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HUMBUG, ARIZONA III
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Photo by Neal Du Shane, Pilot: Gary Grant |
By: Neal Du Shane
04/04/16 - Revised
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CLICK HYPERLINK
(BELOW) FOR DIRECT ACCESS TO SUBJECT.
HUMBUG, ARIZONA - c.
1934 – Picture
SIGN AT GATE LEADING TO
HUMBUG, AZ
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HUMBUG, ARIZONA - c. 1934 – Picture
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HISTORY OF HUMBUG
By: Dave
Burns, November, 2001
Prehistory
Small
pottery shards and matate fragments indicate previous habitation by Native
Americans, but most evidence is gone.
- 1882 -
Charles
Champie and family arrived and began mining gold on
the Llano Claim. He excavated a shaft and tunnel,
built two stone houses, mill site, well, and smelting furnace. The Llano
workings produced about 2,000 ounces of gold.
He then
developed a tunnel on the Sidewinder Claim about a mile east, recovering about 1,000
ounces of gold.
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Charlie Champie Home 2006. Photo by:
Neal Du Shane |
On the
Mountain Chief Claim (later renamed El Pero Bonito) south of the Sidewinder, a
pocket produced 5,000 ounces of gold.
At this
point, Champie & Co. left Humbug and moved about two miles south to
- 1920 -
Pat
Fogarty was living and mining at Humbug when Frank Hyde, a wealthy easterner, was looking
to invest in gold mining. They struck a partnership, with Hyde supplying the
operation with a substantial infusion of capital. He built half a dozen new
buildings, including a large house for himself and his family, miner's
quarters, mess hall, assay office, and a cottage for Pat Fogarty, who was getting old.
Hyde's
mining operation produced about $50,000 in gold, silver, copper, and lead. This
included a 1,000 oz gold pocket from the Little Annie Claim. Production was not sufficient to
cover expenses, however, and mining was discontinued in 1934.
- 1940 -
Newt
White came to work for Frank Hyde about 1940 after having worked many years for
the Champie Ranch and other jobs including miner, mill operator,
cowboy, wrangler, mechanic, etc. He stayed on at Humbug as caretaker after Hyde moved to
- 1970 -
Frank
Hyde's daughter, Carolyn, formed a small corporation
called Humbug Gold, Inc. with equal stockholders herself,
Newt White, and Dr. Robert Hurt, a
Courtesy Arizona Bureau of Mines
HUMBUG DISTRICT
Humbug Mines – Acknowledgement are due M. J. Elsing, C. L. Orem and F. de L. Hyde of Humbug Gold
Mines, Inc., for important information.
Situation and history: The holdings of Humbug Gold Mines
Inc., in the southwestern
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Arrastre \Ar*ras"tre\, n. [Sp.] A rude
apparatus for pulverizing ores, esp. those containing free gold.
In this area, gold mining was carried on with the aid of
Arrastre’s as early as 1880. From 1900 to 1905, C.E. Champie operated a 4-stamp mill at
Topography and geology: This ground,
which lies within the drainage area of Humbug Creek and its branches, Rockwell and Carpenter creeks, has been eroded into sharp ridges and
alternating southward-trending canyons about 800 feet deep. The prevailing
accordant summits of the main ridges appear to represent dissected remnants of
the early Tertiary, pre-lava pediment that extends
south of
Within this area, the principal rocks consist of large bodies
of mica schist, surrounded by granite and intruded by numerous dies of
pegmatite and rhyolitic to granitic porphyry. The schist, granite, and
pegmatite are regarded as Pre-Cambrian in age, and the porphyry as Mesozoic or Tertiary.
The schistosity and the dikes prevailingly strike
northeastward. Considerable pre-mineral and post-mineral faulting, principally
of northeastward strike, is evident. Post-mineral faults of great magnitude
follow some of the main gulches.
Veins: The veins of the Humbug area occur within fault fissures,
mainly of northeastward strike and steep northwestward dip. Their filling
consists of massive to coarsely crystalline, grayish-white quartz, together with
irregular masses, vainlets, and disseminations of fine to course-grained pyrite
and galena, in places, arsenopyrite is abundant. A notable about of sphalerite
is reported in one vein.
