Big Bear, CA
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Harry C. Wheeler
Harry Cornwall Wheeler (July 23, 1875 – December 17, 1925) was a prominent Arizona lawman, soldier, and one of the last iconic figures of the Old West. He served as the third and final captain of the Arizona Rangers and as Sheriff of Cochise County. Known as a crack shot and a fearless enforcer, Wheeler participated in several notable gunfights during a career that spanned the Spanish-American War, the waning days of frontier law enforcement, and the early Prohibition era.
Early Life and Military Service
Harry Cornwall Wheeler was born in Jacksonville, Florida, to a military family. His father, William B. Wheeler, was a West Point graduate and U.S. Army officer. Harry grew up on various army posts across the western frontier.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Spanish-American War (1898). He continued in the cavalry, attaining the rank of sergeant before receiving a medical discharge in 1902 at Fort Grant, Arizona.
Arizona Rangers (1903–1909)
In July 1903, Wheeler joined the newly formed Arizona Rangers, an elite force created to combat rustlers, bandits, and smugglers along the U.S.-Mexico border. He rose quickly, promoted to sergeant within four months and eventually becoming the third (and last) captain of the Rangers in March 1907.
As a Ranger, Wheeler earned a reputation as a disciplined leader and expert marksman with both pistol and rifle. He developed a code of conduct for the Rangers and was respected for his fairness.
Notable Gunfights
1. Palace Saloon Shootout, Tucson (October 1904) While serving as a sergeant, Wheeler responded to a holdup at the Palace Saloon on Congress Street. Outlaw Charles Bostwick had robbed the saloon. Wheeler calmly entered after being warned and confronted the armed bandit. Bostwick fired first but missed effectively; Wheeler drew his single-action Colt .45 and shot him in the forehead (grazing) and then fatally in the chest. The incident highlighted Wheeler’s composure and speed.
2. Benson Shootout / Rock Fight (February 28, 1907) This is one of the most unusual gunfights in Western history. It began as a lovers’ triangle involving J.A. Tracy, a railroad agent and jealous suitor. Tracy ambushed Wheeler (then a lieutenant) and others in Benson. A gunfight erupted, and Wheeler was seriously wounded in the upper left thigh near the groin. Despite his injury, the confrontation devolved into a dramatic mano-a-mano duel where the men threw rocks at each other before Wheeler prevailed, killing Tracy.
3. Other Ranger-Era Incidents Wheeler was involved in multiple pursuits of rustlers and outlaws. In one documented case near the border, he and another Ranger engaged fugitives in a running gun battle, with Wheeler demonstrating exceptional accuracy under fire. He was wounded at least once during his Ranger service but continued active duty.
4. Gleeson Gunfight (March 5, 1917) As Sheriff of Cochise County, this was Wheeler’s final and one of the last classic Old West-style gunfights. While patrolling for alcohol smugglers (Arizona was under statewide Prohibition), Wheeler and Deputy Lafe Gibson camped near Gleeson. They were ambushed at night by a gang of Mexican smugglers.
In a prolonged firefight under moonlight, involving over 100 shots, Wheeler used his Winchester rifle with deadly precision, firing at muzzle flashes and wounding (likely killing) at least one attacker. The smugglers retreated, abandoning whiskey-laden burros. The incident symbolized the shift from frontier banditry to modern border smuggling issues.
Sheriff of Cochise County (1912–1918)
After the Arizona Rangers disbanded in 1909, Wheeler served as a Deputy U.S. Marshal before being elected Sheriff of Cochise County in 1911 (re-elected in 1914 and 1916). Based in Tombstone, he dealt with mining strikes, border troubles, and Prohibition enforcement. During the 1917 Bisbee Deportation events, his actions drew both praise and criticism, reflecting the turbulent labor and wartime climate.
Later Life and Military Service
In 1918, Wheeler resigned as sheriff to enlist in World War I, serving despite being in his early 40s. After the war, he returned to Arizona but struggled with health issues. He died on December 17, 1925, in Bisbee, Arizona, at age 50, from natural causes.
Legacy
Harry C. Wheeler embodied the transition from the Old West to the 20th century. A champion marksman and dedicated lawman, he was involved in roughly four documented gunfights, always acting in the line of duty. He is remembered as a fair but tough enforcer who protected both labor interests and the law during a chaotic period in Arizona history. The restored Gleeson Jail and various historical accounts keep his story alive in Cochise County lore.
