Notes and Correspondence 



89 



Island Lake leads through average mountain country. If changed as 

 suggested it will take the traveler by the shores of three of the most 

 picturesque lakes in the entire region (where splendid fishing of golden 

 trout will be possible in 1917), and will give him a close view of the 

 Minarets and Mounts Banner and Ritter. The expense to put this trail 

 through will not exceed that necessary to establish a trail on the other 

 route. 



METHODS OF WORK 



Supervision. The Middle Fork of Kings River unit of this year's 

 work was supervised by District Ranger Roy Boothe. He went in at the 

 start, visited the project again with the supervisor from August 5 to 9, 

 when the work being done was inspected and a reconnaissance of the 

 proposed route of the trail from Palisade Creek to Muir Pass was made. 

 He went again, in October, to help bring the crew out. 



The Muir Pass-French Canon unit was supervised by District Ranger 

 Frank Price, and during a large part of the work Assistant Ranger 

 Mark Cathey was with the crew. Price was on the job three times, work- 

 ing himself for over a week with the men. The supervisor visited this 

 project in the latter part of July, going over the route from Blaney 

 Meadow to Muir Pass. Later, in September, he inspected the work be- 

 ing done and went over the proposed route of the trail from Blaney 

 Meadow to the head of Fish Creek. He had in previous years gone over 

 the route from Reds Meadows north to Island Pass. 



Deputy Supervisor Jordan, in September, went over the proposed 

 route from Reds Meadows to the head of Fish Creek. With the excep- 

 tion, therefore, of the stretch from the mouth of Palisade Creek to the 

 pass at its head, the entire route of the trail within the Sierra Forest, 

 as outlined by the State Engineer, has been gone over, and the situation 

 ahead is thoroughly known to the supervising officers. 



Crews. Two crews were employed, one in the Middle Fork of Kings 

 River, the other on the Muir Pass-French Canon unit. Number of men 

 in crews was eight, including foreman and cook. Wages paid foreman, 

 $3.00 per day and board ; laborers, $2.00 per day and board ; cook, $60.00 

 per month and board. The foremen selected were men of experience in 

 handling crews and in trail work. The foreman of the crew in the Mid- 

 dle Fork of Kings River, Sylvester Dehl, was chosen because of his 

 experience also in rock and powder work. 



Transportation. The men walked to the job. Materials and supplies 

 were taken into camp on pack animals. Informal bids were obtained 

 from packers prior to start of work and lowest price accepted. Prices, 

 $LO0 per day for pack and saddle horses; $2.00 per day for packer, one 

 packer taking care of six animals. Each animal packed a minimum load 

 of 150 pounds. The schedule of travel was determined by Forest offi- 

 cers and the packers were paid for the schedule time. 



The proportion of the packing charge on a job of this kind to its 

 total cost will always be high on account of distance from supply points. 



