
Lapidary & Gem
Petrified Wood, Moss Agate. Chrysocolla 8th Annual Show
Turquoise, Jade and Jasper Jewelry
Sat.. May 14, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.
H A N D MADE I N STERLING SILVER Sun., May 15, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Bracelets, Rings, Necklaces, Earrings Glendale Civic Auditorium
and Brooches 1401 North Verdugo
SPECIALLY SELECTED STONES WITH
CHOICE COLORS A N D PICTURES
Glendale, California
Write for Folder With Prices —DEALERS—
Precious Blue Topaz
ELLIOTT'S GEM SHOP Unusual Flower Arrangements
235 East Seaside Blvd. Long Beach 7, California Large Decorative Mineral
Across from West End of Municipal Specimens
Auditorium Grounds
Hours 10 A.M. to 9 P.M. Daily Except Monday
Admission Free — Free Parking
MAY, 1955 33
OPALS AND SAPPHIRES rough, direct
from Australia. Cutting opal, 1 ounce
G Em fllRRT A D V E R T I S I N G R A T E
10c a word . . . Minimum $1.50
$5, $10, $20, $30 and $60. Blue sap-
phires, 1 ounce $10, $30 and $60. Star
sapphires 12 stones $10, $20, and $30,
etc. Post free and insured. Send inter-
national money order, bank draft. Aus-
SPECIAL TUMBLED GEMS—3 oz. $1.25. ONYX BLANKS, unpolished, black 25c tralian Gem Trading Co., 49 Elizabeth
excellent quality, postpaid. Dixie Rock each, red, green, blue 35c each. Perfect St., Melbourne, Australia. Free list of
Shop, 3245 Prospect Ave., So. San Ga- cut titanium. Fine cutting and polishing all Australian stones rough and cut, 16 pp.
briel, California. at reasonable prices. Prompt attention to
mail orders. Juchem Bros., 315 West 5th GENUINE TURQUOISE: Natural color,
MINERAL SPECIMENS, cabochons and St., Los Angeles 13, California. blue and bluish green, cut and polished
cutting materials of all kinds, western cabochons — 25 carats (5 to 10 stones
jewelry. Beautiful travertine for book- ROCK COLLECTORS ATTENTION. To according to size) 3.00 including tax,
ends, paper weights, spheres, etc. Write see the finest variety of rock and mineral postpaid in U.S.A. Package 50 carats (10
for prices. Eighteen miles south of Battle specimens, come to the Trailer Rock to 20 cabochons) $6.15 including tax,
Mountain at Copper Canyon, John L. Store, 69-457 Highway 111, Chuckawalla postpaid in U.S.A. Elliott Gem & Mineral
James, Box 495, Battle Mountain, Nev. Slim the Rockologist. Box 181. Cathedral Shop, 235 E. Seaside Blvd.. Long Beach
City, California. 2, California.
ATTENTION ROCK COLLECTORS. It
will pay you to visit the Ken-Dor Rock LOVELY BAROQUE GEMS: For making GEMS A-PLENTY: Beautiful baroque
Roost. We buy, sell, or exchange mineral today's jewelry. Bracelet finding kits. Bola gems, large variety, tumble polished all
specimens. Visitors are always welcome. necklace kits. Caps, chain, jump rings, over, $10.00 for one pound (about 100
Ken-Dor Rock Roost, 419 Sutter, Mo- stone cement. Faceted stars, faceting gar- stones). 10 lbs. of top grade gemstone
desto, California. nets, rough star sapphires, goldstone, prepaid for $7.00. Wholesale price to
golden citrine, aquamarine, India moon- dealers on baroque gems and gemstone
stone, fine sagenite agate. Fire opal by in the rough. Satisfaction guaranteed on
the piece, the ounce or the pound, Mexi-
ALTA INDUSTRIES can banded agate, Siam zircons, maderia
every sale. San Fernando Valley Gem
Co., 5905 Kester Ave., Van Nuys, Calif.
2133 W. Encanto Blvd., Phoenix, Arizona or red. Rutillated quartz, clear smoky
quartz. Dark and light amethyst, lapis- FOR SALE: Beautiful purple petrified
LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT lazuli from Persia and Afghanistan. Fine wood with uranium, pyrolusite, manga-
specimens. Cut slabs. Open every day nite. Nice sample $1.00. Postage. Maggie
MANUFACTURE AND DESIGN in the week. Drop in and see us. H. A. Baker, Kingman, Arizona.
New 10-12 inch powerfeed slabbing hers, 1400 North Hacienda Blvd., La
saw unit. Habra Heights. California. BEAUTIFUL FREE GOLD — Specimens
16-18 inch powerfeed slabbing saw $1.00 each. Return if not satisfied. Prices
units. FIRE AGATES. Ground to show the fire, to dealers. J. N. Reed, Box 102, Cabazon.
8 and 10 inch trim saw units. $2.00, $3.00 and $5.00 each, according California.
to size and quality. These agates have
Plain and ball bearing belt sanders. fire, not just ember agates. Send for our QUARTZ CRYSTAL GEODES (Kentucky
Send postal for free New 1955 litera- new list of agate slabs from Old Mexico. Diamonds). These geodes range from
ture. B&H Rock Shop, 2005 N. Big Spring St., 2" to 8" diameter. Showy xls. Masses
Midland, Texas. clear to white, some phantoms. Selected
specimens from broken geodes $2.50 lb.
Unopened geodes $1.50 lb. Dealers
write for wholesale rates. Midwest Min-
eral Mart. R. B. Boies, P. O. Box 391,
Hamilton, Ohio. We trade for Western
minerals.
McSHAN'S GEM SHOP—open part time,
or find us by directions on door. Cholla
cactus wood a specialty, write for prices.
1 mile west on U. S. 66, Needles, Cali-
fornia, Box 22.
BEAUTIFUL CABINET SPECIMENS of
crystal fluorite from Southern Illinois.
