The Ol’ Pioneer The Magazine of the Grand Canyon Historical Society

Volume 23 : Number 4 www.GrandCanyonHistory.org Fall 2012

In This Issue

Citizen Kane-yon ...... 3 President’s Letter The Ol’ Pioneer The Magazine of the Fall (or as I like to call it, ‘season of prime canyon hiking weather’) is finally Grand Canyon Historical Society here. The great 2012 Grand Canyon History symposium is now behind us and the work of publishing the proceedings is wrapping up. Aside from the sympo- Volume 23 : Number 4 sium, in the last year we have also revamped the society website and started of- Fall 2012 fered t-shirts and other gear with our new society logos. But now is the time for u the society to look ahead to the new year and beyond. On Saturday morning, Nov 17, the GCHS board of directors (a dedicated group of volunteers elected The Historical Society was established in July 1984 as a non-profit corporation by society members) will meet at the East Flagstaff Public Library for our an- to develop and promote appreciation, nual board meeting to review the events of the past year and plan for the next. understanding and education of the All members are welcomed and encouraged to attend as it one of the best ways earlier history of the inhabitants and to get to know the organization and have input on its direction. important events of the Grand Canyon. Among the items we will be discussing is what do we want the society to The Ol’ Pioneer is published by the do over the next couple of years. Will we have more outings, and if so, where GRAND CANYON HISTORICAL to? What about sponsoring talks or speakers? What stories and information do SOCIETY in conjunction with The people want to see in The Bulletin, website and Ol’ Pioneer? How can we encour- Bulletin, an informational newsletter. age new members to join and how can we interact better with existing ones? Both publications are a benefit of The discussions are always lively, but informal, and the participants friendly membership. Membership in the Society is open to any person interested in the and engaged. If all that is not enough, we usually go out for lunch afterwards. historical, educational, and charitable So please consider attending and having your say on your society. Even if you purposes of the Society. Membership is can not attend the meeting in person, I welcome your input via email as well on an annual basis using the standard ([email protected]). calendar; and dues of $25 are payable on the 1st of January each year, and mailed to the GCHS Treasurer, PO Box 31405 Erik Berg Flagstaff, AZ 86003-1405. The Ol’ Pioneer GCHS President magazine is copyrighted by the Grand Canyon Historical Society, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form without permission of the publisher.

Editor: Mary Williams Submit photos and stories to the editor of The Ol’ Pioneer at: info@ marywilliamsdesign.com or 4880 N. Weatherford Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001. (928) 779-3377. Please submit written articles and photos electronically on CD or via email if possible. You may mail photos or slides for scanning if needed.

NOW! Find us on Facebook. Submissions to The Bulletin should be sent to Karen Greig, [email protected]

GCHS Officers Erik Berg, President COVER: Image top: Front of Grandview Hotel with Grand Canyon behind building. John Azar, Vice President Circa 1900. Photo–Grand Canyon National Park #06255 Keith Green, Treasurer Tom Martin, Secretary Image bottom: Photographic print on stereo card. Circa 1925. Man hath no Amy Horn, Pioneer Award part in all this glorious work—from Grandview Hotel, Grand Canyon, Ariz. Al Richmond, Awards Chair Photo–Library of Congress Paul Schnur, Membership Committee John Azar, Outings Coordinator

Board of Directors Howard Asaki Amy Horn John Azar Tom Martin The Ol’ Pioneer submission deadlines are going to be roughly the first of Janu- Erik Berg Mona McCroskey Ellen Brennan Tom Martin ary, April, July, and October. Kathy Faretta Carol Naille Keith Green Wayne Ranney Karen Greig Paul Schnur 2 : Grand Canyon Historical Society Citizen Kane-yon by Don Lago voice of the rising progressive move- the NPS seized land through a con- ment. Yet as the years passed and demnation lawsuit. During the time hen the movie Citizen Kane Hearst had more and more wealth to that Orson Welles was filming Citi- came out in 1941, the offi- conserve, he became more and more zen Kane, depicting Hearst’s Faustian cials of Grand Canyon Na- conservative, until in the 1930s he lust for power and property, Hearst tionalW Park would have had a keen in- became the fiercest critic of Franklin was acting out this story at the Grand terest in seeing it. It was a story they Roosevelt’s New Deal. Canyon. knew all too well. William Randolph Hearst also had William Randolph Hearst first Citizen Kane was the thinly-dis- something to conserve at the Grand traveled through Arizona in 1886, guised story of William Randolph Canyon. In 1913, six years before at age twenty-three. Hearst’s first Hearst, the most powerful media mo- the establishment of Grand Canyon known visit to the Grand Canyon gul in American history. At his peak National Park, Hearst bought some came on October 16 1903. Hearst was Hearst owned twenty-eight news- beautifully forested land on the rim now a U. S. congressman from New papers in most of the major cities, a at Grandview. For the next quarter of York, and he was seeking the Demo- syndicated news service, a newsreel a century Hearst fended off the Na- cratic nomination for president in company, and some of America’s tional Park Service, which wished to 1904. In the fall of 1903 Hearst took leading magazines. His power was acquire Hearst’s land but lacked the a train trip through the Southwest, not due to his high journalistic stan- political muscle to take it away from with twenty congressional support- dards. Hearst invented some of the him. Then in 1939 the Roosevelt ad- ers of his candidacy. Hearst was fol- worst practices of tabloid journalism; ministration threw its full weight lowing the example of President his papers were full of sensational- into the effort to take Hearst’s land, Theodore Roosevelt, his would-be istic stories of murder and mayhem. and the result was an epic struggle. It opponent in the 1904 election, who For his political journalism, which would be the only time in the history had made a train trip through the included fabricating the stories that of Grand Canyon National Park that West earlier that year, including a aroused