Mountain Times
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Bringing you People, Places and Happenings in the Sacramento Mountains - Past and Present
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The Story This Month is About
by Drew Gomber
The name Oliver Lee looms large over the
Tularosa Basin. If you drive down Route 54 to
El Paso, on the outskirts of Alamogordo about
every third business seems to be named for him
- the “Oliver Lee Flea market,” etc.
Dog Canyon is now a park and tourist attraction. However, back in the 1880’s, it was where
Oliver Lee called “home.” Lee was typical of
many of the men of this time; emigrating from
Texas, he found the land he wanted, took it,
and proceeded to hold it - at the point of a gun,
if necessary.
Oliver Milton Lee was born in the tiny village
of Buffalo Gap, Texas, in 1866. As the son of a
49er from New York, you could almost say it
was in his genes to travel further west and carve
out his own niche - in history as well as land.
He did exactly that.
At the age of 18, Oliver Lee, in the company
of his older half-brother, Perry Altman, their
widowed mother and the rest of the family,
moved to the Tularosa Basin. Oliver’s mother
was the sort of pioneer woman who could chew
nails and spit out rivets. She had raised her
niece, Nettie Fry, as though she were her own
child; so much so, that Oliver, her natural son,
thought of Nettie as his “sister.”
When Nettie became engaged to marry
Oliver’s closest friend, George McDonald,
Oliver couldn’t have been more pleased.
But trouble was never far away in those days,
and it was George McDonald who found it first.
As was frequently the case, both then and now,
water was the cause of the unpleasantness.
When McDonald and Lee found a small spring,
they dug it out and “rocked it up,” thereby supplying a little water for their cattle.
Nearby, a man named John Good had a tank
that he ran water to by pipeline from Tularosa.
Good was less than happy when some of the
Lee cattle began wandering over and availing
themselves of his water.
Like Lee, John Good was no man to be trifled
with. Several months before, Good and another
local man named Charley Dawson had livened
up the streets of La Luz considerable. They
had done this by shooting repeatedly at each
other until Dawson went down with a new orifice that God had not intended.
Of course, this didn’t scare Lee or McDonald,
although it should have at least given them food
for thought.
On June 13, 1888, the body of George
McDonald was found in the Tularosa Basin.
What had happened was apparent to everyone.
McDonald had stopped in a comfortable spot
to take a nap. Sitting in the shade with his back
against a boulder, he had braided a quirt for a
while before dropping off to sleep. At that
- continued on pages 16 & 17
Issue #31- June, 2000
Forest Closed
Communities Open
“Past Tense”
Oliver Lee
deep in the Sacramento
Mountains of New Mexico
from the National Forest Service
Starting at 8:00 a.m. on May 24, entry into
two districts on the Lincoln National Forest
will be prohibited. Due to extreme fire conditions and recent large fire activity that has
occurred on the Lincoln National Forest, it is
necessary to impose temporary closures of
the Smokey Bear and Sacramento Ranger Districts. The Guadalupe Ranger District will
remain open but with restrictions on all open
fires, smoking and fireworks. Forest maps
that show the closed areas are available at
the Forest Service offices in Alamogordo,
Ruidoso, Cloudcroft and Carlsbad. Closure
information will also be provided to local
Chamber of Commerce, city and county government, cooperating agencies, and merchants for public reference.
The area closures do not affect federal and
- continued on page 8
Fire Fighters marching up to the 4H Camp
The Scott Able Fire
The Scott Able fire started on May 11th, due
apparently to a downed powerline, in Scott
Able Canyon. The fire
began just above the 4H
Camp a little up Scott
Able Canyon from the
road into Timberon. It
seems that a rotten Aspen tree blew down in
the wind and landed
across a power line to
the 4H Camp.
The fire then moved
very rapidly to the east-northeast. Extremely
high winds drove the fire causing torching,
crowning and flame lengths of over 150 feet
- continued on next page
State of New Mexico
Under Fire Restrictions
Due to the lack of precipitation, high winds
and low humidity, wildland fuels in all of New
Mexico are at a hazardous level for burning.
Fire incidents for all wildland fire agencies
are increasing daily. Pursuant to New Mexico
Statutes and Restrictions for Fire Prevention,
the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources
Department, Forestry Division has placed the
following restrictions on non-municipal and
non-federal lands throughout the State of New
Mexico.
SMOKING, CAMPFIRE, OPEN FIRE RESTRICTIONS Smoking is restricted to designated
areas, within structures, or within vehicles
equipped with ashtrays while on paved or
surfaced roads.
Open fires including campfires and fireworks are prohibited in wildland areas. Charcoal broilers and wood and coal stoves used
- continued on page 8
Nothing New About
the “Roadless” Policy
Katie Kelley, Miss New Mexico, puts her
crown on Nicole Ross (with Diana Harris
looking on) during a visit to the Timberon
Elementary School. Katie is from Santa Fe
and was in the Miss America Pageant, September of last year. Miss Kelley was making
appearances in the area and was brought out
to Timberon by Mrs. Henry from Cloudcroft.
by Ed Bunn
The US Forest Service gave a presentation
Tuesday, May 23rd at the Cloudcroft Middle
School to an audience of 30 people, of its
“New Policy For Managing Roads and
Roadless Areas”. In its press release announcing the meeting, the Forest Service stated, “In
1999, we built .2 miles of new road and obliterated 529 miles of road (in the Southwest
Region) as part of our normal work program.”
- continued on page 8
Memorial Weekend
in the Mountains
The first big weekend of the season was
pretty active, despite the ever present fire
danger in the forest.
Cloudcroft’s Mayfair seemed to have a decent crowd. There did not seem to be as many
folks as last year, but they all looked happy.
The Rodeo out towards Mayhill drew a
croud too, as did the other mountain community events over the weekend.
Superintendent Lane breaking the bad news
to the parents at a meeting in Timberon.
Timberon School Closed
and Other School News
by Judy Bunn
The most resounding decision of the
Cloudcroft School Board during the month
of May was the decision to close the Timberon
School at the end of this school year. In the
Regular School Board Meeting of Monday,
May 15, Interim Superintendent Wesley Lane,
recommended that the Timberon School be
closed based on his projection of a $22,000
shortfall between the amount of revenue attributable to the Timberon School through
the State of New Mexico Equalization Funds
(approximately $42,000) and the amount of
expenses to run the school including one
- continued on page 19
FIRE
high. Mandatory evacuations were conducted in Weed, Sacramento, Perk
Canyon, Wills Canyon, Camp Mary White, McDonald Flat, Camp Tall Pines
and Miller Flat. Residents of Cox Canyon and Rio Penasco were put on evacuation alert.
Evacuees were moved to the Cloudcroft High School where they could be assisted by the
Red Cross and Salvation Army. The National Guard was called in to provide security in the
evacuated area.
By the second day of the fire (May 12th) there were already approximately 480 personnel,
21 fire engine, 14 bulldozers, 5 helicopters and 6 air tankers assigned to the fire - according
to the National Forest Service.
Highway 24 is closed from NM130 to Pinion. All roads South of Sunspot going East are
closed except the road to Timberon. The fire had covered an estimated 20,000 acres in less
than 24 hours.
Heather Murrell of Wayland Canyon reported “The buildings in the mouth of Wayland Canyon have all burned but the one belonging to my family. This would
be at least 7 homes, plus the homes
behind those down in the Canyon.
— This is a very sad day.” Furnished by Don Vanlandingham,
Cloudcroft Online.
On the 3rd day (May 13th) cooler
temperatures allowed the crews to
make more headway in their efforts
at fire suppression. Many structures had been saved by the efforts
of firefighters and homeowners,
but the fire management teams preSmoke as the fire move across Agua Chiquita.
liminary assessment indicated that
approximately 20 residences, 16 outbuildings and 6 automobiles have been destroyed. Evacuations were still in place for Perk Canyon, Sacramento, Weed, Wills Canyon, Camp Mary
White, McDonald Flat, Tall Pines Camp, Hay Canyon, and Cridebring Canyon. Residents had
been returned to Miller Flats. Residents in lower Cox Canyon and Rio Penasco were still on
an evacuation alert.
The 4th day (May 14th) saw the Forest Service announce that the fire was then 50% contained, with complete containment predicted to occur by May 17th. It was announced that
shelter and food for the evacuees was available at the Cloudcroft High School and Church of
Christ in Cloudcroft.
Fire crews continued their ‘round-the-clock’ efforts to contain the fire. A second day of
favorable weather conditions allowed firefighters to continue fire-line construction and
strengthen previously built fire-lines. A major concern was unburned patches of trees and
shrubs inside the fire perimeter,
which had risen slightly to 20,717
acres.
The initial structure damage inventory was completed - the fire
had destroyed 64 primary dwellings, 16 outbuildings, a bus, a boat,
and 11 other vehicles.
In the course of the 5th day (May
15th) most of the area residents
who had been evacuated were allowed back into their homes at 8:30
a.m. Residents of Perk Canyon,
Sacramento, Weed, Wills Canyon,
Road to the left off the top of Scott Able Canyon.
Camp Mary White, McDonald Flat,
Camp Tall Pines, and Cridebring Canyon were let back in. This partial lifting of the evacuation applied to residents of the affected areas only. Limited public services were also be reestablished in the affected areas. Shelter and food for the remaining evacuees were relocated from Cloudcroft to facilities in Mayhill.
Linda Ground Sanders reported “Two members of my family traveled from Oklahoma this
weekend to find that our family haven of nearly 30 years on Skyridge Mountain is no more.