Wheeler’s life reflects the broader story of Arizona’s frontier closing amid industrialization, war, and changing border dynamics.
Kimberly, Nevada – White Pine County Ghost Town
Kimberly was a 20th-century copper mining company town in White Pine County, eastern Nevada. It was located in the Egan Range, west of Ruth and Riepetown, and east of the former town of Veteran, within the Robinson Mining District (also known as the Ely or Copper Basin District). The site sits at a relatively high elevation in the mountains, part of the major copper-producing area that helped sustain Nevada’s economy into the modern era.
Unlike the short-lived silver boom towns of the 1860s–1870s (such as Shermantown or Hamilton), Kimberly represented the shift to large-scale industrial copper mining in the early 1900s.
Founding and Early Development (1900–1910)
Copper discoveries in the Pilot Knob area dated back earlier, but significant development began in May 1900 when the Giroux Mining Company started operations. In 1903, the company established the town of Kimberly as a planned company town. It was named after Peter L. Kimberly, a major financier from the Lake Superior mining region who backed the Giroux Consolidated Mines.
Key early milestones:
- Post office established July 24, 1905 (operated until December 31, 1958).
- Nevada Northern Railway reached Kimberly in September 1906, providing critical transportation for ore and supplies.
- By 1910, the town had a general store, boarding houses, saloons, numerous residences, and its own newspaper, the Kimberly News.
Peak Period (1910s–1920s)
In 1914, the Giroux holdings were acquired by the Consolidated Copper Company, which expanded operations. Kimberly grew into a stable community with a population reaching about 500 by the mid-1920s. It featured a school, company housing, and supporting businesses typical of mining towns of the era.
The town was closely tied to the nearby mines and mills. It served as a residential and service hub for workers in the rich copper district, which included operations at Veteran and other sites. Mining activity focused on copper, with associated metals.
Later Years and Decline (1930s–1950s)
Kimberly experienced the typical fluctuations of a mining-dependent town, affected by metal prices, labor issues, and technological changes. Operations continued through the Great Depression and World War II, when copper demand was high for wartime production.
The post office remained active until the end of 1958, reflecting the town’s longevity compared to many earlier Nevada ghost towns. However, as mining consolidated and open-pit operations expanded in the Robinson District, residential areas were impacted.
Legacy and Current Status
Extensive modern mining development, particularly large-scale open-pit operations and tailings disposal, has largely wiped the original townsite of Kimberly off the map. Today, the area is dominated by active or reclaimed mine workings, with little of the historic town visible. It is considered a ghost town, though its history is intertwined with the still-operating copper industry around Ely and Ruth.
Kimberly exemplifies Nevada’s transition from 19th-century precious-metal rushes to 20th-century base-metal (copper) mining, which provided more stable, longer-term economic activity. The Robinson District remains one of Nevada’s most productive copper areas into the 21st century.
Sources
This report is based on historical records from Nevada Expeditions, Wikipedia, Western mining histories, and local archives. Kimberly’s story is well-documented in resources covering eastern Nevada’s copper boom.
Swansea, Arizona – La Paz County Ghost Town
Swansea, Arizona, is a well-preserved ghost town in La Paz County in western Arizona, known for its copper mining history. It lies in a remote desert area, roughly 30 miles from Parker and accessible via challenging dirt roads. Today, it is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as a historic site featuring adobe and brick ruins, mine remnants, and foundations that illustrate early 20th-century mining life.
Early Prospecting and Development (1860s–1900s)
Prospecting in the Swansea area began around 1862, when three prospectors explored the region and found copper and silver deposits. However, the remote location, lack of reliable transportation, and high costs limited large-scale operations for decades. Early mining was sporadic, with some silver-lead activity in the late 19th century that tapered off by the 1880s as richer ore bodies were exhausted.
Major development required better infrastructure. In 1904, the Arizona and California Railroad began construction from Wickenburg to Parker, opening opportunities for shipping ore. Miners Newton Evans and Thomas Jefferson Carrigan, along with others, secured investment and developed the site. The claims were consolidated under the Clara Consolidated Gold and Copper Mining Company (sometimes referred to as Clara Gold and Copper).