Americans to go to stop at the Grand Canyon, war with Spain, the phrase where Roosevelt made his fa- “yellow journalism” was in- mous “leave it as it is” speech. vented. Hearst was ruthless If Hearst said anything about at pursuing his goals, the fore- the Grand Canyon, the news- most of which was his own papers didn’t deem it worth power. Hearst ran for political printing. The Flagstaff news- office repeatedly, including for paper commented: “The president of the United States. Hearst party stopped here William Randolph Hearst Friday morning—for the en- did have genuine and strong gine to take water. They did political beliefs, which he not take anything else that we had absorbed from his father have heard of, but we probably George Hearst. George Hearst owe our escape to the early (7 1 had remained a struggling a.m.) hour of their passing.” working man until about age One of those accompanying forty. Then George Hearst Hearst was Arizona Senator had struck it rich, and soon Henry Ashurst, who would be he owned some of the rich- an important ally in defend- est mines in America—the ing Hearst’s Grandview lands Comstock, the Homestake, the against the NPS; years later, on Anaconda. Yet George Hearst the front page of Hearst’s New retained his sympathies for York American, Ashurst would the common man. In his news- credit Hearst’s support for his papers William Randolph re-election victory. In Prescott Hearst battled for the com- and Phoenix Hearst was giv- mon man against the power en a warm welcome, mainly of monopoly corporations like because Hearst was in favor the railroads. Hearst became a William Randolph Hearst, 1904. Photo–Library of Congress. of Arizona statehood. Hearst www.GrandCanyonHistory.org Grand Canyon Historical Society : 3 was far behind Teddy Roosevelt in view Hotel on five acres of land, and This section of the Grand knowledge about wildlife: the Phoe- further into the drainage was the 160- Canyon is undoubtedly the most nix newspaper said that Hearst want- acre homestead of Pete Berry. Hearst wonderful of all…[which] natu- ed to see “the wild Arizona ostrich on bought the Berry homestead and the rally convince[s] the casual ob- 2 his native heath.” Hearst failed to hotel site for $74,000. Years earlier server that the project is more win the Democratic nomination. Berry had sold Grandview Point and than one of securing a home on Over the next ten years Hearst the Horseshoe Mesa mining claims the brink of the Canyon... “visited this section repeatedly,” ac- to a mining company, and though Flagstaff and this practi- 3 cording to the Flagstaff newspaper. the mine was now inactive, its stocks cally unknown wonderland has In the fall of 1911 Grand Canyon were still active, and it would be 1927 needed someone with unlimited pioneer Pete Berry contacted Hearst before Hearst bought out those stocks means to make it the most sought with an offer to sell him Berry’s lands and obtained Grandview Point and land in the whole west, and with at Grandview. Grandview had been the Horseshoe Mesa claims. Hearst William Randolph Hearst secur- the first hub of tourism at the canyon, paid a total of $125,000 for all of this ing this special advantageous with a hotel served by a stagecoach land. point…it would seem that a re- from Flagstaff. But in 1901 the Santa Pete Berry derived a spiteful glee alization of pioneer hopes had Fe Railway arrived a dozen miles in pitting William Randolph Hearst come at last… to the west and built its far more against the Santa Fe Railway and Aside from the wonders of modern and luxurious El Tovar Ho- the U. S. government. Berry wrote to this country, which many a tour- tel there, and the Grandview Hotel Ralph Cameron that his persecutors ist has come all the way from Eu- gradually went out of business. In had “been after me day and night. rope to see, there are possibilities the canyon about 2,500 feet below I then came to the conclusion that I of water power that would sup- Grandview, on Horseshoe Mesa, was was too hard a nut to crack. So I have ply all of Arizona with power, a rich copper mine, but a large drop sold out to William Randolph Hearst as well as parts of Colorado and 5 in copper prices had forced the mine so as to give them something easy to Utah. 4 to close. Pete Berry had developed but [sic] up against.” both the hotel and mine, and now he The seeds of future conflict was a bitter man, feeling that not only were sown by the fact that in fate had conspired against him, but places the Berry homestead so had the Santa Fe Railway and the didn’t quite reach to the canyon U.S. Forest Service. The Forest Ser- rim, leaving the rim belong- vice governed the Grand Canyon in ing to the government. Hearst the years before it became a national would go to great lengths to monument and park, and the Forest claim that thin strip of land. Service welcomed the resources and When newspapers an- political power of the Santa Fe Rail- nounced Hearst’s purchase of way, while a little guy like Pete Berry Grandview, it set off extrava- served little use. Berry was unwilling gant rumors about Hearst’s to sell his land to the corporation that plans for the land. Residents had ruined him. And who was the of Flagstaff, which had lost out most outspoken enemy of railroad to Williams—the railroad junc- corporations that crushed the little tion—as the jumping off place guy? William Randolph Hearst. In for the Grand Canyon, were the fall of 1913 Hearst traveled to the eager to believe that Hearst was Grand Canyon to inspect the Grand- going to restore Grandview to view property, and he decided to buy its prominence and boost Flag- it. staff’s tourism economy. The Hearst eventually owned about (Flagstaff) Coconino Sun specu- 200 acres there, in four sections. To- lated that Hearst was going to day the best-known part of Hearst’s build a railroad or highway land is Grandview Point, where from Flagstaff to Grandview, or Hearst owned the 4.5 acres at its tip. an electric train run by power He also owned the mining claims on from the dam Hearst would Horseshoe Mesa below. To the south- build on the Colorado River: east of Grandview Point, about half- This purchase by the Kolb Bros portrait of pioneer Pete Berry at way back into the drainage of Hance multi-millionaire…gives rise Grandview Hotel area. Circa 1907. Photo–Grand Creek, was the now-closed Grand- to many conjectures… Canyon National Park #08117

