1910 PERSONNEL REPORT FOR THE BITTER ROOT NATIONAL FOREST
1909 – The Personnel Report for the Bitter Root National Forest for FY 1910 contained the
following: “The ranger force employed on the Bitter Root during the fiscal year of 1909 was
insufficient for the proper handling of the regular business. . . Because of the lack of men we
have been unable to do any experimental planting, range improvement, or any Forest studies that
would be a benefit in administration. Some of the free use business has been transacted wholly
outside of the Forest boundaries, the permit being issued and closed without visiting the cutting
area. There have not been enough men upon our large timber sales to look after the cutting and
scaling properly, which has been pointed out by Lumberman Cott, who reports a large number of
unscaled logs upon some of our landings. There are something over 30 reservoir permits and
about 12 applications for reservoir sites on the Bitter Root. In the case of the large majority of
reservoir permits, we do not know what they have done, and there are applications on file made
two or three years ago upon which there is no report, and no action has yet been taken. The
public has not been allowed to suffer much from the inadequacy of the Bitter Root force. For
instance, a man makes application to reservoir a lake, and we are not in a position to make a
report upon, and examination of the reservoir site and issue the permit. The applicant is given to
understand that since he has performed his part, and we have not time to secure the information
necessary for issuance of permit, we will likewise not find time to make out a trespass report
against him, if he goes ahead without permit.
The ranger districts are smallest during the fire season, and at that time of the year, their average
size is about 150,000 acres per man. Last year, because the sales were all closed on account of a
strike, the timber sales men were assigned to fire patrol, and the average district was only
120,000 acres per man. There are no permanent ranger districts on the Bitter Root.
The permanent force on the Bitter Root for 1910 should consist of: 1 Forest Supervisor; 1
Deputy Forest Supervisor, 1 Clerk, Forest Supervisor, office; 1 Head Ranger; 2 Rangers; 3
Deputy Rangers, and 4 Assistant Rangers.
Besides the permanent force, there should be seven Assistant Rangers or Guards employed six or
eight months during the summer season.
The salaries of the rangers are generally as good or better than they could earn outside of the
Forest Service. . . .
Lodging: Two rangers lived in Forest Service cabins last winter. The rest of the men wintered
in their own, or rented houses. Next winter, it is hoped that four rangers can stay in Forest
Service cabins. In the summer, fully half the men live in Forest Service temporary cabins or
tents; the rest either in their own or rented houses.
Subsistence: 50 to 75 cents per day per man.
Horses: Every ranger owns two or three horses worth from $50 to $150 apiece. Those rangers
staying on the Forest during the summer spend but little for feed, while those living outside the
Forest boundaries spend about 25 cents per day for feed per horse. There is no hay grown on any
of our ranger stations, and all the men must feed their horses in the winter from November 1 to
May 1, at a cost of from 25 to 40 cents per day. The field outfit required is but a small item.
Forest Ranger Nathaniel E. Wilkerson: Wilkerson has served on the Bitter Root for about ten
years. For the first few years, he received winter furloughs quite regularly; otherwise his service
has been continuous. He was the first Supervisor of the Hell Gate National Forest, of which
position, I am informed, he was relieved at his own request. January 1, 1908, his salary was
raised to $1,400 per annum, . . . an increase of $200 per year. . . . recommend that . . . Wilkerson
be promoted by an increase of $100 per annum in salary, making his salary $1,500 per year, with
title of Head Ranger.
Mr. Wilkerson is about 40 years old. Physically he is still able to do lots of hard work, although
he no longer possesses the exuberant vigor of youth. Before entering the Service, he had been a
clerk in mercantile stores, logging contractor, placer miner, rancher, etc. He owns a small tract
of land – seven or eight acres – near Darby. His stock consists of a team of horses and one or
two cows.
Mr. Wilkerson’s standing in the community, with the better class of people, is excellent,
although there is a rather small, drinking, lawless element bitterly antagonistic to the Forest
Service, who dislike him; but their dislike is no discredit. His personal habits are above
reproach.
