iI.
''Weakly'' Newspaper
Pulished by KNOTT'S BERRY PLACE, Bwe_ Park, CalUorBia
Volume I, Number 2
The "Bad Man From Bodie"
By MARION A. SPEER
T WELVE miles out from Mono
Lake the road drops into a nar­
row and rough ravine. The road is
rough and tortuous and is strictly a
one way affair and very little traveled.
A mile or so of this and we are going
along the steep side of a mountain and
we knew that we were nearing Bodie,
for here and there were small piles of
white brown rock that some pros­
pector had dug from the hill in his
search for gold. These are known in
the miner's slang as "gopher's holes."
These become more numerous as we
are still gaining altitude in second
gear. At last we reach the top of the
divide about one mile southwest of
Bodie. Down below us lay Bodie in a
basin or swale. . Bodie is completely
surrounded by hills void of all growth
except sage brush and short grass.
The road from this point winds like
the letter S towards the town. Near
the road are a number of old mining
shafts and the landscape is littered
with decaying mining machinery and
other mining equipment. Unheralded
and without ceremony or excitement,
we arrived at the west end of the
main street of Bodie, California, late
one afternoon.
Bodie, California, is located only a
few miles from the California-Nevada
state line. The site of the town is
near the very crest of the desert
mountains that are peculiar to this
section of California. The town is
built in a swale or depression cover­
ing perhaps two sections of land.
To the east is an outlet through a
rugged canyon that provides drainage
for the basin. It is through this can­
yon that the road was built, over
which nearly all the freight was
brought into Bodie. Wagons drawn by
oxen and mule teams were used for
this purpose. This freighting was done
from Hawthorne, 40 miles away, and
from Carson City and Reno, 125 to
150 miles distant.
Placer gold was discovered by a
few hardy miners, who had banded
themselves together for mutual gain
or disappointment, about 1870. They
were content to work the placer dig­
gings in their crude way, for the re­
turns paid them good wages. They
ever looked forward to the time when
they would have enough to go back to
Missouri and Tennessee and settle
down with plenty and contentment.
BUENA PARK, CALIF., 1941
A LUCKY CAVE-IN
Meanwhile, they had been sinking
a shaft on the hilltop guarding the
east entrance to the basin. The show­
ings that they found were so prom­
ising that they sold their holdings to
a syndicate of eastern men for $65­
000.00. The new owners continued to
deepen and enlarge the shaft, but they
were ready to give up in despair, when·
one of those accidents happened so
common to all mines, a cave-in.
There were two significant circum­
stances connected with this cave-in:
first, no one was injured; second, it ex­
posed stringers of pure gold. As de­
velopment work progressed, the vein
grew larger, and the gold appeared in
greater abundance. Soon the news
found its way to the outside world,
and a real gold rush was on. Thus it
was that Bodie was off with a bang of
whirlwind excitement, that gained for
it the reputation of being the wildest,
wickedest place of debauchery on the
face of the earth. The "Bad Man from
Bodie" is a slogan known even to this
day.
When the rush started, Bodie had
no name, therefore it was natural that
it should be named "Bodie," in honor
and memory of. its first hero, Bill
Bodie, who was a member of the
party of placer miners who first struck
it rich in their placer diggings. He was
sent to the settlements in California
to .exchange ~old for their winter's
supplies. On hls return, he was caught
in a blizzard and perished. When his
body was found in a cave, the follow­
ing spring, it was returned and buried
on top of the only hill in the basin in
which Bodie is built. Late on the
afternoon that we were there, the
large monument erected at his grave
could be plainly seen silhouetted
ag~inst the setting sun.
13,000 POPULATION
While Bodie was rapidly building
up, new and richer discoveries were
being made. Claims were being
staked and worked for miles in all
directions. The population of Bodie
grew from a hundred to a thousand,
then three, five, seven thousand, and
it did not stop until 13,000 persons
called Bodie their home. With this
rush of humanity. came the promoter,
miner,. merchant, tradesman, saloon­
keeper, gambler, the outlaw, and men
Price 10 Cents
who were quick on the draw; and last
and not least, the women who were
the attractions in the dance halls and
cabarets. Still the mad rush went on
and gold in great abundance was
shipped to the mint where coin was
given in exchange. .
The wildcat promoters were busy
and development work was being
pushed forward with all speed on the
Bodie mine with money supplied by
the sale of stock at 25 cents per share.
Sales were too slow to meet the pay­
rolls and supply bills. Stock was
given to the miner and merchant in
lieu of cash. Soon everybody in Bodie
had a fist .full of these beautifully en­
graved stock certificates.
SPENDING ORGY
The one thing in a thousand hap­
pened to an enterprise of this kind,
-gold was found in the Bodie mine as
it never was found before. This 25­
cent stock went skyrocketing until it
reached the sum of $55.00 per share.
Bodie was flooded with real money
and such a spending orgy resulted as
the world has never seen. Then Bodie
went on building. Churches were
(Continued on Page 24)
When Boston .Sent
Ice To California
By EDMUND KINYON
Cold drinks were at a high pre­
mium in the Sierra and its westward
valleys during. the first several sum­
mers following the Great Discovery.
Rather oddly, the first generation off
the plains and ships either had no
knowledge of storing ice or no stom­
ach for the work and investment in­
volved.
Mythical as it may seem, ice, during
the first years, was shipped from Bos­
ton~own the Atlantic, around Cape
Horn and up the Pacific Coast-to
San Francisco. From there it was
doled out to some of the larger towns,
including Sacramento, as long as the
supply lasted. But shipments were
few and so often delayed that periods
of sweltering weather oftimes caught
San Francisco and the interior cities
completely iceless.
During the summer of 1850 the ex­
pedient was hit upon of hauling snow
from the High Slerra to appease the
insistent demands of the patrons of
Sacramento's drink emporiums for
"tall, ice-cold" drinks. Other towns
(Continued on Page 25)
THE GHOST TOWN NEWS
cently published articles telling of
..4 Weakl,. Newspaper
Published at· KNOTT's BEll..T Puc:!:, Buena Park,
Buena Park, California. Price 10 cents.
NICHOLS FIELD WILSON
Copi.,.. of this souvenir edition will be mailed to any
address in the United State., postal!<' paid, for 10
cents each.
Addren all communications to
circulation, carried a splendid story in
KNOTT'S BERRY PLACE
their October number. Written by
Buena Park, California
that well known writer, Frank J. Tay­
EDITORIAL
The first issue of The Ghost Town
News was gotten out as a souvenir
and more or less as an experiment.
Down here on the farm we have
learned to grow berries and good
things to eat but publishing a paper is
something else again. However, the
reception accorded our first issue of
The Ghost· Town News has been ~
splendid that we are encouraged to
offer this, the second issue of our
"weakly""':"'- not weekly-publication.
Some folks have been kind enough
to suggest that we publish it every
month as a regular monthly magazine.
What do you think?
Every day visitors here from all
over the country buy copies of the
Ghost Town News and a goodly num­
ber mail from one to a dozen copies to
friends from one end of the land to
the other. We believed that these
folks would like to know of other in­
teresting places to visit, other good
places to dine and also like to read
of men and women who today are
finding the way to surmount their
difficulties and carve out a successful
career in these western states.
Ghost Town Village is the hobby of
Walter Knott, just as Dearborn Vil­
lage is to Henry Ford, and these hob­
bies of successful men give to all
Americans a glimpse into the past
with a record of the achievements of
our early pioneers. However, it is the
successful business of building auto­
mobiles that awakened the real in­
terest in Henry Ford and it is the
success in his line of endeavor that is
attracting world-wide attention to
Walter Knott.
In the first issue of Ghost Town
News your correspondent attempted
to sketch a brief outline of this man
who founded a great business on the
side of the road-started as a ten-acre
berry patch. We hoped and believed
that well-known writers and national
magazines would see in this story one
that would prove of interest to the
world and it is with much gratifica­
tion that we find our hopes are being
realized. Many splendid periodicals,
magazines and newspapers have re­
son for a little bow. For years he
Knott's Berry Place. Authors and
writers known to millions of readers
have seen the opportunity for inter­
esting articles and some have already
been pubUshed while others are in the
making.
The Farm Journal and Farmer's
Wife, that great Philadelphia monthly
with more than two and a half million
and is now in charge of trucking and
transportation. It's the team work!
That's the answer to the success of
lor, the article is titled, "Opportunity
By The Roadside" and it is illustrated
with pictures of the Knott family and
the dining rooms.
In the Reader's Digest for October
the same article appears. When the
magazine with the largest circulation
in the world takes note of a place like
Knott's Berry Place and tells its
4,100,000 subscribers about it you may
be sure that a very large part of all
America will learn of this institution.
And that is what this little berry patch
and roadside stand has grown into­
an institution. An institution that all
California takes pride in and one that
dpes its part to make the Golden State
a better place to live in-with an
added attraction for travelers.
Mr. Taylor, in his article telling of
the success of Knott's Berry Place,
quotes Mr. Knott as saying, "I'm just
lucky to have a family that works
hard and pulls together." Mr. Knott's
modesty is well known to his friends
and intimates but there is truth in the
above statement. And Mr. Knott will
tell you that it isn't only his own
family that deserves part of the credit
but also that loyal family of em­
ployees and associates who have done
their part.
While the business was just small,
of course, the Knott family did all the
work but as it grew dependable help
had to be developed and that came
right from the boys and girls that
grew up thereabouts. When you talk
with Mr. Knott's private 'secretary
Miss Virginia Morris, it is hard to be­
lieve that such efficiency and ability
could be developed right there on the
farm where this young lady started
in -just a school girl-some six years
ago. Calvin Dohn, manager of the
market, who takes such pride in seeing
that your jams and jellies are gotten
ready for you promptly has been there
for five years, while Ethel Curl, the
young woman you frequently buy
from in that department, has been on
the job for four years. If you enjoy,
and who doesn't, the beautiful land­
scaping and gardening which amazes
nany visitors, just include Robert Wi!­
A few copies of the number one issue of GHOST TOWN NEWS are .till
available and will be mailed upon receipt of 10 cents per copy.
lovingly tended the flowers and
scape work at Knott's.· Clyde Finley,
the ranch foreman, and Joe Ritter, who'
sees that the chickens are' properly·
bought for your dinner, are part and
parcel of the place and have been for
a long time. There are others, too, in­
cluding Johnnie La Belle who grew
up from a boy driving the single truck
Knott's. All pulling together and each
person striving to carry out the ideals
of an idealist and a man who believes
in his fellow man. There is another
thing that will strike you when you
become acquainted with Walter Knott
and this institution.
An old friend of Mr. Knott's de­
'Scribed it thusly: "I have never
known another person who inspired
in everyone a desire to help in the
growth of a business as Walter Knott
does. You visit his place, you meet him
or any of his enthusiastic family or
help and at once you feel the urge to
do something to boost a good thing
along. It's contagious!"
It's the team work! First the entire
family all pulling together. Then a
family of employees who look upon
the institution as a part of themselves
and give to it all they possess in abil­
ity and honest endeavor. And finally
it's that great army of hundreds of
thousands of patrons who, having en­
joyed entertainment and a good din­
ner at Knott's feel the urge to spread
the tidings and are not happy until
their friends visit the place. It's the
team work!
Yes,· Knott's Berry Place is be­
coming a great California Institution,
gathering place for good food and fine
entertainment, and it is becoming
known in every corner of the con­
tinent-truly a household word. We
would like to feel that Ghost Town
News has helped to spread its fame­
and we hope that somewhere in this
issue you will find some little item
that is of actual entertainment or in­
terest to you.-N. F. W.
Christmas will soon be here. The
Gift Suggestions new circular, for
the 1941 holiday season is about
ready for mailing. Write your
name and address on a postal
card for free copy. Maybe you
will want to send some good pure
jams and jellies, or some of the
man y goodies so attractively
wrapped, to your loved ones and
friends.
Looking Down Main Street
In Ghost Town Village

A Growing Ghost Town

The above picture gives but an inkling of what you see looking down
Main Street in Ghost Town Village. The rapidity with which new things are
being created, the fast assembling of new things of interest from old ghost
towns of the Western States continually amaze visitors. If there is an elapse
of jUst a few days between your visits, the new additions constantly being
made will furnish new entertainment and interest.

At the left is another picture of "Andy" Anderson, who seems pleased with
his creation of Wing Lee--and that was an. achievement-to whittle this life­
like Ch~naman out of a piece of wood.. In Wing Lee, Sad-Eye Joe has a rival
for the affections of the many admirers this jailbird has found in the thou­
sands who visit Ghost Town Village. For a while Sad-Eye Joe received a lot
of fan mail and from the number of requests for his photograph you might
well imagine that Sad-Eye Joe was a popular motion picture celebrity.

THE RE"CREATING OF A GHOST TOWN
In the building of Walter Knott's
Ghost Town, there has been many
contributions and encouragements
given by those whose motivating force
has been their deep and sincere love
for the old life that is being preserved
here in Ghost Town Village.
Marion A. Speers is such a one. Mr.
Speers, a ~ollector} of western relics
with a museum of his own, has auth­
ored several books on the Old West,
and has a library of photographs of
an the old towns, taken by himself.
The towns of Bodie, Sonora, Goldfield,
Columbia, and all the Mother Lode
mining camps were recorded in per­
son by Mr. Speers as early as 1904.
This collection of photographs Mr.
Speers placed at the disposal of the
writer, and for research reference was
of invaluable assistance. Speer's col­
lection called "Western Trails Mu­
seum" is located a block off Highway
GHOST TOWN NEWS
By PAUL SWARTZ
39 in Oceanview, a suburb of Hunt­
ington Beach, Calif. His private col­
lection became so augmented and of
such public interest that the city of
Huntington Beach donated the money
to build him a suitable annex to house
his increasing collection. He often ad­
dresses clubs, schools and private gath­
erings and his lore of Western History
told in anecdote is interesting indeed.
A visit to Speer's Western Trails Mu­
seum will be time well spent.
Another old time westerner, Bill
Shirley of Costa Mesa, has given free­
ly of his knowledge of the old West.
"When I was a kid," Bill says, "there
was a Ghost Town every place you'd
want to look at."· Born and raised
around Bishop and Bodie, Bill sawall
the early developments in the 90's and
early part of the century. "The Tona­
pah and Goldfield excitement was
something to see," says Shirley. Now
Bill re-lives those exciting days in his
miniature carvings of wagon trains,
stage coaches, logging wheels and 20­
mule teams. With only a jack-knife,
Bill carved from wood 20 mules and
the borax wagon with water tank
wagon behind. Every detail of har­
ness, wagon fittings, and even the use
of the "jerk line" control is accurately
shown. This 20-mule carving is dis­
played in one of the rock gardens at
the Berry Place. Other carvings can
be seen in the blacksmith shop. Bill
Shirley is foreman of setting up the
buildings at Knott's Ghost Town, and
he certainly knows what he's doing.
A word or two about Roy Lee.. Mr.
Lee, with years of experience as a mo­
tion picture studio property man, has
been instrumental in acquiring much
of the old authentic relics and interior
furnishings that adorn the interiors of
the authentic old buildings. Roy has
scouted around five different states
looking for authentic relics of the Gold
Rush Days.
The photographs of Ghost Town
during its construction and the photo­
graphs taken later for publicity are by
Gus Thornrose. Gus spent 20 years as
a news photographer in Detroit and
Chicago, and says that while news­
paper work is interesting, he's having
the time of his life "shootin' " folks at
the "Pitchur Gallery," our old time
tintype studio.
Already, Mr. Knott's Village has at­
tracted men of recognized artistic tal­
ent. Artist Fritz Zillig, international
painter, is now at work on a large
3-dimension diorama, showing a cov­
ered wagon train in 1868 wending its
way across the mountains and desert
en route to California. This 30-foot
painting is curiously aligned with the
Knott family in that the central figure
of a little three-year-old girl on the
seat of the leading wagon will repre­
sent Mr. Walter Knott's mother in
1868. At that time Mr. Knott's mother,
who is still a young woman of 73 sum­
mers, made the overland trip to Cali­
fornia from Virginia. It is expected the
work on the scene will take several
more months to complete.
Another artist, Paul von Klieben. a
portrait painter of international re­
nown, has established his studio at
Knott's. Mr. Klieben has painted fa­
mous and prominent people in New
York,Detroit, Chicago and in Euro­
pean capitals. He paints. in oil and his
studio is open to the public, which is
given an opportunity to see how an
artist works and paints from a live
model.
Yes, Walter Knott is still creating
more "mousetraps" and the path the
world is beating to his door is' widen­
ing into a boulevard!
Like his most unique berry place,
this little restored Ghost Town will
become well beloved by many people
and it will live and grow and keep
pace with his magnificent vision.
.~m~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~G~H~O~S~T~T~'~O~W~N~N~E~W~S~~~~~~~~~~~~~-~~-~,:"
~ ••1 .:~

, '~!jl

,'~
Ghost Town ~i. ~ ..'
'~

Village - '~ "l

j
-1
in the
Making
The picture above gives a
slight insight into the work be­
ing done to reconstruct a typ­
ical ghost town. It shows the
jail where "Sad-Eye Joe" is
incarcerated, with' a view of
the graveyard.
To the left is a picture of
the latest work of "Andy" An­ ',1
derson, the whittling artist,
who is the creator of "Sad­
Eye Joe" as well as this wood­
en Chinaman. From left to , ',
right appear Walter Knott,
Paul Swartz, "Wing Lee" and
"Andy" Anderson. At Ghost
Town Village you will be able
to see Wing Lee in his laun­
dry with the sign, "No Tickee,
No Shirtee." Visitors from far
and near find entertainment
and amusement at Ghost
Town Village and marvel at
the vast amount of building
already completed. Many
come again and again and nev­
er fail to find something of in­
terest that has been added.
It's a tremendously interest­
ing thing that is being done
here. Walter Knott is enjoy­
ing himself in this splendid
hobby and affording much en­
tertainment to visitors while
awakening an increased inter­
est in the romance of the good
old days. A writer in "Sales
Management," published in
New York, sums the story up
in these few words = "Ghost
Town is, to Walter Knott, the
same kind of hobby as Dear­
born Village is to Henry Ford
but where Mr. Ford collects
actual old buildings, the Cali­
fornia hobbyist reproduces
them, in an atmospheric set­
ting that gives visitors the
'feel' of the past."
"The real ghost towns are
widely scattered," Mr. Knott
says, "and are fast crumbling
away. Where hundreds might
visit them, thousands can
came here and get their thrill,
and we can preserve the pic­
ture as well as make it."
 GnOST TOWN NEWS