4 : Grand Canyon Historical Society www.GrandCanyonHistory.org site of an old hotel merely because had bought many of these artifacts A month later a Coconino Sun its situation on the Grand Canyon through Herman Schweizer, who 7 headline announced that “Hearst appealed to him.” managed Indian arts sales for the Will Build a Palatial Residence to En- Fred Harvey Company, the Santa Fe tertain Friends Touring This Section A month later the editor of Railway subsidiary that ran its tourist of the Country.” Hearst’s Los Angeles newspaper services, including at the canyon. In Mr. Hearst will have built a passed through Flagstaff, after meet- 1927 Schweizer informed Hearst that lodge that will be in keeping with ing with Hearst in New York, and he had bought a large bell, weighing the natural wonderland of which provided more hope for Flagstaff: hundreds of pounds, and sent it to it will form a part… Bostwick stated that the plans the Grand Canyon (he mentioned no Here, also, in the midst of were being drawn for three dis- plans for it), and Hearst was welcome what is declared to be one of the tinct propositions, which in- to buy this bell for $1,500. Hearst did most magnificent forests of pines cluded, first, a palatial residence buy it. But of Hearst’s building plans in existence, will be erected a for the owner, a resort hotel to for Grandview, nothing ever came of park with…driveways through- accommodate a large number of them. out its extent of 160 acres…[At tourists and the building of an Except myths. A century after what] will be unlike any resi- electric railway from Flagstaff Hearst’s purchase of Grandview set dential spot in existence, Mr. and to the rim of the Grand Canyon off a flurry of rumors, Hearst is still Mrs. Hearst plan to entertain with the terminus at Grandview... generating rumors. At least three their many friends who journey As to when the railroad will books about Julia Morgan claim that from the Atlantic to California begin building or from what her 1914 cottage was indeed built, and from abroad to view the source the power is to be drawn and the publisher’s blurb for one of 6 great natural wonder. were facts not given publicity, these books claims that Hearst built but it is believed the immense un- a “famed lodge” at Grandview. This Soon the New York Times, no ad- dertaking will be practically initi- same book includes a photo of a cab- mirer of Hearst’s endless scheming ated not later than June or July of in that is captioned as the Morgan/ in New York politics, found another the present year. Hearst cottage. Yet this photo shows motive: Speaking of reports in circula- a wooden frame building, while Mor- PHOENIX, Ariz., Feb. 9—Ac- tion and published throughout gan’s plans for this cottage show it cording to reports here, William the country that Mr. Hearst was as a southwestern-style adobe build- 9 Randolph Hearst aims to be the to make Arizona his home, to ing. These claims about the Mor- next United States Senator from gain recognition as an aspirant gan cottage are contradicted by NPS Arizona. Mr. Hearst, it is said, for future senatorial honors from documents and by the statements will establish a residence in Ari- this state, Mr. Bostwick stated that of Hearst’s attorney, Frank Lathrop, zona within the next few months, such an impression was without who handled much of his Grand- and in due time seek the Senato- any foundation whatever… view dispute. Lathrop often met with rial nomination to succeed Senator Mr. Hearst is to make New Frank Kittredge, the NPS western re- Mark Smith. York City his base of operations, gional director based in San Francis- Real estate men say that Mr. but will be a frequent visitor to co. (Kittredge’s jurisdiction didn’t ac- Hearst has purchased a large tract Grand View, where he will main- tually include Grand Canyon Nation- of land on the Grand Canyon and tain a home and entertain his al Park, but since he was in the same is planning to erect a modern hotel friends without any other motive city as Hearst’s lawyers, he would that will be one of the most pala- than that of a private citizen who handle many of the interactions with tial and commodious in the entire has invested in the country, and Hearst). After a 1938 meeting Kit- West. Work on the structure, it is who is appreciative of its marvel- tredge wrote: “Mr. Lathrop empha- 8 said, will be started soon… ous scenic attractions. sized that Mr. Hearst had always Mr. Hearst could not be reached loved this property in Grand Can- last night, but his secretary, Mr. William Randolph Hearst did en- yon, and time and again had called O’Reilly, confirmed that part of the joy making plans for Grandview. In in architects to discuss building but dispatch relating to the purchase 1914 he told his new architect, Julia never had done so, perhaps because of land. Morgan, who later would design his of his diversified and more pressing 10 “It is true that Mr. Hearst has San Simeon castle, to design a cot- interests elsewhere.” A year later bought some land in Arizona,” tage for Grandview. Later Hearst had Kittredge wrote that Lathrop had said Mr. O’Reilly, “but the rest of Morgan design for Grandview an el- said that Hearst had been “…hop- the dispatch is merely presump- egant residence, a hotel, and a public ing to build on this property himself, 11 tion. Mr. Hearst does not intend museum for his substantial collection but this being impossible…” In pre- to leave New York. He bought the of Native American artifacts. Hearst paring its condemnation of Hearst’s www.GrandCanyonHistory.org Grand Canyon Historical Society : 5 Interior of the Grandview Hotel lobby. Circa 1905. Detroit Photographic. Photo–Grand Canyon National Park #12090 land, the NPS made a thorough in- Superintendent J. R. Eakin talked and he regarded Swinnerton as his ventory of its contents, including its with Hearst at Hopi House and wrote protégé. Swinnerton did illustrations 928 ponderosa pine trees, its 35-year- to Stephen Mather: “He informed me and then cartoons and then political old horse, and its 7,123 feet of fences that he had definitely decided to pull cartoons. While still in his twenties made of five-strand wire and steel down the old buildings and build ‘a Swinnerton contracted tuberculosis, 12 posts. There was a highly detailed list little place.’” In 1940 the Acting Su- atop his alcoholism, and his doc- of all the buildings, including Pete perintendent of Grand Canyon Na- tor predicted he would be dead in Berry’s original cabin, now expanded tional Park, J. V. Lloyd, wrote: “At no a month. Hearst sent Swinnerton to to 750 square feet at a cost of about time in the memory of old