The news-review., November 28, 1960, Page 14, Image 14

14 Thi News-Review, Roieburg, Ore. Mon., Nov. 28, 1960
OUT OUR WAY
ByJ. R. Williami
Four-Day Pack Trip Soon Becomes Easy Tv?o4toar Drive
By GROVER BLAKE lout and In both easterly and west-l
If we are to believe what we I crly.
see with our eyes and read in As Oden and llarnham traveled
the newspaper columns, the time their difficult way with their pack
rs in sigin wnen we can uavci an , siring, mat June day Dacn in 1VW,
the way from Roseburg to Dia
mond Lake by way o the North
limpqua River on a continuous
ribbon of pavement. This will
bring to fulfillment the cherished
dreams of old when citizens of the
I'mpqua Valley turned their
thoughts toward means of making
Diamond Lake accessible. Soon
the 96 miles of land travel will
be accomplished in a couple hours
or so over a route that took four
hard days of horseback, travel 40
years ago.
An easy means of reaching Dia
mond Lake has long been dream
ed of and prayed for, but only
in recent times have these antici-
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tht author, Grover C. Blake,
hat had a long experience in
forestry. He is retired from the
Umpqua National Forest staff,
where he was employed in the
"good ol' days," and is familiar
with the beginnings of develop
ment on the Umpque National
Forest. He now resides at 427
NE Emerald Drive, Roseburg.
CVS
nations dared to include a paved
highway. It was back in June,
1901, that Verne llarpham and
Volney Oden of the U. S. Forest
Service ventured forth from Rose
burg with saddle and pack horses
In build a horse pasture at Dia
mond Lake. After four days of
hard travel over the best trails
available at that time they reach
ed their destination and made
they were no doubt thinking, as
were many others in the Umpqua
Valley, about how nice it would
be to have a graded horse trail
along the North Umpqua with
bridges replacing lords, it u
doubtful if anyone in all the Vat
ley of the Umpqua at that time
considered anything better than a
good horse trail within the realm
of possibility,
Oden and H a r p h a m pitch
ed camp and settled down to
build a pasture, so badly needed
for the saddle and pack stock of
ioresl otlicers. But, before tney
could get under way. Oden took
sick with the measles and Harp
ham found it necessary to convert
their camp into a hospital with
himself as doctor, nurse, cook and
bottle washer. He stored up a
great supply of fire wood. He
knew that, within ten days or so.
there would be another case of
measles in the camp and they
were entirely dependent upon
themselves for survival. They
probably were the only human
beings within an area of several
hundred square miles. Verne tells
me George Bonbrake, Bob Wat
son and two others had gone to
Big Camas to build a log cabin
some 25 miles from Diamond Lake,
but there was no means of com
munication. So, dealing with the
measles was their own private af
fair. They weathered the ordeal
successfully and, as soon as he
was able, Verne walked out to
gel assistance, their horses having
strayed away and gone out to
Beaver Harsh. I
In later years, limited funds
camp on the south shore of the
Thev ,d traveled easterly to w"-8 provided by the Forest Ser:
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trail up Little River past Lake
of the Woods and over the summit
to Big Camas where they arrived
on the evening of the third day
of the journey. Then on to Dia
mond Lake on the fourth day over
a difficult trail, llarpham says
that there was no route that could
be called a trail up the river at
that time, but it was possible to
take a horse over tnc route oy
the National Forest and
eventually a trail was built along
the great river and a horse bridge
over the Umpqua above Caps Illa-
hee opened up a new way to uig
Camas and on to Diamond Lake, so
the people of the lower Valley at
last had access to a great recre
ation area.
A ferry at Lone Rock made
crossing of the Umpqua possible
at mat point ana ferry wngnt
working around windfalls, along had established a home at the
the face of rocky bluffs and by Illahee, near the place where he
crossing some dangerous fords, and his , wife, Jessie, still make
Jn fact, Bill Bradlev, who had i their home to this day. Perry and
established a camp oh Dry Creek Jessie Wright were among the
near Caps Illahee many years most venturesome folks to first
previously ana Knew me moun- wont ineir way uhck iiho me re
tains thoroughly, knew how to get I mote sections to hunt and trap
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AN EXAMPLE of the type of river crossings which hod to be mode some years ogo in
making a trek up the North Umpquo is this old horse bridge. It was rebuilt as shown
in 1937 after a snow had ruined the former bridge. Shown on the bridge is Harry
Thomas, with the south tower background. i
and enjoy the solitude.