SAVE THE OLD WEST

By ROBERT H. WALL

One of the main features of the
year-around exposition that makes up
the West is its historic past. Rubbing
elbows with the massive dams, na­
tional parks and forests, thriving cities
and other modern manifestations of
the western spirit, are the pioneer
trails, often followed closely by to­
day's swift transportation systems;
the ghost towns of the mining country;
countless landmarks which played
their vital roles in the saga of western
colonization; Indians; and the many
fiestas, fairs, and rodeos.
But the Old West does not represent
only the resting place of memories of
blustering, seething mining camps and
peaceful missions and ranchos. The
Old West is a way of life that still, in
some measure, Jtrevails. The West it­
self is a land of mtense color, of amaz­
ing distances, of the romance of van­
ished civilizations, but more than that,
the West is a heritage. Something of
its glorious past remains in its present
vigor. . ones must be sought out. In some continue to serve as a clearing-house
To preserve the romance and glam­
our of the historic West as exempli­
fied in its historic places and old land­
marks, and in typically western
events, the Western States Promotion mitted by J. L. Bossemeyer, vice
Council, Inc., has been formed with chairman of the Council and super-­
the basic objective of promoting travel visor of the western office of the
to and within the eleven western United States Travel Bureau, the
states using theslogah "SEE THE Western States Promotion Council,
OLD WEST THIS YEAR." It has also under the leadership of Ted Huggins,
embarked upon a campai~n to "SAVE has received wholehearted cooperation
THE OLD WEST," by aIding in the of transportation company, oil com­
preservation and enhancement of the pany, travel bureau, press, radio and
places, activities and modes of life in magazine officials in the futherance
the West that give the region its tone of the program launched early this
and flavor. year to urge the Nation to "SEE THE
The program, in addition to in­ OLD WEST THIS YEAR." So great
ducing Americans to know their own has been the response that the Council
country, is designed to stimulate in­ has decided to continue the slogan
terest in. the Old West before the -during the year 1942 along with its
heavy hand of Time causes many of long-range plan to preserve and save
its historic structures to crumble into the Old West for furture generations.
dust. Dozens of precious relics of the To facilitate expansion of the move­
old days have already gone while at ment, plans are being perfected for
the present rate of disintegration enlarging the Council's membership
many of those remaining will be gone to include key persons in regions
within a few years.. The majority of
these landmarks lie along the beaten throughout the West. The Council's
path, but many of the most interesting headquarters in San Francisco will
cases, even those readily accessible for all activities and as an active
have escaped the attention they richly travel promotion and conservation
deserve. organization of a strictly non-profit,
Acting on a five-point program sub- Westwide character.

for this class of human beings. We find

TOMBSTONE ARIZONA
The photograph below of the Bird
Cage Theatre was furnished us by
Marion A. Speer, who, in his book,
Western Trails, wrote nearly a dozen
years ago: ' stampede of miners was on to the new
Sleepy old Tombstone, a silver min­
ing town of the old days, once boasted
of 15,000 population, but at the time
of our visit could hardly get 300 souls
together. Its setting in the desert and
so near the Mexico line, was ideal for
wild, roaring days. Long - before Ed
Schieffelin discovered silver in the
adjacent hills, the Apaches led by
Geronimo and Cochise, had murdered
and plundered many of the bold pio­
neers who dared to· settle, in the little
the story of Tombstone is long and
valleys. In this already wild setting
of the West, Tombstone was started.
When news of Ed Schieffelin's dis­
covery reached the outside world, a
diggings. With them came all that
human riffraff, who made a living
from the miners' hard earned dollars
in various and sundry ways. While
miners were honestly diggmg silver
from the hills, outlaws and bandits
from both sides of the border were
making frequent raids, robbing and
killing as they went. Local peace offi­
cers were powerless to bring quiet
and happiness to the land.
Tombstone was the gathering place
we can not even touch the high spots
in this narrative. It is an interesting
place in which to stop and search for
the romance of bygone days. We
drove east along the broad course of
Allen street, once teeming with that
activity so common to a wild, wide
awake mining town of the old West.
Paralleling this is Tough Nut and Fre­
mont Streets, names that will remain
as long as there is a mound of ruins
representing old Tombstone.
Such names as Sheriff Behan, John
Slaughter and Deputy Billy Brecken­
ridge, will stay with us as long as
there is history. We must not forget
the Earps, Clantons, McLowerys and
many others who left a different record
for us to ponder over, a record that is
unequaled for daring and courage,
even in the face of death. Looking
west, down Allen Street, and to the
left, we see the old Bird Cage Theatre,
known throughout the world as being
the place where Lottie Crabtree and
Eddie Foy played to large crowds 50
years ago. On the other side of the
street is the Can Can Restaurant shar­
ing equal fame with the old play­
house. Down near the west end of the
street is the O.K. corral. These places,
together with t\1e silver ladden hills,
helped to make Tombstone famous.
The Law and Order League elected
John Slaughter, a man Who had
driven in Long Horns from Texas to
establish a cattle ranch, as their
sheriff. It was then that the forces of
the law began to be felt. It is told of
Sheriff Slaughter that he at once be- '
gan to feed outlaws to the buzzards, '.
which he did without fear or favor.
Today you will find the same hills
and the same sun flooding the desert
with its glow, but the roaring life that ­
was Tombstone is gone and few are
left to ten the tale.· , .

The Pony Express
"ROUGHING IT "-By Mark Twain
On April 3, 1860, the first mounted
courier-the actual start of the Pony
Express service-began the first re­
gular trIp westward from the Missouri
River while on the following day a
bundle of letters was started east from
San Francisco. This mail was sent by
boat to Sacramento, by rail to Folsom,
by stage to Genoa, Nevada, and from
there by Pony Express-the first east­
ward trip where the pony rider began
the long journey through the Indian
Country to St. Joseph, Missouri.
On March 26, 1860, the following'
announcement and advertisement ap­
peared in the New York Herald and
the St. Louis Missouri Republican:
"TO SAN FRANCISCO IN EIGHT
DAYS" by the Central Overland Cali­
fornia and Pike's Peak Express
"The first courier of the Pony Ex­
press will leave the Missouri River on
Tuesday, April 3d, at 5 o'clock p.m.,
and will run regularly weekly there­
after, carrying a letter mail only. The
point of departure on the Missouri
River.will be in telegraphic communi­
cation with the East and will be an­
nounced in due time.
"Telegraphic messages from all
parts of the United States and Canada,
in connection with the point of depart­
ure will be received up to 5 o'clock
p.m. of the day of leaving and trans­
mitted over the PlacerVille and St.
Joseph wire to San Francisco and in­
termediate points, by the connecting
express in eight days.
"The letter mail will be delivered in
San Francisco in ten days from the
departure of the express. The express
passes through Forts Kearney, Lar­
amie, and Bridger, Great Salt Lake
City, Camp Floyd, Carson City, the
Washoe Silver Mines, Placerville and
Sacramento.
"Letters for Oregon, Washington
Territory, British Columbia, the Pa­
cific Mexican ports, Russian posses­
sions. Sandwich Islands, China, Japan,
and India will be mailed in San Fran­
cisco ..............."
THE FIRST ARRIVAL
That first trip westward by Pony
Express-a total of 1966 miles-took
nine days and twenty-three hours.
Left St. Joseoh at 6:30 p.m. on April
3rd; arrived Salt Lake City, 6:30 p.m.
on the 9th; at Carson City, 2:30 p.m.
on. the 12th; at Placerville, 2 p.m. on
the 13th; Sacramento, 5: 30 p.m. on
the 13th; San Francisco, 1: 00 a. m .. on
the 14th. The route was in general that
taken by the Mormon ~ioneers of 1847
and by the great majol'1ty of the Argo­
nauts of 1849-the overland mail
route. Of the arrival of the last rider
~f that memorable first trip westward,
says Eldridge's History: . ness. That they had to be trustworthy
GHOST TOWN NEWS
"At Placerville guns were fired and
speeches made that he did not wait to
hear. At Sacramento the legislature
adjourned in honor of his arrival.
The city was gay with' flags and
crowds lined the streets along which
he was to pass. A troop of horsemen
went out to meet him and escort him
into town. At five o'clock in the after­
noon, amid the booming of cannon,
ringing of bells and cheering of the
multitude, horse and rider were taken
on board the steamer Antelope, and
sent off to San Francisco. There an­
other demonstration was awaiting
them . . . announced in all the the­
atres to members of the engine com­
panies, and circulated generally
through the streets. Before midnight
a crowd such as had not assembled
since the February morning eleven
years earlier when the California ar­
rived, filled the streets ..."
From the St. Joseph Democrat of
that day we quote this vivid descrip­
tion:
"Take down your map and trace his
footprints from St. Joseph on the Mis­
souri. to San Francisco on the Golden
Horn-from the last locomotive to the
first steamship--"two thousand miles
-more than half across our boundless
continent. Through Kansas, through
Nebraska, by Fort Kearney, along the
Platte, by Fort Laramie, past the
Buttes. over the Rocky Mountains,.
through canons, along the steep de­
files-Utah, Fort Bridlter, Salt Lake
City-he witches Brigham with his
swift ponyship. Through valleys,
along grassy slopes, into the snow. in­
to the sand, faster than Thor's Thialfi;
away they go! Rider and horse, did
you see them? They are in California.
leaping over its golden hills, treading
its busy streets. The course has un­
rolled the great American Panorama,
and allowed us to glance at the fu­
ture home of a hundred millions of
people. He has put a girdle round the
earth in forty minutes. Verily his rid­
ing is like the riding of the son of
Nimshi, for he rideth furiously. Take
out your watch. We are eight days
from New York, eighteen days from
London. The race is to the swift."
The Pony Express was not a suc­
cess as a business venture but it was
"the most romantic transportation any
continent has ever known." The equio­
ment consisted of 190 stations, 420
carefully selected horses, 400 station
men, and some 80 picked riders. The
best horses money could buy costing
around $200 each and ranging from
toulth California cayuses or mustangs
to thoroughbred stock. The youthful
riders were, "the pick of the frontier,"
light of weight hired to carry the mail
-not to shoot Indians. Salaries of
from $100 to $125 monthly were paid
these youngsters of courage with a
reputation for sobriety and fearless­
Page 7
is evidenced by the. oath required of
each demanded by the company:
"I, ............... , do hereby swear
before the Great and Living God, that
during my engagement, and while I
am an e;mployee of Russell, Majors
and Waddell, I will, under no circum­
stances, use profane lan~uage; that
I will drink no intoxicatmg liquors;
that I will not quarrel or fight with
any employee of the firm, and that in
every respect, I will conduct myself
honestly, be faithful to my duties, and
so direct all my acts to win the confi­
dence of my employers. So help me
God." Not a bad idea for both em­
ployers and employees to heed tnday.
Mark Twain in "Roughing It" tells in
his inimitable phrase of travel by
stage-coach and his word picture will
never cease to thrill regardless of all
miracles of speed and power by train,
motor car and airplane.
"ROUGHING IT"
"In a little while all interest was
taken up in stretching our necks and
watching for the 'pony-rider'-the
fleet messenger who sped across the
continent from St. Joe to Sacramento,
carrying letters nineteen hundred
miles in eight days! Think of that for
perishable horse and human flesh and
blood to do! The pony-rider was us-·
ually a little bit of a man, brimful of
spirit and endurance. No matter what
time of the day or night his watch
came on, and no matter whether it
was winter or .summer, raining, snow­
ing hailing, or sleeting or whether his
'beat' was a level straight road or a
crazv trail over mountain crags and
precipices, or whether it lead through
peaceful regions or regions that
swarmed with hostile Indians, he must
be always ready to leap into the sad­
dle and be off like the wind! There
was no id1ing-time for a pony-rider
on duty. He rode fifty miles without
stopping,by daylight, moonlight, star­
light, or through the blackness of
darkness-just as it happened! He
rode a splendid horse that was born
for a racer and fed and lodlied like a
gentleman; kept him at hIS utmost
speed for ten miles, and then, as he
came crashing up to the station where
stood two men holding fast a fresh
impatient steed, the transfer of rider
and mailbag was made in a twinkling
of an eye, and away flew the eager
pair and were out of sight before the
spectator could hardly get the ghost
of a look. Both rider and horse went
'flying light.' The rider's dress was
thin, and fitted close; he wore a
'roundabout,' and a skull-cap, and
tucked his pantaloons into his boot­
tops like a race-rider. He carried no
arms-he carried nothing that was
not absolutely necessary. for even the
postage of his literary freight was
worth five dollars a letter. He got.but
Page 8
--------------------~----------------~-------.-------------------------
little frivolous correspondence to car­
ry-his bag had business letters in it,
mostly. His horse was stripped of all
unnecessary weight, too. .He wore a
little wafer of a racing-saddle, and no
visible blanket. He wore light shoes,
'Or none at all. The little flat mail­
pockets strapped under .the rider's
thighs would each hold about the bulk
of a child's primer. They held many
and many an important business chap­
ter and newspaper letter, but these
were written on paper as airy and
thin as gold-leaf, nearly, and thus
bulk and weight were economized.
The stage-coach traveled about a hun­
dred and twenty-five miles a day
<twenty-four hours), the pony-rider
about two hundred and fifty.
"Presently the driver exclaims:
the telegraph company! From "Ox.,. the West in one of its most spectac­
"'Here he comesI'
"Every neck is stretched further,
"For sixteen months regular weekly that will always be recalled and re­
and every eye strained wider. Away
across the endless dead level of the
prairie a black speck appears against
the sky, and it is plain that it moves.
Well, I should think so! In a second
or two it becomes a horse and rider,
rising and falling, rising and falling
--sweeping toward us nearer and
nearer-growing more and more
sharply defined-nearer and still near­
er, and the flutter of the hoofs comes
faintly to the ear-another instant
and a whoop and a hurrah from our
upper deck, a wave of the rider's hand,
but no reply, and man and horse burst
past our excited faces, and go swing­
ing away like a belated fragment of
a storml
"So sudden is it all, and so like a
flash of unreal fancy, that but for the
flake of white foam left quivering and
perishing on a mail-sack after the
vision had flashed by and disappeared,
we might have doubted whether we
had seen any actual horse and man at
all, maybe."
Many writers have written of the
Pony Express. The words of Mark
Twain, quoted above, will long re­
main as expressive of this, at that
time, rapid transportation. "Buffalo
Bill" became the most widely· known
of all pony riders. Starting his career
at the tender age of 14 he is credited
with a continuous ride of 384 miles­
a record never equalled. Jim Moore
is another rider to win acclaim for
one continuous ride of 140 miles to
find his partner in bed unable to ride.
So, after a ten minute stop he mount­
ed and made the return trip of '140
miles. Albert D. Richardson in his
book, "Beyond the Mississippi," gives
us this dramatic idea in connection
with his trip from Denver to "the
States" by stage-coach;
"One November midnight, upon the
plains, the little pony dashed by us
on full run.
GHOST TOWN NEWS
.. 'What's the news?' shouted the practicable. The Pony Express proved
driver. a great impetus toward securing a
"'Lincoln was elected! New York . contract for the daily stage-coach
gives him fifty thousand majority!' service, which was established in July,
came back the cry through the dark­ 1861. If it was a financial failure, it
ness. was nevertheless a national success.
"It woke up all our Republicans Indirectly if not directly the Pony
who sent forth cheer upon cheer, while Express was of considerable economic
the Democrats were sure that it must importance to California and the great
be a hoax." West-it blazed the way for the first
transcontinental railroad. Perhaps
The volume "Oxcart to Airplane" by even more important than this, it
Rockwell Dennis Hunt and William rendered invaluable service in keep­
Sheffield Ament, edited by John Rus­
sell McCarthy, tells the story of the ing the Golden State together with the
Pony Express and we are indebted to Pacific Coast and the Rocky Mountain
it for much of the data herein. After region loyal to the Union at a time
sixteen months of continuous opera­ when the loyalty of the West was sore­
tion the Pony Express gave up-to ly needed. Revealing the conquest of
cart to Airplane" we quote: ular phases, it has been pronounced
"an act in the great Western drama
mails were carried over the well-de­ enacted as one of our precious heri­
fined route, without government sub­ tages."
sidy. The principal patrons were gov­
ernment employees, merchants, and Though clearly destined to give
traders. Despite the high rate of post­ place to the telegraph and later the
age, the Pony Express proved finan­ railroad, we can understand and sym­
cially unprofitable-despite the fact pathize with the sentiments of reluct­
that as many as twenty-five one-dol­ ance experienced by old Californians
lar 'Pony' stamps and an equal num­ because of the passing of, the Pony
ber of government stamps (amounting Express. We can likewise catch a
to $27.50 postage), were often found thrill from the commemoration of the
on a single envelope in the mochila. deeds of the plucky young riders when
The enterprise might eventually have for three days in September, 1923­
been put on a paying baSis had not the conditions of 1860 being reestab­
the completion of the electric tele­ lished, as nearly as possible, for the
graph across the continent on October ride from St. Joseph-San Francisc<>--'­
24, 1861, by establishing communica­ San Francisco turned aside to revive
tion between Fort Kearney and Car­ the memories of "Pony Bob" Haslam
son City, undermined its practical use­ and his mates, "Blazing the westward
fulness. The Pony Express had run way." This spectacular. phase of the
its course; it was officially discontin­ conquest of the West was recalled and
ued October 7, 1861, with a record of reenacted "as one of our priceless her­
only' one serious interruption and one itages." One of the first contributions
mall lost in the 650,000 miles ridden was the poem by George Sterling, who
during a period of nineteen months; sang:
the remnant was transferred to the "From out those years that every year
Wells Fargo Express. 'The pony was grow stranger,
fast,' as LeRoy Hafen remarks, 'but Brightest, I think, the fearless rid­
it could not compete with the light­ ers gleam,
ning.' While it had not been possible
fully to maintain the schedule at all Who took their part in all that joyous
times, only one trip was missed com­ danger,
pletely. After winter storms it had To serve the human dream.
been found necessary to use pack ani­
mals' under conditions that imposed "Who bore the mail by desert or by
great hardship; and at times during fountain,
winter months the Sierra Trail had Braving the savage and the tem­
to be abandoned' altogether. On more pest's wrath,
than one occasion the mails were sent Across the plain, across the midnight
by boat from San Francisco to San mountain,
Pedro and there picked up by pack­ Taking the lonely path.
trains and carried via Los Angeles and
San Bernardino to Salt Lake." • • •
As Jack Keetley had declared, its "The courage that was theirs may
object was "to show the authorities Time make stronger,
at Washington that by way of Denver
and Salt Lake to Sacramento was the As now the romance begins its reign,
shortest route, and the job worked And high above the trail they take
successfully" - by actual demonstra­ no longer
tion the central route was shown to be Flashes the aeroplane."

 A SALUTE TO THE DESERT

By JUNE LEMERT PAXTON

HINGS don't just happen! And
T so, perhaps, it was all in the cards
that the boy who was homesteading
here on the desert should lose his fath­
er and financial support at the very
time when I was trying to decide how
and where to repair, physically speak­
ing, a "good old wagon that had done
broke down." . to write home about when a neighbor
To me the desert was like a foreign
country. Leaving my home and fam­
ily in Hollywood seemed at first like
an endless dream; but when one is
desperately in earnest, trying to make
a come-back, he can adjust himeslf
to almost any situation. The little two­
room shack, the boy who so kindly
did the work, the early morning sun­
shine, the restful absence of noise and
confusion,-all of these, I soon learned,
were a blessing, and I was truly grate­
ful. That was nine years ago. It is
now ancient history. Not that I have
forgotten the slow, and ofttimes dis­
appointing, struggle, but then I finally
did win out. Isn't that what counts in
every undertaking?
It is always interesting, and educa­
tional, to watch the progress of any
venture. Perhaps it was a heritage
from my pioneer father that helped
me to stay on and become a part of
this desert life; to share in the strug-"
gle to do, and to have, better things;
to lend a, hand in the spiritual, as well
as the physical growth, of the valley,
for well we know we must keep them
on a par if success is to be permanent.
Twenty-one miles down the road is
the village of Twenty-nine Palms. It
is named, supposedly, because there
are that number of Washingtonia palm
trees at the oasis. The valley, in gen­
eral, is called Morongo after the tribe
of Indians who formerly lived there.
and unusual rock formations; here one
is in Nature's temple and unknowing­
ly, perhaps, worships his God.
Since there are many wells being
developed during the past few years,
people are beginning to experiment
with cultivated trees; both shade and
fruit. We now consider it something
comes over sharing his first peaches-­
large and luscious. I predict that some
day soon this valley will be able to
raise its own fruit and vegetables. It
is already considered a paradise for
chickens. A windmill here at my cab­
in chugs out soft, cold water and stores
it in a tank; this was an important
step to a more modern dwelling. It
is indeed a far step from the days
when the boy hauled water from War­
ren's Well and often did the family
wash at the Tanks-an old-time wa­
tering place for the cattle.
Formerly this was an open cattle
country. A few cattle men still bring
in their herds but there is strong sen­
timent against them and it now ap­
pears that progress, that untiring
worker, will soon drive the cattle en­
tirely out of the· valley. Progress
wields a big stick and woe to us poor
mortals if we are too slow to keep up
with the procession.
The American Legion, and the aux­
iliary, have done outstanding work
for the community; the successful out­
come of many social and welfare ac­
The Desert Fever - Old Fashioned
By JUNE LEMERT PAXTON
I'm packing my grips, I'm closing my doors,
I'm 'leaving this desert behind;
tivities is due to their energetic aid.
Bill Underhill, who edits the DESERT
TRAIL, our village paper, is a fine ex­
ample of what a country editor can
do for a new community; may the
saints give him reward,-most news­
paper men get little of it here below.
Weare rightfully proud of the pre­
vailing religious activities. The Cath­
olics have been holding their serv­
ices regularly and are now looking
forward to building their own church.
The community church, which is un­
der the inspired leadership of Dr. C.
D. Williamson, annually puts on an
Easter sunrise service at the Oasis of
Mara. Here under the palms, with the
bird chorus in full swing to welcome
the early sunrise, gather hundreds of
people from near and far to pay hom­
age to the risen Christ. The setting is
very much like another desert country
where the three Marys came at early
dawn.
I find that life on the desert can be
harsh and lonely, or it can be peace­
ful and full of romance. We get out
of any place or circumstance just what
we put into it. To me, the desert has
been more than kind. It has given me
new life; it has been a schoolroom in
which daily I have learned lessons of
giving and, conversely, receiving. And
more precious than all else, I have
learned here that one's happiness
comes from "that SOMETHING" with­
in and not from material possessions.

