Desert Messenger

12 www.DesertMessenger.com September 17, 2014 The search for new occurrences of tungsten mineral deposits was stimulated on May 10, 1951, when the U. S. Government announced a new purchasing program. One of the important ores found in tungsten is scheelite, which is a hard, rare metal known for its durability and the fact that it has the highest melting point of all the elements. Tungsten's many alloys have numerous applications, such as in light bulb fi laments, x-ray tubes, electrodes in welding, radia- tion shielding, and as a military application in penetrating projec- tiles. In 1951, the government agreed to purchase standard-grade tungsten concentrates at $63 per short-ton unit. At the time of the announcement, there was only one known occurrence of tungsten in Yuma County, the Quartzsite Tungsten Mine, originally located by Len Hogue in January of 1942. The mine was northwest on what was then known as Schoolhouse Road (now Moon Mountain Road), 8 ½ miles from U.S. Highway 60-70 (now Business Loop I-10), at the north end of the Dome Rock Mountains. In July of 1942, Len Hogue was killed when his pickup truck over- turned. In 1943, his estate sold the mine claim to the Gold Hill Dredg- ing Company, which by 1944 had produced 53 tons of scheelite ore. Following the May 1951 govern- ment announcement, 26 tungsten mines were subsequently located throughout the state of Arizona. Nineteen of those mines were located in Yuma County, which yielded nearly 3,500 short-ton units of scheelite ore. In 1951, Gold Hill Dredg- ing leased the mine to John J. Stetler of Los Angeles who im- mediately began producing the mineral needed by the govern- ment for the war effort in North Korea. John, known as Jack by his many Quartzsite friends and associates, brought his wife Jerry, daughter Carol, and son Charles to Quartzsite where they lived at a home on the Riggles Ranch until their new home was completed on a quarter-section of property previ- ously owned by the Conner family. Jack, Jerry, and the children im- mediately became very involved in the community. For their fi rst Christmas in Quartzsite, the Stetler's gave a Christmas party for all the town's children with songs, games, and many prizes. Home- made donuts and hot chocolate was served and each child received a package of candy with a whistle. The next fall Jack was asked if he would be a candidate for trustee of the Quartzsite School District. He received all 17 of the 17 votes cast and served three years in that capacity. Jack was active in the Ehrenberg American Legion Post No. 77 where he was elected Judge Advocate. Having served in World War II, Jack continued his military service as a Major in the U. S. Army Re- serves. In 1954, Jack and his fam- ily traveled to Phoenix to attend the Annual Washington's Birthday Military Rifl e Match. Sixty teams participated and Major Stetler's unit won the Colonel Wood Tro- phy for Military Rifl e Marksman- ship giving him the opportunity to travel with the Arizona Military District Rifl e Team to Fort Lewis, Washington, near Seattle for the regional competition. Jerry, an accomplished pianist, was often called upon by school- mistress, Isabel Buse, to play the piano for school and community functions such as the Arbor Day celebration in 1954. Jerry lead the schoolchildren in singing, This Is the Way We Plant a Tree, The Green Grass Grew All Around, and America the Beautiful as Karl Young and Jimmie Cowell planted a Chinese Elm tree near the east fence of the schoolyard. William G. Scott donated the tree. In June of 1954, Jack traveled with Fred Kuehn to Yuma to fi le papers with the Board of Supervi- sors to be a Democratic candidate for the offi ce of Justice of the Peace of the Quartzsite District. Fred fi led as the incumbent for Con- stable. In November, Fred won re- election but Jack lost by two votes to long-time incumbent, George Hagley. Jack and his Jackpot Group of Partners, Ralph Underwood and C. J. Cowell, continued to vigorously mine for tungsten and scheelite ore in the Dome Rock Mountains. From 1951 to 1956, over 4,000 tons of scheelite ore was produced from the Jackpot claims. Huge chunks of tungsten was hauled from the Jackpot claims to the Stetler Mill, Jack Stetler and the Jackpot Mine Excerpts from "In the Shadow of Saguaros" by Rosalee Oldham Wheeler "In the Shadow of Saguaros" Vol. I & II are now available exclusively at the Tyson's Well Museum and Reader's Oasis Book Store Voices from The Past in Quartzsite, AZ SEE MINE PAGE 16 MINELAB•TESORO•GARRETT•FISHER•KEENE•JOBE•GOLD BUDDY•CAMEL•LORTONE•ESTWING & MORE! Quartzsite WiFi Computer Repair, Service & Support (928) 927-5592 www.QuartzsiteWiFi.com w/Dual Cameras, Keyboard & Earphone $87 LIMITED SUPPLY WiFi Wireless Signal Booster 150 Mbps USB Adapter HOT DEALS! $ 87 $ 65 7" Android 4.0 Tablet PC 928-927-6381, Fax 928-927-4814 AMERICAN INDIAN JEWELRY • POTTERY • BEADS • SUPPLIES GEM STONE JEWELRY • BLACK HILLS GOLD JEWELRY SUMMER HOURS: Open Daily 8-4 Sun. 9-3 Closed Tues. 1250 W. Main, Quartzsite (across from McDonald's)

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