Page 89 - 2006 DT 12 Issues

I n T h i s I s s u e !

Featured Article
Death Valley Mining..............................1

Departments
News & Notes.......................................2
Programs & Hikes.................................4

December 2006 Desk Schedule.....................................6
Bulletin Board.......................................8

DEATH VALLEY MINING Nevada’s own Rhyolite. Prospec-

“Would you enjoy a trip to hell?” tors also searched for zinc, copper,
antimony and tungsten. There was,
by Chuck Kleber Salt Creek and Wildrose Canyon. however, something else in Death
Something else was also found by Valley that would, in many ways,
n April Fools Day, 1907, a a miner in the group: some silver- have a greater impact than any other
mining advertising agency lead ore that he later fashioned into fi nd in that harsh land. It was borax.
Owrote an ad for the Death a gunsight. The resulting mine was Think of borax and the famous
Valley Chuckwalla Magazine. It appropriately named “Lost Gunsight “Twenty-Mule-Teams” come to mind.
asked a simple question: “Would you Mine.” It started a mining boom that They hauled ore under the harshest
enjoy a trip to hell? You might enjoy lasted for decades. Gold and silver. of conditions, including 130 degree
a trip to Death Valley.” It added, hu- Could anything be more alluring? heat. Borax was an outstanding soap
morously, that Death Valley had all Although Chlo-

the advantages of hell without the ride City lacked an
inconveniences. It probably brought alluring name, it
some laughs, but there was also a sprang up as one
heavy dose of truth here. of the early Death Courtesy Norm Kresge
Death Valley didn’t get its name Valley towns after
for nothing. It was bad enough for August Franklin
pioneers to attempt the crossing discovered silver-
with wagons, but at least there was lead ore deposits in
the prospect of green fields, forests 1871. He used pack

and abundant water farther ahead. mules to haul ore
To work there day after day in the and return with sup-
blistering, unrelenting heat required plies. The nearest
a good reason. Death Valley had town was San Ber- Twenty mule team wagon
it—gold, silver, lead, borax and more. nardino, Calif. 180
They all spelled real and potential miles away, tough
mining wealth for the risk takers and going for mule and man. Chloride and a laundry cleaner, among other
the hardy. City spawned companies as late as uses, hardly akin to gold and silver as
The first group of pioneers to pass 1905, with names like the Bullfrog the stuff of romantic legend. Regard-

through the daunting hazards of Death Mining Company and the Mucho less, the image of those days was so
dramatic that radio and TV programs
Valley in 1849 named it well, and Mining Company. This was a period
only one died. They were fortunate of renewed activity in gold and sil-

to find water at Travertine Springs, ver mining at places like Skidoo and
Mining, continued on page 6