TABLE ROCK.

FLOUNCE ROCK, June 12, 1864.

HIRAM ABBOTT & CO.

FORT KLAMATH, July 16th, 1864.

W. W. FOWLER.

    The establishment of the government road leading from the Rogue River road at the head of Annie Creek to Crater Lake is likely to divert a large portion of the Crater Lake travel from the natural route up Rogue River to the Dead Indian and Klamath Falls routes, and it behooves the people of this part of the valley to do something to counteract this. The road up Rogue River is admittedly the best and shortest route to follow in order to reach this great natural wonder, but in order to reach the turning-off place contemplated from this side the summit of the mountain must be crossed. This means a hard climb from either way.
    The solution of the problem seems to be the establishment of another road, loading from the main road to Crater Lake on this side of the summit. The plan is a feasible one, and the expense will not be great. This second road, naturally, must be built by subscription.
    S. S. Aiken, of Prospect, informs the Mail that some years ago the project of making a road to take the place of the present route up the side of Mt. Mazama was under consideration among the people of that locality, and that an easy, practicable route was found on this side of the summit. The road would leave the Rogue River road some distance this side of where the present one does, and crossing the head of Castle Creek Canyon, follow around the edge of what is known as the Castle Creek Flats, and with a comparatively easy grade and very little heavy work reach the lake at about the same point the road does now. Mr. Aiken estimates that this new road would be about seven miles long and that the cost would not exceed $700.
    It would have the advantage of the Annie Creek route in the fact that there would be good camping places all along, a convenience the Annie Creek road would not be so well supplied with.
    This Crater Lake travel is sure to become a source of considerable income to the valley, and it is to the interest of the people of this northern portion to secure as much of it as possible. With the bulk of the travel going around by the Dead Indian route or by Klamath Falls this part of the valley would get but a very small share, but with a good road from the railroad to the lake on this side of the summit we could secure a full share of the travel, and it is certainly worth the effort.
    The first step, to be sure, is to secure a right of way from the government, but there is not likely to be any great difficulty about that. If $700 will build that road, let's rustle around a little and see if we cannot dig it up. It is an investment from which the people of this part of the valley will receive substantial dividends.
Medford Mail, January 9, 1903, page 2


EDITOR MAIL:
    I see in the Medford Mail, of January 9th, that there was talk of building a new road to Crater Lake, on the west side of the summit, in order to hold the travel on the Rogue River road to the lake. Uncle Sam is preparing to make a road from the head of Anna Creek to the lake and will keep the same in good repair. One good road to the lake will be sufficient for all the travel, providing the roads to get to that are made. A road from Prospect through the Red Blanket country to Ft. Klamath would make the distance between Medford and Ft. Klamath several miles shorter and would not make the distance to Crater Lake any greater. This would intersect the road from Ft. Klamath to the lake in the north part of Wood River Valley. This is a road that Medford could well afford to dig up quite freely on.
    The writer of the above is all right on many points. The road he speaks of is one that would be of great benefit to Medford and the Rogue River Valley, and is one that should be built. It will not only make the distance between Medford and Ft. Klamath and the great stock raising country east and west much less, but would be a road passable at all times of the year--something that the present road is not. But the building [of] the road our correspondent mentions does not make the road to Crater Lake from the present Rogue River road any the less necessary, rather increases. The Red Blanket route would be all right for traffic back and forth between the two sections, but the great volume of summer travel--tourists visiting Crater Lake and other scenic points--must still use the Rogue River road. If the Red Blanket route was established and the present one abandoned, the only way to get to Crater Lake from here would be to cross the mountains and go to the lake from the east side, and to get back one must retrace his steps several miles, and if he belongs on this side climb from Wood River Valley to the summit again. As it is, parties can go one way to the great scenic wonder and return another, and the object of the road proposed by the Mail was to make the trip more convenient. With the establishment of the government road on the east side and the one outlined by the Mail on the west, there would be no necessity for any retracing of steps or the second climbing of high ridges in order to make the trip "around the Horn," as it is called. We agree with the correspondent that the Red Blanket road is something Medford needs, but it also needs the other--ought to have both of them--and anything this paper or its editor can do to bring about such a result will be done.
Medford Mail, January 30, 1903, page 1


    G. A. Hollenbeak, he who keeps the hotel at Prospect, and E. M. Boothby, also of Prospect, were in the city Monday. They report the roads in a worse condition than they ever were before at this season of the year. There is no snow, but gee whiz, there is mud and ruts into which one can nearly drop out of sight.


From the Portland Oregonian:
    "KLAMATH FALLS, Or., May 3.--W. S. Arant, superintendent of Crater Lake National Park, reports that he will have the new road leading to the lake ready for use by August 1. 1t will be shorter and have fewer bumps and steep grades than the old one. It will enable a journey from Fort Klamath to the lake, 25 miles, in 2½ hours.
    "Work will begin on the new road as soon as the snow disappears sufficiently to permit it. Deep snows linger longer in the mountains this year than usual, but may melt quickly under the influence of a warm spell, and not delay approach to the lake. Mr. Arant says preparations are being made to put an electric launch on the lake for the pleasure of tourists during the coming summer."
    The Mail does not wish to cast any doubt upon the veracity of the correspondent who sent the above to the Oregonian, but one of the employees of this shop, who is more or less intimately acquainted with that country, expresses a doubt of the ability of any means of locomotion prevalent in the Klamath country to accomplish the feat, except bipeds with wings. In relation to this new Crater Lake road we wish to call the attention of those wishing to view that grand scenic wonder this season to the fact that while they were getting from the railroad to Fort Klamath--twenty-five miles from the lake--they could reach their goal from Medford, and be quite a distance on their return journey. It is 79 miles from Medford to Crater Lake; from Ashland to Fort Klamath it is an even 100 miles and you still have 25 miles to go--mostly straight up. From Ager in California, it is 94 miles to Fort Klamath and you are still 25 miles from the lake, and if there is a team in this whole country that can make that 25 miles with a load such as camping parties usually have, in two hours and a half, and be worth thirty cents afterward, we would like to see them. Really there is only one good short route to Crater Lake and that is the one to be followed by the Southern Pacific excursion in August, viz; from Medford up Rogue River, then after getting to the lake, the return trip may be made via Dead Indian, with practically a downhill grade. If you go the other way you climb for three days steadily to reach the altitude you get to in a day and a half by the Rogue River route.
Medford Mail, May 8, 1903, page 6


    Wagons loaded with campers and provisions are passing through here daily on their way to Crater Lake, as they are finding out that Rogue River route is the best mountain road in the state if not on the coast.
A. C. Howlett, "Eagle Point Eaglets," Medford Mail, August 7, 1903, page 5


    There has been considerable improvement on the road from Eagle Point to Fort Klamath during the past year. Mr. Peyton is putting up a beautiful residence near the Rogue River grade, besides several other homes your correspondent is unable to name. The road between Fort Klamath and the head of Anna Creek has been greatly improved, and parties are now at work building a road to Crater Lake that will be simply fine, with no hills of any consequence at all. Now if Jackson County could get an appropriation to improve the road over the summit, we would have the finest road in the state to the greatest wonder on the coast, and by coming that route tourists could see Mill Creek Falls, Rogue River Rapids, the big timber, the natural bridge on Rogue River, the Rogue River Gorge, the wonders of Castle Creek, and all the beautiful scenery along the route.
A. C. Howlett, "Eagle Point Eaglets," Medford Mail, August 14, 1903, page 7


    W. P. Dodge and Fred Tice returned Tuesday from a trip up to where the Crater Lake National Park surveyors are at work, having gone thither with a load each of supplies for the surveyors. While out there they met Mr. Arant, the superintendent of the park reserve. This gentleman has but recently recovered from a severe injury and sickness. He has completed a bridge across Anna Creek 104 feet in length which shortens the distance between Crater Lake and Klamath Falls fully one and a half miles. He reports that he has looked out a route that will shorten the distance between Medford and valley points to the lake fully three miles and will do away with much of the heavy grade over which the travel is now going.
"City Happenings," Medford Mail, August 28, 1903, page 5


    Probably the ideal camping trip on the Pacific Coast is that upon which one starts from Medford, goes by Crater Lake, visits historic Fort Klamath and returns by way of Pelican Bay, Lake o' the Woods and Dead Indian.
    On this journey there is more beautiful and picturesque mountain scenery to be found, with a modicum of the discomforts usually met with by the seeker after the grand and beautiful in nature, than upon any other of the tours through the scenic part of the coast.
    The trip can be made all the way in comfortable wagons. Stopping places are at convenient points and the tourist is not compelled to camp unless he so elects, although camping is one of the pleasant features of the trip.
    Leaving Medford, the traveler passes for twenty or more miles through the beautiful Rogue River Valley, past fields of waving grain, orchards bending 'neath their loads of fruit, green fields of alfalfa, until on the steady upward climb the timber slopes of the mighty Cascades are reached. There the road takes a more decided upward trend and follows the banks of the river, which dashes madly on its headlong journey to the sea, sometimes hundreds of feet below where the narrow road has been builded upon the mountainside. Among the first scenes of interest are the Mill Creek and Rogue River falls. Here the river falls in a series of cascades over ninety feet in the distance of a few hundred yards. At the foot of the descent, from a cliff 110 feet above the bed of the river, leaps one of the most beautiful waterfalls in America. Nothing intervenes between its leap from the verge of the precipice to where it strikes in foam and spray upon the rocks at the base of the cliff. One of the most beautiful rainbows imaginable is to be seen here. A solid sheet of water when it leaves the top of the cliff, it is nothing but mist and spray when it reaches the bottom.
    Further on the traveler passes through one of the finest belts of timber in Oregon, still practically untouched by the woodsman's ax. Lofty sugar pines and yellow firs tower heavenward, each one capable of producing lumber enough to build a mansion. Trees eight and ten feet in diameter are common and beneath their deep shade the tourist travels until he comes to Union Creek.
    Some three-fourths of a mile from the camping place is the "natural bridge." This is an arch of lava across the stream, made probably when old Mount Mazama "blew its head off" and created the famous Crater Lake, sending a stream of molten rock down across the course of Rogue River, through which the turbulent stream found a devious path. The river at this point comes down between solid walls of lava and is
confined to a very narrow channel. It disappears beneath the bridge, but, strange to say, the water upon the downstream side is not the impetuous, foaming current like that above. On the contrary it is eddying, and apparently flowing upstream. A journey of 150 yards down the bank explains the matter, however. Bursting from the east bank at right angles to its former course comes the immense volume of water which rushed beneath the bridge above. By a subterranean channel, nobody knows how long or tortuous, the water finds an outlet. That the channel is a long one has been demonstrated. Should a piece of wood be dropped into the river above the bridge one will have time to walk leisurely down to the outlet and must wait several minutes before the object dropped in is hurled forth into the main river.
    Above Union Creek, just a short distance from the road, is a gorge, which for beauty and grandeur exceeds many more pretentious and widely advertised scenes. Here the river takes a plunge of some fifty feet into a narrow chasm, which at the top is less than fifteen feet across, but widens out as it goes down. It is probably what is left of the upper end of the natural bridge, and seems indicative that Rogue River flowed at one time beneath the lava from this point to where it comes out below the natural bridge, something like two miles. The lava flow is easily traceable all the way beneath the two points. At different points along the route from Prospect up two immense pinnacles of rock, standing out against the sky on the summit of the Umpqua divide, have been visible. Those rocks are known as the "Cowhorns," "Elkhorn" and "Rabbit Ears." The latter appellation seems the most fitting, for, from a distance, they resemble nothing so much as the ears of gigantic "John" rabbit, "the father of all rabbits."
    Twelve miles from Union Creek brings one to the "Castle Canyon." This point takes its name from the castellated rocks upon its northern slope. Part of the formation is of soft slate rock, while ever and anon is a strata of igneous, or lava rock. The erosion of the softer rock has left the harder substance in pinnacles of many fantastic shapes. Castles, minarets, ramparts and bastions abound, and led to the place receiving the name "'Castle" canyon.
    Now we come the the crowning point of the trip. The goal we have had in sight since we left our home, be it in the far eastern states, or beneath the shadow of the lofty mountains upon the summit of which we will soon stand. Five miles away from us lies the "gem of the mountains," the grandest and most mysterious and awe-inspiring of any spot upon the Pacific Slope--Crater Lake.
    "In the fragrant hush of the morning," one leaves his camp two miles from the rim of the lake and travels upward, ever upward, beneath the serried ranks of ancient firs, until suddenly, almost without warning, he stands, it seems, on top of the earth. There is nothing above him but the blue and cloudless sky and below him--2000 feet below him--shimmering in the light of the rising sun lies the clear waters of Crater Lake. It is only a little way to the water, you think, but when you have made half the journey down the rugged mountain path, look back and measure the distance you have come with that still to be traveled. At the foot of the mighty cliffs, at the water's edge, one begins to realize the immensity of the grand natural wonder, and to speculate upon the mighty forces necessary to tear the top from a mountain, which must have been the twin of Shasta, and leave a hole 4000 feet deep and seven miles across half-filled with rippling water, as the only remembrance of what was once one of the monarchs of the Cascades. But there is no use trying to describe it. No painting can bring out the majesty and sublimity of the scene, and the tongue or pen of man can never depict its beauty or its grandeur. You may describe Niagara or Yosemite and even make photographs of them, but you can neither photograph nor describe Crater Lake.
    From Crater Lake the tourist goes down the eastern slope of the Cascades through Annie Creek canyon--one of the most beautiful bits of scenery on the route--to the Wood River Valley. This valley, over 4000 feet above the sea, is one of the richest and most fertile spots in the great Klamath basin. It is crossed by numerous streams of clear, cold water, fed by the everlasting snows of the mountain peaks and filled with the mountain trout, the praises of which Joaquin Miller has so eloquently sung. In the midst of the valley stands historic Fort Klamath, the sagging doors and windowless sashes of which bear mute witness to the march of time and the progress of civilization. Fifty years--say twenty years ago--it was an important post. Restless tribes of red men must be controlled, and the Stars and Stripes floated proudly from the flag pole--which has long since been utilized to cook the meals of some traveler or cowboy--while the parade ground resounded to the tramp of armed men and encircling hills gave back echoes of words of command. In the little old jail yonder Captain Jack sat and meditated over the futility of contesting the onward march of the white man, and over there beneath the shadow of those pines are the rotting posts of the scaffold from which he and his companions were launched into eternity.
    From Fort Klamath one may make a choice of routes, either by way of Klamath Falls or Pelican Bay. The latter route is the one most often taken. About a day's journey from the old fort brings one to this famous resort. Here some of the finest fishing in the land can be had--rainbow and Dolly Varden trout being abundant and affording good sport. In the fall millions of ducks and geese come in, deer can be easily found in the nearby hills and it is indeed a veritable hunter's paradise.
    From Pelican the road leads through wild and picturesque scenery to Lake o' the Woods--a beautiful sheet of water--with lofty Pitt's snow-capped dome in sight most of the way--through the Dead Indian country, and back to the Rogue River Valley above Ashland. Not the least pleasant portion of the trip is the drive down the valley to Medford. Most of the larger orchards are passed, and the sight of acres and acres of apple and pear trees bending low with the weight of ripening fruit gives the visitor some idea of the great fruit-raising possibilities of Southern Oregon.
Medford Mail, July 15, 1904, page 1