Most of the gold is contained within the iron minerals. The
galena is reported to carry a little gold and locally as much as 40 ounces of
silver per ton. Some free gold occurs as irregular vain-lets and particles
within fractures and cavities in the quartz. In the completely oxidized zone,
which is generally of shallow irregular depth all of the gold is free.
These veins range in width from less than an inch up to 3
feet or more and persist of remarkably long distances along the dike. One of
them is traceable on the surface for more than 9,000 feet. The ore shoots,
which have been found to range from a few feet to a few hundred feet in length,
are reported to contain from 0.25 to 9 or more ounces of gold per ton.
The wall rocks have been extensively altered to coarse
sericite. Such alteration, together with the vain structure, texture, and
mineralogy, indicate deposition in the mesothermal zone. Not enough work has
been done to reveal the structural features that determine their ore shoots.
Apparently, the high-grade portions are less than a foot wide, but the altered
condition of the country that permits cheap mining by lessee system. According
to C.L. Orem, the total cost of drifting during
preliminary development ranged from $1 to $4 per linear foot.
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HUMBUG, AZ
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The
Southern Bradshaw Mountain prospecting in the early 1860’s caused miners to
survey this area in search of new strikes. Humbug Creek got its name based on
the promise for good strikes, only to bust. Due to the fact prospecting on the
Creek turned out to be disappointing the “humbug” moniker was used to identify
the creek. During the 1870’s, solid placer deposits were found at Humbug and nearby
Humbug is one of the most unspoiled and isolated
examples of a historic Arizona mining camp. Its future is uncertain however, as
one of the three partners, Ruth Gaisford of
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At that
time, the owner of Humbug Gold Mines was Frances “Frank” de Lacey Hyde, a New York Stock Broker who moved
to Tucson in 1932. Due to the area’s remote location,
transportation and scarcity of water issues; mining operations were minimal
until 1932. In 1932 the Humbug Gold Mines Inc., bought the claims. Almost instantly Humbug
area became home for about 100 hardy individuals. The company had its own mill
but shipped its concentrate for smelting to
From
Hyde’s point of view, Humbug was not only a gold (and later tungsten)
endeavor. Humbug was Hyde’s definitive sanctuary. Pictured above, he built a
home at Humbug and eventually brought his wife, Elizabeth, and daughter,
Carolyn. Carolyn was known as “Tuffet,” and was
brought for extended stays at the mine and Tuffet became an accomplished horsewoman. In the
above picture Tuffet is seen holding a Polo stick. An article in The Christian
Science Monitor in April of 1944, when Tuffet was nearing her fourteenth birthday, tells of
Hyde and his daughter taking nighttime rides to search for tungsten in
scheelite with “mineral lamps” that utilized ultraviolet rays. On one trip it began to rain
heavily, Hyde and Tuffet sought refuge in an old mine tunnel where a miner was
making his home. The miner bragged of the mine tunnel’s comforts, which
included carbide lamp, radio and other living essentials
of the era. The miner exclaimed he hadn’t seen
one scorpion or rattlesnake in the tunnel. Hyde turned on his blue light, scanned the tunnel, and four
scorpions lit up the dark. It’s uncertain the miner got another good night’s
sleep in his formerly secure abode, after Frank and Tuffet’s visit?
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During
World War II, Mining at Humbug ceased. Tuffet Hyde, in 1947, was a
student at the
In 2006, Humbug has six buildings remaining, the Hyde’s’ main house
in desperate need of repair, a three-apartment guesthouse and foreman’s
residence, an assay office, the kitchen-dining building, and a stable with a
corral. Humbug displays an excellent example of dry stacking stone which is
rarely found. Some uses are functional, like the corral’ others are decorative,
like the elaborate patio and garden walls in front of the Hyde home. The ruins
of several other residences dot both sides of the creek one of which is pioneer
Charlie Champies’ home, near the kiln.
HUMBUG, AZ
Humbug, along with Columbia a distance of
2.24 miles downstream, following the creek, came into existence during the
early 1870's as placer gold was found in Humbug Creek. A mill was constructed and the
town operated until the turn of the century. A caretaker resided at the mine
for years and then production started again. The town thrived and the mine was
extensively worked until the early 1930's. Warner Watkins, who had worked at
Humbug in its later years, told of what life was like when he had to drive to
Wickenburg, a round trip distance of 69 miles every night, to get milk for the town, or how
the miners would walk to Crown King (about 20 miles uphill) every weekend to go to
the saloon.
