195711 Desert Magazine 1957 November

8/14/2019 195711 Desert Magazine 1957 November

1/44

'

"te'


2/44

I ' ;

HISTORIC PANORAMAS IX

Bal la ra t ,C a l i f o r n i aBy JOSEF and JOYCE MUENCH

Only a few buildings still stand tomark the site of Ballarat in California'sPanamint Valley. The old camp,founded in the late 1890s, was for 20years a supply and entertainment cen-ter for miners and prospectors busy at

their trade in the canyons of the beau-tifully eroded mountains in this coun-try.Even today, a dozen or so prospec-tors make headquarters at Ballarateach winter.

,Ballarat's remaining structures, con-structed of adobe, have had a kinderfate than befalls concrete, tin or woodbuildings. They seem to merge withthe earth from which they rose, takingNature's softer lines as they retreat

from useful shelters to mere memories.Upwards to 500 people lived in Balla-rat during its heyday.High above the ghost town towersTelescope Peak, offering spectacularviews of both the Panamint Valley tothe west and Death Valley to the east.


3/44

DESERT C f l LERDRRNov. 1Heard Museum opens forseason, Phoenix.Nov. 2All Souls' Day, MemorialServices in all Spanish Villages inNew Mexico.Nov. 2-3Sierra Club's Desert PeaksSection hike to Avawatz and Fun-eral peaks east of E>eath Valley,California. Camp at Sheep CreekSprings Friday night, Nov. 1. Forinformation call Walt Heninger,CL 5-8622, in Los Angeles.Nov. 2-310th Annual Sports CarRoad Races, Palm Springs, Calif.Nov. 2-11Arizona State Fair, Phoe-nix.Nov. 3Annual Horse Show, Tucson.Nov. 3-Dec. 8International Exposi-tion and Fair, "Sonora En Marcha,"Hermosillo, Mexico.Nov. 7-9International Mining Con-vention, El Paso, Texas.Nov. 8-10 Western Week, PalmSprings, California.Nov. 8-119th Annual Death Val-

ley Encampment. See page 28.Nov. 9-1015th Annual Desert WeedShow, Twentynine Palms, Calif.Nov. 9-10 Desert Arabian HorseShow, Palm Springs, California.Nov. 9-11Sierra Club Bus Tour ofLake Mead Recreation Area, fromLos Angeles. For information callBill Dorris, CH 5-4748.Nov. 10Western Saddle Club Gym-khana, Phoenix.Nov. 11Veterans' Day Celebration,Sparks, Nevada.Nov. 12Annual Fiesta and HarvestCorn Dance, Jemez Pueblo, NewMexico.Nov. 12St. James Day Fiesta andHarvest Corn Dance, Tesuque Pue-blo, New Mexico.Nov. 15-16Northeastern New Mex-ico Hereford Breeders AssociationCattle Show and Sale, Raton.Nov. 15-17First Annual Cattle Call,Brawley, California.Nov. 15-20Golden Spike NationalLivestock Show, Ogden, Utah.Nov. 16Washington Garden Club'sChrysan themum F lower Show,Phoenix.Nov. 16-17Elks' Rodeo, Victorville,California.Nov. 16-17Catholic Fiesta, Yuma,Arizona.Nov. 17Founders Day Picnic, PalmSprings, California.Nov. 19Fifth Annual Spook Night,Jerome, Arizona.Nov. 23-24Arizona Horse LoversClub's Horse Show, Phoenix.Nov. 24 Junior Horse Show, ElCentro, California.Nov. 28Desert Sun Ranchers' Ro-deo, Wickenburg, Arizona.Nov. 28-Dec. 1Sierra Club camp-ou t in Kelso Valley, California.Leader: Loretta Miess, Los Ange-les, NO 5-9060.Nov. 29 Annual Treasure Hunt,Hobbs, New Mexico.Nov. 30-Dec. 1Junior Parade andRodeo, Florence, Arizona.Late November or early DecemberShalako Dances, Zuni Pueblo, NewMexico.

After first frost Navajo Yeibichiand Fire Dances, Navajo Reserva-tion.

V o l u m e 20 NO VEMBER, 1957 N u m b e r 11C O V E RH ISTO RYC A L E N D A REDITORIALPRE-HISTORYP ERSO NALITYC O N T E S TFIELD TRIPPOETRYW A T E R H O L EA R C H E O L O G YCLO SE-UP SLO ST MINEF ICTIO NP H O T O G R A P H YEXPERIENCEN A T U R EDESERT QUIZRECREATIO NLETTERSC O N T E S TN E W SM I N I N GLAP IDARYH O BBYC O M M E N TB O O K S

Upper Ruins, Wupatki National Monument, ArizonaBy HARRY VROMAN

Eiallarat, CaliforniaBy JOSEF and JOYCE MUENCH . . . . 2

November events on the desert 3Outdoor Advertising and Public Relations . . 4Giant Desert Figures Have Been Restored

By RANDALL HENDERSON 5In His Memory, a New Town

By JEAN PAGE KILLGORE 9Desert Story Contest announcement . . . . 10Agate Wonderland in the CadysBy EUGENE L. CONROTTO 11Born of the Ages and other poems 15Crystal Springs, by DON ASHBAUGH . . . 16The Antiquities Laws and You

By O. V. DEMING 17About those who write for Desert 20Lost Gold of the Four Peaks

By E. C. THOROMAN 21Hard Rock Shorty of Death Valley 22Pictures of the Month 23Desert Plants Grow in Our Garden

By LENA GAMBLE BIXLER . . . . . . . 24Long-Eared Denizens of the Desert

By EDMUND C. JAEGER 25A test of your desert knowledge 26Death Valley Encampment 28Comment from Desert's read er s 29Picture-of-the-Month Contest announcement . . 29From here and there on the desert 30Current news of desert mines 34Amateur Gem Cutter, by DR. H. C. DAKE . . . 37Gems and Minerals 38Just Between You and Me, by the Editor . . . 42Reviews of Southwestern literature 43

The Desert Magazine is published monthly by the Desert Press, Inc.. Palm Desert.California. Re-entered as second class matter July 17. 1948. at the postoffice at Palm Desert,California, under the Act of March 3. 1879. Title registered No. 358865 in U. S. Patent Office,and contents copyrighted 1957 by the Desert Press. Inc. Permission to reproduce contentsmust be secured from the editor in writ ing.RANDALL HENDERSON. Editor EUGENE L. CONROTTO. Associate EditorBESS STACY, Business Manager EVONNE RIDDE LL. Circulation ManagerUnsolicited manuscripts and photographs submitted cannot be re turned or acknowledgedunless full return postage is enclosed. " Desert Magazine assumes no responsibility fordamage or loss of manuscripts or photographs although due care will be exercised. Sub-scribers should send notice of change of address by the first of the month preceding issue.SUBSCRIPTION RATESOne l'ea r S4.00 TwoYears ST.00

Canadian Sub scriptions 25c Extra. Foreign 50cExtraSubscriptions to Army Personnel Outside U. S. A. Must Be Mailed in Conformity WithP. O. D. Order No. 19687Address Correspondence to Desert Magazine. Palm Desert. California

N O V E M B E R , 19 57


4/44

O u t d o o r A d v e r t i s i n g a n d P u b l i c R e l a t i o n sAN EDITORIAL

Reprinted from Nature Magazine for August-September,1 9 5 7 , Richard W. Westwood, Editor

N SEPTEMB ER , 1956 , The Union Oil Companyof California, which serves the States of Arizona,California, Idah o, Mo ntana, Nevada, New M exico,Oregon, Utah and Washington, cancelled all use ofbillboard advertising. The result of this action has beena twenty percent increase inpatronage and a widespreadexpression of public approval."Two factors were of primary concern to the com-pany in reaching the decision to abandon this type ofadvertising," says the company's official announcement.

"First was the traffic hazard which a great many expertshave indicated billboards tend to increase. Second isan apparent and growing resentment on the part ofmany people and residential communities to obscuringour natural beauties with this type of advertising."A s a company serving the motoring needs of a gen-eral public, it did not make good sense for us to con-tinue to use an advertising method which was apparentlybecoming offensive to many of our customers and pros-pects andwhich, in the opinion of some experts, repre-sented a hazard to them."In the light of this action, and the nationwide pub-licity that has resulted from Senate hearings on Federallegislation to restrict outdoor advertising along the

41,000 miles of the $33billion Interstate Highway Sys-te m to be built during the next decade, those interestedin protecting the highways from outdoor advertising in-vasion have sounded out the attitude of the largest usersof outdoor advertising space. It has been called to theattention of those advertisers that seventy-five percentof the new highways will go through new and as yetunspoiled territory, and that the limited-access designof the highways excludes all other business use of theroadsides.In view of this it has been suggested that these adver-tisers might well review their advertising in the lightof good public relations, and in recognition of the dis-taste of the large majority of Americans for such road-

side defacement. This sentiment is demonstrated in thefindings of a recent Trendex poll, which showed thattw o out of three Americans are definitely opposed torural outdoor advertising. Business executives havebeen urged to express their thinking in this matter.While outdoor advertising users reveal no generaltendency to jump on the Union Oil Company's band-wagon, they do indicate appreciable recognition of thesentiment against misplaced outdoor advertising. Agood many executives insist that their billboard mes-sages are confined to commercial and industrial areas,thus revealing a concern for the rural highway environ-ment. Many of them extol the outdoor advertisingmedium as beneficial to the "health of the American

economy," which, it seems, is supposed to cover a mul-titude of sins. Others parrot the outdoor advertising

industry's line that "regulations should be on a Stateand local level," an argument always advanced becausethe industry knows from long experience that it is easiestto thwart regulations at these levels. A feweven indulgein encomium for the "beauty" of the billboard.The president of Outdoor Advertising, Inc., the tradeorganization of the standardized outdoor advertisingmedium, reacted to anyopposition to outdoor advertis-ing byproviding two most interesting sentences:"I wonder if you will agree that freedom to communi-cate is basic to our society, and that freedom of speechfreedom to be heardalso implies freedom to beseen. The right to communicate visually in the outdoorareain good taste and within the lawwould seem tobe one of ouressential freedoms."This syllogism attempts to postulate a new freedomthe freedom to intrude. It also arrogates to "goodtaste" a universal definiteness that O.A.does not, un-fortunately, possess. And it is easy to remain within thelaw when youcontrol that law!The outdoor advertising medium, the industry con-tends, is subject to regulations in all of the States. Infact, such regulations vary from the infinitesimal to the

