Crater Lake National Park Administrative History

CHAPTER 8

William G. Steel served as superintendent of Crater Lake National Park from July 1913 to November 20, 1916. During his 3-1/2 years as superintendent Steel continued to spearhead efforts for the development of the park that he had done much to bring into existence. His dreams for the park, however, were tempered by the lack of adequate congressional appropriations.

During his tenure as superintendent the park staff grew slowly. A second seasonal park ranger was hired to aid Momyer in 1913. Two years later Momyer became the first permanent park ranger at Crater Lake and a guard was added to the protection force. Thus, the embryonic ranger organization in 1915 consisted of Momyer, First Class Park Ranger; F.J. Murphy, Temporary Park Ranger; and M.L. Edwards, Guard. [1]

One of the first projects carried out by Steel was to establish an enlarged park headquarters at Anna Spring. The name of park headquarters was changed from Camp Arant to Anna Spring Camp. During the summer of 1913 he had a small cottage moved to the main road and had it remodeled for "a convenient office building." He observed:

Heretofore a small room in the superintendent's residence has been used for both living and business purposes, which of itself was unsuited for public use; besides, it was fully 200 feet from the road. Within this office I have installed an excellent vertical filing cabinet and have all park papers and correspondence systematically filed. The front room is used by the chief ranger, who registers visitors and issues licenses to the public, whereas the back room is used by the superintendent. This arrangement permits of the entire upstairs being utilized for storing supplies, as sleeping quarters for employees, or for emergency.

The new office, however, became inadequate for park needs by 1915. In that year Steel commented on the need for a new administration building:

The park office has entirely outgrown its usefulness, in that it is totally inadequate for the purpose. The park office proper and the post office are located in a little room 8 by 12 feet, into which at times 40 to 50 people try to crowd and transact business. When the mail arrives on busy days it is simply a physical impossibility to transact business expeditiously or at all satisfactorily either to the public or the employees.

A new modern building should be provided, as soon as possible, of sufficient capacity to meet all requirements for many years to come. The business is increasing rapidly and facilities for the systematic handling of it should keep pace therewith. Aside from convenient facilities for handling a greatly increased business, provision should be made for the public in the way of toilets, waiting rooms, and other comforts and conveniences.

One of the principal continuing activities in the park during Steel's superintendency was that of road construction under the direction of the Corps of Engineers. By the end of his tenure as superintendent Steel was able to report:

About 47 miles of excellent dirt roads have been constructed in the park under the direction of the Secretary of War, which consist of 8 miles from the Klamath, or southern entrance, to park headquarters; 7 miles from the Medford, or western entrance, to the same point; 5 miles from park headquarters to the rim of the lake at Crater Lake Lodge; 6 miles from the Pinnacles, or eastern entrance, to the rim of the lake at Kerr Notch; and 22 miles from Cloud Cap, on the eastern side, to a point about 1-1/2 miles south of Llao Rock, to the west of the lake, thus leaving 12 miles to complete the circle of the lake, which latter it is hoped will be finished during the season of 1917, thus affording one of the most wildly beautiful automobile drives in the world. These roads have had ample time to settle and it is now proposed to pave them, which work should be completed in about three years.

Earlier in 1914 Steel had explained his views on paving the roads under construction:

I understand it is the intention of the War Department to commence surfacing as soon as climatic conditions will permit in the spring of 1915. This plan is questionable, for the reason that if this is done it will be impossible for many years to get anything better, whereas if surfacing is left for the present it will permit of an effort being made to secure from Congress money with which to construct paved roads.

The time has forever passed when macadam roads will satisfy the desires of a progressive community, and they are rapidly being changed for something very much better. Then why construct something that will be unsatisfactory from the very beginning? According to estimates of the War Department it will cost $20,000 per annum merely to sprinkle such roads. It is the part of wisdom to build roads of such a character as that this heavy burden will not have to be borne. I hope to make the Crater Lake National Park self-sustaining in a few years, but if this great burden is to be added that happy condition will be delayed indefinitely.