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Rod
Ball Mill - Courtesy Dave Burns |
PLEASE DO NOT TRESSPASS
Humbug
is on private property and all roads dead end at Humbug, if you are past the
locked gate without permission you are trespassing. After gaining permission to
proceed through the locked gate, panoramic Humbug comes into view, as you round a bend to your
left on the four-wheel drive road and look down in the Humbug Creek Valley.
There are still buildings standing and are spaced out along the northern canyon
above Humbug Creek. Remnants of former pioneer homes,
including Humbug Pioneer miner Charlie Champie, the Humbug Kiln, line the
southern banks of Humbug Creek.
Philip Varney in Arizona’s Best Ghost Towns” writes “When I
visited the site in May of 1979, it had been very recently abandoned, for in
one building were playing cards on the kitchen table and assorted remnant of
foodstuffs in the cupboard. But the droppings on the floor indicated that
coyotes and rodents were the only current residents. The building left me with
the eerie impression that the last tenants grew weary of cards and so decided
to pack up; it all seemed so spur-of-the moment. I kept expecting someone to
step out of a bedroom to ask what I was doing in his home, but the evidence
that Humbug had been abandoned was indisputable.”
The main home of Frank Hyde in 2006 is in desperate need of
repair and will not survive unless attention is given as soon as possible. The
roof is leaking allowing the double adobe walls to decay. The miners apartment building
however, is still be quite comfortable and in good repair. Dave Burns the
present caretaker resided in this structure. Humbug is too attractive and
desirable a place to remain uninhabited. Dave’s goal it to open Humbug up for
tourist visits. Although the 5 miles of four wheel drive road to reach Humbug
will limit visitations by the novice.
SIGN AT GATE
LEADING TO HUMBUG, AZ
NOTICE THIS IS NOT THE
ROAD TO CROWN KING !!
Go back south five miles until you cross Cow Creek. Then proceed north. THIS IS NOT THE
ROAD TO NEW RIVER !!
Go back south one mile and then proceed east. Follow the sign indicating BLM, access. DO NOT TRESPASS ON
PRIVATE PROPERTY. THIS ROAD DOES NOT
GO THROUGH. It
goes to the top of the next ridge and dead ends. THIS IS PRIVATE
PROPERTY. SOMEONE LIVES HERE.
If you are interested in the history of the Humbug Mining District, and would like to see and
hear about Humbug, call 480-899-7317
and arrange a time to visit. We are happy to show the ghost town and tell
about the history. In Arizona,
trespassing on a mining property is a FELONY. This property has
open mines and other hazards. Damaging gate or signs constitutes public
endangerment, which is a FELONY. Persons caught
committing a felony can be ARRESTED
AND DETAINED BY FORCE until a deputy can be summoned. |
TOWN LAYOUT
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TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP
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Courtesy
Dave Burns |
HUMBUG CLAIMS
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Courtesy
Dave Burns |
TRIP THROUGH HISTORY
By: Neal Du Shane
In
2005, the secret to having one of the most enjoyable trips to a Ghost Town in
Arizona is calling ahead and getting permission to meet Dave Burns at the Ghost Town property of Humbug. He is extremely
knowledgeable, cordial, packing and will take you on one of the most historic
tours of the property that I’ve ever experienced.
Today
the easiest way to access Humbug is to venture up the Columbia road, which is a high clearance four-wheel
drive road, from Cow Creek Road at Indian Springs. You will travel
approximately 5 miles, through one gate, until you reach a “T” in the road.
It’s believed there are from two to three burials at this S.W. corner of this
intersection, due to a Stage Coach robbery.
Turn
to the left and follow this road to Humbug. Along the way you will pass the
site of “Old Columbia” and the two burials from a
reported robbery for the two miner’s gold, at this location.
Continue
west, and you will come to a corral with a sign posted “Dead End” on one of the
fence posts. Continue approximately another half mile staying on the main road.
There is a locked gate, so make sure Dave has made arrangements for you to gain
access to the property.
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Figure 1Humbug
Entrance, Photo by: Neal Du Shane |
As you travel past the unlocked
gate, and come around the corner, notice across the valley all the mining
roads, well, buildings, this then is the general area of Humbug, Arizona.
