2003 Revised Admin History – Chapter Seven Controversy Replacing Arant with Steel 1912-1913

TENT CAMPS

Tent camps located on the rim of the lake and near Crater Lake Lodge (under construction) were in use last season, but on account of violent storms prevalent in that vicinity they were found to be unsatisfactory for the accommodation of visitors. A few days prior to my arrival, nearly all the tents had been blown down or damaged by a severe wind storm. The sanitary condition of these camps appeared to have been good, and excellent water was obtained from the temporary hotel building near by which received an abundant supply from a pipe line from a cold spring. The lavatories consisted of out-buildings over sink holes and were kept in proper condition by the use of air-slacked lime. Refuse from the hotel and camps was buried in holes quite a distance away.

Because of the undesirability of tents for the sheltering of guests who do not care to lodge in the hotel, the Crater Lake Company proposes to erect in their place a number of six-room cottages. . . . As cottages of this character will add to the convenience and comfort of visitors in the park, construction thereof on Crater Lake Lodge Tract is hereby recommended for approval.

CRATER LAKE LODGE

A hotel building to be known as Crater Lake Lodge, situated on the Crater Lake Lodge Tract on the rim of the lake, is in course of construction. The building has a frontage on the lake of 162 feet, and a veranda 16 feet wide will run its full length. The center of the hotel or “great hall” is 43 x 62 feet and will be four stories high; the north wing is 32 x 50 feet, and will be three stories high; the south wing is 32 x 50 feet, and will have four stories including basement above ground, making it the same height as the north wing; and the west wing, where will be the kitchen, is 27 x 41-1/2 feet, which will have three stories including basement above ground. The first story of the main building or center and of the north and south wings is constructed of stone, while the remainder will be frame, the outside having English half-timber effect. A feature of the hotel will be a large stone chimney at one end having an outside fireplace, which is completed. It is estimated that the stone work, which is the slow and expensive part of the construction, is ninety percent completed, and that the entire structure is forty percent completed. The construction so far is of substantial character.

The inside arrangement provides for forty guest-rooms, great hall, office and lobby, baggage room, men s parlor with lavatory adjoining, women’s parlor with lavatory adjoining, dining room, kitchen, and two bath rooms and lavatories on each of the upper floors. The approximate cost of the hotel completely furnished is $40,000.00. The hotel will be supplied with water from a permanent spring 2500 feet south and 300 feet below the level thereof, lifted by a hydraulic ram and conveyed by pipe to a reservoir and thence to a pressure tank, both in the basement of the building. It is intended later to install a small hydro-electric plant by running a pipeline from said spring for the purpose of pumping water to the hotel, lighting it, etc.

The sanitary feature of the hotel will be modern plumbing throughout. All sewage will be piped into a large septic tank located about 200 feet south of the building and outside the drainage area of the water supply. Mr. Parkhurst has assured me he will resume work on the hotel this season as early as the weather will permit, and that he will make every effort to complete it by October 1. This in my opinion will be more than he can accomplish owing to the very short working season in that locality and the distance all material must be hauled. Should he be able to enclose the building this year and complete one wing for occupancy, it would seem he would be doing extremely well.

The building in use temporarily for hotel purposes is 30 x 40 feet, and under present plans will be converted into a sixteen-room house for the accommodation of visitors upon completion of Crater Lake Lodge. . . .