There are to be found many Indian The days are so lonely, the night is so still,

artifacts which, scientists claim, were I'm dreading the silence I once sought to find.

left by other tribes who roamed this

valley hundreds of years ago.
Perhaps the first white men inter­
ested in this district were the miners;
and there is considerable activity still
along that line. There can be no doubt,
however, that the first world-war vet­
erans, seeking a healthful climate, put
this place on the map. For, after all
the many nice things that can be said
about our desert, it is still primarily a
health resort. The humidity up here
Why tarry here longer since health I've regained?
Why Hnger amidst the vast space?
I'll hie to the city, I'll join in the din,
I'll resume my former mad pace.
(In the City)
I'm surrounded by comforts and luxuiies plenty;
My time is all taken I find.
I'm busy with phone calls, solicitors, tradesmen,
And so many errands to mind.

is said to be the third lowest in the The darkness comes on but it too takes its toll

world. The natural violet rays are For the gay crowds have only begun;

classified among the outstanding· vir­
tues of the place. It is a common hob­
by among us to expose glassware to
the sun so that it will be tinted to an
interesting violet color; the longer the
exposure the deeper the color.
In this immediate vicinity, which lo­
cally is called Yucca valley, the Josh­
ua trees are the outstanding vegeta­
tion. In places they assume a forest­
like appearance. Those who know
more about trees than I do, claim many
of them are over five hundred years
old; even a baby tree is said to be 15
or 20 years old. Greasewood, cats­
claw, juniper, manzanita, are common
on the lower levels, while the pungent
pine trees cover the higher hills. Part
of the Joshua National Monument,
embracing thousands of acres, is in
this valley. Here one sees many scenic
The radio blares and the auto declares
The young folks are out for some fun.
But now something happens-I can't quite define it;
A vagueness, a longing it seems;
A something that's bigger and better within me­
A soft crying need of my dreams.
That urge to be free in body and soul­
The call of the primitive races,
And at last I must own that nothing atones
For the joy of the great open spaces.
Since I've diagnosed the case there's no time to waste;
And I'm sure I want never to leave her-
For what I found out, without any doubt,­
I've a case of the old desert fever.
By specaZ permission of DESERT MAGAZINE.

Here's American Courage
By BILL REEDER
(Editor's Note: Bm Reeder is Ed­
itor of the Southwest News-Press
and prefaces the following article
in a note to its readers saying: "A
story of courage and moral fortitude
which, we feel, strikes a cross sec­
tion of the nation's backbone, was
disclosed to us last week by Mrs. E.
Nissen, 1162 W. 38th Place. We are
happy to pass on to other residents
thts powerful lesson just as Mrs.
Nisson told it to us.)
"Right next door to me lived such
a little person. She is small, tiny in
fact, and yet her quality is as huge as
any giant's. Sixty years ago she was
christened Mary Ann Lewis.
"Then came a handsome prospector
and changed it to Mary Ann Fuller.
He was young, tall and glistening with
smooth strength, and· he promised
Mary much with his dark, adoring
eyes. He said he would coax gold and
silver from nature's vaults and that he
would build for Mary Ann a mansion
such as she could never dream of.
"But as the years ran by, Vance
searched in vain for the hidden key to
one of these vaults. And during these
years, Mary Ann "blessed him with
seven children. And God called three
of them back. The bonds of their grief
made Mary Ann and Vance more de­
voted to one another.
"Vance would have kept his head
bowed down in mortal despair, but
Mary Ann was of the strongest. She
helped him to lift his chin and to laugh
again and to .go forward to keep his
promise. She even went further than
encourage him with words. Mary Ann
donned a pair of his old trousers and
one of his battered old hats and she
went with him to explore every inch
She Wa's Admitted
By THE HmED MAN
NETY years is a long, long time.
N
a
VeIl it was 90 years ago today that
of a girl from the country, tall,
h me, bashful and not used to so­
ciety, wearing a plain gingham dress,
dared to ask to be admitted to a very
swell party. The name of the unso­
phisticated country girl was Miss Cali­
fornia, and she was bold enough to
ask to be admitted to the Union of the
States and take her place among the
other 30 sister states.
This overgrown, awkward girl had
never been out in society and was shy
in the presence of the great and pow­
erful' but she answered the questions
put t@ her by the other states in a
frank, straight-forward· manner.
"What had she to offer?" She had
mountains and rich valleys, water­
falls, rivers and lakes, the largest trees
in the worldl lumber, fruit and grain
and was wasned on the west by more
than a 1000 miles of the great Pacific
ocean. The states were interested and
gathered around, and asked her that
all-important. question, had she any
minerals. She showed them a heavy
gold band wedding ring. Could it be
GHOST TOWN NEWS
of the old abandoned mines he dis­
covered.
"For years they searched for 'Vance's
promise.' Sometimes they would live
for months on bacon and beans and
potatoes and sourdough, high up in the
fearsome mountains. And then again,
hangers-on in the deserted ghost towns
of the desert reported seeing the aging
prospector and his faithful little wife.
"One by one their children left them
to seek out lives of their own, until
alone again after 35 years of struggle
and hardships, Mary Ann and Vance
realized they were meeting their
greatest mortal obstacle, AGE. They
were tired.
"And when Van discovered a few
acres of land far up in the mountains,
he stuck location notices in cans and
drove in posts and laid claim to this
parcel of free America. Together they
fashioned a home out of the surround­
ing timber. They were determined to
make this their last attempt to keep
Vance's promise.
"But the hard life she had lived be­
gan to tell on Mary Ann. She came
down with a sickness and Vance was
forced to bring her to this city to live.
Here they established a little home
and Vance went alone every year to
dig away at the hard rock of his mine.
And then came. the day when Vance
did not come back. . "Mary Ann halted me with a look
"Mary Ann's hair was like the frosty
foam of the ocean tides. Her shoul­
ders were stooped and her delicate
face lined. But she had strength in
her heart. And one day, not long ago,
she found it. I mean the note Vance
left, written on a scrap of brown wrap­
ping paper and tied around one of the
chunks of ore Van carried in his pock­
et.
that this sweet child of nature was
married? Yes, she was married to her
Climate and had more gold than any
other two states in the Union.
And about her size-how large was
she? She was larger than New York
and Ohio put together with the whole
bunch of New England states thrown
in. The 30 states registered surprise.
They looked with favor upon this tall
country girl and took her in their
arms as they saw wonderful possibili­
ties. So Miss California was admitted
to the Union of States and became the
thirty-first star in Old Glory.
And for 90 years California has al­
"As Mary Ann read it the tears
coursed down her thin cheeks. It said,
'Eve I have belongs to my wife,
Mary nn, and it bore his signature.
Mary Ann smiled. Vance had left her
a chunk of rock, but it was worth
more than the crown jewels of an em­
peror to her!
"And so she packed it in a cushion
of cotton and placed it to show on her
front room table.
"Then a man came to see Mary Ann.
He was a big impressive man. He
said he was an engineer and he named
a concern that Mary Ann knew of be­
cause everyone in her world knew
who they were and how huge were
their dealings. This man told Mary
Ann he had just come from her mine.
He said that he had found samples of
a very rich mineral and that the gov­
ernment was in dire need of this min­
eral.
"He stated prices that made Mary
Ann turn pale and before he left they
signed papers and talked shop in six
figures.
"Mary Ann left yesterday for her
mine. She wore a pair of Vance's old
trousers strapped to her middle and
his battered old felt hat. And she
looked almost young again ... and so
happy. I ran out to bid her goodbye
and I squeezed her and shouted my
joy for her. I said, 'You will have
enough to build a mansion ... and buy
a big limousine and hire a chauffeur
and travel all over and you can wear
elegant gowns and furs and .. .'
of amusement in her" eyes. 'I'm not
young any more,' she said, 'and it
would be lonely in a big mansion by
myself, and I have never had elegant
gowns and furs so I shall never miss
them ... '
" 'Then for ~oodness sake,' I yelled,
'what good wlll this wealth do you?'
"'Good?' she echoed, 'Isn't it enough
that Vance kept his promise?' "
ways tried to do her part. When there
was a famine, a flood or a fire in any
other state or in any other part of the
world, California was ready and will­
ing to do her part gladly, and the
Union has never had the slightest
cause to regret making room for the
girl who brought with her. a land of
sunshine, fruit and flowers.
California has always been known
as a playground where visitors come
to play and rest and have a good time:
The tourist comes once and comes
again and then comes to stay. Cali­
fornia has that kinq. and courteous
way of making her many visitors wel­
come, and treating her stepchildren
just as she does her own native sons
and daughters.
So, California, "Be with us yet, lest
we forget, lest we forget."
The above is from the column of
Harry Young, "The Hired Man,"
who writes one inspiring editorial
each day for the Alameda Times­
Star. This appeared in the issue 6f
September 8, 1940, and has been
widely copied. As a matter of fact,
many a scrapbook is richer by rea­
son of many of the daily talks of
"The Hired Man" who is known to
editors and publishers aU over the.
country as an original writer with
the ability to awa"/(en in his read,-ers
a spark of courage and hope with
good cheer.-TheEditor. . "
 GHOST TowN-NEWS Page 11

COLOSSAL FOOD EMPORIUM

By FREDERIC BECK

. BACK in 1934 a man by the name of $80 when the Farmers Market idea methods used. As a result of this strict
::toger Dahlhjelm-his real name­ dawned upon him. Dahlhjelm himself supervision of operations, the Los An­
got an idea. Now, seven years .later, is first to admit that the Farmers Mar­ geles housewife soon came to depend
that same idea in full bloom has a ket as you will find it today at West on the quality and goodness of the
place in Southern California's Number Third and Fairfax is far beyond the simple products from farm and ranch
One string of tourist attractions. And, thing that he visualized in 1934. which she bought direct from the
more than that, the selfsame idea con­ The basic idea is simple. The Los growers themselves. It was not long
stitutes a local Los Angeles institution Angeles consumer-the buyer of before the butcher and baker and the
that is visited daily by thousands of things produced on the sunny farms grocer realized that a good place to
knowing Californians. . of Southern California-obtained do business would be alongside the
Mr. Dahlhjelm's idea in its present these things only after they had made farmers and ranchers who even then
stage is known far and wide as the a circuitous route from farmers to in those early years were attracting
Farmers Market. It's a big, gay, col­ . wholesale exchange and finally to the huge crowds of quality minded people.
orful, permanent food fair-a .high­ retailers display and the consumer's The Farmers Market's growth was a
piled spectacle of lush vegetables and kitchen. natural one-step by step, marching
glowing fruit, of specialty food items "Why cannot the consumer buy to the position that it holds today.
almost without end. It's five and a farm things while they are farm There are now more than eighty es­
half acres of farm stalls and food shops fresh?" Mr. Dahlhjelm asked himself. tablishments - each independently
and unique eating places are laid out He negotiated the "borrowing" of a owned-doing business as the Far­
in five wide, exciting aisles. From 8000 big, vacant lot. The location, West mers Market.

to 9000 cars visit.the Farmers Market
on week days--13,OOO up on Satur­
days.
The success of the Farmera Market
proves that opportunity still thrives in
America. Those who have sought in­
spiration in the success of Knott's
Berry Place will find a direct parallel
in the success story· of Roger Dahlh­
jelm and the Farmers Market.
. Back in '34 Roger Dahlhjelm shared
a forced leisure with hundreds of
thousands of other depression-day
Americans. He was down to his last
Third at Fairfax. The next step was
to interest poultry raisers and truck
gardeners and citrus growers to bring
the products of their ranches to Third
and Fairfax .to be sold direct to the
consumer. Each tenant of the market
was to erect his own stall-a simple
affair of four posts and awnin~s.
Eighteen stalls opened for business In
July. of 1934. Mr. Dahlhjelm's fiJ,"st
contribution, and possibly his main
contribution to the success of the en­
terprise, was a strict supervision of
the quality of the things sold and the
Thousands of people daily travel to
Third and Fairfax for lunch-in-the­
Farmers Market. .From the dollars
and cents standpoint this is one of the
world's largest restaurant businesses.
It was all an accident. The lunch bus­
iness started when some unknown and
forgotten individual bought a slice of
baked ham here-a hot roll from the
oven there. She made her own ham
sandwich, sat down on a cherry crate,
and ate the first lUnch ever bought
at the Farmers Market. MarbeShe
. (Continued on Page 25
Page 12
"Rounding Up" Dude Ranches
EN YEARS' ago Dude Ranches
T weren't big business while today
some 350 ranches in the ten western
states and British' Columbia with ac­
commodations for from ten to one
hundred fifty guests furnish the city
fellow a chance to enjoy life on a
cattle ranch for a few days to a few
weeks. The industry - and it has be­
come an industry that is growing by
leaps and bounds - furnishes fun
and relaxation to thousands, furnishes
an added income to many a rancher
and has enabled some enterprising
persons to establish a successful busi­
ness.
Ten years ago Ellis W. Foote of 931
E. Colorado Street, Pasadena,Cali­
fornia, visited his first Dude Ranch.
He enjoyed it. Visiting Dude Ranches
became his hobby and he rode it like
the well-seasoned cow hand rides ,his
pony. Every spare moment was spent
in a visit to some western Dude
Ranch. Foote became an authority on
Dude Ranches and doubtless has a
better actNal knowledge of the west­
ern Dude Ranches than any other
man. Of course he told his friends
and customers of the good ones. Many
asked him where they could find the
sort of a spot that would best fit their
vacation desires and pocketbook
Some asked him how to be sure of
reservations or would he please write
and arrange a reservation for them.
The hobby became a business. Ar­
rangements were made with the best
Dude Ranches for representation ­
and from his ground floor. place of
business in the heart of Pasadena,
Foote and his charmihg young lady
partner Miss Claire Barnard are busy
the day long most every month in
the year telling folks about Dude
Ranches and arranging for their re­
servations. Some Dude Ranches are
open the year 'round and some suit
the millionaire who flys away from
heavy business cares while oth~rs
suit the modest employee who has
but a few days' vacation and can't
afford to make a mistake. Foote and
Miss Barnard know all of them-rid­
ing a hobby of visiting Dude Ranches
until they have ridden a hobby into
a prosperous bu siness with great
satisfaction to their customers and
much added business to the Dude
Ranches.
Asked what really was responsible
for the successful career which they
had established, a career created by
themselves, Mr. Foote exclaimed:
"It's just because we like the wide
open spaces, because we know what
we are talking about and because it
is the sort of work we enjoy. You
know we never send any customers
to a resort where they serve drinks.'
Not that it is any of our business
whether one drinks or not but we
have found that our clients want 'to
visit the country to get away from
the fast life' of the city and we 'find
they enjoy the places best where
drink is indulged in only by those
that carry their own along. Then some
GHOST TOWN NEws
people can't afford to pay $85 or $90
weekly for accommodations in a place
where, in addition to the cost, the item
of dress enters. Many like the medium
price places costing from $45 to $50
w:eeklyand, then there are mighty
good places where excellent accom­
modations can be had at from $30 to
$40 per week. We try to discover
just what our customers want and
from our first-hand knowledge can
usually direct them to the place that
they will find suitable. Our business
has been built largely by satisfied
customers who have sent their friends
to us. The Air Lines, too, have been
responsible for a part of the large
growth of the Dude Ranch industry
and their cooperation with our office
has been most helpful."
"Dude" is an American term mean­
ing a visitor or outsider.
"Dude Wrangler," is a cowboy who
herds "dudes" or takes care of
'strangers.
Pioneer Dude Ranch
Pierson Wonder Valley Ranch
claims to be the pioneer Dude Ranch
in California. It is an operating cattle
ranch located in the heart of Central
California's greatest stock - r aisi ng
area. Adjacent to Yosemite, Sequoia
and Kings Canyon National Parks it
is easily reached by air (its own
landing field) or automobile or train.
Open the year 'round this resort
offers days of joy to those who wish
to ride, swim, fish, hunt or hike.
Thousands of acres of mountains, val­
leys and woodlands invite you. This
is a 50-year old cattle and horse ranch
under the present ownership since
'1912. The business of the ranch, cattle
raising and horse breeding, breaking
and training, is carried on throughout
the year.
The famous registered saddle stal­
lion ZOMBREER, son of Zombroneer,
is the sire of many of the young
saddle horses. Also owned is the
Pinto and Arabian blood stallion,
SILVER KING. From time to time
impromptu rodeos are put on by the
cowboys. ~ pistol and rifle range,
skeet shootmg and archery provide
,outdoor entertainment.
Practically all the food served is
grown or produced on the ranch. All
the fresh milk, rich cream, butter and
buttermilk that you can eat from a
herd of tested Guernsey cows. Eggs
gathered fresh daily. Poultry-ducks,
geese, turkeys and chickens and
fresh meat. Fruits and vegetables in­
cluding homegrown, sun - ripened
oranges, apples, figs, berries, apricots,
plums, grapes, etc., all you can eat.
And they do say the cook knows his
onions. If you ar,e interested in Dude
Ranches, either this one or any other,
I'd suggest you drop a line to Mr.
Foote or Miss Claire Barnard who will
gladly provide you with literature
and arrange reservations for you.
Buys Ghost Town
A lawyer buys a ghost town accord­
ing to the Morning Union of Grass
Valley which reported on July 20th:
Thomas Califro, San Francisco at.;.
torney, has become the proud owner
of a ghost town, the same being'
French Town, in Yuba county. As
indicated by its name, a group of
clannish French miners founded
French Town and during the 1850s
and later the place was the center of
extensive mining activities. The only
building now remaining is a stone
store, built by the French miners.
The purchase was made from the
estate of the late Abe Ruef, who
following his unfortunate experiences
with 'the law in San Francisco came
into the foothills of Nevada and Yuba
counties and purchased dozens of'land
tracts. The purpose of this' was never
disclosed, as Ruef made no use of
any of his purchases, a portion of
which were later sold for taxes.
Visit Lyon's Pony
Express Station
Here you will find a million-dollar
collection which W. Parker Lyon has
been forty years in assembling. That's
his hobby. This museum is his life
and his contribution to California.
Best of all you will find the owner
right there and you will meet one of
the grand old gentlemen of the great
West. And you'll be entertained. In
by-gone days Mr. Lyon was a two­
gun sheriff, then mayor of a Cali­
fornia metropolis, and afterwards
declined the governorship of his State
in order to devote his entire time to
his beloved museum.
This is really a Western Hobby
Show, presenting over one hundred
different antique hobby collections ...
Ancient automatic player pianos ­
Rooms filled with tourist's laughter.
Visitors with a sense of humor are
solicited, for the Curator, W. Parker
Lyon, is an internationally known
humorist. Meet Mr. Lyon and that
will provide a treat for here is a man
of California that you will always
remember.
And if it is early-day lore that you
are interested in you can prowl about
this museum for hours and then get
but a small idea of the great collec­
tion. See the 1862 Concord coach with
four harnessed horses, life size. This
is the coach in which Horace Greely
made his campaign for President in
and in which he traveled across the
continent. The exhibits are too numer­
ous to tell of here. You'll have to go
see for yourself.

