HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE UPPER MOJAVE DESERT

Vol. 16. No. 1
January 16, 2001

THIS MONTH'S PROGRAM FEATURES "SECOND BARREL"

At this month's meeting, John Di Pol will give us an illustrated talk on the fascinating story of the second Los Angeles Aqueduct. As you probably remember, John gave us a great program last year on the first aqueduct, so this talk will continue the story of how the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has been able to keep water flowing to the L.A. Basin.

The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 16, in the Sylvia Winslow Gallery of the Maturango Museum.

John's presentation will cover the background, purposes, principal features, and environmental and economic consequences of the massive "Second Barrel," which extends 177 miles from the Haiwee Reservoir on the original aqueduct to the Van Norman Terminal Reservoirs in the San Fernando Valley.

Charter members of HSUMD, John and his wife, Dolores, have lived in the Indian Wells Valley for more than 50 years. John is a former member of the HSUMD board, an emeritus director of the China Lake Museum Foundation, and an avid student of local history.

Liz Babcock

IT'S 2001! MAY IT BE A WONDERFUL NEW MILLENNIUM AND YEAR!

The prior year had brought some changes for our Society. You undoubtedly noticed that we now have a new mailing address, an e-mail address and our own telephone number. Thanks to our Vice President, George Silberberg, the monthly programs have been both creative, interesting and well attended. Thanks to Dale Lane's planning, Charlotte Goodson's stories, Jenny Miller's reading, George Silberberg's testing us about early 1900 catalog terms, and all those delicious desserts you brought, our annual Christmas Party was a most enjoyable event. Not to be overlooked is that almost all of our monthly affairs have taken place at the Maturango Museum at no charge to us.

Beginning this month of January there have been some operational changes put in place by the Museum. They will now charge us for use of the Sylvia Winslow Gallery and require a deposit when food is provided at a meeting. Your Board of Directors concurs in that, when considering the Museum's financial burden, these charges seem reasonable. It also became apparent to your Directors that our annual cost to cooperate and adapt to the new Museum changes could impair support to our ongoing programs. At this month's general meeting you will be asked to provide your view on whether or not audience donations should be requested to offset these new costs.
Lou Pracchia

PLEASE HELP OUR SUMMER EXHIBIT

We're planning an exhibit on a rich topic this summer, when the HSUMD once again takes over the Sylvia Winslow Gallery for two months. The topic of our exhibit will be "Our Indian Wells Valley Heritage," a topic Lou Pracchia suggested after he read in the newspaper a few months ago that Whites are no longer the majority racial group in California.

That got Lou thinking about many rich racial and ethnic groups that have made our valley the interesting place it is today. HSUMD board members agreed that the topic of our heritage would be excellent for our summer exhibit.

We need your help! We're looking for pictures, clippings, items of clothing, collections - anything to help us set up an interesting exhibit that illuminates our racial and ethnic heritage.

Our Native American heritage, for example, is actually celebrated in the petroglyph theme of the museum itself. We also have had Chinese contributions (think about the name China Lake), Mexican influences, Black contributions, and more.

Do you have ideas, items, pictures, or resource materials to share? If so, please give Liz a call at 375-7900. As always, the more member participation we have, the better the exhibit will be.

Liz Babcock

OUR MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE IS THE TOPIC OF NEXT MONTH'S MEETING

Next month's meeting will cover the complex and fascinating topic of our valley's water resources. And who better to discuss water issues than Dr. Pierre Saint-Amand, longtime member and current president of the Indian
Wells Valley Water Board?

Pierre, who arrived in China Lake in 1954, is the former head of the Earth and Planetary Sciences Division, a world-renowned expert on weather modification, and a geologist who has long studied our valley's water. He plans to share information on the past, present, and future of our water resources.

As always, the meeting will be on the third Tuesday - Feb. 20 - at 7:30 p.m. in the Maturango Museum.
Liz Babcock

DEADLINE IS JAN. 16 FOR SPECIAL PRICE ON KERN HISTORY

Here's a bargain you can still take advantage of if you act promptly. The Kern County Historical Society is offering us a special price on Kern County's Desert Country, the latest book by noted Bakersfield historian Dr. William Harland Boyd.

The book, which offers a historical overview of East Kern, will be regularly priced at $16.95 plus $1.23 tax. By sending in your check for $16.03 ($14.95 plus $1.08 tax), you can save $2.15 on this hardcover volume.

The book describes the rich mineral wealth, desert beauty, military significance, and colorful people of East Kern. To purchase your own copy of Kern County's Desert Country, either send your check for $16.03 (made out to HSUMD) to the Historical Society P.O. Box 2001, Ridgecrest, CA 93556, or bring your check to our Jan. 16 meeting. Liz
Babcock

COMMERCIAL MEMBERS

Our business members are Granite Construction Company - Sand and Gravel,
Farris' at the Heritage and the Swap Sheet. Please patronize them whenever
possible.

DUES, DUES, DUES!

Our membership year is the same as the calendar year. This means it is time to send in your renewal check for $15.00 per family to Fred Weals, Treasurer, P. O. Box 2001, Ridgecrest, CA, 93556, or bring it to our meeting Tuesday evening, January 16. Dues are our main source of revenue to support our activities, including our newsletter, so it is important to renew promptly. Thank You.

ERRATA

The correct e-mail address for John Faron is
jfaron@nctimes.net
The address in the December newsletter was not correct.

