PIPE SPRING Cultures at a Crossroads: An Administrative History

To File or Not to File? (continued)

1938

On January 18, 1938, a new crew of 65 CCC enrollees from Indiana arrived at Pipe Spring from Fort Knox, Kentucky. An official inspection of DG-44 was conducted on January 24, 1938. Officers serving under Lt. Wickerham at the time were Andrew F. McMeekin, Hugh H. Ditto (camp doctor), and Donald D. Dodd. One dozen technical personnel served the camp as supervisors or their assistants. The new education adviser was A. M. Akin, who arrived the prior December. Inspector Reddoch reported 153 enrollees were available for work and that "harmonious relations" existed between the Army and technical personnel. Eleven of the camp's 13 trucks were reported to be in very poor condition and in need of overhaul. Work during this period was being performed over a 2,400-mile area, reported Reddoch. Off-monument Grazing Service projects included the construction of Bullrush Truck Trail, Cottonwood Bridge, Sand Hill Fence, Chatterly Corral, and the cutting of 8,000 fence posts. Approved projects not yet started included construction of a state line fence, Seven Knoll Corral, Pipe Valley Truck Trail, and Sunshine Reservoir.

82. A few of CCC Company 2557, Camp DG-44.
From left to right: Chief Clerk Jack L. Harden, 2nd Lt. Paul C. Scollard, 1st Lt. Donald D. Dodd,
1st Lt. Howard Ditto, and A. M. Akin, March 1938
(Pipe Spring National Monument).

During the early winter months of 1938, Heaton and the crew of CCC boys planted cottonwood trees, mostly around the parking area and campground. [1004] In February he brought 37 wild rose roots from Moccasin and set them out at the head of the meadow. Heaton also planted 13 plum trees at the head of the meadow where the older ones had died and planted others west of the meadow. That month, as it was too muddy to work on Grazing Service jobs, 50 CCC boys and five trucks were made available to Heaton to haul dirt to fill the drainage wash. That February Heaton also received approved plans for the construction of two pit toilets. [1005] In March the Army built a new 20 x 80-foot education building west of the meadow pond to be used for classrooms, vacating the west cabin. In April Heaton reroofed the west cabin, which had deteriorated over the nine years since its reconstruction, and constructed the campground's second fireplace. A new crew of CCC enrollees arrived in April, making up the majority of visitors recorded for the monument that month. Heaton hoped the enrollees wouldn't spy the birds nesting on the monument, "For they just can't seem to leave the wildlife alone. They either want to kill it or catch it and make pets of them." [1006]

Preliminary studies for a custodian's residence were prepared during the spring of 1938. [1007] While visiting Pipe Spring in late May for the purposes of planning a geology exhibit, Al Kuehl and Assistant Chief Rothrock also reviewed plans for the proposed residential and utility area. In June 1938 two new pit toilets were constructed, painted white, and erected just west of the campground among a row of plum trees. Heaton took two week's leave that month, leaving Ren Brown, a CCC enrollee, in charge of the monument. [1008] He checked on Brown about every other day to make sure that things were going well.

In July 1938 Al Kuehl requested that working drawings for a comfort station be prepared. No funds were available for its construction but he wanted the plans to be approved and ready to use if a special allotment of about $500 could be obtained at the end of the fiscal year. On July 16, 87 new CCC enrollees arrived at Pipe Spring making the total work force 200. That month Heaton had several altercations with Army officers, once over their plans to modify the swimming pool (which was to involve tree removal) and another time over the Army's removal of all the greasewood bushes on the west side of the monument as a control against mosquitoes. Heaton feared they would next take out the willow grove near the CCC camp area.

83. Custodian C. Leonard Heaton in dress uniform, 1938 (Photograph by Natt Dodge, Pipe Spring National Monument, neg. 1299).

During the summer months, materials were purchased for the monument water system with the $50 per month allotment from the Division of Grazing. In August 1938 work began on the installation of the new water system connecting the proposed residential and utility areas with the campground. Engineer J. H. Tovrea accompanied Al Kuehl to the monument on August 8 to inspect the site, stake out the water system, and plan other improvements. Kuehl recommended additional plantings in the vicinity of the proposed residential area, replacement of dead cottonwoods around the fort ponds, removal of the old pit toilet north of the road, repainting of the new pit toilets (green instead of white), and plantings made to screen them. Heaton was asked to replace the two 18-inch metal culverts in the drainage ditch with a 2 x 8-foot box culvert of rock and cement to prevent water running over the road as it previously had during heavy rains. Kuehl also noted in his field report the existing exterior woodwork of the fort was in need of replacement or repair and the balcony and stairway connecting the fort's upper and lower buildings needed "almost immediate attention." [1009] The CCC also worked on ditch elimination in the proposed residence area. [1010]

