HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE UPPER MOJAVE DESERT

Vol. 20 No. 3 March 2005
___________________________________________________________________________
MARCH MEETING: THE HIDDEN CAMPS OF INYO, TOM CHAPMAN

The Hidden Camps of Inyo will be the topic of engineer, historian, and author Tom Chapman's presentation to the March meeting of the Historical Society of the Upper Mojave Desert. The meeting will start at 7:30 PM on Tuesday, March 15 at the Maturango Museum. Everybody is welcome to attend the Society's meetings.

High up in the Inyo, Panamint, and Coso ranges, accessible nowadays only to hikers, lie hidden the nineteenth century camps of prospectors and woodcutters. The prospectors, of course, were looking for silver and gold. The silver mines needed a plentiful supply of charcoal, which is what the woodcutters were after. They burned wood to produce charcoal either in the beehive-shaped charcoal kilns you may have seen in the Owens Valley or Wildrose Canyon, or, more primitively, in pits at their campsites, bringing it down steep wagon roads to the mines at Cerro Gordo, Panamint City, or elsewhere.

Local historian Tom Chapman will use photos and artifacts to take us on a virtual journey to these camps that the average person never sees. The author of Bottles of Eastern California, Mr. Chapman was born and raised in Ridgecrest. His love of the outdoors was kindled by his father, who took him to explore places like Darwin and Cerro Gordo. After graduating in mathematics from Cal State Long Beach, Tom returned to work on the base. He currently lives in Bishop and also serves as Historian for the Southern Inyo Museum in Lone Pine.

The Historical Society meets on the third Tuesday of every month. For more information about this month's or future meetings, call President Bruce Wertenberger at 375-2369.
Andrew Sound

BUSINESS MEMBERS

We welcome this month new business members: Lockheed Martin Corporation, Nevins Technology, L R. Haugen, H & R Block and ROJOSACO ­ a Ridgecrest Septic Service.

Please patronize them as well as our long-standing local business members: BevLen Haus ­ Bed and Breakfast. Jack & Dana Lyons, the Swap Sheet, Ridgecrest Moving & Storage, Heritage Inn, Farris' Diner & Italian Gardens, Indian Wells Valley Insurance Co., and The News Review.

RENEWALS STILL NEEDED

We need to get the rest of our renewals in!
Although renewals have been coming in at a steady pace, our treasurer/membership person notes there are a number of regulars who haven't yet renewed their membership.

If your address label had your name highlighted and there was an envelope inside the newsletter, this is an indication we don't yet have your renewal. Please take a moment now to write out your check for $15 for a family renewal and $25 for a business renewal and tuck in the readdressed envelope, put a stamp on the envelope and mail it off today. Many thanks.

Membership fees help pay for newsletter printing and postage costs, rent and utility costs for our building, costs of our exhibits and various other activities.

CONTRIBUTORS/PATRONS

February Patrons are Mike and Jerry Mumford and new contributors are Paul and Jean Amundson. All donations are appreciated and may be made any time during the year. We are an IRS 501(c)(3) corporation so contributions are tax deductible to the extent of the law. Donations may be addressed to Fred Weals, Treasurer, HSUMD, P.O. Box 2001, Ridgecrest, CA 93556

SAND CANYON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM DATES

We have received the dates for the SEEP trips this year. Here is the schedule and schools which will be participating: March 31 (Richmond), April 8 (Faller), May 6, (Gateway), May 12 (Pierce), May 20 (Inyokern, Charter & St. Ann schools), May 25 (Las Flores). The gap between April 8 and May 6 is due to the testing schedule.

MEETING WITH BLM ­ Historical Cabins/Sites Program

A meeting has been scheduled with BLM in their offices Monday evening March 14 on their historical cabin/sites program. If you are interested in participating or attending, please call Bill Nevins, 375-4764, for more details and registration for the meeting.

ANNUAL DINNER MEETING

Our annual dinner meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday evening, May 17, at Victoria's at the Heritage Kathy Armstrong is making the arrangements. Details will be announced in future newsletters.