EARLY DAYS DAYS AT CHINA LAKE

Following is the second installment of an autobiographical account written in 1996 by Chris Hinzo about his early experiences working for the U. S. Navy a China Lake. Spelling and punctuation are as in the original, with only minor editorial changes. Ed.

The Commander of the Base called the Commandant of the Marines and asked that I be relieved of my one-year duty because I was an Inspector on a very critical project (AEC.) I was there when this phone call was in process, and the Marine Commandant said, "Hinzo is a Marine and must serve his year, but he will be given a 6 month deferment. Then he should report to Camp
Pendleton."

Well, I said good-bye to all my friends and left for Camp Pendleton.

Our smallest daughter Gay, who was born in 1950, had been very sick, and the doctor wrote a letter to the Marine general in charge of Camp Pendleton, and I was given a home, 1/2 of a Quonset hut.

I reported in and was assigned to an infantry platoon. I was a corporal at the time, and when I wore my green uniform, I was required to wear my ribbons, which showed where you served during WWII. The sergeant was a young man, younger than myself, and he kept saying, "I have to get me some of those." So he volunteered and was sent to Korea. I took over and had the
best platoon during training. So afterwards I was called into the office. How come I had a letter saying I could not be sent to Korea? I had worked for the AEC.

Well, I made sergeant after 1 month and then was sent to 21GF-2 Del Mar. There, I was in charge of supply for Headquarters Company. I passed the test for Staff Sergeant with an IQ rating of 135. The only one that had a higher rating than I had been a professor when he was called in. Now I was Staff Sergeant Hinzo, NCO in charge of 21GF-2.

Just before I was to get released after my year, a sergeant came by and said, "Sergeant, they are having GED tests tomorrow at the library. I went over and asked the Sergeant if I could take the test also. He questioned me about whether I had been taking classes or going to night school, and I said no to both of his questions, but can't I take them? He said, "Yes. Where do you want us to send your papers if you pass?" I told him Bakersfield High.

Next day I took the tests, did them all in 4 hours. Good-bye, Camp Pendleton! Hello, China Lake!

(To be continued)

OUR WONDERFUL, CHANGING LANGUAGE

Didn't we have a great time at the HSUMD Christmas party? Not only did we get to overindulge with some delicious desserts, visit with our friends, and listen to the beautiful harmonies of the Farris Family Singers, but we
also got a good lesson in how much our language can change in 101 years. Thanks to Jenny Miller (who invented the game we played) and George Silberberg (who served as our game-show host), we examined a list of terms found in the 1900 Sears catalog, then tried to match them to descriptions. Here's the game (with item names listed at left and their descriptions listed out of order at right). To play the game, put the number from the left-hand column in front of what you think is the appropriate description
in the right-hand column. How many can you get right?

Item Description

1. Double End Bags....................____Bait hook
2. School Girls Newmarkets... ...____Cloth magnifier
3. Kava Kava .............................____Coats
4. Individual or Pickle Caster ....____Double-breasted overcoat
5. Fore End Irons.......................____Feather decoration
6. Double Barrel Cyclometer.....____Feather head ornament
7. Beacon Gaiters.......................____Footwear
8. Spring Lancet.........................____Game
9. Linen Tester ..........................____Gun tool
10. Graduate...............................____Hat
11. Claflin's Tandem..................____Measuring cup
12. Dandy Lamp........................____Metal-shaping tools
13. Genuine Frieze Ulster.......... ____Mileage gauge
14. All Felt Congress................ ____Open carriage
15. Spanish Coque ....................____Peppery temperance drink
16. Jetted Aigrette..................... ____Punching bags
17. Umbrella Drawers.............. ____Serving bottle or dish
18. Dressing Sacques ...............____Shoes
19. Fancy Stanhope ..................____Small knife
20. Swages............................... ____Small oil lamp
21. Children's Toque................ ____Women's jacket
22. Crokinole Board .................____Women's underpants

Most of us didn't get very many of these right (my score was a very
unimpressive 8!). Charlotte Goodson and Herb Kinney tied as our champs,
with 14 right each. Then George (who had only one prize to award) had to
break the tie, so he suggested that each of our winners make an estimate of
how much it would cost a 1900 Sears customer to buy one each of these 22
items. The average correct total was $93, and Charlotte guessed $36 under
that amount, while Herb guessed $34.50 over. So Herb was our winner, with
only $1.50 separating him from our runner-up. Needless to say, the rest of
us were impressed with Herb's and Charlotte's erudition, as well as with
Jenny's cleverness in thinking up the game.

The correct answers are found below. (No peeking!) While you're guessing
(and marveling about how much our language has changed), think about how
meaningless some of the terms we use today may be in a century!

ANSWERS TO 1900 CATALOG GAME

The number of the item name is given for each-description, along with the
dollar price of the item in parentheses: 11, bait hook (.65); 9, cloth
magnifier (.24); 2, coats (2.43-7.40); 13, double-breasted overcoat
(4.00-6.00); 15, feather decoration (.50); 16, feather head ornament (.10);
7, footwear (1.70); 22, game (1.25); 5, gun tool (.45); 21, hat (.50); 10,
measuring cup (.12-.50); 20, metal-shaping tools (1.50-2.30); 6, mileage
gauge (1.20); 19, open carriage (62.50); 3, peppery temperance drink
(1.25); 1, punching bags (2.00); 4, serving bottle or dish (.95); 14, shoes
(1.50); 8, small knife (2.25); 12, small oil lamp (.68); 18, women's jacket
(1.19-3.35); 17, women's underpants (.98).

Liz Babcock