    W. H. Hodson, proprietor of the Medford Auto Garage, enjoys the distinction of being the first man to drive an auto to Crater Lake, having accomplished this feat on the 12th of August. He drove a 22-horsepower Buick on the trip. With the exception of a small portion of the roads in the Fort Klamath country, Mr. Hodson says they are in good condition and that it makes an excellent trip.
Gold Hill News, August 30, 1907, quoted in Gold Hill News, August 31, 1933, page 2


    JACKSONVILLE, Or., March 24.--(Special.)--The County Court of Jackson County today entered and ordered the appropriation of $50,000 toward construction of the Crater Lake road. This will supplement the appropriation of $100,000 made by the recent State Legislature.
Oregonian, Portland, March 25, 1909, page 4


    Jackson County, Oregon, appropriated $50,000 toward building the Crater Lake Boulevard.
Del Norte Record, Crescent City, April 3, 1909, page 2


    The injunction proceedings to restrain the state from building the Crater Lake Highway, threatened by attorney L. M. McMahon of Salem, would be an exceedingly ill-advised move, and would profit no one if undertaken. It is hard to conceive what Mr. McMahon's object is in assuming this attitude.
    To begin with, the Crater Lake bill is not unconstitutional. It is not local, but general, and will benefit the entire state of Oregon. It was passed upon, both by the governor and attorney general, and pronounced constitutional. It was drawn with this very end in view. Decisions of the supreme court in previous instances sustain its constitutionality. So that, while Mr. McMahon might delay the building, he could not prevent its final construction.
    Crater Lake belongs to Oregon, to the world. It is America's greatest natural wonder, and it is the duty of the state to make it accessible. The construction of a highway is essential and the money so expended will bring more results beneficial to the state than any money it would be possible to expend in other ways.
    Crater Lake will make Oregon famous and talked about the world over. It will bring a never-ending stream of money-spending tourists and sightseers from all parts of the globe, and be the state's greatest advertisement.
    To delay or attempt to prevent the building of the Crater Lake Highway is little less than criminal--a move typical of mossbackism and unprogressiveness that have kept Oregon in the rear of her sister states in development so long, and which the new Oregon of today is striving so hard to overthrow.
Medford Daily Tribune, May 19, 1909, page 4


    Uncle Sam has made good his promises as regards furnishing an engineer to supervise the construction of the Crater Lake road. Benjamin F. Heidel, assistant engineer of the office of public roads, Department of Agriculture, arrived in this city Friday morning and has spent two days between this city and Prospect with Dr. J. M. Keene, a member of the Crater Lake Road Commission. During the next thirty days he will go over the various possible routes and gather data, and expects to have his preliminary work completed within thirty days, so that he can throw surveyors into the field to take up the detailed plan of construction. The work to be done during the next month will consist of choosing the best route end studying it from all possible standpoints. The surveyors will then make up detailed specifications, so that contracts can be let for the actual construction of the road. These contracts will be let in sections.
    Engineer Heidel expresses himself as charmed with the possibilities of the road to the lake. While he only went as far as Prospect, what he saw highly pleased him. He was especially delighted with the Mill Creek Falls. He was taken out over the Rogue River route by Dr. Keene, crossing the Bybee bridge, and returned [on] the other road, coming back through Eagle Point.
    "If the lake is much more beautiful than it is reported to be, as the Mill Creek Falls proved, then, indeed, it is the great wonder of the world. I am most heartily satisfied with the orders that sent me to this section to undertake this work, for the Crater Lake road will be a wonderful drive. It will prove of great benefit to the entire state. Not alone will the lake be an attraction, but Oregon will boast of one of the most wonderful roads in the United States. I am judging this on my trip to Prospect, for this trip is one of great pleasure even over the present roads."--Medford Tribune.
Evening Herald, Eugene, June 10, 1909, page 1




    MEDFORD, Or., March 27.--(Special.)--The $25,000 for the Crater Lake Highway that was expected to be signed for in this city has been subscribed after the subscription paper was in circulation only two weeks.
    Now that Medford has pledged $25,000 toward the road's construction, people of the entire state will be asked to lend their aid to the enterprise.
Oregonian, Portland, March 28, 1910, page 5


    Engineer B. F. Heidel of the office of public roads, U.S. Department of Agriculture, has completed the survey and estimates of that portion of the Crater Lake Highway to be built by the forestry bureau in the Crater National Forest and for that portion of the road eliminating the Flounce Rock hill. The commission will soon call for contracts for the building of this section of the road. Mr. Heidel made his report to the commission Saturday morning.
    The road will be 23 feet from the face of the cut to the edge of the fill, including the gutter on the upper side, or a width of 19 feet for the roadbed. The estimated cost of this 2.7 miles will be $24,000, including clearing, grubbing, grading and surfacing.
    Mr. Heidel stated that the grading should be done during the winter months, owing to the character of the soil, mostly pumice, which must be handled while wet to make a permanent roadbed. A surface dressing of decomposed serpentine rock, of from 4 to 8 inches, specially rolled.
    Two and a quarter miles of roadbed will be graded in the National Forest reserve, between Union Creek and Whiskey Creek, and several rock cuts made, thus greatly improving and straightening out the highway. This will be a separate contract and let by the government.
    The commission authorized Geo. L. Davis to prepare for publication a complete financial statement, after which bids will be asked for the construction of the highway.
    A committee was appointed to have the route selected approved by the county court as a county road. It is nearly the same as that selected by the county surveyor.


    Benjamin E. Heidel, connected with the office of the Public Roads of the United States Department of Agriculture, was in Portland yesterday to attend the Oregon Good Roads convention. Mr. Heidel was sent to the Medford people by the government to take charge of the work of constructing the road to Crater Lake, "45 miles of macadamizing through the greatest scenic section in the world."
    After the Supreme Court held the bonds issued for the Crater Road were illegal, the city of Medford proceeded to obtain $30,000 by private subscription, $5000 of this being raised in Portland. The work of constructing this famous highway was started some time ago and 30 men and 12 teams are now engaged in building the road on Pumice Hill, where a 33 percent grade is being reduced to 4 percent.
    "The Crater Lake road, when finished," said Mr. Heidel, "will exceed in scenic beauty the Yosemite roadway or any road that traverses the Alps in Europe. It will be a rock-surfaced driveway 18 feet in width, while the main road will have a width of 23 feet. At Pumice Hill, where we are working, there are portions that will cost $14,000 a mile, most of it being rock work. The contract, which was let some time ago, is based upon the unit system and can be continued with the present contractor until it is finished."
    The work of the Medford people starts on the Rogue River and continues 45 miles. At the end of the road the government is taking up the work and building 17 miles through the forest reserve. This takes the traveler to the edge of the park, where the government is engaged in making surveys for a 12-mile drive to the lake. Provision is also being made for 60 to 80 miles of roadway in the park proper.
Oregonian, Portland, December 14, 1910, page 12


    At a meeting of the Crater Lake Highway Commission at the rooms of the Medford Commercial Club, March 21, attended by Messrs. Root, Davis, Ray, Waterman, Putnam, Westerlund, W. M. Colvig and Colonel Frank H. Ray, the following motion was made by J. A. Westerlund, seconded by E. B. Waterman and unanimously passed:
    "Whereas, the county court of Jackson County has agreed to assume charge of the Pumice Hill grade now being constructed under contract and to complete the same by the first of June under direction of its engineer, providing a fund of $10,000 is turned over to the court by the Crater Lake commission of the Medford Commercial Club, the county court agreeing to furnish additional funds necessary to complete the grade according to plans, and
    "Whereas, Colonel Frank H. Ray and the four banks of Medford have agreed to underwrite the popular subscriptions made to the Crater Lake Highway fund, by advancing to the county court of Jackson County $10,000, taking as security the subscriptions due, and naming as trustee for the said underwriters, F. E. Merrick, therefore,
    "Be it resolved: That the Crater Lake Highway Commission of the Medford Commercial Club hereby accepts the offer of the county court to complete the highway, and the offer of the underwriters to advance the $10,000 needed for construction and authorizes its president, secretary and treasurer to turn over to F. E. Merrick, trustee for the underwriters, with full power to collect for the purpose of reimbursing the underwriters the subscriptions made to the Crater Lake Highway fund, the surplus remaining, after the underwriters have been reimbursed, to be returned to the commission for expenditure on other portions of the road."
    The underwriting is done on the basis of one-third by Colonel Ray, two-thirds by the four banks. For the $10,000 advanced, $15,000 in unpaid subscriptions is security, most of which are not due until June 1.
    Colonel Ray offered the county the use of two heavy road rollers to be used as soon as needed, and the road will be ready for traffic by June 1. Advertising the trip to the lake can done at once.
Gold Hill News, March 25, 1911, page 1


