Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-01-09
First Cabin Forest Service Erected Again
Becomes Property of U. S. Government

A deed was given recently by Peter
B. Bennett and other members of his
family to the United States for .732
acre and pine log cabin that Is
claimed by the Bitter Root forest as
the first forest service building to be
erected in the United States.
The small sum Of money involved
In the transaction was raised BY SUBJ
scription in the Hamilton Lions club
IN desire to preserve the notable
caoln. which was built in the spring
of 1899.
Bennett, long resident Of the West
FORK area. acquired the bit Of land
and the cabin in a presumption claim
after boundaries of the forest were
changed. The deal had been pending
for several months due to probate
matters.
c. A. Smithey. postmaster and head
OF the Lions committee in the matter,
was the principal figure in the IRON
ing out of matters so the title to the
memorable cabin could once more rest
with the United States. E. L. Cole Of
the Lions club was an early prepayment
Of the plan.
The Bitter Root forest will again
encompass the little property and
Supervisor G. NJ. Brandborg said in
accepting the deed from Bennett that
rehabilitation project and the es-
tablishing Of model campground
would be undertaken this winter.
N. E. CThan Wilkerson, retired
ranger living in Hamilton, was builder
of the 1899 cabin. aided by another
ranger, H. c. futile. Wilkerson tells
an interesting story of the little gov
eminent building of the woods.
The Bitter Root was one Of the
first forests created. The proclamation
was signed Feb. 90, 1897. The Bitter
Root national forest was in Montana
and Idaho, but didn't include much
in Montana-just the country south
of the base line in Ross Hole and
west of the range line between ranges
q and %. Later, unappropriated lands
in range 81 north were added.
1T was not until 1898 that the sery-
Ice was actually established on the
Bitter Root, when four men were put
on the force. They were Pope Catlin
and Mr.. Veeder of Missoula, Ed
Buker and Ben Lancaster of Stevens
vile. They rode horseback and pa
trolled the country around Stevens
vile. That was all the service there
was in 1898"
Forest records show that j. B. Weber
of Topeka, Kan, was the first SUPER
visor of the Bitter Root and he was
located at Hamilton after his appoint
ment in the spring of 1899. j. B. COL
Inns was state superintendent and was
located at Missoula. having charge of
all forests in Montana.
In the spring of 1899 there were
eight rangers appointed, Buker and
Lancaster, Stevensville; William H.
Mccoy and Frank H. Overturf. Darby;
H. M. Butler, AL Osborne. H. c. Tuttle
and Wilkerson, who had stations
tenD at various upper Bitter Root
forest points. Wilkerson is the only
one now living of all those early
foresters.
Wilkerson and Tuttle built the cabin
at Alta and 1t was on July that
they hoisted the first flag, one that
Wilkerson himself purchased, he re-
calls. They had completed the shake
rooted, dirt-covered shelter in June,
he said
In 1903 all the Montana forests were
placed under supervision of Maj F. A.
Fem, supervisor of the Clearwater at
E. A. Sherman, afterward a national
figure in the service, left his news
paper office in Hamilton to become
the Bitter Root supervisor by appoint
ment.