The camp was initially called Signal. By the end of 1908, construction included a 350-ton capacity smelter (later expanded), a 3.5-mile water pipeline from the Bill Williams River, and hoists for multiple mine shafts. The town was renamed Swansea after the Welsh port city where ore had previously been shipped for smelting.
Boom Years (1909–1910s)
Swansea was officially established around 1909 (just before Arizona achieved statehood in 1912). A post office opened on March 25, 1909. By that year, the population reached about 500, supported by mining, smelting, and related services.
Key infrastructure included:
- The Arizona & Swansea Railroad (about 21 miles long), which connected to the main line at Bouse and began operations around 1910, enabling efficient ore transport.
- A larger smelter (reportedly up to 700 tons capacity in some accounts) built on-site to process copper locally rather than shipping raw ore overseas.
- Housing, stores, and other amenities in a classic company town setup.
The town reflected the optimism and speculation of the era. Investors promoted it aggressively, leading to substantial (sometimes excessive) infrastructure investment aimed at impressing backers rather than purely optimizing operations.
Decline and Abandonment (1910s–1940s)
The boom was short-lived. By 1911, the Clara Consolidated company faced financial troubles, leading to mine closures and restructuring. New owners restarted operations, but copper prices fluctuated. The town survived World War I but declined sharply afterward as prices dropped.
The post office closed on June 28, 1924. By the 1930s, the population had largely dispersed, and the mines shut down for good around 1937. Limited activity may have continued into the early 1940s before full abandonment. A few hardy prospectors lingered, but Swansea became a true ghost town.
Later History and Preservation
The site’s remoteness helped preserve its ruins better than many other ghost towns. It has been designated an Arizona archaeological site and is protected by the BLM. In the 1970s, it served as a filming location (e.g., for Day of the Wolves). Visitors today can explore remnants of buildings, mine shafts, and the smelter area, though caution is advised due to unstable structures and desert hazards.
Significance
Swansea exemplifies the rise-and-fall pattern of many Western mining towns: discovery, railroad-enabled boom, over-speculation, market volatility, and bust. Its copper focus tied it to broader industrial demands of the early 20th century. Unlike flashier gold or silver towns, Swansea’s story highlights the engineering challenges of desert mining, including water supply and transportation. It stands as one of Arizona’s more intact ghost towns, offering insights into frontier mining life, company towns, and the economic realities of resource extraction.
Visiting Notes: Access is via high-clearance vehicles recommended; check BLM resources for current conditions. It remains a popular but respectful destination for history enthusiasts and off-road adventurers.
Sasco, Arizona – Pinal County Ghost Town
Sasco, Arizona, is a ghost town in Pinal County, located west of Red Rock and approximately 35 miles northwest of Tucson. Its name is an acronym for the Southern Arizona Smelting Company. Founded in 1907 as a company town centered around a large smelter, it processed copper ore from nearby mines, primarily the Silver Bell Mine to the southwest.
Founding and Development
Sasco owes its creation to the Development Company of America (DCA), led by Frank Morrell Murphy (brother of Arizona Territorial Governor Oakes Murphy). Murphy envisioned consolidating mining operations in the Silver Bell Mountains into a large-scale enterprise, which was an innovative concept for the time when most mining was small-scale.
Key steps in its development included:
- In 1903–1904, Murphy and engineer William Field Staunton acquired and combined mines (such as the Union and Mammoth mines) into the Imperial Copper Company and the Silver Bell Mine.
- The Arizona Southern Railroad was built to connect the Silver Bell Mine to the Southern Pacific Railroad at Red Rock, facilitating transport of ore, supplies, water, and people.
- The Southern Arizona Smelting Company (Sasco) was formally organized on August 10, 1906. Construction of the smelter began in summer 1907 and was completed in February 1908.
The town was strategically placed roughly halfway between major mining areas and near the Santa Cruz River. At its peak, Sasco had a population of around 500–600 people. It featured a residential neighborhood, stores, saloons, a hotel (notably the Hotel Rockland), a jail (built of concrete), a power house that supplied electricity to the town, Silverbell, and the mine, and other amenities. The smelter employed about 175 men and processed significant amounts of ore—245,000 tons by 1910.
Operations and Challenges
Sasco functioned primarily as a smelting and milling town rather than a direct mining site. Ore arrived via rail from the Silver Bell Mine (about 12 miles southwest) and other areas, including near Picacho Peak. The smelter complex, power house, and related infrastructure were central to the community.
