Crater Lake National Park: Administrative History by Harlan D. Unrau and Stephen Mark, 1987
APPENDIX A7: Excerpts from Inspector Edward W. Dixon’s Report on Park Operations and Conditions: 1912
HEADQUARTERS
The Superintendent’s headquarters in the park (known as Camp Arant) is located five miles in a Southerly direction from the lake at the head of Anna Creek and at the intersection of the Medford and Klamath Falls wagon roads. The post office of Crater Lake is established at this point, which is open during the months of July, August and September, when it is provided with a semi-weekly mail service. The building which is the office and residence of the superintendent was found to be in good condition. Other buildings at this point are two cottages, which are during the season occupied by the park ranger and family and per diem employees; shop and tool house; and barn 24 x 48 x 20 feet, and are in good state of repair, though they require painting. The barn which is especially well built, being constructed of heavy timbers so as to withstand excessive weight of snow, was, it appears, never completed, as between the boards on both sides and ends are large cracks, and the necessary protection therefore is not afforded to stock, forage and equipment supplies kept therein. . . .
RECORDS AND FILES
The records of the Superintendent’s office are meagre and have so far been kept regardless of any system. Letters from the Department were found in envelopes in the different desk drawers, and copies of much of the correspondence sent out were not obtainable. Two books of record only were being used, viz: Automobile and Motorcycle Permit Book and Register of Camping Parties. No account of an allotment of funds had been kept in any book and no account of moneys collected appeared anywhere except on stubs of the permit book, from which the monthly statements were made up for transmission to the Department. Suggestion was made to the Superintendent that he carefully keep an itemized account of all moneys received by entering each item in a blotter or day book and posting therefrom to a ledger, such ledger account to be balanced each month by his deposit or remittance. I also explained to him the manner in which accounts of the different allotments should be kept and suggested that it hereafter be followed. Mr. Arant appeared much interested in going over these matters with me, saying no one had ever been there before to advise him, and expressed a readiness to carry out the suggestions made with respect thereto. In order that he may be able to do so, the office should be provided with the necessary filing case and blank books. . . .
ROADS
Two roads only lead into the reservation at the present time, one from Medford and the other from Klamath Falls, each of which is used by automobiles and horse-drawn vehicles. The distance to Crater Lake from Medford is eighty-five miles, and from Klamath Falls, sixty-six miles. From Klamath Falls to Fort Klamath are two roads, one on the east side of Upper Klamath Lake via Agency Landing and Klamath Agency, and one on the west side of said lake via Harriman Lodge, situated on Pelican Bay. The latter road forks about fifteen miles above the lodge, one branch intersecting the east side road at Fort Klamath, and the other intersecting it about twelve miles below Camp Arant. . . . The point where the park line is crossed by the Medford road is known as the western entrance and the point where it is crossed by the Klamath Falls road is known as the southern entrance. The road from Medford is a good dirt and rock road and is kept up and constantly improved by Jackson County. I traveled the length of this road in October last and found it in good condition. The Klamath Falls roads are said to be fair to good, the one on the east side of Upper Klamath Lake to Klamath Agency and Fort Klamath being used more is, I understand, in little better condition.
The road from Chiloquin, a station on the Natron cutoff of the Southern Pacific Railroad, to which point the railroad from Klamath Falls was constructed in June, 1912, is an old dirt road said to be in fairly good condition. This road intersects the east side Klamath Falls road at Klamath Agency the distance from Chiloquin to Crater Lake being thirty-six miles. From Agency Landing, situated at the upper end of Upper Klamath Lake, to Crater Lake is thirty-four miles, the route being over the east side Klamath Falls road, the same road as the one from Chiloquin above Klamath Agency. . . .