    Time is near when Crater Lake tourist season will open.
    Thanks to the energy of the Medford Commercial Club and the cooperation of the government authorities and the county court, a much better road is offered the tourist from Medford than ever before.
    Superintendent Arant is going over all of the roads in the Crater Lake National  Park and will have them in first-class condition by July 1.
    The United States Forestry Bureau is remaking the road through the Cascade Forest Reserve and promises a much improved highway before travel begins.
    The Pumice Hill grade has been replaced by one of the best roads in the county, built by public subscription jointly with the county.
    Jackson County is overhauling and rebuilding many sections of the highway. A new road from Derby with a steel bridge across the Rogue will shorten the distance and furnish a new route. Still another shortcut is being built--a highway across the desert to a new steel bridge across the Rogue at the Jackson place.
    From being an exceedingly hard trip to the lake, the journey has become an easy day's run by auto. Each succeeding year will see further improvements, and gradually as the roads improve the number of sightseers will increase.
    Subscriptions to the Crater Lake Highway fund are now due and should be paid to the Medford National Bank at once, in order that the underwriters may be refunded the money advanced.
Medford Mail Tribune, June 21, 1911, page 4


    Members of the party that visited Prospect Sunday as guest of Colonel Frank H. Ray are loud in their praises of that section of the Crater Lake Highway built by popular subscription through the Medford Commercial Club. They pronounce it, without exception, the finest piece of road construction in the state and the
greatest improvement yet made in the roads of the county. It is 20 feet in width, 2.7 miles in length, has a maximum grade of 4 percent, and can be traversed at a swift pace by either auto or team. It has entirely changed the trip to the lake by removing its greatest obstacle--the Pumice Hill grade,
    Generally speaking, the road to the lake was never in such good shape as at present, though cut up badly in newly graded and pumice stretches by the heavy teaming done for the Prospect power plant.
    Supervisor Grieve has just finished a section of new road extending through the forest to Skookum Gorge, about four miles from Prospect.
    The forestry service has rebuilt the worst parts of the highway through the forest reserve, and cut away the brush. Contractor Natwick has established a camp near Elk Creek and has the contract for straightening and widening a mile of the worst part of the road between Trail and Enyart's. In the national park, Superintendent Arant is busy overhauling the road.
    Preparations for the care of tourists are better than ever. Accommodations can be secured at Allen's or Middlebush's at Trail, at Enyart's, near the mouth of Big Butte, at the Prospect Hotel and in the park and at the lake.
Medford Mail Tribune, July 17, 1911, page 4


    MEDFORD, Or., Oct. 20.--(Special)--Residents in the vicinity of the Crater Lake Highway, on which Governor West has promised to furnish convict labor during the winter, are not pleased with the Governor's suggestion.
    According to reports received in Medford tonight the people of Trail and Prospect as well as the ranchers along the road are up in arms and intend to file a protest against the plan which, they say, will expose their property and wives and children to the depredations of criminals who are allowed to be in their neighborhood without guard and without restraint
    Governor West has submitted his offer and steps have been taken by the committee appointed by the Commercial Club and the county court to import about 25 convicts by November 1.
    The Governor has appointed Dr. J. F. Reddy to act as prison representative and take full charge of the men. Jackson County, if it agrees to the offer, will pay the men 25 cents a day and furnish them with board and lodging. The county will also have to pay the men's railroad fare. If the plan works the Governor declares the county can have men indefinitely.
Oregonian, Portland, October 21, 1911, page 6


    To the Editor: The convict camp near this city is now permanently established. A few of the prisoners under the supervision of John Grieve, who has them in charge, commenced work on the Pumicestone Hill yesterday morning, and it is expected that by Monday the entire gang will be put to work on the new county highway. Part of the men are at present employed at the camp, fixing up their quarters.
    The prisoners appear to be a fine class of fellows, and take to their tasks willingly, and not one has tried so far to escape. The boys have organized the Westville Club, the principal purpose of this organization being good government.
    Chas. Gay, who has charge of the commissary department, speaks highly of the boys, and is much impressed with the manner in which they enforce discipline among themselves, by means of their unique organization.
    The gang is composed of practically all mechanics, who have at some previous time represented various crafts and all [have] practical knowledge of how the work should be done.
    The camp is situated on Mr. Peelor's ranch, near the Pumicestone Hill, where fuel, water and fresh air is abundant and it appears to have a good deal to do toward enlivening the spirits of the boys, as they seem to be as joyful as school "kids." Some one of the boys was heard to remark that he was sorry that he did not have twice as much time to do and it would be a shame to "beat it" as long as the grubstake remained in its present abundant condition. If the wealth remains as good as it has been for the past two weeks, the officers in charge anticipate a great showing in the work.
Medford Mail Tribune, November 6, 1911, page 5


    "Convict Camp No. 1" is no longer to be thus designated. The Medford Commercial Club at its meeting Monday evening passed a resolution rechristening it "Honor Camp No. 1" and requesting all to hereafter call the prisoners at work upon the Crater Lake Highway "Honor Men" instead of convicts.
    Talks were made commending Governor West for his interest in this section and approving his prison policy, which it is evident has struck a popular chord.
    Monday "Honor Camp" was visited by Dr. J. F. Reddy and engineer Harmon. They found the men well contented and pleased with their surroundings and enjoying their work. A request for old magazines and literature is made to the people of Medford by the honor men. It can be left at the Pacific & Eastern depot addressed to "Honor Camp No. 1," Prospect, Ore., or given to County Engineer Harmon, Dr. J. F. Reddy or to Dr. E. H. Porter, who has volunteered his services as physician to the camp and will visit it weekly.
Medford Mail Tribune, November 7, 1911, page 6


    After trying the convict labor on the Crater Lake wagon road for fifteen days the citizens of Medford and the section of Jackson County in which the work is being carried on are enthusiastic over the results and predict a success beyond the expectation of even Governor West, according to Dr. J. F. Reddy of Medford, who is visiting in the city.
    "When Governor West sent the convicts to us he gave the charge of them to George Putnam of the Mail Tribune, William Gerig, general manager of the Pacific & Eastern Railway and myself." said Dr. Reddy. "Of course we are not now in actual charge of the men, but we are responsible for them while they are there.
    "The camp contains twenty-seven at present and but one man is with them, Superintendent Grieve, representing the county court and supervising the construction work. No firearms, barricades, chains or anything else of that character are to be seen around the camp, and the dress of the men would not indicate that the camp was other than an ordinary road camp.
    "The convicts are far happier than at the penitentiary and all say that they would far rather be there than at Salem. We are providing them with as good food and quarters as possible.
    "Instead of looking upon the establishment of such a camp with disfavor and apprehension the people of that section are all pleased with the work being accomplished and are boosting the system. We have found the work to be a great success and very efficiently done. In fact, the efficiency of this crew is equal to if
not a little better than that of a regularly paid crew.
    "The convicts are being paid at the rate of 25 cents a day and all expenses. We have found that as far as the expense of building roads under this system is concerned it is about 50 percent of what it would be with ordinary paid labor. Thus we can make our road funds do twice as much.
    "We hope to get more men for this work and will not quit when this road is completed. The next to be taken on will probably be the Pacific Highway and after that the roads throughout the county.
    "As to how the convicts feel about being placed on their honor, an incident occurred the other day which gives an illustration. One of the men had been sent seventeen miles from camp with a team and wagon for supplies. Time passed and he did not return. The superintendent became somewhat worried. A fellow convict [said] to the superintendent that it was a safe bet that the man would return, and sure enough about 9 o'clock that evening he appeared. The men are all anxious to show that those who are knocking the system are wrong and that they can be trusted.
    "For the present we are keeping them as far as possible in the more mountainous and less thickly populated districts in order that they need not be subjected to any more temptations than necessary. When they have had their liberty long enough to become accustomed to it they will be proof against temptation."
Medford Mail Tribune, November 17, 1911, page 4


Editor Mail Tribune:
    We, the members of the Westville Club, wish to thank the citizens of Medford who so kindly assisted in promoting a source of amusement for this camp. The club acknowledges receipt of a beautiful Edison phonograph and records, a donation made by the Whetsel Music Company, also we are in receipt of several packages of  cigars, tobacco, candies, nuts, literature and other sources of amusement and gratification.
    We wish to assure those who have contributed toward this fund that we appreciate the interest and attention they have shown us, and we trust that this camp will prove, through diligence and integrity, to mark the beginning of a new and more circumspect means of dealing with the so-called criminal.
    We also wish to thank our honorable governor, Oswald West, for the confidence he has seemingly taken in us, and we are all striving to do our share toward bringing about the wonderful change he has undertaken.
Medford Mail Tribune, November 18, 1911, page 3


    Who on the Pacific Coast has not heard of Crater Lake? Set like a sapphire far up in the lava mountains of Lake [sic] County, Oregon, over two thousand feet deep and with no apparent inlet or outlet, with perpendicular walls of terrific height, the "mystic mere" has been a prospective goal for tourists for years. Geologists say that when Mount Mazama was an active volcano, much more recently than other volcanoes, the weight of the top became too heavy for the molten lava six or seven thousand feet below; so the crown of the peak caved in and was refused. Wizard Island, a 9-hundred-foot peak rising from the depths near the shore, and with a small crater of its own, represents the "last expiring breath" of this dead Cyclops.
    For four years the people of Jackson County and of its metropolis, Medford, have been working for a scenic highway up the Rogue River to the lake, which, with the surrounding mountains, forms a national park. Disappointed in their efforts, a state apportionment having been held unconstitutional, they raised $25,000 and improved the road so that several thousand autos visited it last summer.
    Government engineers have just finished a $10,000 survey for scenic drives around the lake, with four main highways connecting it with the neighboring country. The Medford Commercial Club recently drafted resolutions commending the people of their city and of the county, as well as Governor West and others, for their efforts in improving the road, and urging the congressional delegation, the Secretary of the Interior and the forestry service to secure an appropriation for the Crater Lake National Park at the next session of Congress.
    Should such an appropriation be granted and the road built, one of the finest drives from all parts of the Coast would be up the Pacific Highway to Medford and thence to this remarkable lake, which is still as much an object of wonder and mystery to white men as it is of horror to their red brothers.
Trinity Journal, Weaverville, California, December 23, 1911, page 2

    KLAMATH FALLS (Ore.), March 18.--Residents of Wood River Valley, in the north end of Klamath County, feel that it is an injustice for the Interior Department to make a toll road of the highway passing through Crater Lake park. This road was partially built before Crater Lake National Park was created. The people living in Wood River Valley built much of the road by private subscription. It afforded them an outlet to the Rogue River Valley during the summer and fall months. Last year the Interior Department promulgated an order that every automobile passing through the park must pay one dollar. The tax is not exorbitant, but the Wood River Valley people maintain that it is not just to ask them to pay to travel a road that they built with their own muscle and their own money.
    The feeling against the government order is so strong that a committee is now out soliciting funds to build another road across the mountains which will miss Crater Lake park. Efforts have been made to have the Interior Department rescind the order to collect toll, but to no avail. The ruling went into effect last year. It was the cause of much complaint to Park Superintendent W. F. Arant and Ranger H. E. Momyer.
    Indications are that the committee soliciting funds will be successful and that a new road, if the county gives some assistance, will be built this year.
Sacramento Daily Union, March 19, 1912, page B7


