KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON. SUNDAY, MARCH 31. IM
Forest IHIouse Umth Once
!a$te
usinesses
d Many i
By J. 0. McKIWEY
Five miles out of Yreka. Siski
you County, on tlie Fort Jones
Itoad, Forest House Ranch is lo
cated. More than 100 years ago it
was the headquarters or more
going business branches than are
to be .found in the whole of Siski
you County today. The ordinary
enterprises of the country were
on this ranch that is situated on
either bank of Forest House Creek,
and there were others not found
here today. Nowhere now will one
find a bonded distillery. No com
mercial orchards are operating.
No brick kiln, no fruit drying,
canning, or packing plants.
The list could go on. Ordinary
modern enterprises such as saw
mills, box factories, and stock
raising that are common now
were also carried out here dur
ing the days of grizzly bears and
gold strikes.
And probably the most unique
activity of this versatile economic
center of the long ago was a toll
road. A turnpike was built over
Fort Jones Mountain and main
tamed by the Forest House own
er to be used at a price. Today
a freeway stretches across this
spur of the Siskiyou Mountains
on which cars may scoot with-1
out paying toll. It is a far cry
from freight wagons and bull
teams.
This storied economic structure
of early days was founded about
1850 by the firm of Knight and
Short, and initial development
was begun on land leased from
the federal government. When all
the enterprises built by this far
sighted team were going con
cerns, the men decided they should
own the land. The princely sum
ol S7a gave them a patent to it.
Today if a would - be buyer
came along and offered $75 per
acre for the spread, he would be
either laughed out of the coun
tryor run out, according to the
present owner, Fred C. Burton.
Besides being a local industrial
empire, Forest House in early
days was a social center. It was
here that all dances of more than
ordinary standing were held. Here
was where all big-time weddings
were solemnized. Here was where
folks wanted to be seen at all
public functions.
And here was located one of
the big early day entertain
mentsa battle between a griz
zly bear and a rampaging range
bull. This was necessarily staged
inside an arena from which neith
er contestant could escape. Get
ting the winner out of that cage
after the battle was never con
sidered. It never needed to be.
Both these beasts asked nor gave
no quarters, and both died in the
arena after a display of courage
and fighting heart that excited
the admiration of all who wit
nessed it. Each were champions
and died like such.
One of the industries of Forest
House lasted well into the mem
ory of present dwellers of North
ern California. That was ice pro-
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PRESENT OWNER Fred C. Burton, owner of Forest
House, poses among the numerous Indian artifacts dis
played around the old bar area in the front room of the
house. They were given to his late wife by Indian friends
over a period of years. Burton, a livestock man, now con
ducts a cattle and hog operation on the Ill-year-old
ranch.
rred W. Burton, an attorney
with offices in Yreka. has taken
time to searched back numbers
of. Yreka Union, a newspaper of
that region dating back to the
1850s. He has a box full of clip
pings which tell of many interest
ing episodes in the annals of the
old holstery.
The old headquarters, Forest
House, whose history opened in
1852, has expanded its name to
take in the big ranch. But it is
an unusual place in itself. Dur
ing early days when w ine, cider
brandies, and whisky were manu
tactured under federal permit
there, the front room contained
(Hicuon ana aislriDulion Deiore a bar, but liquor was never sold
we nays u aruiiciai reinBera-there after 1H95. Religious sera
lion. A nearoy pond, beside which. pes curtailed that activitv. Kninhi
sold his interest to a man named
Brown, a nephew of Short, in
1890, and Brown's wife, a Pres
byterian, finally ruled out all
drinking.
But the big bar still remains.
It is used now as a show place
tor Indian baskets and other ar
tifacts given the late Mrs. Burton,
wife of owner Fred C. Burton.
She was a great favorite of In
dians who never visited her with
out leaving some cherished trinket.
an ice house was built, supplied
with the aid of freezing weather
and an ice wagon all the ice
needed for the community. At
one time it is reported six men
were hired to saw and store ice
during a convenient cold snap.