OREMASTER MODEL L3TSM-55 Colors purple, yellow, blue, lavender, etc.
Some have deposits of sphalerite, calcite,
galena, quartz crystals and other minerals
SUPER GEIGER COUNTER with the fluorite. Reasonably priced from
Over 100 times more sensitive than some Geiger counters 25c to $5.00 each. Also have cleavage
• Designed for detecting both radioactive adapted for AIR-BORNE or MOBILE pros- octahedrons of fluorite 10c and up. Or-
minerals and oil deposits. pecting; three, for ore sample and vein ders over $5.00 postpaid. E. Curtiss, Jr.,
• Detects any radioactive mineral. testing. 911 Pine St., Benton, Kentucky.
• Four meter-movement speeds.
• Detects radiation in samples of uranium • lowered by two 90-volt batteries and
as small as a pinhead, which some in- two flashlight cells easily replaced even GEMS OF THE DESERT — Baroques —
struments costing as much as $600.00 do in total darkness; economical to operate beautiful tumble polished variety, includ-
not detect. —total replacement cost of all four bat-
• Detects beta, gamma, cosmic, and X rays. teries only $7.50. ing agate, jasper agate, colorful petrified
• Detects through solid concrete, brick, • Equipped with jacks for both external woods (Black Fig), Death Valley Sagen-
stone, steel, iron, wood, water, dirt, etc. meter and drill-hole probe. ite, including rare Ruby Sagenite. Avail-
• Detects through glass. Prospect by car • Heavy gauge, lightweight, rustproof, able in all sizes and colors. $10.00, per
with all windows closed—at ANY speed. beautiful hammertoned aluminum cases
• Uses three supersensitive Geiger tubes strong enough to hold a man's weight. pound, average 100 rocks per pound.
(Even though two tubes are broken or out, • Shoulder carrying strap and large, com- Dealer's prices available. Satisfaction
the Oremaster Model L3TSM-55 will still fortable carrying handle. guaranteed. Spradlms', 7547 Beck Ave.,
operate). • Compact—only 17" long, 5" wide, and 4"
• Has powerful built-in supersensitive high. North Hollywood, Calif. Poplar 5-2245.
speaker to use in rough terrain, snake • Weights only 1\k pounds complete.
country, alone in the car—wherever you • Directional — built-in directional feature COLORADO MINERAL specimens, cut-
cannot watch the meter. to indicate the direction of the radiation. ting and tumbling materials. Send 2 cent
• Big 4V2" highest quality, supersensitive • Tropicalized. stamp for list and terms. Dealers please
meter. • One year guarantee.
• Eight meter ranges (In addition to gen- • Any model Oremaster can be serviced in write for wholesale list. John Patrick,
eral prospecting, two of these ranges are our laboratory in thirty minutes. Idaho Springs, Colorado.
PRICE: $295.00 WANTED: Gems and Novelties on con-
Terms available. Trade-ins accepted. All makes of counters serviced. signment on best of references. Write
P.O. Box 84, Elgin, Oregon.
WHITE'S ELECTRONICS STOP at the new Ironwood Rock Shop. 7
1218 Main Street Sweet Home. Oregon miles West of Blythe, California, Highway
60-70. Many new rocks and minerals.
34 DESERT MAGAZINE
Jhe great URANIUM
on I
STRIKE IT RICH withthe
"PERCENT METER
MODEL 111B D E L U X E
reads directly in SCINTILLATOR
percentage of Uranium f SOLD MY URANIUM
MINE FOR $4,000,000.'/..
...Says Blanton Burford, amateur pros-
pector who first detected Uranium
with a Precision Radiation "Scintil-
lator" on the fabulous Rattlesnake
LARGE \Vx" No. 9 claim. Mr. Burford recently sold
about 8% of this claim for $4,000,000.
IAMETER CRYSTAL Many others have become Uranium
millionaires using Precision instru-
ments. In the past two years over
2 0 0 TIMES AS $3,750,000 in Government bonuses
has been paid for Uranium discover-
SENSITIVE ies.Over $175,000 in bonuses is being
paid each month to people just like
you. This is in addition to the price
New ultra-efficient, paid for the ore.
8-tube "Multi-Mu" circuit You too can be a Uranium millionaire!
. . . and of course you will want to use
Would you hitch a diesel the new Model 11 IB "DeLuxe" Scintil-
lator — the first and only instrument that
engine to a kiddy tart? reads in percentage of Uranium. With the
"percent meter" you know right in the
field how valuable your ore is. And that's
not all! Only the 11 IB has a large IVi"
diameter crystal and the ultra-sensitive
"Multi-Mu"eight tube circuit making it 200
times as sensitive as the best geiger counter.
IT'S EASY TO USE-
Burford says "I knew nothing about
A large crystal is of no value The Model instruments or prospecting. It was
without a circuit capable 111B "Deluxe" easy. All 1 did was to follow the
of handling its output. Scintillator complete instructions that came with my
with saddle grain Precision Scintillator'.'
I*************************** cowhide carrying case Don't delay. Cash in on this
and shoulder s t r a p - once in a lifetime opportunity.
See your local dealer today for
PRECISION'S PLEDGE TO THE PUBLIC an actual demonstration of
Every instrument bearing the Precision
name has been tested to meet the *495
OTHER MODELS AS
Precision quality instruments
or write to the factory for your
free copy of the new book "64
Precision Standard of Quality Questions and Answers on Geiger
This insures the finest materials, construc- iow AS * 2 9 9 5 completeCounters and Scintillators," and a
tion, engineering and testing that the catalog on Geiger Counters,
ultimate in modern manufacturing tech- Scintillators, Metal Locators and
niques can provide. The savings of mass Mineralights.
production by the world's largest manu- Visit your local
facturer are passed on to the public in a FOR THOSE WHO WANT A SUPERSENSI-
dealer today and TIVE INSTRUMENT Model 111C "Custom"
premium product at no premium in price. receive a free
This pledge is backed by an ironclad Scintillator is twice as sensitive as the
chart showing 111B. It has all the 111B features plus a
MONEY BACK GUARANTEE the value of 2V4" diameter crystal. Price only CQCOO
When buying instruments, buy the best. Uranium Ore. k
DEALERS WANTED
Precision dealers are backed by a
'**********************************4 complete advertising and merchan-
OTHER POPULAR MODELS dising program. Write today for
detailed information.