too little at the State level, and from nothing at all tooccasional good zoning at the local level. The outdooradvertising industry asserts that it, as a legitimate busi-ness, is entitled to participate along with other busi-nesses in areas which have been zoned for business,commercial, or industrial purposes.So far as the system of interstate highways is con-cerned, these are limited access highways, with all busi-ness excluded except from the vicinity of points ofingress and egress and roads feeding such interchanges.Thus the outdoor advertiser is seeking a unique privi-lege; is asking for an exclusive place on the environs ofth e newhighways. It is not a question of the controlof outdoor advertising but the control of the use of thehighway, which includes its immediate environment.Are the outdoor advertising people, then, entitled tospecial consideration?The answer to that is simple. When the "OutdoorAdvertising Medium" actually and specifically confinesits operations to areas which have been zoned for busi-ness, commercial or industrial purposes there will besome realistic basis for resolving the conflict betweenthe industry and those concerned with roadside pro-tection .Such sounding of sentiment among advertisers andthe outdoor advertising industry serves to strengthenour conviction that the only protection to the public,which is investing its billions in the new highway sys-

tem, lies in Federal control of the parasitic growth ofoutdoor advertising along these highways.

DESERT MAGAZINE


5/44

' . '

Giant Figures on the desert near Blythe as photographed by a March Field aerialcamera team , in 1932. The coiled serpent in each picture is dimly visible nearthe four-legged animal. Bert Watts photo.

G i a n t D e s e r t F i g u r e sH a v e B e e n R e s t o r e d . . .On the malpais mesa not many miles from Blythe, California, are aseries of gigantic Figures outl ined in stones. Obviously they are of pre-historic Indian originbut their significance remains a mystery, evento arch eolog ists. That thes e Figures ma y not be lost to future studentsof anthropology, the members of the Palo Verde high school under theleadership of their vice-principal, have restored them to their originalformsand here is the story of the discovery and restoration of theseancient relics.

By RANDALL HENDERSONMap by Norton Al lenLYING HIS l i t t le two-placeplane at an altitude of 5000feet above the channel of thelower Colorado River in 1931, GeorgeA. Palmer, a World War I pilot, sawclearly outlined on the malpais mesaon the California bank of the river be-low, the figure of a man.in a proneposition.His curiosity aroused, he circled

lower and discovered there were otherfigures on the ground, all of giganticproport ions.Later, with companions from theN O V E M B E R , 1 9 5 7

Los Angeles Museum, Palmer reachedthe site of the figures by automobile,and confirmed the discovery of someof the strangest relics of prehistoricIndian occupation known to archeolo-gists in the Southwest.Through the interest of the scientists,the artifacts became known as theGiant Desert Figures, and the Califor-nia Department of Public Works desig-nated them as Historical LandmarkN o . 101, and placed a bronze plaqueon a stone monument along Highway95 at that point to mark the location.

Tha t was 25 years ago. Since then,with no resident custodian to protectthem, the Figures suffered from theimpact of thoughtless visitors and van-dals. Finally, the State Highway De-partment, to prevent further destruc-tion, covered the lettering on the plaquewith plaster.Such was the status of the GiantFigures in the spring of 1957 whenDeWeese W. Stevens, vice principalof the Palo Verde high school atBlythe, decided something should bedone for the restoration and preserva-tion of these prehistoric landmarks.DeWeese got in touch with mem-bers of the Desert Protective Counciland the Blythe chamber of commerce,and received such encouragement thathe took the project of restoration tothe Student Council of his school, sug-gesting that the students devote someof their weekend time to clearing thearea of tourist debris, and restoringthe lines of the Figures in accordancewith aerial photographs taken at thetime of the original discovery.The Student Council enthusiasticallyendorsed the project, and many of themembers volunteered to devote week-end time to the restoration job.In the meantime the Blythe chamberof commerce had given both endorse-ment and the promise of financial aid,and had named Collis Mayflower, for-mer Riverside County supervisor, as


6/44

To DESERT CENTER a INDIO S To RICE

ToQUARTZSITE & WICKENBURG

MOTOR LOGOO.OBIythe. Go east on Highway 601.5 Turn left on Highway 95, goingnorth12.3 Palo Verde Valley intake (Newdam under construction)17.0 Tu rn left off Highway 95 ongravel road. Bronze plaque alongroadside at this point.17.4 Parking place near Giant Figures.chairman of a committee to cooperatewith the Student Council and raisesuch funds as would be required toinsure protection of the Figures afterthey had been restored.Unde r the direction of thevice prin-cipal, the students lost no time in tack-ling the job. On a Saturday morning,12 of them, including Student BodyPresident Richard Dil l and SecretaryCarol Richardson, motored to the site18 miles north of Blythe, near the lo-cation of the Palo Verde Valley diver-sion dam nowunder construction, andwith brooms, rakes and wheelbarrowsworked diligently at the task.Best proof of the prehistoric age ofthe artifacts was the coating of desertvarnish on thepebbles with which theywere outlined. Obviously, the tribes-m en had carefully raked or brushedthe small stones into ridges formingthe outlines, removing the stones fromthe bodies of theFigures.While the outlines were still quitedistinct, thepebbles in many placeshadbecome scattered. It is a characteristicof these small mesa stones as they lieon the ground that the surface exposedto the sun takes a dark coating of

natural varnish, while the undersideremains a light gray. The girls in theparty even assumed the tedious task ofturning over the stones which had beenraked back into the outline ridges sothe original coating of varnish wouldbe exposed.Foot trails and auto tracks whichmarred the mesa in the area surround-ing the Figures were filled in and ob-literated, and the entire scene restoredto as perfect a reproduction of theoriginal picture as possible. Mrs. KirkBrimhall and Mrs. Wayne Dill of theParent-Teachers' Association, mothersof two of the students, served refresh-ing drinks to the workers.

Students participating in the projectwere: Leroy Barnes, Don Brimhall,Joan Buckelew, Challie Crews, Rich-ard Dil l , Linda Frey, Carolyn Funk,Dion Jeffcoat, Mary Frances Maresh,Carol Richardson, Judy Richardson,Marge Zander, TomZander and Dar-lene McCain. A majority of them areStudent Body or class officers in theschool.

It wasdecided that the best protec-tion for the Figures would be heavywire mesh fencing on steel posts setin concrete, and while thestudents werecarrying on the restoration job, CollisMayflower and his committee weresecuring bids and raising funds for thefence installation. Blythe businessmencontributed generously, as did the Des-ert Protective Council.Two enclosures were installed, onearound the 95-foot man's Figure, andthe other enclosing the quadruped andcoiled snake. There are other figures

-J f

higher on the mesa. Also reports ofsimilar figures on the Arizona side ofthe Colorado near Cibola Valley, andfarther north between the Maria andRiverside Mountains. However, noneof these are as accessible as thosenear Highway 95, and for the presentit is not felt that restoration or pro-tective fencing are required.The detailed story of the discoveryof the Figures was told by George A.Palmer to M. R. Harrington, curator

DeWeese W. Stevens, volunteer di-rector of the restoration, inspects anold marker sign which hasbeen thetarget of vandals. This sign hasbeenremoved.

DESERT MAGAZINE


7/44

"I was looking for a possible emer-figure of a m an. As I drew

I circled severalone. On the same mesa

After landing in the school yard at

The next day the two of them flew

ot was: "They no M ojaves."

Returning to Las Vegas, Palmer

escribing what he had found. Wo od-ard was keenly interested, and askedf aerial pictures could be taken.In July that year with Dr. CharlesE. Barrows as companion, Palmeragain flew to the site for photographs.Dr. Barrows was astonished and de-lighted at what he saw.Later when Woodward saw the pic-tures he remarked: "Mr. Palmer, youhave ma de a real discovery. So far asI know, figures of this kind have neverbefore been reported. I wou ld like togo out and study them on the ground."When cool weather came, Palmer,accompanied by Woodward and Dr.Charles Van Bergen, honorary curatorof archeology at the Museum, motoredto Blythe for a ground inspection of

the Figures. They had arranged for anaerial photographic team from MarchField to meet them at Blythe. Lieut.M. W. Kaye piloting a Fairchild cam-

Above Restoring one of the coiled serpents. Left to right: DeW eese W.Stevens, Carol Richardson, Joan Buckelew, Mary Frances Maresh andTom Zander. Bert Watts photo.Below Darlene McCain, Leroy Barnes and Linda Frey at work on quad-ruped with three toes. Bert Watts photo.

era plane, with Sgt. Steven McAlkooperating the camera, had flown overthe Figures that day and secured pho-tographs, two of which are reproducedwith this story.Early the next morning the party leftby auto to examine the Figures, andwith landmarks well established onprevious flights, had no difficulty indriving directly to the mesa. As P al-mer related the experience:

"There, stetching out on the groundbefore us, lay the Giant Figures. Nowwe saw they had been made by gather-ing small stones on the mesa top andarranging them in ridges to form theoutlines. Inside the outlines the groundhad been scraped clean, so the Figuresstood out in striking relief when seenfrom the air."After some preliminary exploring,we measured each Figure. The man

N O V E M B E R , 1 9 5 7


8/44

'IBBBfiMIHECollis Mayflowe r, c hairman of theBlythe chamber of commerce committeeand DeWeese W. Stevens, standing, discuss plans for theprotection of theFigures after the restoration iscompleted. Bert Watts photoPlaque erected by theCalifornia Department of Public Works to mark thesite of theFigures asHistorical Landmark No. 101. Picture wastaken be-fore the lettering wascovered with plaster to discourage visitors. Sincerestoration, the plaster has been removed.

