Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-02-07
Willow Young Men
Prospect for Gold
Continued from Page ~

Continued from Page ~
party of one hundred and ten people
descended into the scenic wonderland.
The caverns beggar description. It
was as if we had suddenly been trans
ferred to Fairyland for here were
huge grottos covered with sparkling
stalactites and stalagmites. In some
of the larger caverns the ceiling was
three hundred feet above u.s. The
temperature was constant at about
81 degrees. After spending over four
hours in the caverns we YEARLY
climbed our way out into the binding
sunlight.
In Mexico.
Our next destination was Ell Paso,
Texas, which we reached after pass
ing rugged, somewhat mountainous
country, and crossing a desert salt
flat Ell Paso is located on the Rio
Grande river and across the river
lies Mexico. Here we paid a toll Of
two cents and were allowed to cross
into the country of Ell COnquistador.
The city we found ourselves in proved
to be Juarez, town Of cabarets and
honky tonks, whose streets were filled
with bootblacks, fruit vendors, and
other curb merchants. Having salts
fed our curiosity we recrOssed the
river into the United States and left
for New Mexico again and eventually
Arizona, where we entered on October
%. A drive through the mountains
brought us to Roosevelt dam, that
huge structure which makes possible
the raising of much fruit in the sur
rounding valleys.
Off for Gold Fields.
From there we drove to Wenden,
Ariz., and called on Roy Alberg who
works at a mine near that town.
After short visit with Roy we drove
to Phoenix and spent two weeks there.
The days were all warm and bright
but the nights were cool and fine for
sleeping. Our next stop was Prescott.
the mile high city. Here we pur-
chased gold pans and other mining
equipment and left for California.
crossed the Mohave desert to Bakers
field, the oil city and drove northward
through the San Joaquin valley. We
passed through Fresno, Stockton,
Sacramento, Marysville, and on to
Redding where we turned westward.
as Weaverville; from here on the
mountains were more rugged and COW
cred with large yellow pine, fir, and
redwood
At Salyer we rented a cabin. a
building which would have been
entirely unfit in any but a mild CHM
ate. Here we speared salmon, hunted
deer and BEAR and prospected for
gold. In the earlier days this coun-
try had been prospected by china
men. all along the Trinity river.
However we managed to find some
gold and building a sluice box. we
carried on our operations on a larger
scale. The gold in this part is fine
and Is found in gravel deposits or
outcroppings Of bed rock. There is
also platinum to be found but in
very fine quantities. We spent two
months in the mountains at Salyer
and then decided to leave. The rainy
season had set in and to one ac-
Icustomed to Minnesota's climate, snow
was more preferable than days OF
cold rains. We crossed the Sierra
Nevadas and on into Nevada, across
Nevada to Utah. In Utah we crossed
the Great Salt Desert to Salt Lake
City where we visited the Mormon
Tabernacle and the museum. After
crossing Utah we continued across
Wyoming and on to Nebraska. Here
after ten day visit l left by trail
for home, via Omaha, Sioux City, anC
St. Paul. On January %, / arrived
home after having covered about 5000
miles. Joe remained in Nebraska
where he works in a garage.