But the pride and joy of
this business empire was Forest
House orchards. At one time it
is reported 10,000 bearing apple
trees were growing there. Peach
es, pears and plums also added
to the total. The first carlot of
freight shipped from Yreka over
the Yreka-Western Railway was
a carlot of apples from Forest
House.
A dchydrator, called evaporator
in the early days, was built about
1860 to dry fruit. It was in evi
dence until several weeks ago
but more than 100 years of exist
ence had taken its toll. Fred W.
Burton, son of the present ranch
owner, Fred C. Burton, who helps
his father manage the big spread
said it was necessary to tear
down the old fruit drying build
ing on March 9. Its decrepit
slate made it a hazard to live
stock which now covers the
ranch.
The old icehouse, a concrete
structure made from material de
veloped on the ranch, is still
staunch. If, and when it is re
moved, dynamite will have to be
depended on to reduce it to rub
ble.
An old barn across the road
Irom the home place W'as once
a stage station and hotel, and it
is still filled with stagecoaches
and other equipment used 100
years ago during ox team and
stagecoach days. The Burtons at
limes run out . a four-horse rig
and drive it in parades.
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FOREST HOUSE Built in 1852 and still a stately old structure, Forest
House in its time was a stage station, hotel, bar, ranch headquarters, and
one of the social centers of Siskiyou County. Located" five miles from
Yroko, the Forest House Ranch had numerous business enterprises con
ducted within its confines, including a distillery and a commercial or
chard with 10,000 fruit-bearing apple trees.
idea
ICE HOUSE Before the days of artificial refriqeration, the community deper
on another Forest House operation for its supply of ice. In this ice house was stored
as much ice as six men could cut from an adjacent pond during the winter freezes. The
ranch alone produced and distributed all of the refrigeration needed by people in the
area.
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OLD DEHYDRATOR The Forest House orchards were once both productive and
profitable, so a fruit drying house was built in I860 to dry the apples, pears, peaches,
and plums for the packing and canning operations which were established on the
ranch. It served its purpose for many years, but it was in such a decrepit state that
it was necessary to tear it down several weeks ago. . -
Glamour Of Early Day Boating Industry On Upper
Klamath Lake Recalled By Shasta Senior Citizen
Steamboaling on the inland wa.
tors adjacent to Klamath Basin
may sound like science fiction to
the uninitiated today. However, it
is not fiction, but cold facts.
George Thornton, a 91-year-old
resident of Mount Shasta, vouch
es for its authenticity. Not only
dues he know such exited, but he
has ridden on all the routes trav
eled by early boat.
The boating industry was pio
neered during the Modoc Indian
War. It continued until 1909 when
changing conditions brought about
a decline. Today an outboard
motorboat is a convenience well
able to handle all demands for
water travel. What a visitor to
day sees big grain fields and
an elevator in which to house the
crops looks little like paddle
wheel steamers that once carried
cargoes across that same terri
tory. One of the early day boats, the
Mayflower, was built in 1889 by a
Captain Dustin. It was a wood
burning stei heeler that, on its
maiden voyage, got stuck on a
mud flat. It survived this initial
mishap, and carried freight and
passengers for a few years.
Two other boats, each named
Canby, did a hitch in the Upper
and Lower Klamath lakes. Lake
Ewauna, Link and Klamath riv
ers. Thev were built by a man
named McCormich. When Canby
No. 1 cracked up, parts of it were
used in its namesake, and suc
cessor. These didn't last long.
The boat that proved to be the
queen of these waters was the
Klamath, built in 1905. It navi-
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STEAMBOAT EXCURSIONS Built in 1935. The Klamath was the queen of the water
ways for four years. Not only was it a necessary mode of travel, but it provided
moonliqht trips and Sunday excursions for those who enjoyed the romance of a boat
ride. The remains of the steamer ere said to be in the channel to the Pelican Bay saw.
mill on Upper Klamath Lake.
gated until 1909. Its ruins are
said to be in the channel to Peli
can Bay Sawmill on Upper Klam
ath Lake.
