EARLY DAYS IN THE FOREST SERVICE Volume 4 Picture Index St. Mary’s Lookout, Bitterroot National Forest, From Photo ........................................ Cover by Charles H. McDonald Spotted Bear Lookout, Flathead National Forest, From 1923 Photo .............................. Page 3 St. Mary’s Lookout, Bitterroot National Forest, From Photo ........................................ Page 24 by Charles H. McDonald Nub Lookout, Clearwater National Forest, From 1924 Photo ........................................ Page 42 Decker Pack Saddle, 1920, design/specifications drawing ............................................. Page 45 Middle Sisters Mountain Lookout, St. Joe National Forest, .......................................... Page 53 From 1950 Photo by W.B. Apgar Chewelash Mountain Lookout Tower, Colville National Forest, ................................... Page 86 From 1950 Photo by W.E. Steverwald Sheep Mountain Lookout, Clearwater National Forest, ................................................ Page 113 From 1924 Photo Blue Mountain Lookout, From 1958 Photo by J.E. Sanderson ...................................... Page 128 Junction Mountain Lookout, Clearwater National Forest,.............................................. Page 135 From 1924 Photo Map along Idaho-Montana line, Kelly Creek Ranger Station, ....................................... Page 139 Trojanowski’s Grave, Clearwater River, North Fork Creek Swan Hill or Mission Lookout, Flathead National Forest, ............................................ Page 149 From 1923 Photo Lookout Tree on Horse Butte Point, Gallatin National Forest, ...................................... Page 158 From 1963 Photo by W.E. Steverwald Credits Compiled and edited by Peyton Moncure Cover design by Robert Neaves Pen and Ink drawings of lookout towers by Thomas Reul 1 EARLY DAYS IN THE FOREST SERVICE Volume 4 Stories By: Page The Lookout by W.K. “Bill” Samsel .................................................................................................6 The Ranger in Charge by W.K. “Bill” ...............................................................................................9 Thompson Falls, Montana by I.V. Anderson .....................................................................................14 Top Ranger, Diplomat, Judge, Jury and Advocate by I.V. Anderson ...............................................16 Chief Paul Charlo- - 4 Elk and 12 Deer by I.V. Anderson ................................................................18 “Never Become Beholden” by I.V. Anderson ...................................................................................22 A Smokechaser on Pot Mountain by Robert G. Elliott ......................................................................25 The Decker Saddle by Clyde P. Fickes ..............................................................................................43 Early Panhandle and Kootenai Years by Charles B. Hand ................................................................46 Backfire (Martin Creek and Peter King Fires) by L.A. Williams ......................................................48 Old Pioneer Rangers’ Wives by Leon L. Lake ..................................................................................54 Lightening on Mount Emerine by Leon L. Lake ...............................................................................55 True, Mischievous, and Destructive Facts by Leon L. Lake ...........................................................57 The Pinkham Creek Closure- -1924 by Sam Billings ........................................................................59 Timber Cruising on the Kaniksu by Sam Billings .............................................................................63 Anecdotes and Fireline Philosophies by Ralph L. Hand ...................................................................64 The Roundtop Telephone (Swan Song of a Dispatcher .....................................................................68 Selway Forest Fires of 1934 by C.B. Sutliff ......................................................................................70 Kootenai Forest Incidents - -1940 by Ernie Richards ........................................................................87 Civilian Conservation Corps in Operation by Carl A. Weholt ..........................................................88 Letters to Folks Back Home- -1929 by Wm. F. Guntermann ............................................................92 The CCC’s as R-1 Forest Fire Fighters by Bert W. Morris ...............................................................97 They Pioneered the Bitterroots by Carl A. Weholt as recounted by Lloyd Rupe ..............................110 Tree Planting Projects on The St. Joe by Lloyd Donally ...................................................................114 First Year in The Forest Service by Carl G. Krueger ........................................................................117 The “Battle” On Bass Creek by Charles H. McDonald .....................................................................122 Fire Crews Firefighting in 1941 by Berle E. Davis ...........................................................................125 The Modern Bulldozer, A Forest Service Project by Howard R. Jones ............................................129 Indian Creek Ranger Station by Ralph L. Thayer ..............................................................................132 Early Snow in the Bitterroots by Ray S. Ferguson ............................................................................133 The Grave on Pollack Hill by Lou Hartig ..........................................................................................136 Other St. Joe National Forest History by Lloyd Donally by Ray L. Hilding ....................................140 The Forest Service Heliograph by E. Clayton McCarty ....................................................................140 A Cargo Plane Crashes by Jack Nash ................................................................................................144 Memories of George Haynes and Honeysuckle Ranger Station by John F. Breakey ........................150 Evolution of the National Grasslands by Bernie Alt and Glenn Mueller ..........................................151 Mules of the Remount- -A Legend Is Born by Peyton Moncure .......................................................154 From the View Point of a Lookout (Poem) by Bernice Williamson .................................................156 Early-Day Ranger in the Priest Lake Country by Henry A. Peterson ...............................................159 2 3 Missoula, Montana January 1976 TO THE FRIENDS OF THE NORTHERN REGION: In keeping with our policy of preserving for posterity the rich and colorful history of the Forest Service, we are continuing with our series of publications known as "Early Days In The Forest Service." This, our Volume No. 4, is the latest in the series begun in 1944 by the then Regional Forester Evan W. Kelley. We continue in this volume the well-accepted style of its predecessors, namely, to publish the letters and articles from Northern Region retirees or about-to-be-retirees just as they wrote them or spoke them. In this way we feel that not only are the sights, sounds, and feel of that era better preserved, but that the character and personality of each of these former employees is more perfectly presented to those readers who either knew them personally or knew of them. Since this present volume is appearing during the Bicentennial of the American Revolution, we are dedicating this published collection as a Bicentennial project. It also happens that this year marks one hundred years of Federal forestry. So this volume indeed makes its appearance at a particularly auspicious time. I hope that all of you who read Volume 4 of these early days will get the thrill of going back into history and thus feel closer to those dedicated employees who, in many cases, endured hardship and privation in order to do their job to the best of their ability. By its very nature, the Forest Service is an agency, which has always attracted the best to its ranks. And I have every confidence that, as stewards and managers of much of America's forest and rangeland, the employees of the Forest Service will continue to create a colorful history. Sincerely, STEVE YURICH Regional Forester 4 FOREWARD It is with pleasure that we present to you this Volume 4 of "Early Days in the Forest Service" to coincide with our Nation's bicentennial observance during 1975-1976. Coincidentally, 1976 also marks the 100th anniversary of the concept of forestry as is now practiced in the United States. This volume is the fourth in the series to appear. These volumes have been published roughly one volume each decade, beginning with Volume 1 back in 1944. In all of these volumes we have utilized the memoirs, letters and articles written and given to us by retirees and former employees of the Northern Region of the Forest Service. In some cases, we have used material by long-time employees who are still employed by the Forest Service. We are indebted to these faithful and interested "alumni" of the Forest Service for the material, which has gone into these four volumes. The stories or accounts in each volume are not in chronological sequence. Neither are the volumes themselves. The reason for this is apparent: various accounts and reminiscences continue to surface and come to light as the years go by. So we must assiduously