Continue traveling down this road toward Humbug Creek. The unique entrance to
Humbug is one of a kind. I’ve visited hundreds of Ghost Towns in my
travels to the back country of
Dave
Burns is a gracious host and will answer all you
questions, leaving little information unanswered.
HUMBUG CEMETERY
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Burials = |
6 |
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12/10/2005 |
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Marker |
SURNAME |
FIRST NAME |
MIDDLE NAME |
BIRTH DATE |
DEATH DATE |
COMMENTS |
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FOGARTY |
Pat |
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Pile
of Stone - No records currently available |
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LEE |
Johnny |
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Pile
of Stone - No records currently available |
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DOE |
Jane |
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12
year old Hispanic girl - not buried with the other 5. Short distance S.E.
Grave is marked with a saguaro cactus and stones covering grave |
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DOE |
John
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Dowsing
revealed burial - male |
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DOE |
John |
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Dowsing
revealed burial - male |
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WHITE |
Newt |
Edward |
Feb.
23, 1908 |
Aug.
24, 1997 |
Born
in Oregon, Son of Edward G. & Adella E. White - Caretaker of Humbug - worked at the Champie Ranch for years |
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NOTE: |
Humbug is on PRIVATE PROPERTY - Do not Trespass - Call 1-480-899-7317 and
arrange for someone to meet you for your tour of Humbug. |
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Contributor: Neal Du Shane Research: Dave Burns, Neal Du Shane, Gary Grant,
Gene Simonds, David Nimick Archivist: Neal Du Shane |
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Submitted by: |
12/01/05
Neal Du Shane |
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Revised: |
12/10/05
Neal Du Shane |
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03/29/16
Neal Du Shane |
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Material may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as APCRP is acknowledged as the source
and this |
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message remains on all copied material, AND written permission is obtained from the contributor of the
files. |
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These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit |
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or presentation by other organizations. Persons or
organizations |
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This file was contributed for free use. |
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Contributor/Archives
by: Neal Du Shane - All rights reserved |
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MILLS
By: Dave Burns
USGS map Columbia quadrangle shows the canyons I have
referenced.
It appears that "Humbug placers" must refer to Swilling Gulch and Humbug Creek near where Swilling drains in. Swilling
is the gulch coming from the east into Humbug about half a mile or so north of
Columbia. Rockwall and Carpenter come from the north, parallel to Humbug, and
drain into Swilling. This would put Humbug about a mile north of the placers,
and Columbia about a half mile south.
There is no sign of mill site or ruins at Sand Creek. It rarely has water anyway.
From 1882 thru 1934 there was sporadic mining in Humbug, Rockwall, Carpenter, and Swilling Gulches, and on Gold Hill. There were well over a
hundred mines and claims, a few of which I know a little bit about. The
Beacon Light has a very interesting history. The
owner had a good mine in Swilling. He owned the store, saloon,
whorehouse, and boarding house. Not much money left the area except in
his pocket. After he was done mining, he moved to Phoenix and started the
Valley National Bank.
Other mines in the district: Sidewinder produced about 2,000 ounces of gold for
Charlie Champie, Mountain Chief produced about 5,000 ounces of gold for CC,
Little Annie about 1,000 ounces of gold for Frank Hyde, Uncle Sam unknown amount silver.
Lizzie Lee, Acquisition, Betty Lou, Top Notch, Gold Spring, Little Joseph, and Crescent were all producers, but I don't have figures.
There were many more that were only prospects.
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As with
many mining camps of the era, a brand or logo was adopted at Humbug. They chose
a “Pick and Pan” as their insignia. The picture at the left shows this insignia
and is pressed into the concrete at the ladies horse-mounting step, in the
courtyard at Humbug.
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NEWT
WHITE
Courtesy: “Ranch Trails and Short Tales” by: Claire
Champie Cordes
Edward
Newton Whites grandfather was a scout on a
wagon train from Missouri across the Oregon Trail, finally landing in Lowell Range,
Oregon. They had many close calls with
the Indians; for many days they were afraid to build a fire. At night the
wagons would form a circle and the animals and people stayed in the center for
protection.
When they
arrived in Lowell, Grandfather White married the girl he had admired all along
the trail, Sally Hobbs, and Irish-German girl. From this
union, eighteen children were born, the last was Newt’s father. He turned out
to be a restless, adventurous man who worked as little as possible. After he
married Newt’s mother, Newt and a sister (Annie May White, buried at Copperopolis, AZ
Cemetery) were born.
