Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!qantel!hplabs!tektronix!orca!shark!davew
From: davew@shark.UUCP (Dave Williams)
Newsgroups: net.bizarre
Subject: Re: Bizarre Street Names
Message-ID: <1557@shark.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 1-Oct-85 11:56:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: shark.1557
Posted: Tue Oct  1 11:56:38 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 6-Oct-85 04:51:42 EDT
References: <817@water.UUCP> <296@aoa.UUCP>
Reply-To: davew@shark.UUCP (Dave Williams)
Distribution: net
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Graphic Workstations Division
Lines: 34
Summary: 

>>Between LA and Las Vegas saw an exit for
>>	Zzyzx Road
>>Seen it?
>
>Obviously those Westerners can't spell. The road should be 
>" xyzzy road", which will plugh you right into the cave.

And now the REAL story:
A man by the name of Wilson Springer started Zzyzx Hot Springs.
He was sort of a radio evangelist who promoted all sorts of
radio offers such as vitamin tablets. He started ZHS on federal
land claiming mineral rights which allowed him to mine on the
property and homestead. He was not mining gold, silver or the
other generally recognized minerals that are allowed under the law,
but was mining calcium and other minerals allegedly used in the
manufacture of his vitamin supplements. The feds tried to throw him
off the land, but he fought them in court for years. He also had a
guest ranch there and promoted it heavily over the radio. He also
had a large fleet of old buses he bought at auction that he used
for storage sheds and offices. As I recall Mr. Springer was in his
70's when all this took place in the mid 60's, so I assume he has
gone on to his final reward. It would be interesting to know if
anything remains of ZHS today.
-- 


                                    Dave Williams
                                    Tektronix, Inc.
                                    Graphic Workstations Division
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