Threat to Bodie

There is alarming news of a threat that could do irreparable damage and even eventually destroy that wonderful ghost town of Bodie, Calif., which I wrote about in The Times last year (May 1, 1988). A Canadian company proposes to develop an open-pit mine nearby and remove the entire ridge behind the town while attempting to extract gold from 25 million tons of low-grade ore.

Only the protection and tender loving care of the park rangers have kept Bodie intact. But some of the 170 buildings are crumbling, while others are frail and on the point of collapse. They could never survive the constant rumbling vibration of heavy truck traffic and the blasting that are part of a major open-pit operation.

A special committee of the California State Park Rangers Assn. has been formed to try to save the town. It is called SAVE BODIE! The address is P.O. Box 28366, Sacramento 95828-0366, (916) 383-2530. Those who care about Bodie and would like to help should write to the committee for more information.

CHARLES F. QUEENAN

Santa Ana