The
grandfather had built up a large estate; when he died, each child received a
generous stake. Newt’s father soon spent his part, divorced his wife, and took
his children to Tallahassee, Florida.
Newt was
made to work from the time he was six years old to help support his new mother
and family. When Newt was about fourteen his father decided to leave Florida so
they took off on foot with their bedrolls. They picked up and old cloth car top
along the way and used it for a tent to protect them from the rain. They caught
rides on freight cars part of the way; then while walking along the highway, a
big bus stopped and picked them up. He let them off the bus as he approached
Tucson, but picked them up on the way out
the next morning. After letting them off in Phoenix, they had started across the desert
on foot when a rancher in a truck picked them up and took them to Rock Springs (AZ). From there they walked on to Tip Top, then on to the Champie Ranch. At the dude ranch, Ann Douglas, the owner, needed a boy to do
chores and help around the ranch so she gave Newt a job. His father went on his
way. Newt worked there for years until the guest ranch sold. After that, he
stayed in the area and went to work for another Champie as a cowboy.
One day
he was riding along out west of where the other cowboys were camped when he
jumped a cow and her calf as he rode around the south side of Spring Mountain. There was a heavy growth of cholla cactus all over that country. When he roped at
the calf, his horse jumped over a cactus, catching a ball cholla between his
tail and leg, causing him to go wild. Off Newt went with the coils of the rope
wrapped around his arm and hands and the other end tied secure to the saddle
horn. The faster the horse ran, the more cholla’s stuck to Newt on their way
down the mountain. The horse finally fell releasing the rope long enough for
Newt to free himself. By this time he was covered with cholla from head to toe,
as well as many bruises and a broken leg. He crawled to the top of a ridge to
call for help. His boss finally heard the call of distress and came to this
rescue. They picked thorns out of Newt for hours. Then they laid (1) him across
a horse to get him to the ranch headquarters. They then laid him on a cot in
the back of a pickup and took him to the hospital in Phoenix.
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He remained at
St. Joseph’s for weeks. Because he had a pinched artery in
one leg (left), it had to be removed just below the knee because of gangrene.
After many weeks recovering, he became interested in mining and worked with my
mother and dad in their mining projects.
Finally
making contact with a mineral surveying crew he was hired to work with the
mining engineers and worked with land and mineral surveying for many years
until he retired at sixty-five. He settled down on an old mining claim with two
silent partners where he remains today. At age seventy-eight, he is dreaming of
selling his interest for at least 10 million dollars. We hope it come true!
Note: Edward Newton White died August 24, 1997, his remains were
cremated and the urn containing his ashes is buried at the Humbug Cemetery. Many local residents attended the
burial at Humbug.
Notably
in attendance were: Dave Burns, Henry Cordes and members of the Champie family.
Dave Burns relates that Newt originally had a wooden leg
after the amputation. Still working at the Champie Guest Ranch, one of Newt’s jobs was to drive
the wagon into town (Morristown) and pick up and deliver the guests and supplies
as needed. Newt hollowed out the wooden leg, or it was hollow in the first
place and Newt carried the payroll and deposits in it for the ranch and guests.
Newt was never held up!
Cathy
Cloin of Cordes, Arizona informed us that Newt
worked in and about Cordes for many years also and was a good friend of her
grandfather Henry Cordes. She showed us Newt’s room while he was staying at
Cordes. One of Newt’s old prosthesis is now at the Cordes Store in downtown Cordes. We checked . . . there was
no money inside it.
From
information provided by Cathy, she has numerous mining claims that Newt was
either a partner in or owned outright. In one of the letters it made reference
that Newt White was the Mayor of Cordes.
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Newt
Whites Room in Cordes, AZ. Photo by: Neal Du Shane |
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Wood
Sign to Humbug Gold Mine’s, Courtesy Dave Burns |
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HUMBUG 2006
By: Neal Du Shane
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Front Yard in front of miners quarters -
Photo: Neal Du Shane |
Humbug
continues to maintain its status in Arizona’s rich mining history. Much of its historic
past is still being maintained. Other aspects of Humbugs history is being
returned to the earth. As mentioned earlier the goal of Dave Burns is to
maintain this Ghost Town, providing private public tours by appointment only.
Once a year, Dave holds an Open House, making Humbug open to the public.
