The Winslow mail., 1921-11-25
NEWS ITEMS FROM THE FOREST
SERVICE

A decision has been reached hy
the Forest Service that the 116 foot
wooden lookout tower on Promon-
tory Butte on the Cheveion district
will be abandoned and destroyed.
This decision is the result of an in
vestigations made by representa-
tives of the Washington, Albuquer-
que and local Forest Offices which
showed, that while the tower might
serve for another season, it was not
advisable to risk its use any longer
Supervisor Hoyt states that the
tower will be replaced by steel
tower or that the lookout station
will be abandoned and cross read
ngs from the Bakers Butte lookout
on the Coconino Forest will be de
pended upon in connection with
readings from the Chevelon Butte
lookout on the north edge of the for
est
Sealer Fred MarEle of the local
office and Ranger William e. Bald
win of the CheveIon district have
been examining the Chevelon dis
trict to ascertain if there is any
point on the district where a tow
er of less height will serve the pur-
pose. The old wooden tower has
| been somewhat famous as the high
est one in this district, il not in the
forest service and it's construction
was considered some engineering
feat by those who have visited it.
| The tower was constructed in 1913
Deputy Supervisor Kissam, now of
the Manzano forest, being the de-
signer and builder, assisted by Fred
/ Turley, George Flake, Dan Morgan,
Bob Grissom and one or two other
boys from this locality.
Construction of a new road from
! from Lakeside to the railroad Sec
tion house on Morgan fat and the
repair of the old Fort Apache-Camp
Verde road along the rim west of
Heber are among the road improve
ment projects planned for the COM
ing year. The first named project
| to give the Lakeside community
| better and more direct route to the
railroad and furnish quicker
| means for fire guards and fire fight
ing crews to reach fires in the tim
bered county east of Blue ridge
Repair of the old rim road will
make possible the transporting of
| supplies and fire fighters from the
east portions of the forest to the
Chevelon district and reduce about
two-thirds the distance from the
supervisors office to the west end
of the forest and serve Pleasant
valley and Gordon canyon settle
ments in travel to and from either
! HOlbrOOk or Winslow 1t will also
make possible for automobiles to
strike the Winslow7Roosevelt roads
on the north rim of Pine, very ma.
terially shortening the distance from
this section of the count V to the
TOntO basin and Salt River valley.
Estimates are being submitted for
a number of other smaller projects
and in view of the provisions in the
road bill recently passed by con-
gress Supervisor Hoyt is quite hone
full that money will be available by
next season to begin the work plan
ned even if sufficient funds are not
allotted to actual complete the pro-
jects planned.
The supervisors Office at Snow
flake is sending out notices to graz
ing permittees reminding them that
the payment of grazing fees post
poned from last spring by special
act of congress are payable on or
before December l. The postpon-
ment was on account of the short
age of money and to permit the
stockmen to market steers, lambs
and wool to raise the means neces-
sary to meet their payments The
Lotice calls attention to the fact
that provision of the extension of
time is due to the fact that failure
to pay the grazing fee by December
l warrants cancellation of grazing
permits and termination Of grazing
preferences on the forest.