All of the cabins and the Church of Christ Camp on the mountain are gone. Our cabin was
located near Wayland Canyon. Because of the message on your site (Cloudcroft Online) we
knew the chances of finding an untouched cabin were extremely slim. We will truly miss our
paradise in the sky and our treks along “Happy Thought Avenue” (so named by my Dad who
just passed away this last October).” Furnished by Don Vanlandingham, Cloudcroft Online.
The size of the fire remained at 20,717 acres and is still 50% contained. Estimated containment date is still Wednesday, May 17th. Total cost of firefighting operations to date was
estimated at $1.3 million. Over 850 fire personnel have been assigned to the Scott Able fire,
as well as 31 engines, 8 bulldozers, 5 helicopters, and 7 airtankers. There has been one
confirmed firefighter injury, but also a plane crash.
2
A twin-engine Cessna 337 crashed in a steep canyon near Alamogordo, killing both occupants. The pilot, Leo Koponen, 49, and air attack supervisor, Sam Tobias, 47, were heading
out to patrol the forest for fires. The accident occurred shortly after the plane took off at
12:29 p.m. They were on a mission to prevent additional large fires by providing early
detection of newly ignited fires. Koponen was a very experienced pilot. Tobias had worked
for the U.S. Forest Service since 1975, spending the last twelve years stationed on the Smokey
Bear Ranger District on the Lincoln National Forest in Ruidoso, New Mexico. His countless
missions in air attack had made him a well-respected individual in his profession. A memorial fund in Tobias’ name was set up at Pioneer Savings and Loan Bank, 1095 Mechem Dr.,
Ruidoso, NM, 88345, (505) 258-5858.
Residents of the originally evacuated areas were told to remain alert and prepared during
the next few days. Increased fire activity had already been reported that morning and sections of the fire that have been relatively quiet had become much more active. The weather
forecast called for both temperatures and winds to increase on Tuesday, May 16th. A Red Flag
Warning was predicted to be issued for the fire area the next day. A Red Flag warning means
high winds, high temperatures and very low humidity are forecasted for the fire area. This
would make for extreme fire conditions. These same conditions existed when the fire size
dramatically increased, prompting
the original evacuations. Those returning to their homes were encouraged to regularly monitor area
radio and television stations in case
conditions worsen and another
evacuation became necessary.
Contingency plans were being
prepared for the possible evacuation of residents north of the fire
should the forecasted weather conditions thwart containment efforts.
It is now the 6th day (May 16th)
and firefighters on the Scott Able
Burned out area - forest floor solid ash.
Fire found themselves facing two
days of extreme weather conditions. A Red Flag Warning had been issued for area where the
Scott Able Fire is burning.
Areas of concern included property with structures, north and east of the fire line as well
as those in unburned areas within the outer perimeter and control lines. Contingency plans
had been prepared for the possible evacuation of area residents.
Most of the fire was in rocky, steep terrain. This topography, coupled with the shifting
winds, contributed greatly to the control problems.
The predicted winds were on the mind of each and every firefighter, as well as local
residents. “Everybody’s going to be on a high state of alert today” said Incident
Commander Don Studebaker.
The 20,717 acre fire was now 65% contained. Nearly 1,250 people were assigned to the
fire. Cost to date of firefighting efforts was at $2,300,000.
The 7th day (May 17th) found firefighters dealing with the second straight day of high winds
on the Scott Able Fire. A Red Flag
Warning remained in effect for the
fire area. The windy weather
caused some spot fires and some
burning inside the control lines
overnight. All problem areas were
successfully contained.
It was feared that high winds
might ground retardant bombers
and helicopters for part or all of
the day. The high winds were forecast to diminish in the afternoon.
Fire engines, bulldozers and hand
crews continued the containment
Going through all the donations in the Weed Gym.
effort.
One fire fighter told Cloudcroft Online “this is the best group of fire fighters I’ve ever
worked with. Imagine fighting a forest fire in totally dried out conditions in 50 mile per
hour winds and holding the line. That’s what we did today.” Furnished by Don Vanlandingham.
Property with structures north and east of the fire line continued to be of concern, as were
unburned areas inside the control lines. Contingency plans are still in place for the evacuation of area residents should it become necessary.
Accurate mapping has reduced the size of the fire from 20,717 acres to 16, 034 acres. The
fire at this point was 70% contained. 1,272 people were assigned to the fire and the estimated property loss due to the fire is $2,800,000. Cost to date of firefighting efforts was
$2,950,000.
President Clinton adds Otero, Lincoln and the seven counties that border them to the list
of 12 northern counties in the state that have been declared “major disaster” areas because
of raging fires. The designation makes southern New Mexicans affected by the Scott Able fire
eligible for a variety of additional federal programs, including low-interest loans. Bingaman’s
office had called the White House with an urgent plea that the President take action on
Governor Gary Johnson’s request to add Otero and Lincoln counties to the list. Under federal
procedures, governors make disaster declaration requests.
On the 8th day (May 18th) firefighters took advantage of more favorable weather conditions
and expected to contain the Scott Able Fire by 6.00 p.m. that night.
The 16,034 acre fire is now 90%
contained. Residents of Hay Canyon were allowed to return to their
homes this morning. They were the
last of the evacuees allowed to return to the area. These areas still
remain open to area residents only.
Over 1400 people were assigned
to the fire. Air tankers and helicopters were again able to support
crews and bulldozers working on
the ground. Estimated loss due to
the fire was $2,800,000. Cost to
date of fire fighting efforts was
Buildings burned to the ground on Skyridge.
$4,545,000.
The Scott Able Fire was declared totally contained at 6:00 p.m. by Incident Commander
Don Studebaker. Extensive mop-up work continued along and inside the fire perimeter. The
New Mexico National Guard was released from their fire duties. Firefighters were beginning
to be released for reassignment to other fires or to return home. Representatives of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency arrived in the area to assist fire victims.
The 9th day (May 19th) saw the lives of area residents slowly returning to normal. Despite
the significant losses, many more homes and businesses were saved due to the heroic first
night efforts of many local volunteer firefighters. Their hard work was followed by days of
‘round-the-clock’ efforts of firefighters from across the country.
Work continues on the fire line as firefighters mop-up and begin rehabilitation of areas
damaged during the control efforts.
“On behalf of all involved in the firefighting efforts, I ‘d like to extend our heartfelt thanks
to the residents of the area for their support and patience during the past few days” said
Incident Commander Don Studebaker. “Our work would have been much more difficult without the cooperation of all affected by the fire.”
Senator Bingaman visited the area to discuss rehabilitation needs. The rehabilitation work
to stabilize the soils within the burned area has begun. Exposed soil resulting from fire
lines has been seeded and waterbars have been constructed.
Residents should continue to be careful in the fire area. Falling trees, burned debris and
emergency vehicles continue to be hazards.
The Scott Able Fire rehabilitation effort will concentrate on 15 canyons within the fire
boundary. Two of these drainages, Pepper and Seep canyons, were completely burned with a
very high intensity fire resulting in numerous structures lost.
R.L. Posey is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Village of Cloudcroft and surrounding
communities for assessing needs of victims of the Scott Able Fire and matching them up with
available relief sources. This includes assistance from the United Methodist Committee On
Relief (UMCOR), which is a non-denominational relief agency, the Village of Cloudcroft,
and other groups and individuals wishing to
help.
Anyone needing assistance, or if you know
of anyone requiring assistance, as a result of
the Scott Able Fire, or as a result of assisting
with victims of the Scott Able Fire, please contact Mr. Posey with that information at (505)
687-2003.
Firefighters above the 4-H Camp.
The Mountain Times would like to thank
Don Vanlandingham of Cloudcroft Online
(www.cloudcroft.com) for some of the qoutes
in this article. We would also like to thank
Judy Bunn and the Fireupdate website
(www.zianet.com/fireupdate)for news release
information. Both did an excellent job in
providing information on the Scott Able Fire.
Let’s just hope we don’t have to do it again!
After a Fire... Is the Food Safe?
FIRE
3
Lee Ann Loney, County Extension Service
FIRE Few words can strike such terror. Residential fires are, unfortunately, a common
occurrence. Some 2 million American homes are in flames yearly. In the aftermath of fire,
people are left to salvage their lives and belongings. Whether it’s the whole house involved
or just a fire in the kitchen, people try to save what they can – including food. But generally,
saving food that’s been in a fire is not a good idea. Food exposed to fire can be compromised
by three factors: The heat of the fire, smoke fumes, and chemicals used to fight fire.
HEAT FROM THE FIRE Food in cans or jars may appear to be okay, but if they’ve been close
to the HEAT of a fire, they may no longer be edible. Why? Heat from a fire can activate food
spoilage bacteria. If the heat is extreme, the cans or jars themselves can split or rupture,
rendering the food unsafe.
FUMES FROM A FIRE One of the most dangerous elements of a fire is sometimes not the fire
itself, but TOXIC FUMES released from burning materials. Those fumes can kill; they can
also contaminate food. Any type of food stored in permeable packaging – cardboard, plastic
wrap, etc. – should be thrown away. Toxic fumes can permeate the packaging and contaminate the food. Discard any raw foods stored outside the refrigerator, such as potatoes of
fruit, that could be contaminated by fumes. Surprisingly, food stored in refrigerators or
freezers can also become contaminated by fumes. The refrigerator seal isn’t airtight and
fumes can get inside. If food from your refrigerator has an off-flavor or odor when it’s
prepared, throw it away.