One outstanding example was
the notorious and mysterious char
acter, Bill Bradley, who, away
back in the 188Us established a
camp on the North Umpqua River
some 10 miles above the mouth
of Steamboat Creek. He lived alone
and died there alone.' His life a
as well as his death was shrouded
in mystery. His grave is a- land
mark near the river by his old
camp site. The Wright brothers,
Perry, Burlcy and John, had set
tled in the vicinity some time be
fore Bradley died.
As the years rolled by, a sort
of a wagon road was worked out
by the Forest Service along the
canyon wall as far as Steamboat
Creek, some 20 miles up river
from Lone Rock ferry. A light,
horse-drawn vehicle could manip
ulate this trail during the summer
months.
About this time, the more far
seeing and ambitious minds began
to visualize a road all the way to
Diamond Lake and strive towards
that end.
Among these was the lale A. C.
Marsters, Roseburg banker and
business man. Marsters persis
tent efforts to make a road to
Diamond Lake a reality were re
cognized by giving his name to
the first bridge to span the river
in the route of the original road.
This bridge is opposite the Illahee
and is Known as the Marsters
Bridge
More years went by, bringing
us up to the 1920s when the road
to Steamboat was improved by
the Forest Service until ft was
passable for the high-bodied auto
mobiles of that day. It was "pass
able" but not recommended for
use of the timid or weak-hearted.
Then came 1933 and the advent
of the Civilian Conservation Corps,
a camp was established at Steam
boat and the work of converting
the old "goat trail" of a road into
a standard truck trail was initiat
ed. The CCC boys hammered away
with pick, axe, crosscut saw, shov
el, jack hammer, dynamite and
trail builder until the fall of 1939
when the dreams of old became
a reality. Umpqua Valley people
were able to make the trip over
the North Umpqua road all the
way from Roseburg to Diamond
Lake, not by horse and buckboard
as per the early dreams, but rest
ing among the cushiuns of modern,
streamlined aulomobdes.
More years passed bringing in
creasing demantls for access roads
for marketing the products of the
forests which previously had had
little market value. Money for road
construction could be obtained
more easily than previously. New
stamdards of road building to
meet the demands for modern
vehicles were being adopted. A
new road to Diamond Lake to
meet with modern highway stan
dards was projected and construc
tion started over a route entirely
separate from the one which had
opened the way for the first auto
travel. This new highway is now
nearing completion bringing to ful
fillment a long cherished dream
to be enjoyed by the decendants
of the A. C. Marster's generation
and others of this new age.
The old horse trail to Diamond
Lake has long since fallen Into
disuse. The first road, which was
brought into existence by so much
presistent effort and long years of
struggle and hard work, has been.
abandoned and almost forgotten.
The modern "gas buggy" will take
us over this new route in a couple
of hours. Within our memories it
once took our faithful "hay burn
ers" four long, hard days to do
iiKewise.
After all we, the few of us who
are left of the old timers, who
used the trails in the horseback
days, look back across the span
of years to the days of our youth
and cannot refrain from certain
regrets. Those were carefree days.
We were not crowded. There was
room for everyone. As Old Dobbin
sped along at about two and one-
half miles per hour, the rider en
countered no speed-limit signs. No
one objected to his rate of travel.
There were no deaths resulting
from collisions. When night came
he made camp beside the trail
maybe caught a mess of fish for
supper and bedded down for the
night, to arise at daybreak and
continue unhurriedly toward his
destination. Verne Harpham could
point out the charms of the coun
tryside to his heart's content as
he sped a long on horseback, with
out upsetting the nervous systems
oi fellow passengers.
I am glad it was my privilege to
live in the horse and buggy days.
To me it was the saddle and pack
horse days. It is easy to forget the
trials and hardships of those days
of inconvenience as we look back
across the years to the freedom
from the hustle and bustle of our
present age. During the past half
century progress has been made
at a greater rate of speed than
ever before in the history of man
kind. Yet, when we face the fact
that 100.000 of our fellow citizens
are to die on our modern highways
in each 3-year period, according to
present averages, we are prone to
j wonder, at times, if progress, while
i necessary, is worth the price we
pay lor it.
SEEING DREAM of o paved route from Roseburg to
Diamond Lake come true is Grover Blake, above, who is
shown meditating over some of the pictures reflecting the
primitive routes and methods of travel which were used
when he worked in the Umpqua Notional Forest.