During this boat's heyday it
was quite a social event to take
moonlight trips or Sunday excur
sions on it. Mrs. Dolly Nixon, of
Yreka, as a young lady, was cook
on the floating palace. She states
it achieved much local fame as an
aid to romance.
This steamer was a link in one
bit of transportation that today
has the appearance of being de
signed by Rube Golberg. A trav
eler could take the Klamath from
Klamath Falls to Laird's Landing
at the south end of Lower Klam
ath Lake 55 miles away. From
this debarking point, a stage con
nection went to Bartle, 45 miles
south, where a McCloud River
Railway train carried the trav
eler to Upton on the main line of
the Southern Pacific Railway 53
miles west. All these places were
prominent in their way. 'Upton
was a town of 3,000 residents.
Today, both Upton and Laird's
Landing arc gone. Bartle is but
a section hand stop on the Mc
Cloud Railway.
George Thornton now states he
is curious to see wliat other
changes may come to this region
before he checks out. Ho states
that both Laird's Landing and Up
ton once appeared destined to be
come prominent places. Now
Liner Graceful in Drydock
SOUTHAMPTON. England
(UPI For you blase souls who
have been everywhere and done
everything, here's something new
to try some time: go take a stroll
under the liner Queen Elizabeth.
It can be done it has been
done. It just takes a little sta
us, nerve and a strong back.
There is a six-week period eachl
year when you can walk under
the Queen. That is the lime she
spends in drydock in Southamp
ton for her annual overhaul,
which is perhaps the world's big
gest spring cleaning job. During
that lime, the liner is scraped
and painted, one of her four sets
of engines is replaced, and the
cabins and staterooms arc all
spruced up.
To make your sub-liner trip, you
will have to go to the bottom of
the dry dock, which is a pit about
80 feet deep in which sits the
Queen Elizabeth, looking eerie
and uncomfortable out of water.
But from just under the bow of
the ship, the ship's grace of line
is most evident. She looks sleek
and beautiful. As you walk back
along the side, you notice that the
1,031-foot liner is neatly balanced
in the center and along the sides
on steel supports.
To set it on the supports so it
will stay up requires pin-point
accuracy. The center of the bot
tom of the hull must be settled
within one inch on the center
supports. Skindivers direct the op
eration from bencatu the ship and
if she misses the first time, the
liner is refloated until she is per
fectly set down.
Walking beneath the bottom of
the hull is like walking in a cave.
For about 100 yards, you walk
stooped over in a space about
four fret high. But there are com
pensations. To bump your head
on 83.673 tons and survive Is brac
ing to the ego.
CITK NATHAN LKOI'OLI)
WASHINGTON UPI - Nathan
LeoK)ld, 1924 Chicago "thrill kill
er," has been cited by the Na
tional Science Foundation for re
search in the social sciences.
The 59 year-old Leopold, who re
cently completed his parole, was
among three students at tlie Uni
versity of Puerto Rico who re
ceived honorable mentions (or
scholarship.
PR n
WATER TRAVELER
Georqe Thornton of Mt.
Shasta is one old-timer who
can remember the steam
boat era well. He has rid
den on all the inland water
routes adjacent to the
Klamath Basin which the
early boats traveled.
both are gone and he still re
mains.
But covered with water and cat
tails, the abode of waterfowl and
mu.tkrat, or growing thousands of
tons of brewing barley, Klatnath
Basin can never be commonplace
Whatever station it occupies, it
heads Uiat list.
11 is that kind of a country.
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GHOST TOWN Once a thriving town of 3,000 people and an important link in
transportation connections in the old steamer days, Upton has now all but dis
appearod from the scene. From Klamath Falls, a traveler then had to take a steam
boat, staqe, and a train to reach Upton, which was on the main line of the Southern
Pacific Railway.
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DEBARKATION POINT Laird's Landing, historic site at the south end of Lower
Klamath Lake about 55 miles from Klamath Falls, once marked the end of the line for
a stoamboat ride and the beginning of the staqecoach line for travelers to the south.
This building, where the steamers discharged their cargoes, was destroyed by fir In
I960.
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