Model 118 Royal Model 107 "Professional" Model 108 "Snooper" Model 117 Special Model 106 "Lucky Strike"
••Scintillator;' $1995.00 Geiger Counter, $139.50 Geiger Counter, $29.95 "Scintillator" $299.50 Geiger Counter, $99.50
Prospector's Headquarters
from pomegranate, the seeds of which are
small, numerous and red, like the crystals.
(From The Sphere of the Hollywood Lapi-
dary and Mineral Society.)
GEIGER COUNTERS AND SCINTILLATORS • • •
The "Snooper" Geiger Counter—Model 108 $ 29.95 The special phosphorescent crystals used
The "Lucky Strike" Geiger Counter—Model 106 99.50 in scintillation counters, to detect gamma
The "Professional" Geiger Counter—Model 107 139.50 rays, are thallium-activated sodium iodide.
The "Special" Scintillator—Model 117 .... 299.50 California Mining Journal
The "Deluxe" Scintillator—Model 11 IB 495.00
Fossils of sharks, including teeth and
ULTRA-VIOLET MINERALIGHTS bones, were collected by the Verdugo Hills,
Model H—Operates on 110 AC only __ 12.50 California, Gem and Mineral Society on a
Model TH—Operates on 110 AC only _ _ 19.75 recent field trip to Sharks Tooth Hill near
Model M12—Operates on batteries only—with battery 40.65 Bakersfield. Another field trip to Lavic,
Model SL-2537—operates on batteries or 110 AC—without case and batteries. 39.50 California, netted club members good ex-
with case and batteries 59.00 amples of jasper, agate and geodes.
BOOKS
_ 16.95
31.25
M-SCOPE
"Prospecting with a Geiger Counter"—by Wright _ .60
"URANIUM Color Photo Tone" __ __ 1.00
"Facts You Should Know About Uranium" by R. W. Ramsey 1.00
"Uranium Prospectors Handbook" __ 1.00
"Uranium and Mineral Maps" 1.00
"The Uranium and Fluorescent Minerals" by H. C. Dake __ 2.00
"Popular Prospecting" 2.00
"Uranium, Where Is It and How to Find It" _._ 2.50
"Minerals for Atomic Energy" by Nininger . 7.50
OTHER SUPPLIES
Prospectors Picks (polished) _ 4.10
Prospectors Picks (not polished) _ 3.85
Hardness Test Sets 2.00
Mineral Specimen boxes 1.50
Pocket Camp Stove 6.95
JTBi
All prices F.O.B. Los Angeles
MINERAL-METAL LOCATORS
Add 3% Sales Tax if you live in California. 4 % if in Los Angeles
Member of American Gem & Mineral Suppliers Association o GEIGER COUNTERS
• SCINTILLA-SCOPES
ALLEN LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT COMPANY e MENERALIGHTS
USE OUR TIME PAYMENT PLAN
3632 W. Slauson Ave. Open Monday evening until 9:00 Los Angeles 43, California IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT
" H O W T O BE A
SUCCESSFUL URANIUM
SAWS! GRINDS! PROSPECTOR"
SANDS! BUFFS! 12" bench model, $72
Send for this free booklet today
Everything In- I 16" floor model, $110 |
eluded except I 20" floor model, $155 I
motor. Uses all Real rockhounds saws j FREE NEW 1955 CATALOG
Hillauistacces-I favored for their big
sories.ldeaHarl
beginners. Only I
HILLQulST DIAMOND SAWS
I Cut Faster—Last Longer—Cost
capacity and lifetime I
construction. "Magic- FISHER RESEARCH LAB.JNC
$42.50 comple"-1 Brain" automatic feed '
I Less. Available in all sizes. PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA
for above $
HILLQulST TRIM SAW I You'll swear by 'em, not at'em!
The "Cadillac" of trim saws. Exclu-1
^sive "up-and-down"
irbor. "No-splash"
Before you buy any lapidary
plastic guards. I equipment-send for our big GEMS • MINERALS
Precision rock I
' clamp and guide.'
Complete with 8 " I
blade, $62.501
FREE CATALOG!
FULL OF HELPFUL LAPIDARY
FINDINGS • LAPIDARY SUPPLIES
GEIGER COUNTERS • MINERALIGHTS
INFORMATION.Send NOWTo
ill!.i.l!!lisr GEM DRILL-HOLE M W .HILLQUIST DRUM SANDER
EVERYTHING FOR THE PROSPECTOR
LAPIDARY EQUIP. CO. I The most popular drum Stop in and see one of the finest Lapi-
1545 W . 4 9 St. SEATTLE 7 , W N . I Sander made. Patented
I "quick-lock' screw makes - dary displays in the U.S., including the
I it easy to change sanding world famous Onyx Dinner Service. Open
| cloth. 3 " x 7 " - $9.50
every day except Monday.
