The Daily Alaska empire., 1938-02-07
A rangers evening at home
By H. II. WILLOUGHBY

Thurmond. forest ranger of the only tropical forest under the American flag, never has had a fire.
 Overseer of two great units oi the United States National Forest in Puerto Rico, Thurmond lives with his l9-year- old bride in great $25- 900 home, built for him by the gov ernment a half mile above sea level on the scenic slopes of El Yunque, most picturesque of Puerto RicoS mountain peaks.
 Thurmonds doma1n Is the only national forest without a fire ha- gard. Last year almost zoo inches of rain fell on the great area in Thurmonds' charge-some 24,000 acres of the best tropical forest in the world
 The Fl Yunque region that is the Thurmonds home has what Puerto Rico boosters claim as the most ideal year-around climate in the world. Average temperature there for the year is 69 degrees.
 Week-Enus m Capital
 The only residents from the states for miles around, the Thur monds lead a solitary life, except for week ends, when they drive to San Juan, 32 miles away, and take 1 part in the gay social life of Puerto Rico's capital
 The Thurmond home, built by the government before there was anything but a wilderness trail up to the Fl Yunque region, is one of the staunchest houses in the trop- ics It is constructed entirely of native materials. Laid out by gov ernment engineers in 1884, the house has a six-inch ceiling of waterproof coincrete, topped by a tile roof half an inch thick The roof itself weights about 25 tons and the outside walls are IS inches thick.
 The interior walls of this tropi- cal mansion in the sky are paneled : five feet high with exotic native woods, including nemoca, guara- guaS, babanuca and laurel sabino. Built entirely of native block gran ite blasted from the surrounding mountains, the great house is shut tered with two-inch laurel shut ters.
 Bedrooms and dining room are equipped with rustic furniture made by workers in the CCC camps around Fl Yunque. The two big bedrooms contain double deck beds, also constructed of native wood.
 There's Plenty to Do
 The young couple hidden away in this mountain paradise have plenty of things to occupy their |spare time. Sometimes they hike to distant mountain peaks blaz- ing new trails for forest workers. Often they have target practice on their 20yard pistol range.
 Exotic birds and flowers make of the mansion in the sky veritable tropic dreamland. Great flocks of native green parrots squawk each morning in the trees within 10 yards lof the house. Goodness, small, frog like creatures keep up steady, mu- lsical din during the twilight hours. The Thurmond porch looks out up- lon long narrow valley which reaches down to FaJardo beach, Is miles away.
 Mrs. Thurmond's fayorite pastime is devising new dishes for her hus- band The latter, in his spare time, takes candid camera pictures and develops them in basement dark room But the innumerable duties of a forest ranger keep Thurmond quite busy He must watch out for plant and tree diseases, classify unusual plant and animal speci- mems and give the great tropical wilderness an extraordinary amount of attention. The forest ranger who never has had a fire manages to keep busy.