Despite early promise as one of the premier smelting towns in the Southwest, Sasco’s history was marked by instability:
- Financial difficulties for the DCA, including problems with other operations (e.g., in the Tombstone area), led to bankruptcy. The smelter closed around 1909–1911.
- In 1915, the American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) acquired the Silver Bell Mine and briefly reopened the Sasco smelter, reviving the town temporarily.
Decline and Abandonment
The town faced a devastating blow during the winter of 1918–1919 when the Spanish Flu pandemic struck. It killed many residents, with numerous unmarked or plain concrete graves in the Sasco Cemetery attributed to the outbreak.
ASARCO closed the Silver Bell Mine and Sasco operations in 1921 to focus elsewhere. The post office, established on July 10, 1907, closed on September 15, 1919. In the early 1930s, amid falling copper prices, most buildings were demolished, and the railroad was removed. By around 1921 (or shortly after), Sasco was largely abandoned.
Today
Sasco is now a neglected ghost town site with visible ruins, including:
- Remnants of the smelter complex (a focal point, with graffiti and some remaining structures).
- Foundations of the stamp mill.
- The Hotel Rockland (made of volcanic stones).
- The concrete jail.
- Elevated railroad platforms.
- Other building foundations.
The Sasco Cemetery (northeast of the townsite, near the La Osa Ranch) is privately owned and generally closed to the public; many graves there are linked to the 1918–1919 flu. The site is accessible via dirt roads (high-clearance recommended, with potential Santa Cruz River crossing issues) from exits near Red Rock or Marana on I-10. It has seen use for recreational activities like paintball, leading to litter, shotgun shells, and graffiti.
Sasco stands out among Arizona ghost towns as a short-lived but ambitious smelting community rather than a typical mining camp. Its rapid rise and fall illustrate the boom-and-bust nature of early 20th-century Arizona mining, compounded by corporate finances, transportation dependencies, and public health crises. Ruins and historical accounts preserve its legacy as a footnote in the state’s copper industry history.
Epsom Salts Monorail
The Epsom Salts Monorail (also known as the Magnesium Monorail) was a short-lived but remarkable engineering experiment in the remote Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California.
It operated as a Lartigue-type monorail from 1924 to 1926, spanning approximately 28 miles (45 km) to transport epsomite (hydrated magnesium sulfate, commonly called Epsom salts) from a deposit in the Owlshead Mountains (near the Crystal Hills and southern edge of Death Valley) to a siding on the Trona Railway at Magnesia (about six miles south of Trona, near Searles Lake).
This was one of the few commercial monorails ever built in the United States and briefly gained fame as the “fastest monorail in the world” due to its downhill speeds. However, it proved economically unviable and was abandoned after just two years of operation.
Discovery and Early Development (1917–1922)
In 1917, prospectors discovered a deposit of magnesium salts in the multicolored badlands of the Crystal Hills, a rugged area of low ridges and ravines in northwestern San Bernardino County, roughly 28 miles east of Searles Lake and near the old Wingate Wash Borax Road. The site lay in desolate desert terrain between Wingate Valley, the Panamint Range, and areas visible from Death Valley—virtually uninhabited and far from infrastructure.
Los Angeles florist Thomas Wright acquired the mining claims in 1919. Initially, he and his team hauled supplies over punishing 40–63-mile dirt tracks from Randsburg (a journey plagued by broken springs, overheating engines, and rough terrain). Wright envisioned exploiting the epsomite for pharmaceutical and industrial uses but faced major transport challenges.
A plan to dissolve the salts and pump them via a 28-mile pipeline to the Trona Railway was abandoned due to insufficient water. Traditional narrow-gauge rail or road grading proved prohibitively expensive in the steep, rocky canyons and unstable lake beds. In 1921–1922, Wright formed the American Magnesium Company and opted for a monorail system—specifically an adaptation of the French Lartigue monorail design, which used a single elevated rail and balancing outriggers for stability in challenging terrain.
Construction began in late 1922 at Magnesia Siding on the Trona Railway. Douglas fir timber was shipped by sea to San Pedro, then railed to the site. A prototype was built, and a patent secured on June 23, 1923.