$68.80 HILLQUIST COMPACT LAP UNIT
iiinrnri»TnniniMHM
Bigger than the Gem-Master. Handles Write for information
HILLQUIST COMPLETE FACETER up to a 10" saw. Saws, grinds, *
plete with 3 1 sands, polishes, laps, facets,A ' VICTOR VALLEY GEM SHOP
ou can cut any I ^TTri.,' QuietTTak" I cuts spheres - does every
m quickly and ra
I Big! Rugged! * Q . . , e ( o , p r o - | t h i n g and does it better. on Highway 66—10 miles south of
sily. The equal I 1 2 " X 1 2 " < " h e e ' ! , ; L < ! wanting fast, I Thouands in use. Victorville, California
of faceters I I fessionals ° ' a n y Ph o r o n \ y $ 5 3 . 5 0 | Everything included
osting twice I I smooth grinding-^™ $ n . 9 5 ] except motor M Mailing Address: Box 158, Phelan, Calif.
the price-J I OtheiArborbn^^^^ ,
36 DESERT MAGAZINE
HINTS TO THE LADY have carried my small flashlight, compass,
pencil and even rocks and water in my hat. TREASURE HUNTERS
PROSPECTORS GIVEN "Above all. dress in the most comfortable Ne type metals detector. Distinguishes
Ladies! You can still stay glamorous manner." (From an article by Fran Camp- -net a Is from black magnetic sands. Ideal for
among rocks and in the hills if you dress locat ng gold nuggets, placer deposits. De-
bell in the American Prospectors Journal, tects under salt water. jLocates coins,
properly. published by the American Prospectors e we l r y on
"Hint number one: Nail polish protects beaches. Free
your nails when you remove your glove to Club., Inc., Los Angeles, California.) from false de-
tections. Each
inspect a beautiful rock. So put three or unit supplied
four coats completely over the nails be- with two dif-
ferent search
for your trip. FAMOUS TEXAS PLUMES coils. Ask for
"Boots and socks: A good comfortable free l i t e r a -
Red Plume, Black Plume, Pom ture.
boot is a necessity, giving protection to the Pom and many other types of
feet and ankles. High boots are preferable agate. Slabs sent on approval GARDINER
for deposit or reference. Free ELECTRONICS
as they give protection against snakes and price list on rough agate. CO., DEPT. DM
cactus. 2 5 4 5 E. INDIAN
SCHOOL ROAD
"Heavy socks protect the feet but take WOODWARD RANCH Box 453, Alpine, Texas PHOENIX, ARIZ.
along an extra pair in the event the weather
changes. In the summertime nylon hose
are even better as they have more protection
than wool in the heat.
"Denim or blue jeans are suitable for the
field.
"A sailcloth shirt over a sweater is good
for all around use but make sure the shirt
TIN OXIDE $1.50 PER POUND
has long sleeves to protect the arms and If you buy $5 worth of Basic Lapidary Supplies from the following list.
neck from sunburn and insects. Be sure A $10 purchase entitles you to buy 2 lbs. Tin Oxide at $1.50 per lb.
to apply an unscented makeup base for face A $25 purchase entitles you to buy 5 lbs. of Tin Oxide.
protection—insects are attracted to perfume.
"The type of hat chosen should be com-
fortable and for protection. I prefer a cow-
NORTON CRYSTOLON GRINDING WHEELS . . .
Sire 6xV 2 " 6x1" 8x1" 8x11/2" 10x1 Vz"
boy hat because it protects the head and
eyes from brush and low limbs of trees, as 80 grit $7.50
well as having a large brim for shade. I 100 grit $2.65 $3.60 $5.35 7.50 $11.35
220 grit 2.95 3.95 5.90 8.25 12.50
320 grit 3.35 4.50 6.70 9.40 14.20
"IF YOU DON'T KNOW G E M S -
Shipping weight 2 lbs. 3 lbs. 5 lbs. 6 lbs. 9 lbs.
KNOW YOUR GEMOLOGIST"
Crystolon Wheel Dressing Brick 6"x2"xl" 95c
THE DEAKINS , CRYSTOLON ABRASIVE for the Lapidary . . .
(Formerly—Coast Gems and Minerals) . Grit Size 1 Pound 5 Lb. Lots 10 Lb. Lots 25 Lb. Lots
Everything listed is F.O.B. El Monte, Calif.,
so please add sufficient postage to cover
80. 100. 120. 18. 220 $ .83 $ .52 $ .39 $ .30
your order. All over will be refunded. Add 2F (320), 3F (400) .38 .57 .41 .32
10% Fed. Tax; 3% sales tax on all items
for California. Graded 400 1.09 .73 .57 .48
Graded 600 1.35 .94 .78 .69
SPECIALS
Genuine Faceted He;u"ts (drilled for DURITE (Silicon Carbide) ROLL SANDING CLOTH—
studs). Amethyst or Topaz Citrine $1.50 Available in 120. 150. 180. 220. 330 grils
Stud to glue in top, gold filled or
silver, each $ .25 Dry Rolls
Genuine Turquoise Cabochona (various 2" wide, 25 ft. long—$2.00; 150-foot roll—$ 9.00
sizes). 100 carats weight (approx. 40
to 75 stones) - $6.00 3" wide, 15 ft. long— 2.00; 150-foot roll— 13.25
Genuine Carved Animals (state 1st & 10" wide, 5 ft. long— 2.00; 150-foot roll— 39.77
2nd choice). Amethyst (frogs, fish, 12" wide, 5 ft. long— 2.25; 150-foot roll— 47.70
lizards, turtles), each - $1.00
Sunstone (frogs only), each. $1.00 Wet Rolls
Hematite (flies, turtles, fish, frogs, 3" wide, 10 ft. long—$2.00; 150-foot roll—$21.60
masks), each $1.50
Tigereye (fish, cats, flies, frogs), ea...$1.50 10" wide, 40 in. long— 2.60; 150-foot roll— 71.25
Cut Stones — Ready for Jewelry, Very
Fine. 6 diff. ring stones—(12/10 mm.
to 18/13 mm $3.50
DURITE SANDING CLOTH in round disks . . .