    After five minutes deliberation the jury in the case of the Medford Commercial Club versus M. H. Payne returned a verdict for $200 in favor of the plaintiff. The suit was brought to secure payment of a subscription made to the club for the building of the Crater Lake Highway. It was a test case, as many other subscribers have withheld their payments, hoping to escape payment. About $8000 is due the club on these subscriptions, $5000 of which is due the banks who underwrote the subscriptions.
    Mr. Payne set up in defense that the subscription had been obtained by false representations, that the Commercial Club had not constructed the entire road, that the construction already done had been of no benefit to him and that consequently he should not be compelled to pay the same.
    The history of the subscription list and of the efforts of the Commercial Club to secure the construction of the highway were gone into at length and the probe inserted into the affairs of the Crater Lake Highway Commission.
    Minutes of the meeting, reports, road and sundry expenses incurred were brought out, the court allowing a wide latitude in the presentation of evidence.
    It was brought out that the subscriptions totaled about $30,000, that about $8000 was still due and collectable, that the survey made by Engineer Heidel cost $4000, that the survey notes and $10,000, secured from the underwriters, had been turned over to the county which had finished the Pumice Hill grade at a cost of $9480 additional, and that the subscription lists were in the custody of F. H. Merrick, trustee for the underwriters, to whom $5000 is still due.
    Mr. Payne stated that he had been promised by the soliciting committee that he need not pay the subscription unless $100,000 was raised, but members of the committee denied making any such promises.
    The following witnesses testified: J. A. Westerlund, F. E. Merrick, Geo. L. Davis, Geo. Putnam, W. W. Harmon, Dr. C. R. Ray, J. M. Root, Wm. M. Colvig, A. Coleman, Spence Childers, L. G. Porter, D. T. Lawton and C. A. Weaver.
    The jury was composed of: W. H. Norcross,. foreman; George Holcomb, Asbury Beall, Chas. Owens, Geo. E. Moore, J. E. Roberts, W. W. Gregory, R. P. Campbell, Grant Mathews, Frank Crump, W. A. Tresham, A. S. Furry.
Medford Mail Tribune, March 27, 1912, pages 1 and 6




    OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Washington, Sept. 9.--Credit for the appropriation of $50,000 for beginning construction of a government road in the Crater Lake National Park, which was carried by the sundry civil bill as it became a law, belongs largely to Senator Bourne, and a contrary statement contained in a Washington dispatch to The Oregonian, under date of August 23, was erroneous.
    Some confusion arose over the Crater Lake road amendment early in the session, due to the announcement of Senator Chamberlain that he proposed to offer an amendment, appropriating $100,000 for this road after the House appropriations committee had turned down a like amendment submitted by Representative Hawley. This amendment, instead of being offered by Senator Chamberlain, was proposed by Senator Bourne, under agreement with his colleague, as Bourne was a member of the appropriations committee. When the sundry civil bill was reported to the Senate it carried the Bourne amendment appropriating $100,000. and both Oregon Senators aided in securing its adoption by the Senate.
    When the sundry civil bill went back to the House, that body refused to accept this amendment, along with others, and the bill went to conference. There a determined fight was made by Representative Fitzgerald, chairman of the House appropriations committee, to knock out the entire Crater Lake appropriation, but Senator Bourne, being also a member of the conference committee, resisted Fitzgerald's attacks, and when the sundry civil bill was finally reported it carried $50,000 for the Crater Lake road, half the amount of the original Bourne amendment.
    During the time the sundry civil bill was in conference, Representative Hawley appealed to the House members of the conference committee, but was turned down by the Democrats, though assured by Representative Cannon, the Republican conferee, that he would aid in getting an appropriation for the Crater Lake road. Senator Bourne insists that Mr. Cannon did not favor, but actually opposed this appropriation from start to finish, and that its ultimate adoption was due entirely to his own efforts.
    It is true that Senators Bourne and Chamberlain and Representative Hawley all worked to secure an appropriation of $100,000 to begin construction of the $900,000 road, but Mr. Hawley's efforts were blocked by a Democratic House.
Oregonian, Portland, September 10, 1912, page 2


    Grand beyond the possibility of description is what C. A. McGee of the Howard Automobile Company, who has just returned from the north with the little model "24" Buick, which made the run from San Francisco to Portland in 40 hours 50 minutes last week, lowering the road record between the two cities more than 17 hours, has to say of Crater Lake and the country surrounding it. McGee followed the Pacific Highway as far south as Medford, Ore. Leaving it at that place, he drove his little Buick northeast to Crater Lake, then nearly south to Klamath Falls, and then southwest to Ager, Cal., at which point the Pacific Highway was again encountered and followed south to San Francisco.
    In speaking of this trip south McGee has the following to say: "There is plenty of information available regarding the Pacific Highway. This route is very clearly marked with distinctive road signs from Redding north, and there seems to be a united effort being made by most of the counties in both California and Oregon to get this highway in at least passable shape, and the improvements on it are noticeable from month to month, there being many improvements since Fred Gross and I drove the No. 3 Buick truck to Portland in record time last July.
    "In returning from the north I made a detour to the east, leaving the Pacific Highway between the towns of Medford, Ore., and Hilt, Cal. This detour, which adds about 150 miles to the trip between San Francisco and Portland, is very little known at present, but owing to the beautiful scenery through which it passes it is sure to be one of the popular automobile routes of the future.
    From Medford the road followed leads north through Rogue River Valley to Eagle Point. Here the foothills country is entered, and the next few miles are not particularly interesting. This open country, which is covered with small trees and shrubs, soon changes to more rugged mountains and larger trees. In fact, the motorist on this trip drives through the largest forest of yellow pine now in existence. About 25 miles from Medford the Rogue River is crossed, and a very good road follows the north bank of this stream to the little mountain town of Prospect.
    The first intimation that one has that they are approaching a town is a sign nailed to a big pine tree, warning automobilists to travel through the city of Prospect at not more than 10 miles per hour. The city of Prospect, we discovered later, consists of about six houses, most of them unpainted.
    At Prospect the Rogue River is crossed, and from there on to its headwaters the road follows near the south bank.
    The next stopping place is Camp Arants. This is five miles from the rim of Crater Lake, and up to this point the roads and grades are such that any modern automobile with good clearance can make the trip without difficulty. In fact, the little 28-horsepower Buick I was driving ran most of the distance between Medford and Arants Camp on high gear, and there was not more than a mile of low gear in the entire 77 miles separating the two places.
    The roads are dusty and in some places rough. The scenery is such, however, that one should be perfectly content with a speed of 10 miles an hour, and at that speed the trip will be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys seeing nature in the original.
    Those desiring to camp will find ideal camping spots every few miles, and we were advised that the fishing was all that could be asked for.
    Arants Camp is several miles inside the Crater Lake National Park, and the park superintendent's office is located at this place. Upon payment of $1, which the government charges for allowing automobiles to drive through this park, the superintendent issues a permit which must be shown upon demand as long as the automobile is within the park boundaries.
    The hardest climb, in fact the only grade that will cause trouble to the average automobile, is encountered one mile from Crater Lake Lodge, which is built on the rim surrounding the lake. This grade is between a half and three-quarters of a mile long, and a good part of it has a grade between 30 and 35 percent. Most machines are left at the bottom of this grade and the last mile is made on foot.
    The little Buick which I was driving made the round trip to Portland with practically no mechanical attention, and there was San Francisco air in five of the six "Goodyear No Rim Cut Tires" upon its return here.
San Francisco Call, October 4, 1913, page 3


    KLAMATH FALLS, Or., Nov. 15.--(Special.)--The government road builders in Crater Lake Park have made good progress this season.
    The road by way of Sand Creek and the Pinnacles has been completed to the crater's rim, a distance of six and a half miles from the limits of the park. This will be resurfaced and rolled next season.
    One and a half miles of permanent road was built from the rim toward Fort Klamath, and several miles of road cleared and partly graded.
    The Pinnacles on the Sand Creek road and Anna Canyon on the Fort Klamath road rival the lake itself in interest.
Oregonian, Portland, November 16, 1913, page 8


    Proving that Southern Oregon mountain roads may be negotiated by auto even in winter, Seely Hall, of Medford, drove his Cadillac, with seven passengers, to Prospect one afternoon of last week. At various places the car traveled on the snow crust. Rangers reported 20 feet of "the beautiful" at Crater Lake.
"Southern Oregon's Shortstories," Gold Hill News, January 30, 1915, page 1


    By the end of the present season, 40 miles of highways will have been graded by the government in the Crater Lake National Park, leaving approximately 25 miles still to be graded and the entire system to be hard surfaced.
    Engineer Goodwin of the War Department, in charge of construction, states that an appropriation of $100,000 will be asked for work the coming year, for use in paving the main traveled roads now graded. This surface will be of the Warrenite type of bitulithic pavement, and cost approximately $10,000 per mile. The pavement will be laid 15 feet in width, with the road from Anna Creek to the rim the first section paved.
    From 180 to 200 men are now employed. As only $50,000 was secured this year, it is impossible to finish the grading as could have been done if the $100,000 asked for had been appropriated. The completed grading will comprise the road from the new Jackson County entrance to Anna Creek, from the eastern entrance up Sand Creek to the rim, from the Klamath entrance to Anna Creek, and the rim boulevard from a junction of the Sand Creek road to Anna Creek, from Anna Creek to the tavern, and around the rim for a few miles from the tavern.
    This is considered by those in charge a critical time in the life of the park. Every friend of the park must work for a large appropriation for the coming year so that improvements may be carried on uninterruptedly.
Medford Mail Tribune, August 9, 1915, page 6


    ROSEBURG, Or., Nov. 10.--(Special)--Work on the Tiller-Crater Lake road was begun Monday when a force of men was placed at work at Tiller clearing the right of way. The work is under the direction of C. F. Bartrum, forest supervisor, and B. F. Finch, an engineer from Portland. When the road is completed the distance of wagon travel between Roseburg and Crater Lake will be reduced 10 miles.
Oregonian, Portland, November 11, 1915, page 16