Guests Pan Gold
By CHARLES GEIGER
EVIVAL of gold mining at Rich
R Bar Placer Mine in heart of Ser­
pentine Gorge A feature of the
Feather River Canyon is of great
interest because guests at Harvey
Toy's Rainbow's End Hotel nearby,
may pan for gold at Rich Bar and
help to pay for their vacation with
gold dust or nuggets procured from
the bar. . Feather River and guests pay but $4
Guests at Rainbow's End-Harvey
Toy's picturesque all-year resort on
the Feather River at Paxton, Cali­
fornia, may pay for their vacation with
gold dust and nuggets panned out
from pay dirt to be found at Rich
Bar placer mine because Mr. Toy
also owns Rich ·Bar.
Eleven million dollars have been
taken out of this most famous of
bonanza gold-bearing districts. The
labor of excavating was extremely
difficult in the early days because
of the large rocks which form large
portions of the soil, therefore there is
much material in Rich Bar that was
not thoroughly worked by the early­
day miners. These heavy rocks are
now being removed by means of spe­
INFORMATION PLEASE
"What's the population of Cheyenne,
Wyoming?"
"How many registered voters are
there in Long Beach?"
"How do I get to the Kellogg
Arabian Horse Farm?"
What's the value of the Imperial
Valley flax crop?"
"How much will it cost to ship 100
tons of lime from here to Buenos
Aires?"
"How can I develop export markets
in Australasia?"
"Tell me something about the his­
tory of Los Angeles County."
This is a small sample of the type
of "information, please" that is fired
GHOST TOWN NEWS
cial derricks operated in connection
with hand winches which is now
gi:ving access 00 the underlaying lay­
ers of gold-bearing gravel which is
dug up and panned (some of it by
guests of Rainbow's End Resort near­
by).
Rainbow's End is a comfortable
hotel beautifully situated on the
a day American plan. For relaxation,
fun and possible luck guests may
spend their time panning for gold.
Armed with pans, picks, and shovels,
guests receive instructions from a
bearded old-time prospector, Tom Or­
mond. The hotel can't guarantee re­
sults, but strikes often run from $1 to
$4 a day. Finds are weighed on an
old scale left over from gold-rush
days and the management will cash
in all gold found. One nugget recently
discovered was worth $75.
In 1850 two pans yielded $2,900 and
started a rush. When the bar began
to peter out, gold seekers moved on.
The picture below is of two attractive
gold panners whose operations are
being inspected by the writer.
under the auspices of The Salvation
hundreds of times every day at the
staff of the Los Angeles County
Chamber of Commerce. If you're a
visitor in this area you are probably
just popping with questions and wish­
ing you had someone to answer them.
Or even if you've been living around
here for a long time, there is doubt­
less much you would like to know
about your community but you don't
know just where to turn for the
answers.
Let us recommend that you stop
in one of these days at the Chamber
of Commerce office at Twelfth, Broad­
way and Hill in Los Angeles. The
people in that office don't know it all,
WILL ROGERS
RANCH
Drive out Sunset Blv'd to 'Number
14253-almost to Santa Monica-and
visit this One of the must attractions
for you to see. "Soapsuds," Will
Roger's favorite roping horse, is there
to greet you. Note the picture of
"Soapsuds" below.
The Will Rogers Ranch is open to
the public .and 25 cents is your entire
cost and this is one attraction that·
you shouldn't miss. The polo field,
stables and ranch house with the Will
Rogers' collection of trophies, manu­
scripts, and pllintings will interest
and entertain you. The house is over
a mile back from Sunset Highway and
is reached by a tree-lined private
drive. Parking space is ample.
There is an old ranch fireplace in
the center of the living room. On
the stone chimney hangs the mounted
head of a Texas Long Horn steer.
Beneath it on the mantel is a minia­
ture replica of a western scene, one.
of the many mementos that are on
display. Will's California saddle, in
its glass case, focuses the immediate
attention of the visitor. On the walls
are pictures of life in the West by
many of Mr. Rogers' personal friends.
One of. the great paintings is the
famous "Buffalo Hunt" by that great
western artist Charley Russell.
The ranch house is open to you
Army.
but they know a lot of it . . . and
they will hand out the answers with
a smile.
The possession of information is
only a by-product of their other work
in many economic and social fields,
but for 53 years the Los Angeles
Chamber of Commerce has been the
primary clearing house of general
information in Southern California.
With branch offices in Washington,
Mexico City. Buenos Aires and Rio de
Janeiro, with 163 employees working
in 23 departments and with 2235 of
the members working on 126 commit­
tees, the organization has broad facili­
(Continued on Page 21)
 GHOST TOWN NEWS
Rug-Maker to Hollywood .'
Starting with a capital of $40, Jane Belew has, in
eight years turned a hobby into a prosperous busi­
ness with a Dun and Bradstreet rating.
Jane Belew, of Hollywood. believes' that she knows
nothing about business. or selling. She will tell you that
she wishes she did. But eight years ago, when self-support
became necessary, she turned a hobby into a substantial
business, with a Dun and Bradstreet rating.
Miss Belew developed an interest in hooked rugs when
a friend brought a fine old collection from Nova Scotia.
She thought she could make a hooked rug, and did. That
led to a study of hooked rug backgrounds, When Selznick
was making "Gone With the Wind," she was consulted as
an authority, and for atmosphere in that picture, she
rented the studio a partly-made, rug, and some of the
quaint old steel hooks used in its fabrication. Incidentally,
she collects old hooks.
Working out her own method of making braided rugs
as well, she began teaching, and 3,500 women, and a
number of men, have learned the art from her. Braided
rugs are not sewed, but cordeQ, and never come apart.
She is able to impart her knowledge of color to her
pupils, and the result is beautifully harmonized rugs. The
material is mostly old camel's hair and plaid coats, and
she carries about 6,000 pounds of it always on hand.
Last year, Life published a two-page picture about the
rug-making activities of a woman in Arkansas, and a
flood of requests for patterns swept in on that woman.
While she now sells her own patterns over the country,
she refers her customers for materials to Jane Belew,
The latter's shop, appropriately of Early American
architecture, is on a smart street, and surrounded by
interior decorators. It generally has the calm of a cottage,
because her customers come singly, or write from other
places, and order a complete scheme of made-to-order
rugs to carry out their house furnishing schemes.
About the time she opened this shop, Hollywood was
changing its home motif from Spanish to American
Colonial, and her rugs brought in movie people whose
names make her books read not unlike a contents table
in a fan magazine. Many of the older stars, radio as well
as film, come in to enjoy the rugs, buy them, and tell how
they, as kids, helped with the rug-making at home.
Her patterns are all hand-drawn on linen foundation,
authentic copies of old rugs. She uses the old steel hook,
and wool rags, is disdainful of modern' punched yam
rugs, and does not dye her materials, but selects them
for the colors. The more faded and mellowed by age,
the better. Where she gets her material, and tons of it
are necessary every year, is a deep, dark secret, but she
gets it in soft colors, and her pride is in reproducing the
blended colors of fine old rugs.
Originally, hooked and braided rugs were made by our
early American forebears because their inherent love of
beauty made them hungry for color. Also, economy made
them utilize their old garments to produce floor cover­
ings for comfort. Hence, through necessity, in New Eng­
land was born America's real traditional handicraft.
As years passed, and factory carpets became common,
people with an eye for beauty began collecting old
hooked rugs, to furnish splendid homes. They soon be­
came as desirable and valuable as Orientals, Today, there
are collectors who pay fabulous prices for really fine old
hooked rugs, and Jane Belew has reproduced old rugs,
hooked and braided as large as 17 by 20 feet, and priced
up to $1,000. She always has a large assortment to show.
Starting with $40 and the rugs she had made, Jane
Belew has, in eight years, built herself up as an artist, an
authority on hooked rugs, a manufacturer of artistic
products, a merchant, teacher - and also became the
Hollywood discoverer of Jean Manley, the ceramic artist,
whose originals she has exclusively.-SaZes Management.
Rabbits-Quick Frozen
When Lady Opportunity knocked on Herman Pel­
phrey's door, in 1911, it looked like catastrophe-for
she broke the door down.
Mr. Pelphrey was then a young railroader, had a good
job, liked his work, and saw his road clear ahead, to
eventual retirement on a pension. But color blindness
changed his whole view of life. With a couple of small
children, he had to start all over.
Today, H. F. Pelphrey & Son, Los Angeles, do a
hundred - thousand - dollar business in rabbits, packing
150,000 of them last year, for food markets, restaurants
and hotels. From now on, they really expect to go to
town, because after a year's experimental work their
"Pel-freez" quick-frozen rabbit is increasing sales, and
extending the business nationally.
. For where the housewife at the meat counter has been
wondering what to get for dinner, and chosen rabbit
because the butcher held it up and said, "This is very
nice," now she finds quick-frozen rabbit in the same
cabinet with fruits, vegetables and fish, with the pieces
temptingly cut .for frying, wrapped in cellophane, and
visible through two windows in a waxed cardboard box.
The price is marked on the box, according to weight of
meat. The product makes more sales by coming oftener
to the attention of those who like rabbit occasionally,
and the superior flavor of the quick-frozen variety cap­
tures those who eat rabbit often.
What ppportunitydid for Mr. Pelphrey, in kicking
him out of railroading, was wake him up to the fact that
he could sell:
He started in rabbit packing when somebody gave
his little boy a Belgian hare. At that time the meat was
not sold in food markets. People who raised hares liked
the meat, and often sold to their neighbors, but there
was no general market for .the product, Today, some
2,000,000 hares are raised and sold in Southern California,
the world's leading consumer center as well as the largest
producer, and the elder Pelphrey can be credited with
helping develop the market.
Either you like domestic rabbit, or you don't. The
Pelphreys did like it, and the senior Pelphrey started out
to see if butchers could be persuaded to add a few dressed
rabbits to the poultry display.
His first customer was Young's Market, 15 rabbits,
bought by the meat buyer because the salesman seemed to
have such confidence in awaiting consumer demand.
"You just put. these rabbits in the showcase," he said,
"and I'll guarantee that there will be people among your
customers who know what they are, and be glad to find
them sold by a market with Young's reputation for clean­
liness and high quality."
He was right; other markets added the meat, and
presently Mr. Pelphrey had all he could do, buying rab­
bits from growers, fattening them on milk and grain,
and dressing them in a sanitary plant, with telephone
delivery service for food markets.
There were no sales courses available when he started
selling dressed rabbits, but he found that within himself
was the basic material from which sales courses are com­
piled. He knew his product, liked to eat it, believed other
people would like it if available in markets. He con­
vinced food dealers, and they found 'he was right.
The "Pel-freez" package was a problem, for pasteboard
boxes were used at first, the meat was not visible-"And
they resembled nothing in the world so much as coffins,"
says Rabbit-man Pelphrey. So a special box was designed
with a cheerful blue and white pattern, as well as
visibility.-Sales Management.
 from the Comstock found a resting
VIRGINIA CITY
place in the treasury at Washington,
which enabled the National Govern­
ment to resume specie payment.
By MARION A. SPEER
(Note: This is from the book "West­ as he watched the precious fluid going STRANGE PHENOMENA
ern Trails," by Marion A. Speer to waste, he said "I christen this As' a goodbye to Virginia City, I
and published in 1931. The book is ground Virginia City," and so it stands gazed up the long steep slopes of Mt.
now out of print and a collector's today, in honor of the state from Davidson, and on its topmost peak
item. Mr. Speer is being urged to whence he came. stands that weather-worn flag pole,
print another edition-note article MARK TWAIN'S FIRST VENTURE from which during the trying days of
on another page.-Editor.) the Civil War, a huge flag floated in
These things all went through my the breeze. It was a large flag, 20x30.
!:ACHING the last grade on Gold mind the afternoon we were there.
R lill,. I had to go in low gear. It Unlike Bodie, with a dozen or so of
seemed to me that I was going straight hangers-on, Virginia City has a popu­
Virginia City did everything in a large
way. On that memorable afternoon
when Gettysburg and Vicksburg had
up. On our left and within a few feet lation of 300, where one time 30,000 fallen, there happened a remarkable
of the road was a vast crater formed or 40,000 lived and carried on their freak and coincidence of a nature nev­
by the cave-in of the Gould and Cur­ vocations. As I looked north up C er to be forgotten by those who wit­
ry mine,-mute evidence of the under­ street, I could see where greatexca­ nessed the phenomena. A black desert
ground workin¥s that have under­ vations had been made to make room storm formed about Mt. Davidson and
mined Mt. DavIdson. Over the crest for a building, while on the lower side threw a pall of despair and fright into
of Gold Hill we went right into the the toundations had to be built up to the superstitious. It seemed that the
south end of C street, Virginia City, the street level. All the buildings very heavenq had deserted these sil­
Nevada. Once at this point, I had to bear that touch and reminder of the ver-laden hills. A hush and a silence
stop and make a study of all that I early· sixties. The Virginia Hotel and was about the land, such .as Virginia
could see. North, east and south are the old home of the Daily Territorial City had never known. Suddenly a
numerous old mine workings. Great Enterprise, where Samuel L. Clemens bright ray of sunlight broke through
mountains of dumps or waste mate­ made his start to literary fame under an opening in a cloud, and this pierc­
rial are everywhere. Many large mills , the pen name of "Mark Twain," are ing sunbeam played upon Old Glory,
are along the bottom of the canyons two of the most interesting buildings making it appear as a blazing torch
and gulches, but we did not see it all. in the city. The Virginia was the against the tumultuous blackness of
All is quiet now, no hustle and bustle, leading hostelry, and here were gath­ the heavens, unfolding to the breeze
no hurrying to and fro of workers, ered the finanCial giants of Virginia that silent message that we are "A
and no mining blasts to, echo through City, whose money kept the mills in union, now and foreyer, one and in­
the hills as of yore. operation. separable."
Placer mining was first 'indulged in I visited C and Taylor streets, where
by those who found "pay dirt" here. a fifty pound sack of flour, after mak­
The miners used such crude tools as ing the rounds of the nearby towns
they could construct on the ground of Gold Hill, Silver City and Dayton,
A SALUTE
with the least material, such as ar­ was sold and resold until $45,000 was By HY LOW
rasters, long toms, rockers, etc. They poured into the fund to relieve Union We're visiting Ghost Town
worked only during the season that soldiers in eastern hospitals. Also the On Knott's Berry Place
they had water. In 1858 Henry Com­ old California bank, or rather the Where Two Thousand Autos
stock sent a sample of black quartz branch of the mother bank at San Find Free' Parking Space.
that he had taken from a ledge to Cal­ Francisco, where Bill Sharon directed
ifornia to have it assayed. He was the work that made him 40 or 50 mil­ Where Buildings and Furnishings
sure from records that he had in his lions. I tried to locate some of the Wreaking with age
possession, that it was silver. When many saloons that have made history. Are set amongst cactus and
he received the. report of the assayer, The deserted places are all there, Mesquite and Sage.
he learned that the ore was worth to Dutch Nick's, The Golconda, and so
the ton $1,600 in gold and $4.800 in on down the line. This Mining Camp Ghost Town
silver. The news spread as such news Is lively again
will, and a stampede was on such as "DID YOU GET YOUR MAN?" With Sheriffs, Mule Traders
the world has never known. Today "A man for breakfast" was a com­ And Rough Mining Men.
the Comstock Lode is known in leg­ mon thing in Virginia City, and was
end and history the world over as the hardly given a passing notice. Off on The Merchandise Store and

greatest producer of silver ever a little hill below the town is the old The Bar with Brass Rail

known. cemetery, where in a row are the first Wagons and Carts from

26 graves wherein were placed the 'The Santa Fe Trail.

WHAT'S IN A NAME
bodies of men killed during wild or­ Stables with Harnesses

A cluster Of tents sprang up over gies in the saloons. There was no law Now little known

night along the eastern slope of Mt. to respect, except that made by sa­ Old Fashioned Organs

Davidson. It was soon discovered that loon-keepers and gamblers. In time, With a sweet tone.

this Illace was the center of. activity however, the law and order element
and that it should have a name. One established authority, and Virginia Everything, everyone

of the leading characters was James City settled down as well as any town Fonnerly used

Fennimore, who was going under the of the far west could. Keeping vast crowds

assumed name of Jamell Finney-for As before stated, seeing is believing. Of we modems amused.

many and varied reasons. He had and I shall never forget our trip and
spent most of his time in the district the things we saw at Virginia City, , However the Food in

since 1851, because it was a good place -the lay of the hills and the great Knott's Modern Cafe

to keep under cover, making a few mine workings, from whose depth un­ Is as good as you'll

dollars with which to purchase liquor counted millions have been taken. Af­ Find in the whole U.S.A.

and living a care-free life. ter viewing it all, the thought came
Finally, his true identity and past to me, "Where has all this wealth (Editorial Note: Hy Low i~ the
record became known. Instead of gone?" John W. Mackay, who made author of "Ghosts of Old Barbary
bringing him disgrace, it added to millions out of the Comstock Lode. Coast" and visiting Knott's Berry
his achievements and popularity. He poured his wealth into the Postal Place dashed off the above tribu.te.
took well in a crowd of ruffians. He Telegraph and affiliated companies. MT. Low's book sells fO'l' 25 cents at
could tell a rip-roaring story that Bill Sharon put his into San Fran­ most newsstands and his poems
would call for another round ofdrinks. cisco real estate, building the Palace therein include: Suicide Sue; Tessie
He was a native of Virginia and al­ Hotel, which in its day was the finest Wall; Languid LiZ: Hong Kong Jean; .
ways kept the virtues of that state be­ hostelry in the world. Thousands of Pigeon Toed Sal;\Madalene; SnaggZe
fore his listeners. One night, by acci­ people returned to the east from Tooth Mag; Bartlett Alley Sally.
dent, he broke a bottle of whiskey, whence they came and invested small If you can't find a copy at your
and as the fluid gurgled and spattered fortunes in homes and farms, etc. newsstand we'll pe glad to get a
to the ground, as drunken men do, and TOlJ and tons of those silver bricks copy fO'l'· you.)
 GHOST TOWN NEWS

Johnny Ritch and His Poetry

Fifty or sixty years ago every little mining camp or straggling cow town had its Shorty, Slim, Red, Slick,
or some character or other bearing a similar name. Nearly all of them had its Shorty. Bearing this in mind
when Johnny Ritch wrote his poem, "Shorty's Saloon," appearing herein, he used Shorty merely as a type.
Johnny Ritch worked on Montana ranges with Charles M. Russell (Montana's famous cowboy artist), in
the mid '80s. A friendship began with this, severed only by the death of the great artist.
On different occasions Russell stated that he liked "Shorty's Saloon" better than any western poem he had
read; that it was the truest picture of a cow town saloon that he had ever known. So much did Russell like this
poem that. he illustrated it and presented the illustrations to Mr. Ritch, who now has them in his posssession.
Montana is fortunate in possessing many of Charles M. Russell's original paintings. Particularly is this
true of Helena, where, at the State Capitol can be seen an inspiring mural on the wall of the legislative assem­
bly hall, and where, in the historical library, the visitor is welcome to review the early-day events and discov­
eries of the Montana pioneer.
The first general publication of "Shorty's Saloon" appeared in Johnny Ritch's little volume of western
verse, "Horsefeathers," a publication which has found much favor with the reading public from the fact that
the author lived the life and offers the direct testimony of an eye-witness.
The first edition of "Horsefeathers" has been so well received that future editions are assured.