: : ; -

".;: >*';:;;;:. :":" -~m:^+ N/f V - '

in the first group was 95 feet long,lying in a circle 142 feet in diameter.About 150 feet away was the four-legged what-you-call-it with a long tail.The animal was 36 feet in length, andjust beyond lay a coiled serpent 12feet in diameter."O n the next mesa higher up wasthe figure of a man 98 feet long withoutstretched arms 74 feet across. Itwa s a stiff climb up to another mesawhere lay the chief of the Giant Fig-ures. He measured 167 feet in lengthand his outstretched arms were 164feet across. Each hand had a normalnumber of fingers, and his feet were16 feet from toe to heel, with toesplainly indicated."The group on this mesa formed atrinity, as on the f irst mesa a man, abeast and a serpent."Mr. Woodward called the Figures'gigantic intaglio pictographs.' His re-search later revealed that a similarfigure was reported in the Pima countryin Arizona in 1909. The Pima figurewas believed to represent a giganticwomanpossibly a woman mentionedin some of the tribal legends. It alsowas reported that soldiers from FortYuma, traveling north along the Colo-rado River, had reported seeing figuresof men and animalsperhaps the onesnear Blythein 1859."Since none of the Colorado RiverIndians have any knowledge of thefigures, and no ideas as to their origin,they remainlike the petroglyphs in-cised in stone walls in many of the

desert canyonsa mystery which ar-cheologists have been unable to ex-plain.How long they have been there noon e can say, but the coating of desertvarnish on the rocks would indicatethat their origin dates back not lessthan 200yearsperhaps much longer.W hy is the restoration and preser-vation of these artifacts important?Because they obviously had a sig-nificant place in the culture of theprehistoric men who placed them there,and while humans of this generationmay not understand just what purposethey served, they throw an added bitof light on one stage of man's ploddingclimb up the ladder of evolution. With-out some reverence for the religionsand traditions of the past, the presentwould be quite meaningless.A nd so, historians, anthropologists,archeologists all persons who arestudents of past and present life onthis earth will be grateful to De-Weese Stevens, Collis Mayflower, andthe teen-agers of Palo Verde high

school who gave their time and interestto the restoration and preservation ofthe Giant Desert Figures.DESERT MAGAZINE


9/44

Men and machines again are gathering on the banks of the Colo-rado to drive another wedge of concrete and steel into its turbulentdepths. Here, written by his daughter, is the story of engineer John Pagewho spent most of his life in the struggle to control this river, and inwhose honor the Glen Canyon Damsite community of Page, Arizona,w a s n a m e d . By JEAN PAGE KILLGORE

John Chatfield Page

a cow. In spite of the time it took forhis small-sized farm, he was an activeMason, member of the Chamber ofCommerce, Lions Club and Y.M.C.A.He was an energetic participant andheld office in several of these organiza-tions.Some of my brightest memories ofthese years are the fishing weekends7H E HO PE S and dreams of John could approach a situation with great the two of us spent on Gran d Mesa.Chatfield Page, Comm issioner tact and diplomacy when necessary. There I learned to catch, clean andof Reclam ation from 1937 to This served him w ell many times, fry a trout, to row a boat in a straight1943 , have com e to rest in the na- especially in later years as commis- i i n e for trolling on a lake, and tonewest town of Page , Arizon a, sioner in Washington, D . C. crouch uncomplaining in the coldat the site of Glen Can yo n D am . Fo r Altho ugh we lived in several differ- mo untain rain. T o catch our limit wasover half a century the Colorado River e nt houses during the years in Gran d the end justified by any amo unt ofas been the subject of much concern Junction , my father always ha d an misery from the weather. My fathero en gineers and peo ple interested in acre plante d to corn, melons and straw- preferre d fly-fishing to sitting in a bo atthe lands depend ent on its tributaries, berries. We always h ad a flock of with me, I know , but I think he mustand du ring most of this perio d, Joh n chickens and for several years we kep t hav e realized wh at his compa nionsh ipPage gave his time and energy to itsdevelopment.The son of New Englanders whohomesteaded in eastern Nebraska, heearly learned that man's well-being isessentially a matter of enough land andenough water for that land. Up ongraduation from the University of Ne-braska and after an additional year atCornell University, he came to westernColorado as a surveyor on the GrandValley Irrigation Project of the Colo-rado River. He was married there in1914 to Mildred Sloan, a visitor to

Grand Junction from Indiana. Theirtwo daughters, my sister Mildred andI, were born in Grand Junction.A man of restless energy, he threwall his strength into everything he un-dertook . I remem ber when he wouldcome home at daybreak after 18 or 20hours standing in muddy water helpingthe crew repair a cloudburst damagedflume, or clear debris from the irriga-tion canal. He spared himself nothing,having little regard for his own comfort,but great compassion for the welfare ofothers. His New England up bringingallowed no patience with outward dis-plays of feeling; a man's strength wasjudged by his capacity for self-control.Although he possessed a sharp senseof humor and a biting wit, I can re-member few times when he laughedaloud, his most boisterous expressionbeing an infectious grin. H e was ideal-istic regarding the future of the aridWest but had a hard-headed Yankeerealism in his appraisal of men andsituation s. It was this characteristiccombined with complete honesty withhimself and with all people, that en-deared him to everyone. There werefew he didn't call friend, and withthose few his concern was with mattersof principle and not personality. HeN O V E M B E R , 1 9 5 7

In His Memory, a New Town


10/44

and cheerful patience meant to a 12-year-old tomboy. In later years heplayed golf when he could, buttoprowl the banks of a swift-runningstream, rod inhand, was theultimatein enjoyment tohim.In 1930 he took up theduties ofoffice engineer farther down the Colo-rado at Hoover Dam. This was anexciting challenge and he attacked it

with the same driving energy. Thisproject was by far thegreatest engi-neering achievement yet attempted, atremendous growing thing visibly tak-

ing form day by day. Here in thewarmth of the desert and the pleasanttown ofBoulder City, Nevada, he grewtanned and lost the fine-drawn look hehad brought from themountain win-ters. Heeven added a few pounds toth e 140 he normally carried on hisnearly six-foot frame.It was fortunate when hewas calledto Washington totake the job as com-

missioner that he was ingood physicalcondition. All his resources were calledupon during those first chaotic monthsof adjustm ent. Th ere followed years

Announcing a New* D e & e n , t

True Experience Contest!$25 FIRST PRIZE$1 5 for all other manuscripts accepted forpublication

Once again Desert Magazine is asking its readers to participatein the telling of theDesert story by relating their personal tales ofhuman interest, adventure, inspiration and eventful experience.There is nolimitation as tosubject matter so long as thestory isset in theDesert Southwest and theother contest requirements listedbelow aremet. Judges will select those stories which they feel willbest contribute to theentertainment andenlightenment of the DesertMagazine family ofreaders.Manuscripts should befrom 1200 to 1500 words in length, and

first award will be$25. All other stories accepted for publication willearn $15 for their authors.Manuscripts should betrue experiences, preferably of the writer,but stories written ofand with the f irst hand knowledge of the desertexperiences ofothers will beaccepted . Tall tales and heresay storiesare not solicited.The contest isopen toboth amateur andprofessional writers. Allmanuscripts must be typewritten anddouble spaced, on oneside ofthe page only. Leave wide margins onboth sides ofeach sheet.Entries should beaddressed to: Life on theDesert Contest, DesertMagazine, Palm Desert, California, andmust bepostmarked not laterthan January 1,1958, toqualify forthe awards.If 5x7 or larger photographs showing good sharp contrast areavai lable , anextra $3 will bepaid for each used with the story.

Pictures are not essential, however.Writers must be prepared to supply confirmation as tothe authen-ticity of their stories. Only true experiences arewanted.All stories must be essentially of the desert, and the setting islimited toArizona, Nevada, Utah, NewMexico, thedesert portion ofCalifornia, Baja California and northwestern Mexico.True names of those involved must be given, although with theknowledge of thejudges, fictitious names can be substituted if thereis good reason fordoing this.If the story previously has appeared inprint, this fact and the timea nd na me of the medium inwhich it appeared must begiven. Allreaders of Desert Magazine are invited to submit m anuscripts.Judging will be do ne by the Desert Maga zine staff, and the decisionof the judges will befinal. Unaccepted manuscripts will bereturnedif accomp anied by return postage.

of fighting red tape, fighting formoneyfor hisbeloved West; of being agree-able andholding on to his sense ofhumor . Theonly vacations he tooknow were trips combined with business;shaking hands andmaking speeches.No more bright days casting aline intoa mountain s tream; nomore golf withfriends on therugged sandy course atBoulder City.H e met the tensions of the commis-sioner's office silently, but many nightswe heard him pace the floor, orknewthat he sat upuntil the early hours ofthe morning seeking escape in lightWestern fiction. His health, never ro-bust, at length gave out, bringing 10years of invalidism. At this time heretired to Denver. Foralmost threeyears, as on g as he could drive his car,he spent asmany days as hecould asconsulting engineer inthe Denver Rec-lam ation office. W hen he could nolonger take even this active apart, thearid land and precious water and the

reclaiming of theWest continued tobe themain interest of his life. Hedied inLakewood, asuburb ofDenver,in March of 1955 atthe age of67.T he newtown ofPage, Arizona, willbe a living memorial to a man whodedicated a lifetime tothe reclamationof the desert lands.EXPERTS EVALUATEARTIFICIAL RAINM AKING

Federal agencies, after 10years ofstudy involving an expenditure of $10,-000,000, have reached three conclu-sions regarding artificial rainmaking:(1) Cloud-seeding seems toproducesignificant increases inrain and snow-fall over mountainous areas in coldweather, but there isno convincing evi-dence that it does any good over flatcountry.(2) Artificial rainmaking is not acure forgeneral drouth conditions suchas those now prevailing in theGreatPlains and along the Eastern Seaboard.Hot, dry areas which need rainfall mostare precisely the areas inwhich cloud-seeding has the least effect.