. . .Wilkerson’s present work is that of Head Ranger, or a field Deputy Supervisor, with all of the
rangers on about two-thirds of the Forest subject to his orders. He looks after all important
projects in his district, except the larger timber sales. He is relieved of timber sale work, not
because of lack of ability, but for lack of time. He has unusual ability to handle men in the field,
and is probably one of the best men in the Service to look after improvement work. The other
rangers in the Service. . . like him. He is reliable, industrious, painstaking, and because of his
splendid judgment, prepares a good report in spite of an occasional slip in grammar, or a
misspelled word.
Mr. Wilkerson’s devotion to the Service is something like that of Stewart Edward White’s
“California John,” except that Wilkerson has more education, is less picturesque, and is a better
man.
Deputy Forest Ranger Earl B. Tanner. . . . entered the Forest Service April 24, 1907, as
Assistant Forest Ranger at a salary of $900 per annum. January 1, 1908 he was promoted to his
present position with a slary of $1,000 per annum. . . . recommend the promotion to the position
of Forest Ranger with a salary of $1,200 per annum.
…Tanner is a young man 30 years old. He enjoys good health, and is physically able to perform
the duties of a Forest Ranger. Before entering the Service he had been employed as bookkeeper
for various business firms. He owns no land, and only two head of horses . . . . Mr. Tanner is
respected wherever known, and has excellent personal habits. . . . his work has been chiefly in
connection with timber sales – scaling and looking after the cutting. Last year he was on fire
patrol and his work was first class, . . . capable of . . . all sorts of ranger work. He is industrious,
reliable and thorough; has a fair education, prepares good reports, and gets along well with other
members of the Service. He likes the work and takes a big interest in it. He is capable of
performing any of a ranger’s duties, except improvement work. He has had the most experience
in, and is best fitted for, timber sale work, and is a very good scaler. He is unusually alert on a
timber sale, and ready to protect the interests of the Forest Service. . . . should be given the
position of scaler . . . in the near future.
Assistant Forest Ranger Dwight L. Beatty. Entered the Service as Forest Guard April 9, 1908;
appointed Assistant Ranger October 1, 1908, at a salary of $900 per annum. Recommend
promotion to Forest Ranger at $1,200 per annum.
Beatty is a young man about 30 years old, has good habits, a fair education and is well fitted . . .
for the work of a Forest Ranger. Previous to entering the Forest Service, he had for eight years
been . . . in the cattle business in Montana, chiefly as a cowboy. With the exception of five or six
horses, he owns no property in the Bitter Root Valley.
During the past year, Mr. Beatty has handled a large and difficult district in a satisfactory
manner. He has looked after Forest Service interests too attentively to be thoroughly popular.
Nevertheless, he commands the sincere respect of those who know him. . . firm, tactful, mildmannered, and courteous . . . together with a great interest in the work, industry, initiative, and
reliability. . . an excellent District Ranger. In his reports, he is painstaking . . . . uses good
language, and thus prepares a first rate report. He is the best stockman on the Bitter Root
National Forest. He is an excellent ranger, and, I believe, would make a good Grazing Inspector.
He is best suited for the work of District Head Ranger. The plan is to make Mr. Wilkerson Head
Ranger for the south two-thirds of the Bitter Root Forest, and Mr. Beatty Head Ranger for the
north one-third.
[Beatty’s] district is so situated that his expenses for subsistence and travel are greater than the
same expenses for most of the other rangers on this Forest.
Deputy Forest Ranger James W. Gallogly. Entered the Service as Forest Guard May 1, 1907;
promoted to Deputy Forest Ranger at $1,000 per annum on January 1, 1908. Recommend
promotion to $1,100 per annum while retaining title of Deputy Forest Ranger.
. . . Young man from 30 to 35 years of age, in good health and physically able to perform the
duties of a Forest Ranger. . . . owns some land within the National Forest on Camp Creek. He
also owns a few head of horses and cattle which graze on his ranch. Before entering the Forest
Service, he worked in the mines of Butte, Montana as a skilled laborer, handling drilling
machinery. He is well-liked and respected by almost every one in the community. Since
entering the Forest Service his work has been on grazing and fire patrol, handling free use, and
building cabins and trails. He is the best carpenter and cabin builder on the force. . . . he is so
extremely painstaking and conscientious, and takes things so seriously that he lacks just a little in
initiative. He has a good education and prepares excellent reports. . . . industrious, thorough,
and honest, and best fitted for the position of District Ranger, working under the direct
supervision of a man like Wilkerson. He is also a good man to put in charge of cabin-building.
