Page 94 - 2006 DT 12 Issues

December Mining, continued from p. 1 expert, J.W.S. Perry, and a muleskinner
named Ed Stiles hit on a dramatic so-

D e s k S c h e d u l e were built around the legendary min- lution. They would link two ten-mule
ing operation. In 1930, the first half- teams together to form an enormous
hour episode of “Death Valley Days” 100-foot-long train. Special wagons
Fri/1 P. Oleson R. Erickson
aired on the radio, sponsored by U.S. were needed, big enough to carry a
Sat/2 R. Conductor W. Barbuck Borax and featuring “The Old Ranger” large quantity of ore and tough enough
W. Barbuck as narrator. The stories were all based to withstand a ten-day crossing of both
Sun/3 P. Gertis E. Meeks on real events as well as lore. The pro- desert and the Panamint Mountains
gram moved to TV 22 years later and to reach the railhead. The result was
Mon/4 R. Linsmeier N./T. Hughes continued to enjoy great popularity, a solid oak wagon 16 feet long that

Tues/5 R. Augulis E. Zachar hosted by Ronald Reagan and later by could carry nine metric tons, riding on
P. Kepner Robert Taylor. iron-covered wheels seven feet high.
The story began with two men, Even an empty wagon weighed nearly
Wed/6 L. Mills C. McLaughlin Francis M. “Borax” Smith and William 8,000 pounds. Add a 500-gallon water
V. Sperry T. Coleman. It was tank to all this weight
Thur/7 G. Wojciechowski J. Barrett Smith who started the . . . it was tough to be
Fri/8 R. Kinn I. Hyman first successful borax a borax mule. Actu-
mine in 1872 at Teel’s ally, the twenty-mule
Sat/9 P. VanDooremaal R. Erickson
Marsh, Nev. near what team numbered 18; the
Sun/10 L. Eaton L. Eaton is now State Route two animals closest to
Mon/11 S. Stenzel R. Linsmeier 360, just south of the wagons were horses.
Tues/12 M. Slagle P. Gertis Excelsior Mountains. The two riders found
His original company them easier to manage
Wed13 G. Fazio D. Kavula
eventually became than mules. During the
Thur/14 G. Wojciechowski J. Barrett today’s U.S. Borax. six years of operation,
Fri/15 P. Oleson R. Erickson Nine years later, pros- from 1883 to 1889, 20
Sat/16 J. Kissosondi B. Wolin pector Aaron Winters million pounds of bo-
and his wife, Rosie, rax was hauled out of
Sun/17 J. Sachs N./T. Hughes
camped at Ash Mead- Death Valley. Incred-
Mon/18 S. Stenzel J. Geier ows on the east side of Francis Marion Smith ibly, not one mule or
Tues/19 J. Frank J. Geier Death Valley. He had wagon was lost.
been told there were “cottonballs” on Eventually, a rail connection
Wed/20 V. Sperry C. McLaughlin the nearby valley floor. Winters went ended the “Twenty-Mule-Teams.”
Thur/21 G. Wojciechowski J. Barrett to look and remembered the test for bo- However, U.S. Borax has continued to
Fri/22 C. Williams C. Powers rax. He poured an alcohol concoction use one as a living, a traveling symbol
Sat/23 C. Williams C. McLaughlin on some of the “cottonball” crystals of an epic period in the Old West. The
Sun/24 B. Saperstein Closed 2:30 p.m. and set them on fire. “She burns green, mules and wagon recently clattered
Rosie! We’re rich, by God!” It was down the street at Pasadena’s annual
L./M. Utah Rose Parade.
borax—and it was all over the place.
Mon/25 Visitor Center Closed Winters sold his claim to a visionary
Note: Ash Meadows is only 90
Tues/26 M. Slagle L./M. Utah San Francisco businessman, William miles northwest of Las Vegas in the
Wed/27 E. Rothfuss C. Powers T. Coleman for $20,000. The borax Amargosa Valley. Now a National
boom was on.
Thur/28 G. Fazio J. Barrett Wildlife Refuge, it has over 40 fresh-
The riches were there, but an water springs and several small
Fri/29 E. Rothfuss J. Kissosondi enormous problem remained: how to reservoirs that attract an abundance of
Sat/30 E. Meeks P. Kepner get the borax from Death Valley to the wildlife, including over 230 species of
Sun/31 Open Closed nearest rail spur at Mojave, Calif. 165 birds, both resident and migratory. It
miles away. The task seemed almost is also unique in being the sole habitat
Changes/fill-ins? Call K. Sorom, 515-5350 too daunting until Coleman’s mining of 24 species. ❏

Page 6 FORRC/December 2006