MOUNT SPOKANE
Spokane County - Washington State Parks Board - 28N-45E-16
February 8, 1922: "A.G. Rigg of the architectural firm of Rigg & Vantyne, will go to the summit of Mount Spokane as soon as the mountain road is passable in order to secure data for the erection of a proposed lookout building at the mountain top. Later he will draw plans for the structure, he stated.
The project is backed by the publicity bureau of the Chamber of Commerce and will be erected as a mark of accomplishment of the work of the committee. It is expected that all labor, material and plans will be given without cost through community and organization efforts." (Spokane Chronicle)
The project is backed by the publicity bureau of the Chamber of Commerce and will be erected as a mark of accomplishment of the work of the committee. It is expected that all labor, material and plans will be given without cost through community and organization efforts." (Spokane Chronicle)
February 9, 1922: "A lookout tower is to be erected on the summit of Mount Spokane, under plans made by the Spokane Chamber of Commerce. Civic organizations will bear the actual cost of erection of the tower, and the central labor council has volunteered to furnish labor without charge." (Laramie Republican - Wyoming)
February 12, 1922: "A lookout tower is to be erected on the summit of Mount Spokane, under plans made by the Spokane chamber of commerce. Civic organizations will bear the actual cost of erection of the tower and the central labor council has volunteered to furnish labor without charge." (The Morning Oregonian)
August 6, 1931: "Fire protection for Mount Spokane state park was provided this week by the state forestry board. Two deputy state fire wardens are patrolling the mountain road and trails, according to information received today by Walter Andre, chairman of the Spokane county game commission.
The mountain is also being watched for fires by lookout stations at Newman lake, near Blanchard and on Half Moon." (Spokane Daily Chronicle)
July 20, 1932: "State assistance in establishing a forest fire lookout station atop Mount Spokane was asked today by the Chamber of Commerce.
The United States forest service has made a lookout building available, on condition that a man be placed in charge during the fire season.
In a letter to Earl J. Barnes, director of the state department of conservation and development. Eric A. Johnston, president of the Chamber of Commerce, today said:
'The area that can be covered by such a lookout is immense and no other location in this territory is as practical as the site on Mount Spokane.
Our investigation leads us to believe it would cost the state department very little and that a man could be hired and short wave radio communication with Fort Wright established at an expenditure of around $300. We have been assured free service of the base radio station at Fort Wright.' " (Spokane Daily Chronicle)
August 27, 1932: “John Nugent, state fire warden, and Mrs. Nugent attended the official dedication of the fire protection lookout house on top of Mount Spokane Sunday, the event being participated in jointly by the state and federal fire services. Deputy Warden Lawrence Dixon also went down from here. Mr. Nugent spoke during the program on the state's methods in fire control work. Major Evan W. Kelley, regional forester in charge of of region No. 1 of the U.S. Service, explained methods used in the feeding of the armies of fire fighters who are sometimes called into the forests. Alvin Collin, Spokane county commissioner, and Arthur Burch, city commissioner, also spoke. E.R. Edgerton presided.
A feature of the event was the luncheon, the crowd being given a regular serving of field rations such as are served to fire fighters. The meal consisted of soup, baked ham and sweet potatoes, garden peas, Washington plums, coffee and lemonade.” (The Colville Examiner)
August 27, 1932: “John Nugent, state fire warden, and Mrs. Nugent attended the official dedication of the fire protection lookout house on top of Mount Spokane Sunday, the event being participated in jointly by the state and federal fire services. Deputy Warden Lawrence Dixon also went down from here. Mr. Nugent spoke during the program on the state's methods in fire control work. Major Evan W. Kelley, regional forester in charge of of region No. 1 of the U.S. Service, explained methods used in the feeding of the armies of fire fighters who are sometimes called into the forests. Alvin Collin, Spokane county commissioner, and Arthur Burch, city commissioner, also spoke. E.R. Edgerton presided.
