Moving Camp

Moving Camp on the Cascade Mt. Pack trail, passing Gus Barran's Ranch. Summer 1908. David has over 40 lbs. in his pack, Edward over 50 lbs., and I over 70 lbs. I can testify that such a load will make the perspiration run down one's back. This fellow Gus Barran took up this claim at the same time John Hayman did 20 years ago, has succeeded in making a living. He slashed and burned most all his timber and succeeded in clearing this little patch. He sold one little piece that he did not burn and got $4,000 for it a short time ago. He still lives on the place. Note the smoke in the background of the picture from the nearby forest fires. August 11, 1908. --Roland Hartley.

Gus' Barran's Ranch is on the west side of Woods Lake north of Sultan and at the beginning of the Wagon Road to Sultan. This is the ninth photo in a photo album on a timber cruising survey done by Roland H. Hartley (later Washington State Governor 1924-32), estimator, and his two young sons, Edward W. (age 15) and David M. Hartley (age 11), compassmen, in the summer of 1908, completed Aug. 21, 1908. Roland Hartley documented the survey with photos, of which 16 are in a remarkable album that was created by Ed Anderson, the great-grandson of Roland Hartley, and the grandson of Edward Hartley. A copy of the album is in the Monroe Historical Society Museum and digital copies of the photos are in the MHS photo collection (#1493 - #1508). Roland Hartley also wrote about each photo and marked the location of where he took the photo on a township map (see MHS #1509).

The survey covered 1157 acres north of Sultan and roughly east of Woods Lake, West of the Sultan River and South of Lake Chaplain in Township No. 28 North Range No. 8 East, Willamette Meridian Wash. At that time a Wagon Road ran from Sultan to Woods Lake and a foot trail continued from Woods Lake to Lake Chaplain. The first camp was located about halfway between Lake Chaplain (to the Northeast) and Woods Lake (south) just off the foot trail between the two lakes. The second camp was located about halfway along the creek and flume that ran from Woods Lake (northwest) to the Sultan River (southeast).

--Monroe Historical Society Photo #1501