Latest update: Thursday, February 21, 2013
Visit 1991 and 1992
[Click on any photo to start the slide show.]
"I was there in '91 & '92, I think. At least the negatives from
photos I took back then are dated such. I met Joel Jackson at
the time for permission to go on the ranch and clean it up. My
shots are dated 6-4-91, 4-11-92 and 5-2-92. Joel surprised
me and joined me with a chain saw and we made a huge
dent in the heavy work of the jungle in one long day (just two
people), so good progress should be made with several
people. I'm thinking we did that 4-11-92, then I came back
5-2-92 to do hand work around the gravestones, take pics,
and spray the brush stumps to slow down regrowth.
"I wondered if we could put some goats out there for a few
months to graze it down and kill all the bushes and trees, but
Joel said the coyotes would get them. I wasn't up to building
a coyote proof fence and getting water there, so I dropped it.
I was living in Columbus which was also too far away to tend
it. I think it is exactly 1/4 acre square. Someone will need to
bring a small chain saw."
Mark David Goldsmith, 18 February 2013
"Just got the photos back tonight. Its coming back to me now
that I can see them. We only cleared the front portion of the
cemetery where the Mahler graves were (maybe 25% or
less). The whole place would have taken two strong men
about 2 days. This was HEAVY work to cut those trees down
and throw them over the fence. I rented a blade-type bush
whacker and Joel had a chain saw as you can see from the
pics. Both would be a must for equipment if it looks anything
like it did in '92. If the folks coming are not fairly strong, i.e. be
capable of heavy work, it might be worth it to pass the hat
($150-200) for a couple of local[s]. I'm 20 year older too so
not sure I could haul logs for several hours. I would be
concerned that the group would be disappointed that not
enough progress was made to be gratifying and get
photographs of the tombstones. That is, if the objective is to
clear the whole thing. If only Mahler again, then a small group
can do it in one day like Joel and I did. It was getting dark by
the time we finished clearing. I think there was poison ivy and
sticker bushes, so I will be wearing heavy-cloth long sleeves,
boots and gloves.
"My original motivation for cleanup was that my grandmother
Mahler wanted to see the grave site one last time, so I was
getting it good enough to bring her out there to the Mahler
section. She was never up to the trip but I got to show her
the photos."
Mark David Goldsmith, 21 February 2013