Recollections ------

Every now and again I come across a loose document that has no date or source, here is one of those:

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"When I arrived at Crowflat Ranger Station to take over the Burns District, there was no one around or to introduce me to the new territory so I found my way around alone. There was a short-term man located at Calamity Guard Station near Drewsey and a lookout-fireman at West Myrtle Butte on the opposite end of the district. When I reached Myrtle Butte on my Preliminary rounds, I found it to be a butte covered with a heavy stand of mature timber, with a commanding view when an opening could be found between the trees. An Osborne fire-finder was set up on a wobbly table about four feet high, constructed of small, round sticks wired together with emergency telephone wire. When a smoke was sighted, the lookout fireman would proceed to carry the table and fire-finder to a spot from which the smoke would be visible between the trees. He would set the table down and orient the finder as best he could, as the table wobbled and shook, then take a reading and report.

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I sized up the situation and said to the guard, "Don't you think we can rig up a better set-up than this?" He thought it might be worth a try. So we felled two fir poles about seventy-five feet in height and I prevailed on a road maintenance crew not far away to send a team and driver over and drag the poles over to one of the tallest trees. I found some lumber and nails, and we made a fifty-foot ladder and got it raised up the side of the tree. At the top of the ladder we built a platform. Then we made a thirty-foot ladder and pulled it up the side of the tree until it rested on the platform, we cut the treetop off and set up the fire-finder on the stub. We now had a platform which did not wobble and in a permanent location." By Grover C. Blake

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A 1961 Malheur National Forest Improvement Inventory indicates that a 240 square foot frame living quarters for this site was built in 1924. Another document shows that Mr. Blake came to the district in 1923, therefore one may assume the tree lookout was erected in 1923.

Don't get me going on this subject!!!

The "Medford Mail Tribune"- July 6, 1945:

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"State police officers are today investigating vandalism of the Buck Rock Lookout Station near Trail, which was entered sometime between Sunday and Thursday. Police and State Forest Patrol headquarters reported the telephone had been wrecked, a fire-finder and map destroyed, radio torn out, windows broken and several articles missing.

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The lookout, Melvin Anhorn, 16, route 3, Medford, discovered the act when he returned to his station Thursday. Anhorn had been bitten by a rattlesnake Sunday and had come to Medford for aid and it was upon his return to duty that the vandalism was discovered. Because the telephone and radio had been damaged beyond use, Anhorn had to walk out a considerable distance to telephone forest headquarters."

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It seems that the vandalism issues are not a recent phenomenon. There has always been a segment of the population that has been unable to form a coherent constructive thought or action. These actions makes one look powerful and full of bravado, to the dullards that "hang" with them, and of course to their biggest admirer, themselves.

APRICOTS AND TELEPHONES

From the "Medford Mail Tribune" dated July 21, 1943:
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"Francis Bush, Rogue River Lookout stationed at Buck Peak, in the southeast corner of the forest, didn't get to finish his evening meal Sunday. As Mr. Bush raised a spoon to his lips with an apricot section on it, lightning struck the lookout tower. Mr. Bush, the spoon and the apricot travelled in different directions. The lookout dizzily picked himself up after a few moments and soon noticed that the lightning had started a fire in his area. He lifted the phone to report the fire and immediately hit the floor for the count of ten.
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With the aid of his wife Mr. Bush regained his feet and when his head cleared somewhat he disconnected the phone switch with a long wooden stick. The two then set excitedly out for Clover Station, since the rapidly spreading fire must be reported, from where men were dispatched. Mr. Bush returned warily to his own station, probably wondering about that old adage to the effect that lightning doesn't strike twice in the same spot.

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Forest officials pointed out today that the lookout towers are equipped with lightning protectors and that even though the lookouts sometime have distressing experiences, injury is rarely reported.
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The fire in the Buck Peak area spread over an acre and a half but is now under control."

Jack had an exciting season

The October 1931 issue of the "Six Twenty-Six" carried two stories of Jack Finch on Pearsoll Peak Lookout:
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#1 "As Jack Finch was about to enter Pearsoll Peak Lookout Station just after dark on a recent night, he was attracted by a slight rustle. Bringing his flashlight into play he discovered a big rattlesnake, standing on his trailer, and apparently trying to look into one of the windows. Now all that remains of the snake is a fine set of rattlers which Jack kept for a souvenir."

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#2 "Lightning during a storm on September 8 struck the Pearsoll Lookout house three times, and dazed the Lookout. Jack Finch, who, we are glad to state, is rapidly recovering. Adequate lightning protection prevented any damage save a burned out fuse. The electricity jumped and open switch, and burned out the fuse, but got no further."

A Load of Watermelon

This story was found in "The Sentinel", published in Cottage Grove on September 12, 1930:

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"George Hewitt, who is lookout at Fairview, through which go all telephone calls from Layng Creek section of the forest, learned in some way that the fire guard at Musick had ordered two watermelons. It is two miles or more from Fairview down to the Musick cabin, a large part of the trip almost straight up or down, but Hewitt arrived simultaneously with the melons and didn't leave until one of them had been disposed of. How he carried that load back to his mountain perch was a mystery."

The Parched Puppy

While at the National Archives last month I found a folder of the "Umatilla Buckaroo", an early gossip sheet for the Umatilla National Forest. The July 1936 issue carried this little tale:

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"It seems a lady drove up to the station and asked for a drink of water. Elmer only has to pack his water half a mile and she had to pass at least two well marked springs regardless of the way she came. However, Elmer is an obliging fellow and readily agreed to quench her thirst.

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But this lady, apparently "had been around" and was going to be sure that everything was on the up and up. Was the water fresh, cool and clear? Was he sure that the source of supply was free from disease and germs, etc? Elmer assured her that everything was O.K. but couldn't help feeling that she seemed a bit fussy about it. But as the saying goes, "he ain't heard nothin' yet" - the drink was for her "little doggie." Contributed by Don C. Rohn"

Motor Sports

"The Ochoconian", July 1927:

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"Sam Warg, lookout for Hash Rock and Tamarack Point, has been busy with his regular work not to mention playing Chauffeur to the Cleveland motorcycle. Sam is developing a wonderful vocabulary because of the peculiarities of the machine, and has been asked not to express his opinion of it except in places where it would be considered absolutely safe to smoke or build a fire. Some of Sam's remarks would scorch asbestos to a very dark brown."

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"The Ochoconian", June 1928:

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"Sam Warg will again be on the job this year as lookout, and will be camped at Tamarack Point. He will also use Hash Rock as a secondary point. His method of travel between points will be by means of the Cleveland Motorcycle."

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The old Cleveland motorcycle was used at the Ranger District, but was so cantankerous nobody wanted to mess with it, so Sam hauled the thing out and got it to run and was allowed to use it at his post. Throughout the 1920's Hash Rock was a secondary lookout and was connected to Tamarack Point (later Ingram Point) by foot trail. This trip was made once or twice every day, so the motorcycle saved a lot of travel time.

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"The Ochoconian" was a news letter printed by and for the personnel of the Ochoco National Forest.