In addition to the road network Steel was proud of the Mount Scott Trail he had initiated in the park. In 1916 he noted that

a system of trails has been outlined that will appeal irresistibly to visitors who delight in wandering over the bluffs, through the forests, and into uncanny spots where goblins dance by night and shadows linger by day. Chief among these is one to be constructed to the summit of Mount Scott, on a grade that can subsequently be widened for automobile use. When this is done one can ride in comfort to a point nearly 3,000 feet above the waters of the lake and nearly 5,000 above the plains of eastern Oregon, over which the eye can wander, intoxicated with the glory of a view from the Columbia River region to the mountains of California.

Fishing prospects in the lake continued to be enhanced by planting both by the Crater Lake Company and park management. In 1914, for instance, the company placed 2,000 rainbow fry in the lake and Steel planted 20,000 steelheads. The following year Steel planted 15,000 black spotted fry in the lake. Steel recommended that no further planting be done until the matter of fish food had been settled. As there were "no enemies to fish already in the lake," their numbers had grown enormously to the point that the lake was "fairly teeming with them." However, nothing had ever been done to increase the food supply for the fish.

One of the first wildlife management issues that Steel confronted was that of deer being chased by loose dogs in the park. While there were many deer in the park they were rarely seen along park roads because, according to Steel, "dogs have been permitted to run at large and probably chase them, causing them to become shy." Thus, on September 13, 1913, the Department of the Interior, at the recommendation of Steel, issued the following instructions:

Visitors to the Crater Lake National Park are hereby notified that when dogs are taken through the park they must be prevented from chasing the animals and birds or annoying passers-by. To this end they must be carried in the wagons or led behind them while traveling and kept within the limits of the camp when halted. Any dog found at large in disregard of these instructions will be killed.

Game protection continued to be a problem for Steel as it had been for Arant. In 1913 Steel described the problems he was facing in protection of park wildlife:

But two temporary rangers are allowed during the season, one of whom is constantly employed in issuing licenses and registering visitors, so that one man must patrol the entire park. Then is it strange that there is always a report current that deer are slaughtered by poachers, who only need keep track of the ranger to carry on their nefarious practices with perfect impunity? However, hunting in the park is not general by any means, and is only carried on by an irresponsible class of semicriminals. Because of the protection afforded, deer in the park become very tame during the summer and when driven to the lower levels by the first heavy snow fall an easy prey to the despised deer skinners.

Accordingly, he, like Arant, proposed the creation of

game preserve, to embrace not only the park but all that portion of the forest reserve on the north to township 26 and on the west to range 1, Willamette meridian, then giving to it just such protection as is now afforded to other game preserves of a similar character.

In 1914 Steel proposed a second solution to the problem of game protection and overall law enforcement in the park. He observed:

If the department will allow five additional rangers, three of them will be needed for issuing automobile licenses and registering visitors at park entrances, one will be detailed for clerical work at headquarters, and three will be used to patrol the park. Of the latter one should be stationed at the Medford entrance to patrol north of the Medford Road and west of the lake, one at the Pinnacles entrance to patrol the eastern side of the park, and one at headquarters to patrol the southern portion, together with that portion of the rim in the vicinity of Crater Lake Lodge. By this arrangement fairly good patrol of the park can be maintained and deer hunters held in check. Besides this the danger of forest fires would be materially reduced and the work of park administration greatly improved.

Forest fires continued to be a critical problem for Superintendent Steel. In 1913 several small fires were started by careless campers. In one case in which live trees were destroyed, the offenders were apprehended and ejected from the park. The summers of 1914 and 1915 were unusually dry, thus leading to extraordinary precautions against forest fires. More than twenty fires broke out in the park in 1914, although all were extinguished before significant damage resulted. Thunderstorms and lightning ignited many of the fires in the park, the most significant occurring in 1916 when one storm resulted in four fires in the park and ten in the surrounding forests.

Road repair work during the spring continued to be a major component of Steel's duties as he prepared the park for the summer tourists. To repair the washed out roads he began a new practice of cutting out the road sides and dragging them rather than "cutting out the middle."