During the installation of the water system, another altercation took place between Heaton and Lt. Wickerham. On August 23, 1938, without advising the camp commander, Heaton shut off water to the camp in order to install a water line. When Wickerham discovered the reason, he ordered Heaton to cease work and turn the camp's water on again. Wickerham later reported to the district commander at Fort Douglas, Utah,

He (Mr. Heaton) became indignant and told the undersigned that he would do as he pleased and that anyway we used too much water at this camp, saying that his 'boss' told him to cut in on the supply. He also stated that we were using over six thousand gallons per day.... When it was pointed out to him that only enough water was being used to insure the health and safety of the men stationed at the camp he remarked that the cattle needed the water more than we. Exception was taken to that remark... [1011]

Wickerham asked for the intervention of "a higher authority" to avert future "misunderstandings" with Heaton. The commander at Fort Douglas subsequently wrote Superintendent Pinkley and asked him to "advise Mr. Heaton that water service should not be disrupted until the camp commander is notified." [1012] In early September Pinkley notified the district commander that Heaton had been instructed to provide notification prior to interrupting the camp's water supply. Pinkley took this opportunity to cast a few stones of his own, bringing up problems connected to the camp that had been reported by Heaton, as well as other Park Service officials:

We wish courteously to point out, however, that on many occasions the camp has been observed to waste water by permitting its supply tank to overflow...

There have, also, been many serious complaints against the operation of the camp in the area in that there appears to have been common disregard of National Park Service rules and regulations which have the full force and effect of law within the areas under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Many acts of vandalism on the part of the enrollees have, apparently, gone unchecked and undisciplined. Vegetation has been unnecessarily destroyed, contrary to one of the basic principles of Park Service administration.... A representative from this office will shortly make an inspection trip to Pipe Spring and while there will endeavor to reach a friendly understanding with the Camp Commander, leaving with him a copy of the standard Park Service rules and regulations...

It is sincerely hoped that satisfactory understanding will be reached and that the National Park Service will have no further cause for complaint. This office will, otherwise, have no alternative but reluctantly to recommend removal of the camp from the area. [1013]

The solution ended up being less drastic. Heaton reported Lt. Wickerham was transferred out of DG-44 on August 28 and Lt. Dodd took over command of the camp. Assistant Superintendent Miller went to the monument in mid-September to establish a "workable understanding" with Lt. Dodd over Park Service rules and regulations. [1014] Miller later described the new commander as "reasonable and willing to cooperate." [1015] After inspecting recent monument developments, Miller later wrote to Pinkley,

You would like the little campground development, picnic tables, and fireplaces. The PG pit toilets are a great improvement over the old pit toilets, planting is doing well, maintenance is very good, and there is every indication that Heaton, as always, is doing his conscientious best.

I do think it is urgent that a member of the Education Staff should go to Pipe Spring to help him prepare presentable labels, reorganize the small but disorderly displays, and do what can be done with the materials and funds at hand (both very limited) to improve the impression given to visitors. No criticism of Leonard is implied. He is employed and paid as a laborer and we can hardly expect him also to be a museum preparator, show card writer, and erudite scholar as well. [1016]

On October 14, 1938, a new crew of 65 CCC boys arrived at the monument. During early October heavy rains caused the drainage ditch under the roadway to overflow, flooding the road and campground area. Engineer Tovrea made a formal proposal for a concrete culvert with wing walls, to be constructed with CCC labor and materials. [1017] Also during the month, Heaton asked Pinkley for permission to replace the four stone steps leading to the walk between the ponds with six six-inch steps, as elderly visitors had difficulty with the larger steps. Pinkley approved the work. The rock was obtained from Bullrush Wash and the work was done the following January and February (1939). In October Kuehl drew up plans for signage to be placed in the campground area. In November 1938 work accomplished included the cleaning up of weeds and planting of trees south and east of the meadow, around the residence area and road leading to it, around the two pit toilets, and where the wash had been filled in, just south of the parking area. Six Carolina poplar, 14 silver-leaf cottonwood, and 23 ailanthus were planted. [1018]

As winter approached, Heaton asked Pinkley for permission to move his office quarters from the east room of the first floor, lower building, to the west room of the second floor (same building) where he had put "a bed, table, and other things" as temporary living quarters. He also asked if funds were available to purchase a heater, as the one loaned to him by the Division of Grazing the previous winter was no longer available. Due to cracks under the doors and around the windows, the old office space was hard to heat, Heaton explained. Apparently, Pinkley had no objections, for the office was moved and remained on the second floor until November 1940. [1019]