local resi- the California desert to recuperate $2,000 for use by Hearst’s caretaker dents has Mr. Hearst stayed on the or die, and Swinnerton was amazed Dick Gilliland (it was probably this ranch while at Grand Canyon, but when he recovered, and he credited cabin that was incorrectly identified during his rare visits he has always the desert for saving his life. In the as Morgan’s cottage). The NPS in- stopped at El Tovar Hotel. This prob- desert Swinnerton devoted himself ventory made no mention of any Ju- ably is due to the fact that the existing to painting. In 1914, six months after lia Morgan cottage. Longtime Grand buildings are old and unsuitable for Hearst had bought Grandview, Swin- 13 Canyon postmaster Art Metzger, who this general use by Mr. Hearst.” nerton headed there to use it as a lived through the Hearst era, recalled Yet at first Hearst seems to have base for painting the Grand Canyon. for NPS interviewer Julie Russell that made more use of Grandview. It’s Davidson’s book includes one Swin- Hearst never built anything at Grand- hard to track Hearst’s visits to the can- nerton painting of the Grandview view, although Dick Gilliland did fix yon, as there are few sources about it. Hotel and one of its blacksmith shop, up his cabin “pretty nice.” Hearst One good source is Harold G. David- and two paintings of the view from documents indicate that he spent son’s biography of Jimmy Swinner- Grandview. Hearst seems to have of- a total of $4,715 on improvements ton, a Hearst artist who played host at fered the Grandview Hotel as a vaca- at Grandview, nearly half of which Grandview. Hearst hired Swinnerton tion spot for his wide circle of friends, would have been for improving Gil- in 1892 when Hearst was starting out including famous artists and writers, liland’s cabin. In 1926 Grand Canyon as a newspaperman in San Francisco, and Swinnerton met them at the Flag-

6 : Grand Canyon Historical Society www.GrandCanyonHistory.org staff train station: “Jimmy was kept and its logs were donated to archi- in Santa Monica, a Bavarian man- busy meeting and escorting such visi- tect Mary Colter for use in her Desert sion called Wyntoon near Mt. Shasta, tors as Zane Grey, William R. Leigh, View Watchtower, where they can be and his Mediterranean-style castle and Mary Roberts Rinehart down the seen today in the ceiling of the round at San Simeon, which began absorb- 14 dusty road to Grandview.” Hearst entrance room. The old trail from the ing most of his attention and money too came. “Jimmy waited at the depot rim to Horseshoe Mesa was also de- a few years after he bought Grand- on several occasions when the Hearst caying, and in 1927 Hearst cabled his view. Hearst spent an estimated $50 entourage came to town. Phoebe lawyer A. T. Sokolow about improv- million dollars on sculptures, art, fur- Hearst [Hearst’s mother], “WR,” and ing the trail, but it’s not known if any niture, and antiques, often through friends would often be unloaded work was done. gallery catalogs, and much of it got from the Santa Fe cars and driven We have only one definite record shipped straight to his massive ware- 15 to Grandview.” When Swinnerton of Hearst visiting the canyon in the houses in three cities, where it sat— married in 1917, he took his new bride 1920s, and that comes from Eakin’s still crated and unseen—for decades. to Grandview. Swinnerton stayed account. Hearst arrived one morning Hearst also hoarded real estate and in Arizona several years, mainly in with a party of a dozen people, and newspapers, which he couldn’t bear Flagstaff, and one outcome was the they headed out to Grandview but to sell even when they were losing comic strip “Canyon Kiddies,” which were supposed to stay at El Tovar that serious money. Hearst was following featured the adventures of Indian night. When Eakin looked for Hearst the collecting passion of his mother children set in southwestern scenes, at El Tovar he found that Hearst had Phoebe, who had led the boy William including on the rim of the Grand changed his mind and was leaving through Europe on her art-hunting Canyon. Hearst was the pioneer of that evening, though he said “he was trips. Hearst’s aesthetic tastes did in- 16 the Sunday comic strip, and “Canyon returning soon for a longer stay.” clude a good view: he told Julia Mor- Kiddies” ran in his Good Housekeeping Eakin did speak with Hearst’s attor- gan that the ocean view from his little magazine for nearly twenty years. ney about Hearst caretaker Dick Gil- mountain at San Simeon was its main One Hearst visit to the canyon is liland, who showed “extreme antago- asset, and that her buildings should 17 recorded in a Kolb brother’s photo- nism toward the government.” be placed and designed to take full graph of Hearst, Will Rogers, and After the Grandview Hotel was advantage of it. Grandview too of- others riding mules down the Bright gone, Hearst had less incentive to in- fered a grand view. Angel Trail on April 20, 1915. (De- vite his friends or himself to Grand- Yet Hearst valued extravagant dis- cades later, Will Rogers’s son would view. When the park engineer was plays of wealth far more than he val- buy another private inholding on making his 1939 inventory of Hearst’s ued nature. At Harvard Hearst had the canyon rim, a motel and bar at lands, he added: “It is reported that flunked his Natural History class. the Orphan mine site on the West Mr. Hearst visited his holdings here Hearst’s idea of camping out was Rim). This photo was taken only five twice in the past nine years, occupy- much like the scene in Citizen Kane days after the premiere of the Kolb’s ing quarters in the local El Tovar Ho- where Kane’s ‘picnic’ includes luxury 18 movie of their recent Colorado River tel.” tents and chefs. Hearst’s newspapers boat trip, which they would show in Yet again, William Randolph showed little interest in conserva- their South Rim studio for decades to Hearst spawned myths. Postmaster tion issues. In the years President come. Hearst was an avid photogra- Art Metzger said that years later a pher and had recently gotten into the star-struck writer for the Williams newsreel and the movie serial busi- newspaper greatly exaggerated the ness (starting with The Perils of Pau- celebrity life at Grandview. This may line). Hearst got to know the Kolbs have been the version heard by How- and wanted them to take him on a ard Stricklin, who was park superin- Grand Canyon river trip, but noth- tendent in the 1960s and who, in an ing ever came of it. Hearst later hired interview