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75 years ago

From the Friday, April 8, 1932, Steamboat Pilot

Snow deeper than average

Generally speaking, the snow on the Routt National forest was deeper than average at the close of the month of March, according to reports from the forest office. In fact, only the two scales at the head of Wheeler Creek and the one in Pinkham Creek show a deficiency from average, while the depth on Little Grizzly Creek exceeds the average 31 inches.

With this plentiful supply of moisture stored in our mountains, the prospects of next year's water supply are much brighter than they were in 1931. It takes such a dry year as 1931 to make people really appreciate the full significance of the vast reservoir that the hills, trees and shrubs make and how important they are to the welfare of any section. Such a year impresses upon the public the necessity of protecting that resource.

Woman saves rancher's life

The wedding of R.T. Stifel and Mrs. Lenora Camerer of McCoy was scheduled to take place April 5 at Mercy hospital in Denver where Mr. Stifel is a patient recovering from a serious accident, which occurred at his ranch near McCoy nearly a month ago. He was sawing logs with a buzz-saw when his clothing caught on the bark of a log and he was carried into the teeth of the saw. Before it could be stopped, his leg was almost severed.

Local aid was given and Stifel and Mrs. Camerer remained at his side for four days when she decided that he must be removed to Denver. Against the protests of his relatives, she loaded mattresses and blankets into the back of a truck and took him to McCoy, two miles away, and placed him on a train. Physicians at Mercy hospital said she had brought him not a minute too soon, as they found the shinbone severed, a bone injury at the knee and a rapidly spreading infection. She has been at his bedside continually at the hospital, where he will remain for some time.

Mrs. Camerer is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. C.H. Stone of Denver. She went to McCoy on a business trip more than a year ago and decided to stay. She was bookkeeper at the McCoy Hotel. A common love for the mountains developed the romance, which led to the marriage of Mrs. Camerer and Stifel, the date of which had been set four days after the accident occurred. When she recovers, they will make their home at McCoy Ranch.

Phone company working

Several telephone crews are at work in Routt and Moffat Counties at this time working on the installation of four new copper wires for a circuit group between Denver and Salt Lake City. Another crew is working out of Golden, coming this way. As soon as the snow has sufficiently settled, the crew, now at Hayden, will start working on Rabbit Ears Pass.

The new circuit is being installed for the purpose of getting away from the noise which interferes with service on the circuit which now goes by way of Grand Junction, and to relieve the toll lines. The new installation will put Meeker on a direct circuit.

Three crews working out of Craig now are in Axial Basin. Working conditions are not the best there because of the muddy roads. The men must walk fully six miles to work after leaving the truck in the road where it can no longer proceed.

The crew, now at Hayden, is working on the circuit installation and also changing some of the old native poles and replacing with lodge pole pines. Additional cross arms are put on each pole in addition to the four new wires. Where the poles interfere with the new routing of the highway they will be removed, H.D. Webster, local district manager of the telephone company, says. This will also be done in all parts of the district where necessary.

There is no radio interference whatsoever from the telephone lines in Steamboat Springs or vicinity, Webster says.