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THE BEST MEANS of transportation less than 30 years
ago into the North Umpqua area was by pack horse. This
is one of Blake's pictures taken in 1932 showing a family's
belongings being taken out of the Umpqua National
forest area by pack train.
State Forests Fight Tree
Losses With Patrol System
The state Forestry Department
does not contemplate the sale of
Christmas tree stumpagc from
stale-owned lands during the cur
rent holiday season, with the ex
ception of a contract that has been
let involving trees nn a road right
of way and a small pilot project
in thinning in Clackamas County,
according to Assistant State For
ester Vance L. Morrison.
An Intensive patrol will he main
tained throughout the entire rut
ting season in order to prevent
trespass, he added.
"Last year this proved to be a
very effective method of reducing
tree losses," Morrison stated, "es-l
penally in the lillamook burn
where we are planting some five
million trees cadi year and aerial
ly ycding large areas in order to
Drum mis nugn ourn uacg into pro
duction." I
"During previous years, trespass-1
ers have completely denuded the i
original plantation of noble firi
which was established during 1 lie J
w inter of 1945 ! just south of the '
Wilson River highway near Capipi
Rogers." I
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VAST IMPROVEMENT in river crossings is the Lone Rock Bridge which now spans the
North Umpquo above Glide. It wos built in recent years as part of the general improve
ment and construction on the North Umpqua Highway which will eventually lead to
Diamond Lake. .
In order to prevent i repetition
of such tresspass an intensive pa
trol is to be maintained. 11 is pos
sible that all forest roads into the
burn will be closed and the same
precautions taken in controlling en
try as Is taken during the high
fire hazard periods of the summer.
Patrols will also be maintained on
all other state forests, the forester
added.
He pointed out that rutting or
removing trees from the land of
another without permission is a
misdemeanor and the individual is
subject to both a fine and jail sen
tence. In addition stale officials are
supported in their activities hy the
I9.'i7 law which requires individuals
transporting more than five Christ
mas tires to have evidence of
ownership. This includes the bill
of sales, the name and address of
the original owner, the number of i
trees purchased, and the descrip
tion of the land. The nnlv PNcepl-
ions are where the individual owns
the land or where common car
rier is invohed,
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Ililli liilliilliliniilillii! MISTER YORK THIS IS NO PLUS, LIKE ) V :
Will HIT' ' I " POESW'T SLEEP YT- MISTER VORK'S AMP
t !ii I I ri 'I li MM TH' BARM WHEKJ f PLEASE LEAVE ME A )!
ril l:1 , ,1 I Ijlk THEIR MARE IS PLACE TO 3ET OUT OF 1
I rill, I I MP k GOWMA HAVE I THIS STRAIT JACKET--
'MllU'U!jJjiUU- A COLTT AMP GET OUT OF HERE J f
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MAN AND DOG TEAM help
guard the Nation's NIKE HER
CULES installations. Currently
there are over 400 teams on
duty at NIKE sites in the na
tion. Trained together as a
unit, the team remains together
oi long as possible during their
service.
New Blue Book
Due On Jan. 15
The 1961-62 Oregon Blue Book.
the official biennial directory of
state agencies ana government ac
tivities, will contain more charts
and statistics than ever before, ac
cording to word today from Sec
retary of State Howell Appling, Jr.
Publication date is set for January
15.
Principal changes will be an In
crease use of charts, maps, and
statistical material and a reduc
tion of space allotted to state de
partment. Containing 376 Daces, the new
book will be somewhat smaller
than the last Centennial edition.
but Appling emphasized "there
will be no significant features omit
ted." He said the inclusion of more
statistical illustrations "should
add to the use and interest" of
the publication. "A new page
heading carried through the state
agency section should make it
much easier to locate needed in
formation," he said.
New Brand Rules
Now Being Used
Effective since Nov. S are new
regulations on location of brands
on horses, mules and cattle, ac
cording to report from the state
Department of Agriculture.
The new regulations say that
brands on cattle can only be used
or placed in the following loca
tions: right hip, right flank, right
rib, right shoulder, right neck;!
left hip. left flank, left rib, left :
shoulder, left neck. Neck and
flank locations are new. I
Brands on horses and mules j
must he placed on: the right hip. I
right stifle, right shoulder, right
neck, right jaw; left hip, left stife,
left shoulder, left neck, left haw.
Neck, jaw and stifle locations
are new for horses and mules.