(3 ) In thelong run, cloud-seedingmay prove to be more valuable forother "weather modification" purposesthan for rainmaking. Some experi-ments indicate it can beused tosup-press hail and lightning or todissipatefog over airpo rts. The re is a possibil-itystill theoreticalthat it can beused tobreak up thekind of stormsthat spawn tornadoes.Researchers emphasized that man'sability to tamper with theweather isstill very limited. The re isno scientificbasis at present for believing itwill everbe possible toproduce major changesin climate over a large area throughcloud-seeding. Nevada State Journal

10 DESERT MAGAZINE


11/44

Caravan stops a few hundred yards from the main collectingmarked ridge in background. field along limestone-

g a t e W o n d e r l a n d i n t h e C a d y s . . .South of the Mojave River in California's central Mojave Desertlie the Cady Mountains, isolated in the past by hostile escarpments, ashort water supp ly and sand-filled wa sh es. Toda y, four-wheel-driveve hicl es are ope ning up this country. In the Cad y's rugg ed interiormembers of the desert explorers' fraternity are discovering prized agates p e c i m e n s . Along tiie way lies the beauty, solitude and inspirationfound in all desert mountains.By EUGENE L. CONROTTOMap by Norton Al len

7H E E I G H T - J E E P c a r av a nchurned through the wash sandto the dark lava-strewn ridgeon a flank of the bleak Cady Moun-tains south of the Mojave River. LoranPerry of Pasadena, dean of SouthernCalifornia's four-wheel-drive gem hunt-e r s , pointed to the slopes marked withdistinguishing white limestone outcro ps."The re it is ," he shouted. "The bestagate field in the West!"

Loran had made a similar statementin his letter inviting me to join him onthis trip. I was at a loss to un derstandhow such a splendid gem locale couldexist unnoticed in the heart of the Mo-jave Desert in this day of more andN O V E M B E R , 1 9 5 7

more rockhounds, worked-out collect-ing fields and no trespass signs.But, the rough ride into the CadyMountain field answered that question.We were 33 miles from Highway 66 atLudlow and for most of the last dozenmiles our jeeps had created their ownroad through the blow sand of theopen Crucero Valley and the windingwash.In a December, 1948, Desert Maga-zine report on a field trip to the south-ern end of this massive mountaingroup, Harold O. Weight envisionedthe possibilities of this field when hewrote:"Since the same formations continue

for miles, there unquestionably is agreat deal of fine agate and chalcedonywaiting for the person willing to expendtime and energy to find it."Loran Perry, who is a printer andlens-grinder by vocation, has pursuedthe hobby of rock collecting and pol-ishing for 25 years. Exploring theCady Mountain area, he had con-firmed Weight's prediction. AlthoughPerry was not the first rockhound to

discover this collector's paradise, heprobably was the first to become fullyaware of its great potential. In seventrips to the area in the last three years,he has led many other collectors tothis field.Following the instructions in his let-ter, Jeanne and I drove to Ludlow, thesmall railroad and mining town inBroadwell Valley 50 miles east of Bar-stow. This is the last place food, ga so-line and water are available.Ludlow was the southern terminusof the Tonopah and Tidewater Rail-

road, built between 1905-07 by PacificCoast Borax Company to replace the20 Mule Team s. The line connectedwith the Santa Fe Railway at Ludlow,11


12/44

with the Union Pacific at Crucero (25miles north of Ludlow) and with theLas Vegas and Tonopah Railroad atGold Center, Nevad a. The T&T was167 miles in length and cost $25,000a mile to build. The peak an d pros-perous years of the line ended in 1928,when borax operations at Boron gotunderway and those in Death Valleyclosed down.On October 8, 1933, the southernleg of the linefrom Ludlow to Cru-cero was discontinued. The trackswere hauled away, but the grade and

ties remain. A two-strand telegraphline and well-bladed dirt road followthe T&T through the flat valley, rim-med on the west by the canyon-etchedCadys and on the east by the BristolMountains.As we drove up this road I con-cluded that Broadwell was the driestdesert area I had seen during a springwhen wildflowers were abundant inother parts of the Southwest. Greenerywas at a premium and it seemed eachstruggling plant grew unchallenged onits acre of soil. Rec ords show an an -

OLOT.ST.RAILROADGRADE-*., '

nual average rainfall of less than twoand a half inches for this area, andapparently it has always been uncom-monly dry. In the '80s, after severalunsuccessful attempts to find under-ground water at Ludlow, the Santa FeRailroad shipped carloads of it intotown daily.From Ludlow to the collecting fieldwe saw frequent evidence of jeep-borne prospectors, their unchartedtracks scooting off at frequent inter-vals from the main trails. This cou n-try has had a spasmodic mining history,most of it taking place during theworld warsgold, celestite strontiumore, sand and gravel, manganite, fluor-spar and others.

Beyond a long narrow playa and12.6 miles from Ludlow, we crossedthe power pole line and its maintenanceroad angling down from the Bristols.The mountains closed in to form asandy pass connecting Broadwell Val-ley with Crucero or Soda Lake Valleyto the north.

As we drove through the pass I hadthe feeling that we were movingthrough the aperture of a huge hourglass fashioned by Nature out of thesetwo valleys. There are a couple ofbad pitches in the road here and someloose sand where cautious driving iscalled for.At 20 miles from Ludlow we pulledinto the camping area on the sandyslope a quarter of a mile below Mes-quite Springs and met the other mem-

bers of the Perry expedition. This isabout as far north of Ludlow as con-ventional cars can travel.The wind was howling through thegranitic hills above us and while therotting railroad ties afford an unlim-ited wood supply, it was blowing toohard for a fire.I hiked to the tangled clump ofvegetation at the spring and in thedim light of dusk saw the evidence ofa coyo te's scratchings for wate r. Thismust be an important waterhole forthe wild things in this arid and shade-

less area. Th at wandering Indian tribesalso used this spring is certain for inthe rocks above we later found potshards and petroglyphs. Two Puebloansites near here are listed in MojaveDesert archeological maps.At Mesquite Springs we were at thenortheast corner of the 200-square-miles of jumbled peaks, ridges, washes,valleys, bajadas and flats that are theCady Mou ntains. This is a relativelylow mountain mass, the highest peaksranging from 4000 to 5000 feet. Cut-ting its way north and east from thecenter of the Cadys into the CruceroValley is a main drainage system andin the headwater regions of these12 D E S E R T M A G A Z I N E


13/44

Members of the party plant a railroad tie into the ground to mark the intersectionof the Ludlow to Crucero road, center and curving to right, and jeep trail up mainwash to collecting fields. Abandoned Tonopah and Tidewater railroad crossesCrucero road in foreground. View is northward.

Early the next morning we broke

s the landscape. In the crisp

After a half hour's maneuvering, wehe main wash. It is a smooth-In a few

hea rt of the Cadys. Lor an has ex-

After emerging into a large open

southward.We fanned out over this ridge andin the flat below and soon several in

the party found the prize specimen thislocation offers: sagenite agate in aunique sunburst pattern. Practicallyevery color in the rainbow has beenused by Nature in these delicate speci-mens and the other agates here. Thebest field method to distinguish thebetter stones from those that will notcut and polish is to look for the sharpand smooth cleavage of the unusuallyheavy specimens, indicating interiorsof solid agate.

Near the top of the slopes are theyellow and red jasper outcrops andthe trickling trail of weathered stonesbelow them . Some of the jaspers arebanded types, others mottled and lacy.Also we found calcite and quartzcrystal specimens; dog tooth spar ina rare leafy quality; drusy quartz (su-gary quartz crystallization); and ampleclear chalcedony.Especially pleasing to Jeanne weresome beautiful nubby chalcedony spe-

Loran Perry, left, and Jerry Rollings inspect a weathered outcrop ofonyx-like cutting material along the banks of the wash leading to agate field.

. , : . . , . " - . ' ' ' :

N O V E M B E R , 1 9 5 7 13


14/44

While her husband hunts for stones that will cut and polish, Rose Perrysearches the desert for unusual mineral specimens. Here she shows off two"braggin' rocks."cimens which looked like milk glassafter we cleaned off the dirt and stainswith oxalic acid baths.Several times throughout the day,when the sun broke through the dull

clouds that had been gathering sincemorning, we saw glittering reflectionsfrom among the ghost gray vegetationon the hillsides. It was a relief to kn owthat quartz crystalsand not tin cans

You Are Cordially Invited . . .. . . to visit and enjoy the outstanding exhibit of Southwesternart in the spacious foyers of Desert Magazine's beautiful Puebloalong Highway 111 between Palm Springs and Indio, California.The finest work of more than fifty of the Southwest's best knownartists make up this ever changing display.

Visitors are always welcome at the admission-free DesertMagazine art gallery which is open seven days a week from 9a.m. to 5 p.m.Adjoining the a rt gallery is the Desert Boo k an d Crafts Shopwhere the best of current Southwestern books are available foryour reading enjoyment. Visitors may browse at will in the rest-ful atmosphere of the gallery and book shop.

Friend or Stranger, you are welcome here.

were peeking down at us. In fact,Jerry Rollings of Arcadia found oneof the prize crystal specimens of theday by tracking down a hillside reflec-tion.Everywhere in this field is the peaceand quiet, the stretching horizons thatare the real treasures of a field trip.From the north occasionally came therumble of a freight train on the UnionPacific line running along the MojaveRiver. Actually, it would be muchshorter from a paved road to enterthis field from the Afton siding onthis line, but the river canyon jeeptrails are rough and almost inaccessible.Only the best and most experiencedjeep drivers should try this short cut.