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Photo
by: Neal Du Shane |
One
noticeable decline is “The Big House”, once standing as the landmark in its proud
heritage at Humbug. Its adobe walls are now showing signs of decay and
disrepair. The roof is leaking with each rain, allowing water to penetrate the
once proud walls. Before this structure reaches beyond repair it would be worth
the effort if volunteers could reconstruct this structure to a state allowing
no further decay. Preserving its once proud heritage as the shining light of
Humbug. If you are interested in volunteering your skills and labor, contact
Dave Burns the current caretaker of Humbug.
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The statuesque front yard was the pride of Humbug and the Hyde’s now
stands unattended and forlorn, being returned to its natural state. One can only
stand in awe on the Big House front porch and listen where silence has lease.
Imagining the hustle, bustle and mining clatter that filled this thriving
community in days of yore.
HUMBUG SOJOURN
Letter from: Miss Ruth Gainsford (deceased)
Nov. 19, 1989 Tucson, AZ
(Transcribed
as written)
Dear Eleanor
& Charles,
While cleaning
out some of Tuffet’s drawers the other day, I found the famous sought - after
letter of your trip to the Humbug so many years ago. It really is extremely
funny, so do enjoy your trials and tribulation once again.
I’m slowly
getting through all the paperwork involved – it’s a long process. To add the
icing to the cake, I was broken into and robbed the other night. That dropped
me right back into the doldrums.
We’ve had
perfectly beautiful weather – low 80’s, and a mild winter is forecast. I hope
you fare as well. If you pack up your old kit bag and head West, you’re always
welcome to stay here, as I’m rattling around in the four-bedroom, four-bath
house and would love the company – keep in touch ! !
Affectionately, Ruth
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HUMBUG, AZ INTREPID JOURNEY
Francis B. Nimick Coraopolis, PA
March 31, 1949
(Courtesy
David Nimick)
Transcribed
as typed.
Tonight we are
encamped at Gila Bend, out in the Arizona desert. Last night we were at Humbug
Gold Mine, about fifty miles north of Phoenix.
The trip to
the Humbug started off innocently and unsuspectingly enough, but rapidly developed
into a most interesting and exciting expedition. Tuesday evening, when we
stopped for the night at the Desert Lodge in Tucson, Mother began trying to get
in touch with the Hydes at the Humbug, something that we had more or less
vaguely planned to do, when Arizona was first included in the itinerary. I had
looked casually at the map and located Castle Hot Springs, the Hyde’s Post
Office address, up north of Phoenix on a thin blue line leading northeastwardly
from a small dot labeled Morristown on U.S. 60-70. We were later to learn just
how thin that blue line really was, although I had my suspicions aroused by the
clusters of mountain peaks indicated in that neighborhood.
Mother soon
discovered that no telephone contact could be made in Humbug, so on a chance
she called a Mrs. Haskell in Tucson, a sister of Frank Hyde, to make inquiries,
and ask about road conditions. She reported that Mrs. Haskell had been most
cordial, but seemed a bit evasive about the condition of the terrain, and could
hardly be classed among the superhighways of Arizona. I had primed Mother to
say that we were heavily loaded with passengers and baggage, and were not
equipped for mountain climbing on back roads. However, during the course of the
conversation, Mrs. Haskell did mention that “Tuffet” Hyde was at present a
freshman at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
So I suggested
(and right here Peter Rabbit made his big mistake) that “Tuffet” would
certainly know all about getting to the Humbug, so why not telephone to her. No
sooner said than done, and although subsequently “Tuffet” admitted that she had
only a very hazy idea of who Cousin Mary might be, she was immediately full of
interest about the expedition. When all the explanations about weight of
members and baggage, and vague ideas as to geography, had been made “Tuffett”
announced that the only solution was for her to draft her roommate as co-pilot,
and that they would rendezvous at Morristown, take over some of our baggage and
an extra passenger and lead us thence to Humbug.
So the Dean at
the University, being satisfied that all arrangements were in the national
interest, a plan was made to meet at approximately 1:30P.M. at the Shell
Service station in Morristown.