Steel also gave attention to trail maintenance. The trail to the lake was in need of major repairs virtually every spring. In 1913 rocks were removed from the trait so that burros kept by the Crater Lake Company could pass over it.

Steel began a program of "cleaning" the grounds and roadsides of the park of "dead and down timber." He did so because this debris afforded "dangerously inflammable material for spreading fire and destruction." In 1913 he stated:

All this [debris] should be cleaned up, together with such underbrush as interferes, but the cost would be prohibitive. However, a certain amount of this work can be done every year along the roads, and in the course of time a system of clear places can be established that will reduce the danger of fire to a minimum. I have in this manner cleared the road on both sides from headquarters toward the lake to a distance of about a mile and have carefully trimmed the trees, which not only adds a degree of safety but greatly beautifies the park.

Under an agreement with the War Department the first unit of a proposed sprinkling system for park roads was installed in September 1914. This involved construction of a water tank on a hill near the park headquarters that provided sufficient pressure for a gravity system and fire protection facilities for the headquarters area. At a cost of $1,200 the system was expanded during 1915. That year Steel described the system as containing

a main water line approximately 1,000 feet long, containing 332 feet of 3-inch and 670 feet of 2-inch pipe, with branch lines to the various buildings of approximately 500 feet of three-fourths-inch pipe. Modern plumbing has been installed in the superintendent's residence, consisting of bath, toilet, lavatory, kitchen sink, hot and cold water. A sewer system has been installed that can be extended as may be necessary. It is connected with a cesspool 10 feet deep, and as the soil is of an extremely light, porous nature, it will doubtless serve every purpose for many years. However, it is only a question of time when something better will have to be provided. Temporary sprinkling facilities have been provided, but it will soon be necessary to materially increase the supply of water by providing another tank. A public watering trough and a permanent water supply for the barn have been provided. A new hydraulic ram, fully equal to the present water supply, has been installed, but during the season of 1916 an additional tank should be placed above the present one, which latter should then be used for conserving the overflow for irrigating, and with such facilities there would be adequate protection against fire.

Steel also took steps to provide for garbage and tin can collection and disposal. These services were designed to improve the sanitary condition of the park campground areas.

In 1916 Steel proposed that efforts be made to provide the public with drinking water at the rim of he lake. He stated:

. . . This is of the first necessity and should be done as soon as possible. The Crater Lake Co. has established a water system for its own use and is constantly importuned for water by camping visitors, who do not understand conditions and take it for granted that it is a public supply, so resent any limitation. At times the supply is barely sufficient for hotel purposes, and it is necessary to refuse these requests, in consequence of which friction occurs and the Crater Lake Co. is abused without cause. The management has been extremely obliging in the premises and has suffered many times because of its desire to serve the public in this matter.

Permits for driving loose stock through the park continued to be issued during 1913-16. The peak year was 1915 when eight permits were granted to drive a total of 902 sheep, 393 cattle, and 9 horses through the park.

In addition to the aforementioned concessions granted to the Crater Lake Company and the Klamath Telephone & Telegraph company, two new concessionaires began operations in the park in 1913. The Kiser Photo Company of Portland and the Miller Photo Company of Klamath Falls were granted licenses for photographic privileges and the display and sale of views and post cards. The fees for these licenses were $10 per year. The license for the Kiser Photo Company was not renewed in 1915, thus giving the Miller Photo Company the sole right to photograph Crater Lake scenery and sell post cards.

A touch of scandal was associated with a concession permit granted to H.J. Boyd of Ashland for the period June 1-November 1, 1916. Under the terms of the permit Boyd was allowed "to bring people back through the Crater Lake National Park via the Lake" in his 1915 5-passenger Ford Touring Car "on his return from fishing trips" in Klamath and Lake counties. He was limited to a total of ten trips during the season. Later in December 1916 it was reported that Boyd had taken advantage of his permit since "his passengers were nearly all women, none of whom looked as though they were on a fishing trip. [2]

Increasing numbers of automobiles were driven to the park by vacationers during 1913-16. In 1913 permits were issued to 760 automobiles and 13 motorcycles at $1 each for a single round trip through the park. By 1915 the number of permits issued included: 2,231 round-trip automobile permits at $1 each; 13 season automobile permits at $5 each; and 30 round-trip motorcycle permits at $1 each. In 1916 2,649 automobiles entered the park, an all-time record to date. The growing number of automobiles in the park led the Department of the Interior to issue new automobile regulations for the park in 1916, a copy of which may be seen in Appendix A.