SHORTY'S SALOON

By JOHNNY RITCH
By the trails to the Past; on the Plains of No Care,
Lone places in Cow-land, men came there to play
Stood Shorty's Saloon, Dut now it's not there,
In that drama whose artists all lived by the way­
For Shorty moved camp and crossed the Divwe
Their sky-line of life blazed crimson and gold,
In the years long dim, and naught else beside
For hope gave them wealth and youth made them
A deep brand on Memory brings back the old place;
bold
Its drinks and its games, and many a face
Arul strong in life's strife to dare any task,
Peers out from the mists of days that are fled,
And "ticker" was theirs when Shorty would ask,
When Shorty stood back of his bar, there, and said,
"What's yours, Pard?"
"What's yours, Pard?"
No fine drinks adorned that primitive bar,
They danced and they drank, and they sang that old
Just "Licker" was served, and that seemed by far
song,
The properest stuff in a place, you'll agree,
"I'm just a poor cowboy, and know I've done
Where life flowed and ebbed like the twes of a sea,
wrong,"
Unfettered by care, unmeasured by time-
While the click of the chips in the games that were
Where Innocence formed its first friendships with
played,
Crime, And the sob in the music the violin made
Where 8acchus' wild court held ribaldrous sway, Rang out through the smoke that clouded the room,
And Shorty, on shift, stood waiting to say, For Joy held the top-hand and drink drowned all
"What's yours, Pard?" gloom
Great herds from the south swept by on the trails, The future might hold for him who made gay­
And stages sped westward, top-heavy with mails And life filled with sunbeams, when Shorty would
For camps far beyond, where gold was the lust, say,

And freighters and "bull trains" sent whirlwinds of "What's yours, Pard?"

dust
That scattered and spread far out on the plain, Some tragedies mark those trails to the Past­
And men from the wild~hard men that sin's stain Some lone, unnamed graves tell briefly the last

Had marked like a brand-all stopped there, you Of the story of those who lived ere the change

see, From that wild, free life of the Borderless Range­

And Shorty's brief welcome to each one would be, But Memory's kind grasp holds gently the place,
"What's yours, Pard?" g
Its drinks and its games-and many a face
And up from the vast, silent stretch of the range­
Peers out from the mists of days that are fled,
From line camps and roundups, and all of the When Shorty stood back of his bar, there, and saw,
strange, "What's yours, Pard?"
 GHOST TOWN NEWS
"PITCHUR GALLERY"
Our jail is the most popular spot in town! Poor "Sad­
eye" Joe-we just had to lock him up. But he has lots of
visitors, and doesn't seem to mind. There is gaiety at the
"Pitcher Galley"; those loud laughs are caused by our
clowning ace "foty. grafer," Gus Thornrose. Gus is a
metropolitan news photog from away back. At the Silver
Dollar Bar, you may order any drink you want, but­
we warn you-it's liable to taste like Boysenberry Punch!
-In lower left hand corner, we have Walter Knott, who
with Mrs. Knott are the founders and owners of Knott's
Berry Place. Walter "dreamed up" the Ghost Town, and
this is how Walter looks when he looks pleased. Next is
Paul Swartz, art director of Ghost Town. Paul is a show­
man-artist and designer and has displayed his talent in
six major World Fairs.
Paul sniped for gold up around Weaverville, California,
built himself a one-room lean-to shack and cooked pretty
"Father, dear Father, come
home with me now I"
Bride and groom.
Page 17
good sour dough flapjacks for a whole winter.
Bill Shirley is an old time westerner and is our con­
struction engineer, or rather our RE-construction engi­
neer. In his spare time, Bill loves to reproduce western
life in wood. Bill's carvings can be seen at the Berry
Place.
The original town layout by Paul Swartz, called for
certain representative buildings and Roy Lee scouted
around five states to locate what we wanted.
Chinaman Wing Lee stands in the doorway after a hard
day of washing shirts for the miners. The desert Hermit
shows up every once in a while and sells postcards of
himself. Nobody seems to know very much about him.
Just one of those things I guess. Probably he was moved
in with one of the old buildings.
In lower right hand corner is Paul Swartz himself,
who can't seem to forget that he was once a cartoonist!
The proposal.
"Wala me around again, .
WUlie."

Current California Literature
ANY FOLKS located in other
M parts of the country seek in­
formation regarding California attrac­
tions; many' want to know where to
spend their vacation. Some want to
know if there are any jobs to be had
and some want to know of business
opportunities, homes and farms and a
lot of other things. In GHOST TOWN
NEWS we can't possibly answer the
requirements of all - so we shall try
and'tell you what publications to read
for the information that you seek
whether it be along business and
vocational lines or travel and emer­
tainment. GHOST TOWN NEWS sells no
advertising-and that data furnished
is not paid for. ,Just a bit of news
about things you may be interested
in and our own opinion.
If it's pictures you like-and good
pictures of California attractions be
sure to get Pictorial California. Beau­
tifully printed each issue is crammed
full of gorgeous pictures that tell of
places to see and enjoy. Published
every other month; subscription price
$3 for 12 issues but if you will send
25 cents to the editor I am sure he
will send you a sample copy. But be
warned! If you. get a single copy you
won't be satisfied until you receive it
regularly. Address Pictorial Cali­
fornia, 3636 Beverly Boulevard, Los
Angeles, Calif.
If you think of locating in Southern
California by all manner of means
subscribe to a Los Angeles daily
newspaper for a few months or weeks
and get the "feel" of conditions out
here. If you think of buying a home
or a ranch; of getting a job; of enter­
ing some line of business. The Los
Angeles Times, one of the truly great
newspapers of America will serve
your purpose in an amazingly satis­
factory way. The daily paper prints
more classified advertising than any
other paper in America. No matter.
what you want if it is in Southern
California you can almost surely find
it in the "want" columns of the Los
Angeles Daily Times. A great big
daily newspaper that has everything
-you'll want it every day after a
30-day trial. Subscription price by
mail $1.50 per month postpaId to any
state in the union. (When you do
move to California it w1l1 cost you
only $1.30 per month but it's worth
more). Send your $1.50 to the Los
Angeles Times, Times Building, Los
Angeles, California, and start reading
a great newspaper.
If you have a son, brother, husband
or sweetheart in the Navy by all
manner of means send a dollar to the
Navy Family Magazine, P. O. Box
1223, San Pedro, California, for a
year's subscription to this fine pub­
lication. Sample copy 10 cents. It is
ably edited by Mary Paolozzi and in­
tensely interesting to everyone with a
lad in the Navy.
Don't read Sunset Magazine unless
you want to own a home of your own
in California. Read it for a' few
months and you'll get the bug. One
Gallup, New Mexico
of the best magazines ever published
on the Pacific Coast and if you can't
find a copy on your news stand· send
10 cents for the current issue to Sun­
set Magazine, 576 Sacramento Street,
San Francisco, Calif.
If you are interested in radio, you'll
want Radio Life brilliantly edited, in­
tensely interesting weekly magazine.
At most good markets it sells for
2 cents (32 pages jam full of good
reading) but by mail it costs more.
Out of towners should mail a dime
for samples to Radio Life" 1029 W.
Washington, Los Angeles, Calif. 60,000
Southern Californians buy it every
week-it's that good!
If it is the desert you are interested
in you'll find a world of entertainment
and interest in Desert Magazine which
is published at 636 State Street, EI
Centro, Calif. If you can't obtain a
copy at your favorite news dealer,
send 25 cents for a sample copy.
Desert Magazine is ably edited by the
well-known writer Randall Hender­
son and contributors are many and
good. June LeMert Paxton whose
article appears in this issue of Ghost
Town News is ·one of the regular
writers for this excellent monthly
magazine of authentic information
and romance of the desert.
Westways is a monthly magazine
printed by the Automobile Club of
Southern California, edited by Phil
Townsend Hanna, bea).ltifully illus­
trated and of extreme interest to all
who travel by automobile and all
lovers of California. Mr. Hanna's
genius as a writer has been acclaimed
by better writers but it is our pleasure
to add that he makes Westways a
mighty welcome monthly visitor at
any home. Read Westways and )fou'll
have no difficulty in discovering some
enjoyable trips that you want to make
and you will obtain much valuable
information which will add to your
enjoyment. Westways sells for 20
cents a copy or a dollar for a year.
The address is 2601 S. Figueroa Street,
Los Angeles. California.
And if it is information you seek
remember the Chamber of Commerce
. in Los An~les about which you will
find an article in this issue. Then, too,
there is a Chamber of Commerce in
San Francisco. San Pedro and all
other live California cities ready to
serve you. The All-Year Club of
Southern California, 629 So. Hill
Street. Los Angeles, will be glad to
,mail literature and help you plant
your trip. And, when you arrive in Los
Angeles go direct to the ground floor
office, 505 W. 6th Street of the AH­
Year Club, the information depart­
ment. There you will be greeted by
a group of charming young women
who will give you any.desired in­
formation. These young ladies will'
give you many a good tip-and they
will cause your trip to be more enjoy­
able. Some of our Los Angeles resi­
dents would do well to drop in there
and add to their knowledge of what
is worth seeing and enjoyable in and
around Los Angeles.
Hotel EI Rancho
Many visitors at Knott's Berry Place
speak of the attractions of Gallup,
New Mexico,and in particular the
Hotel EI Rancho a place to stop that
is different-and full of interest. This
hotel is described as the World's
Largest Ranch House with accom­
modations for 400 guests and with 27
different types of rooms-from old
ranch and farm furnishings to' the
ultra modern.
This "dream" hotel is the brain­
child of R. E. Griffiths, the theatre
magnate, and one of the places where
visitors certainly find entertainment,
and pleasure. Located on Highway 66
which runs right through the front
yard, Mr. Griffith's dream has become
a national institution. It is convenient
to the Grand Canyon, the Painted
Desert, the Petrified Forest, the Aztec
ruins, and in the heart of the Indian
country - Gallup being the Indian
capital of the world in that 50,000
Indians are located within a hundred
miles surrounding the town.
See for Yourself
For the first time many folks are
now able to see for themselves just
how a famous portrait artist goes
about creating a masterpiece. In the
new adobe building adjoining Ghost
Town Village at Knott's Berry Place .
is the studio of Paul V. Klieben. There
this well known· portrait artist does
his work and visitors may stroll
through and watch the work go on.
Work, of course for Mr. Klieben and
sometimes not all fun for the model.
However due to the rapidity with
which Mr. Klieben does his work no
real hardship is imposed upon the
person who poses for the picture.
. Mr. Klieben has painted the por­
traits of many famous and widely
known men and women of Europe
and America. His work adorns the
homes of some of our great industrial­
ists and a list of the women whose
portrait he has done in oil would
read like a society column. At present
he . has unfinished commitments for
some of Hollywood and Beverly Hills
personalities of prominence.
When next 'you visit Knott's be sure
to take a look at this unique studio
created as a popular background for
a great artist. Also note the oil por­
traits there as well as the one on
which Mr. Klieben may be painting.
Across the hall you will find the
oil painting of Lucky Baldwin and
party showing them being attacked by
Indians.

LABOR DAY VACATION
E WERE able to close our'desks
W at 12 o'clock on Saturday and
the balance of that day, Sunday and
Monday, (Labor Day) were ours to
enjoy, Just we two, Mrs. Wilson and
your correspondent, got in the car
and started forth without any very
definite plan, Of course we know
Southern California pretty well and
on t"his little jaunt we saw a lot of
it and perhaps some reader will find
a similar trip of interest.
Labor Day holiday crowds' every­
where and as we had no reservations
at any of the ocean or mountain re­
sorts, we thought it might be possible
to ~et accommodations at Escondido,
whlch lies between the two, so we
set out planning to get in Escondido
before dark. Our first stop was at
Knott's' Berry Farm for a chicken
dinner, just so we'd start out with
a full stomach and in a good humor.
Leaving Knott's around two o'clock,
we drove on to Lido Isle for a brief
visit with the genial Paul Palmer.
Paul, in case you don't know, is the
man who took over Lido Isle some
six years ago when it was the "or­
phan-child" of the Newport-Balboa
district. In just six years, he made
Lido Isle the swank home beach spot
not alone of the Newport-Beach-Lido
Isle district, but of all Southern Cali­
fornia. It will be worth your while
to drive through the streets and have
pointed out to you the homes of the
many celebrities-as well as have
pointed out the yachts belonging to
some of the important-name owners.
Lido Isle is a great relief after visit­
ing some of the crowded beach re­
sorts. It is just what you seek in a
beach homesite.
WE GO INLAND
On down the highway along the
ocean we drove through Dana Point,
San Clemente and in Oceanside. At
Oceanside we were glad to get off the
main highway and the. vast amount
of traffic and head inland for Vista.
A few years ago, what is now Vista,
was bare land and we remember well
when it was first put on the market
and promoted as fine avocado land.
The thriving avocado groves as well
as citrus fruit, speak volumes today
for the opportunity that was offered
those who got in on the ground floor
a dozen or fifteen years ago. Much
credit is due the Realtors-Edwin G.
Hart, Inc., for their promotion and de­
velopment of the region. It isn't many
years since the avocado was just a
dream as a commercial proposition in
California. Today around Vista and
in other districts, many small ranch­
ers are profiting because of this splen­
did food item. .
Leaving Vista, we got into Escon­
dido before dusk and began the search
for .a place to sleep-and Escondido
had its share of holiday seekers.
GHOST TOWN NEWS
By NICHOLS FIELD Wn.sON
Trying auto court after auto court
we found only "no vacancy" signs
and sure that mountain and sea re­
sorts would all be filled to capacity,
old man worry began to set in when
a kind soul told us to try the "Corner
Inn," high up on a knoll at the
eastern entrance to Escondido. "One
room left," said the proprietor and
that turned out to be a lovely room
on the second floor with a nice out­
look, a wonderfully comfortable bed,
hot and cold running water and all
the comforts of home. In fact the
"Corner Inn" was once just that-a
fine comfortable old home.
. Two of us and the price--entire
cost-was but a $1.50 per night. Right
there we cinched it for both Satur­
day and Sunday nights, determined
to have a good place to sleep-and
from Escondido we could travel forth
to the· interesting points we wished
to see.
Refreshed and with the appetite of
travelers, we inquired as to the best
place to eat. Our host said---""If you
like meat, go to Mrs. Jordan's," while
our hostess spoke up and said, "I
think you'llUke the "Chat and Chew."
We decided on "Chat and Chew" and
for 75 cents enjoyed a very good
chicken dinner-and now you know
we like chicken. Imagine eating
another chicken dinner after having
dined once that day at Knott's Berry
Place!
A grand' night's rest and Off to
breakfast- at Mrs. Jordan's. You
'know the kind of breakfast you eat
when you are out on a lark, ham
and eggs and potatoes and two cups
of coffee-after a mixed fruit cocktail
prepared by :NJfs. Jordan. Mrs. Jordan
is right on the job, cooking the meals
and overseeing every detail. Not a
Live Oak and Co.ntented Cattle, Julian, CaHf.
Page 19
place for style, but for downright
good eating, you'll find it okeh.
INTO THE BACK COUNTRY
Over the hills in the bri~ht sun­
shine and the clean mountam air to
the little town with the beautiful
setting-Ramona-and now noted for
its prosperous streamlined turkey
ranches. On up the hills, stopping at a
roadside inn for a glass of Tokay
grape juice, cold and sparkling, and
some fresh peaches rip'ened on the
tree, and not grown WIth the aid of
irrigation. Into Julian, famous in
days gone by for its fabulously rich
gold mines, and now, after a long
sleep re-awakening. And if you don't
know that this is a beautiful country
we are traveling through, note the
picture of live oaks and contented
cattle.
From Julian we drove three miles
right through the heart of the San
Diego mountain country to lovely
Kruger's Pine Hills Lodge, where we
spent a happy vacation some years
ago. At an elevation of 4,380 feet the
Lod~e, a huge two-story building of
rushc pine log construction, is sur­
rounded by great pines. The rough
bark-covered walls, massive rough
stone fireplace, glistening linen on in­
viting tables in a beautiful dining
room, rest-inviting chairs and lounges
-solid comfort in a beautiful setting.
To the lover of rural life, Pine Hills
offers an unending source of delight
in the many acres of cherry, apple,
peach, pear and other orchards,
Cherry time is in June-andcherries
blossom earlier. Reluctantly we left
Pine Lodge, but time was short and
we wanted to see some of the Indian
country and so on to Mesa Grande.
We could have but a brief look into
the beautiful little valley home of the
Mesa Grande Indians who once owned
 20
for miles and miles around with only
other tribes for ne' bors-and Mexi­
cans for visitors. Z ging down the
grade, we had an unsurpassed view
of a great portion of the 44,000 acre
Warner Ranch, the lake and of San
Jacinto mountain peak peering above
the northern horizon.
Arriving at Warner Hot Springs we
were amazed at the development since
a visit several years ago. Now there
is every attraction for the visitor­
the famed hot springs with modern
swimming pools; the hot springs that
Indians fought over years ago be­
cause of their medicinal qualities.
And, a dude ranch with all the para­
phernalia. In the spacious dining room
for an excellent turkey dinner and
a good dinner, too. Corn on the cob
grown right there and until you eat
corn on the cob grown without ir­
rigation in a. high altitude, you don't
know how sweet sweet corn can be.
If you like the wide open spaces, if
you like to rough it, luxuriously. then
pay a visit to Warner's Hot Springs.
We visited the old Butterfield Stage
Station on the ranch. It was erected
in 1884 and the snapshot taken by
Mrs. Wilson will furnish an idea of
its present state. And again we had
to be on our way when we could
have lingered and liked it for many
days, but we wanted to get up to
Palomar Mountain and have a look
at the Glass Giant of Palomar.
TELESCOPE OF DESTINY
Thousands of motorists hit the trail
-a fine paved boulevard-up Mount
Palomar to the stars. Here you may
look at the world's mightiest tele­
scope. The snapshot shows it appear­
ing like a huge silver balloon ready
for a takeoff-the dome of Palomar
observatory high in the sky about
fifty miles from San Diego and twice
as far from Los Angeles. Dr. George
Ellery Hale, founder of Mt. Wilson
observatory gave birth to the idea.
Rockefeller interests backed the idea
and furnished the money for the 200­
inch telescope. Years were spent
searching for the ideal location. Cast­
ing the huge mirror nearly called for
a miracle. Twenty tons of molten
glass were faultlessly moulded into
the most costly and the largest piece
of glass ever made. To transport the
mirror from the Atlantic to the Pacific
coast was a problem-but success­
fully accomplished after much worry
on· the part of railroad officials. This
200-inch mirror is still being polished
and tested in Pasadena. What you see
at the top of Mount Palomar today
is the telescope minus the all-im­
portaJ;lt mirror. Probably by 1943 it
will be installed. and then-
The destiny of this world may· be
changed.
How old is the sun? Perhaps this
telescope will tell.
Eight times as much of the Uni­
verse as ever seen . before will be
opened to the people of this world.
Within the reach of our astron­
omers, billions of unseen stars will
open new vistas of the Universe.
Scientists will .project their minds
and energies outside this. e,arth and
because of this . . telescope may· bring
about discoveries revolutionizing our
present mode of life. Who knows Butterfield. Stage Station, Erected 1884 ~nd As It Appeared August 31, 1941
what secrets the skies may unfold? on Warner's Ranch