Engineering and Construction (1922–1924)
The monorail was a custom timber-and-steel adaptation of the Lartigue system. A central 4×6-inch or 6×8-inch wooden “riding beam” (supported by A-frame trestles spaced about 8 feet apart) carried a standard T-section steel rail (mostly 80 lb/yd, some lighter). The A-frames featured diagonal braces, horizontal crosspieces, and 2×6-inch side balancing boards or rails for stabilizing rollers. Bents were anchored to broad sills sunk into sand and gravel, with extra bracing over arroyos. The entire structure rose only a few feet off the ground in most places.
The route climbed dramatically: it crossed the dry bed of Searles Lake in long tangents, ascended through Layton Canyon in the Slate Range (gaining 1,800 feet over 5 miles at a 7% grade), crossed Layton Pass (summit ~3,501 ft / 1,067 m), descended into Panamint Valley (with one road overpass creating a roller-coaster effect), climbed steeply (10–12% grades) over Wingate Pass, and followed Wingate Wash and Crystal Hills Wash to the mine. Blasting was required in hard-rock sections.
Construction took two years and cost an estimated $200,000–$350,000 (sources vary on the exact figure). By September 1923, half the line was complete. The monorail opened in June 1924.
Operation and Brief Success (1924–1926)
Rolling stock consisted of steel-framed locomotives and carriages with double-flanged wheels riding the central rail and spring-suspended steel rollers (8 inches high and wide) on the side boards for balance. Loads hung low in saddlebag-like containers on either side, keeping the center of gravity stable (much like pack saddles on a mule). Couplings came from scrapped Los Angeles streetcars. Brakes were locomotive-only.
Initially battery-powered units proved underpowered; the company modified seven Fordson tractors and one heavier Buda tractor into articulated monorail locomotives (each handling 1–2 trailers, or up to 3,400 lb per loco and 8,500 lb per car). A small workforce (12–15 men at the mine) scraped high-grade epsomite from surface deposits using basic tools.
Trains operated at normal speeds of 8–15 mph uphill/flats but reached up to 35 mph (56 km/h) downhill. One engineer famously completed a fully loaded 28–30-mile run in about one hour, earning the line its “fastest monorail in the world” nickname (though he was reportedly fired for the reckless speed). Salt was sacked at the mine, railed to Magnesia Siding, then shipped by standard rail to a refining plant in Wilmington, California, for processing into Epsom salts, Glauber’s salt, and magnesium carbonate.
Challenges, Decline, and Closure
Despite the engineering novelty, the operation faced insurmountable problems. High-grade surface epsomite depleted quickly, leaving lower-quality ore contaminated with up to 50% sand, clay, and other salts. Wooden beams warped as they dried in the desert heat, causing misalignment. Cloudbursts and flash floods washed out sections (especially near Layton Pass and on Searles Lake bed, where up to 14 inches of water softened sediments). Landslides and uneven settling further damaged the track. Locomotives and brakes were inadequate for sustained heavy loads, and maintenance was costly.
Output fell far short of estimates. Intense competition from cheaper brine-based magnesium producers doomed the venture. The mine and monorail shut down in June 1926 (some accounts cite 1927), after transporting only modest tonnages over two years. The American Magnesium Company was liquidated with minimal recovery of investment.
Aftermath and Legacy (1930s–Present)
The monorail stood idle for about a decade. In the late 1930s, the steel rail and longitudinal timbers were salvaged and sold for scrap. Only scattered A-frames remained, many later used as firewood, removed, or scattered by floods; most have since disappeared.
Today, the largest surviving sections lie in restricted military areas of the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Center (Range B). The mine site itself is within Death Valley National Park and accessible via Fort Irwin National Training Center near Tecopa (with permits). Concrete foundations, salt piles, and house ruins persist at the old camp. A historical marker (erected 2008 by E Clampus Vitus and the Bureau of Land Management) stands near SR-178 and Pinnacle Road, about 16 miles east of Ridgecrest.
The Epsom Salts Monorail remains a classic example of desert mining ambition and engineering ingenuity in the face of harsh geography. It highlighted the limits of wooden infrastructure in extreme environments and the economic realities of remote mineral extraction. Though a commercial failure, its innovative design and brief “world’s fastest” reputation continue to fascinate historians of unusual railways.
For further reading, see Alexander K. Rogers’ book The Epsom Salts Monorail: The American Magnesium Company Monorail in San Bernardino County, California (Maturango Museum) and Richard H. Jahns’ 1951 article “Epsom Salts Line—Monorail to Nowhere” in Engineering and Science.