You were at Redwood most of the time?
That is the way it worked, but that was the priority that was established. Paul carried the load there and I think he did a good job. I had a little problem with campgrounds, cause Hartzog has an idea a minute and expects it done the next minute. Of course, the chain of command kind of bottles things up. But we had a little problem with that, it was a good idea I think, was to have the campground run by the concessionaire. But part of the problems was that the concessionaire was kind of an obstinate chap, putting it mildly. The biggest problem was that he was an alcoholic. That was a real tough problem, but when he was drunk he was as sharp as most people when they are sober. When he was sober he was devastating.
Peyton paid his political dues and expected results and got them. He was a friend of several other men and political figures. To say he was awkward to deal with is probably an understatement, but he and I had mutual respect. I just flat told him he was and I just wouldn’t talk to him after 10:00 o’clock in the morning.
Did you get to see him very often? Was he in the park a lot?
He was there all the time. I’m talking about the season now.
The season—summer?
Yes, he would be there for five months: pre-and post-season, but his office was in Portland. I’d meet him up there on occasion and we got along fine socially.
Did you deal with Jim Griffin very often?
Yeah. Gosh, I’d have forgotten about Jim. Jim was more of a silent partner, a very nice fella. Both of the wives were involved too, both Jim’s wife and Mrs. Peyton.
I know that was his nickname. They called him Silent Jim, with Peyton being the front man.
Well, there was part of the financing was changed, oh goodness I can’t think of this other fella’s name; it was a banker in Portland. At any rate, there was money needed when we got into approving the concession contract. We got into this sprinkler system because that building was a fire trap, if I ever saw one. It was horrible. The concession people in Washington managed the concession contracts in those days, naturally they would send it out and you would take it to get signed. That is the way that it worked, but you had input into what would be in the contract.
So there was some park level input?
Oh, yes, very definitely. But of course it was colored by the factors that you live with there, as well as the political realities that you have to live with.
Did you think that the team was unusual, being thirty years?
It was pretty much standard in those days. I did another one at Oregon Caves, I think it was the same length, I’m not sure. That phase of it we had no control over. But one of the major bone of contention was this fire system and we flat refused the official contract until it was accomplished, period.