with NPS ranger Julie Rus- Ellsworth Kolb to photograph San sell in 1981, regarded Grandview as a Simeon; while working there, Ells- love nest for Hearst’s mistress Mari- worth took a bad fall. on Davies: “And he bought the place The Grandview Hotel was rustic for her. Then he’d come and visit her 19 to begin with, and by 1914 it was hurt- there.” ing from its nearly two decades of age Hearst’s neglect of Grandview and its years of being closed. It’s not was typical of him, for his acquisitive surprising that by 1926, when Hearst appetites far exceeded his time and spoke with Superintendent Eakin, budget for digestion. Hearst bought a he had decided to tear it town. The castle in Wales and a ranch in Mexico, hotel was removed a few years later and he built a palatial “beach house” Marion Davies www.GrandCanyonHistory.org Grand Canyon Historical Society : 7 Teddy Roosevelt was trying to shape Russell: mined to root out private inholdings. an American conservation ethic, the We found we were having an It was especially galling that the NPS Hearst newspapers pummeled Roos- unknown enemy when the Park couldn’t even build a fence on its own evelt with abuse. Hearst’s Los Angeles bill was going through, unknown land because it might offend William Examiner campaigned incessantly to enemy opposing it. I’ve forgotten Randolph Hearst. dam the Colorado River to provide how the opposition was being ex- For years Director Mather sought water and power for California’s pressed—but anyhow it was ef- to meet with Hearst to learn his in- growth. While John Muir was bat- fective. We found out one way or tentions and persuade him to give his tling to save Hetch Hetchy from be- another…that William Randolph land to the park, but Mather had to ing turned into a reservoir, Hearst’s Hearst was back of it, backing the communicate through intermediar- only concern was whether it would opposition. The reason was, he ies. In 1921 Ford Harvey, the head of be run as a private business or a pub- was afraid the National Park Ser- the Fred Harvey Company, reported lic utility. Hearst believed in public vice would take Grandview and that he had run into Hearst’s attor- ownership—but not for anything he that Berry property away from ney in Chicago, who told him Hearst owned. him. That’s why he didn’t want it wanted to build “a fine residence” at 20 In the same year—1914—that Wil- made a park. Grandview, perhaps with one room liam Randolph Hearst was making devoted to a public museum for his himself at home at Grandview, a min- Even if Hearst kept his land, he Indian collection. Hearst was offend- ing executive named Stephen Mather worried that the thin strip of land ed that the NPS owned the strip of wrote an indignant letter to the Secre- between his land and the canyon rim land between his land and the rim, tary of the Interior complaining about might now fall into unfriendly hands. and he wanted it. Perhaps the NPS how powerful private interests were Mather and Albright reluctantly would give this strip to Hearst in threatening the national parks. The yielded to Hearst’s power, agree- exchange for an equal amount of his Secretary wrote back that if Mather ing to a provision in the bill creating land. Ford Harvey, who understood didn’t like the way the parks were be- Grand Canyon National Park. This Mather’s positions, thought Mather ing run, he should come to Washing- provision said: might agree to an exchange if it came ton and run them himself, as the direc- That where privately owned with a promise that Hearst would re- tor of the new National Park Service. lands within the said park lie frain from any commercial develop- When Mather started, the NPS was a within three hundred feet of the ment of his land, and perhaps would small agency with few resources and rim of the Grand Canyon no give the park an option to obtain the little political clout, and it was up building, tent, fence, or other land. Hearst’s lawyer, A. T. Sokolow, against very powerful economic and structure shall be erected on the told Harvey to forget about obtaining political opposition. Mather devoted park lands lying between said the land. himself to establishing the authority privately owned lands and the A few months later Sokolow held 21 of the NPS, to establishing new parks, rim. meetings with Albright and Mather and to fighting off numerous threats and officially made Hearst’s pro- to the parks. One of Mather’s first To the uninitiated this provision, posal. Soon Mather wrote directly goals was to get the Grand Canyon which didn’t mention Hearst by to Hearst stating his position: the made into a national park. Even Pres- name, was quite mysterious. Why NPS wanted Hearst’s land. One of ident Teddy Roosevelt hadn’t been 300 feet? The private lodges and oth- Mather’s top personal priorities, to able to achieve that, for Arizona poli- er businesses within the park were which he had “given a considerable ticians were strongly opposed to the a lot closer to the rim than 300 feet. amount of money from my private idea. For many westerners, the land But 300 feet was the distance of the funds, is the elimination of private was made for resource extraction, for Berry-Hearst cabin from the canyon holdings within the boundaries of 23 mining, grazing, and lumbering; tak- rim. “So when we got that arrange- national parks.” The NPS would ing away the private lands of heroic ment made,” said Albright, “why the agree to Hearst’s land exchange only pioneers was deeply un-American. opposition dropped and that ended if Hearst agreed to deed his entire As Stephen Mather and his dep- our trouble.” Ralph Cameron was land to the NPS upon his death, or uty Horace Albright campaigned to still fighting the park bill, “but he perhaps—Mather knew that Hearst establish the Grand Canyon as a na- didn’t have the influence to stop the was 59 years old—his children’s 22 tional park, they began encountering bill from going through.” The bill’s deaths. If Hearst refused this offer, he a mysterious and powerful opposi- sponsors, Arizona’s Senator Ashurst could obtain the land exchange only tion. They had calibrated the power and Congressman Carl Hayden, by agreeing to refrain from any com- of Arizona politicians, but this oppo- also included a provision protecting mercial development of his land, and sition was something greater. Horace the rights of other private landhold- it would be best if he gave the nation- Albright recalled the situation in a ers. But Mather and Albright never al park five or six times the acreage 1981 interview with NPS ranger Julie accepted this, and they were deter- it gave him, and agreed to allow the