Mr. Gallogly occupies one of the permanent ranger cabins, and it is largely for this reason that a
salary of $1,100 instead of $1,200 is recommended for him.
Assistant Forest Ranger Clagett Sanders. Entered the Service under title of Assistant Forest
Ranger at $900 per annum June 10, 1908. Recommend that he be promoted to position of
Deputy Forest Ranger with $1,000 per year.
. . . About 40 years old, physically well qualified for the duties of a Forest Ranger. Before
entering the Forest Service, Mr. Sanders has knocked about through the western mountains
considerably, but his general occupation had been that of lumberman, doing all of the jobs from
that of driving team in the woods to running the edger in the sawmill. Owns a small tract of land
and a house in Darby, also a few head of horses. Well liked and respected in the community.
His personal habits are good, and he is industrious and honest. Has very good judgment, but is
seriously lacking in the matter of education, which cripples him considerably when it comes to
making reports. Since entering the Forest Service, he has worked at stock patrol, fire patrol, trail
building, and as scaler on timber sales. Has given good satisfaction in all of his work. Gest
along well with other members of the Service, and though he does not see the wisdom in all of
the Forest Service policies, he tries to. Mr. Sanders has been shifted considerably, has no head
quarters, has to keep his horses in town, and thus is put to considerable expense. This is one
reason for recommending him for promotion. Best suited for miscellaneous work of the Deputy
Ranger, should work under the supervision of another man in the field.
Deputy Forest Ranger William See. Entered the Service under the GLO, now receives salary of
$1,000 per year. I do not recommend any promotion for him. About 40 years old, used to the
outdoor life of a cowboy and ranger. Before entering the Forest Service, he was a cowboy and
freighter. Owns no land that I know of, and only one or two saddle and pack horses. Well liked
in his community, and is especially popular with the cattle men. Thoroughly honest, frank to a
point of lacking tact, and unusually industrious. In his personal habits, when around a town, he
occasionally drinks a little too much, and does love a game of poker. Sadly lacking in education,
and makes a miserable report. In fact, he seldom writes a letter, and to get information from him,
a Supervisor or Head Ranger must visit him once or twice a month to talk things over with him.
His judgment is good. Mr. See has been engaged chiefly upon stock patrol since entering the
Forest Service. He has also handled free use business, and scaled some on timber sales. His
stock and fire patrol work is good; his scaling is very acceptable; his free use business is handled
a little laxly, and his work in building cabins is decidedly slip-shod. When working with a crew
on a cabin or trail, he does more work as a rule than any other man on the crew, but he is best
qualified to work directly under some one on stock and fire patrol. Also good on improvement
work with somebody else in charge.
Assistant Forest Ranger James D. Vance. Now Assistant Forest Ranger at $900 per year, which
title and salary he obtained at least as long ago as May 1, 1906. I cannot recommend him for any
promotion.
I judge [him] to be from 40 to 45 years old. In good health and physically able to perform the
duties of ranger. Before entering FS, he was a guide and packer. He owns and lives upon a
ranch of about 80 acres in T.4N, R. 21W. Also has unpatented homestead of 160 acres in Sec.
15, T.2S, R. 22W. His wife has a timber and stone claim in the same section and township.
Owns no stock, except for a few saddle and pack horses.
Mr. Vance is widely acquainted in the Bitter Root Valley and has almost no enemies, but on the
other hand, he does not command deep respect. His care-free, happy-go-lucky ways, even
temper and perpetual good humor render him a valuable subordinate in a crew, but not so
desirable as foreman of a crew or district ranger. He will go any place and try to do anything
that he is told to do, no matter how hard, cheerfully. Directly under some one, he works well;
left to his own resources, he does not. He also lack initiative. I believe in Mr. Vance’s honesty,
but do not rely fully upon his reports, because he is quite deficient in education, not thorough,
and above all, is too easily talked out of his own opinions, and ‘worked.’
Vance is the best mountaineer and woodsman on the Bitter Root ranger force. He is excellent on
fire patrol. With a good man to direct him, his work is satisfactory. Forest Ranger N. E.
Wilkerson has unusual executive ability, and is too valuable a man to attend to all the details of
the work assigned him. We can use a man like Vance to work under the direct supervision of
Mr. Wilkerson to good advantage.