    It is the tourists who take their time and stop long enough here and there to enjoy the many beauty spots along the Crater Lake Highway who get the most, in real enjoyment, from a trip into the big Oregon playground. All the way from Medford to the stone monument that marks the entrance into the park the road is a succession of interesting features--a moving picture of wonder and charm. It is beautiful even to those who spin over the fine mountain road in four or five hours, but it is more beautiful, more impressive, to those who halt now and then.
    The government hatchery at Trail Creek is one of the interesting things. Though this is not the biggest hatchery in the West by any means, it is one of the most important, in that it keeps the Rogue and its tributaries stocked with the royal chinook, silverside, steelhead and other salmon. The little hamlet of Trail is a veritable mountain gem, and with its new hotel and improved grounds it is yearly becoming more popular, especially to Rogue River Valley folks, who can run out there and back in a day, with plenty of time to fish or bask in the cool shade.
    A wonder that is too often overlooked is beautiful Mills Falls. Though this is not as high as Multnomah, it rivals the latter in picturesque charm and beauty. It is more wildly grand than Multnomah. It cannot be seen from the main highway, but is only a short half-mile walk--or climb--from Prospect bridge. The trail is easily followed to the brink of the gorge and is then a zigzagged stairway down the rocky bluff to the river’s edge, just opposite the base of the falls. A thousand rainbows play continually in the narrow gorge, formed by the flying white spray from the falls and the bright sunshine overhead. The ever-flying mists keep the big boulders covered with deep moss and give succulence to the maidenhair ferns that find rooting in the rock crevices.
    Rogue River Gorge, just above the falls, is one of the grandest sections of this wild river in all its course. The river here has a fall of several hundred feet within a half mile, making a roaring, turbulent cataract and offering opportunity for unlimited power. Some of this power is already being utilized by the California-Oregon Water Power Company.
    The hamlet of Prospect is no longer the unattractive "shack town" that it was in years gone by. Clean white buildings, broad grounds with a velvet-green lawn, an artificial lake, fountains, gorgeous flower beds and water flowing everywhere make the place most inviting.
    At Prospect the drive through the big sugar pine woods really begins. In all the West there is a no more charming forest road than this. For miles, or all the way to Union Creek, the road winds in and out among the tall trees. In places the big pines stand just wide enough apart to allow the passage of the road. It is like driving through the fabled forests of Robin Hood. The great trees, for the most part, are bare of limbs for many feet up, the trunks being brown and smooth. The undergrowth is wild cinnamon and manzanita, two shrubs that are an ornament anywhere. Always and ever the air is delightfully cool and tanged with the rich fragrance of pine and fir.
    At the upper limit, or near the upper limit, of the reserve a short side road is reached that leads a brief mile to Rogue River Natural Bridge. A visit to this Oregon wonder is well worth the time and trouble. In all America, or all the world, for that matter, there is no natural bridge like this one. It is disappointing to those who look for high arches and tall buttresses. At this point the Rogue narrows till it is but little wider than a valley creek. It is flowing here in a gorge of lava rock, irregular, round and honeycombed. Of a sudden the river disappears--just tumbles its waters into a great hole in the rocks. Two hundred feet below, the water pours out again--gushes out from the mouth of an immense cavern at the base of a rock cliff. Undoubtedly the river takes an irregular course under the surface. This surface, all of lava, is the "bridge." It is not a high bridge; on the contrary, it is lower in the center than at either end--so low that the river runs over it during the times of freshet. But it is a real bridge for all that and in olden times was used by ranchers as a convenient crossing place with sheep and stock. In truth, before the Prospect bridge was built, this was the only bridge on the Upper Rogue.
    There are holes in the honeycombed lava of the bridge. The surging of the water through the underworld cavern or passageway causes a rush of air through these holes. Some visitor fashioned a whistle from a brass cartridge and placed it in one of these holes. The continual shriek of this whistle can be heard long before the bridge is reached.
    There is a fine camp in the shade of the big pines at Natural Bridge. Here, also, is a huge open fireplace that is abundantly used and enjoyed. Fishing is good on the river here. Just a mile beyond is Union Creek Camp. This is directly on the highway and one of the most popular camps on all the Crater Lake road. Many of those who visit the lake come back down to Union Creek to camp. It is not so cold at night here. There is plenty of parking space for cars and no end of delightful places to pitch a tent. Union Creek, above the crossing, is one of the best fishing streams in Oregon. A supply store, for the convenience of campers, has been established here and there is telephone connection, not only with all the surrounding forest stations but with the outside world as well.
    So delightful is Union Creek camp that many of the touring parties remain over here from one to three days, and not a few stay for two or three weeks.
Oregonian, Portland, August 13, 1916, page 8





Medford Mail Tribune, April 10, 1919, page 4






    C. E. Gates and H. L. Walthers have returned from Portland, where, as a committee representing the Medford Commercial Club, they spent two days working to secure state and federal aid for the Crater Lake Highway, under the terms of the Shackleford and Bean bills. They secured the endorsement of the Portland Chamber of Commerce at a luncheon Friday. The chamber adopted resolutions favoring the highway. They then succeeded in securing an endorsement of the project from S. Benson, chairman of the state highway commission; Chief Forester H. S. Graves of the forestry bureau, who had been antagonistic to the project, was won over, and promised to give the subject earnest consideration. Highway Commissioner E. J. Adams was next visited at Eugene, and went on record as favoring the highway.
    The highway commission has been passing the buck to the forestry service, which had passed it back again, and between the two, there was every probability that the five years cooperative road work between state and federal governments would entirely ignore Crater Lake Highway, and that not a penny would be spent upon it. As a result of the efforts of Messrs. Gates and Walthers, the state highway commission has recommended it, and if the highway does not receive consideration, it will not be the state commission's fault.
    The portion of the highway sought for immediate improvement is that between Prospect and the park lines, 22 miles, estimated to cost $100,000. Concerning the subject, the Portland Oregonian says:
    "Plans to make Crater Lake National Park easily accessible to automobilists are being put before members of the highway commission and officials of the forest service by Mayor C. E. Gates and H. L. Walther, of Medford, who arrived in the city yesterday in the interests of the project.
    "The suggestion of Medford civic and commercial organizations for the improvement of the 22-mile strip, as explained yesterday, is that the state highway commission and the forest service divide the expense. The cost of putting the road into condition equaling that of the remaining stretches, as estimated, would be $100,000.
    "The reception of the plan by officials here has been favorable. S. Benson, chairman of the highway commission, meeting with Mayor Gates and Mr. Walther at the luncheon of the chamber of commerce governing board yesterday, promised his support for the project, and other members of the commission are reported to be inclined in the same direction. The chamber of commerce governors were enthusiastic in their approval of the plan.
    "The necessary government appropriation for its half of the expense has not yet been obtained, although Henry S. Graves, chief forester, with whom a conference was held yesterday, promised that the matter would receive attention as soon as possible."
    Messrs. Gates and Walthers were given a vote of thanks for their efforts by the road committee of the club, for had they not made the trip and used the utmost tact the prospect of improvement of the Crater Lake Highway would have gone glimmering.
Medford Mail Tribune, April 3, 1917, page 5


    It will be welcome news to Crater Lake tourists and visitors that the county court yesterday decided to make several badly needed improvements on the Crater Lake road which will make travel back and forth much more pleasant. These improvements will be conducive to increased travel between Medford and the lake and were desired by the business men.
    The court will have the road between Evergreen ranch at Flounce Rock, which is about six miles this side of Prospect, and Prospect dragged and will install a sprinkler to keep it wet down. A crew will also be set to work at removing the rocks from the road in the vicinity of Union Creek and to level and fill up the bumps between Whiskey Creek and Silver Camp.
    Park Commissioner Will G. Steel reports that up to Saturday Crater Lake travel averaged about the same as last year, although the park was open earlier. A total of 919 persons had registered as against 879 on the same date a year ago and 213 autos against 213 in 1917.
Medford Mail Tribune, July 9, 1918, page 2


Medford Mail Tribune, February 3, 1919, page 2


    It is time that the business and commercial interests of Jackson County united to wage a campaign for the construction of the Crater Lake Highway its entire length. Some $23,000,000 of state and general funds are available for highway construction and it is the psychological time to secure the adoption of a definite plan for the necessary expenditures on this important highway.
    The Crater Lake Highway has been surveyed, located and estimates completed from Medford to the lake by  the government engineers and the right of way secured for what will be one of the scenic highways of the world. That portion between Prospect and the national park boundary, some 23 miles, will be constructed this year, the money having been appropriated two years ago--but no effort has been made and no plans adopted for the construction of the portion between Prospect and Medford.
    With the construction of the highway from Prospect to the park, the touring public will have a boulevard to and around the lake, when Prospect is reached, but a comparatively poor road to Prospect--though many portions will be utilized in the permanent highway.
    Crater Lake is the only national park in Oregon and the greatest tourist attraction in the state--but to reap the benefit, it must be made easily accessible. Klamath County is energetically striving to capture the Crater Lake tourist traffic and virtually annex the lake with a paved highway from the California border--a definite program towards this end having been adopted--and unless Jackson County acts along the same lines, traffic will come and go via Klamath, instead of in one way and out the other--as it should be.
    The Crater Lake Highway has been designated as a forest highway--that is one in which the state and the government contribute equally, the highway being constructed under government supervision. The Shackleford law is liberal in that it authorizes expenditures for roads "wholly within or partly within national forests," and under a liberal construction, the entire Crater Lake road could be constructed as a forest highway. That it was so contemplated would be indicated by the government survey of the entire highway.
    If the forestry bureau refuses cooperation, the  highway to Prospect could possibly be classed as a post-road, and constructed jointly by government and state. Some plan could doubtless be worked out with the state and federal authorities, for where there is a will, there is a way, but immediate action is necessary, or all available funds will have been appropriated with Jackson County asleep at the crossroads.
    Medford has been so absorbed in securing the completion of the Pacific Highway and Ashland in securing the Green Spring Mountain road, that they have lost sight of the Crater Lake Highway--the most important tourist asset of all.
Medford Mail Tribune, March 15, 1919, page 4




    That snow drifts prevent auto travel toward Crater Lake farther than Union Creek was the report brought back to the city Monday afternoon by Billy Hooker, who undertook to take a passenger as far as possible toward the park boundary line yesterday. The passenger was a Portland contractor who plans to bid on the construction work of the new highway to be built between Prospect and the Crater Lake park boundary line.
    They left Medford at 6 a.m. in Jim Leslie's Ford car and were back in the city at 2:30 p.m., which speaks well for the condition of the roads, especially when it is considered that they stopped at places beyond Prospect for the contractor to look over the ground, and halted en route home at James Grieve's hostelry for lunch.
    Mr. Hooker reports that the road beyond Prospect is in fair shape for this time of year, with comparatively little mud and very few blockading snow drifts. Two drifts only bothered [them], and they were rounded by circling through the brush. They were about two feet deep.
    But at Union Creek all progress was stopped by a large drift of snow about three feet deep which could not be encircled. Nothing but snow drifts could be seen ahead. The contractor was especially desirous of going further to look over the ground where rock work must be done in constructing the highway. Coming back the contractor desired to turn off and go down the road to the natural bridge, but after a short distance in this direction a big drift impeded their progress.
    Between Medford and Prospect the road is in fairly good condition, Mr. Hooker says, and in the section along McLeod crews with road scrapers are at work.
Medford Mail Tribune, April 29, 1919, page 4


    No time is apparently being lost on setting the preliminary work in motion for the construction of the Medford to Eagle Point highway this summer, which project was recently agreed on at Portland, the county to pay 25 percent of the cost, the state 25 percent and the government 50 percent. K. E. Hodgman, division highway engineer, made a survey of the lines of the highway last Saturday and will make his report to the state highway commission. The latter body will in turn report their findings to the post roads department of the government for approval, bids will be advertised for and the contract let.
    When the project was being considered by the highway commission and one of the members expressed fear that no contractors could be found to undertake the work this year, W. H. Gore, E. V. Carter and County Judge Gardner, who were representing this county in urging the adoption of the project, at once assured the commission that there need be no fear on that score, for if no contractors bid on the work, the county and people themselves would furnish responsible persons to do the work. Since that time, Judge Gardner said today, it has been learned that several contractors have signified their intention to bid on the construction work.
Medford Mail Tribune, April 29, 1919, page 5


    J. F. Brown of Eagle Point returned from Portland this morning where he bid on the 22 miles of Crater Lake Highway and succeeded in securing the lowest figure. Those interested in the construction are Geo. B. Brown & Sons, Wm. von der Hellen and C. H. Natwick. Mr. Brown says they expect to use the cement tiling made at home in their construction work and will employ Jackson County men on the work if they can be secured.
    Everybody will be glad to know home people were successful in this bidding and hope home contractors will secure the 33 miles of Pacific Highway work to be let next Tuesday.
Medford Mail Tribune, May 2, 1919, page 5


    K. E. Hodgman, district engineer of the Pacific Highway, has returned from Salem and says the commission has decided not to pave the section of the Crater Lake Highway from Medford to Eagle Point this year but will make permanent surveys of the Crater Lake Highway, and locate the same from Medford to Prospect, via Eagle Point, which has not been done, and will first lay macadam and then pave afterwards.
    This means the Eagle Point section of the road will not be paved this year and that no macadam will be laid on that road this year. This road was all arranged to be paved to Eagle Point this year and the commission was ready to advertise for bids, but a row was raised among our own people with the result of losing the work this year.
    The Clark-Henery Company is laying about 800 feet of base and 1200 of macadam daily on the Gold Hill-Central Point section of the Pacific Highway.
    Schell and Campbell are making splendid progress on the highway from Grants Pass to Gold Hill and have several miles completed.
    Oscar Huber is getting everything in readiness and will soon be laying pavement over the Siskiyous.
    Mr. Gilbisch, contractor for grading one section of the Green Springs Mountain road, is at work. The county court has the other section and hopes to get started soon.
    Brown, von der Hellen & Natwick, contractors, are making the dirt fly on the Prospect-Crater Lake road.
    Mr. Hartman, of Jacksonville, has the contract for the two small trestles between Central Point and Gold Hill. Mr. Parker is building the concrete bridge across the Rogue River at Rock Point.
    All this road activity furnishes employment for lots of labor and in a week or two twice as many men will be at work on the roads.
Medford Mail Tribune, July 16, 1919, page 6






