July 19
155 men and 38 woman formally organize the Mazama Mountain Climbing Club, on a sheltered ledge, at the summit of Mt. Hood. Will Steel is elected president. One of the requirements of membership is to have first climbed a glaciated peak. The Mazamasare organized to begin a campaign to stop illegal lumber harvesting on Federal land in Oregon and for the creation of forest protection in the National Forest Reserve. According to Steel, “This was the largest number of human beings that had ever gathered on the summit of such a mountain in one day. We needed a name for this organization of enthusiasts and found one that was coined by a Spanish naturalist in Mexico two or three hundred years ago, Mazama, the significance of which is disputed; scientists sometimes claim it means the antelope, while others favor the mountain goat. However, we took this matter in hand and settled it by deciding that it means the mountain goat, the best mountain climber in the country. So there!” from a speech given January 3, 1917 at the National Parks Conference, Washington, D.C.
Crater Lake State Park bill again passes the Senate.
October
The Cascade Forest Preserves (National Forests) are set aside by Congress because of the lobbying efforts of Will Steel and others. As documented by Dr. Gerald Williams, 1991, “The struggle to have forest reserves in Oregon began in the mid-1880’s. Two men John B. Waldo and William G. Steel fell in love with the pristine mountains land along the backbone of the Cascade Range. Acutely aware of the policy of the Federal and state governments to transfer all public land to private ownership as soon as possible, the two men resolved to save the Cascades for the public and future generations. They undertook this effort at a time when there were national arguments about the appropriate use or disposal of the public domain timber lands. Their struggle in this effort is a remarkable story of fortitude and courage in the face of often overwhelming odds.”
1894 or 1895
The last Grizzly Bear in the area is killed on Annie Creek near Fort Klamath. The rancher who did the killing uses a Set gun because the bear had been killing his animals.
