W.F.
Arant - Crater Lake's first superintendent
Herald and News
Klamath Falls, Oregon
May 13, 2002
By LEE JUILLERAT
CRATER LAKE — Everyone who visits Crater Lake National Park and
enters from the south entrance station has driven toward the
lake and seen a sign alongside a bridge that, maps tell, crosses
Goodbye Creek.
These days the remaining sign reads, "Goodbye Picnic Area." For
many years another sign announced, "Goodbye Bridge."
Hello, "Goodbye."
The namings stem from the bitterest battle ever waged at Crater
Lake. It took place in 1913 when the park's first
superintendent, William Franklin Arant of Klamath Falls, usually
known as W.F. or Frank, was forcibly removed from the park.
Arant had served as superintendent after it was created on May
22, 1902. When Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat, was elected president
it was believed that Arant, a Republican, was marked for
replacement.
Klamath County residents, strongly Democratic, wanted and
expected a Democratic replacement. No matter what party, they
believed Arant's successor should come from Klamath County
because the entire park was then within county boundaries.
"Aside from the fact that he is a dyed-in-the-wool Republican,"
one newspaper wrote about Arant, "the people of this county have
no objection to him."
William Steel, known as the "Father of Crater Lake," wanted the
job. Like Arant he was Republican, but — most irritating of all
to Klamath County people — he lived in Portland and had that
city's support and the backing of others, including the vocal
Medford press.
Campaigning was active. Wires to congressmen, visits aimed at
rallying support in Oregon cities and campaigns by friendly
newspapers and chambers of commerce were frequent until June
1913, when Secretary of the Interior Franklin Lane announced
Steel's appointment.
"Our People Do Not Like Appointment Of Steel For Crater Lake,"
the June 12 Klamath Falls newspaper headlined. "New Appointee
Declared To Have Shown Animosity Toward Klamath Falls," another
headline insisted, while yet a third declared, "Is Believed He
Will Cater To People Of Rogue River And Portland."
Controversy spiraled. Arant ignored a letter from Lane asking
for his resignation and insisted he would remain on the job. In
a letter to Lane, Arant said his job was under civil service and
not subject to dismissal without reason.
While Arant remained firm, Steel was appointed and began his
trip to Crater Lake to take over as superintendent.
Arant hired J.H. Carnahan, a Klamath Falls lawyer, and enlisted
Klamath County support while Steel, in turn, fired his own salvo
of charges.
"This statement is childish and untrue," Steel told his
followers in Medford of Arant's civil service claims.
Recharging his own forces and firing his own salvo, Arant told
the Klamath Falls Northwestern newspaper, "I intend to stay at
the park all summer."
"Mr. Arant is a bigger chump than his friends supposed," the
June 30 Medford newspaper declared. "Mr. Steel's appointment was
made only after the collapse of a most malicious and venomous
campaign of perjury instigated against him by the Klamath
Development Co. ... which seeks to make Crater Lake the tail of
its Pelican Bay kite."
Lane telegraphed Arant to inform him that he was removed from
office but, as a July 4 headline declared, "Arant Sticks To Guns
At Crater Lake Park."
Steel arrived at Crater Lake on July 1 and stayed at other park
accommodations. The superintendent's office remained occupied by
Arant.
Confusion continued with notice that, although Arant was subject
to civil service classification, the Civil Service Commission
had no power to challenge Lane. Arant promised not to move until
the question was settled by the courts. (In 1919 the dispute
eventually reached the Supreme Court, which declined to rule on
Arant's complaint.)
"Arant And Steel Live In Proximity But Are Not At All Cordial,"
a July 10 paper said. The story noted each man "served notice on
the park postmaster not to deliver mail to the superintendent of
the park and as a consequence the orders of the interior
department are not delivered."
Curiosity intensified when in mid-July, U.S. Marshal Leslie M.
Scott arrived in Medford en route to Crater Lake. The purpose
for Scott's visit was undisclosed. That mystery was uncovered a
few days later.
"Arant, Ejected From Park Buildings By Force, Stays On The Job,"
headlines announced July 21.
After trying to persuade Arant to leave, Scott set a deadline.
Arant, however, refused. Later accounts said that Arant told
Scott, "I would like to see somebody try and remove me from my
own house."
"However," the story continued, "in less than one minute he
(Arant) was passed through two doors and landed in the front
yard. He returned immediately and was again ejected without
ceremony but with dispatch."
Arant later returned with friends, forced is way back into his
office and, four more times, was ejected.
Arant, his wife and his brother continued to camp at the park
while Steel moved into the superintendent's office. The Arants
were granted permission to remain "until the bridge upon which
the Arants have been working on is completed," a newspaper said.
Feelings remained high. In late July headlines and stories told
of a fight between Arant and A.L. Parkhurst of Crater Lake
Development Co., that "ended when the latter (Parkhurst) struck
the former superintendent over the head with a wrench,
inflicting a serious scalp wound."
Parkhurst, stories said, claimed "self-defense while Arant
declares it was assault with attempt to kill."
On July 31, Arant left.
"Ousted, but defiant to the last, W.F. Arant pulled out of the
Crater Lake National Park Sunday morning taking his goods and
chattels with him in wagons and heading for Klamath Falls," a
newspaper reported.
Through August headlines still declared, "Arant Unable To
Comprehend Loss Of Office," "Arant Still Fights For Steel's
Post."
After Steel took office, several park sites were renamed. Arant
had given his name to many of the park's prominent locations.
His name remains only at Arant Point, a 6,815-foot-high dome
rising 565 feet above the surrounding country.
But the bridge Arant and his family spent their final park days
working on was given the name it's kept ever since, "Goodbye."
Arant and his family moved from Crater Lake to Klamath Falls,
where they lived until moving to Ashland. He died in November
1927. His wife, Emma, died in 1937. Both are buried in the
Linkville Cemetery in Klamath Falls.
Steel resigned as superintendent in 1916 and was named park
commissioner, a post he held until his October 1934 death in
Medford.
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