Senior News May 27, 2009

"The Cave" As It Exists Today, by Ted Lake

The deep and mysterious underground Crystal Cave, its tunnels and caverns first discovered 80 years ago apparently still exist today in the mountains 10 miles southeast of Winkelman,. However, the physical condition of this marvel below the Pinal county desert has changed drastically from then. A young woman at Dudleyville, who has explored in the Central and Eastern Arizona mountains for some time now has come forward with information about a 2008 visit to the site below the Southeastern desert of Pinal County. Our reader in Dudleyville, who requests that we not use her name, has given us an insight of what our mysterious cave is like at this present point in time. Here are questions we asked about what she observed underground and the answers given to us. Your comments on just what exactly you have seen the last time you went here and when was that? The last time I was in there was probably a year ago. You mentioned it was all basically filled with dirt inside?. Yes it was filled with dirt, little room for entry. However, there are 2 openings that have become a bit larger from recent rains. When I went in with another hiking partner we had to crawl into the hole entrance. Inside to the left there was a longer tunnel. We went as far as we could that way without a flashlight. Probably could've went further if we did have one. To the right of the entrance there was an a eroded ditch/crevasse my hiking partner crawled into it and we could see a hole to go in deeper. Like I said, we didn't have a flashlight, so we didn't go in further. However, we did throw a rock into the hole and heard a splash right away. Could you still see any of the caverns or separate rooms or the remains of them? It's possible the hole leads to a bigger cavern, or the tunnel to the left does. There was another entrance to the cave opening up, but you can't really go through it yet. Was there any water inside? The splash we heard from throwing the rock in was heard right away and had a deep plunging sound. I am not sure that means it’s deep or if there is a lot. How much room was inside when you got in? The room was crawling room at the entrance, you could sit upright once inside, and the tunnel to the left you could crouch through. Just exactly what did you see? Inside was muddy, loose dirt, and gypsum crystals (not a lot though, kind of like sediment crystals not very hard and crumbly). There was a bat that we saw and a spider. Around the entrance to it showed signs of coyotes, and possible javelinas. The entrance is hidden behind some mesquite trees. However, the entrance has a big chunk of gypsum wedged there. The first time I went there, the gypsum was under dirt, and rain has washed away the dirt. It was a neat find. Could you see if the tunnels were blocked? It looks maybe like a clogged artery, you have to crawl/climb over some dirt piles, but was accessible. Remains of other rooms? It’s possible, the hole we went through in the rock could open up into something larger. The Tunnel to the left seemed to go on a bit more. Not sure though. What were the stories you heard in the past from residents of Dudleyville, Winkelman or Mammoth that you know of about these caves? My family is from Dudleyville, since the 50’s on a ranch, which our family still lives on. The stories I heard where from an acquaintance who said, as a boy with his Cub Scouts they would camp above the cave about .25 miles from it, and then hike down into it. They would go into it, and there was a boat in it too. Not sure if they ever took the boat on a ride though. I believe the cave bears investigation and possible state park options. It could bring some much needed revenue to the area (besides the possible casino that is rumored to be in the works out in Dudleyville. Or like that other rock climbing park they are wanting to open near Kearny).. Sorry, I am always looking for ways to improve the prosperity of the area. I have lots of ideas.

The Elder Law Forum, Professor Michael Myers

"No progress, no payment!" "What does that mean?" asked a caller to the senior legal helpline. "They can’t really mean that. And, who decides?" The caller is 88; her husband, the subject of her call, is 94. He fell while crossing the street to retrieve mail. He was taken to a hospital ER where he was diagnosed with a "fragility hip fracture due to minimal trauma from standing height." He was admitted to the hospital for observation and "skilled nursing" involving physical and occupational therapy. On the third day of his hospital stay the caller was advised that arrangements had been made to transfer her husband to a Veterans' Administration nursing home. She was told Medicare would not pay for continued skilled nursing unless there was demonstrated "improvement" consistent with approved therapy. Medicare pays 100 percent of skilled nursing care for the first 20 days of skilled nursing care and 80 percent from days 20 through 100. From day 21 through day 100 the beneficiary has a 2009 daily co-pay of $133.50, which in this case would be paid under the patient's Medicare supplemental policy. The caller assumed her husband’s "skilled" care would be covered in the hospital for up to 100 days. "No," I advised, explaining that "Medicare will cover 'skilled care'—essentially physical and occupational therapy—only if the care cannot be delivered at home or on an outpatient basis and is delivered daily by therapists or nurses under the direction of a physician." Medicare stops paying as soon as it is determined that skilled care is no longer needed or appropriate. This case was complicated by the husband's Alzheimer's condition. His wife was not prepared to care for him at home. Yet, she was concerned that under their long-term care insurance policy they would be would be responsible for the first 90 days of care, projected to be about $15,000. They would still be responsible for $2,200 a month after the policy took effect. I advised the caller she may seek an expedited review upon receiving a Medicare "notice of non-coverage." If his doctor agrees with Medicare, she must request a review by noon of the first work day after receiving the notice; if the doctor disagrees with the hospital, the patient cannot be billed until the third day after receipt of the notice. The hospital, its therapists and the patient's physician held a care conference. They concluded it was premature to issue a notice of non-coverage; that the husband was progressing and his condition would be extended on a week-to-week basis. Typically skilled nursing is justified for one to two weeks. If the patient cannot return home, custodial care in an assisted living or nursing facility is required; care not covered by Medicare. (Pro bono legal information and advice is available through the USD Senior Legal Helpline to persons 55 and older at 1-800-747-1895; mmyers@usd.edu. Opinions solely those of the author and not the University of South Dakota.)

Gila’s Meteorite Of 1868, by Ted Lake

Mike Heimer is a fan of the Copper Country News in the East Valley who says he has found a better Meteorite story than the one we reported about years ago disappearing in a bight flash North of Roosevelt Lake. Heimer is a regular reader of old history books about Arizona. He has brought to our attention an historic account of an extremely bright meteorite which lit up the entire sky over the Sierra Ancha Mountains. Heimer found the following account in a book written by Jim Schreir entitled "Camp Reno Outpost Apacheria 1867-1890 where it states: "During the early evening of November 30, 1868, an unusual meteorological event was observable from both Camps McDowell and Reno (located by Mt. Ord). An eyewitness, a member of one of McDowell's Gila's Meteorite Of 1868 by Ted Lake teddlake@yahoo.com scouts, was camped near the Sierra Anchas and the Salt River. At 7:23 he logged.: A brilliant acrolite (aerolite) traversed the sky in the direction from Southwest to Northeast and when it had completed about two-thirds of the passage to the horizon, it burst into a golden shower, with a rumbling noise resembling distant thunder, and a dull shock like the dying effort of an earthquake. The full moon was shining at the time, the light unobseured by a cloud, yet the brilliancy of the meteor, for the moment , eclipsed her beauty, and caused the night to shine as the day. Could the shooting- star have been symbolic? A brief peace was about to settle in Central Arizona. It, too, was to give hopeful light, but then collapse

Back Then, Christmas, Arizona

A small headline appeared in the historical Arizona Republican Newspaper on June 2, 1929. It said "Christmas Gets Second Unit of Mine Buildings." The report goes on to say the second unit of mine buildings and executive quarters for the Christmas Copper Company got underway during the past week. The first unit completed last month comprised of executive houses, garages and dormitories. According to the company, the building program carried out at Christmas will provide this well known mine with unusually modern and comfortable housing for all of its offices and employees. The work is being handled by Laing and Heenan who are the local builders of Pacific Ready Cut Homes.