6 diff. brooch & pendant stones (18/13 Available in 120. 220. 320 grits
mm. to 30/22 mm $6.75 Wet Dry
6 diff. gen. faceted gems (various
sizes) $7.00 6" 5 for $1.00; 25 for $ 3.90 8 for $1.00; 25 for $ 2.25
Genuine Faceted Tear Drops (drilled 8" 3 for 1.10; 25 for 7.00 5 for 1.00; 25 for 4.10
for stud). Topaz Citrine or Crystal 10" 2 for 1.15; 25 for 11.00 3 for 1.00; 25 for 6.45
Clear Quartz, pair $1.40
12" 2 for 1.65; 25 for 16.00 2 for 1.00; 25 for 9.45
MINERAL COLLECTIONS
35 Diff. Specimens, labeled $1.50 CONGO OR FELKER DI-MET DIAMOND BLADES
(No Fed. tax required) 4" diameter by .205" thick $ 7.80 10" diameter by .040" thick S14.80
6" diameter by .205" thick 7.80 12" diameter by .040" thick 18.20
Satisfaction Guaranteed or Money Heiunded
14" diameter by .050" thick 25.20
6" diameter by .032" thick 7.80
16" diameter by .050" thick 28.60
PERSIS & EUGENE DEAKINS 8" diameter by .032" thick 10.40 20" diameter by .060" thick 39.20
11669 Ferris Road El Monte, California 8" diameter by .040" thick 11.40 24" diameter by .060" thick 50.60
FOrest 8-75.31 When ordering please state arbor hole size
ALL PRICES F.O.B. PASADENA
BEFORE YOU BUY ANY'" ADD 3% SALES TAX IF YOU LIVE IN CALIFORNIA
GEIGER COUNTER
Get our FREE Booklet -"HOW TO SELECT Member o] American Gem and Mineral Suppliers Association
GEIGER £ SCINTILLATION COUNTERS." In-
formation on proper instruments tor pros
peeling—ore recognition charts-how to file
claims, etc. Prices on complete line. Geiger,
Scintillation Counters. $39.95 & up. Pros-
pect for uranium fortunes. Write now.
DEALERS INVITED. 1633 E. WALNUT ST.
GRIEGER'S PASADENA 4, CALIFORNIA
4 6 4 1 HOLLYWOOD BLVD., DEPT. DE
JEB INSTRUMENTS LOS ANGELES 2 7 , CALIFORNIA
MAY, 19 55 37
Largest exposed Cambrian desposits found TO BE BLOOD BROTHER
anywhere in the world are within the county
CeiTI S t O n e S Minerals limits of Clark County, Nevada, the Clark OF SAN JUAN INDIANS
Write Your 'Wants' to Merrell's County Gem Collectors, Inc., learned at a "Tex" Clifford, who operates an electrical
recent meeting. Speaker was University of company at Fabens, Texas, and is a well-
ROCK HOUSE Southern Nevada Professor of Mineralogy
Jay Jeffers who discussed the historical ge-
known and experienced mineralogist and
exploring rockhound, is to be made a blood
329 E. Alosta (Hiway 66) ology of the county. brother of the San Juan Indians some time
GJendora, California this summer, when his costume is assembled
Tumbled Baroque (mixed) highly pol- THE PROSPECTOR'S CATALOG and ready and he is notified by the Head
ished. Pound $7.00 We are pleased to announce the advent of Medicine Man to appear for the ceremony.
Tumbled Preforms—agate, wood tiger- a new Minerals Unlimited Catalog, specifi-
eye, rhodonite, for cuff links and
cally designed for the amateur or profes- Clifford visited the San Juan Indians at
sional prospector. If you are interested in Christmas at the invitation of Dr. Diefen-
earrings, matched sets $1.00 Geiger Counters, Mineralights, Blowpipe Sets,
Baroque Bracelet Kits—s/s or g/f $3.50 Gold Pan or any of the other equipment dorf, a minister of the Christian Church at
Baroque Barring Kits—s/s or g/f $1.75 necessary to a field or prospecting trip, Fabens, and immediately made friends with
send 5c in stamps or coin for your copy. the leaders of the tribe, who showed him
Glyplul Comeut, tube $ ,60 MINERALS UNLIMITED, Dept. D
Please add 1095 federal tax and postage 1724 University Ave., Berkeley, California many courtesies.
The Medicine Man entered the kiva and
brought out several large pieces of sky-blue
turquoise, shaped and polished and en-
graved with Indian symbols, the largest and
most beautiful Clifford had ever seen. When
he is inducted into the tribe, Clifford will
take part in the Buffalo Dance, a portion of
the ceremony. (From The Voice of the El
Paso, Texas, Mineral and Gem Society.)
DIAMOND BLADES
'Treal uounelf tothe best"
38 DESERT MAGAZINE
Third annual gem and mineral show of be held in conjunction with the Wyoming Sixth annual gem show of the Tourm&liae
the Fresno, California, Gem and Mineral State Mineral and Gem Show, June 16-19, Gem and Mineral Society of San Diego,
Society was to be held Saturday and Sunday, 1955, in the Mountain View School, Rawlins, California, will be held May 7 and 8 at the
April 23 and 24 at the Fresno Fairgrounds Wyoming. The formal show will actually Grossmont High School. Doors will be open
cafeteria building. end at 10 p.m., June 18, followed Sunday on Saturday from 12 noon until 10 p.m.
• • • by field trips to various collecting areas and on Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Annual convention of the Midwest Fed- around Rawlins and to the jade fields.
eration of Geological Societies will be held
at the Hotel Detroiter, Detroit, June 23-25. SPECIAL
Feature of the convention will be field trips CUTTING MATERIALS
taken in many directions from Detroit. from the West and Southwest, rough or SCINTILLATOR
(From The Pick and Dop Stick of the Chi- slabbed at Wholesale.
cago Rocks and Minerals Society.) Specifications
• • • LOST MOUNTAIN GEMS Ranges—.025, .05, .25, .5,
2.5 and 5 ME/HR
The annual show of the Rocky Mountain 3005 N. 39th St. - Phoenix, Arixona Sensitivity—Gamma
Federation of Mineralogical Societies will Size—41/i"x7I/4"x7"
Weight—6% lbs.
Shipping wt.—10'/a lbs.
Price complete $299.50
A highly "sensitive Scintillation Counter at
SPECIAL a moderate price. An ideal field instrument
No. 92-5 because of its ruggedness, compactness and
light wight. Industrial, Laboratory, or
BOW PIN WITH
INTRODUCTORY Uranium use.