It was five o'clock on a beautiful
afternoon when we reached Palomar
and when we got back to our good
"Corner Inn" at Escondido darkness
had set in. Happily tired after a won­
derful day, we sallied forth to Mrs.
Jordan's for some "meat." A good
steak and some good coffee with all
the fixin's, a little walk and then
for iii. real night's rest-just as com­
fortable as if we were in a $40-a-day
suit at New York's Waldorf. Monday
morning, Labor Day, and on our way
with a drive through Santa Fe
Rancho, now a beautiful region of fine
homes and prosperous orchards. Yes,
only a few years ago only cattle
found a home there. Back on the high­
way where again we took up the
burden of driving through heavy
traffic after the lovely sensation of
the previous day's travel away from
the noise and worry of fast drivers.
Encinitas was our destination and be­
fore noon we were at Paxton's Con­
servatory.
. flavor are qualities of which one does
PAXTON PAPAYAS
Here is a comparatively new Cali­
fornia industry and a thing of great
interest. Founded by Mr. E. E. Paxton
some seven years ago, Paxton Con­
servatories has developed into a busi­
ness where some 15,000 visitors beat
a path to his place of business each
year. More than 1000 Papaya trees,
all under glass, comprise the "ranch."
Customers are in almost every state
in the union. Mr. Paxton in achieving
this success, adds another accomplish­
ment to a life of successful achieve­
ment. When in the sugar business in
Hawaii he. grew papayas as a hobby
and because he liked the fruit. Com­
ing back to California to care for
his copper-mine interests which kept
him busy for years until the copper
pinched out he finally thought of
growing Papayas here. What is a
papaya? Dr. John Harvey Kellogg,
head of the Battle Creek Sanitarium
in Michigan said of the Papaya:
H ••• It is a glorified melon which
has climbed into a tree to display its
superior qualities. Its delicate tropical
fragrance and delicious satisfying
not tire."
"... The study of the Papaya from
a health standpoint has only just be­
···-little?
Page 21
gun, but the facts already known in­
dicate that the Papaya possesses
qualities which make it capable of
rendering a priceless service to the
people of the United States."
Mr. Paxton graciously shows all
visitors through his hothouses; there
you see trees that at the age of seven
months bear as many as eighty or
ninety Papayas. Mr. Paxton says:
"Produced under glass at a uniform
temperature our Papayas have the
delicate fragrance and flavor peculiar
to this fruit in Hawaii, the Philippines
and other tropical countries."
"The Papaya is most extensively
used in Hawaii as a breakfast fruit.
For this purpose, it is cut length­
wise in individual portions, and the
seed is removed. The fruit is served
like muskmelon, being flavored to
suit the taste by the addition of lemon
or lime juice, pepper or sugar. It is
also served as a fruit cocktail at
either luncheon or dinner, and as a
dessert it is sliced and eaten with
sugar and whipped cream. Combined
with lettuce and mayonnaise, the
Papaya makes an excellent salad."
"The fruit is sold or shipped fresh
from the trees, and is selected so
that it will ripen gradually as re­
quired. It is therefore much superior
to imported fruit which has to be
picked green and subjected to many
hours, heat treatment by the U. S.
Government before it can be shipped
on account of the dreaded Mediter­
ranean fly, which might destroy the
fruit indUstry of California."
You will enjoy a visit to the Paxton
Conservatories - there is no admis­
sion charge. Located two blocks east
of the Coast Highway just 3 miles
north of Encinitas. A letter to Mr.
E. E. Paxton, Encinitas, California, will
bring you an illustrated folder.
After a very interesting visit with
Mr. Paxton we again took to the
highway, making a brief stop at the
old mission at San Juan Capistrano,
up through Santa Ana and a stop at
Knott's for another chicken dinner.
We started this trip with a chicken
dinner and we'd finish it with one.
A successful trip, a fine outing and
a bit of a looksee at some of the
many grand spots to visit in Southern
California. A trip that most anyone
would enjoy and when we arrived
home and Mr. Budget inquired, "What
did it cost?" we flabbergasted him by
answering. "Total cost including gaso­
line for the car, meals, 'lodging and
all incidentals for both of us a little
less than $20." "In other words about
$4 a day per person imd where in aU
the world can you get so much for so
Page 22 GHOST TOWN NEWS

Beat Salvator's Time

Salvator, mighty king of the turf, was owned by James Ben Ali Haggin, bonanza king of California, who
took him' East, where he won sixteen races out of nineteen starts. Nineteen times he was sent to the post to win
sixteen races, run second twice, third once and the third race was against time.
August 28, 1890, at Monmouth Park, New Jersey, the four-year-old Salvator, carrying 110 pounds, ran a mile
an a straight course against time in 1 :35 ~, a mark which stood for twenty-eight years.
From August 28, 1890, until August 21, 1918, no racer ever "beat Salvator's time," although that exclamation
echoed from every grandstand in the gay nineties.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox's poem which appears herewith is the only race-horse poem ever read to school children
and it's a mighty tribute to good horseflesh-and just another of the things that make California folks proud of
their state and the men who developed it.

HOW SALVATOR WON

By ELLA WHEELER WILCOX

The gate was thrown open, I rode out aloQlt,

As graceful and free-limbed and swift as a fawn.
More proud than a monarch who s:ts' on a throne.
His awkardness vanished, his muscle all strained­
I am but a jockey, but shout upon shout
A noble opponent, well born and well trained.
Went up from the people who watched me ride out.

And cheers that rang forth from that warm-hearted

I glanced o'er my shoulder: hah, Tenny, the cost
crowd . Of that one second's flagging will be-the race lost;
Were as earnest as those to which monarch e'er bowed., , Our second's weak y:elding of courage and strength,
And the daylight between us has doubled its length.
My heart thrilled with pleasure so keen it was pain
The first mile is covered, the race is MINE-no I
As I patted my Salvator's soft silken mane;
For the blue blood of Tenny responds to a blow.
And a sweet shiver shot from his hide to my hand
He shoots through the air like a ball from a gun,
As we passed by the multitude down to the stand.
And the two lengths between us are shortened to one.
The great waves of cheering came billowing back,

As the hoofs of brave Tenny ran swift down the track;

My heart is contracted, my throat feels a lump,

And he stood there beside us all bone and all muscle,

For Tenny's long neck is at Salvator's rump,

Our noble opponent, well trained for the tussle

And now with new courage, grown bolder and bolder,

That waited us there on the smooth shining course.

I see him once more running shoulder to shoulder.

My Salvator, fair to the lovers of horse,

With knees, hands, and body I press my grand steed;

As a beautiful W'oman is fair to ma~'s sight­

I urge him, I coax him, I pray him to heed I

Pure type of the thoroughbred, clean limbed and

o Salvatori Salvatori List to my calls,

bright-
For the blow of my whip will hurt both if it fails.

Stood taking the plaudits as only his due,

And nothing at all unexpected or new.

There's a roar from the crowd like the ocean in storm,

And then, there before us the bright flag is spread,

As close to my saddle leaps Tenny's great form;

One more mighty plunge, and with knee, limb, and

There's a roar from the grandstand, and Tenny's

ahead;
At the sound of the voices that shouted "A go!"
He sprang like an arrow shot straight from the bow.
I tighten the reins on Prince Charlie's great son,
He is off like a rocket, the race is begun.
Half-way down the furlong their heads are together,
hand
I lift my horse first by a nose past the stand.
Weare under the string now-the great race is done,
And Salvator, Salvator, Salvator won!
Cheer, hoar-headed patriarchs; cheer loud, I say;

,Scarce room 'twixt their noses to wedge in a feather,

'Tis the race of a century witnessed todayl

Past grandstand, and judges, in neck-to-neck strife:

Though ye live twice the space that's allotted to men,

Ah, Salvator, boy! 'Tis the race of your life.

Ye never will see such a grand race again.

Let the shouts of the populace roar like the surf,

I press my knees close, I coax him, I urge,

For Salvator, Salvator, king of the turfl

I feel him go out with a leap and a surge;

He has rivaled the record of thirteen long years;

I see him creep on, inch by inch, stride by stride,

He has won the first place in the vast line of peers.

While backward, still backward, falls Tenny beside.

'Twas a neck-to-neck contest, a gand, honest race;

Weare nearing the turn, the first quarter is passed­

And even his enemies grant him his place.

'Twixt leader and chaser the daylight is cast;

Down into the dust let old records be hurled,

The distance elongates, still Tenny sweeps on,

And hang out 2:05 to the gaze of the worldl

 GHOST NEWS

Other Good Places to Dfne
Allover the land you will find
some good places to eat. Some are
out of the ordinary. Down at Knott's
Berry Place in the new adobe build­
ing, just erected, one large wall space
is to contain the menu of many of
these places. It's just a friendly serv­
ice for our patrons and a means of
cooperating with good friends in the
restaurant business in California and
clellr across the continent.
Free Publicity
"Many restaurant and hotel pro­
prietors tell their customers about our
place and we want to return the
compliment," says Mr. Knott, "and
this is one of the methods we use."
Not only restaurants but hotels and
various places of attractions will be
given the benefit of this free pub­
licity-just as the columns of the
Ghost Town News are used to
One of the really beautiful attrac­
acquaint friends and readers of other
places that they will find entertain­
ing and interesting.
Menus Displayed
One of the first menus to be dis­
played is that of Hillcrest Dining
Room located at 3600 East Foothill
Blv'd in Pasadena, California. This is
the home of "famous Prime' Ribs"
and a rattling good place for lunch
or dinner--or just a snack. Hillcrest
was founded in 1922 by Raymond
Summers - to sell buttermilk in a
tiny shaclw It was the by-product of
his small one-Ford-truck milk busi­
ness. Soon ice cream was added, ice
cream which young Summers froze at
night in al}· old-fashioned freezer.
,The business grew and grew - and
you'll understand why it continues
to grow when you enjoy a good meal
there.
Oriental Gardens
tions of Southern California is the
Bernheimer Oriental Gardens, situated
on the high bluffs of the famous Pa­
cific Palisades overlooking the blue
Pacific. In these gardens you will find
a truly oriental setting with many
beautiful and interesting objects of
art gathered at great expense. The
garden is located at 16980 Sunset Bou­
levard and it is a good place to visit at
the same time you look over the Will
Rogers horrie and polo grounds in the
same locality.
GHOST TOWN NEWS is indebted to
the Naegele Printing Company of Hel­
ena, Mont., and Ed Craney of KGlli,
Butte, Mont., for permission to reprint
the poem entitled Shorty's Saloon, and
we .are glad to salute the great State
of Montana and the good folks of that
state.
I am a true believer in Good Luck.
The harder I work the more I seem to
have.-HARRY THIELE.

home from hundreds of persons who Papayas

Western Tralls
want a copy, while friends are urging
Museum
him to print a second edition.
Marion Speer is a young man of
fifty-two and for 25 years has been
in the employ of the same company
On Highwav 39 while during spare time he has. ac- .
cumulated a knowledge of western
romance and history-and the land.
Just a few miles down Highway 39
Graduated from the Colorado School
from Knott's Berry Place you will
of Mines in 1908 he was soon lured
find the sign - and you will find an
by the oil business but never has been
interesting collection of minerals and
lured away from an all-consuming
bits of rock and western souvenirs
desire to know more of our early his­
collected over a life1ime by Marion
tory and the men that made it.
Speer as a hobby. Mr. and Mrs. Speer
invite you to call, visit the museum
and learn about the western trails-­
all without any charge.
Discovering
It is their hobby-a real personal Ghost Towns
study of nature and history and they Do you know how to locate an old
like to share it with all. Mr. and Mrs. ghost town or mining site. of which
Speer are that kind of people. Marion not the slightest trace remains? They

·
Speer is in the employ of The Texas
Company and puts in all his spare
can often be relocated, says Times, by
near-by thickets of ailanthus trees.

fl e pursuing his hobby and has

aveled all over the western states
collecting data and items of interest.
A few years, ago he published his
book, "Western Trails" but every copy
~as ~en sold a~cl letters ~e in. ,his
A University of California scientist
made the discovery and found the
reason: in gold-rush days, Chinese
cooks, laundrymen and coolies planted
the ailanth1,ls, known to them liS "tree
of heaven;' to remind them of home;.
PAPAYAS on a seven months old tree
on the glass-enclosed ranch at Paxton
Conserv.atories, Encinitas, Calif. Visitors
welcome. There is noawmssion charge,
and this deliciQUs fruit, new to Califor­
nia, is attracting much .attention.
 Page 24 GHOST TOWN NEWS

landmarks of the golden harvest re­ tisements common in those days. The
"Bad Man from Bodie" main, except the rock heaps in the largest and most conspicuous ones
worked-out placer beds. The towns laud the merits of certain brands of
(Continued from Page 1) have taken on that modern air that whiskey.
erected with money collected in a overshadows any resemblance of the DOUBLE FUNERAL
single night in the saloons. Mar~ Hop­ gold-rush days. This is not the case
with Bodie. Here everything is just There wasn't much law in Bodie to
kins organized .the Bank of ~od:e, and as it. was left, except where vandals respect. Each and everyone settled
put up a buildmg-modern m Its day and souvenir hunters have intruded. his own difficulties as best he could
-to house the institution. . and that was that. A book could be
Sixty saloons were doing a ~ild THE BODIE OF TODAY written about the killings that took
business 24 hours a day. The gamblmg place in Bodie. I will only mention
and dance halls were never closed. All A walk along its deserted streets one that Mr. Cain told me about.
business was conducted along lines de­ and through its empty buildings is a There were two bad men who were
manded by 13,000 people who were most interesting one. Some houses friends. One day, being full of Scotch
abundantly supplied with money. A are nailed up so that one cannot enter whiskey, they got into a heated argu­
Miners' Union and Odd Fellows' hall to see just what is behind their hidden ment as to which was the better shot.
and the great U. S. Hotel were some walls. After an inspection of the old They went back of a building to settle
of the more prominent buildings that bank, with its queer vault and safes, the affair, and the next day there was
lined Main street. The U. S. Hotel, we went through several old saloons. a double funeral. I can imagine .that
which had a balcony along the north Bodie boasted of sixty in its heyday. these immortal souls, wherever they
side, was the social center of Bodie. Cluttered about them are many ob­ may be, are still undecided as to who
jects reminiscent of the rip-roaring is the better shot.
THE BOOM BURSTS days. There are bars complete with After spending all the time we had
everything but the stock, including to spare in old Bodie, we drove to the
Things trav~led along at a. fa~t and bottles, glasses, trays, etc. Old faro· top of the hill that had given up so
wild pace untll 1884, the begmnmg of banks, roulette wheels and poker
the end was noted. The pumps were tables, with a little slit on one side much gold, and near the very portal
taken from the great Standard mine, through which are dropped the poker of the Standard mine. Off in the val­
the fires were drawn from the boilers, chips that represented the rake-off or ley below us was Bodie resting in
and the great pounding stamps at the percentage for the house. There are peaceful tranquility. Along the Main
mills were hung up. Thei!, music, ~o many other pieces of paraphernalia street were two burros .and a Jersey
sweet to the ears of Bodle, was SI­ appertaining to the business. In a cow feeding on the luxuriant grass
lenced and so has remained until t~is conspicuous place are still SOI]le of the growing there. In a ravine to the
day. The people began to leave Bodle. old permits to do business. About the north was a fog of dust not made by
The last to come were the first to walls are some wonderful paintings a stage-coach drawn by spirited
leave, because the¥. ha!i not le~rned that were common to saloons. Some steeds, but a band of sheep lazily
to love Bodie and ItS hIlls and life as were advertising the favorite brand winding their way to the bedding
had those who had been with Bodie of whiskey and beers, some are land­ corral, urged by the faithful herder
from the beginning. Before many scapes, and still others are as scanty and his collection of dogs.
months had gone by, the peopl~ who in costume as Adam and Eve in the Mr. Cain has remained an optimist
had made the gold camp what It was Garden of Eden. Over in one corner during all these years, and his clear
were all gone to other fields of en­ is a big stove around which have been eyes sparkle with glee as he tells you
deavor. Thus Bodie was left to take told, in by-gone days, great feats by what Bodie could be. He looks for­
that course which all things must take miners in development of fabulous ward to the time when motor trucks
that cease to live. will come roaring into town, laden
mines or some daring holdup that has with supplies; when the buildings will
I have tried to picture to you the been averted by the quick action of be repaired, painted and occupied;
Bodie of thirty-five years ago. !fo?, so and so. You will find this line of when the stamp mills will be pound­
I will try to tell you about, Bodle, m story telling true today in the oil field ing at the mills with echoes carried
this year of 1930. I am graCIOusly m­ "dog-house," for in the latter some of to all the hills about Bodie. Not until
debted to Mr. Jim Cain for the funda­ the best wells ever drilled have been then will Bodie reflect the glory that
mental facts and figures of this story, put down, and the worst fishing jobs was hers more than a half century
He has lived in Bodie for fifty years, brought to a successful completion. ago.
and owns the Bank of Bodie, such as At Bodie there is a drug store with
it is. No patrons flock through its doors shelves loaded with bottles, and some
and no tellers are at its windows. M!. of them still have the stock. A. church ELEVEN YEARS LATER
Cain took over $100,000.00 from hIS visited has fine furnishings all going
claim in 90 days. He opens the doors to decay. Back from Main street are On September 14, 1941, Mr. and
of the bank every day, and is glad to some old blacksmith shops and livery Mrs. Walter Knott visited Bodie­
have all who visit Bodie come to the barns. About the former in a decayed eleven years after Marion Speer
bank and register, for he says that condition can be seen many old wag­ wrote the aboV'e article ­ and Mr.
Bodie might some day have a real 0ns' buggies and sleighs such as were Knott says: "Mr. Speer's article is
estate boom and he would use tI:e used in Bodie. There are the Miners' just as factual as it is interesting.
names as his list of prospects. Mr. Cam Union and Odd Fellows' halls on the Bodie remains today just as he de­
will tell you that $50,000,000.00 was north side of Main Street. In the scribed it in this splendid story, ex­
taken from the Standard mine alone, Miners' Union hall is a row of large cept for the fire which occurred
and that $35:000,000.00 passed throu~h armchairs extending around the hall. shortly after Mr. Speer's visit that
his bank as revealed by the OffiCIal In an old shed are two horse-drawn destroyed the bank and several oth­
record. IiI a safe on the wall is a col­ hearses; one is a common affair, while er buildings." And Mr. Knott con­
lection of specimens taken from ~he the other is as good as money and tinued: "Mr. Cain died within the
mines about Bodie. In the front wm­ craftsmanship could build. The latter last year, but his son and daughter­
dow are the balances that were used was used when a gambler, saloon­ in-law are carrying on in the way
to weigh bullion that went through keeper or other prominent citizen that Mr. Cain would have wished."
the bank. It is an interesting relic of "cashed in." "When you visit Bodie (and don't
the early days. All the buildings of Bodie are go in the winter time when snow
To get a true glimpse into the yes­ weatherworn and going to decay. sometimes is 20 feet deep) you will
teryear of a wild and roaring mining Some stone and brick have tumbled meet these fine people and you will
camp, I do not know of a better place in. The paint is all gone, the doors enjoy the stories Mr. Speer tells
to go than to Bodie. It was for this are sagging, and piece by piece, they about. Then, too, there is much of

fl purpose that we visited the weather­ are crumbling down. The wooden
worn city so replete with the lore of sidewalks are squeaky and rotten with
. the golden days. There are many nails working out to trip you. I no­
towns along the Mother Lode of Cali­ ticed that the thresholds of the saloon
interest in their museum." Mr. Knott
was most enthusiastic regarding the
interesting trip to Bodie and the
things of interest there. "If you can't
fornia that thrill us when we hear were almost worn through with the go to Bodie," says Mr. Knott, "this
their names mentioned in conection miners' hobnailed brogans, while the article by Marion Speer is about the
with the romantic days of '49. A trip threshold of other places show little best picture of the place you can
three years ago through the Mother wear. On many of the old buildings find." .
Lode country convinced us that few· can be dimly seen old painted adver­
 GHOST TOWN NEWS Page 25

When Boston Sent Ice

To California
Museum Boss Scores Hit
By "ADMIRAL" W. PARKER LYON

(Continued from Page 1)

(Note: In order to get the full

man who has played these affairs
likewise. Fancy prices were demanded flavor of' this little item furnished and knows when to quit. My winning
and received. the press' you should know the spurt started all the folks playing.
This is the sad story of "Baldy" author--and you may meet him any Made me appear as if I was one of
Hamilton, stage op~rator out of Sacra­
mento City, who lost a fortune be­ day at his Pony Express Museum
the ship's "come on" men.
cause he over-played his assumed
located at 130 W. Huntington Dr., Then I settled down and started
monopoly. Santa Anita - Arcadia. U. S. High­ some real fishing. My first catch was
SNOW TRAIN FROM SIERRA way 66. Or you can take the Pacific a huge diving bird, which, when
TO RESCUE Electric direct to Pony Express fetched to the surface, proceeded to
Station, on the. old Lucky Baldwin roll off about a thousand feet of
It was hot September, '51, and not Rancho.-Editor) trolling line. This was the fir!!t time
a pound of ice obtainable in Sacra­ this had ever happened to me. Re­
mento, Grass Valley, Marysville or
any other of the thirsty-miner-packed minded me of the good old days when
towns and camps. The Boston ship­ OR A real day's sport try fishing as a kid I flew my kite here and yon.
ment had apparently failed for the
season; but "Baldy" knew where large
snowbanks were to be found. So,
F off the barge anchored five miles
off Balboa-Newport.