CHEMICALS IN FIRES Chemicals used to fight fires contain toxic materials and can contaminate food and cookware. The chemicals cannot be
washed off the food. Foods that are exposed to chemicals should be thrown away. This includes food stored
at room temperature, such as fruits and vegetables,
as well as foods stored in permeable containers like
cardboard and screw-topped jars and bottles. Canned
goods and cookware exposed to chemicals can be decontaminated. Wash in a strong detergent solution.
Then dip in a bleach solution (1 teaspoon bleach per
quart of water) for 15 minutes.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
1 (800) 535-4555
Also call American Red Cross, Civil Defense or
emergency offices.
Lee Ann Loney, County Extension Service
505-437-0231
This article is from the USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Food Safety and Consumer Education Office. They can be reached at (202) 690-0351.
4
A Little About the Law...
Chenoweth-Hage to Conduct Hearing
by Sheriff John Lee
The fire danger is so high that we are all
Everyone there I am sure is very much aware
of the fact that the forest is closed again. afraid to walk around for fear that two pine
There is still some confusion about just what needles may rub together and start a fire, and
all that entails, and I will try to simplify it so I find myself holding my breath each mornthat it makes a little bit more sense.
ing when the sun comes up to see if the sunIn a nutshell, unless you live within the light starts a fire. A bit extreme I admit, but
boundaries of the forest, or you have a valid it sure is dry. What does concern me this time
reason for being there, you are subject to of year is the fact that we are soon due to
receiving a citation or being arrested for tres- receive some rain, but if mother nature does
pass. A valid reason is something like “go- her usual, we will get thunderheads and lighting to visit a friend” (we may call the friend ning before the rain.
to verify), “I own land there and I want to
I sincerely hope by the time you get to read
check on it” (we may verify this also), or “I this, we will have had some nice rain, but I
am just passing through on a major highway.” have my doubts. Please be really careful up
Notice that I said major highway. Folks won’t there, for you have a beautiful place to live.
be allowed to drive from Cloudcroft to El Paso I, like you, would like to see it stay that way.
on the backroads. They will have to use the
pavement. Not so valid reasons would be “I
am going on a picnic”, “I want to look at the
fire damage”, or “I am just cruising around.”
All of us who live in the mountains understand and realize the importance of the closure, and we also understand that it is largely
NEW MEXICO FORESTRY DIVISION
an honor type closure, for we simply cannot
be on every road and trail in the forest all
0-505-827-8080 COLLECT
the time. This type of closure relies heavily
OTERO COUNTY SHERIFF
upon the honesty and understanding of the
505-437-2210 OR 911
general public, and the vast majority of the
TIMBERON FIRE DEPARTMENT
people will comply with the restrictions. We
505-987-2202
also know that there are a few who won’t,
CLOUDCROFT FIRE DEPARTMENT
and those are the ones that my office or the
911 or 505-682-3490
forest service will have to deal with.
“HELPFUL INFO”
Some Phone Numbers
for Reporting Wildfires
May 1999 report calls Los Alamos a “tinderbox.”
Chenoweth-Hage decries “forest management by matchstick”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Government Accounting Office (GAO) report commissioned by U.S.
Rep. Helen Chenoweth-Hage (R-Idaho) one year ago identified the Los Alamos Bandelier
National Monument as an area at high risk for “large, intense, uncontrollable, and catastrophically destructive fires.” A prescribed burn deliberately started by the U.S. Park Service recently resulted in an uncontrolled fire that spread to the local community. As a result
more than 18,000 residents were evacuated and hundreds of homes were lost. Congressional efforts to get federal agencies to act upon the data in the report went unheeded.
“Prescribed fire is only one tool we can use for reducing fuel loading in forests,” said
Chenoweth-Hage. “It is the most dangerous tool, and we should use prescribed fire with far
greater caution and only after reducing extreme fuel loads by mechanical means.”
“The burn in Bandelier National Monument was conducted in direct violation of the agency’s
own rules, in an area identified as extremely hazardous, on a day when the weather conditions were ripe for catastrophe.
We have to remedy this calamitous lack of planning now before we cause disaster in the
other 39 million acres at risk across the country. We must acknowledge that past management has made our forests into tinderboxes that cannot be treated with match sticks.”
Chenoweth-Hage is the author of H.R. 1522, the Community Protection and Hazardous
Fuels Reduction Act, legislation which would address the threat of wildlife fire and the need
for a comprehensive plan to protect high-risk forests and communities.
As Chairman of the House Resources Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health, ChenowethHage will convene a joint hearing with the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands
on Wednesday, June 7, 2000. This hearing will discuss the overall Forest Service and Park
Service fire management plans.
The hearing will be co-chaired by Representative James V. Hansen, Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands. Representatives Heather Wilson (R-New
Mexico), Joe Skeen (DNew Mexico), and Tom
Udall (D-New Mexico) are
expected to testify. Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt also will be invited.
Postal Scripts
by Judy Henry
Linda Ness Gulley, Agent
101 N. White Sands Blvd.
Alamogordo, NM 88310
(505) 437-4699
1-888-921-4699
The Scott Able fire touched the US Postal Service during its blazing
devastation when it burned down the homes of Francis Visser, the Postmaster of the Sacramento Post Office, and her Postmaster Relief, Maggie
Bailey. For one day, Friday, May 12th, there was no delivery at the Sacramento Post Office but it was reopened again on Saturday. During the
time when the office was closed, people were able to pick up their mail
at the Weed Post Office. This shows real dedication and commitment
when someone can put aside their own tragedy and make sure that the
mail goes through! People in the Postal Service from all over the state
responded to the fire victims by sending items of food and clothing by
mail to the people who needed it.
The Celebrate the Century Express train will be in Santa Fe, NM on
June 9th, 10th, and 11th on its tour to 100 cities around the country. It is
a train filled with education, history, memorabilia, and nostalgia. This
special train contains exhibits that bring one hundred years of American history to life. It shows the evolution of the universal mail service
using horses, buggies and trains. If you are in the area, be sure to stop
by and see the CTC Train. Admission is free. For more information visit
the Postal Service website at: http://albq.usps.gov/
A reminder that our special cancellation, Bridal Veil Falls Station,
takes place on Saturday, June 3,
The Otero County Farmer’s Market
2000, from 9:00 to 12:00 at the
will be opening soon at the Fairgrounds. For anyone interested in
Lions Club building in High Rolls.
selling fruit, vegetables or homeThis event celebrates National
made items, there will be an annual
Trails Day and is not only for
cleanup day at Frontier Village on
stamp collectors.
May 31st at 6pm at which time you
A recent commemorative stamp
can sign up. You may contact the
release features Youth Team
Extension Service at 505-437-0231 for
Sports, soccer, baseball, football,
more information.
and basketball.
Western
Bar & Grill
Specialties Include Steaks, Quail, Trout, and
our Homemade Mexican Food.
Join us for Father’s Day
JUST FOR HIM
12 oz New York & all the Trimmings $11.95
Plus check out the new items on our menu!
Summer is here, come join us.
Our employees are here to serve you!
Summer is “Band Time” in the Bar on Weekends
Breakfast - 6am to 11am
Lunch - 11am to 2pm
Dinner - 2pm to 9pm
Daily Lunch Specials
505-682-2445
Located on Burro Street in Cloudcroft
Thank you from the Staff at Western Bar & Grill
FARMER’S MARKET
Gene Burton
Tile - Remodel - Building
987-2462
(505) 885-1021
Catastrophic Wildfires Throughout the West
Blame it on Smokey and the Owl!
“With 18,000 people evacuated in New Mexico, it’s time we held the Administration
accountable. The federal agencies have demonstrated they cannot do their jobs and it’s
time we get someone who can.” Idaho Congresswoman Helen Chenoweth-Hage.
High winds blew an Aspen tree across an Otero County Electrical Cooperative utility line in
the New Mexico, Lincoln National Forest on Thursday May 11. That shorted electrical lines;
sparks flew and the dry undergrowth in Scott-Able Canyon practically exploded. In short
hours thousands of acres burned. As the fire spread it consumed residences, automobiles,
and massive amounts of timber. A Forest Service employee and a contract pilot died in a
plane crash during the fire, at least twenty-five families lost their homes, wildlife habitat was
razed and millions upon millions of taxpayer dollars thrown at the fire.
This disastrous event was entirely preventable. It is a precisely documented direct result
of over-regulation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Services.
Bill Mershon, Director of Otero County Electrical Cooperative explained the situation leading up to the fire. “We
had a contract crew
clearing our utility line
easement on the Sacramento River two years
ago. The crew was working toward Scott-Able
Canyon when the Forest
Service ordered us to
“cease and desist” the
clearing operations.
They determined that the
cutting was potentially in
MOUNTAIN BACK CARE CENTER
SERVING THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS
Dr. Brad Rasch
Family
Care
505-682-2283
After Hours / Emergency 505-682-2889
62 Curlew Place, Cloudcroft
across from the Ranger Station
Walk-ins
Welcome
Hours
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5
by J. Zane Walley
violation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and a court injunction enjoining all timber
harvest activities. I have no doubt that if the Forest Service had not shut our clearing operation down, we would have cleaned up Scott-Able Canyon.”
Max Goodwin, Lincoln National Forest District Ranger, verified in a telephone interview
that the ESA regulations are so inflexible that the fire hazards they create will accelerate, not
only in the Lincoln National Forest, but indeed on public lands across America. “Utility
Companies have the right to clear a 30 foot swath of brush on their easement. They are also
allowed to cut three to five “hazard trees” per mile. The problem is that in a mile of forest
there are hundreds of tall trees that could blow across power lines in a strong wind. Our
hands are tied by court injunctions and the ESA that primarily protects the spotted owl.