A feature of the event was the luncheon, the crowd being given a regular serving of field rations such as are served to fire fighters. The meal consisted of soup, baked ham and sweet potatoes, garden peas, Washington plums, coffee and lemonade.” (The Colville Examiner)
July 5, 1933: "Last year, a lookout was maintained by the federal government on top of Mount Spokane, but under the economy program it is not believed it will be kept up this year." (Spokane Daily Chronicle)
June 8, 1934: "Mount Spokane has a vista house and a forest fire lookout station, but is cut off from the rest of the world as far as telephone, radio,or telegraph communication is concerned.
This was revealed in discussion at the timber products bureau of the Chamber of Commerce at its meeting Wednesday. Several possible methods of obtaining telephone communication were discussed.
Only $600 is available for communication and the regular charges of the telephone companies for connecting their lines were considered to high. William Duffy and S.N. Wyckoff were appointed by Ralph Edgerton, chairman, to call on the telephone companies relative to finding a way out of the apparently prohibitive charges.
Connecting with Pacific Telephone and Telegraph company on the Washington side as well as connecting with the Interstate Telephone company lines on the Idaho side will be considered. Another proposal that will be considered is building the line into Elk and connecting with the Long Lake Lumber company's switchboard there.
CCC camp labor from the camp on the mountain would be used, reducing considerably the charges for the construction." (Spokane Daily Chronicle)
July 30, 1937: "After two days and nights without a wink of sleep, George H. Walberg, 22, forest service lookout on Mount Spokane, turned in early Wednesday night.
Fierce blasts of lightning, crashing into timber within the range of the 5808-foot lookout post, gave the young man plenty to do.
Lookout Walberg had an unexcelled, though unenvied view of Tuesday's storm. Lightning struck all around the lookout post. He telephoned in the location of four fires in his area, while lightning crashed overhead." (The Semi-Weekly Spokesman-Review)
June 7, 1941: “Rangers and technical employees of the Colville district of the state forestry division were busy this week perfecting their new radio network recently installed by R. M. Fuller, state radio technician.
Stationary two-way sets have been installed in lookouts on Mt. Spokane, Dunn mountain and Stranger mountain. The Colville and Deer Park offices each have a portable two=way set as part of their equipment.” (The Colville Examiner)
June 7, 1941: “Rangers and technical employees of the Colville district of the state forestry division were busy this week perfecting their new radio network recently installed by R. M. Fuller, state radio technician.
Stationary two-way sets have been installed in lookouts on Mt. Spokane, Dunn mountain and Stranger mountain. The Colville and Deer Park offices each have a portable two=way set as part of their equipment.” (The Colville Examiner)
June 24, 1943: "Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Hughes have moved to the summit of Mount Spokane where they will spend the summer. He will be employed as a lookout by the forestry department." (Deer Park Union)
June 24, 1944: “Installation of short wave radio sending and receiving sets linking up Stevens, Pend Oreille and Spokane counties was completed Monday by Bob Fuller, radio technician for the state division of forestry, and his assistant Max Giverson.
Sets were installed at the following lookout stations: Stranger Mt. In Stevens county, Mt. Spokane and Mica peak in Spokane county and on Saddle mountain in Pend Oreille county.” (The Colville Examiner)
June 24, 1944: “Installation of short wave radio sending and receiving sets linking up Stevens, Pend Oreille and Spokane counties was completed Monday by Bob Fuller, radio technician for the state division of forestry, and his assistant Max Giverson.
Sets were installed at the following lookout stations: Stranger Mt. In Stevens county, Mt. Spokane and Mica peak in Spokane county and on Saddle mountain in Pend Oreille county.” (The Colville Examiner)
1947: A road to the lookout site at Mt. Spokane was cleared and constructed before winter set in, so that the new installation can be completed in the spring before the 1948 fire season. (Annual Report of the Division of Forestry)
July 7, 1948: "New 90-foot fire lookout tower on Mount Spokane." (was completed) (Spokane Daily Chronicle)
1948: "An 84' ring connected creosoted tower, with 14'x14' living quarters on top, was erected on Mt. Spokane. Because of the large number of visitors to Mt. Spokane State Park, an effort was made to make this an especially attractive lookout." (Annual Report of the Division of Forestry)
May 17, 1949: "An inspection of the wreckage of Mt. Spokane L.O. Tower which collapsed about February 15, 1949, was made May 9, 1949, for the purpose of determining, if possible, the cause of the failure.