Well, after a half an hour of

maneuvering, I landed my bird, and
hiring, right and left at high wages,
Here's a play-by-play account of
removed the hook which took a few
he rushed a train of wagons to the re­
my latest fishing venture, and it feet of the gull's interior, but he flew
gion of Echo Summit and with in­ proved to be a honey. It was a foggy away. For a change. I next snagged
credible labor packed them with snow.
A load of sawdust had been taken day and the water was like a mirror. a young seal on my live fish baited
along for packing and over that green The first thing I noticed on the boat
line.
boughs were piled and bound down.
was a flock of slot machines. (We Then along. came a little shark,
Indians and other marauders were were out-of-bounds or something so who swallowed my bait and sinker.
threatening, so a guard of twenty
armed men rode with the train. To
far from the shoreline.) The captain shot this animal. Caught
hasten arrival ere the precious cargo
The first nickel I dropped in paid two more birds before I landed my
melted, travel was continuous, stops me off 75 cents. I believe they called first and last mackerel. Seems like
being made only at every stream to it the jack pot. I then tried the next I'm a regular collector of the ocean's
wet down the cargo.
machine and out rolled 50 cents more. treasures as well as of gold rush day
News of Hamilton's project had
leaked out, and half way down the
Being $1.15 to the good, I quit as a relics.
slope the train was met by speculators

who offered "Baldy" 75. cents a pound

for all snow he could deliver. "Baldy"

Famous Inn Bought Collosal Food Emporium
spurned all offers, declaring he would

make his own distributions and that

Historic Blue Wing Inn, the first (Continued from Page 11)
not a single drink would be cooled at hotel built north of San Francisco,
less than a dollar a pound for snow. and which housed many notable and ooked as if she were enjoying it. Any­
notorious early-day characters, has way, her example was instantly fol­
WHEN "BALDY'S" SNOW CORNER been purchased by Elmer Awl, promi­ lowed by others. Soon it was sort of
BROKE DOWN nent Sonoma Valley rancher and a fad to eat lunch on the hoof among
the okra and eggplants. The mer­
The train reached Sacramento the sportsman. chants, who were selling slices of
second night out and Hamilton con­ The Blue Wing, a sturdy adobe baked ham, began selling also wedges
fident of the security of his cold cor­ structure, was built in the early days of chocolate layer cake and fresh­
ner, corraled .his wagons, admonished of 1840 by General M. G. Vallejo to from-the-oven pies,-putting out their
vigilance upon the guard and strolled house his numerous guests. It was wares on paper plates. There weren't
with a crowd of dusty wag~oners to first operated by James Cooper and enough cherry crates to go around so
the most expensive saloon. There he Tom Spriggs, two retired seafarers, Mr. Dahlhjelm put out a few tables
ordered "sherry cobblers" for his who sold their property in San Fran­ and chairs arranged under gay um­
party, specifying that they must be cisco and moved there because they brellas and shade trees. The next de­
ice cold. did not think San Francisco "had velopment was a natural one. Soon
Confident that the bartender's ex­ any possibilities." little kitchens began to open for bus­
planation of "no ice available" would During its colorful history, the inn iness producing such things as fried
open a quick market for his snow, was frequented by Capt. John Fre­ chicken, broiled trout, superb Span­
"Baldy" was amazed to see that func­ mont, Governor Pio Pico, Kit Carson, ish foods, real pea soup, and all sorts
tionary set out the required number "Fighting Joe" Hooker, Generals U. S. of good things to eat.
of glasses and then unconcernedly re­ The service at the Farmers Market
move a blanket to disclose a huge Grant, Sherman and Phil Sheridan, could hardly be described as the
block of Boston ice. and members of the famous Bear world's worst. If you drop in there.
Inquiry disclosed that the ice ship Flag party which proclaimed the one of these days, you will wander
had reached San Francisco the day California Bear Flag republic in around the interesting places picking
up a salad here, coffee there, and ice
before and that a supply had been Sonoma's plaza. cream fresh-from-the-freezer-all
ent to Sacramento by boat. "Baldy's" The notorious Joaquin Murietta had sorts and kinds of things wherever
flnow melted in the wagons.
Years later Hamilton was to de­
a secret hideout in the hotel. Another
guest was the renegade "Three
clare: "That blarsted ship cost me the Fingered Jack."
you happen to see them. You will
wait on yourself, cafeteria style, car­
rying the things you select to a table
beneath the umbrellas.

$20,000 I paid out to get that snow

Restoration of the building will be The place is a symphony of gay
down to Sacramento City and the undertaken immediately, Mr. Awl an­ sights and good smells, and as a coun­
several thousand dollars profit I ex­ nounced, with the Sonoma Valley terpart to the clatter of dishes and the
pected to make out of the job. I'm Chamber of Commerce being per­ singing of kettles on the stove, there
is that happiest of all music-the
still cussin' myself for not unloadin' mitted to maintain its office and an laughter of free Arp.ericans having
on them speculators." antique store on the premises. fun. i •
 Page 26
California
By SIMEON FORD
(Note: Simeon Ford former owner
of the Grand Union hotel in New
York was famous for his after-din­
ner speeches and the following was
included in the book, "A Few Re­
marks" published in 1903 by P. F.
Collier &- Son.)
W E WHO come from the cold,
effete and clammy East, filled as
we are with pride and codfish, pie and
self-esteem, have been touched and
electrified by the kindness and court­
esy which has been so prodigally be­
stowed upon us hotel men from the
moment we entered the portals of this
lovely land. California is well named
the "Golden State," for though the
precious metal has well-nigh dis­
appeared from her streams and hills,
there is a stock of pure .gold in the
hearts of its people which seems in­
exhaustible.
Now, that is quite a burst of elo­
quence for me! Some folks simply
have eloquence to burn and don't
mind the smell of smoke; but with me
eloquence is as infrequent as a porter­
house steak in a ten-dollar-a-week
boarding house. I suffer from an in­
growing intellect. I trust, therefore,
that you will fully anpreciate my re­
mark about the gold in your hearts
and understand that I don't mean to
intimate that you have a streak of
yellow in your make-up. . .
Since deciding to make a trip to
California, I have been reading up
the history of the '49-ers and what
they went through to get out here.
Some of our party went through a
good deal to ~et here. Some of them
went through everything I had. exceot
my return ticket, and now I find it
so lo,rely here I almost wish they'd
got that, too.
This delicious, languid climate just
suits my dolr.e far niente style of
architecture. I'd like to get wme not
too ardent position out here, like
picking blossoms off a century plant.
"M'IJ willing soul would stay
In such a frame as this;
And sit and sing herself away
To everlasting bliss."
Th~t is from one of Watts' hvmns.
and I have always nOTiced that old
Watts knew what's Watt. But, in­
stead. I'll have to hurrv back to New
York and chase the fitful and elu~ive
boarder - a pastime more exciting
than orofitable in these days.
But come what may, we hotel men
will never forget the boundles~ hos­
pitalitv of the "wild and woolly West,"
and the glories of this land' of sun­
shine and of flowers, and the wonders
of this climate. We are having some
of this climate canned to take home
with us.
_ Already we have forgotten the fa­
'. tigues and privations of our trip
. across the continent; of how, when
crossing the desert, no water passed
our parched lios for many moons; of
how our eyesight has been imnah'ed
looking for the three-of-a-kind that
never came; of how, night after night,
our rest has been broken and the
ambient air shattered by the stertor­
ous breathing of our olump con­
tingent, and the conversational powers
GHOST TOWN NEWS
of our sisters and our cousins and
our aunts;. of how we came' flying
across the continent, the Chicago
landlords in front of us, the Boston
landlords behind us - there we were
like Moham~ed's coffin, suspended
between heaven and earth, or' per­
haps it would be better to say, ""twixt
the devil and the deep sea." And we
have almost forgotten the awful dust
":"'for once New York had to take
Chicago's dust, but we passed it along
to Boston. And the changes of climate!
As soon as we got on our linen dusters
and palm-leaf fans we ran into four­
teen feet of snow, and by the time
we had donned. our fur overcoats and
red mittens the mercury went up to
one hundred and twenty degrees in
the shade. Really someone ought to in­
vent a patent, automatic, self-regulat­
ing, back-action, ball bearing, self­
adjusting style of underwear for trans­
continental travelers.
All these privations and hardships
have been forgotten since we entered
California, and could the X-rays be
turned upon us the fact would be
disclosed that we are filled to over­
flowing with kindly feelings toward
our hosts, as well as with prunes and
fruit, canned goods, native wines,
evaoorated peaches, liver-pills and
gratitude.
Lee Shippey
Times Columnist and Author
Many a regular reader of the Los
Angeles Times turns unfailin~ly to
the daily column, "Lee Side 0' L. A."
the regular contribution of' Lee Ship­
pey well-known and highly regarded
writer. In this daily column, the
reader is sure to find enjoyment­
the kind that comes with that good
second cup of coffee at breakfast. It is
true that many of us would forego
the second cup of coffee rather than
miss a single one of Shippey's inter­
esting and entertaining articles.
In the August 5th issue of The
Times, Mr. Shioney paid tribute to
Knott's Berry Place and maybe
that's one reason why the attendance
at Knott's has been greater than
usual the past several weeks. Mr.
Shinoey wrote:
"We can live without poetry, music
or art but civilized man cannot live
without cooks. Most of what I write
is soon forgotten but now and then
I have reminders that some printed
words never die. They are the words
one writes about food.
"The other day I visited the Old
Orchard in Alhambra and was told
that strangers were still dropping in
there because of a mention of the
place in this column two years ago.
So I write these lines with serene
confidence that, while all I have said
on world affairs or poetry or art will
fade from memory in a few days,
some of you will treasure these words
about something really important.
"I've just discovered one of the
most amazing "industries" in Cali­
fornia. In 1920 a berry farmer named
Knott opened· a roadside stand in
which he sold fresh berries and rhu­
barb. His little farm wasn't on a main
highway or near any big town. He
was on Highway 39. However, a few
passers stopped there and Knott be­
gan selling berry pie and coffee.
Eventually he had to have seats for
20 persons at his lunch counter. In
1934 he began serving chicken dinners.
"Now Knott has 110 acres, emfloys
most of the young persons 0 his
community and provides a market for
most of their chickens and some other
farm products. One Sunday recently
.he served 4,200 dinners! His roadside
restaurant, far from any big city, can
serve 700 persons at once and he has
to have a public address system to
call in those who are waiting for
tables on rush days. To enable them
to pass the time pleasantly, Knott
has made his place a sort of museum.
There is a ghost town better than
most movie sets, because Knott's
mother came to California as a pioneer
and once lived in a mining town.
Tnere is a mineral exhibit, a nursery
including many unusual plants, a
man-made volcano which gives a
pretty good idea of the way volcanoes
act and a remarkable collection of
old-fashioned music boxes. Knott's
daughters, Virginia and Elizabeth,
have departments of their own. I do
not know if it is true, as asserted
by neighbors, that every Sunday
enough chicken gravy is served there
to float a battleship, but I stopped
there in the middle of a week-day
afternoon and several hundred cars
were parked there at the time. And
I can testify that enough Boysenberry
punch was being consumed to float a
small yacht. Incidentally, no liquor is
sold or served in Knott's olace. I
don't wish to make undue claims of
world's championship. But who knows
of any other highway eating place,
far from a big center and not on a
main highway, where 4,200 dinners
are served in a single day and around
1,100 every day - and no liquor is
served?"
Oysterville
"The sleepy little hamlet of Oyster­
ville on Wiliapa Bay in WashIngton
is our favorite week-end trio," writes
Marguerite N. Davis from Multnomah,
Oregon in a letter to Sunset Magazine.
"Oysterville was· founded in 1850,
and apparently few changes have
taken ulace since then! Gasoline and
coal oil lamps are still used; there is
no blaring of radio or phonograph;
even the one telephone may 'go dead.'
Newsnapers are a rarity, usually
brought in by outsiders.
"The few original houses, of red­
wood carried from California in sail­
ing vessels long ago, still stand, and
are onen to guests. Regular summer
boarders come back year after year
to these little farmhouses, where the
most comfortable beds imaginable
are made up with quilts worthy of a
prize at any fair. Meals-and such
fried chicken, oysters, chowders, crab!
-are served family style in these old
houses. .
"Oysterville is on an inland bay,
and a short walk over the hummock
of the penisula brings you to a wide
sandy beach where surf bathing is
delightful. A trip to the oyster beds,
or to the quaint old cemetery, is an
easy walk.
"Don't go to Oysterville for excite- .
ment. It's a place to relax."