In this land of little water there islimited evidence of wildlife, and yet,as if in mocking contradiction, Naturehas provided a home in the CaveMountains across the canyon cut bythe Mojave for a band of wild horses.Loran recently saw some of these wildanimalsa stallion and four maresa beautiful sight that will live with himforever.After lunch we moved northwardalong the ridge to a side canyon whichoffered the same good rock collectingplus added rewards to the photogra-phers with its colorful weathered walls.And then we headed back to Mes-quite Springs, but instead of leavingthe main wash at the point where wehad dropped down into it from the sidewashes and ridges behind Mesquite,we cut a new trail eastward down theever-broadening valley to the T&T line.Each creosote clump along the wayheld in its scraggy arms a wind-gathered dune, but rare was the plantthat reached the jeep's fender. Thisvalley is part of the Soda Lake drain-age basin and in the World War Idays 10,000 of its sandy acres weretaken up by hopeful homesteaders.What a heartbreaking wait for crop-growing rains they must have had! Ina few years they were goneand onJune 14, 1940, the Tonopah and Tide-water was completely abandoned. That

ended any hopes Crucero might havehad for becoming a town.Our convoy reached the main bladedroad at the point north of Mesquitewhere the T&T grade and pole linecross from the west to the east side ofthe road.At this junction we planted a rail-road tie end up into the ground andnailed a tin plate to it with a rustedspike. Thus rockhounds who followour trail will have a boulevard sign todirect them up the canyon to the fieldswe visited and those still unexplored in

this agate wonderland.And then we followed the Tonopahand Tidewater to Ludlow and home.14 D E S E R T M A G A Z I N E


15/44

Old-timers in Utah's Capitol Reef National Monument where the above rockformation is located called it "Mr, Pendleton" after one of their neighbors. Morerecently the Park Service has given it the official name: "The Motorman."Photo by Clare H. Ebeling.F AITH RENEWEDBy Lois BERRYNeedles, California

before the dawnpressed a weary yawna golden glowsplashed with glist'ning snowering in the yellow light which,followed by the fireform a spirechurch I bowed;thanks, aloud.

LAK E MO IAVE AT EVENTIDEBy M ILDRED BREEDLOVELas Vegas, NevadaHow strangely you lie in this desolate placeFlaunting green water with organdy lace!Water as green as an orchid's throat,Ruffles as white as an ermine coat.Bathing the rocks on your cream-coloredbars,Waiting for night and its over-sized stars,To settle again to an indigo glassReflecting the heavens to eagles that pass;Wind as unyielding as eagles in flightShows no respect for a lowering night.Sun, growing weaker, drops low in the westReleasing the sections he long possessed.Hills that were brown but an hour agoTurn purple and pink where the Joshuasgrow.Snow-water from mountains that reach forthe skyBecomes one with the desertthe same as I.

B o t n of t h e A g e sBy RUTH A. INGLESBYTorrey, UtahBorn of the ages in eons past,Carved by the rain and the mighty blastOf desert wind as it whipped the sand,Truly the work of a Master's hand.

Born of the ages and there is heStanding in splendor for all to see.Reaching out from the depth of timeInto a day of man's design.Born of the ages and there aloneHe stands on a pedestal of stoneWhere silence and dignity holds fast,A faithful guard from the ageless past.

NIGHT CANTOBy GRAC E R. BALLARDSanta Barbara, CaliforniaThe white moon gleams across the chaparralAnd throws black shadows under shrub andtree;I walk along a country road; the smellOf white sage, pungent with the warmth ofsun,Distills a fragrance with a mystic spell;Sweet incense on the altar of the night.

A white-tailed rabbit scurries from my sight;His fleet form bobbing in and out of shade;A madrigal of tiny insects seemsA muted setting for forgotten dreams,As warm winds whisper of nostalgic things,A cow-bell tinkles softly, then is stilled;My heart shall know content when eveningsings;The dusty road winds quietly toward home.

SAND AND SUNSETBy ALICE BENTONAlbuquerque, New Mexico

All day the sand had whipped the desertwaste,In a wide and lonely land of little rain.Entrapped therein, a struggling wandererfacedThe swirling, cutting cloud that swept theplain.Malevolent and vengeful seemed the force,Which broke upon him, loosing violenthandsTo clutch and tear him from his wontedcourse,And hurl the piercing darts of stinging sands.But, in the evening, when an unseen powerCried, "Peace," the traveler looked up to seeThe west a blaze of splendor, for an hourOf thunderous, full-stop, organ melody,With sand and wind forgotten in a lightOf glory, halting, holding off the night.

P r e p a r a t i o nBy TANYA SOUTHSan Diego, CaliforniaA glint of sunlight through the murk,A glimpse of Truth through strife andwork,A flash of Light. Such slow advance!Yet none of it is left to chance.For preparation on the PathIs influencing every breath,And preparation is a partOf every ending, each new start,Of everything that we may makeFor we must earn what we would take.

N O V E M B E R , 1 9 5 7 15


16/44

HISTORIC DESERTW A T E R H O L E S X

Crystal Springs, site of the first Lincoln County seat in 1865 a nd rendezvousfor early-day horse thieves, has no residents today. The largest spring isshown pou ring out its flow in lower foreground. Other springs at right andto the left of large cottonwood produce a joint flow in excess of 5000gallons a minute.By DON ASHBAUGH

BY SPRINGS which gush5000 gallons of pure water aminute, Crystal Springs in thePahranagat Valley is one of southernNevada's most dependable wateringplaces. Although these springs con-tribute an important share of the waterwhich makes Pahranagat Valley anagricultural oasis, the communitywhich was once located here has dis-appea red. Toda y only Hereford cowscome here for water.Before the days of the White Man,Crystal Springs was a favorite Indiancamping site. The earliest recordedvisit by whites is believed to have beenmade by the ill-fated Death Valleyparty in 1849. If these pioneers didnot visit Crystal, they most certainlystopped at Hiko Spring, only five milesnorth. The Forty-Niners were directedto the water by a map credited by mosthistorians to Barney Ward.The Diary of Sheldon Young, amember of the Jayhawker Party, notedon Novem ber 19, 1849 : "This daywent five miles. Cam e to plenty ofgrass and w ater . . . ha d best grasssince we left the Platte."The following day he wrote: "Thisday we left Ward's Muddy and boreoff a southwest course and struck an-other valley." Ward's map probably

showed the stream from the Pahrana-gat springs as a west fork of theMuddy, he not being familiar with thearea's geography.It is evident that the second entrytook the '49ers across the PahranagatMountains where they jogged south-west through Emigrant Valley, littlerealizing that these springs would pro-vide their last good water until theyreached Furnace Creek.In later years many travelers usedportions of this route as an alternateto the Mormon Trail, keeping furthersouth through Pahrump and rejoin-ing the southern pathway aroundStump Spring. Mormon history recordsCrystal Springs as a principal water-ing place on this alternate trail.The "White Mountain Boys" scoutedwestward from Parowan in 1858 forresettlement locations for the Saints incase of trouble between the church andthe federal government. They went asfar as Crystal and made their head-quarters there while investigating thevalley.

Then horse thieves and other rene-gades discovered this well - wateredarea . Stock stolen along the northernroutes and at mining towns was drivensouth through the White River Valley.The rustlers erected rock and brushhouses around the springs while theirstolen animals fattened on the lush

Down through the years, theconstant flow of water which bub-bles from the earth at CrystalSprings, Nevada , has seen astrange procession of life emi-grants, prospectors, we st - boundcolonists, cowboys and herds ofstolen livestock. Others came tobuild a community and farm thelandand all of them have passedon after a pause here of a fewhours or a few years. But thesprings continue to flow.

valley meadow grasses. The isolatedvalley provided a perfect haven for theoutlaws. One Mormon traveler counted350 different brands on livestock graz-ing in the vicinity.In 1865 the Nevada legislature pro-vided for the establishment of LincolnCounty. With a party, Gove rnor H.G. Blasdel traveled south throughDeath Valley to inspect the southernNevada area, and ran out of suppliesin Amargosa Valley.After frightful hardships, the partyreached Pahranagat, but found too fewcitizens in the area to create a countygovernment. However, the governornamed Crystal Springs the provisionalcounty seat.Two years later John Ely discoveredore in Irish Mountain, and a horde ofnewcomers were attracted to the val-ley. He and his partner, William H.Raymond, erected their mill at Hikoin 1866. The spring at Hiko, whichmeans "White Man" in the Shoshonetongue, flows 2700 gallons of watera minute.When actual county government wasestablished in 1867, Hiko was madethe county seat. That ended Crystal'sbrief period of glory."The last fellow living at CrystalSprings was a man named Frenchy,"John Richard, valley pioneer and for-mer mail carrier, told me. "Frenchyleft about the turn of the century andwent to Bishop, then to Rhyolite. No-body's lived at the springs since, asfar as I can remember."The Tempiute Highway, State Route25, was paved this year. It travels pastCrystal Springs and over the old pio-neer route across the mountains.

16 DESERT MAGAZINE

CrystalSprings


17/44

T h e A n t i q u i t i e s L a w s andYouG enera l ly , the laws of the landare for th e protection, of the manyfrom the thoughtlessness or thegreed of the few, and that is espe-cially t rue of the Federal Antiqui-ties Act, and of legislation passedby most of the states for the preser-vation of Indian artifacts, fossils,ancient ruins and other evidenceof prehistoric life in Am eric a. Inorder that Desert Magazine read-ers may know just how far theymay go in the realm of trophyhunting without violating the legalenactments , Oscar Deming hasprepared the following brief.