8 : Grand Canyon Historical Society www.GrandCanyonHistory.org public free access to the canyon rim two years, but Hearst and Mather along his lands. worked out a congressional bill ex- Two years later, Mather was still changing the roadway land for the waiting to meet with Hearst to talk strip of rim land Hearst had wanted, about a deal. with no further conditions attached. The next interaction between Mather did win the acreage contest, Hearst and Mather was initiated by gaining 48.9 acres from Hearst while George Parker, head of the Parker giving him 25.8 acres. More than half Pen Company. One of Parker’s for- a year before the bill passed, Hearst mer employees, Arno Cammerer, gave permission to begin building was now one of Mather’s top aides the new road over what was still his and sometimes served as acting di- land. But this land swap got Hearst rector of the NPS. Parker was also into trouble with his wife, who was well acquainted with Hearst’s top ex- co-owner of the land and who was re- ecutives. When Parker visited Grand luctant to sign the transfer deed. Mrs. Canyon National Park in June of 1924, Hearst complained that William was Superintendent Eakin drove him out signing away their children’s inheri- to Hearst’s lands. Eakin wrote to Ste- tance. William huffed that this was phen Mather: “absurd” and finally got his wife to I suggested to Mr. Parker sign. Mrs. Hearst Photo–Library of Congress that it would be a very gracious At some point—Albright’s recol- thing for Mr. Hearst to donate lection has no date—Mather and Al- this property to the government; bright finally got to meet with Hearst. to be sure the stuff didn’t get in that we would preserve it in its Albright: the wrong hands…Well, you original condition and establish I can remember how I was couldn’t argue with him about a campground on this property. almost as thrilled and excited that. If he was going to develop Furthermore…we would erect at seeing the great William Ran- it into a public museum and put a suitable tablet stating that the dolph Hearst as I was in seeing all his collections in there, why property had been donated to the the Grand Canyon. I knew he it would have been a good thing Government by Mr. Hearst and was a very big man and reading for the Park. So we accepted his this tablet would be one of the his newspapers we regarded him viewpoint and thanked him and very best means of perpetuating as a ferocious character, a man of after a very pleasant visit, we left 24 26 Mr. Hearst’s name for all time. tremendous force and very diffi- him. cult, and a man that a man would Parker passed this suggestion be afraid of. So when we finally By now Mather and Albright had through to Hearst. Stephen Mather had our appointment at the Pal- fought many nasty battles with men was not naïve enough to imagine that ace Hotel in San Francisco, we and corporations that were deter- Hearst’s lust for immortality would were both shocked and surprised mined to exploit and sabotage other be satisfied by a plaque, but he wrote to find what a gentle fellow he national parks, so by contrast Hearst back to Eakin: “I hope something was. He was just as gentle as a was a fairly benign problem, and the comes of it. It is always possible, of baby. Kindly eyes and friendly NPS left him alone for years. course. If it does go through I will smile and charming and pleas- Horace Albright had another rea- feel more like erecting a tablet to Mr. ant. We had one delightful visit son to remain scared of William Ran- 25 Parker than perhaps to Mr. Hearst.” with him. He said all he wanted dolph Hearst. At the start of 1929, In the midst of these communica- Grandview for was to establish a soon after Albright had replaced tions, a map landed on the desks of museum for his silver collections, Mather as director of the NPS, Al- both Hearst and the NPS. The NPS particularly his Indian collections bright was scared that Hearst’s pow- was planning to build a new road he had. Mr. Mather said, “Would er was going to get him thrown out between Grand Canyon Village and they be open to the public?” of his job. Herbert Hoover had just Desert View, and the surveyors had “Why, of course,” he said, “it been inaugurated as president, and selected a route that cut across one would be a museum for the pub- there was already uncertainty about corner of Hearst’s land. This route lic. I would like to have the plea- Hoover retaining or replacing agency was shortest and required no grad- sure of building that structure heads. “For about a month I sweated ing and offered a natural, solid road and putting my things in it.” He it out,” Albright wrote in his memoir bed; it would save the park thou- collected all sorts of things, you The Birth of the National Park Service, sands of dollars. At last, Hearst had know, one of the world’s great- “and I felt even more nervous when something to bargain with. It took est collectors. He said he wanted I heard a persistent rumor that was www.GrandCanyonHistory.org Grand Canyon Historical Society : 9 making the rounds. It seemed that matters…I am perfectly willing to them. In 1898 Teddy Roosevelt ran for George Hearst, one of the sons of go on record, unofficially, not to governor of New York, and Hearst the newspaper magnate, was being proceed toward the acquisition of yearned to run against him. “That pushed by influential people for the these properties, but to leave this Theodore Roosevelt,” wrote Hearst job of Director of the National Park to future personal conferences biographer David Nasaw, “who was 27 Service.” with Mr. Hearst or his authorized less than five years older, was already George Hearst was grossly unqual- representatives with the view of so far ahead of him only whetted ified for the job. He was twenty-five perhaps evolving something that Hearst’s ambitions. It is impossible to years old, a serious alcoholic, a drop- would serve our purposes and at measure the depth of his loathing for 30 out after one year of college, and so the same time entirely meet with Roosevelt…” Hearst found it inop- incompetent working at one of his fa- Mr. Hearst’s plans and ideas for portune to run for governor in 1898 28 ther’s newspapers that his father had their future. after living in the state so briefly, but him fired. Even at Grandview, Dick in the pages of his New York Journal he Gilliland seemed aware of George’s Horace Albright kept his job, but launched against Roosevelt