At the core of this
particular ESA obstacle to sound fire
prevention practices is
the very definition of
a “hazard tree.” The
tree that sparked the
Scott-Able fire obviously would have been
termed as such. Aspens have a very shallow root system and
are frequently uprooted in high winds.
However, under preJay and Natascha Georgeff stand in the ruins of their home. “This didn’t have
vailing Forest Service
regulations, if the tree to happen!” stated Jay. “The forest is loaded with downed trees and there has
was living and over 24 been no logging allowed since the 1970’s. The Forest Service will not even allow
citizens to collect fuel wood. We are victims of their poor management!”
inches in diameter, it
could have not been removed. Bill Mershon states, “The definition of a “hazard tree” is so
unclear that we never know if we are doing the right thing or not. One forest ranger will look
at a tree and say it is OK to cut it, then the next ranger that comes along says it is not to be cut!”
Mershon sees a tremendous benefit in using a common sense approach in removing any
trees that could fall across the utility lines. “If we could remove the timber that poses a
threat, not only would it prevent future electrical fires, but would be an effective firebreak.
It would also help keep the lights on in our members’ homes!”
The ESA provided fuel in plenty for the Scott-Able fire as it does for wildfires across the
West. Logging has been largely shut down since the spotted owl was listed. “Smokey the
Bear” fire suppression has been the standard practice for almost 50 years. These practices
endanger not only residents that live in or near public lands, but the very endangered species that they are presumed to protect.
Barry Hill, Associate Director of the Government Accounting Office testified about these
serious concerns before the House of Representatives in 1999. He stated, “The Forest
Service lacks a cohesive strategy for overcoming barriers to effectively and efficiently reduce
fuels on national forests. This has transformed as many as 39 million acres of the
West’s national forests into a tinderbox.“
Mr. Hill also testified, “Many experts agree
that fuels must be reduced by mechanical
means, including commercial timber harvesting.” He additionally remarked that the use
of timber harvesting to reduce fuels has been
limited by concerns about adverse effects on
other stewardship objectives such as the ESA.
He pointed out that in 1997, “Timber harvesting was used to reduce fuels on only about
95,000 acres, or less than 5 percent of the
land that is projected to need fuel reduction.”
Congresswoman Helen Chenoweth-Hage
(R-Idaho) said it bluntly, “With 18,000 people
evacuated in New Mexico, it’s time we held
the Administration accountable. The federal
agencies have demonstrated they cannot do
their jobs and it’s time we get someone who
can.”
This article made possible by a grant from
the Paragon Foundation, Alamogordo, NM
Ask Your Herbalist Featuring Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)
6
By J. Zane Walley
You don’t have to travel far to find this very beneficial herb. Chances are you have been leave to infuse for 10-15 minutes. For flu and colds, drink the infused tea; as much as is
ripping it out of your yard spring and summer. It grows in abundance, in all climates through- comfortable.
out America. Although viewed as an unwelcome weed, it was actually brought from Europe to
Horehound Ointment - Horehound is used externally to promote the healing of skin abraAmerica by Anglo settlers and cultivated as a medical plant.
sions. Bruise and boil, ½ cup fresh green leaves in 1 cup lard or shorting as an effective
Horehound has been in medical use from the time of the Pharaohs.
ointment for lacerations and burns. Go easy if you try this, for the salve burns very, very
The name is formed from Horus, the Egyptian god of sky and light.
easily. Strain while shortening is liquid. Cool and store refrigerated in a covered container.
Greek physician Hippocrates held this herb in high esteem for healHorehound Candy - Many of us silver-haired folks remember buying this candy at the coring many ailments. The Romans esteemed Horehound for its’ mener store. It’s tasty, and works just about as good as any store-bought cough drops. Boil a
dicinal properties. It was one of the bitter herbs, which Jews
quarter cup of the leaves in two cups of water for ten minutes. Discard the
were ordered to take for the Feast of Passover and it was the
leaves. Add twice as much honey as the remaining liquid and stir the mixture
principal ingredient in Caesar’s antidote for vegetable poisons.
smooth. Blend two cups of sugar with 1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar then add
In the 1800’s Dr. Gerard wrote in his book, The Herbal Digest,
the honey-horehound mixture. Stir over low heat until the sugar melts. Stir constantly until
“Syrup made of the fresh greene leaves and sugar is a most singular
the mixture thickens enough to form a hard ball when dropped in chilled water. Pour onto
effective remedy against the cough and wheezing of the lungs ....
wax paper; dust with confectionery sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Cut into squares when
In addition, doth wonderfully ease those who have been long
cool. Store in airtight containers.
sick with any consumption of the lungs, as has been often proved
Gathering
by the learned physicians of London College. It helpeth expecDuring spring, summer and fall; gather and use fresh. Before frost, harvest a winter’s
torate tough phlegm from the lungs. I would recommend the syrup
supply, roots, and all. Dry by hanging bunches upside down by the roots. When powder dry,
to heal the lungs of aged persons, especially those who are asthmatic and
store in a sealed container. Use the dry leaves as the green is used.
short-winded.” Dr. Gerard also prescribed the plant for those who “Have
drunk poison, or have been bitten by serpents, or mad dogs.”
Warnings and Precautions
King’s Dispensatory describes this valuable remedy in the folDo not take if you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or plan pregnancy in
lowing terms: “Horehound is a stimulant tonic, expectorant, and
the near future, have any chronic disease of the gastrointestinal
diuretic. Its stimulant action upon the laryngeal and bronchial
tract, such as stomach or duodenal ulcers, esophageal reflux,
ulcerative colitis, or spastic colitis. Excessive consumption will
mucous membranes is pronounced and it undoubtedly influences
result in a mild purgative effect. As with all medications, consult
the respiratory function. It is used in the form of syrup, in coughs, colds,
with your physician before taking.
chronic inflammation of the mucous membranes, asthma, and all pulmonary affections. The warm infusion has been used with benefit in
jaundice, asthma, hoarseness, and hysteria.”
J. Zane Walley is the author of “Medical Herbs and Wild Foods of
Contemporary Herbal Uses
Horehound is a valuable plant in the treatment of bronchitis cough, asthma,
the Desert Southwest”. An excellent book for the beginner or expert
bad cold, and influenza where there is a non-productive cough. It combines
wildcrafter. To order, please send $19.95 plus $2.95 s/h to
the action of relaxing smooth muscles of the bronchus while promoting mucus
Bandillo Publishing Co. PO Box 595, Terlingua, TX 79852.
production and thus phlegm. It is used with benefit in the treatment of whoopPlease visit our websites at www.bandillo.com and
ing cough. The bitter action stimulates the flow and secretion of bile from the
www.southwestherbs.com
gall bladder, aiding digestion. In addition to relieving the cough and phlegm, it will
promote sweating and break fevers. As a mild stimulant, it relieves the sluggish feeling that
accompanies flu and colds.
Preparations & Dosage
Infusion - Pour a cup of boiling water onto one teaspoonful of the dried or fresh herb and
It’s
June 18th at
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Surviving Estate Taxes Without
Survivorship Life Insurance
by Charles Wagner, CFP
Dual-income couples and small-business owners are prime candidates for a type of life
insurance they may have heard of but may not be familiar with: first-to-die or second-to-die
life insurance, commonly called survivorship insurance.
In its simplest form, survivorship life insurance is a policy that insures two lives but pays
benefits only at the death of one of the insured. Why not just get separate policies? Because it
costs less—experts estimate 20 to 40 percent less—than the combined cost of insuring each
party separately for the same total amount, or sometimes even less than the cost of insuring
only one of them for the same amount.
Another major benefit for couples is that if one spouse is uninsurable, but the other is
healthy, many policies will provide coverage to both parties, still at costs less than single-life
policies.
Survivorship life insurance comes in two basic forms: first-to-die and second-to-die. Firstto-die is the newer form and less common, but it is finding favor among businesses involving
partners or multiple co-owners. The policy, bought by the business, pays at the first death. The
benefits provide the business with enough cash to redeem stock or interest of the partner who
died. Typically the insurance is part of a buy-sell agreement.
Second-to-die insurance (or last-to-die) is the older and more common form of survivorship coverage. Typically this policy is bought by a couple. The policy insures both lives but pays
its death benefit when the second spouse dies, not the first. For some couples, this is when the
policy is most needed. Because of the unlimited marital deduction, most couples don’t have to
worry about estate taxes until the surviving spouse dies. For the year 2000, any estate valued
over $675,000 could face estate taxes. (Estate taxes are one reason a survivorship policy
should usually be placed in an irrevocable life insurance trust, so the policy isn’t included in
the second decedent’s estate.)
The survivorship policy could provide the needed cash to pay any estate tax bill, and expenses associated with settling the estate. This is especially helpful if much of the estate’s value
is tied up in illiquid assets such as real estate, a farm or small business that you don’t want to
have to sell to pay the taxes—in essence, “replace” the assets the estate used to pay the tax bill
so that the beneficiaries don’t find their inheritance substantially eroded by the IRS.
Although second-to-die insurance has traditionally been used by older couples with estate
tax liabilities, couples with children, especially children with special needs who will require a
lifetime of care, find the insurance attractive because it provides in the event either or both
parents die young.
Where second-to-die insurance may not fit as well for couples is if one spouse isn’t earning
income, or there is a great disparity in income. Then they might want to put their insurance
dollars into individual policies, and more heavily on the life of the higher earner so that the
survivor will have immediate cash to live on.