By O. V. DEMING

7HE POTTERY showed evidencethat the ancient Indian womanwho had made these ollas wasa skilled craftsman, and the designswith which she had decorated themwere well preserved . I was pleasedwith these new possessions which Ihad just excavated from an old Indianburial site.I did not notice the stranger untilI turned around, and my elation turnedto dismay when he calmly informedme that I was under arrest.A few hours later I stood before ajudge and heard him pronounce meguilty of violating Public Law 209, anact for the preservation of Americanantiquities. He fined me $500 andgave me a suspended jail sentence of90 days.That the above incident is hypothet-ical pleases me no end, but it couldhave happened to me, or to manyother Americans who, generally un-wittingly, violate one or more of thelaws which prohibit collecting artifacts,fossils and other material defined as

"antiquities" on the public domain.In general, these laws offer protec-tion to his torical landmarks; prehis-toric ruins; ancient burial grounds; fos-silized wood, bone, shell and footprints;petroglyphs; pictographs; speleologicalsites; archeological sites; Indian arti-facts; and other objects of historic orscientific interest on all lands underfederal or state control or ownership,unless specifically excepted. They d onot apply to private land unless theowner requests such protection.Public Law 209, enacted in 1906,

i s , to the best of my knowledge, thefirst of these acts passed in the UnitedStates. It and the others were createdto stop the looting and destruction of

Vandalism by hunters on sign posted to protect petroglyphs at ParawanG a p , Utah. Photograph by the author.

antiquities by untrained individualsand groups, so scientific studies couldbe made of these sites. This researchadds to our knowledge and understand-ing of the past life of this continent,and the growing number of scientificpublications being made available tothe public reflects the mounting interestin these ancient relics and the storiesthey tell.Many of the more spectacular an-tiquity sites, such as the cliff dwellingsof the Southwest, Dinosaur NationalMonument and the natural bridges ofUtah, and petrified forests in Arizona,to name but a few, are protected forthe wonder and enjoyment of posterity.Only with a permit can a person col-lect, explore or excavate antiquities ongovernment land, with the exception

of National Forests where the collect-ing of Indian artifacts, when such rel-ics are found on the surface, is allowed.However, a permit is needed to digor excavate for artifacts on forest lands.State laws are patterned after thefederal act, but there is some variation.Nevada, for example, is the only stateI contacted that specifically protectsspeleological sites, although such sitesprobably could be protected in otherstates by the broad interpretation ofexisting laws.

In recent years, the increased mo-bility of the public has resulted ingrowing vandalism and looting of areasand objects that could have added toour knowledge and enjoyment of theoutdoors.Thoughtless and greedy persons inN O V E M B E R , 1 9 5 7 17


18/44

S u m m a r y ofA n t i q u i t i e s L a w sFEDERAL

Public Law No. 209, 1906Jurisdiction over ruins, archeologi-cal sites, historic and prehistoric mon-uments and structures, objects ofantiquity, historic landmarks andother objects of scientific or historicinterest is given to the Departmentsof Agriculture, Interior and Defenseon all lands under their supervision.Permits for collecting, examiningor excavating antiquities are grantedby the Secretaries of the above De-partments on lands under their re-spective jurisdiction. Perm its are is-sued only to reputable museums, uni-versities or other scientific institutions.Any person authorized by the Sec-retaries of the respective Departmentsmay apprehend violators of this law.Objects of antiquities, taken withoutpermit, can be seized by authorizedpersons.Violators, upon conviction, may befined not more than $500 or impris-oned for a period of not more than90 days, or both.Exception: Individuals may collectIndian artifacts found on the surfaceof the ground on National Forestlands without a permit.

ARIZONAArticle 4 , Chapter 4, Title 41 ,ARS, Sections 41-771, 772Any person making investigationsin or on prehistoric ruins, ancientburial grounds, fossilized footprints,hieroglyphics, or other archeologicalfeatures of this state, either on fed-eral or state lands, shall first obtain apermit from the archeological branchof the University of Arizona and fromthe board of supervisors of the countyin which the exploration or archeo-logical working is to be undertaken.Any person violating this Articleis guilty of a misdemeanor punishableby a fine not exceeding $500 or byimprisonment in the county jail fornot more than six months, and inaddition, shall forfeit to the state allarticles and material discovered byor through his efforts.

CALIFORNIASection 622 J/i, State Penal Code,(1039)Every person, not the ownerthereof, who willfully injures, disfig-ures, defaces, or destroys any objector things of archeological or historicalinterest or value, whether situated onprivate lands or within any publicpark or place, is guilty of a misde-meanor.A misdemeanor is punishable byimprisonment in the county jail fora period not to exceed six months, or

a fine not to exceed $500, or both.

No information is given in thisSection on how to obtain a permit orwho may be deemed qualified to geta permit.NEVADAState landsSenate BillNo. 106, Chapter 21 0, 1953Any person or organization desir-ing to explore, investigate, and exca-vate in or upon prehistoric ruins,ancient burial grounds, fossilizedfootprints, hieroglyphics, speleologicalsites, archeological sites, Indian arti-facts, historic and prehistoric monu-ments and structures, objects of an-tiquity and historic landmarks and/orother objects of scientific or historicinterest on state or federal lands shallfirst obtain a permit from the boardof directors of the Nevada State Mu-seum.

It shall be unlawful for any personor persons to commit vandalism uponobjects of scientific or historic interest,as defined in this act.Any person or society can collectminerals, rocks, gems, plant life orbutterflies in small quantities andphotograph petroglyphs, pictographsor historical monuments without apermit on state lands.Violators convicted may be finednot less than $10, nor more than $500,be imprisoned in the county jail fornot less than 30 days nor more thansix months, or both fined and im-prisoned.State ParksChapter 85, page185, 1935 S tatutesThe cutting or removal of timber,destruction or removal of buildingsor camping facilities and the removalof historical relics or natural speci-mens such as petrified trees, petro-glyphs and other relics or materialsis prohibited within State Parks.Convicted violators may be finednot less than $20, nor more than$500, or be imprisoned in the countyjail for not less than ten days normore than six months, or both.Exce ptions: A recent interpreta-tion of the above laws by the NevadaState Parks Commission makes it un-lawful to remove petrified wood froma monument, state park or any lo-cality posted by the State Parks Com-mission. Outside the restricted areasrockhounds may collect samples insmall quantities on state lands, butcommercial collectors are not wel-come.

NEW MEXICOAct for the preservation of thescientific resources of the state,H.B. 124, 1931Any person who appropriates, ex-cavates, injures or destroys any his-toric or prehistoric ruin or monument

or any object of historical, archeo-logical or scientific value on landowned or controlled by the statewithout the recommendation of theScience Commission and the consentof the State Land Office Commis-sioner, is subject to a fine of $500or imprisonment for not more than90 days, or both.

Only individuals representing insti-tutions which the Commission deemsproperly qualified, can examine ruins,excavate archeological sites, andgather objects of antiquity. Not lessthan 50 percent of the specimens socollected by non-resident institutionsare retained by the state.OREGON

Oregon Laws, Chapter 380-381,Sections 1-5, Senate Bill 265,1935It is unlawful to excavate and re-move from the lands owned orleased by the State of Oregon or anyof its boards, bureaus, commissionsor public institutions any material ofan archeological, historical, prehis-torical or anthropological naturewithout first obtaining a permit fromthe state land board and the presidentof the University of Oregon.Any individuals or institutions whoexcavate or remove from state landsany of the above mentioned items

without a permit may be prosecutedand all materials and collections be-come the property of the state ofOregon.UTAH

Senate Bill No. 62, 1957Before any exploration or excava-tion in or on any prehistoric ruins,pictographs, hieroglyphs or any otherancient marking or writings or ar-cheological or paleontological depos-its on any public lands, either stateor federal, shall be done, a permitshall first be obtained from the statepark and recreation commission and

from the board of county commis-sioners of the county wherein thesame is to be undertaken.Enforcement of this law rests withthe state park and recreation com-mission. No part of any ruin ordeposit covered by this law shall beremoved from the state without theconsent of the state park and recrea-tion commission and the board ofcounty commissioners wherein theruin or deposit is found.Any person violating this act or therules and regulations shall be guiltyof a misdemeanor and upon convic-tion thereof shall, in addition to anyother penalties imposed, forfeit thearticles and materials discovered by

or through his efforts.

18 DESERT MAGAZINE


19/44

University of Arizona Archeo logical Field School at Point of Pines. Know ledgecomes from investigating ruins under trained supervision. Man y research organi-zations welcom e aid from individual and club volunteer helpers. Photog raphcourtesy W. W. Wasley.California promiscuously dug in Indianounds, leaving gaping holes and pilesof dirt. On private lands ancient shellmounds often have been leveled andthe soil, shells and evidences of pre-historic people hauled away for lawnor garden soil. Seldom do private landowners notify scientists when they un-cover evidence of human occupancy.In Nevada, largely because of recentvandalism and large scale looting bycommercial dealers and others, thelaws have been strengthened and anactive program of apprehending andprosecuting violators has been carriedon by the State Parks Commission.One case that demanded and receivedimmediate attention was the recent up-rooting of fine specimens of petrifiedwood with bulldozers and dynamite.Those who have the thankless job ofprotecting the natural wonders of Ne-

vada understand the need and value ofoutdoo r recreation, however. Recen t-ly the Commission liberalized its inter-pretation of the laws, and announcedthat rockhounds could collect smallsamples of petrified wood in areas notposted by the Commission, but dealerswere not welcome. Autho rities stillintend to stop the wholesale removalof petrified wood and fossil materialfrom public lands.The disregard for such laws is wide-spread. It is not unusual to read news-paper accounts of cave or dwellingexcavations made by untrained indi-viduals who could not qualify for per-mits . Artifacts, fossils and other ma-terials always are available for purchasefrom such persons, along with bookswhich tell how to get to collectingareas protected by law. Even rockclubs have described in their bulletins

field trips ma de to closed area s. On eof the most frequent example of thisconcerns the collecting of gem stonesin Death Valley National Monument.Of necessity, restrictive laws limitthe activity and enjoyment of the manyin order to control the mercenary andthough tless action of the few. All thathas saved these despoilers from prose-cution is that the lands protected gen-erally are vast, and those who enforcethe laws are few in num ber. If van-dalism, commercialism and destruc-tion continue, I expect even stricterlaws and better organized enforcementprograms.Many people reap wholesome, edu-cational, spiritual and aesthetic valuesfrom outdoor collecting hobbies. Ofcourse some collectors merely are"trophy hunters" who carry homeeverything they can, but there are