TUNGSTEN­
"THE JOSHUAS"
take you a half hour to get through
This snapshot of June Le Mert Pax­
ton's desert home is a picture of her
desert life where inspiration brings
to the world 'the things she learns
there. Several years ago when the
desert offered a return to health, Mrs.
Paxton embrac~ the opportunity and
she'll tell you tli'ht it brought a return
of good health, zest for life and­
inspiration. For eight years she lived
alone except for weekends when Mr.
Paxton left work behind and enjoyed
the desert with her. Just recently
Mr. Paxton retired from years of
service with the Santa Fe Railroad
and now he, too, makes this little
cabin - in - the - desert home. Their
Hollywood home sees them both only
on weekends.
Mrs. Paxton learned to love the
desert and loves life. In her "Just
Lowly Philosophy" column in the
Weekly Desert Trail and other pub­
lications she imparts to readers every­
where the lure of the desert. Her
hobby is the writing of desert poems,
(you'll find at least one in every
issue of the Desert Magazine) doing
water color scenes of the desert and
entertaining guests who by the score
sign her guest book. Just a lovely
. lady doing her bit to make this old
world a better place in which to live.
You'll enjoy her article in this issue
of GHOST TOWN NEWS.
INFORMATlON PLEASE
(Continued from Page 13)
ties for makin~ up-to-date additions
to the informatIonal storehouse it has
been building for five decades.
While you're in there, take a few
minutes to browse around in the base­
ment. You will discover quite a mu­
seum of Los Angeles County exhibits
in several manufacturing fields, in
mining, farming, motion pictures and
sout~modes of living. There is
also eresting relief map of the
whole opolitan area.
Your Ittle visit may have some
extra interest just from the stand­
point of seeing the world's greatest
Chamber of Commerce in operation.
With other 10,000 members, it has for
twenty years been the world's largest
commercial body. But local citizens
think it also the most useful. Fifty
years ago Los Anfeies County was
only a collection 0 sleepy little vil­
lages sufferin~ from the hangover of
a land boom, lsolated from the rest of
the world by ocean, mountains and
desert, with no harbor and no fac­
tories to furnish jobs for citizens.
Since that time a great economic
empire has been carved out in this
southwestern corner and today the
Los Angeles Metropolitan Area has
GHOST TOWN NEWS
SPICE OF LIFE
By EJ'HEL M. TAnOR
In Van Nuys News
KNOTT'S BERRY PLACE-To
keep this away from the commercial,
we shan't tell you how to get to this
delightful Sunday rendezvous, (It
won't be our fault,. if you already
know how). Aside from the meals,
Knott's can keep you entertained for
an undetermined length of time, ac­
cordin,- to your eye for the unique.
If you re a woman, it will probably
the gift shop alone,from the front
door to the back entrance, which
leads into screened rock gardens.
PLACE TO RELAX
Out here, most of the men take it
upon themselves to count the rings
on the enormous tree trunk slabs for
their wives (who are reputably poor
at figures) and when the little woman
isn't looking, the head of the house­
hold reaches in his trousers' pocket
and tosses a coin in the pool for good
luck. (There is said to be more than
$100 in pennies:.... nickels and dimes
there already). Tne miniature house
with its complete furnishings and
tom-thumb occupants, might have
been intended as a juvenile attraction,
if the youngsters have the patience
to wait in line behind their elders.
On the warmest day. it is delight­
fully cOQI here, with the damp smell
of ferns and the musical trickling of
waterfalls reaching your ears as you
relax on the longest bench in the
world, carved from a tree trunk.
AMUSEMENT, TOO
If you crave amusement, the only
"active volcano in captivity" on the
grounds, will give you a chuckle or
two, especially the glass-enclosed
mechanism and robot which the sign
says, ol)erate the volcano. You are
tempted to stay on until evenin~, just
to see it in action. The mimature
horses from Grand Canyon that were
purchased recently from the Van
Nuys animal shelter are on exhibit
for side-show enthusiasts and then
there is the dusty Ghost Town
snuggled at one end of the grounds
where you can bro.wse to your heart's
content.
MODEL VILLAGE
For several years the Knott's have
been collecting authentic old pieces
for their model village. They have an
~arly .printshop partially compl.ete,
mcludmg hand presses and anCIent
typewriters, a blacksmith shop, hand
laundrr" saloon with a "family en­
trance: ' where Knott's berry punch is
dispensed, and even ye oide towne
jail, whose surly occupant may (or
may not) address you in stentorian
tones (you can figure this one out
when you get there).
taken its place as one of the great
communities of the world. Down
through the years it has been the Los
Angeles Chamber of Commerce which
has led the way and is still doing it.
But remember tnat, although it is
a big organization doing big jobs, the
people who work there are glad to
take time out for a minute to answer
your questions or give you Some
friendly advice. Pay them a visit.
NOT TROUT
LURE OF
HIGH SIERRA
VACATIONIST
REPORTS
.ByJoHN A Wn:
ERHAPS it's the lure of the moun­
P tain trout, perhaps the wonders
of nature that hold you spell-bound
with snow-capped peaks, the unlimit­
ed desert, or even the interesting ani­
mals and birds that come into the pic­
ture; but something always calls you
back, and the angler has the best
alibi in the world to enjoy it.
After packing the old bus with
everything but the kitchen sink and
the piano~ you start rolling across the
Mojave aesert with Bishop as your
destination. Passing the interesting
towns of Mojave, Lone Pine, Inde­
pendence, and Big Pine, you come to
the town of Bishop which seems to
be the sportsmen's headquarters dur­
ing fishing and hunting seasons. Here
you take your choice of many streams,
thousands of lakes and prepare to
hide away from stop and go signs;
hot and cold water (pardon me, you
get the cold water and it's really
cold) electric lights, and all the other
modern gadgets that you really can't
do without and get the feeling of the
pioneer who really lived close. to
nature.
In the past, however, one could
come UP to the lodge on the stream
and listen to the story of the one
that got away or even got attentive
ears to your own tale of woe; but
times have changed this year, yes
sir, and if you don't think mining
can .change the atmosphere of a town
just try telling a ~sh story. Why even
the dogs won't lIsten.
It's not gold either, 'tain't even
silver, but it is one of the vital ma­
terials that must be used by Uncle
Sam in his Defense program­
tungsten.
Yes sir, right here in California
they have uncov~red a wealth of this
material in and around the ranges of
Bishop. Miners are streaming in. The
old town is taking on a color of the
gold rush days and everyone is talk­
ing tungsten.
They seem to find its location by
light. In the day time the gray colored
material is overlooked. However with
the aid of a light at night, it shines
like a silver star. It's really more
beautiful than gold.
This beautiful ore produces the
necessary elements that makes steel
tough.
The government can't get enough.
So, Bishop is fast becoming the center
of all this activity'; so take a hint all
you anglers and really hit the high­
way in this direction for fishing is
goO<\, especially with all the old
timers out in the hills.-South Pasa­
dena Review.
Page 28
Roads To Rotnance
Frotn Calexico
'XlITH THANKS to Mr. C. F. Rey­
V V nolds, manager of the Calexico
Chamber of Commerce, and Tom
Allen, we a~ able to furnish the fol­
lowing data regarding tours to start
from Calexico, in the Imperial Valley.
THE OLD PICACHO MINE
Eastward along primrose bordered
Highway 98 to Winterhaven, thence
north through the Indian reservation
to where a large sign says, "21 miles
to the Picacho mining district," and
the vagabond is on the threshold of
the famed old mineral area. You get
there after a last, half mile of rugged­
ly scenic, winding road.
The old Picacho mine had been idle
for some time. Rebuilding by a
Canadian company, we were told, was
.stopped by the war just when the
job was nearly finished. Ab~ut al~ that
is left of the older operations IS an
old dry washer, hundreds of placer
holes and the huge glory hole of the
earlier days.
TYPICAL SETTLEMENT
Near the dry washer is the typical
mine town, burial ground on the
banks of a large wash with a portable
dry-washer showing evidence of re­
cent working. Right up to the graves,
pockets had been worked which ap­
parently .showed but little value on
and near the surface, but some enter­
prising miner had gophered in on the
bedrock.
We traveled onward down Picacho
canyon to the old town of Picacho,
on the river, where the boatlanding
is now under water or floated away
by the backwater of Imperial dam,
and only the old post-office and three
or four buildings remain of old, old
Picacho.
NATURE'S DELIRIUMS
We followed a faint foot path a
mile or so to the old milling plant,
over vari-colored ridges and points
that appeared to be waste dumps, but
actually are natural formations. Na­
ture was surely l.avish in her color­
ingS~' this section, shades of browns,
gree ellow and reds verging to
past inks and purples, lay side·
by si , nd on one smooth, bar:e 1;till­
side was a patch of the damtIest,
prettiest yellow flowers we have ever
seen and five beautiful palms grew
close to the river. . cide. As he points out, they do not.
At the river edge millsite where
only a part of the heavy masonry
rock walls and part of an adobe wall
now stand, there was a strong slop­
ing back to the mountain strewn with
splinters and debris. An old steam
boiler resting half on its heavy stone
foundation remained, the smokestack
crumpled and partly covered nearby;
heavy, squared timbers planted deep­
ly into the mountainside, showed here
and there, other foundations carried
perhaps furnaces, leaching tanks,
shops, etc., indicated that the plant
had been a huge one.
GHOST TOWN NEWS
OLD GRADE LEFT
Across a canyon, near the top of a
mountain, perhaps 450 to 500 feet
high were the old cross ties and
grad~ of the narrow gauge railroad
that hauled ore from the gloryhole,
some seven to 10 miles away, and
carried supplies from the boat land­
ing. We traced the old grade through
the cuts and along the mountain top
down into the wash where we lost
trace in Picacho canyon. Man may
create, but the desert in time will
erase all evidence.
On the way back a covey of moun­
tain quail flushed ahead of us. There
was a small sharp peak that re­
sembled an inverted ice cream cone,
a natural bridge in the rocky moun­
tain side and a balanced rock near
where we came back into Picacho
wash.
TUMCO
Scarcely 50 miles from Calexico is
a ghost town in the throes of resur­
rection, a place that antedates the
Imperial valley as it is generally
known today by 60 years and that
once boasted a population in the
thousands.
The place is Tumco, deep in the
Cargo Muchacho mountains, just north
of the Calexico-Yuma highway, that
once flourished as Hedges, and where
many an old timer now living was
born. There was a reason for Hedges,
just as now there is a reason for
Tumco, which succeeded it-gold. And
Hedges, or Tumco, if you will, is an
orthodox mining town, with two
flourishing cemeteries now, and then
with dance halls, volunteer fire de­
partment, miners' union and all the
expected appurtenances of the gaudy
days of the California gold rush.
WHEN ERROR LIES
T. J. Worthington, once of Calexico,
and now of Winterhaven, historian,
raconteur and oracle of eastern Im­
perial valley, says the trouble most
folks make is the common assump­
tion, the conquest of the valley dates
only from the turbulent days at the
turn of the century, when water first
came into the irrigation canals. The
error, he thinks, is sprung from t.he
inclination to think the boundaries
of Imperial county and valley coin­
So skepticism arises when the average
person is told the present county
boasted a hustling city of some 3000
souls long before anyone even
dreamed of the present cities of Im­
perial valley.
STAGING COMEBACK
As a mining camp, Tumco is staging
a comeback. New shafts are being
driven into the Cargo Muchacho's
flank, rich in low grade gold ore. It
was a ripsnorting camp when it was
Hedges. It is safe to assume the dis­
trict was known even in the days
... ~
of '49 because it is within sight and -"
reaching distance of the Overland -,
trail over which so many gold hunt­ .!
ers came to California. It is of record
that Picacho mines, near the Colo­ .
rado were being worked in 1864,
Worthington writes, although there is
no written evidence regarding the
Cargo Muchacho hills until the early
1870's. In those .years, ore was hauled
from tunnels in the present Tumco
district to the Hamil brothers' stamp
mill and amalgamating plant near the
Colorado, just south of highway 80
and near what has been erroneously
labeled the Araz stage station. Worth­
ington says, this was erected in 1881
as a mine office and never was used
for a stage building.
During these years, another to~n _J
boomed, Ogilby, now a lon~ly sectIC!n
point on the Southern PacIfic, but m
the late 1870's and 1880's, an im­
portant transport center for ~upplies
railroaded from Yuma, WhICh the
rails had reached in 1877. Ogilby was
for a time, rival to Yuma.
But at Tumco, only the ruins of
Hedges and Fuller development, in­
cluding the massive 100-stamp battery
mill remain. There is a reservoir in
the hills, where fed the 12-mile pipe
line from the Colorado. The glory of
Hedges departed in the early days;
of this century after some $25,000,­
000 had been extracted from the
mines, including the famed American
Girl. As the glory went, so went the
buildings, wood rotted, adobe de­
cayed. Not until about four years'
ago did Tumco start coming back.
And now the old ghost town is getting
livelier every day.
PAYMASTER MINE
There isn't much left of the Pay­
master now beyond evidences of a
glorious past. Three or four rusted
steel-roofed buildings, old rock foun­
dations and tank sites near the yawn­ . ":;:'
ing stopes and open cuts, with their
accompanying huge waste and tail­
ing dumps.
SILVER PRODUCER
The Paymaster, is a silver producer,
and one of the singular sights was a
white rock, that had the apoearance
of being heavily white-washed and
used for monuments and markers and
foundations. They came from the side­
walls of the workings and had bleach­
ed whiter by exposure.
Near the Paymaster was a burned
cabin with a unique white rock and
cactus garden. An old rock and adobe
fireplace in another place, in almost
perfect condition. Some of the several
open cut workings' connected with
stopes through which the ore was
raised and the ore veins were nearly
perpe~dicular. In this as well as the
entire district there were evidences
of activity and assessment work
which is apparently being well car­
ried on.
 GHOST TOWN NEWS Page 29

The Growth of Knott's Berry Place ,

of

REPORT OF PROGRESS
YEAil SEATING RECORD DAY AND NUMBER SERVED CHICKENS PIES BISCUITS
CAPACITY USED MADE USED
1927 to 1934 20 Served pie and coffee( no dinners}
1934 20 August 26 85 31 90 420
1935 40 August 4 315 112 123 1,610
1936 70 August 16 620 217 190 3,080
1937 300 November 25, Thanksgiving 1,774 610 355 8,890
1938 400 May 8, Mother's Day 2,956 975 560 14,780
1939 600 May 14, Mother's Day 4,205 1,440 685 21,070
1940 600 May 12, Mother's Day 5,181 1,706 750 25,905
1941 600 May 11, Mother's Day 5,910 1,970 784 29,550
On average Sundays now, we serve from 4,000 to 4,200 dinners, and average week-days vary from 600 to
1,000 per day.

We are very grateful for this rapid increase in patronage, and when I say "we," I mean all of us, both the
Knott family and employees; many of whom have been with us so long they are as much a part of the business
as we are. Our customers have treated us wonderfully, and it is through your bringing your friends this growth
has been possible. We hope some day, before too long, to be able to tell you we have served a half million din­
ners in one year.

FACILITIES FOR PRIVATE PARTIES

Our rooms for privaJe parties accommodate groups of 15
to 300. There is no additional charge for these rooms for an
afternoon or evening. They are adaptable for luncheons, ban­
quets, or dinners followed by social or business meetings. An
appropriate place for garden clubs to hold banquets.

(jarJen6 Hostess Elizabeth (TonU Knott

We are constantly improving our gardens and endeavoring to make them of definite interest to flower lovers.
Plants are constantly being changed to insure blooms the year round. The many specimens are all properly
tagged to enable visitors to identify them. If you don't like crowds, come on a week day.

A wall of one of
the rock gardens.

Gver'l Jelail in Ihe titchen i6 6upervi6eJ jU61 a6 it wa6 in Ihe teginning

While our seating capacity and volume of business has steadily increased, Mrs. Knott supervises every detail
in the kitchen. All of our kitchen employees are women living in the neighborhood, and are eager to cooperate
with Mrs. Knott in maintaining a high standard of quality.
The jams, jellies, chili sauce, pickles and French dressing used with our dinners are made in our own kitchen
and are for sale in the market at the south end of the building. Only the finest fresh milk and cream are used in
cooking, and many Sundays as much as 450 quarts of the best Guernsey milk go into the gravy alone.
The dining room is managed by the daughters of the family, the hosts, hostesses, waitresses and busboys are
carefully selected from people living in this community, many of whom are college boys and girls. Their inter­
est in the business has developed a feeling of proprietorship and they will be only too glad to be of any service.
 Rest and Relax in a County-farm Atmosphere
Bring this with you. It wilL make ~it easy to find us.

F~t-=.:;t:r--';~~::"-lJ FuLlERTON
.I!-O~--iI(( KNOTT'S
BERRY
PLACE

From Downtown Los Angeles (22 miles), South or
West Part of Los Angeles, Hollywood, Inglewood,
or Santa Monica-Come east on Manchester to boule­
vard stop in Buena Park, intersection Highway 39;
then turn right two miles on Highway 39.
From San Pedro and Long Beach (Long Beach, 15
miles)-Come north on either Atlantic or Cherry to
Carson (State Highway No. 18). Turn right on Car-
son through Lakewood Village, Hawaiian Gardens
and Cypress, to Highway No. 39. Turn left one-half
mile to our place.
From Pomona and Points East and North (Pomona,
24miles)-Come through ·Brea Canyon to Fullerton.
At Fullerton turn right to Buena Park. At the first
boulevard stop (Highway No. 39) turn left two miles
to our place.

We'll Be Glad to See You

:lite ::Dinner menu

Knott's Special Dinner
CHERRY RHUBARB SAUCE
SALAD
SOUTHERN FRtED CHICKEN ,1.00

• BAKED'HAM .
MASHED POTATOES AND GRAVY
HOT BISCUITS
VEGETABLES
HOME·MADE BERRY lAM
OUR HOME·MADE PICKLES
.8$

•
Choice of Drinks
COFFEE TEA MILK ICED TEA BOYSENBERRY PUNCH BUTTERMILK

Choice of Desserts
BERRY PIE VANILLA ICE CREAM BOYSENBERRY SHERBET
Special Prices/or Children U"der re"
 GHOST TOWN NEWS·

Anybody's Gold

By JOSEPH HENRY JACKSON

ERE IS the story of California's
H mining towns and a book that
you will treasure. One of the most
versatile and active bookmen in the
country, Joseph Henry Jackson is
well known as an author, a newsoaper
book-reviewer, and a radio book-re­
viewer. As an author, he has won
outstandine success with such pooular
books as "Mexican Interlude," "Notes
on a Drum," and "Tintypes in Gold."
As a newspaper book-reviewer, he has
been with the San Francisco Chronicle
since 1930, and has come to be recog­
nized as one of the most influential
critics in the country.
As a radio book-reviewer, he has,
in his "Bookman's Notebook," the old­
est sustaining program on the air.
Born in New Jersey, Mr. Jackson was
educated at Lafayette, served in
World War I, and then went to Cali­
fornia, where he now lives not too
far from the Mother Lode country,
about which he writes in "Anybody's
Gold." . neglecting such colorful personalities
D Appleton - Century Company,
Publishers announce:
Most of the Forty-Niners didn't get
rich. Instead they got fevers, rheuma­
tism, dyspepsia, and general aches
and pains. The average miner wasn't
a grizzled old pard as we have been
led to believe, but an adventurous
young man of twenty-four, who had
joined the Gold Rush because he was
tired of his job -back East (or per­
haps had had none). And most of
them-those who didn't die of their
sicknesses, and who didn't get killed
for a few dollars in dust - went home
sadder and wiser or settled in the
cities and went into real estate, min­
ers' supplies or groceries. There is
plenty of color and drama in this
side of the Gold Rush; it's a side
that hasn't been celebrated, and it's
time the $tory was told.
Joseph Henry Jackson tells the
story of the average Forty-Niner in
vivid detail, and the book exquisitely
illustrated by E. H. Suydam's draw­
ings of the mining towns as they are
today, is a magnificent tribute to one
of the most stirring eras in American
history. The first section tells the
story of the Rush itself with special
emphasis on the life of the many
(much of the material drawn from
unpublished diaries), but in no way
as John A. Sutter, Bidwell, Joaauin
Murrieta, Tom Bell. Hank Monk, Lola
Montez, Lotta Crabtree, to mention
but a few. The second section of the
book deals with the mining towns as
they are today, many of them ghost
towns, which are fascinating spots
for the tourist to visit. Thus this
beautifully illustrated and superbly
written book, not only describes the
Gold Rush when it was at its height,
but brings the absorbing story down
to the present time.
E. H. Suydam was born in Vine­
land, N. J. Moving to Philadelphia in
1900, much of Ids life was spent in
that city and New York. He studied ­
illustration at the Pennsylvania Mu­
seum School of Industrial Art and
became the pupil of Thornton Oakley,
the noted artist. He got his first com­
mission in 1921 to do a series of
sketches of New York for the "De­
signer." Since then he devoted him­ .,
',.
self to street scenes and travel pic­
tures rather than the usual magazine
illustrations. Since 1930, Mr. Suydam
spent much of his time in California.
His work always received the enthusi­
astic praise of the critics and his
pencil drawings, etchings, and block­
prints are included in a number of
museums, libraries, and private col­
lections. He made sketches for "The
Macadam Trail," "Old Louisiana,"
"Lafitte the Pirate," and the Apple­
ton-Century Series of Books on Amer­
ican Cities. Mr. Suydam's recent
death has deprived this country of
one of the foremost book-illustrators.
"Anybody's Gold" sells' for five
dollars and is to be obtained from
your book dealer.

GifT SUGGESTIONS - fOR OL() and NEW fRIEN()S

Many of our visitors make a habit

of sending holiday gifts direct from
our place each year. Folks back
east as well as our California
patrons like our jellies, jams, mar·
malade, juices, spiced fruits, and
canned boysenberries. We will be
glad to send you an illustrated
circular of our special packs and
gift suggestions; also prices on
each item in such quantities as are
suitable for your pantry. Below we
offer two specials which find favor
am(mg many of our customers.

No.3
Out 01 the. Ordin.ar:r. This unique gift package include. Jam. and

No.2 Marmalades which will interest lovers of fine preserve*. Red Raspberry

Jam, Tangerine Marmalade. Strawberry Jam~ Kumquat Marmalade, Boysen.­

A Je.llr Special. Here'. something you'U rave about. Six 6·oz. Jellies: berry J ~m, Lime Marmalade; is packed in 4·oz. glaeeea. This colorful cel..

Boysenberry Jelly, Loganherry JeUy, Black Raspberry Jelly, Gauva JeJly, lopbane 'Wl'apped selection will satisfy anyone~s concept of ,a perfect &ift.
Currant Jelly, Youngberry Jelly~ This selection is gift wrapped in cello~ Prepaid • $1.20
phane. Prepaid, • , • • • • • •• 31.45

Just specify which you want and remit by check, draft" or moneyorder and your order will he filled the day received. If send·
ing as a gift enclose your card which we will send along. Try our boysenberry Jam and Jelly and you'll want it on hand always.
A letter or postcard will bring our illustrated circular. Address and make remittances payable to: .

Buena Park, KNOTT'S BERRY PLACE California

;
 LURE OF THE OCEAN

LIDO ISLE

Lido Isle is a smart residential dis­

trict, enshrined in a colorful and pic­
turesque setting . . . Snow-crowned
mountains in the purple distance • • •
Nearby tranquil hills sheltering the
sunny waters of Newport Bay . • .
The home of a thousand boats and
more!
The history of Newport Beach be­
gins with the Indians. Next were rare
visits of ships hunting Treasure Gal~
leons. State records tell of the pad­
die-wheel Vaquero, in 1865, making
regular trips from Newport Harbor
to San Diego.

Beautiful homes with private beach and boat

landing - on an island but just a moment
from the mainland-at lovely Lido Isle, in
Newport Bay.

Newcomers always want to see "the orange groves and the ocean." Here in Southern California we enjoy many wonder­
ful beach resorts. One great recreation center and playg:r:ound is Newport Bay, the otily protected inland harbor betwec:n San
Pedro-Long Beach and San Diego. In the heart of beautiful Newport Bay is lovely Lido Isle, restricted residential district,
and the pictures on this page are Lido Isle pictures. It is 45 miles from Los Angeles or Pasadena, 80 miles from San Diego, 11
miles from Santa Ana, and a half hour's drive from Knott's Berry Place at Buena Park.