If you decide that survivorship life insurance is appropriate for your circumstances, you’ll
then need to determine what’s the best type of policy. Most policies come in one of three forms:
whole life, universal or variable universal. Term insurance is relatively uncommon because of
the expense for most older insured persons. Variable universal is especially popular these
days for the younger or even baby boomer generations, because it allows flexible premiums
and stock market investments. For older policyholders, however, many experts recommend
sticking with the more traditional whole life with its fixed premium and guaranteed death
benefit. Older policyholders usually want to be more certain in the return of their insurance
investments.
Beyond choosing the right type of policy, examine and tailor policy features to your circumstances. For example, see if the policy charges a premium for splitting the policy into two
separate policies in the event of a divorce, dissolution of the business or a change of tax laws.
Also, these joint-life policies can be in effect a long time, so be sure the insurer is financially
solvent and the premium illustrations are realistic.
This column is produced by the Financial Planning Association, the membership organization for the financial planning community, and is provided by Charles Wagner, a
local member in good standing of the FPA.
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Picking a County Commissioner
7
The Otero County Commissioner, District 3, that represents the mountain area is a very important position and one that will affect us for years to come. The primary is on June 6th. Below is
some information about two Republicans that want to be our County Commissioner. And no, we
don’t have anything against Democrats - there just are not any running for this position.
MICHAEL NIVISON
EDUCATION AND WORK BACKGROUND High School Diploma, 100+ college credits including
geology, art and fire science. Supervising skills, grants processing and Civil Defense certificate.
Sat on boards of Cloudcroft Chamber of Commerce, Otero Economic Development, Sacramento
Mountain Historical Society Fund Raising Committee, Senator Domenici Safe Drinking Committee, Otero Solid Waste Authority, Otero County Regional Ambulance Committee, Chair of Otero
County Public Land Use Council, Statewide BLM Environmental Impact Statement for standards
and guidelines for grazing and help develop social and economic impact and indicators for Otero
County.
LIVED IN OTERO COUNTY Lived in Otero County and San Diego as a child. Attended High
School in Las Cruces. Moved to San Diego in 1962 to attend college. Joined the San Diego Fire
Department in 1968, retired in 1980 and have been a business owner (Sleepyeye Trading company in Cloudcroft for 20 years) as well as participating in local governments.
VOLUNTEER WORK Sacramento Historical Society, Benefit for Trainload of Talents 5years,
Benefit for Medics, Fire Disaster Relief - Scott Able Fire, Bridge Fire, Burgett Fire. Worked with
youths in Cloudcroft.
IMPORTANT ISSUES OF ELECTION People and custom of Otero County. The Health, safety and
welfare of those people. Also to insure that the social and economic climate is present to stabilize that health and welfare. To insure the tax base can sustain the quality of life for Otero County
citizens. To continue to work towards Forest Health on the Lincoln National Forest, to reduce the
fear of fire for the mountain residents and their homes and return the much needed watershed to
Alamogordo. To return the economic versatility to the Lincoln National and return the 25 cents of
each dollar from timber sales that goes to County roads and schools.
WHY RUN FOR OFFICE Public service has been my life and I wish to continue to serve and will
stand by my record. 1968-80; served 12 years on the San Diego Fire Department and retired as
Captain in Fire Suppression. 1980; moved home to New Mexico. 1981-94; served the Village of
Cloudcroft on the Planning Commission, 8 years on Village Council, 4 years as Mayor - These
positions were all volunteer. 1994; Chair of the Otero County PLUAC. 1996-99; Otero County
Public land use Planner. 1999-2000; Cloudcroft Village Administrator and Chairman of Otero
County PLUAC.
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY To listen to people. Everyone has something to say and something to
offer. If you build your skills on that premise you are able to put the best foot forward for the
people you SERVE. Work hard and put yourself in God’s hands.
JOHN R. SECREST, JR.
EDUCATION AND WORK BACKGROUND 1971; New Mexico State University - Bachelor of Business Administration in Management, Minor in Accounting. 1970; New Mexico State University Associate in Art. 1965; attended and graduated from Odessa Commercial Business College. 1965;
graduated from High School in Carlsbad.
LIVED IN OTERO COUNTY Lived in Otero County 30 years.
VOLUNTEER WORK The Rotary Club of Alamogordo - President in 1995 and Chairman for the
last 11 years for the Rotary booth at the Wheel and the Duck Pond at the Otero County Fair. For
3 years I’ve been the Chairman and Co-Chairman of Rotary’s Mexico medical Project for free
cataract surgery for the needy by Dr. Donald Ham and for free dental work by local dentists. Past
Master of the Masonic Lodge and a Shriner.
IMPORTANT ISSUES OF ELECTION To gain access for the citizens of Otero and Sierra Counties
to the State Highway between Tularosa and T or C. This highway is 47 miles in length and would
do more for Otero County than anything I can imagine for tourist growth - the quickest, cleanest
industry we can build. I estimate a 20% increase in gross receipts tax to Otero County the first
year it is in operation, especially in our mountains, and increased visitation to White Sands and
the Space Hall of Fame.
We need to immediately bring back the Juvenile Detention Center into Alamogordo. Juvenile
denotes children and I believe that our children’s parents should be able to see them every day.
We need to be more concerned with rehabilitation of our children than incarceration. I want all
of our children to stay in Otero County and to be productive members of our community.
Road access in the mountains - It is my opinion that we need to address chip sealing as soon as
possible for the 16 Springs Canyon road and the Timberon road. If we wait for state funding on
the Timberon road, it may be something that might never happen. I say that the County should
come in and chip seal that thing and get us a little better road then we have now. Through access
comes growth and prosperity. Through growth comes increased County revenue from gross receipts tax without raising property tax.
WHY RUN FOR OFFICE I want to create growth and prosperity for this County and jobs for our
youth. Tourism is our quickest, cleanest, cheapest route that multiplies service related local
jobs. We must have better access into our County - more paved roads in our mountains to
promote growth and investment.
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY “The harder you work, the luckier you get,” might come close to my
outlook. Note - Mr. Secrest also expounded upon his faith in God and Jesus Christ.
8
Forest Closure Continued
state highways or private land. Property owners and their guests will continue to have access to private lands within the Forest. All
communities, big and small, within or adjacent to the Forest will also remain accessible
to the public. The communities of HIGH
ROLLS, MOUNTAIN PARK, CLOUDCROFT,
TIMBERON, MAYHILL, WEED, SACRAMENTO,
PINON and SUNSPOT will remain open to the
public!
Forest personnel will inform the public of
the closures using news releases, public service announcements, signing, patrols, information stations, personal contact, and other
prudent means. The Closure Order affects
all access and activities. Permittees and contractors must obtain an entry permit from the
District Ranger in order to access the Forest,
and not all requests can be honored. The
penalties for violating the closure order can
be $5,000 and/or 6 months in jail.
The Villages of Cloudcroft and Ruidoso will
still be fully accessible to visitors. While outdoor restrictions on smoking, open fires, and
other regulations apply to both locations, visitors may picnic and enjoy the many amenities that Cloudcroft and Ruidoso offer. Call
the Village offices (Cloudcroft 505-682-2411
and Ruidoso 505-258-4343) for specific information about their restrictions. “Our
stores, restaurants, lodging and other services are open, and visitors can still escape
the hot summer weather for a cool stroll
through our historic downtown area,” said
Cloudcroft Mayor Dave Venable. “We encourage people to visit in spite of these restrictions.”
Activities, such as the Mayfair Juried Arts
Show in Cloudcroft, are still planned with attendance in the thousands projected. “This
Chamber-sponsored event is on May 27 and
28 and includes an evening street dance May
28,” said Chamber Director Ron Gilmore.
“Visitors are welcome to participate.” There
are also many other events planned throughout the summer in Ruidoso and the surrounding areas.
Ground and air patrols will be increased
throughout the closure period to detect violators. The public is also encouraged to call
their local law enforcement agency or Forest
Service office to report violations of any local restrictions or the Forest closure. The
closure shall remain in place until substantial rainfall is received to significantly reduce
the fire danger in the Forest.
For information about fire restrictions on
public lands in Arizona and New Mexico, call
the toll-free fire hotline at 1-877-864-6985
or visit the Southwestern Region Fire Website
at www.fs.fed.us/r3/fire.
NM Restrictions Cont...
in wildland areas (all areas except for yards
of primary residences, or business premises) are classified as campfires and are
prohibited. The State Forester is allowing
exceptions to the above where cooking or
heating devices use kerosene, white gas or
propane as a fuel. The State Forester is
allowing exceptions to fireworks where
they are a part of a public exhibit approved
by the local fire department.
Open burning - burning of cropland,
fields, rangeland, debris burning, slash
piles, prescribed burning or weed burning, is prohibited.
These restrictions became effective Friday May 12, and will remain in effect until
rescinded.
Visit us online at www.84lumber.com
Glenn Francis
Manager
Rick Burkle
Contractor Sales Rep
Tony Hernandez
Contractor Sales Rep
3401 N. White Sands Blvd.
Alamogordo, NM 88310-9722
Store (505) 434-3850
Fax (505) 434-3064
Forest Roads & Roadless Areas Continued
Compared to building 2/10ths of a mile of new road in the entire Southwest Region, during
1999, there does not seem to be very much that is new in the proposed policy that was
presented last night. The proposed rule would generally prohibit new road construction or
reconstruction in the unroaded portions of inventoried roadless areas on National Forest
System lands.
The inventory of roadless areas was conducted by the Forest Service in the late 1970’s and
early 1980’s.