Assistant Forest Ranger Clyde W. Shockley. Entered the SUFS with the title of Assistant Forest
Ranger, March 4, 1908 at $900 per annum. I cannot recommend any promotion for him.
A young man, probably under 30, strong and in good health. Worked on his father’s ranch
before entering USFS, and by the day for various people around Darby. Owns no land or stock
that I know of, except a team of horses. Personal habits are good. Has not shown himself very
industrious, and I do not rely on him fully, although I believe him to be honest. The trouble is
that he does not exert himself to go to the bottom of matters, and does not report things that he
sees that are not just right on the Forest, or out of the ordinary. He and Mr. Tanner are two
opposite types. Tanner sees everything, investigates and reports; Shockley does not seem to see
things, and if he does, lets them pass and says nothing. Again he does not get along well with
most of the rangers. He is somewhat taciturn, unsociable, and perhaps a trifle jealous. His work
in the Service has been chiefly fire patrol, improvement work and scaling, but has never been
entirely satisfactory. I do not thoroughly understand Mr. Shockley, and he is really still on
probation as far as I am concerned. He has a fair education, is intelligent, clean and capable, if
he would only take more interest and get on the right track. At present he is most useful under
the close supervision of another ranger.
Assistant Forest Ranger William A. Kerlee. Entered USFS as Assistant Forest Ranger at $900
per year February 15, 1908. Promotion not recommended for him.
A young man, probably under 30, strong and accustomed to outdoor life. Before USFS, he had
been engaged chiefly in ranching. He owns no land, two or three head of horses and a cow or
two. Well thought of by all who know him. Industrious, thoroughly reliable, rather slow, very
meagerly educated, and usually does not prepare a first class report. Gets along well with other
men in the Service, but makes a poor boss of a brush burning or trail crew; he lets the men run
over him. Work has been chiefly fire and stock patrol, and improvement work, and it has been
very satisfactory. Best suited for miscellaneous ranger work where the responsibility is not too
great and the work directly under the supervision of another ranger. We hope to train him, and
put him in charge of the Bitter Root nursery. He is good natured, dependable, and I like him.
Forest Assistant John F. Preston. Salary $1,200 per annum, was transferred from “Timber Sales”
to the Bitter Root March 3, 1909. Has shown unusual aptitude and intelligence in coming to a
quick understanding of the business and conditions on the Bitter Root. Displays a good
knowledge of the Forest Service policies, writes good letters, and can be relied upon to run
things all right. In the field he is also very capable, and has lots of good common sense, gets
along well with the rangers, and commands respect of Forest users. He is such a man as I would
like to have for a Deputy Supervisor. I have full confidence in him, and do not hesitate to
recommend him as being capable of holding the position of Forest Supervisor. Recommends
promotion to Deputy Supervisor or Supervisor, at $1,500 per annum.
Olive L. Smith, Clerk. Entered service October 12, 1908, under temporary appointment at $900
per annum. Still working under the same appointment at the same salary. Not quite so rapid in
taking dictation as some, but improving very fast, and takes letters fast enough for me. On the
typewriter she is fast and accurate. Handles the property, routine part of free use, keeps the
Expense Journal, Project Ledger, etc., and it is in these things that her work is much above the
average. She does not work in that mechanical, unintelligent way that so many clerks do, but she
understands the why and wherefore of everything she does, and this is why she is a first class
clerk in a Supervisor’s office. . . she not only has a god education and has taught school, but she
knows the west and its mountains and its people first hand. Recommends promotion from salary
of $900 to $1,000 to take effect as soon as she has passed the Civil Service examination, and
receives a permanent appointment.
The above excerpted from “Personnel Report, Bitter Root National Forest, Fiscal Year 1910,
submitted by Forest Supervisor W. W. White.” (BNF Heritage Archives, Box 18, Folder 1).
Elers Koch, writing in “Early Days in the Forest Service,” recalled that during the first years of
the Forest Service, “We had relatively little opposition to the National Forests from the local
people. There were some diehards who did a good deal of talking, particularly in the
neighborhood of Darby, which [the first Bitterroot Forest Supervisor] E.A. Sherman, in a famous
letter defending himself against an attack, described as a town ‘conceived in iniquity and born in
crime.’”