what Na- troubles: in June 1927 Gilliland wrote he also kept the goal of obtaining saw called “a brilliantly coordinated to a Hearst lawyer suggesting that Hearst’s land eventually. Hearst at- campaign of ridicule,” complete with George Hearst could buy some avail- torney John Francis Neylan kept Al- cartoons portraying Roosevelt as a able land six miles from Grandview, bright’s letter, for as Neylan wrote to brat, a humbug, and a cynical oppor- just outside the park boundary, turn it Hearst: “If the Bill should pass, the tunist. Roosevelt won. into a great dude ranch, and become enclosed letter, retained as a confi- Two years later William McKin- the ranch manager. Nothing came dential document, will be very valu- ley chose Teddy Roosevelt to run for of this idea. It’s surprising that Wil- able in dealing with the matter in the vice president, and Hearst reprised 29 liam Randolph Hearst would want to future.” This letter would indeed his anti-Roosevelt campaign on a na- see George in a high-profile position reappear. tional level. Editorials and cartoons like director of the NPS. But perhaps Hearst was correct to fear the ridiculed everything about Roos- the “influential people” pushing for NPS’s new powers of condemnation, evelt, including his love of the West. George Hearst was actually Presi- for ten years later the NPS used this Roosevelt won. Once during the dent Hoover. Hearst had endorsed power to take Hearst’s land. This out- campaign, and once after McKinley someone else for the 1928 Republican come was set in motion a few months won, the Hearst newspapers implied nomination, and Hoover was anxious after Albright pledged not to take that McKinley deserved to be assassi- to win Hearst’s support for his presi- action against Hearst. In October, nated. Before long, McKinley was as- dency. Then again, at this moment 1929, the Wall Street crash triggered sassinated. Teddy Roosevelt was now William Randolph Hearst was angry the Great Depression, which placed president. Hearst was widely and an- at Horace Albright, for he feared Al- Hearst under tremendous financial grily blamed for the assassination. bright was betraying his promise not pressure, and which placed Frank- Two years later Hearst finally got to take his Grand Canyon land. lin Roosevelt in the White House. his own political career off the ground Hearst was angry over a proposal Franklin Roosevelt loathed William by getting elected to congress. Soon pending in congress that enabled the Randolph Hearst. He had inherited he was seeking the 1904 Democratic NPS to acquire private lands inside this loathing from his cousin Teddy. nomination for president, to kick Ted- national parks by either purchase or The Roosevelt family’s loathing of dy Roosevelt out of the White House. legal condemnation. This proposal Hearst went back more than a third But Hearst was too controversial was a response to an emergency at Yo- of a century. Now it would be not just for most Democrats, and he lost the semite National Park, where a timber a small federal agency aimed against nomination three-to-one to the safer company had the rights and the plans Hearst, but the full powers of the Alton Parker. Parker lost to Teddy to cut thousands of acres of trees. But White House. Roosevelt in the greatest landslide in the proposal was stated in general William Randolph Hearst and American history to that time. terms, and Hearst feared it could be Teddy Roosevelt should have been Two years later Hearst announced applied to his Grand Canyon lands. A political allies, for both were pas- he was running for governor of New Hearst representative—and boyhood sionate progressives at home and York, and President Roosevelt saw his friend of Horace Albright—called chauvinists in foreign policy; Hearst chance for revenge. “We must win,” on Albright. On February 23, only a had “provided the war” that made Roosevelt wrote to one congressman, week before Hoover’s inauguration, Teddy Roosevelt famous as a Rough “by a savage and aggressive fight Albright wrote back that this pro- Rider. But both men were politically against Hearstism and an exposure posal was not intended to apply to ambitious, and with Hearst’s move of its hypocrisy, its insincerity, its Hearst, who: to New York City in 1895, both men corruption, its demagoguery, and in …has worked splendidly with were living in the same city, and general its utter worthlessness and 31 the National Park Service in many there wasn’t enough space for both of wickedness.” To an English friend

10 : Grand Canyon Historical Society www.GrandCanyonHistory.org Roosevelt wrote: New Yorkers cast their votes, and and promised to fight his measures It is a little difficult for me to Hearst lost by 60,000 votes. to the Supreme Court. Hearst began give an exact historic judgment Observing all of this was young calling Roosevelt a communist and a about a man whom I so thoro- Franklin Roosevelt, who idolized and dictator: “The people elected a Demo- ly dislike and despise as I do modeled himself on his cousin Teddy. cratic Administration, not a socialist Hearst…Hearst’s private life has In 1920 the Democrats nominated dictatorship. The people approved been disreputable. His wife was Franklin Roosevelt for vice president. the well considered proposals of the a chorus girl or something like Hearst, for the first time in his life, Democratic platform, not the theo- that on the stage…He preaches endorsed the Republican presidential ries of Karl Marx and the policies of 34 the gospel of envy, hatred and candidate, Warren Harding. Stalin.” America was being ruled unrest…he is entirely willing to Two years later Hearst once again by “Stalin Delano Roosevelt.” By the sanction any mob violence if he set out to run for governor of New start of 1935, two years into the New thinks that for the moment votes York, and Franklin Roosevelt worked Deal, Hearst launched all-out war are to be gained by doing so…He to defeat him. against Roosevelt and became the na- cares nothing for the nation, nor In 1932 Governor Franklin Roos- tional leader of the Roosevelt-haters. for any citizen in it…He is the evelt was the frontrunner for the When Roosevelt ran for re-election in most potent single influence for Democratic nomination for presi- 1936, Hearst plucked Kansas gover- 32 evil we have in our life. dent, and Hearst did his best to stop nor Alf Landon out of obscurity and him, pushing the candidacy of an placed the full power of his media Roosevelt quietly planted reports old friend, Congressman John Nance