The areas of the Sacramento Ranger district that have been classified as “Roadless” and
would be affected by this policy are shown in the map accompanying this article.
Facing a reported $8.4 Billion backlog of road maintenance and reconstruction, the Forest
Service representatives explained that the proposed roadless policy originated as a budgeting measure. But the proposal is being marketed by the Forest Service as a need for protection and preservation of our natural resources.
The Forest Service Representatives said that “This proposal does not prohibit any uses that
now are allowed in the national forests, except building a road. If you are going into a forest
now for a specific purpose, you can continue after the policy goes into effect.”
One of the exceptions to the Roadless Policy will be that roads may be built to suppress fire
if there is an imminent threat to public health and safety, (I.E., a fire was already burning).
The presentation was a generic one that is being given throughout the United States and
did not specifically address any local issues. In fact, questions from the audience were discouraged by the Forest Service Representatives.
be exempted from the new policy until April 2004, at which time, a decision will be made to
either include the Tongass under the same rule as the rest of the nation’s forests or give it
some special treatment.
The Forest Service Representatives stressed that the only input the public will have between now and the time a final policy is adopted is to send written comments on the proposed policy or to attend a public hearing and voice their comments.
Written comments will become a part of the public record; they will not be confidential.
Comments should be specific. The deadline for written comments is July 17, 2000. This is not
a voting procedure; it is the content of the comments that matters. Written comments should
be mailed to:
USDA Forest Service - DAET
Attention: Roadless Area Conservation Proposed Rule
P. O. Box 221090
Salt Lake City, UT 84122
Comments may be sent by fax toll-free to: 877-703-2494. Comments may also be sent
electronically through the website http://roadless.fs.fed.us/
A public hearing will be held in Cloudcroft on June 22, 2000, at the Cloudcroft High School
from 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. for the purpose of formally receiving public comments, both
verbally and written, on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and the Proposed Rule.
A copy of the presentation, a summary of comments, maps of the affected areas and the
proposal itself can be found on the web site, http://roadless.fs.fed.us/ . Copies of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement Summary and Proposed Rule and various handouts from
this meeting, including maps of the affected areas of the Lincoln National Forest, can be
obtained free-of-charge from the Sacramento Ranger District Office, 61 Curlew, P.O. Box
288, Cloudcroft, NM 88317; (505) 682_2551, or by calling 1-800-384-7623.
From the Sacramento Ranger District
OFFICE HOURS The Sacramento Ranger District Office, located in the Village of Cloudcroft,
at 61 Curlew, is open Monday – Saturday 7:30 am – 4:30pm.
INFORMATION REQUESTS Questions regarding management practices of the Sacramento
Ranger District may be addressed to: Max Goodwin, District Ranger; Sacramento Ranger
District; PO Box 288, Cloudcroft, NM 88317. The phone number is 505-682-2551.
The Sacramento Ranger District is within the Lincoln National Forest. Questions regarding
management practices for the Lincoln National Forest may be addressed to: José Martinez,
Forest Supervisor; Lincoln National Forest; 1101 New York Ave.; Alamogordo, NM 88310.
The phone number is 505-434-7200.
REMEMBERING SAM TOBIAS On Friday, May 19, 2000, Memorial Services were held
for Sam Tobias. Sam was a member of the Smokey Bear Ranger District who, on May
15, died in a plane crash while on a fire detection mission.
The San Bernadino National Forest Honor Guard in full dress uniforms, , honored Sam in
with their formal ceremony including the Final Alarm – Three Bell Salute, presentation of the
American Flag, bag pipe version of Amazing Grace, and the Last Salute. A processional approximately 4 miles long, led from Spencer Theater near Ruidoso to the reception area at
Cedar Creek Picnic Area behind the Smokey Bear Ranger District.
A memorial fund has been established at Pioneer Savings and Loan Bank, 1095 Mechem
Dr., Ruidoso, NM 88345.
Sam was a dear friend, mentor, and co-worker. His achievements in public service are
highly recognized. He will be greatly missed. Our hearts go out to his family and wife Jackie.
AREA CLOSURES ON THE FOREST As of May 24, 2000 the Sacramento and Smokey Bear
Ranger Districts were closed to public access. The Guadalupe Ranger District will remain
open, but with restrictions on all open fires, smoking and fireworks. The area closures do
not affect federal and state highways. Property owners and their guests will continue to have
access to private lands within the Forest. All Communities, big and small, adjacent to the
Confirmed Case of Rabies Found in Skunk
by Ben Hanson, NMG&F
This past week there was a confirmed case and ultimately dies due to respiratory failof rabies found in a skunk just south of ure.
Roswell. There are few diseases which
The following behaviors or symptoms may
strike as much fear in humans as rabies. indicate the presence of rabies or other neuMost people fear rabies because they don’t rological diseases in mammals:
understand the disease. However, with - Unprovoked aggressive behavior
some basic knowledge of the disease and - Lack of fear / unusually friendly behavior
the simple precautions necessary to avoid - Aimless wandering
exposure, there is little cause for concern. - Shaking or paralysis
Rabies is a disease of the central nervous - Lack of coordination / difficulty in moving
system which ultimately affects the brain.
Always use precaution with wild animals,
All mammals are capable of carrying and because infected mammals may infect other
transmitting rabies. Birds, fish, reptiles, mammals prior to ever showing any outward
amphibians and insects do not contract and sips of abnormal behavior. Just like the age
transmit rabies. The disease is caused by a old adage says, “an ounce of prevention is
virus which invades healthy cells, normally worth a pound of cure”. Precaution should
through a bite from an infected mammal.
be used to prevent rabies infections. PropUpon entering the new host, the virus in- erly vaccinated pets provide a safe buffer
vades muscle tissue and begins to multiply. between rabies in wildlife and rabies in your
It then enters the nerve cells and begins to home. Unvaccinated pets represent the most
invade the central nervous system, eventu- likely mode of rabies transmission to hually traveling to the brain. Once the virus mans. All dogs and cats (even “indoor” cats)
enters the brain, it moves down the nerves are required by law to be vaccinated against
to the salivary glands where the mucus-gen- rabies by a licensed veterinarian.
erating cells produce and secrete the virus.
In addition to vaccinating pets, owners can
At the same time, the virus also affects cer- reduce the their risk of exposure by keeptain portions of the brain to cause either ing pets under their immediate control at
the “furious” or “dumb” form of rabies.
all times and not allow them to roam free.
Furious rabies, the stage most people as- Keep a safe distance from wild mammals
sociate with “mad” behavior, is when the and unknown pets. Finally, avoid attractmammal is apt to transmit the virus through ing potential carriers of rabies by properly
biting. Dumb rabies usually follows furi- storing trash and pet food.
ous rabies as the virus continues to affect
Rabies is a serious disease, however, it
larger portions of the brain and the cen- should not cause people to live in constant
ters controlling muscle coordination and fear. In reality, the average person will
function. Mammals will exhibit some form never encounter a rabid mammal, but reof paralysis or have difficulty moving. As member the signs and symptoms just in case
the disease progresses, the mammal expe- an encounter occurs.
riences convulsions, becomes comatose,
by Andr
ea Gehrke
Andrea
9
Forest will also remain accessible to the
public.
RECREATION All recreation sites are
closed and special use permits are temporarily suspended as long as the Forest Closure Order is in effect.
BUYING LAND? If you are purchasing
land, always make sure that it has legal
access from a public road. If there is other
private land between the land you are purchasing and a public road, there should
be some type of documentation that you
will have access across that land.
Documentation may include and
easement or documentation in the
deeds. (We are NOT legal experts and
this is NOT legal advice – if you have
questions, please consult a professional). If you must cross land administered
by the Lincoln National Forest to get to your
private property, i.e., your property is surrounded by Federal land and no public road
accesses it, please give us a call at the Ranger
Station.
FUEL WOOD Fuel wood areas are temporarily closed due to dry weather conditions and high
fire hazard situations. There will be no refunds of extensions due to closure of the areas.
Firewood from the Wildland Urban Interface project occurring at the east end of the Village
of Cloudcroft on the north side of the highway will be made available when the project is
completed sometime in late spring or early summer.
New Mexico state law requires that any person cutting, removing, transporting, or selling
any woody materials must have the written content of the owner or proof of ownership with
them. This is required whether the woody materials are cut from public or private land.
Fuel wood is sometimes available from the Bureau of Indian Affairs at Mescalero. Call 505671-4410 for information. Several sawmills and timber companies also sell firewood. Contact them directly for more information.
SLASH PIT The Sacramento Ranger District Slash Pit will not be open until the Forest Closure ends.
Litterbugs
by Ben Hanson, NMG&F
As a Conservation Officer, some of the most
disgusting scenes I have encountered have not
involved game law violations. I can still clearly
remember several times when large areas of our
outdoors have been absolutely devastated by
people leaving litter.
One case that quickly comes to mind is when
I visited camping areas in the Bonito Lake area
after a Memorial Day weekend. I was absolutely
appalled. There were plastic trash bags full of
litter at nearly every campsite. Most of the bags
were torn open and trash was scattered everywhere. Talk to a person who works at any of
our State Parks and they’ll confirm that after all
holiday weekends their whole staff must spend
an entire week cleaning up garbage left by visitors. Right now, the Department of Game and
Fish is warning anglers at Bonito Lake about
the trash problem in our weekly fishing report.