    It was my privilege to attend the recent Park to Park convention in Denver, where I was brought in close contact with national highway plans, particularly as they have to do with the Crater Lake National Park, and while a tentative route for the proposed Park to Park Highway was agreed upon as outlined by Col. Westgard in his wild rush through the country, still it is tentative only, and the task of permanently locating it will be put up to the general government, and will await developments so it stands up in hand to prepare for a decision that shall be favorable to the best interests of Crater Lake.
    The most comprehensive and effective road building program in the history of this country will be presented to the next Congress, supported by the American Automobile Association, which organization has worked out with infinite care and forethought all plans of that character, since automobiles have come into general use. These plans will not only embrace every section of the nation, but will require a series of years to be worked out.
    That portion of the program affecting the construction of a highway to connect the great national parks of the country directly affects this region and should receive the immediate attention of every citizen in Southern Oregon. To this end purely local issues should be forgotten and all sections get together and work out a plan satisfactory to all concerned, with the single thought of developing Crater Lake. Forget each of the half dozen roads leading to it and recognize all as one unit, under one name, which is suggested as the Crater Lake Highway.
    At this time Lane and Klamath counties are preparing to open the park to the north, thus reducing the distance from Crater Lake to Portland and all other northern points by 126 miles. During 1921 the present prohibitive grade will be reduced to six percent, and a northern entrance to the park will be in order.
    It then becomes necessary to unite the six roads under one name to avoid confusion in Washington and elsewhere, so that the Crater Lake Highway will be as follows: From Goshen, on the Pacific Highway, in Lane County, following the Willamette military highway to the summit of the Cascades, thence along the summit by the Skyline Road to Crater Lake, then over the Crater Lake Rim Road and the roads of the park to park headquarters, thence over the Medford-Crater Lake Highway to the Pacific Highway at Medford. Also, from park headquarters over the Klamath road to Klamath Falls, thence over the Green Spring Mountain road to the Pacific Highway in Jackson County near Ashland.
    Please bear in mind the fact that all great national highway constructive legislation has been worked out and presented to Congress by the American Automobile Association, and that the Oregon State Motor Association is a branch of that institution, and you will comprehend what it means to this community to have the latter organization working in our behalf.
    With rare exceptions, only such tourists visiting Jackson County as leave home with the idea of seeing Crater Lake will make the trip, as they seriously object to doubling back, particularly for a distance of over 80 miles. With one of the most scenic roads in the world leading to the north, they will practically all go through the park, and instead of having 20,000 visitors as in 1920, it will not be long until the figures will pass 100,000 and Jackson County will become a great tourist center.
    If Jackson, Klamath and Lane counties will get together, as suggested, and work in harmony, the Oregon State Motor Association will place permanent offices in Medford, Klamath Falls and Eugene, and together with the American Automobile Association and the National Park to Park Association, will cause the proposed Crater Lake Highway to become an important section of the proposed National Park to Park Highway, supported by the general government.
    If liberal support is accorded the Oregon State Motor Association, it will not only maintain a permanent office in Medford, but among many other things, it will send to every visitor to the park during the past season a letter, requesting him to intercede with his congressman in support of the measures, agreed upon by the three counties mentioned. This work is expected to be appreciated and a strong membership provided, for which purpose I have been sent here to secure a membership of 200 in Jackson County, which will in part pay the necessarily heavy expense of maintaining an office and carrying on the publicity work of turning tourists this way from all parts of America. At these offices the latest road maps and reliable road information will be provided to members and tourists.
Medford Mail Tribune, December 3, 1920, page 9


    At a meeting of the county court Tuesday a sprinkler was ordered placed on the Crater Lake Highway between the Dodge Bridge and Long Bridge to settle the dust. This is a new stretch of road and has been the source of some complaint from tourists, being the dustiest stretch on the way to the scenic wonder. By use of water, this will be eliminated and the road material hardened.
    A new road was ordered established between Dodge's Bridge and the new Crater Lake Highway, in the Eagle Point district, producing a direct route from Bybee's Bridge to the highway, and doing away with some hill climbing.
    A contract was granted Chris Natwick for the hauling of gravel from Reese Creek to put on the Reese Creek road. This will be finished before winter.
    The supervisor was ordered to make the necessary repairs on the Trail road at once, and before the winter rains. Citizens of that section recently appeared before the court and testified that the road was in bad shape, and that they risked their lives and limbs in attempting to travel over it in bad weather. The repairs will be temporary.
    A large batch of bills were considered, approved and disapproved.
Ashland Weekly Tidings, July 27, 1921, page 1


Medford Mail Tribune, September 1, 1921, page 3


    Two routes are being used, one via Central Point, Bybee Bridge, Trail and McLeod to Prospect, the other via Eagle Point, Reese Creek school house, Derby to McLeod and Prospect. Traffic is advised to use the one via Trail.
"Weekly Report on Pacific Highway," Medford Mail Tribune, September 10, 1921, page 10




    Word reaches Medford that the matter of improvement of the Crater Lake Highway between Trail and Prospect has been worked through at Portland, and most of the work on that link in the road to the lake will be done next summer, with the last of the rocking in all probability the following summer,
    Ben Sheldon, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and the members of the county court appeared before the state highway commission twice and in addition had a lengthy session with the district forester and the engineer of the U.S. Bureau of Roads. Under the cooperation provision of the federal law authorizing the expenditure of federal money on this road, the contracting will be done under the supervision of the federal authorities. Mr. Cecil, district forester, and Mr. Purcell, the road engineer for the government, assured the Jackson County delegation that contracts would be let just as soon as the surveys made for this section had been checked up and approved and the funds were in hand. It is believed that this can be done so that actual construction work can be commenced early in the spring.
    The importance of keeping the road open to travel during the months of July, August, September and October so as not to interfere with the Crater Lake travel was impressed upon the forestry men by the local speakers, and satisfactory assurances were made that a most earnest effort would be made to so direct the contracting work that those sections where construction work would necessarily block traffic could be worked out during the earlier or later months of next season.
    At the October meeting of the highway commission, Mr. Sheldon obtained assurances of work during the forthcoming season up as far as Cascade Gorge. This last negotiation has increased the work contemplated so as to include the six miles between that point and Prospect. This work, when completed, and taken in conjunction with the work between Eagle Point and Medford, a contract for which was authorized by the commission at Portland last Thursday, will close every gap between this city and the lake so far as a standard grade is concerned and will provide for the macadamizing of the same to a point six miles above Prospect.
Medford Mail Tribune, December 19, 1921, page 3


Medford Mail Tribune, March 22, 1922, page 1



    PORTLAND, Ore., July 2.--Medford-Crater Lake highway open for travel.
    All this summer there will be a good travelable road between Medford and Crater Lake, according to the local office of the bureau of public roads, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Tired business men who wish to be rejuvenated, tourists who desire to see one of America's scenic wonders, and campers who enjoy the easy freedom of the forests, and the fishing in the mountain streams, may all get into their automobiles and make the trip to Crater Lake with ease and comfort.
    Medford to Trail, 25 miles--Surfaced, all year round road, in good condition.
    Trail to McLeod, 7 miles--Surfaced, all year round road, in good condition.
    McLeod to Cascade Gorge, 9 miles--Now being graded by the state of Oregon, and maintained in a satisfactory condition for travel.
    Cascade Gorge to Prospect--6 miles, graded road in good condition.
    Surfacing of Easterly [sic] 5 miles, now being completed.
    Prospect to park boundary--22 miles, road in good condition.
    First 8 miles from Prospect surfaced, and the balance graded.
    Park boundary to Crater Lake--12 miles, graded road.
    Total distance, Medford to park boundary, 69 miles.
    Total distance Medford to Crater Lake, 81 miles.
Medford Mail Tribune, July 5, 1923, page 7


    A fair attendance was present at the Chamber of Commerce forum luncheon at the Hotel Medford this noon and the committee which made the trip over the Crater Lake Highway yesterday to determine the practicability of closing the road between McLeod and Evergreen Ranch during the period of improvement rendered the following report, which was read by H. L. Walther and passed by the forum without a dissenting vote:
    "To members Medford Chamber of Commerce:
    "A delegation of members of the Medford Chamber of Commerce, at the solicitation of Col. C. G. Thomson, Superintendent of Crater Lake National Park, and Mr. Hampshire, who has a contract for the grading of approximately eight miles of the Medford-Crater Lake highway above McLeod, made an automobile inspection trip over the proposed detour and also over the stretch of road to be graded.
    "After carefully considering the interest which Medford has shown in years of effort in building up tourist traffic to Crater Lake, the financial interest involved by owners of tourist resorts beyond McLeod, the mail service, fire prevention of the Forest Service and the tourists themselves, we have arrived at the conclusion that it would be detrimental to all concerned to close the portion of the road to be improved and force tourists to use the proposed detour, a part of which is extremely hazardous, and we recommend that the forum, as well as the board of directors of the Medford Chamber of Commerce, go on record that the road be left open and that tourists be not routed over the proposed detour.
Medford Mail Tribune, July 11, 1923, page 1


    To the Editor: I have only been here a few months, and I would like to ask: Do you have any traffic laws in this part of the country? And if so, do they have anyone to enforce them? Do they have any such a thing as a speed cop? I have never seen one, or any effect of one being on the road. It is almost as much as one's life is worth to go from here to Medford in the evening.
    These are a few of the things I have seen on Saturday evenings. First: A car in the ditch, put there by a road hog who failed to dim his lights; one car without any light; four cars with only one light and that on the outside; two of these had no tail light; one car with headlights but no tail light; one big truck, one light; one big truck with one big glaring light in center of front, and no way to dim. The road is freshly graveled and the car skids like mud, and when you can't see where you are going with your lights dimmed and the others not, it is dangerous.
    Surely, sometimes we may have something go wrong when we are away out, but there is no excuse for meeting cars not two blocks out from Medford without lights. And this is not only one evening, but any evening you wish to go out on the road. There is more travel on Saturday nights, so you see more unlawful driving. This is not all by accident that their lights are on the bum. We have met the same small truck every evening for a week near Eagle Point with but one light. Now it looks to me like they are not very much afraid of being caught.
    Now I suppose I should "Beg your pardon for kicking," but I think if a few more would set up a good lusty "howl" we might get a cop, or get something done with those who persist in breaking the law.
"Communications," Medford Mail Tribune, October 27, 1923, page 4


    The Crater Lake Highway has been constructed from Medford to the park line, a distance of 69 miles, and almost the whole distance has been macadamized or is under contract. The federal, state and Jackson County authorities have completed this work on a cooperative basis. All the bridges constructed have been permanent concrete in type. Some outstanding spans are over the following streams: Antelope Creek, Hog Creek, Reese Creek, Trail Creek, Elk Creek, Lost Creek, Union Creek and Cascade Gorge. There are also two beautiful bridges over Rogue River, one near Trail and one near Prospect. The state now maintains this highway.
    1. Pave Crater Lake Highway to the park line. This pavement should be a heavy duty pavement to Prospect, to carry year-round traffic, and a light pavement from Prospect to the park line to carry summer traffic to the park and Diamond Lake. This being a state highway to a national park, the state and government will doubtless pave it.
G. A. Gardner, "Some Thoughts on Jackson Co. Roads," Medford Mail Tribune, April 1, 1924, page 11