N O V E M B E R , 1 9 5 7 19


20/44

others who are stimulated to furtherstudy and original thinking by theirexperiences in the field.Such a person is Horace Arment ofOn tario, Orego n. An avid artifacthunter and layman researcher, recentlyhe incorporated all the efforts of hismany field trips and research into alittle publication on Indian artifactsof the Upper G reat Basin. In it hewrote: "In the Eternal Order of Things,we are the interlopers . . . Will thework of our hands endure as long ashis? I do not know I only know thatwhen, for the first time, I behold oneof those beautiful points and reachdown and reverently lift it from thedust, in spirit, I walk with him, thatStone Age Man, a few steps."I am convinced that the great ma-

jority of rockhounds, artifact huntersand fossil collectors only need guidanceto direct their interest and energy intoconstructive channels that will enrichtheir own lives and fur ther scientificresearch. A considerable part of theexcavation work done under the lead-ership of Dr. M. R. Harrington of theSouthwest Museum at Gypsum Cave insouthern Nevada, was by interestedindividuals who donated their labor,and in some instances, money as well,for the satisfaction they received inparticipating in this important scien-tific work.Occasionally, a layman uncovers aclue that leads to the identification ofa new fossil plant, animal or insect,or one which permits archeologists towrite a new chapter in the story of

"Desert Plants Grow in Our Gar-den" was written by 79-year-old LenaGamble Bixler of Tucson, a retiredPennsylvania school teacher who cameto the Southwest in 1938. Her teach-ing career includes 15 years as an in-structor at Tem ple University. She isa regular contributor to educationaljournals, writing articles that arelargely based on reminiscences, coloredby happenings of today.* * *

Paintingin oils and watercolorsand writing poetry are two of themany interests of Jean Page Killgore,author of "In His Memory, a NewTown," the story of her father, JohnPag e. M rs. Killgore also is an enth u-siastic mountain camper.From her birthplace in Grand Junc-tion, Colorado, she moved with herfamily to the Hoover Dam site in 1931where a deep fondness for the desertdeveloped. "A n ideal existence," shewrites, "would be to live on the desertnine months of the year, and spend thethree summer months camping in themounta ins ."M rs . Killgore's husband is an elec-trical engineer in the employ of theBureau of Reclamation in Denver.They have two daughters, Carolyn, 20,a student at the University of NewMexico, and Kathy, 15, who is inhigh school. * * *O. V. Deming, who wrote "TheAntiquities Laws and You" in thismonth 's Desert, is a wildlife manage-men t biologist in Oregon. Since col-lege, most of his life has been spent

in the outdoors, where he has had theopportunity to study desert game ani-mals and devise methods for the per-petuation and management of dwindl-ing wildlife resou rces. Alon g the wayhe also developed interests in gemstones, fossils, artifacts, driftwood, ge-ology and photography.

"During my work in the desert ithas become second nature to carryextra gasoline, water, oil and food toaid stranded visitors who did not real-ize the dangers of running out of thebasic essentials in a land far removedfrom supermarkets and service sta-t ions," Deming wrote. "My article onthe antiquities laws is just ano ther effortto help folks stay out of trouble whenthey heed the primitive urge to getoutdoors."

Selling a copy of the old San Ber-nardino, California, Index to DeathValley Scotty (who paid a silver dollarfor it) was Don Ashbaugh's first news-paper job. A resident of Las Vegas,Nevada, he is author of the waterholefeature, "Crystal Springs," in this issue.As a feature writer and reporter,Ashbaugh spent many years in LosAngeles. After being discharged fromthe service in 1945 he stopped off inLas Vegas and quickly decided to"stay here instead of returning to themetropolitan madhouse." He is Sun-day Editor of the Review-Journal inthat city. * * *Classifying himself as a "ghost townsnooper and desert rat," E. C. Thoro-man, author of "Lost Gold of the FourPeaks" in this month's Desert, hasbeen a resident of Arizona for the past10 years. During this time he hastramped over much of the state'smoun tainous country. Thoro man is di-rector of testing and placement for thePhoenix College.

some ancient people. The late Fran kBeckwith, who drew the attention ofscientists to the great fossil depositsnear Delta, Utah, had an ancient trilo-bite species named in his honor. Manyreporters of archeological sites havehad their names attached to their find-ings.". . . it would be virtually impossibleto over-emphasize the role played by

the conscientious amateur," declaredDr. W. W. Wasley, archeologist at theArizona State Museu m. "This is par-ticularly true in the matter of report-ing new finds and new sites. M ost ofour early man, or paleo-Indian sites ofmajor importance have been broughtto the attention of the professionals injust this way."If we are to preserve our presentfreedoms in the outdoors, we mustpractice moderation in what we takehome from collecting trips. We shouldbecome better acquainted with local

institutions and museums, and theirtrained personnel should be invited topresent club programs, and encour-aged to become affiliated with thegroup. We should offer manpower,equipment and unlimited enthusiasmto further scientific exploration.Report new finds of a fossiliferousor archeological nature to institutionsand museums so scientific values canbe determined before they are de-stroyed. Teach mem bers of your clubor group to restrict the impulse tobecome "trophy hunters." Members,

by vote or mutual consent, should limitthe amount of material each is to takehom e from a field trip. Prom iscuousgathering by even a portion of a largegroup can quickly denude an area.And dealers who persist in selling un-lawfully - acquired relics or stonesshould be blacklisted by individualsand clubs.Will your gemstone, artifact, min-eral, fossil and other collections to aninstitution of your choice that has needfor such material and will properlycare for it. Seldom does the secondgeneration in a family take the samepride and interest in a collection thatthe collector had. Too m any fine col-lections are broken up, sold, delegatedto the attic or hauled to the city dumpwhen they could have continued togive appreciation, education and en-joyment to future generations in amuseum or educational institution.Unfortunately, the Southwest's in-creasing population will make this gen-eral problem more acute as time goeson. But, those who have no regardfor the wonders of the earth can betaught such affectionand it is upto you and I to do the teaching, byour utterances and by our examples inthe field.

20 DESERT MAGAZINE


21/44

T he 86-year-old Apache Indianh a d taken gold from the minewhose white discoverers had beenkilled by his father. Perhaps theyears hadbeen unkind to his mem-ory, perhaps the gold was merelya n oldman's dream. But, possiblythe gold existsand here are theknown c lues to Iretaba's treasurelying in the shadow of the ruggedFour Peaks in central Arizona.

By E. C. THOR OMANM ap by Norton AllenVER AL YEAR S be fore hisdeath in 1952,Colby Thomas,a mining engineer who had op-in Arizona and Oldof a fas-

of a lost gold mine neara rough and rugged areaA n old Apaehe Indian, Iretaba,as Puncher Bob becausee had worked as a cow and horsein the Four Peaks area mosthis life, told Thomas of the fantastic

to the east of the HughesIn his youth, Iretaba had madeto the lode and took outof the gold, but now,of his blindness and great agee was 86), he would be unable toHis friendship forand the many favors whichhad given him prompted Bobthe long-kept secret.Colby Thomas was then past 80of age himself, but mining washis blood, and he wanted to makee try. The instructions given byBob were explicit: "Go byay of the Bush Highway to the signthe turnoff to Hughesto the HughesAt this point there is a junctiontwo washes. Take the southerly

ut five miles east. Her e therebe evidence of an old digging in

BUSH >HIGHWAY

MESA

ToPayson

'-jS

Ir 1-PEAKS ,,-

>fLOST MINE/ AREA

TO SUNFLOWER| S PAYSON

Hughes \ pn //' /} ! Homesite'iPWell *"" .** , . '"'SXtMAYBE BAD) .:'

: "" / . I I I '" . '*- > . M A^' i ... W ' 1 Trai l

-M \ . , ; po,/olvs washV ' . f % (SOFTSANDJ

Cottonwood .' '';;.:'Ranch House '"'>, &"I/'.;:, s

af te r E.C.T.TO MESA S SCOTTSOALE

the side of the wash. Climb out of thewash onto the bench, and seek thebiggest palo verde tree in sight. Atthe base of the tree measure 20 feetsouthwest; the opening of the mineis at that point."Despite his age, Thomas made thetrip alonestopping in Mesa to re-check his information with PuncherBob, who was living there with a son.The trip over the then existing dirtroads took the rest of that day, andthat night Thomas camped by the wellat the end of the road. From here therest of the journey was by foot. Nextmorning he traversed the wash as di-rected, and picked up some unusuallyrich gold float. Bynoon he had foundth e olddiggings at the edge of the washan d had made his wayonto the bench.The afternoon was a nightmare. Thecountry wasrugged, covered withman-

zanita, leached with arsenic and in-fested with rattlesnakes. Palo verdetrees? Yes,plenty of them, but nonethat stood out larger than the rest.Furthermore , he was unable to findmore of the rich float which he earlierhad picked up in the streambed. Asth e sundropped low, he climbed higherand worked over the next bench, butto no avail. Short on water and ex-hausted by his efforts, he made his wayback to the car and camped for thenight.Next day he tried again, but withno better success. Could he be aboveor below the place in the wash? Whatwas his mistake? By now his suppliesand stamina were seriously depleted.Believing that he had misunderstoodthe instructions, Thomas drove backto Mesa."No, you were on the right bench,"

N O V E M B E R , 1 9 5 7 21


22/44

Ed Abbott points down the road to theCottonwood Ranch, beyond whichthe trail enters a sandy wash that runs behind the lowhills in front of FourPeaks in background . Wash leads directly to the old Hughes homesite.

Puncher Bob told him. Then he gaveThomas the complete background onthe mine:"Nearly 100years ago," Bob began,"two white mencame in from Tucson.They prospected in the edge of the

Four Peaks country. This was beforeI wasborn. They had very good luck.They found a small blowout hole inthe bench lined with rotten quartzloaded with gold."For several days the miners worked

H a r d R o c k S h o r t yof Death Valley

"That ' s a purty fair piece o'petrified wood fer a newcomer,"Hard Rock Shorty admittedgrudgingly. "Shows the grain an'them knot holes is kinda natch-eral. Too bad it's busted up sosmall. 'T ain ' t more'n two feetlong, is it?""What do you mean, 'small ' ,"protested the rockhound. "Doyou expect me to find a wholetree? This piece fills mygatherin 'bag plumb full .""Now take it easy," Hard Rockcomforted him. "I said it wuz anice piece fer a beginner.'Course I've found whole limbs."He puffed at his pipe, a reminis-cent gleam in his eyes."Best piece I ever found wuz alimb still fastened t' the crotch o'the tree where it growed, allpetri-fied an' with petrified leaves. Inthe crotch wuz a petrified bird'snest full o' petrified eggs. You

wouldn't hardly believe that un-less you seen it, would you?"I know'd I had something thescientist fellers would go crazyabout. But I didn' t say nothin''cause I calculated to do a littlesciencin' on my own. I figgeredthem eggs wuzplumb dried outan' deehydrated. So I soaked emin water and then set 'em underone o' Pisgah Bill's ol' hens."That hen wuz mighty faithful.Set three weeks and then beganlookin' surprised. Three weeksmore an' she looked downrightworried. Well, after a few moreweeks o' incubatin ' I heerd themeggs a poppin ' an' the oF hencome a runnin ' an' a squawkin'at me.