Park visitation continued to grow during 1913-16. In 1913, for instance, park visitation totaled 6,253 (June--43; July--1,144; August--3,002; September--1,637; October--418; November--9). That year the total number of guests entertained at the two permanent camps in the park was 2,240, a gain of more than sixty percent over the total for 1912.

Park visitation increased to 7,096 in 1914, the first year for which there are available published records providing statistical breakdowns both for monthly and state breakdowns. These statistics were:

Visitors to Crater Lake National Park

Visitors by States

Visitation increased to 11,371 in 1915, stimulated in part by two world's fairs on the Pacific Coast. Of this total, more than 10,000 visitors were from the states of Oregon (8,869), California (1,147), and Washington (305). Three foreign countries were also represented: Canada (12), England (1), and Sweden (1). Every state in the Union was represented except for South Carolina, South Dakota, and Virginia.

In August 1915 William Jennings Bryan, who had resigned recently as Secretary of State, visited Crater Lake while on a western vacation. After spending the night in the recently completed lodge, he and his wife, accompanied by Superintendent Steel and several park rangers, walked down to the lake for a launch trip. The taxing climb back up to the rim led to Bryan's notorious proposal for construction of "a tunnel just above the lake level, through the rim to a connecting road." He proposed the tunnel so that visitors could reach the lake "without the laborious one thousand feet or more steep descent and climb over a slippery and dangerous trail" which could "only be made a few months of the year and is almost impossible for old people." [3]

Steel took up the campaign for a tunnel to the lake. In 1916 he formally requested $1,000 to conduct surveys for a tunnel. His justification for such an expenditure read:

From Crater Lake Lodge to the lake is a drop of nearly 1,000 feet, and to reach the lake a trail of 2,300 feet is provided. Owing to the rugged nature of the rim, this trail is necessarily steep and hard to climb, and many visitors are unable to go over it, so that they are denied the privilege of fishing or boating on the lake. This condition of affairs is a disappointment to many visitors and some sort of provision should be made to overcome it. A lift or other installation within the rim is wholly impracticable, for the reason that every spring enormous slides of snow and rocks would sweep any sort of framework into the lake. Under such conditions I would suggest the construction of a tunnel from a convenient point on the road several hundred feet below the rim, to the surface of the water. . . .

Despite heavy and late snows in 1916, park visitation increased to an all-time high to date of 12,265. This figure was reached despite the fact that at the close of July travel was only fifty percent of the previous year.

One of the improvements to park facilities and services carried out by Steel was the installation of a new telephone system. In 1915 he reported on his efforts:

Telephone facilities of the park have never been satisfactory, so during the past season private lines in the park were purchased and necessary lines constructed. Direct connection with Klamath Falls by way of Fort Klamath has been maintained for a number of years, but never before has there been direct connection with Medford and the Rogue River Valley. I was unable to build beyond the park line, which would leave a distance of 23 miles to connect at Prospect, and as the prospective business would not justify the expense of construction by a commercial organization, I was forced to provide ways and means, which I did by securing sufficient voluntary contributions, with which a good line was built and is now in excellent working order. A switchboard has been provided for the park office, and all lines are controlled therein.

Throughout his superintendency Steel continued to make recommendations for park improvements, many of which were not implemented because of inadequate park appropriations. Among these proposals was an electric light and power plant near the park headquarters to provide light and operate machinery in a woodworking and blacksmith shop that he wished to construct. He recommended that the falls of Anna Creek be used to operate the light and power plant. The expense of carrying electric power to the rim of the lake would be inexpensive, since the park would raise revenue by supplying light and power to the concessionaires.