Another time I received a call from a rancher
complaining about the litter left at a deer hunting camp. When I arrived at the scene there
was a huge pile of aluminum cans on the ground
and cans stuck in trees. A big box was half full
of garbage and the rest was scattered for 200
yards around the camp. High winds had decorated every cactus and bush with tissue paper,
styrofoam plates, candy wrappers, aluminum
tins and several other forms of trash.
Litter is not only unsightly, it can cause some
serious problems for people and wildlife. Bro-
ken glass and sharp metal edges can cause some
serious injuries. Trash can pose human health
risks by spreading disease and parasites. It also
acts as an attractant to some critters that people
don’t want close contact with like skunks, bears
and flies.
For wildlife, it can cause many problems. We
have found dead bears that have digestive tracts
blocked by plastic milk bottles, cellophane
wrappers and styrofoam egg cartons. Elk and
oryx have been found so helplessly tangled in
wire or electrical cable that they couldn’t even
move.
Monofilament fishing line is especially dangerous. Recently, at the Spring River Park and
Zoo in Roswell, two geese had fishing line
wrapped so tightly around their leg that it cut
off circulation causing gangrene and the the
geese had to be euthanized. Ducks, geese and
other shorebirds get it tangled around their
wings and are unable to fly. It can also get tied
around their bills and starve the animal.
Almost all types of litter can hurt animals.
Wildlife can get tangled in plastic six-pack holders, get trapped in empty bottles or get their
heads stuck in half-open cans. Many types of
litter look like food to wildlife and may be eaten
which can really cause problems. Nothing burns
me up more than a litterbug. Trash belongs in
a landfill not being eaten by a critter. If you
haul it in, haul it back out.
10
Mexican Spotted Owl, Basin & Range East Meeting
Attending this meeting were Carol Torrez
(USF&WS), Bill Hornsby (BIA Forestry), Danny
Salas (USFS), Dennis Watson (USFS), Brett
Billesbach (White Sands Forest Products), Bill
Duemling (NMFD) and Hal Reynolds (Sierra
Club). Guests were Mickey Mauter and Manny
Diaz (USDA Forest Service), Pat Ward (MSO
Recovery Team/Rocky Mnts. Exp. Sta.), Max
Goodwin (USFS, Sacramento District Ranger).
OWL RECOVERY PLAN REVISION
Harold Reynolds gave a presentation to the
group regarding his concerns about forest
conditions due to excessive stocking levels.
Hal was Cloudcroft District Ranger for many
years.
Hal stated that there are 106 owl Protected
Activity Centers (PACs) in second growth timber. Most of the timber is overstocked, decadent, and in grave danger of fire, insects, and
disease. Drought conditions exist and are
predicted to continue. Timber must be
thinned as soon as possible or lost. The Bottom Line: Thin It or Lose It!
Hal proposed an immediate emergency and
temporary recovery plan amendment to allow for the commercial thinning of trees nine
inches or greater in DBH by Special Prescription within the 600-acre PACs. Hal also suggested commercial thinning be conducted in
non-PAC (intervening or restricted habitat)
areas of the forest. Base rates should be
charged to purchasers to expedite the thinning operation.
Hal predicted that many small trees would
be removed in the process of a commercial
harvest. Hal also recommended that adjacent PAC and non-PAC stands be combined
into individual timber stands so that as many
areas as possible could be managed simultaneously. Once the PAC stands are treated, they
could be returned to the original owl recovery plan criteria.
Hal also stated that the thinning activity
should be scheduled outside the nesting season, that the highest hazard areas receive top
priority for treatment, and that slash disposal
and prescribed burning are vital follow-up
measures.
Hal concluded by stating that most of the
forest conditions on the Lincoln are not natural and that the “damage” must be repaired.
Hal also expects that the Lincoln National
Forest will not get sufficient funds to pay for
the thinning that is needed.
Carol Torrez stated that any amendments
to the recovery plan would have to be approved by the recovery team. Consultation
would be necessary.
Pat Ward noted that the recovery plan is up
for 5-year review this summer and revisions
(if any) could be implemented by 2001. Feedback to the recovery team is essential to assist them in making revisions. Pat also stated
that thinning of trees less than 9 inches DBH
is allowed under the recovery plan.
Max Goodwin stated that Lincoln National
Forest has received nearly one million dollars in funding to restore the Rio Penasco
from Bill Duemling, NM State Forestry
Watershed. The project evolved from a
smaller scale wildland/urban interface fuels
reduction proposal. This area is getting close
scrutiny by the Washington office of the Forest Service following last year’s GAO report
on forest health efforts in western states. The
Lincoln National Forest was part of the investigation and the Working Group was interviewed.
Both commercial and pre-commercial (low)
thinning projects are proposed. Max, Danny
Salas, and Dennis Watson gave details on proposed activities. Much of the thinning work
will be completed by contractors.
The planned residual basal areas will vary
with the current condition of the stands.
Stands currently in threshold condition will
be treated to retain the recovery plan mandate of 150 square feet per acre. Target
stands will be thinned to 80-100 square feet
per acre to improve tree vigor and allow for
in-growth, so that the stand stocking levels
eventually reach threshold condition. Stands
in restricted habitat will be thinned back to
traditional stocking levels (40-60 square feet
per acre).
Of the proposed commercial harvesting in
restricted stands, 18 acres have survived an
appeal and a sale is being advertised. Another 278 acres have survived appeal and will
be advertised soon. Eventually, about 500
total acres will be commercially thinned
within the next year.
Discussion shifted to how many of the PACs
could be lightly thinned from below. The recovery plan states that only 10% could be
thinned. Pat Ward stated that the 10% target
was an initial figure that could be increased
once the treated areas (10%) are monitored
and positive feedback is generated regarding owl response.
Brett Billesbach questioned the availability
of thinning contractors in the area. Danny
stated that 11 people bid on one of the recent thinning projects. The acceptable bid
price would also increase (compared to earlier projects) to approximately $400-500 per
acre. Brett also noted slash disposal was difficult when logging in target/threshold stands
because the heavy stocking levels offer little
space within which to pile slash. Also, significant mortality could occur in leave trees
once slash piles were burned due to their
close proximity to the regeneration.
Danny noted that other concerns over
threatened or sensitive species could create
hurdles in the Rio Penasco Project including
the Checker Spotted Butterfly, the northern
goshawk, and the Sacramento Mountain Salamander. Danny noted that although all recent appeals have been upheld, projects under appeal get held up 90 days and require
massive paperwork. Additional NEPA clearances (especially archeological surveys) are
needed on 4,000 acres of the project area.
The environmental analysis (EA) is completed for the Rio Penasco project. A final
decision must be made by the Forest Service,
and 90 days must be allowed for appeal time.
WSFP MILL STUDY IN OWL LOGGED TIMBER
Brett Billesbach presented a cost analysis
generated for the Sunspot Demo Project. The
undertaking was a joint effort between White
Sands Forest Products (WSFP) and the Forest Service to determine the economic realities of logging in timber stands with cutting
prescriptions tailored for the owl.
WSFP suspended regular mill operations
and ran only timber cut from an owl sale to
determine milling costs. They also tracked
the harvest and transport costs of MSO timber. The project area consisted of 17 acres
and WSFP was responsible for cutting both
commercial sized timber and trees less than
nine inches DBH. The merchantable timber
was marked by the Forest Service to owl recovery guidelines. The sub-commercial material was not marked, but was to be thinned
to a 16-foot average spacing.
The harvest generated 17,893 board feet
of timber. The defect in the timber was about
12%. After defect, approximately 14,000
board feet was generated in the harvest. The
average eight foot bolt of lumber generated
14 board feet in volume. The average diameter of an eight-foot bolt was 7.5 inches. The
defect noted was about twice what is normal
for the mill due to the smaller average diameters of the cut pieces. More defect occurs in
smaller pieces. Stumpage paid for the federal timber was $20 per thousand board feet.
The total cost breakdown (to date) for treating the 17-acre stand was $10,425. The cost
of removing the timber and getting it to the
mill was $5,533. The cost of milling the lumber was $4,092. WSFP paid $800 in stumpage to the Forest Service. The milled lumber
was worth $5,921 and the Forest Service paid
WSFP $2,500 for its thinning services. No
revenue was generated from trees less than
nine inches in DBH.
This resulted in a current loss in the project
of $2,004 or $118 per acre. The loss will
increase because slash treatment is still occurring in the project area. WSFP predicts
that it will eventually lose about $4,000 on
the demonstration when all the bills are tallied.
In order to break even on the project, WSFP
would have had to increase its pre-commercial thinning bid cost estimate to $326.26 per
acre. If WSFP didn’t have to pay stumpage
for the merchantable material, the break-even
bid could be lowered to $279.21 per acre.
Brett remarked that the minimum allowable
bids by contractors for pre-commercial thinning would have to be raised to make such a
project economically viable in the future.
Judging from the $400 to $500 per acre allowed in the Rio Penasco Project, this may
happen.
Foresters commented that increasing the
amount of trees in the 14- to 15-inch DBH
range would have offset much of the monetary loss associated with the project. This
amounts to cutting an additional five to six
trees per acre. Pat noted that the this would
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be an opportune time to proposed changes
in the diameter class limits of the recovery
plan since the document is under review.
Discussion speculated on whether the
project would have been more feasible if a
pulp market existed in the area to provide a
use for the material less than nine inches in
DBH. A competitive pulp processing mill
would need to be centrally located to minimize the shipping costs of raw materials and
would require substantial water resources.
Also, the bark content of smaller diameter
material is greater, which reduces the amount
of usable raw fiber. The Four Corners Sustainable Forestry Initiative is working with
individuals who are exploring the potential
for building a pulp mill in the Los Lunas area.