PENDANT OFFER Professional Geiger Counter
(Hal Pin and AEC No. SGM49B
Safety Catch)
18 x 25 mm S-25 — $4.30 Specifications
Size approximately 3Va" x 4V2" x 6'/i"
Contain* Weight approximately 6 lbs.
SS and Gold Trim Sensitivity Beta, Gamma
$2.40 each 1 ea. No. 92-5SS, 77-27SS and 65-15SS Ranges 20, 2, and .2 MR/HR
Shipping weight 8 lbs.
3 for $5.35 Regular V«lu« $5.75 Price complete S139.50
Now Only $4.30 Plus 10% F.E.T. A Geiger Counter of the highest sensitivity,
Gold Filled accuracy and stability. Has external probe.
The best Geiger Counter made for field work.
$2.65 each For use in Uranium detection, Civil Defense
and Laboratory.
3 for $5.90 ORIIOIR1 INC. Dealer Cooperation — Kxtcnsiye Stock
Ha» been appointed at a factory distrib- R Major Linos — Bank Terms — Rentals
DEALERS WRITE FOR PRICES utor of an axtentive jewelry line for MICROMATIC ASSOCIATES
Dealers and ManvfMtwing JeoreJen J3K W. Whittler BIT.
No. 77-27 Montebello, California
18 x 25 mm GEIGER COUNTERS
SS and Gold Trim
$1.15 each - 3 for $2.25 SCINTILLATION COUNTERS "20th century prospectors"—hunters, fish-
Gold Filled ermen, everywhere—are piling up millions
$1.40 each - 3 for $3.10 World's Largest Stock of dollars in cash bonuses for uranium
Add 10% Fed. Tax to Above Prices
of Jewelry Parts discovery. Prospecting is easy with Gol-
at Reasonable Price* dak's bantamweight U-238C geiger counter
DEAtERS WRITE FOR PRICES —superlative, triple-action detector. "Zero-
in" with multi-range meter, loud clear
SEND FOR OUR FREE GENERAL CATALOG DESCRIBING audio signal and special neon flasher.
TITANIA RAINBOW JEWELRY - GEM CUTTING EQUIPMENT and SUPPLIES More sensitive scintillation counters avail-
able for field and airborne use. A l s o -
JEWELRY TOOLS - MATERIALS - FINDINGS and MOUNTINGS famous line of Goldak metal detectors,
FLUORESCENT LAMPS - BOOKS - PROSPECTORS EQUIPMENT priced from $49.50.
All prices F.O.B. Pasadena and subject to 3 % sales fax if you live in California Complete details on request
DEALER INQUIRIES WELCOME
MAY, 1955
erals that have been by-passed because of
SEE THESE AT YOUR FRANTOM DEALER OR WRITE FOR LITERATURE SUPERIOR GEMS & MINERALS
4665 Park Blvd., San Diego 16, California
FRANTOM LAPI DARY Open 10:30 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
P. O. Box 6ZS — OSborne 6-1598 — 4839 West 137th Street — Hawthorne, California Closed Sundays
40 DESERT MAGAZINE
LARGEST GEM SHOW SET
IN GLENDALE MAY 14-15
Claiming the largest single society show
NEW
attendance in the nation in 1954—nearly F-6
10,000 visitors—the Glendale Lapidary and
Gem Society is preparing for its eighth Gem-
festival. The show will be held as usual in
GEIGER NTFRS
the Glendale Civic Auditorium, 1401 Ver- COUNTER SOLD HERE i
U5951o
dugo Road, Glendale, California, May 14
and 15—9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and
9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Highlight of
the show will be a 3000 carat blue topaz, 1. BUILT-IN LOUDSPEAKER -Eliminates headphone*
the largest in the world. Others will include id especially for Prospectors. Here is a 2. HIGHLY SENSITIVE PROBE
3. LARGE, COUNTS-PER-MINUTE METER
ry-operated, portable uranium prospect-
a display of uranium ore, three shows daily irry or sling from shoulder an strap. Hat
4. BUILT-IN BATTERY CHECKER
of a film on uranium prospecting and a act lea I for o*« in the field. Check its
5. 5 ft. SELF-COILING PROBE CABLE
6. RAIN & DUST PROOF
100-pound quartz crystal. Admission is free. es at right. 7. t YEAR GUARANTEE
B. RANGES -0-500, 0-5000 counts per min.
DR-290
DS-234 NUCLIOMETER
SCINTILLATION P e t e c t r o n Super-
Sensitive Radiation
COUNTER
Detector. Ideal for
Gun type. Ultra hi-sensitivity for detecting deep ura-
aerial or mobile search. 6 operating nium deposits by grid-
ranges - 2 5 , 5, 1, .25, .05 and .025 nap survey. 3 ranges 0-25, 0-250, and
MR/HR. Will operate in tempera-
0-2500 counts per sec. Excellent for
tures from 35°F to 110°. 3 con-
$
trols—zero set, range and time airborne use. Meter calibrated in
counts-per-sec. 545
*467
constant. Tropicalized, water-
proofed and shock-proofed. BISMUTH NUCLIOMETER
Most Sensitive 51295.00
OTHER PROSPECTING EQUIPMENT
r V - 4 3 M I N E R A L I G H T - l d e a l for field use in Uranium Prospecting,
Mining, Ore Sorting, etc. Has a 6 bar quartz tube. Thumb-tip switch.
Built-in flashlight for white or ultraviolet light. Reflector, tube and filter
protected by metal guard. With carrying case and straps. Wt. 6% lbs.
$77.50
V-43 BATTER1E5-6 V. Hoi Shot , $3.75
M12 MINERALIGHT-tig/ifesf, most compact Held unit available. Built-in flashlight with 2-way
switch for white or ultraviolet. Pure fused quartz tube. Weighs only VA lbs $39,75
MOD. 37 Dc l u METAL DtHCTOB-With meler. MOD. 711 METAL DETECTOR Will detect all metallic
Depth range 7 ft. $110.00 minerals incl. gold t, silver. Light weight. Depth range
COMPARE! Counters, "lakewood" Chemical Test Kits, Gold Pans, Books for prospectors, etc.