"Yes siree, them durned petri-fied eggs'd hatched all right, butthem pore baby birds wuz allborn petrified."

their strike, going down into the holeand picking out the rich quartz fromthe sides. Fearful of the Apaches orthat other miners would find their richclaim, they loaded their burros with asmuch carefully selected ore as theydared, and prepared to depart. Scru-pulously they collected all their tailingsand threw them down into the wash.Then they placed brush over the mouthof the blowout. Richly ladened, theyreturned to Tucson."However, their operation had notgone unnoticed by the Apaches, whoresented the intrusion. When the min-ers returned several months later, theywere slain. T hen the Apaches tooksteps to insure that the rich strikewould never again be found. Theysealed the entrance to the shallow tun-nel with a large rock, and to covertheir traces, built a fire, leaving whatappeared to be the ashes of a burnedout campfire."

B o b , whose father had been a partyto the slaying of the two miners , wastold of the incident in his childhood.In the daring of hisyouth, he sneakedover to the mine, propped up the rockand broke off some pieces of the richgold-laden quartz. For this he hadbeen punished by the tribe, which bythis time was located on theSan CarlosReservation.Although he had punched cattle inthe area for many years , Bob hadnever returned. Now, the tribe wasgone, he was old and sick, and heneeded the gold. Would Thomas tryagain?

Colby Thomas fully intended to dos o , but the strenuous search made himi l l . After recovering several monthslater, he enlisted the aid of Ed Abbott ,who successfully had worked the oldGunsight Mine, and had prospectedwith Thomas on other occasions.Because of his frailty Thomas stayedat the well on the return visit. Abbottfound no large palo verde nor did hefind the flat stone that covered theentrance to the tunnel. What he didfind was a newly marked claim and anew digging at the edge of the wash.That claim presented a complicatingfactor for it overlapped the area wherethe blowout was believed to be. HadPuncher Bob sought other help?Back in Mesa another blow awaitedthem. Bob and his son had movedaddress unknown. Thom as decidedto wait it out, hoping the prospectorwould become discouraged and drophis claim. But time did not wait. In1 9 5 2 , Colby Thomas died at 89 yearsof age.He passed on without making hislast big strike, but the flat rock stillcovers the entrance to the diggings,and the Four Peaks Gold Mine still islost.

22 DESERT MAGAZINE


23/44

o fB u r d e n . . .

First prize winning photog-rapher L. D. Schooler ofBlythe, California, made thiscamera study of a prospec-tor's indispensable partner inthe ghost city of Jerome, Ari-zona . Schooler ' s cameradata: Rolleicord Camera setat f. 16, 1/100 second on PlusX film.

P i c t m s o ft h e M o n t h0 0 9 t h V a l l e yD u n e s . . .

The photo contest judgesawarded I. Haines of LosAngeles second prize for thisinspir ing picture of sanddunes near Stove Pipe Wellsin Death Valley. Haines useda 4x5 camera set at f. 16,1/10 second; infrared film.


24/44

L I F E ON THE D E S E R T

Desert Plants GrowIn Our Gardeny LENA GAMBLE BIXLER7H E C O M F O R T A B L E d eserthome we purchased in Tucsonwas located on top of a hillcrusted over with caliche, the calciumcarbonate-impregnated soil that is soprevalent in arid regions and especiallyArizona.When I lamented about the barenessof the yard, the renter living in thehouse, who was not happy about hav-ing to move, cynically remarked: "Peo-ple come here to have the desert, solet them have the desert!"That first year I contented myselfwith a large tub of water lilies. I alsostruggled with a small plot of Bermudagrass, only to see the fertilizer, its lifeblood, washed away during a cloud-burst. The little dark streams, withthe whole recipe for making thingsgrow, tumbled out of the yard to joinlarger streams and soon my lawn wasgone. But, the bright little water liliescheered me,although I sometimes im-agined they were mocking me for myfutile efforts at growing grass in suchsterile soil.

The following year, myhusband sug-gested that we have a professionalgardener landscape our grounds. Wecalled one in to make an estimate ofthe cost for such a job.First, we were informed, a retainingwall would be imperative since ourlot was on an incline. Estimated cost:$400. To dig up and haul away thetop layer of caliche would cost $100

(at this my husband remarked thatlandscaping on the desert apparentlymeant " landscraping.") The cost ofreplacing the caliche with top soil wascalculated at $300 . In addition, therewould be the cost of fertilizer to con-dition the soil . Then, the gardenertold us, while the ground was beingdug up, it would be economical toinstall a sprinkler system which hethought would cost around $300.Each shrub and tree we used in ourlandscape would require the diggingof a deep pit in which peat moss, fer-

tilizer and top soil in correct propor-tions would have to be inserted. And,of course, there would be a consider-

able outlay for seeds, plants, shrubsand trees.My husband studied the estimateand shook his head. "Not this year,my dear," he said to me.The words "people come here forthe desert, so let them have the desert"flashed through my mind. I decidedto use desert plants on our lot.The next day I began paying closerattention to how Nature landscapedthe desert. Mesquite bushes and smallpalo verde trees were thriving in thesandy soil near our home. I saw thatthey were quite decorative in spite oftheir thorns.Not violating federal or state lawsby removing vegetation we neededfrom public lands, we went to friends'ranches for cacti and other plants.During the next fewweeks we eagerlydug, hauled and transplanted them.Soon we learned that despite theirhardiness, these plants are not easy totransplant for many of them pouted

and died. But, "the leaves of hopenever wither," so we replaced themagain and again until our project wascompleted.Today a fence of whip-branchedocotillos, planted close together alongthe rear of the lot with three tamarisktrees, makes a beautiful backgroundfor our home, especially when the tipsof the ocotillo branches are coveredwith red blossoms. Mesquites andspineless cacti outline another side ofth e lot. After 10 years of carefulwatering, one of the mesquites has

grown into a beautiful anduseful shadetree. Of course, it needed much prun-ing to check its uncivilized way ofcrowding out other plantings.A night blooming cereus vines overa side porch and has many bloomsevery year. Num erous visitors regu-larly come to our home to see thisbeautiful plant and to smell its delicateperfume when the white blossoms un-fold during the night.Young saguaro cacti, growing lessthan an inch each year, stand close tothe house. We planted them with the

hope that they would live for 300years on this hilltop. Verbena addspurple coloring to the yard wherever

Lena Bbder and her husbandfound that there are m a n y ad-van tages in using native plantsfor home landscaping on thedeserteconomy, ease of up-keep, wide variety of interestingplants to choose from, and per-h ap s the most important: theharmony and charm derivedfrom surrounding a Southwest-ern home with Southwesternflora.

it grows, and we have found that witha little encouragement, it can be madeto spring up almost anywhere. In eachcorner of a stone fence along the frontof the property where passers-by canadmire them, grow twocentury plants.Five palo verde trees are a sourceof joy theyear around, especially whenthe green branches are filled with yel-low blossoms. YuccaSpanish bayo-netsstand guard on both sides of thegarage door. On the sunny west sideof our lot grow our ever increasingcollection of rare cactus specimens.A nd now that all these native plantsare helping to hold the soil from wash-ing down the hillside, we are having adegree of success with Bermuda grass!All agree that ourdesert landscapingis artistic and pleasing to the eye. Ithas been a very satisfying projectone that has given us much pleasure.W e are glad that we "came to thedesertand have the desert."

FATE OF U.S. I N D I A N SEXPLAINED TO FRENCH

The current issue of Informations etDocuments, a French language reviewpublished by the U. S. Embassy inParis , is designed to set the recordstraight in regard to the fate of theAmerican Indians.The embassy regularly receives let-ters from Frenchmen who say theAmericans exterminated the Indiansand thus have no right to criticizeFrance for its fight against the Algerianrebels.The review points out that theAmerican Indian population at thetime of Columbus was an estimated846,000. By the middle of the 19thCentury it had dropped to 300,000 asa result of tribal wars, drouth, diseaseand migrations to Mexico and Canada.Today, the Indian population is over400,000, apart from those living offthe reservations. New Mexican

24 DESERT MAGAZINE


25/44

O N DESERT TRAILSWITH A NATURALIST --XLIII

Two antelope jackrabblts on rightand a desert jackrabbit on left.

o n g -E a red D e n i z e n s o f t h e D e s e r t . . .The prolonged Southwestern drouth has greatly reduced the num-ber of rabbits and hares in this area, but naturalists know that it isonly a matter of time before they are again numerous in the open desertcountry. Familiar to all who are acquainted with the Southwest, thesemeek creatures depend upon defensive coloration, speed and keensensesespecially hearing for which they are so well equippedto

survive.By EDMUND C. JAEGER, D.Sc.Curator of PlantsRiverside Municipal MuseumDrawings by Morris Van Dame

7HE PANAMINT Indians whospent their winter and springmonths around the waterholesand mesquite thickets on the barrenfloor of Death Valley, subsisted almostentirely throughout this period on foodgathered during the preceding autumn.This fare consisted of insects, lizards,plant greens, the seeds of wild rice,mesquite beans and pinyon nuts gath-ered in the Grapevine Mountains. Au-tumn also was the time of the com-NO VE MB ER , 19 5 7

munal. rabbit drives and antelopehunts.The rabbit drives generally wereheld in October just after the pine-nutharvest. To find rabbits in numberst

195711 Desert Magazine 1957 November

Documents

Transcript of 195711 Desert Magazine 1957 November