Next morning
(Wednesday) we were off for Morristown, approximately 150 miles to the north on
schedule and after an interesting and pleasant ride arrived at what we thought
was our destination almost exactly on the tick of 1:30 P.M.. But no Shell
Service Station put in an appearance so we ran 5 or 6 miles up the road, then
came about and cruised back to a likely-looking Richfield Station to make
inquiries. It immediately developed that this was the very place for which we
were searching, having only recently changed from Shell to Richfield, and that
Tuffet and her roommate Barbara Kinnear were at the moment inside purchasing
extra provisions for all the unexpected arrivals descending on the Humbug.
We quickly
transferred some of the baggage and Eleanor (29 years old at the time) to
“Tuffet’s” Plymouth while she scrutinized our road-clearance and explained that
the road was all right except for the last six miles and for those six only the
last one seemed bad, according to her road classifications. I thought that her
idea of bad might be a reasonable facsimile of Thorn Run, (Thorn Run was the name of the cinder-surface road off which our
family’s home was on Coraopolis Heights, PA) for up to this point we hadn’t
seen any roads which would not have put Thorn Run in a very poor light by comparison
and the indicated road from Morristown started as a wide, smooth, level,
gravel, thoroughfare.
|
Cliff
road down to Humbug. Photo
by: Neal Du Shane |
Charles (27 years
old at the time) took the wheel of our car and off the Plymouths started.
“Tuffet” told us the entire distance in was 32 miles, and that she would wait
at any forks of the road where there might be indecision as to which route to
take. The first six miles ticked off merrily enough, but we were beginning to
climb and weave in and out around foot-hills, and a multitude of darn sight
bigger and higher mountains were beginning to move in on all sides.
It wasn’t long
before we were running around mountain shoulders and down along creek beds at
the bottom of gorges, sometimes over boulders and sometimes in the creek
itself, and anyone with half an eye could see that the farther we went, the
more exhilarating it was going to become, because each range we came to was
higher, and the road was of course steeper, and the open air on the outside
edges was less substantial, than the one before. “Tuffet” was going along at a
good clip and when we caught sight of her, waved encouragement back from
zigzags higher up the mountains. I began to think that 32 miles of this was
going to be a long and progressively worse haul, especially as the sharp turns
and switch backs were becoming so blind that we couldn’t possibly see what
happened to the road on far side, and Charles was practically standing up on
the pedals to get the bad news at the earliest possible moment. Well this went
on for 22 miles and Mother was beginning to talk to herself in the back seat,
evidently to keep her courage up, for Charles and I were far too busy
navigating to pay much attention to the comparatively inconsequential subjects
that she was discussing.
Thus the miles
proceeding the last questionable six were wiled away, and we arrived at the
official U.S. Post Office of Castle Hot Springs which was a small ranch house,
where “Tuffet” paused briefly for station identification, and the mail. She
also took our blood pressure and pulse, and asked whether we would like to
leave our car there and the entire party proceed onward in her car. As she
offered to repeat the suggestion immediately before undertaking the last mile,
the signal to advance was given and we really began a mile that closely
resembled the rollercoaster at an amusement park, only minus all the guard
rails. Charles was doing a splendid job of driving, and if he had known the
road and had been more familiar with the way it ducked around the corners, I
could have relaxed, settled back and taken a deep breath. As it was, I felt it
incumbent upon me to help him diagnose the probable future course of the road
although at times we had diametrically opposite solutions for this, and also I
began to wonder about the technique of bailing out on the open air side of the
road!
Well we
finally came to the Rubicon, in this instance a cattle gate high up on the
mountain side. “Tuffet” repeated her offer of speaking now or forever after
holding our peace. She looked quizzically at Charles seemed reassured by his
solidity and stability and with a word of caution to take it easy, climbed into
her car and was off around a shoulder of the mountain. I didn’t see how any
mile could be much worse than some we has already traversed, as Charles slid
the gear shift into low, and Mother prepared for the worst. This we knew was to
be a downhill mile into the canyon of the Humbug. We came to the corner around
which “Tuffet” had disappeared. I muttered to Charles, “For Heaven’s sake ease
her into this one” for the road itself seemed to disappear from the fact of the
earth, leaving nothing in its place but a vast quantity of extremely thin air.
Charles who was on the inside of the left turn fortunately discovered the road
in time running down a shelf along the mountain side to the valley floor, to
the picturesque home of the Hydes, where all the unexpected guests received a
royal welcome, and it goes without saying that we were glad to be there. In
fact, the only fly in the ointment, to my mind, was how we were even going to
get out again but that is another story.