- : - - : "
Amf
. TWO JEEPS AND TVO TRAILERS suspended en o cargo sling
ere air tramported by tht Mojove, Army's medium traniport
helicopter. Sling loading of equipment provides a tremendous
savings in time for both loading ond unloading In air mobile
operations. The Mojove H-37 twin-engined helicopter It pro
duced by Sikorsky.
Fall Fatal To Portlander
PORTLAND (AP) A man
climbed up on a sink to get medi
cine from a high shelf, and then
fell, suffering a fatal head injury,
police said.
The victim of the accident was
identified as Ixiuu Slrumfler,
about 60, of Portland.
Invitation Considered
COLOMBO. Ceylon Arfc-Mrs.
Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Ceylon's
womarO premier, is "thinking
over" an invitation from Soviet
Premier Khrushche to visit the
Soviet I nion, a reliable source
said today.
Farm Organization
To Battle Unionists
Representatives of state wide
commodity organizations have been
invited to meet at the Farm Bu
reau Building in Salem on Dec. 2
to discuss plans for formation of
an agricultural association to cope
with the threatened organization of
farm labor in the slate.
A steering committee named at
a recent meeting of 13 stale-wide
commodity organizations will re
port their recommendations for
consideration including the type of
organization to be developed, the
need for legal assistance and the
method for coordinating , a state
wide program of activities.
Riddell Lage, chairman of the
group, said the move toward a
closed shop for agricultural work
ers by the Agricultural Workers
Organization Committee could be
come a grave dancer to the vast
production of Oregon crops and is
a matter all farmers must consider
immediately. He pointed out the
teamsters union have announced
they will issue charters for locals
of agricultural employees. They
are apparently interested in per
manent farm employees and will
organire tractor and truck drivers
as well as operators of combines,
balers, and other specialized equip
ment, he said.
Telephone Mouth Piece
Loot Of Detroit Gunman
DETROIT (AP) - A masked
gunman rohbed a credit union tel
ler of $8 and a telephone mouth
piece Frklnv.
Sandra Pluta. 21. clerk at the
Associated Trucking Employes
federal Credit Union, said the man
demanded money al gun point.
.Miss Tluta told the robber the
credit union did all its business by
check and payro deduction and
had no cash.
The bandit took $6 from her
purse and left after removing the
mouthpiece from the telephone.
West Germany Trade Pact
Reinstatement Offer Eyed
BERLIN (AP) West Germany
is expected to make an offer soon
to reinstate its trade pact with
Communist East Germany, can
celed in reprisal for the Red
squeeze on Berlin.
The question of concessions from
East Germans on the Berlin is
sue is being soft-pedaled. The West
Germans appear to have dropped
any idea of pressing for sew East
ern guarantees.
Thus the East Germans will
Stop For Transit Grain
To Carry No Charge
WASHINGTON (AP) A rail
road industry proposal to impose
a charge for, stopping grain in
transit more than twice has been
dropped.
The Interstate Commerce Com
mission said Friday that as a re
sult it has cancelled a hearing
on the plan set for Kansas City,
Mo., Dec. 5.
Present operating rules permit
three free stops of transit grain
for inspection, grading, storage,
processing or mixing for feed.
Carriers proposed in the recent
general railroad freight rate in
crease proceedings tovcharge five
cents per 100 pounds for the third
and subsequent stops.
Grain interests objected. Last
month the ICC blocked the pro
posal pending "further investigation."
have gained a small but symbolic
right to issue passes to East Ber
lin and given the West nothing in
return. The West is caught in this
dilemma if it asks the East Ger
mans to loosen their squeeze, it
boosts Red prestige.
The two parts of the country
do not have official relations.
Trade is handled on the West
German side by a specially cre
ated "trusteeship" with headquar
ters in West Berlin.
East German Communists have
taken the position that since the
West Germans canceled the pact,
it is up to their trusteeship to
make a new offer. Indications are
that the offer, when it comes,
will simply seek to restore the
situation as - it existed before the
cancellation Sept. 30.
Trade has not in fact been in
terrupted. On paper, the cancel
lation is to take effect Jan. 1.
Actually, deals are arranged so
far in advance that even if there
is no agreement before that date,
exchanges would not actually slow
down until about the end of
March, 1961.
Some Western observers in Ber
lin believe the West Germans or-
rflat-Arl 1ha anoll at inn lat-aalv ,f
I a pasture of riefinnee. Thev are
not expected to demand that the
Communists withdraw their order
requiring West Germans to obtain
a special pass for a visit to Com
munist East Berlin.
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