• Put the Hillquist Gemmaster beside any lapidary NOTE: Order h< rhf* od. 50% Deposit with C.O.D.'t. All price* F.O.I. Comptan, Calif.
machine — cheaper, flimsy "gadgets" or units that OPEN TUESDAY EVENINGS 'TIL 10:00
sell at twice the price. Compare construction! Com-
pare ease of operation! Compare how much you
get for your money and you'll say, "I'll take the
1409 S. long Beach Blvd., Oept. 15
Gemmaster!"
Here is a worthy companion for our larger and
COMPTON HOCK SHOP Compton, Calif. Phone NEwmark 2 9096
MAY, 1955 41
Quit Between you "and/Ale
f
^>.,
By RANDALL HENDERSON
THE Muggins Mountain northeast of Yuma It is a great adventure for them—but they have con-
comes the story of a prospector whose Geiger fidence they will somehow find a place for themselves.
counter suddenly began to register great activity. And I too am sure they will, for these folks have the kind
Since no radio-active minerals ever had been found in that of courage which finds its own reward.
spot, the owner decided the gadget needed a repair job.
When a visitor came into camp a few hours later he found They've been going to night school to study about
the parts scattered all over the camp and the owner per- uranium, and they plan to do some prospecting. But a
spiring over the task of fitting the delicate mechanism rich strike isn't their main goal. They want to find the
back together again. contentment which comes with living close to the Good
Earth—away from the over-crowded treadmill, the regi-
Later it was confirmed that the prospector merely was mentation of life in the city.
the victim of one of those "fall-outs" which have been After an exciting holiday with the Geiger counter he
reported at widely scattered areas in the desert following will probably find a job as truck driver for one of the
atomic blasts in the Nevada test grounds. The city of Las mining companies or as timekeeper on a road crew. There
Vegas got one of them, and although the authorities in- will be hardship and sacrifice and disappointment for all
sisted that no hazard was involved, it gave some of the of them—the sacrifice that always goes with pioneering.
folks a very uncomfortable feeling. But it also builds character and brings a huge measure of
All of which suggests questions which 1 think properly contentment. The youngsters will acquire healthy bodies
may be asked of the Atomic Energy Commission: How and self-reliance and faith.
necessary is it that these atomic blasts be continued with
Lucky people! They are fortunate because they have
increasing power within the limits of continental United
what it takes to break with an environment that too often
States? Why isn't it feasible to conduct the tests on the
brings out the worst — not the best in human beings.
atolls in the Pacific where there can be no possible threat
They'll make a go of it somewhere on the desert—I have
to the civilian population?
no misgivings about that.
During the last 18 years I have seen more and more
of this desert area fenced off with danger signs where the
military and the scientists carry on with their weapons of
destruction—and I am wondering where it will end. The John C. Van Dyke wrote of the desert:
desert Southwest is now the home of more than three
million Americans—and there is talk of using this region "It is a gaunt land of splintered peaks, torn valleys,
for evacuation purposes in the event of a war. It will be and hot skies. And at every step there is the suggestion
a sorry state of affairs indeed if the people in the densely of the fierce, the defiant, the defensive. Everything within
populated areas have to choose between staying home its borders seems fighting to maintain itself against de-
and taking a chance on enemy bombs, or seeking refuge stroying forces. There is a war of elements and a struggle
in a region mined with the duds of our own weapons. for existence here that for ferocity is unparalleled else-
where in Nature . . .
That is far-fetched, of course. I am confident there
is no immediate threat of a major war. But I do think it "It is stern, harsh and at first repellent. But what
is time to call a halt to the ruthless manner in which the tongue shall tell the majesty of it, the eternal strength of
AEC, the Army, the Navy and the Air Force are appro- it, the poetry of its wide-spread chaos, the sublimity of its
priating millions of square miles of desert terrain not only lonely desolation! And who shall paint the splendor of
to the exclusion of all civilian population, but for a pur- its light; and from the rising up of the sun to the going
pose that involves a positive threat to civilian security. down of the moon over the iron mountains, the glory of
its wondrous coloring."
And that, probably, is as close as man will ever come
to expressing in words this strange paradox which is the
On my desk is a story that will appear later in Desert desert. After all, what each of us sees in the desert is a
Magazine—the story of a young couple with three small reflection of something within himself. And that is equally
children who have sold their home in a crowded metro- true of every environment in which we may find ourselves.
politan area, have purchased a two-bedroom trailer and In a large measure humans create their own beauty, and
are preparing to find for themselves a new way of life on their own ugliness in this world. I wish our teachers in
the great Colorado plateau where the uranium boom is at the schools would give greater emphasis to this simple
its height. truism.
42 DESERT MAGAZINE
penalized by the imposition of a money
BOOKS°tMOUTHMST
GEOLOGIST WRITES STORY OF CALIFORNIA
fine, according to a fixed scale in which
the amounts increase with repeated of-
fenses. The minimum fine is usually
$ 15 . . . Payment of damages and fines
may be made in cash or frequently in
DEATH VALLEY STORY BUTTERFLIES IS TOLD goods, such as clothing jewelry, and
Thomas Clements, Head of the De- As a contribution to science and even livestock. It will usually be paid
partment of Geology at the University culture, Butterflies of California, by on the spot . . ."
of Southern California and Collabo- John Adams Comstock, has been Published by the Peabody Museum,
rator, Death Valley National Monu- called an outstanding success. paperbound, 176 pages with an ap-
ment, has written a factual, fascinating Dr. Comstock describes his book pendix, "A Practical Zuni Orthog-
booklet that the layman can under- aptly in the subtitle: "A Popular raphy," by Stanley Newman. $3.00.
stand, in Geological Story of Death Guide to a Knowledge of the Butter-
Valley. Publication No. 1 of the Death flies of California embracing all of the Books Desert
reviewed on this page are available at
Crafts Shop, Palm Desert
Valley '49ers, this will be added to 477 species and varieties at present
the active shelf of all interested in recorded for the state." The book, or- Add three percent sales tax on orders to be
sent to California
Death Valley. iginally published in 1927, is well-il-
"Death Valley is the combined prod- lustrated with photographs and line
uct of all the geological agents working drawings, giving complete descriptions
throughout all of geologic time," as of the butterflies and discussing proper
Dr. Clements writes. It is possible methods of capture, preparation, pres-
here to see the vast panorama of most ervation and mounting.