After the
Nimicks had somewhat recovered their equilibrium and were breathing in a more
normal manner, suggestions were made about going to the mine at the top of the
mountain. Frank Hyde explained that the road up to the mine was only a little
steeper and more breeze-kissed than the last mile in. Just at the moment I
couldn’t even feign wild enthusiasm, so I asked if one of us could be expected
to drive our car, with the unmistakable implication that if such were the case
all bets were off right there. Frank said “Oh no”, and that he would drive us
all in his station wagon.
|
View from road to the mines - Photo by: Neal
Du Shane |
It proved to
be a most interesting and exhilarating ride with Mother and Eleanor clutching the
bench seat of the station wagon and Charles and I trying to be nonchalant in
the front seat. When invariably we came to places in the road where the width
was narrowest and the spacious view on the outside most unobstructed, Mother
would begin asking question about the flora and fauna of the region, and Frank
would politely turn his head to answer. I longed to kick her shin under the
seat, to indicate that she stop talking to the driver when I next dared to look
around the altitude must have gotten to work for she appeared to be riding in a
sort of trance, and remained quiescent for the rest of the journey. Perhaps by
this time we were all becoming more or less used to the idea of vast space both
horizontal and vertical and could settle down to thorough enjoyment of the
delightful hospitality of the Humbug. Elizabeth Hyde had a wonderful dinner
prepared for us on our return from the mountain, to which we did full justice,
totally demolishing everything is sight. After dinner there was a general
catching up on family news and Frank related some wonderful anecdotes about
life at the Humbug each of which would make a letter in itself.
After dinner
Frank showed us many rock samples, which he had collected in the mountains,
containing gold, silver, tungsten, vanadium, lead, mica asbestos and many other
elements, and minerals. Making the room totally dark, he then went over them
with what is called a “blue light” that is a short wave, ultra violet ray, and
demonstrated how beautifully the different ones fluoresced under this light, in
many vivid hues and color, indicative of the various elements contained.
In every way
it was a most exciting and interesting day and we were all very glad to have
had the opportunity of making the trip and visiting the Humbug, and again
seeing the Hyde family.
The following
morning just to add a new touch and keep the trip out from growing dull, a
snowstorm hit us after we had made the first ten miles. I might mention in
passing that we gratefully and graciously accepted Frank Hyde’s offer to
navigate the Plymouth over the first few miles.
Love and best
wishes to all,
Affectionately,
Dad (Francis
B. Nimick)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HUMBUG
“OPEN HOUSE”
By:
Neal Du Shane
March 4 – 5, 2006 marked the first Humbug Potluck
and Open House. Dave Burns was instrumental in organizing this get together
with the goal of a fun filled weekend. His efforts were right on the mark. At
one time the count was approximately 50 people attending. It is speculated that
it has been a few decades since this many people walked the streets of Humbug.
Many that
attended Saturday stayed over Saturday night and were delighted with a tour to
the La Paro Bonito Mine with its 500’ adit on Sunday morning. Dave reports much
of the equipment is just as it was left the day they stopped mining this mine.
The Open
House was a great opportunity for newcomers and old timers to rub elbows and
share interesting facts regarding this area.
Dave gave
tours of Humbug and shared his knowledge of this Historic Arizona Ghost Town.
Great food, good times and fun facts were the highlight of this exceptional
event. Many thanks to Dave and Theresa for their kindness and hospitality they
extended to everyone attending.
|
Dave Burns giving
tour to guests at "Humbug Open House" March 4, 2006 |
|
Humbug
2006, Photo by: Neal Du Shane |
|
Adobe
“Melt” Wall - Humbug, AZ 2006, Photo by: Neal Du Shane |
(1) To keep with authentic
historical spelling and punctuation as written by the author.
DAVE BURNS caretaker of Humbug, can be
reached at: 1-480-899-3717
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
A special thank you, to all that
contributed
Darrell
& Barbara Steffen, Philip Varnie, Arizona Bureau of Mines, Dave Burns, Gary
Grant, Clair Champie Cordes, Larry & Betty Gill,
Gene
Simonds, Cathy Cordes Cloin, Joyce Du Shane, Dave Nimick
Transcribed, Compiled and Edited
by: Neal Du Shane
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American Pioneer
& Cemetery Research Project
Internet Presentation
Version 040416-2
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