Telephone System
All of the 48 miles of telephone line comprising the park system was practically rebuilt this season and gives a better service than ever before.
Buildings
A new floor was laid in the sleeping quarters for crew at Government Camp; the roofs of the mess hall, office, and shelter cabin painted; and new joists and ceiling put in the shelter cabin. A temporary protection to portable oil tank was erected at Government Camp. Tanks and tank houses were erected at Devils Backbone and Wineglass for supplying water to maintenance crews and automobiles making the rim drive. The fence around Government buildings at Anna Spring was rebuilt, and a new cesspool dug at that place to take care of sewage from the ranger’s house. Eight dry toilets on public camp grounds were moved and new vaults dug. The location of wash and bath house for crew at Government Camp was changed, the old building torn down and rebuilt on the new site, and the entire water system at Government Camp amplified and improved.
Miscellaneous Improvements
A gasoline pump and 500-gallon tank were installed at Government Camp, the oil shed moved and improved, and several dying trees removed from the grounds as a protection to buildings. [3]
Various Park Service reports during the early 1920s indicate that park maintenance efforts consisted primarily of varied improvement projects. In 1923, for instance, Superintendent Thomson reported that “a large amount of miscellaneous work was accomplished.” The list of varied projects included:
Disused corral fences were taken down; all living areas thoroughly policed; equipment gone over and renovated; accumulations of manure and trash disposed of; new cesspools made; rub logs placed at certain critical points; additional latrines put up at three entrances and two camp grounds; sanitary drinking fountains installed at Anna Spring and at the west entrance. By felling 4 large and 11 small trees a lovely canyon was opened on the main road. The public camp grounds were so popular that it was necessary to extend them; two men maintained them immaculately throughout the season.
In addition all permanent buildings at Anna Spring were painted “tobacco brown with dark green roofs,” and several dilapidated structures were razed and the material salvaged. [4]
The following year Superintendent Thomson reported that “major effort has been directed toward road maintenance, but a considerable amount of miscellaneous work has also been accomplished.” This work included
the roofing with shakes of the west and east entrance cabins and the Anna Spring bunk house; reconstruction in whole or in part of four bridges; construction of two new latrines near the boat landing; construction of a new powder house; erection of an appropriate log boundary arch; shingling of tank house; installation of small generating sets at Government Camp and the Rim; improvement of water-heating devices at the Rim comfort station; painting or staining of several structures; erection of new park signs; repair of buildings; and a general overhauling of trucks, pumping, and miscellaneous equipment. [5]
In 1925 Superintendent Thomson observed that “as usual, endeavor necessarily was concentrated upon road maintenance, sanitation, and all those other problems incidental to the safety and comfort of tens of thousands of visitors.” Beyond that “a considerable miscellany of alteration and repair was accomplished,” including
new shake roof on two buildings, alteration and painting of superintendent’s residence, new floors and windows in the information office, remodeling of kitchen at Government camp bunkhouse, installation of generating plant and wiring of Anna Spring buildings, construction of a fine massive log arch at south entrance, some general painting and staining, and a general clean up of functional areas. Much of our alteration was accomplished with material salvaged from condemned structures.
More than twenty percent of the park road funds were devoted to snow removal, and heavy spring slides necessitated an unusual amount of work on the trail to the lake, practically exhausting the entire park’s trail allotment. [6]