empire behind Landon, whose vice- and rumors about Hearst’s personal Garner. Hearst organized Garner’s presidential running mate was the immoralities. As election day ap- campaign, which was mostly an anti- editor of Hearst’s Chicago newspa- proached and the race looked close, Roosevelt campaign. per, Frank Knox. Roosevelt dispatched Secretary of At the Democratic National Con- Roosevelt, wary of Hearst’s pow- State Elihu Root to a public rally vention Roosevelt was about one er, at first tried his famous charm on in New York to lead the attack on hundred votes short of the two-thirds Hearst and tried to appeal to Hearst’s Hearst: needed to win the nomination. Gar- old progressive values, but finally I say to you, with the Presi- ner had about one hundred dele- Roosevelt lost patience. “I sometimes dent’s authority, that he regards gates. Roosevelt operatives pleaded think,” said Roosevelt, “that Hearst Mr. Hearst to be wholly unfit to with Hearst to throw Garner’s votes has done more harm to the cause of be Governor, as an insincere, self- to Roosevelt, since, after all, Hearst Democracy and civilization in Amer- seeking demagogue, who is try- and Roosevelt shared basic progres- ica than any three other contem- 35 ing to deceive the workingmen sive values. Hearst did like the idea poraries put together.” Roosevelt of New York by false statements of being a kingmaker, so he pushed began counterattacking, sometimes and false promises…In President Garner to support Roosevelt. When openly, but mostly he placed his at- Roosevelt’s first message to Con- Garner was nominated for vice presi- tack on Hearst in the hands of Secre- gress, in speaking of the assassin dent, Hearst was sure it was his pay- tary of the Interior Harold Ickes. of McKinley, he spoke of him as off. Hearst was expecting to play a In June 1935 Roosevelt announced inflamed ‘by the reckless -utter major role in shaping Roosevelt’s a major tax increase on the wealthy, ances of those who, on the stump cabinet and policies, but Roosevelt which Hearst would brand as “es- and in the public press, appeal was less responsive than Hearst felt sentially Communism.” On the day to the dark and evil spirits of he deserved. Roosevelt’s tax message was being malice and greed, envy and sul- For awhile Roosevelt and Hearst introduced in congress, Roosevelt len hatred.’…I say, by the Presi- tried to bury the hatchet, but as Roos- met with Harold Ickes and read his dent’s authority, that in penning evelt implemented his New Deal pol- tax message to him. Ickes wrote in his these words, with the horror of icies, Hearst found them intolerable. diary: “He told me that he thought President McKinley’s murder The New Deal imposed major re- it was the best thing he had done as fresh before him, that he had strictions on corporations and major president…At one place in the mes- Mr. Hearst specifically in mind. taxes on the rich. Hearst’s proletar- sage he looked at me with a smile and 36 And I say, by the President’s au- ian sympathies were now well bur- said, ‘That is for Hearst.’” thority, that what he thought of ied beneath his self-interest as one of Harold Ickes, of course, was also Mr. Hearst then he thinks of Mr. the richest businessmen in America. in charge of the National Park Ser- 33 Hearst now. Hearst was outraged that the New vice. It would be Harold Ickes who Deal was pushing for fair wages and would direct the seizure of Hearst’s The anti-Hearst newspapers re- work conditions in the newspaper land at the Grand Canyon. peated Root’s message loudly. On industry. Hearst declared that Roos- election day one and a half million evelt was violating the Bill of Rights > To be continued in the next issue… www.GrandCanyonHistory.org Grand Canyon Historical Society : 11 Grand Canyon Historical Society PRSRT STD PO Box 31405 U.S. POSTAGE Flagstaff, AZ 86003 PAID FLAGSTAFF, AZ PERMIT 333

1 Coconino Sun, October 17, 1903. (New York: Hearst Books, 1985) p 71. Brothers, 1985) p 233. 2 The Arizona Republican, Oct 18, 1903. 15 Ibid, p 72. 28 Horace M. Albright to John D. 3 Coconino Sun, Dec. 19, 1913. 16 Eakin to Mather, Feb. 26, 1926. File Costello, February 23, 1929. File 4 Pete Berry to Ralph Cameron, Jan. L3023, GCNPRL. L3023, GCNPRL. 9, 1914, Cameron Papers, Special 17 Ibid. 29 John Francis Neylan to William Collections, University of Arizona 18 Clark M. Carrell, Report on the Hearst Randolph Hearst. John Francis Neylan Library. Properties in Grand Canyon National papers, box 192, folder: “Grand 5 Coconino Sun, December 19, 1913. Park, March 29, 1939. File L3023, Canyon Property.” Bancroft Library. 6 Coconino Sun, January 23, 1924. GCNPRL. 30 David Nasaw, The Chief: The Life of 7 The New York Times, February 19, 19 Howard Stricklin interview with Julie William Randolph Hearst (Boston: 1914. Russell, August 26, 1981, GCRA Houghton Mifflin, 2000) p 147. 8 Coconino Sun, March 13, 1914. 40195, Grand Canyon National Park 31 Ibid, p 208, Theodore Roosevelt to 9 Julia Morgan’s papers are in Special Museum Collection (GCNPMC). James Sherman. Collections at the Robert E. Kennedy 20 Horace Albright interview with Julie 32 Ibid, p 210, Theodore Roosevelt to Library, California Polytechnic State Russell, April 7, 1981, GCRA 35965, John St. Loe Stratchey. University at San Luis Obispo. Her GCNPMC. 33 Ibid, p 211. papers do not contain any architectural 21 Enabling bill for Grand Canyon 34 Ibid, p 480, editorial in New York plan for a cottage, simply drawings. National Park, February 26, 1919. American, October 31, 1933. 10 Frank Kittredge memo to NPS 22 Ibid. 35 Quoted in Arthur Schlesinger Jr., The Director, August 31, 1938. File L3023, 23 Stephen Mather to William Randolph Coming of the New Deal (Boston: Grand Canyon National Park Research Hearst, April 8, 1922. File L3023, Houghton Mifflin, 1958) p 565. Library (GCNPRL). GCNPRL. 36 Harold Ickes, The Secret Diaries of 11 Kittredge memo to NPS Director, June 24 J. R. Eakin to Stephen Mather, June Harold Ickes, Volume One, The First 19, 1939. File L3023, GCNPRL. 17, 1924. File L3023, GCNPRL. Thousand Days, 1933-1936 (New 12 J. R. Eakin to Stephen Mather, Feb. 26, 25 Stephen Mather to J. R. Eakin, June York: Simon and Schuster, 1953) p 1926. File L3023, GCNPRL. 29, 1924. File L3023, GCNPRL. 383-84. 13 J. V. Lloyd memo to NPS Director, 26 Albright Interview. May 29, 1940. File L3023, GCNPRL. 27 Horace Albright, The Birth of the 14 Harold G. Davidson, Jimmy National Park Service: The Founding Swinnerton: The Artist and His Work Years, 1913-33 (Salt Lake City: Howe