History and Description:The tower was built in 1948 by the Washington State Park Board and State Division of Forestry from Forest Service plans secured from Region 6.
The tower is described as follows:
Height - 83 feet.
Cab - 14 x 14 - R-6 type.
Timbers - Ring connected creosoted Douglas fir, select structural grade.
Type - CT4.
Drawing No. - L-10700.
Guys - 4 - 7/8" - 6 x 10 plough steel wire rope placed at the top of the fourth panel. (The tower is five panels high.)
Elevation - 5800' at base of tower.
In addition to the guys specified the state added four additional 1/2" guys, near the top of the tower under the cab, presumably to secure greater stability.
On or about February 15, 1949, the tower collapsed during a severe storm accompanied by high winds. A wind velocity of 72 M.P.H. was recorded at Galena Airport near Spokane, at about that time.
A few days prior to February 1, 1949, or thereabouts, a horizontal projection of snow and ice extending 20' to 22' out from the cab was noted by skiers. A crew went to the tower to remove the snow and ice shortly after February 1, and at that time the projecting ice and snow had fallen off. However, the crew removed the acculated ice and snow from the tower, tunneling through the the top flight of stairs. Due to the accumulation of ice and snow on the catwalk the crew was unable to lift the trap door or gain access to the catwalk, and the snow from that portion of the structure was not removed.
It was also noted by the snow removal crew, around February 1, that one of the horizontal cross braces at the top of the first panel was split. This member consisted of two 2x8's with a 2x12 nailed over the top full length. The crew re-nailed this member.
Findings:
The guy cables were all found intact and there was no evidence of cable clips slipping.
Additional post supports had been provided under the cables to take care of snow load on cables.
As far as the inspectors could determine, the material was of the grade specified: i.e., select structural Douglas fir. Diagonal grain was noted in some of the broken members but that was within the allowable limit for the grade. There were still six feet of snow on the ground at the time of the inspection.
Conclusions:
1. The engineers are unanimous in their opinion that the failure of the tower was due to an extraordinary, heavy load beyond the design limits.
Whether or not another heavy projection of ice and snow was formed is not known, but the falling of the projection previously noted could have fractured various cross members to seriously weaken the structure.
2. These towers are designed to withstand a 100 M.P.H. wind but are not designed for the heavy ice conditions on this point. If these conditions had been known at the time, a tower of special design would have been recommended.
Photographs of some of the snow conditions encountered were shown the inspectors at the ski lodge. One of these pictures showed a flag pole with a horizontal projection of ice equal in length to about the height of the flag pole, for almost the full height of the pole.
3. Standard plans of either wood or steel towers, while satisfactory for 99 out of 100 sites, should not be used at those points where ice loading conditions are known to be severe.
Photographs of the wreckage are attached." (Inspection Report to Assistant Regional Forester from Structural Engineer)
1950: A 45-foot timber tower with a 14'x14' cab was constructed to replace the tower that collapsed. (Biennial Report of the Forestry Division)
October 12, 1950: "The heavy rain of last week so reduced the forest fire hazard that Mr. and Mrs. Blake are home from their look-out post on Mt. Spokane." (Deer Park Union)
June 24, 1960: "The Mount Spokane lookout was opened today by the state department of natural resources in preparation for the summer season.
Ciri Hansen, 20-year-old Walla Walla college student from Spokane, will handle the fire spotting duties at Mount Spokane." (Spokane Daily Chronicle)
1962-64: A replacement lookout tower was erected on Mt. Spokane in Spokane County. (4th Biennial Report of the Washington Department of Natural Resources)
2001: The tower was dismantled and moved. Later Major parts were used to erect the Quartz Mountain lookout.