IN MEMORIAM

It is with regret we note the recent passing of Bernice Rogers. While she was not a member of the Historical Society, a daughter, Millie Riggin, and her partner, John Pate, are members of the HSUMD. Mrs. Rogers had hosted members of the HSUMD at several open houses during the Christmas season a few years back where we enjoyed seeing her fascinating collections.

HISTORICAL ARTICLE

(Following is an article prepared by our great local historian member, John Di Pol, drawn from his own library of history books. Ed)

THE RANDSBURG RAILROAD

Most Society members no doubt are aware that a railroad once served the Rand area for many years, but some may not know that it did not reach its namesake city. Its terminus was in the neighboring town of Johannesburg, a couple of miles or so short of the "Big Burg", Randsburg. How so? More later.

The Randsburg Railway Company was incorporated in May, 1897. The principal incorporators were J.M. Beckley and Albert Smith, both from New York state, and A. A. Daugherty of Los Angeles. At that time, the Rand Camp was booming following the discovery of the Yellow Aster mine and other rich deposits. Rand Camp quickly became "Randsburg", soon followed by Johannesburg.

In October construction commenced at Kramer, a connection with the Atlantic, Pacific and Santa Fe 33 miles west of Barstow, and proceeded north for 29 miles to its terminus in Johannesburg. The route was a straight line, standard gauge and free of any heavy construction save the building of occasional embankments. (A stretch of the right-of-way can still be clearly seen to the east from Hwy 395 just south of Red Mountain). The line was completed rapidly, rolling equipment purchased, station depot built, with regular train service starting on January 17, 1898 with one train daily, which quickly expanded to two daily trains, with connections at Barstow for Los Angeles.

By the summer of 1898, the Yellow Aster had developed a supply of water to build a 30 stamp mill, however this was not of sufficient capacity to handle all of the mine's production. By June Beckley and his associates had built a 50 stamp mill at Barstow to handle the Yellow Aster's excess production, as well for other Rand mines. Of course, the Randsburg Railroad hauled all the ore! This continued for a few months until the Yellow Aster expanded their mill to 100 stamps. While this had an effect on the railroad, its Barstow mill continued to boom from business from other mines in the upper Mojave Desert region.

In a surprise move, the Randsburg RR was sold to the Santa Fe in April, 1903 for a price said to have been $300K. It's "original cost" of $180K is quoted by both Myrick and Starry, with Wynn stating a "total investment" of $850K. Under the new owner, the twice daily trains gave way to one mixed through-train daily to Barstow. Gold mining continued in the Rand district, however a big boost for the 1920s occurred in 1919 with the discovery of the large silver deposit (Kelly Mine) in Red Mountain. (Note: Red Mountain was originally named "Osdick" after Pete Osdick who settled there from St. Louis in 1903 and lived for 60 years until his passing in 1963. Your writer was fortunate to have known him well.)

By the early 1930s the Great Depression had set in. The mines were relatively quiet. Automobiles and trucks handled the modest level of freight and passenger traffic. The Randsburg RR discontinued operations at the end of 1933, The tracks were removed in the spring of the following year.

At the time of completion of the railroad to Johannesburg in 1898, there was much speculation for its extension north to Keeler via Searles Lake to connect with the Carson and Colorado, or to the Death Valley area to meet the lines extant there at the time. But none of this occurred. It was not even extended to Randsburg, 2 miles close!! Why was this so? Myrick gives some clues: "Due to difficult grades and other considerations, the line never did reach around the hill to Randsburg, the destination of its corporate title." What "other considerations"? Was Johannesburg planned as the terminus all along? "Johannesburg Railroad", hmm - "Randsburg Railroad", alliterative, better? Did the corporation run out of money? Water? Johannesburg had some supply, Randsburg was limited. Randsburg topography is somewhat restrictive - not enough room for a turnaround? What else? Any ideas would be welcomed.

Ref: RAILROADS OF NEVADA and Eastern California Vol.2., David Myrick,1963
DESERT BONANZA - Early Randsburg., Marcia Wynn, 1949/1963
GOLD GAMBLE, Roberta Starry, 1974