LETTERS & E-MAIL

Air Force One — Star Attraction

Air Force One, the presidential plane, starred as the subject of four recently published books. The aircraft was also the subject of a PBS special, and provides cliffhanger thrills in a Harrison Ford movie still popping up on television. So it's no surprise that an early version of Air Force One— the DC-6 that was the last piston-driven aircraft used by Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson — is a star attraction at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson. It's also the only plane on display

Nuggets of Dental Gold Filled Prospectors' Dreams With Hope

In January 1935, a man missing for 85 hours staggered out of the Superstition Mountains, weak and nearly incoherent. But prospector Charles Williams didn't need to say much to attract attention -he was carrying a pound and a half of nearly pure gold.

The Arizona Republic reported that news of Williams' rich burden spread rapidly, and the sheriff's office was thronged with old-timers made speechless at the sight of the gleaming nuggets. Williams, 41, said he had “at least 20 pounds more like it” cached in the hills.

At this time in history, American citizens could only possess 5 ounces of gold, and Williams promptly turned his in to the authorities. Certain that he could relocate the treasure trove again, Williams returned with some friends and searched the mountain, but he was not successful.

The newspaper marveled that Williams had emerged alive from the deep rock gorges of the “mystic Superstitions,” which had swallowed many other miners on the trail of the Lost Dutchman's gold.

Several months after the find, the U.S. government claimed all of Williams' gold, which turned out to be primarily dental gold. Williams never changed the story he told on January 8, that he'd found the nuggets in a cave.

Maybe an enterprising dentist was planning for his retirement. And if so, no one knows whether he found his way back to the cave or not.

that the public may enter.

“This isn't the plane that Johnson and Jackie Kennedy flew back from Dallas on after JFK's assassination,” explains a guide.

“That was a jet. Jet aircraft were functional then, but most runways weren't yet equipped to handle them. Thus Kennedy and Johnson did much of their domestic travel aboard this particular plane.” Sprawled over 80 acres of desert landscape 12 miles southeast of downtown Tucson, the indooroutdoor Pima Air and Space Museum contains more than 250 historic aircraft, both military and civilian.

But the question most asked by visitors entering the gate remains, “Where's Air Force One?” The selfsupporting museum at 6000 E. Valencia Road (2 miles north of Interstate 10, Exit 269), is open daily (except Thanksgiving and Christmas).

Information: (520) 574-0462; www.pimaair.org/pasmhome.shtml.

Living Fences

They still build “living fences” in Tucson. Limbs from skinny, skyreaching ocotillos are planted into the ground with a bit of wire added. Water them and magic happens. The limbs take root, the stalks sprout leaves and when the weather cooperates, the fence blooms red.

“Two guys, that's all it takes,” says Bryck Guibord whose company installs living fences. He follows the tradition of early settlers forced to make-do on a tree-deprived piece of Sonoran Desert landscape. They used the ocotillos for fencing.

Today's living fences still cost only about $7 per running foot.

An added ecological benefit comes with the renewable quality of the resource. The ocotillos providing the limbs don't die in the effort but continue to live and to produce future if somewhat prickly fences.

Information: (520) 326-9192.

THIS MONTH IN ARIZONA

In 1872 Residents of Phoenix go without bread for a day after a dog spills the lone baker's yeast.

In 1878 Yavapai and Mohave counties ship $160,000 in silver bullion to San Francisco.

In 1907 President Theodore Roosevelt announces that Arizona and New Mexico will have separate statehood.

In 1908 A new ordinance goes into effect, and Tempe experiences its first “dry” Sunday.

In 1911 U.S. Senate grants statehood to both Arizona and New Mexico. A day later, the U.S. House of Representatives backs the Senate's statehood decision.

President William Taft vetoes the action to give Arizona statehood on the basis that judiciary recall by popular vote is unacceptable.