PIPE SPRING Cultures at a Crossroads: An Administrative History

Planning Continues at Pipe Spring

During the spring and summer of 1935, Heaton did what he could to complete projects begun by CWA crews. In March the monument road was graded and cattle guards were installed. [891] (This one-quarter mile road section was part of State Highway 40.) Then, with Superintendent Pinkley's blessings, Heaton left Grant Heaton in charge of Pipe Spring operations from April 6 through April 14 to make a tour with his wife Edna of southwestern national monuments. Their tour included Wupatki, Petrified Forest, Tonto, Montezuma Castle, and Walnut Canyon national monuments, as well as headquarters in Coolidge. His trip filled him with renewed appreciation for the "jolly high class of men and women willing to serve" in the Park Service, he later wrote Pinkley. [892] Upon their return, he and Edna started planning a second trip for the following year to visit the other 18 monuments in the Southwestern National Monuments system.

Monument development planning continued in order to take full advantage of any Public Works Administration funds or labor that might become available. During April 1935 the monument received a number of visits by high officials. Assistant Director Hillory A. Tolson visited, as well as Chief Landscape Architect Thomas C. Vint, Chief Engineer Frank Kittredge, Harry Langley, and A. E. Cowell. On April 4 Cowell and two assistants finally installed the weir ensuring the three-way division of the monument's water. [893] The following day Kittredge paid Heaton a surprise one-hour visit to inspect developments on his way to Zion National Park. On April 22 Tolson, Vint, and Langley spent two hours at Pipe Spring. While they were there the decision was made to relocate the campground and pit toilets south of the road, and to keep everything north of the monument road undeveloped to preserve a more natural and undisturbed setting for the fort. Everyone reiterated the need for a custodian's residence. Preliminary drawings for a custodian's residence were prepared by the Branch of Plans and Design and forwarded to Pinkley in mid-April. [894] The proposed stone residence was to be a public works project. Pinkley reviewed the plans and requested a few minor modifications.

During his visit, Harry Langley also reiterated the need for Heaton to restock the ponds with trout. He suggested Heaton contact officials in Salt Lake City to acquire more fish. Heaton did so, explaining to the official there that he had stocked the ponds in August 1927 with 5,000 fingerlings from the federal government. At the end of eight years, "I have only about 15 fish left," he wrote. [895] He inquired if he could get more fish to restock the ponds and estimated the ponds "would support 3,000 or 4,000 fish as the water is almost as full of water bugs as it can get and still be fresh." [896] Nothing came of the letter. Heaton pursued the matter again in September with Russell K. Grater, Assistant Wildlife Technician at Grand Canyon National Park, during his visit to Pipe Spring. Grater in turn, asked Pinkley for ideas but no restocking occurred that year.

In April 1935 Heaton wrote Superintendent Pinkley seeking permission to use spring water for his family garden. He asked, "Will there be any objections to the use of the water if I do not let the monument trees and meadow suffer, but just use that part of the water that is not needed for monument purposes?" [897] Pinkley had no objections and granted permission. At the same time, Heaton raised the question about his employment status - was he classified as Civil Service? Pinkley wrote to Director Cammerer about the matter. Hillory Tolson replied that Heaton could not obtain Civil Service status without passing an examination given by the Civil Service Commission. His appointment had been issued outside of the labor regulations, wrote Tolson. [898]

Park Engineer Cowell submitted cost estimates to Chief Engineer Kittredge for proposed public works projects for the monument on May 4, 1935. Eighteen projects were listed, including road work; construction of a parking area, campground loop road, service roads, and graveled walks (300 linear feet); placement of field stone barriers along roads and parking areas (2000 linear feet); clay surfacing camp sites; filling of wash at building sites; installation of a water and sewer system; construction of storm water drainage ditch; completion of boundary fences; improvement of grounds, fine grading, landscaping and planting; and restoration of the fort. The total cost for these projects was estimated at $11,135. [899]

Heaton reported to Pinkley in May 1935 that a meeting was held in which Grazing Service officials asked stockmen and citizens of the Arizona Strip how they would feel about the establishment of one or two CCC camps in the area. The question of sites came up and Pipe Spring was suggested as a possible site. Heaton later reported,

So these two men came out here to look the place over and three possible camp sites were selected... one at Moccasin, one at the southeast corner of the monument, and one four miles south of the monument where the stockmen's water is now piped to.

You will probably have word from these men before you get this letter as I referred them to you about the use of the monument for one of their camps. [900]