Lone Pine Gem & Mineral Society Newsletter
November 2008
Messages from Francis
The following comes from our president, Francis Pedneau.
Christmas Party and meeting
Our club Christmas party will be held December 14, 2008-2:00 to 5:00 pm at the Forum Theatre, 142 N. Jackson, across the street from the town hall and fire station. The club will furnish the meat course and punch. Bring your favorite side dish and a gift valued at $20.00 or less, preferably rock related, but it's not mandatory. By all means, come. We will play BJ's terrible gift exchange game. Guests are welcome, but be sure that they bring a gift to exchange.
November meeting will feature 2009 officer elections. Time is running out. If you are not at the meeting you are liable to be elected to some job or other. Heads up. We still don't have anyone for treasurer. There must be someone out there who will take on this job. Remember you get to handle all the club's money. If you will, please call Jim Grandgeorge at 760-878-2221.
Francee and I will not be at the November meeting as we will be attending the Death Valley 49er encampment at Furnace Creek Ranch as a vendor. We will be promoting our club and selling some club rocks. The Rock, Gem, Mining, Lapidary and Craft show is held on the grounds of the Borax Museum. Encampment dates are November 5th through the 8th. If you get a chance come on out and see what it is like.
Field trip notes for September
Ray Ramirez reports
For those of you who joined me on September 21st to Cactus Flat I think you would all agree that we had a beautiful day, endured a challenging hike, and were rewarded with beautiful views of Haiwee reservoir far below us! We found many pieces of white agate many of which had drusy quartz on them and a few pieces of jasper as well. Unfortunately we never reached our intended goal about a mile distant across more up and down terrain. I could see where we needed to be but didn’t think we had enough time or energy to reach it that day. As it turns out, I turned off the main road 7 tenths of a mile too soon and began our hike from a different location than I remembered from a few years earlier. Oh Well, Next Time!
For the remaining half of our group that were either riding with me or leaving at the same time I shared the location of two archaeological sites that I knew about which I think added an interesting and enjoyable side trip to the end of our day.
A few quotes from our adventurers:
“Lost but lovin it !”
“Exhausting but interesting, what a gorgeous day!”
“What a beautiful day but I am sure glad the hikes over!”
Happy hounding!
Inyo County Minerals Displayed at World's Fair in 1893
Roger De Hart sent us this article which was printed by the California state printing office in 1984. The publication was called California At The World's Columbian Exposition - 1893.
California State Building at World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago 1893
The World’s Columbian Exposition (The Chicago’s World’s Fair) was held in Chicago, Illinois from May 1, 1893 to Oct. 30, 1893 (7 months). It celebrated the 400th anniversary of Columbus’s arrival in the New World.
During the 7 months it was open to the public about 27,000,000 visitors attended (1/2 of the U. S. population). It was one of the greatest World’s Fair of all time. The world had just entered the Industrial Revolution and electricity was the new energy source for the world. It displayed the American manufacturing and horticulture industries and depicted the American culture.
Forty-three states and U.S. territories had separate buildings depicting their state’s economies. California had one of the largest of the buildings (see above). Only Illinois’ was larger.
Twenty-three nations participated in the Exposition and also had separate buildings.
In the California Building, 32 counties had separate exhibits along with five cities. Inyo County, being quite small did not have a separate exhibit but did have a number of mineral samples displayed for public viewing in the State’s mineral exhibit.
In addition to the California Building, the Exposition had other large buildings including a Mines & Mining Building. This building also had a number of Inyo County mineral samples on display.
The following are the minerals which were displayed at the 1893 World’s Fair that came from Inyo County:
Specimen Mine or Place
Bismutite Deep Spring Valley
Caledonite Ygnacio Mine
Feldspar (argentiferous) White Line Mine
Gold quartz Beveridge
Linarite Cerro Gordo
Linarite Carpo Mine
Marble Inyo Marble Company
Satin spar Amargosa River
Silver ore Ibex Mine
Silver ore Rainbow Mine
Silver ore Richmond Mine
Tourmaline (black) Lee District
Levite Death Valley
Also, in the Women’s Department, a marble pedestal was exhibited by Inyo Marble Company.
These specimens were exhibited in the Mines and Mining Building:
Specimen Mine or Place
Antimony ore Death Valley
Clay shale Inyo County
Copper ore Swansea Mine
Copper ore Hirsch Mine
Copper ore Defiance Mine
Copper ore Harrison Mine
Copper ore Copper Grand Mine
Iron ore (hematite) Keeler
Lead ore Cerro Gordo District
Lead ore New Coso District
Limestone Inyo County
Marble Inyo Marble Company
Salt (native) Inyo County
Silver ore Cactus Mine
Silver ore (galena) Defiance Mine
Silver ore (galena) Driver Mine
Silver ore Gladiator Mine
Silver ore Gray Eagle Mine
Silver ore Great Eastern Mine
Silver ore Great Western Mine
Silver ore Greenly & Broder Mine
Silver ore Gunsight Mine
Silver ore Hidalgo Mine
Silver ore Little Chief Mine
Silver ore Mabel Mine
Silver ore Minerva Mine
Silver ore (galena) Modoc Mine
Silver ore Mountain View Mine
Silver ore New Coso Mine
Silver ore Rainbow Mine
Silver ore Shiloh Mine
Silver ore (galena) Tower Mine
Silver ore Ygnacio Mine
Soda, borate of Saline Valley
Soda, borate of (tincal) Saline Valley
Soda, carbonate of Owens Lake
Our Web Site
You can always find the latest copy of the newsletter at our web site at www.lpgms.org. You'll also find past newsletters and a new membership form. If you are online and would like to receive the newsletter electronically, send me a message saying you wish to do that to linda at lpgms.org.
Contact numbers
- President: Francis Pedneau - 760-876-4319; franceem at qnet.com
- Vice President: Ray Ramirez - 760-872-0624
- Newsletter editor: Linda Jeffries - 760-876-1009; linda at lpgms.org