N E W S
of the geologic "column" from earliest Butterflies of California, while being
times to the present, in an area of complete for the coastal state, includes
traveling not more than 300 miles. To a majority of those insects occurring
understand the vast upheaval that took in the Southwest. Highlight of the
place there, is to understand the beauty
and awesomeness of Death Valley. The
beautiful work is the section contain-
ing some 63 full page color plates
FOR
reader will find it is still possible to showing all of the butteflies known to
see some remnants of the original sea- inhabit the state at the time of publi-
floor lifted and faulted by earth move-
ments, in the Panamint, Cottonwood
and Argus mountains.
cation.
Published by the author; 334 pages, PROSPECTORS!
plus 63 separate color pages of butter-
Seventeen illustrations, including a flies; printed in limited edition; $9.
map of Death Valley and selected read- • • • MINERALS
ing on Death Valley geology. Paper- ZUNI INDIANS HAVE
bound; 52 pages. Published by Death FOR ATOMIC ENERGY
TRIBAL CODE OF LAW
Valley '49ers, printed by Desert Mag-
In Zuni law, only two crimes are
azine Press. $1.50. By Robert D. Nininger
punishable by death — sorcery and
ORIGINAL MANLY MAP cowardice in battle.
RECENTLY DISCOVERED Zuni Law: a field of values, by Wat-
son Smith and John M. Roberts, de-
Here is the most complete refer-
The discovery of the original Manly ence and guide ever published
map dated 1894, in a first edition of scribes in minute detail the operation
Manly's classic story, "Death Valley, of justice in Zuni. Published among for the uranium, thorium and be-
'49ers," resulted in the publication of the papers of the Peabody Museum of ryllium prospector. Now in its 5th
booklet No. 2 of the Death Valley American Acheology and Ethnology, big printing, it tells what to look
'49ers. The Manly Map and the Manly Harvard University, the study is a re- for, where and how to look, what
Story contains the map reproduced and port of the Rimrock Values group.
The facts presented in this study equipment to use, covering every
is the exciting resume of the journey,
by Ardis M. Walker, who discovered were collected from the Zuni people fact you need to know. Includes
the map. themselves on their reservation in west- color plates, extensive appendices
The perseverance of William Lewis central New Mexico. Research into on mineral identification, testing,
Manly and John Rogers in bringing civil and criminal law covers the period analysis, counters, prices, markets,
aid to their famished companions is from the Zuni beginning, estimated two
centuries before the Spanish conquest
laws, foreign information.
one of the epics of southwestern his-
tory. Through the desolate Mojave of 1540, to post-1940.
desert, these two young men pushed on Say the authors: "By far the most 379 pages, $7.50
and on, fighting fatigue and hunger frequent type of criminal offense at
and thirst. That they succeeded is Zuni is drunkenness, which is regularly
typical of the fortitude and sacrifice of Send for this new, exciting book
those who pushed to the west, and is today, or see it at your local book-
a precious heritage for the present Looking for a PUBLISHER? store.
western generation. As Mr. Walker Do you have a book-length manuscript you
would like to have published? Learn about
writes: "Posterity is fortunate, too, in our unusual plan whereby your book can be
published, promoted and distributed on a
that he was impelled to tell his story professional basis. We consider all types of
work—fiction, biography, poetry, scholarly
D. VAN NOSTRAND CO., INC.
in his simple and humble way. That and religious books, etc. New authors wel-
precious story . . . is a worthy legacy." come. For more information, write for valu- 250 FOURTH AVENUE
able booklet D. It's free.
Published by Death Valley '49ers, VANTAGE PRESS, INC. NEW YORK 3, NEW YORK
printed by Desert Magazine Press. 24 fiSSfi Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28, Calif.
Main Office: New York 1, N. Y.
pages. $1.00.
MAY, 1955
How to Increase >\\ M
Your Comfort and
Efficiency in . . . SUMMER HEAT
Many months before Pearl Harbor the military and There would be problems of food and clothing, of
civilian chiefs in Washington began preparations for war housing, of health and morale, of stamina and training—
— a war which they were afraid might extend to the and even of survival.
remote corners of the world. As part of this program of research, a team of scientific
As part of this preparation, the U.S. Office of Scientific men spent many months with Patton's army on the
Research entered into a contract with the University of Southern California desert. Other research teams went to
Rochester, New York, for an exhaustive study of problems the Sahara, to the Gobi and other deserts of the world.
which must be met if American soldiers were called upon No expense was spared in making this the most exhaustive
to wage warfare in arid regions of high temperatures. At study ever conducted in the broad field of human reaction
that time a bitter conflict was in progress on the Sahara to heat and water supply.
in North Africa.
Do You Know?
How much water should you drink
in desert summers?
Why do some people withstand
high temperatures better than
others?
Is thirst a true criterion us to the,
amount of water needed by the
body?
Can the human body become con-
ditioned to lack of water?
What are the symptoms preceding
heat prostration?
Are chewing sum or pebbles in
the mouth an adequate substi-
tute for water?
Why are salt tablets taken in high
temperatures?
What are the important rules to
follow if your car is stranded in
an isolated place and your water
supply limited?
These and a thousand other
questions relative to health, effi-
ciency and even survival in desert
summer temperatures are an-
swered in the 357 pages of Physi-
ology of Man in the Desert.