When the east side of the fort ponds was cleaned out in July 1938, all the fish in it died. (It was not uncommon to have a loss of fish when the ponds were cleaned, sometimes a significant loss.) Heaton subsequently asked Pinkley for permission to restock the ponds. Of the 3,000 to 4,000 fish Heaton had stocked both ponds with in late 1936, only 500 to 700 fish remained after the east pond loss. Pinkley wanted to know Heaton's reasons for requesting the fish and asked to know the history of fish in the ponds. Heaton reported that the fish currently in the ponds were eastern brook and rainbow trout. Two old carp had been in the ponds since 1926. Trout could not reproduce in the ponds, he explained, and the ponds had to be restocked periodically. Heaton wrote,

I do not know just when the fish were first introduced into the ponds, and I have not been able to find anyone that knows definitely. But apparently it was some time in the late 80s or early 90s, as this was about the time that fish was brought into Moccasin. Who brought them I do not know. The first fish were carp, as they can be carried in any kind of water or no water at all for several hours and still live.

When the carp were finally all taken out, I am told, it was about 1903 or 1904. And it was not till 1926 before any more were brought back when I brought 12 in from Moccasin of which I have two still alive. [1020]

Heaton reported that visitors liked looking at the fish on their way to the fort, particularly "if they have something to feed them, then it is a sight to see some half hundred fish fight over a piece of bread." [1021] Heaton liked the trout to "keep down mosquitoes" and to keep the water free from water bugs and salamanders. He wanted carp to clean the ponds of weeds and mosses. He asked for 150 carp and 1,500-2,000 small trout for the east pond and additional, larger, four to five-inch trout for the west pond. He wrote that he introduced the first trout in 1927 with 8,000 he obtained from the government fish hatchery in Springville, Utah (Heaton reported in 1935 that this number was 5,000, not 8,000, fish). In 1929 he got another shipment of 6,000 fish for the meadow ponds. Any remaining in 1934 would have all died when the ponds dried up after the cattlemen's pipeline was constructed. In the fall of 1936, wrote Heaton, the fort ponds were stocked with 5,000 trout of which 1,000 remained by November 1938. [1022] (Heaton had reported in 1936 that he stocked the ponds with between 3,000 and 4,000 fish, not 5,000). In January 1939 Wildlife Technician W. B. McDougall (regional office) approved restocking the fort ponds but there is no record the ponds were replenished with trout until a number of years later. [1023] In August Heaton and a few CCC boys caught 17 catfish at Johnson Lake, four of which died. The others were put into the east pond. By October 1941 Heaton reported few fish remained in the ponds.

Keeping fish alive was not the only wildlife challenge at Pipe Spring. On December 7, 1938, 65 Gambel quail were brought to Pipe Spring as part of a reintroduction program. Junior Park Naturalist Natt N. Dodge delivered the 65 birds to Heaton at his home in Moccasin. [1024] Heaton planned to keep the banded birds in his hen house for the winter, fearing the CCC boys would hunt them down. (Dodge later reported to Pinkley that loose dogs belonging to camp foremen kept most wildlife out of the park: "It will be difficult to establish any wildlife until the CCC camp is removed from the monument." [1025] ) All the quail escaped from Heaton's hen house a little over one week later, tunneling out under the sand. He managed to recapture 25 of them over the following months. (Moccasin residents reported sightings of the others, and their descendants may yet be there today.) The 25 quail were eventually taken by Heaton to the monument and released. [1026] By August 1947 the number of quail "in and around" the monument had increased to about 100, Heaton reported. [1027]

When Dodge arrived at Pipe Spring National Monument in December 1938, he found Heaton replastering one of the ceilings in the fort. Dodge later reported to Pinkley that while the fort building itself appeared to be in very good condition, the roof shingles were curling badly and needed to be inspected to determine if they needed replacement. He also noted a large tree growing against the west wall of the fort that was pushing the wall inward. "This tree should be removed unless some other method of protecting the wall can be found," Dodge later advised Pinkley. [1028] He also informed Pinkley that it was impossible to keep monument signage in good condition as signs were "the targets for many rocks thrown by CCC enrollees." [1029]

At year's end, Heaton reported, "I set out 12 poplar trees south of the parking area and three cottonwoods along the path between the ponds the past month. Have about 15 more to set out and I think I will have most of the planting done... unless some of the landscapers want more trees somewhere else." [1030] The "greening" of Pipe Spring continued.