    "Sunset on the Rogue" is the entirely appropriate name for a new tourist auto park to be opened this Sunday by Mr. and Mrs. S. W. Hutchinson of this city. The park is located on the bank of the Rogue River, about 25 miles north of Medford on the Crater Lake Highway.
    The general store on the camp grounds, at which tourists may obtain refreshments, groceries and other supplies, will be opened this Sunday, and in the near future summer cottages and tent houses will be constructed for the convenience of guests, which will be partly or completely furnished for those who do not carry their own tent and camping equipment. Other resort attractions will be added as soon as time permits.
    Because of its easy accessibility to Medford on the Crater Lake Highway, and with its fishing and swimming attractions, "Sunset on the Rogue" will undoubtedly prove popular to local people as well as tourists.
Medford Mail Tribune, May 10, 1924, page 2


    Crater Lake National Park was struck a hard blow when the million-dollar general deficiency bill failed to pass in Congress last Saturday, which among other things killed a $100,000 road improvement fund for the Crater park.
    A large part of this appropriation was to be spent in macadamizing the west or Medford entrance into the park, an improvement which has been advocated on all sides for years past. This means that cars will have to  plow through the deep dust or mud as heretofore, and that other contemplated road improvements in the park for this year will have to be abandoned.
Medford Mail Tribune, June 11, 1924, page 8


    Repair and maintenance work on the Crater Lake Highway is now under way by Dunn and Baker, contractors in charge, and they expect to have the road surfaced throughout by August 15th. Two shifts of eight hours each are being worked daily, in an effort to complete the work as soon as possible.
    The pumice stretch between McLeod and Cascade Gorge is now receiving attention, and two miles of it has been put in shape, without interfering with travel. The road from Cascade Gorge to Silver Camp in the national forest is in excellent shape. Work is under way on the road from Silver Camp to the park entrance.
    Scores of motorists have made the drive from Medford to the lake in three hours.
    The highway from Medford to McLeod is in perfect condition, being scraped and treated the past week.
Medford Mail Tribune, July 11, 1924, page 1


    The regular Chamber of Commerce forum was held today, and quite a number were present from Ashland. The subject was "Roads."
    Vernon Vawter in a short speech said that now that the pavement to Jacksonville is completed and the contracts about ready to be let to put it on through to Ruch, serious thought should be turned to the Medford-Crater Lake road. Road money, he said, should be invested where it will bring in more dollars and where it will encourage the tourist to stay in this country for a longer period.
    "The county court," said Mr. Vawter, "is willing to pay 25 percent out of the general fund on a hard-surfaced Medford and Eagle Point road.
    A motion was unanimously passed that a body of men be appointed to go to Portland this next week and make their request to the State Highway Commission to secure aid if possible, on a pavement for the Medford-Crater Lake Highway.
    The short stretch of road between the city limits and the Owens lumber mill was also discussed and efforts are to be put forth to have this graded and graveled.
    With the business out of the way an entertaining and interesting speech was made by E. H. Peterson, principal of the Southern Oregon Art School, in which he highly praised Oregon.
    The spirit of the West, he said, is something that adds to our enthusiasm, and he stated that they, as an art school, are glad of the privilege to organize in this locality. He gave a short history of art and how an art course broadens the observation, opens windows of new endeavor and develops self-expression.
Medford Mail Tribune, July 23, 1924, page 3

To the editor:
    For a considerable time before the war, and something like a year after the war, the writer had charge of some sixty miles of county and state roads in the state of Washington. One stretch of this work took in thirty miles of what is known as Ocean Beach Highway. In comparison to the maintenance work on our own world's wonder in macadam construction, the Crater Lake Highway, the piece of Washington road referred to was a discouraging proposition.
    Here in Jackson County we have what is truly one of the nation's wonders in macadam roads. We have that, and we are revealing new things every day in the art of road construction and road maintenance.
    During those years up in Washington, there were a faithful few of us who were so tied up in making something out of the roads under our care that we did little but live and dream good roads.
    One of the dreams we had then was to see a piece of macadam road, while under heavy travel, dragged persistently during the dry season. And here along the Crater Lake Highway you see the work being carried out exactly as we thought of it being done then. But this is what I am wondering right now. Do you men doing the work realize what you are accomplishing?
    There are stretches up in this section twenty miles from Medford that are still so smooth that a small boy would delight in playing marbles on them. These stretches are as level and fine surfaced as cement. And what is the answer, the secret? Isn't it that simple persistence and belief in the work in hand accomplishes anything desired?
    One more dream we had in those days a short time back was to see a trial stretch of macadam kept sprinkled, either by a pipeline along the road and a night crew, including a drag crew, or by having a tank sprinkler precede the drag machine, then check up on the cost and find out whether it paid or not. And to sum up, it has not yet been demonstrated that a system of macadam roads cannot be maintained at a cost within reach of reason.
    The secret of the destruction of macadam roads lies in the fact that the fine building material blows away in the wind in the form of dust. It may be that through the persistent dragging we would learn that the pressure exerted by the heavier machines has something to do with making the surface particles congeal and remain in place. It might be found that this work could be brought to a perfected process without the help of added moisture. Undreamed-of secrets are yet to be revealed in the construction of our highways.
"Communications," Medford Mail Tribune, July 13, 1925, page 4


Medford Mail Tribune, August 14, 1925, page 3


    Racing proved expensive to four motorists returning to this city from the dance held at Eagle Point Saturday night, for when they pleaded guilty in Justice Glenn O. Taylor's court yesterday following their arrest by State Traffic Officer J. J. McMahon and Deputy Sheriff Lewis Jennings on the Crater Lake Highway near the city limits, each was fined $15.
    According to the officers, the four cars, three of which were Ford coupes, were traveling at rates ranging from 40 to 45 miles per hour in efforts to make the best speed. Officers Jennings and McMahon stopped three, while the fourth attempted to leave the scene, only to be stopped later by Jennings after a short chase.
   The three arrested first are Fred A. Puhl, N. G. Bowen and Edward Barkoff, while John Jensen was the fourth. All are local youths.
Medford Mail Tribune, November 10, 1925, page 6


    With a determination to complete the paving project within Crater Lake National Park this year, Warren Construction Company this week is opening up three road construction camps and within the next few days will be laying pavement. Sixteen miles of pavement will be laid this summer.
    The Warren Construction Company was awarded an additional contract in Portland this week, one of surfacing six and one-half miles of Medford-Crater Lake road from Union Creek to the park boundary.
    Paving within the park includes the Klamath entrance from the south boundary to Anna Springs; Anna Springs to Government Camp, and the uncompleted section on the Medford entrance from Anna Springs to White Horse camp.
    Three road construction camps will be established within the next few days: Pole camp, midway between the Klamath gateway and Anna Springs; White Horse camp, halfway between the Medford gateway and Anna Springs, and a third camp at Anna Springs. Gold Hill News, May 20, 1926, page 1


Medford Mail Tribune, June 28, 1926, page 6




Medford Mail Tribune, July 2, 1926, page 6




    "The search for the Lost Cabin Mine"--This title, like that of the old-time dime novel, might head the story of the discovery of Crater Lake, that great scenic wonder of the West. It was indeed through a search for the famous, perhaps fabulous, Lost Cabin Mine that J. W. Hillman and his party of intrepid prospectors came upon the awe-inspiring spectacle. As the story goes, Mr. Hillman's mule, while climbing a steep ridge, stopped suddenly at the very rim of Crater Lake. "Had I been riding a blind mule, I firmly believe I would have ridden over the edge to death," said Mr. Hillman.
    What a difference 73 years have made! In 1853 the Hillman party pushed through the wilds and journeyed for weeks, dodging Indian bands, to reach the Jewel of the Cascades. Now the tourist glides over a smooth macadam highway from Medford and, in a few hours, is at the rim of Crater Lake itself.
    And what a trip! The Crater Lake journey from Medford is of indescribable beauty. A smooth, wide road, easy grades and sweeping curves and panoramas of wondrous grandeur. Resorts and hotels, service stations along the highway offer excellent accommodations for the traveler.
    After leaving Medford he drives over 12 miles of rolling country, dotted with farms and grazing herds, before reaching Eagle Point. In the distance lofty, snow-capped Mt. McLoughlin rises from the foothills. Eagle Point is one of the old settlements of the Southern Oregon country.
    After leaving this town, the tourist spins through rolling foothills to the Rogue River, eight miles distant. Above the attractive bridge which spans the famous stream, lies Shady Cove and below Edgewood Park, two popular resorts for Medford people.
    From the bridge, the Crater Lake Highway follows the Rogue until Trail is reached, a small community surrounding the Sunset Hotel. Another five-mile drive takes the traveler to beautiful Rogue Elk resort.
    Rogue Elk is famous as a headquarters for sportsmen who come from far and near to match their skill with the darting, glistening, battling steelhead, the famous fighting fish of the Rogue. Zane Grey, the well-known author, and scores of nationally and internationally prominent sportsmen spend their summer vacations in this widely known hostelry and enjoy steelhead fishing and hunting for deer and cougar in the adjacent mountains.
    From Rogue Elk resort the highway plunges into the mountains of the Crater Lake country and the wide, smooth road passes Casey's Camp, McLeod Camp, Cascade Gorge and Skookum Camp. It winds along Rogue River through giant forests till the Rogue River Gorge is reached. There a beautiful bridge, electrically lighted, spans the foaming, rushing waters of the Rogue. From a point near this bridge Mill Creek Falls, 250 feet high, may be seen.
    Prospect resort needs no introduction to the majority of Pacific Coast tourists. From British Columbia to Mexico it is known as "home" for all travelers. Here "Jim" Grieve welcomes them and "Ma" Grieve is ready with one of her famous home-cooked dinners that would make the head chef of the Ritz-Carlton green with envy.
    After a visit at Prospect and a rest in the cool shade of lofty pines, which surround the resort, the traveler plunges into the Crater Lake National Forest, past beautiful Union Creek resort, to the entrance of Crater Lake National Park. Here scores of little chipmunks scamper around the car while he pauses to register.
    The trip in Crater Lake National Park is a delight to automobilists. Much of the road is now paved and the scenery is of a wild, natural beauty that brings joy to the lover of the great outdoors. At Anna Springs the Medford and Klamath Falls roads meet while just beyond is Government Camp, where the National Park officers are centered. The last two miles, from Government Camp to the rim of Crater Lake, is easily made in second gear over the old road, but a new highway is now under course of construction, affording easier grades and wide, easy curves.
    With the first glimpse of the wonderful lake, glistening in the mighty crater of a giant extinct volcano, the traveler enjoys a thrill, a feeling of awe and wonder unlike anything he has ever experienced before. There, hundreds of feet below him, lies an expanse of water, wondrously blue, like a great sapphire in a setting of lofty cliffs. Crater Lake is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful spots in America. The water is a lovely turquoise along the edges, and in the deeper parts a Prussian blue.
    Weird and ghostly tales of Crater Lake are woven into old Indian legends, and old members of the Klamath and Modoc tribes even yet tell of the great god Llao and of mighty Mount Mazama before the great eruption which played a part in forming Crater Lake.
    A highway, an engineering triumph, circles the rim of the lake, affording hundreds of different views of the "Sea of Sapphire." The visitor at Crater Lake has not really seen the lake until he has enjoyed the rim road drive. No views are more impressive and beautiful than the panoramas of the lake from this road.
    The Crater Lake Lodge, on the very rim of the great lake, offers a brand of hospitality which is just another reason why thousands of people visit Crater Lake National Park each year. Last year, over the Fourth of July weekend alone, over 2000 cars were registered and more than 7000 people visited the lake. The fact that Crater Lake has probably the best approach road system of any national park contributes to its popularity.
    The return trip to Medford may be made by way of Klamath Falls and the Klamath-Ashland highway or by driving from the lake to Diamond Lake and return to the Crater Lake Highway at Union Creek resort. Both loops are popular with Southern Oregon people and tourists.
Medford Mail Tribune, January 2, 1927, page E2