The community of Darby and the Forest Service have an interesting relationship that dates back
to the pre-Forest Service era of the Bitter Root Forest Reserve. Back then, the forests were
managed by the General Land Office in the Department of Interior. The Bitter Root Reserve’s
first supervisor Major J. B. Weber, of Kansas City, arrived in August 1898. Two of the forest’s
first four rangers were Darby men: Martin Toole and William H. McCoy of Darby. The other
two rangers were from Stevensville. These rangers served only through the end of that first
season. In May 1899, a new crew of rangers – eight in all – was appointed. Of the eight, at least
six were from Darby: William McCoy, Frank Overturf, H. C. Tuttle, Lovell Osborne, Hiram
Cook and Nathaniel E. “Than” Wilkerson. Tuttle and Wilkerson had the area from Blue Joint
south to the Idaho line; McCoy and Osborne had the territory from Trapper Creek to Blue Joint,
along both sides of the river and up the Nez Perce Fork; Overturf had the area south between the
East and West Forks; and Cook’s area ran from Lost Horse to Trapper Creek. In 1901, two
more Darby men were added to the ranger force, H.M. Butler and Thomas Laird. These early
rangers lived at home (in or near Darby) whenever possible, but south end ranger cabins or tent
stations were located at Alta, West Fork, Medicine Hot Springs, and Rock Creek. The north end
ranger cabins were located at Blodgett Creek and Bass Creek.
For $50 a month, the early rangers retraced and cut out old Indian trails, located and marked
reserve boundaries, and began the management of free use of timber and grazing. Many of the
early rangers’ duties brought them into conflict with local residents. Some had established
timber claims within the reserve just prior to or shortly after its designation and it was the
rangers’ job to sort out the valid claims from the invalid claims – and their decisions often
resulted in hard feelings among the claimants. It was also the rangers’ duty to identify and
prosecute timber and grazing trespass on the reserve, which only added to their unpopularity
among those who had become accustomed to unregulated access to those resources. And there
were other conflicts as well - In the winter of 1899-1900, the Darby mail contractor, W.G. Smith
built a store on Hughes Creek, near the mining camp of Alta. Unfortunately the store was on
Forest Reserve land, and Smith was forced to remove it, much to the chagrin of the miners, who
found the store “a great convenience.” Six months later, the Department of Interior in
Washington, DC issued an order to the Forest Reserve supervisor, stating that “the sale of liquor
on the Lake Como forest reserve will hereafter be prohibited.” E.A. Sherman, who was at that
time editor of the Ravalli County Democrat newspaper observed, “Of course, this order does
not apply to picnickers who may desire to take ‘medicine’ with them to use in case of snake
bites.” A few months later, Mr. Sherman became the next Forest Supervisor.
By the summer of 1902, the Forest Reserve was in dispute with the Anaconda Copper Mining
Company over ACMC’s timber cutting practices, which seemed to ignore the boundaries
between company land and Forest Reserve. The Company was required to pay for the public
timber it harvested, but disagreed as to how much timber had been taken. The result was, as the
Western News termed it, “A stump counting contest [that] has been going on in Darby viciniage
for some time past and the denizens thereabouts are becoming mildly interested in the outcome.”
The Company claimed it was being unfairly prosecuted, while local trespassers got off scot-free.
As a result, the government sued Matt Blindaur to recover $28, the value of timber he cut from
the Como reserve. Tried in local court for the offense, Blindaur was acquitted. It was in the
midst of this controversy that newspaper editor E.A. Sherman assumed the position of Forest
Supervisor. Sherman had been brought to Hamilton a few years earlier to run a Democratic
paper for Marcus Daly, who also owned the Ravalli Republican. After the demise of the Ravalli
County Democrat, Sherman wound up running the Republican, and initially maintained both his
connection to the ACMC-held newspaper AND his federal forestry appointment. Wrote
Sherman years later: “. . . I considered it beyond the range of human possibility for any man to
administer the Bitter Root Forest Reserve longer than Mr. Weber, who had served about four
years. If he enforced the regulations, he would be removed by public clamor and general local
hostility; if he did not enforce the regulations, he would be removed upon the initiative of the
Government.” Sherman lasted four years on the Bitter Root, eventually giving up his
newspaper post, and going on to a lengthy career with the Forest Service, retiring as Associate
Chief Forester.
