I was a boy 10 years of age when the following story appeared in he “Crescent’ on July 5, 1934. I recall the “picture rocks” found by my Granddad “Sandy” Burch, at about the same time - they consisted of dark images of ferns, etc. on a light colored background but nothing as elaborate as those described by Martin Kjorum.

After these many years, I doubt if anyone remembers the location of this mine. For same reason, I have always thought it to be northeast of Saguache, before reaching Rattlesnake Hill - maybe near the powder house?

Within three miles of Saguache we are opening up a mine where we occasionally dig up perfect landscape pictures. The writer, during thirty years of prospecting in many states, has never before seen or heard of anything like it - arborescent outlines, both of fossil and mineral origin are not uncommon, but the pictures we find in this mine are complete and perfect with foreground, trees and other vegetation, sky and clouds and a perspective showing miles of mountain scenery in the background.

The part of the picture representing the sky shows clouds, sunlight and the natural blue of the heavens through the rifts in the clouds.  Some of the landscape scenes show wild gulches with all the details of jungle scenery.

Much and justifiable praise has been accorded to masters of painting, both old and modern, and it is not detracting from their ability and genius to challenge comparison of their work with the pictures we unveil in this mine.

Nor need the human artists feel chagrined at losing by the comparison, for remember they are competing against the oldest master - the master of masters - nature!

Many a community has become famous because it possessed something much less wonderful than this picture mine, so let not Saguache hide its light under a bushel of prejudice, because of the obscurity of the discoverer.

Do not get the idea that these pictures are cheap, for we expect to unearth such masterpieces as will not only excel in beauty the painting made by hand, but will also top them in price.

Boost a little - it won’t hurt you”   Martin Johnson Kjorom