    Preliminary work for the oiling of the Crater Lake Highway is now under way, and the actual work will start early next spring, according to State Highway Commissioner C. E. (Pop) Gates of this city. Gravel is now being distributed, the  machinery being at Union Creek this week. Next week work will start distributing gravel along the highway between this city and Eagle Point.
    According to Commissioner Gates, the oiling will be completed before the tourist travel starts.
    The oiling will be by what is called the "Gates process." It consists of mixing oil and gravel and rock to the proper consistency, and then rolling with a steam roller. It is then left to harden. A mile of the "Gates process" was used on the Crater Lake Highway, near this city, and has proven highly satisfactory and able to stand the heavy travel.
    "When the oiling is completed," said Commissioner Gates this morning, the Crater Lake Highway will be free of dust and a pretty boulevard.
    The highway commission at the present time is leveling six feet on both sides of the Pacific Highway for a mile south of this city limits, and will apply the "Gates process" over the filling and the present pavement. This will be an experiment, and if it tests out satisfactorily, eventually the Pacific Highway will be given the same treatment as far as Ashland, and maybe further. The experiment will give this city an 18-foot pavement to the fairgrounds and beyond, enabling four cars to travel abreast.
    The highway commission intends to ask the city of Medford to widen the highway similarly between South Riverside Avenue, where it joins the Pacific Highway, to the city limits. Under the law, the state highway commission can expend no money for improvements in cities of over 2,000 population.
Medford Mail Tribune, October 18, 1927, page 1


Medford Mail Tribune, February 26, 1942, page 1


    The one-way traffic control plan necessitated by construction of Camp White will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Sunday.
    The one-way system involves Crater Lake Highway, the Midway road and the Wellen road outside the city and Riverside Avenue, Central Avenue and Court Street inside the city.
    Office of the area engineer said that guards would be stationed at the important points of intersection to direct traffic over the out-of-town route until motorists became used to the change. Saturday night motorists were cautioned that the one-way system becomes effective one minute after midnight Saturday and were advised to travel with the greatest of care.
    In the city only northbound traffic will be permitted on Riverside Avenue (Pacific Highway) from the intersection of Riverside with Central Avenue to the north city limits. Only southbound traffic will be permitted on Court Street and Central Avenue from the north city limits to the function of Riverside and Central avenues.
    The city plan is in the nature of an experiment ordered by the state highway commission. If it works out satisfactorily, the commission will make improvements at the point where Court Street and Riverside Avenue meet.
    The map published on page 4 today shows how the traffic will flow under the one-way system in the cantonment area outside of town.
    New directional signs will help guide motorists over the one-way routes.
Medford Mail Tribune, March 6, 1942, page 1


    Extension of one-way traffic regulations on routes between Medford and the cantonment has been found necessary, Camp White officers said yesterday, revealing that permission had been secured from Engineer R. H. Baldock of the state highway commission for inauguration of the changes.
    Starting Monday, the one-way traffic requirement on Crater Lake Highway will end at the junction with the old airport road, that is the road coming into Crater Lake Highway near the county trailer camp.
    Because a bottleneck has developed at certain times of the day on the highway north, the one-way rule will be extended, effective April 6, on the old Pacific Highway to the junction with the new Pacific Highway at the Big Y corner. This will make continuous one-way traffic on Riverside Avenue out to the cantonment, for northbound traffic.
    Coordinator Frank Van Dyke will provide two guards to enforce the new regulation from the Big Y corner on north, and one guard will be stationed at the Crater Lake Highway-airport road junction.
Medford Mail Tribune, March 29, 1942, page 12


    The scheduled completion date of the access road to Camp White, to be called the new Crater Lake Highway and now under construction, is August 31, according to the local office of the resident engineer of the Oregon State Highway Commission.
    The new road will be 9¾ miles in length, stretching from the intersection of North Riverside Avenue and McAndrews Road at the south end to Antelope Creek at the north end, and will provide two-way traffic, according to present plans, between here and the cantonment.
    From the north end of the access road to the divided lane, controlled traffic area near the present Court Street and North Riverside Avenue intersection, the road will be 22 feet wide with a 10-foot gravel shoulder on each side. It will be of concrete pavement.
    Contractors for this stretch of road, 8.35 miles, are Berke Bros. of Portland. C. J. Montag of Portland will do the paving.
    The work on North Riverside Avenue and Court Street, including the controlled traffic area, has been contracted to Jacobsen and Jensen, Tru-Mix of Medford. This portion of the road includes 1.4 miles.
    The controlled traffic area will see an intricate system of divided lanes constructed to take care of southbound traffic on the Pacific Highway, which will be routed south on Court Street; of northbound traffic on Riverside Avenue and of traffic going and coming from Camp White.
    Court Street will be a one-way street, southbound, and Riverside Avenue will be one-way, northbound. All southbound traffic on the Pacific Highway through the controlled traffic area will be non-stop, as will all northbound traffic on Riverside Avenue.
    Automatic control signals will be erected at the main intersection, where the Pacific Highway and the access road meet in front of the present Denney's grocery store, which will be moved next week to quarters in the Walden building a short distance south on the Pacific Highway.
    Thus, while northbound through traffic on the Pacific Highway to either the cantonment or Grants Pass and points north, will be non-stop, traffic signals will control motorists turning left into Court Street. Southbound traffic on the Pacific Highway, turning left for the cantonment, will also be controlled by signals.
    The southbound lane through the controlled traffic area will be 24 feet wide with a 10-foot shoulder, while the northbound lane on Riverside Avenue will be 26 feet wide with no shoulder. All connecting lanes between the north and southbound routes and the access road will be 26 feet wide, of asphaltic concrete.
Medford Mail Tribune, May 13, 1942, page 1


    The new Crater Lake Highway to Camp White and points east, under construction since early May of this year, was opened to traffic at noon today.
    The concrete paved artery, 9¾ miles in length, stretches from the intersection of North Riverside Avenue and McAndrews Road at this end to Antelope Creek in the cantonment area, and provides for two-way traffic.
    Although some work on the new road remains to be done, the completion of a bridge near the controlled traffic area close to the Court Street and North Riverside intersection made possible the opening of the highway, according to Tom Edwards, resident engineer of the State Highway Commission. Remainder of the work will be completed as weather permits, he stated.
    Outgoing motorists using the new highway are to travel north on Riverside Avenue and turn right at the controlled traffic area, while incoming traffic connects with the Pacific Highway and is routed onto Court Street and thence to Central Avenue.
    The old Crater Lake Highway, which connects with East Main Street in Medford, can still be used, Edwards explained, but he pointed out that the new highway to Camp White was shorter, more level and with fewer curves.
    An intricate system of lights control traffic at the "Y" intersection. The lights do not flash at specific intervals, but are tripped by cars entering the intersection from both directions to provide the right-of-way for machines arriving there first.
    Prime contractors for the paving of the new highway were Berke Bros. of Portland. Jacobson and Jensen Co. were the contractors for the controlled traffic area at the"Y," and subcontracted the work to Tru-Mix Concrete Co. of Medford.
Medford Mail Tribune, December 9, 1942, page 1


    McNutt Brothers of Eugene have started regrading a section of the Crater Lake Highway between Reese Creek and Antelope Creek, according to R. H. Baldock, state highway engineer. The stretch of road, about six and one-half miles long, will eventually be paved with concrete, according to Baldock, but this may not be done until another summer.
    Cost of the project is to be $543,700, the engineer reports.
Medford Mail Tribune, July 22, 1946, page 3


    Work of rehabilitating the Crater Lake Highway between Reese Creek and Antelope Creek has started. Since Pearl Harbor this has been a rugged stretch, and motorists were often tempted to strike out across a plowed field as a "refresher."
Arthur Perry, "Ye Smudge Pot," Medford Mail Tribune, August 15, 1946, page 10


    Recent payment of the last of its outstanding highway bonds puts Jackson County within the select circle of Oregon's debt-free counties. As a matter of fact, County Treasurer Ralph E. Sweeney points out, that happy state could have been reached some years ago--there was money available to pay off the bonds--but they weren't due until this year.
    The $4000 payment wound up the $500,000 issue authorized in 1922 for installation of pavement on part of the Crater Lake Highway and on the Jacksonville-Ruch highway.
    In 1943 the county paid off the last bonds of a $500,000 issue, authorized in 1913, which financed building the pavement between Ashland and Central Point, the first paving on the Pacific Highway in this section of the state.
    Ordinarily there is much can be said against heavy bond issues, for any purpose, especially from the standpoint of the long-drawn-out interest payments, but time and growth of population in the areas served have amply proved that the million dollars voted for the two road improvement projects was money well spent.--E.C.F.
Medford Mail Tribune, January 21, 1952, page 4


Medford Mail Tribune, October 12, 1958, page 5


Medford Mail Tribune, July 23, 1961, page 11


    Ever since the Peelor brothers started farming their fruit ranch along the Rogue River in the early 1900s, summertime travelers had been stopping to buy a slice or two of cool watermelon before moving on.
    Charlie and Tom Peelor lived about 100 yards off the Crater Lake wagon road that came from Medford. The ranch, which was just a little west of Flounce Rock not far from today's Peyton Bridge, is now mostly submerged under Lost Creek Lake.
    To get to Crater Lake from the Peelor ranch, tourists had to climb a steep, three-mile, uphill grade, a daunting task for a horse team and a severe challenge for an automobile.
    In 1907, Bill Hodson, owner of a Medford garage and one of the first automobile dealers in the area, wanted to set up a regularly scheduled auto-for-hire run to the lake.
    "Right now is the time for Medford to get busy on this tourist traffic to Crater Lake," Hodson said. "This is the nearest point from which to leave the Southern Pacific main (railroad) line for the lake."
    Hodson said there was only one obstacle to his plan--"and that is known as the Flounce Rock Grade."
    A year later, Charlie True, driving a Reo automobile, carried Hodson to the rim of Crater Lake. It was the first automobile to successfully make the trip, but True and Hodson hadn't climbed the Flounce Rock Grade. Instead, they had taken the preferred automobile route of the day.

If you go
    Pumice Hill got its name from the lava dust that usually covered the road such as an ocean beach and virtually stymied automobiles trying to climb the slope. Although ODOT slightly rerouted the highway up Pumice Hill in the early 1960s, a portion of the original still exists.
    From Interstate 5, Exit 30, drive 36 miles north on Highway 62. After passing over Peyton Bridge near Lost Creek Lake, continue up Pumice Hill. Continue for .6 miles past mile marker 37 to a small dirt parking area on the right. Park and take the short walk on the old highway.

    From Medford, the "trip around the Horn," as it was called, meant three days of hard driving. They raced to Ashland, then east over the Greensprings to Klamath Falls. Because of tree stumps still littering the road, it took another full day to reach Fort Klamath and most of the next day to reach the lake.
    In 1909, it seemed that Medford's dream of a good road to Crater Lake had finally come true. The U.S. government agreed to build a highway from the lake to the forest reserve line, and Oregon Gov. George Chamberlain had signed an appropriation of $100,000 to build a 50-mile state road from Medford to meet it. Jackson County businessmen had even pledged an additional $50,000 to the project.
    In February 1910, the Oregon Supreme Court said the appropriation was unconstitutional, ruling that the road was a "special" or "local" road and "not one which would benefit the state at large."
    George Putnam, editor of the Mail Tribune, was furious.
    "God threw a pearl before swine when he placed Crater Lake in Oregon," he said.
    The Medford Commercial Club, forerunner of the Chamber of Commerce, immediately formed a Crater Lake Highway Commission, tasked with raising enough money to construct the road themselves.
    In April, it made its first decision. The Flounce Rock Grade, now known as "Pumice Hill," would be the "first to go."
    Blasting and grading began in the fall, and in June 1911, the Pumice Hill portion of the Crater Lake Highway was finished. Widened from 8 feet to 23 feet, with a grade reduced from near 30 to 4 percent, it had cost $6,671.15.
    One obstacle down and just a few more years to go.
Medford Mail Tribune, August 7, 2011



Last revised November 14, 2024