Controversy continued under Sherman’s tenure, particularly since many homestead claims on
Forest Reserve lands were being invalidated. Timber and grazing trespasses were rampant.
Other controversies arose as well. In 1904, Chief Ranger Than Wilkerson filed a complaint
against Hotel Darby owner Milton Hammond for violating local liquor prohibition and antigambling laws, the anti-saloonists were outraged when Wilkerson failed to appear at the trial.
He had been ordered to accompany Forest Supervisor Sherman on a trip up the East Fork.
Without Wilkerson’s testimony, the case against Hammond was dismissed. Although the “wets”
who had enjoyed use of Hammond’s saloon were pleased, the “drys” in the community thought it
was no coincidence that Hammond’s brother was of one of the principals in an ACMCcontrolled timber subsidiary, and the ACMC-connected Sherman had taken Wilkerson, the
prosecution’s chief witness, out of town on government business.
In 1905, the newly created US Forest Service offered its first large-scale timber sale, on Lick
Creek north of Lake Como. Many in Darby were violently opposed to logging around the
popular and scenic lake area – public meetings were held and a petition drawn up in protest to
the sale. It was expected that the Anaconda Company would be the successful bidder, but the
Company balked at the minimum price set by the Forest Service - $3 per thousand board ft. The
Company held out, assuming the Forest Service would yield on the price. Instead, two Idaho
Falls lumbermen, Hitt & Melquist, submitted a winning bid of $4.01 per thousand. ACMC,
which operated a large lumber mill in Hamilton, was outraged at the thought of “their” timber
going to an outside firm, and wound up purchasing the sale from Hitt & Melquist for
considerably more than the Forest Service’s original minimum. In addition, the Company lost
the lawsuit over its illegal cutting of government timber in the Bitter Root, being forced to pay
handsomely for its trespass.
As a result of seeing “the Company” successfully brought to heel by the new Forest Service,
local opposition softened somewhat. Between 1907 and 1909, the Forest Service began
installing telephone lines to connect its stations in Sula, Medicine Hot Springs, Jenning’s Camp,
Trapper Creek , and Alta to Chief Ranger Wilkerson’s office in Darby. Although the lines were
intended for the use of Forest personnel, they were made available as needed to local residents in
time of emergency or urgent business, a service that was greatly appreciated by the Darby
community. Forest improvements, such as bridges and trails, also accommodated Darby-area
freighters, packers, hunters and recreationists. Construction of the Bitter Root/Big Hole Road in
1912-1913 was a major collaborative effort between the Forest Service, Darby businessmen, and
Big Hole ranchers, showing what could be achieved when these groups worked together. The
road, a segment of the Park-to-Park “highway” system, not only facilitated trade between the Big
Hole and Bitter Root, but greatly increased tourist traffic through the southern Bitter Root
Valley. By the 1910s, the Forest Service was also valued as a significant source of employment.
Since there was no ranger station in Hamilton, most Forest “south end” projects were stocked
and equipped from Darby, providing jobs for packers and laborers and a major customer for
groceries, tools and hardware. Darby was also a key departure point for fire crews, many of
them Darby residents, who went into the “Clearwater Country” via Lost Trail Pass, a major
conduit for Forest Service activity in the backcountry. By 1915, nearly all permanent and
seasonal Bitterroot National Forest employees for the area from Hamilton south, were Darby
residents. In hopes of Forest Service careers, many Darby students enrolled at the University of
Montana’s newly established School of Forestry, in either the degree program or the special
short-course “ranger school.” With the outbreak of WWI, Darby made news with the number of
men (twelve) who enlisted in the Twentieth Engineers of the forestry regiment: L.R. Kincaid,
H.A. Blackford, B. I. Greenup, A. E. Robins, O. T. Ward, W. P. Vallance, Fred A. McLean, J. C.
Vance, William Seifert, F. J. Fox, Ed McKay and P.K. Hill. In response to worsening
economic times in 1917 (Montana experienced an economic downturn long before the Great
Depression hit in 1929), the Darby Ranger District made over a thousand cords of dead timber
available for winter fuel, free for the hauling, and worked with the Harper mill at Rock Creek to
make six cords of edgings per day available, which would otherwise have been burned at the
mill.