Danny commented that even though this
test project was accomplished under an old
approved environmental
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assessment, it still took a year to get approval
and get the project completed.
PAT WARD on PREY STUDY
Pat gave a presentation on an owl prey
study he is conducting. Specifically, Pat
looked at the importance of the Mexican vole
as a food species for the Mexican Spotted
Owl and also how the height of herbaceous
material may affect prey availability. The
habitat studied occurred on the Sacramento
District of the Lincoln National Forest.
The top three prey species found in the owl
diet are the deer mouse, brush mouse, and
the Mexican vole. Research has found very
little correlation between the reproductive
success of the Mexican Spotted Owl and its
selection of any particular prey species. The
Deer mouse has the greatest correlation.
When the selection rates of the top three prey
species are combined, a fairly close correlation to owl reproductive success exists.
Pat found that Mexican voles are an important food source for the spotted owl but
are not the critical prey species. Mexican
voles are not always accessible to the owl due
to meadow edges.
Pat also studied the relationship between
the occurrence of Mexican voles and herbaceous height. The minimum threshold, that
is the minimum height that herbaceous material must reach to provide habitat for Mexican voles, appears to be 2.47 inches as measured from late June to August. Mexican
voles were not found in plots where herbaceous levels were less than 2.47 inches. The
grasses were not broken down by species for
the study. A significant amount of non native
grass species (such as orchard grass) occur
on the forest.
These types of studies may have an impact
on when grazing occurs on the Lincoln National Forest. Currently, the rule of thumb
or trigger condition that must be met to allow permittees to release their cattle on the
national forest is three inches of grass height
by May. Another rule of thumb is that a Poa
genus of grass that is
three quarters of an inch
in height in early May will
grow to six inches in
height by August without
grazing. Grazing allotments vary on the forest. Some grazing commences by May 15th
while other allotments don’t begin until June
15th.
One goal of establishing minimum thresholds of herbaceous plants for prey species
would be to eliminate the need for monitoring each meadow within a PAC for prey populations.
FIELD TRIP TO MSO THINNING AREAS
The group traveled to two thinning project
areas near Cloudcroft. The first area was a
low thinning in progress in owl threshold
habitat to reduce wildfire hazard around the
wildland/urban interface. The second project
is a proposed commercial thinning in restricted habitat. The second stand meets the
minimum threshold conditions for the owl.
Pat Ward, MSO Recovery Team, accompanied
the group. Mickey Mauter and Manny Dias
were involved in sale layout and planning.
STOP ONE (HIGHWAY 82, ACROSS FROM
ASPEN ROSE MOTEL) This thinning area will
eventually encompass 28 acres in a multistoried mixed conifer stand. This unit is part
of the Rio Penasco Watershed Restoration
Project but is not within an owl PAC. This is
a low thinning. No trees greater than nine
inches DBH will be removed. The target average spacing between leave trees is 16 feet.
The slash is hand piled and consists of approximately 10-15 tons per acre. The labor
is being performed by the Sacramento
Hotshots at a cost of about $400 per acre.
Some of the slash may be available to
fuelwood gatherers.
Comments from the group - Bill Hornsby
stated that the thinning looks nice, but probably did little to reduce the threat of a major
conflagration, given the right (or wrong)
wildfire environment. Did a main goal of
the recovery plan get achieved??
Mickey Mauter stated that, in essence, the
smallest component of viable regeneration
was removed to retain excessive numbers of
larger-diameter trees; that is, more thinning
could have been accomplished in the larger
diameter classes and the current thinning
basically created openings to start over with
re-establishing seedling regeneration (This
is something to consider now that the recov-
Recreational restrictions have sprouted around us as we’ve seen
some really large fires. Many Lincoln National Forest and Mescalero
Reservation lands are closed to the public. All across New Mexico,
smoking is restricted to designated areas, indoors, or in vehicles
with ash trays while on paved roads. Open fires other than
cookstoves, and all private fireworks, are prohibited. The employees of your public land agencies are counting on you and your friends
a lot this year. For more information on current fire restrictions on
public lands, call 1-877-864-6985.
This newspaper and the Lincoln Zone Interagency Fire Prevention
Team ask you to help us prevent wildfires.
(505) 437- 8080
1498 10th Street, Alamogordo
Email - [email protected]
ery plan is up for review. The recov11
ery team would need a proposal from
an interested group to enact changes to the
diameter table used to retain target/threshold conditions).
STOP TWO (18 ACRES) (HIGHWAY 244,
NORTH OF CLOUDCROFT) This stand consists of 18 acres of mixed conifer habitat that
meets minimum owl threshold conditions. A
meadow adjacent to the project area is subject to restrictions imposed by the Checker
Spotted Butterfly. Thus landings and pile
locations on or near the meadow will be significantly limited.
The area will be commercially thinned to
maintain the threshold condition. The unit
was marked twice. Residual leave trees that
are less than nine inches DBH were marked
in yellow. Cut trees greater than nine inches
DBH were marked in blue. No trees greater
than 24 inches DBH will be cut. The targeted
average spacing between trees is 16 feet.
Slash less than four inches in diameter will
be hand piled.
Noncommercial timber (trees less than
nine inches DBH) will be bucked to five foot
lengths. The sale was set up with fuelwood
harvesting potential in mind.
Approximately 1,000 board feet per acre
of sawtimber will be harvested. The sawtimber was appraised at $1,700. The designated contractor will actually bid on the cost
of conducting a low thinning. Prospective
contractors will not bid on the actual sawtimber but will pay a lump sum of $1,700 for
the material if awarded the thinning contract.
The USFS may allow bidding to start as high
as $400 per acre, which would be much better than the price allowed for the Sunspot
thinning project.
Comments from the group - Bill Hornsby
stated that the current SDI level was excessive. Stands start to reach stressful levels of
competition at SDI values of 35%. Thus, this
project stand is currently at almost twice a
tolerable SDI index and faces biological collapse because the resulting SDI will still be
too high.
Mickey Mauter stated that more aggressive
thinning to lower stocking levels is proposed
in future commercial harvesting in other
portions of the Rio Penasco Watershed Restoration area.
The meeting adjourned after this stop.
Thanks to Mickey Mauter, Manny Diaz, Dennis Watson, and Danny Salas for of all their
help during the field trips.
NEXT MEETING August 9, 2000, 10:00am,
Sacramento Rd. - Possible Topics: Carol
Torrez, MSO critical habitat designation; Rio
Penasco Watershed Restoration Project Updates, USFS; Suggestions to Revising the Owl
Recovery Plan (5 year review) Including Residual Diameter Classes in
Target/Threshold Conditions (i.e. “Table from
Hell”).
Again, any suggestions on
topics for future meetings
would be greatly appreciated.
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12
From the Sacramento
Mountain Museum
The Scott Able forest fire has taken its toll
in many different ways. Although very minor
compared to the damages to the forest itself,
the Historical Society fell victim in that our
annual Old Timers’ Reunion had to be postponed. The Cloudcroft High School, where it
was to be held, was used as an evacuation
center, with cots in the gym and food prepared and stored in the kitchen and multipurpose areas to assist those people displaced by the fire. In addition, the home of
one of our honorees, Zella Hill, was threatened by the fire in the Sacramento area. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured or
killed, so we do have a lot to be thankful for.
The reunion is now scheduled for Saturday,
June 24th, at noon, back in the Clouderoft
High School Multi-Purpose Room. Hopefully,
there won’t have to be another postponement.
We received a call from the University of
New Mexico Library in Albuquerque asking
if we needed help in preserving what was left
of our archives after the fire. When we informed them that we were miles away from
the fire, they were surprised, because of the
damage that was reported in Sacramento. We
informed them that, although we are the Sacramento Mountains Historical Museum, we
are in Cloudcroft and not in Sacramento, and
thanked them very much for their offer of
help.
Regarding the Museum, the blacksmith
shop in the log cabin from Marcia, is coming
along. Philippe Ducroc, who has the Saddle
House located on Highway 70 North and is
an excellent blacksmith, has been helping us
set up the equipment in the shop. Hopefully,
Philippe will be able to come up occasionally
and demonstrate the art of blacksmithing to
our visitors.
434-1345 or
1-888-646-2886
1200 N. White Sands, Alamogordo
by Pat Rand
Our pond and stream, which was dedicated
two years ago, has been shut down for a year
because of the serious leaks that had developed, and we couldn’t afford the loss of water. We now have a crew of workmen patching and sealing it, and hopefully it will be
back in operation sometime near the end of
this month. It provides such a nice, restful
atmosphere. We have also obtained a bench
so visitors can sit and rest and enjoy the water running through the grove of aspen trees
in our wildlife refuge area.
Lloyd Robinson, one of the volunteers at
the Museum, is in the process of transferring
all of the Museum’s records into a computer
program called Past Perfect, designed specifically for small museums. Our stored material is broken down into four categories photos, archives, objects and library. We
presently have over ten thousand items on
record, and sometimes it is difficult trying to
locate a particular item. Eventually, everything will be in the computer, scanned, and
then specifically located in the Museum, so it
will be much easier to make the item available. The program also assists with membership records and bookkeeping. It will
take time to get it all done, but with Lloyd’s
help and the assistance of others, we will
move into the new century.
I had commented to another volunteer, Paul
“Viggy” Vigneault, that our display of the
Cloudcroft “Baby San” really needed a mattress for the baby crib that is on display. All
we had was a sheet over the metal support.
On his next trip to El Paso, “Viggy” stopped
by the Popular Mattress Factory and brought
back a baby crib mattress they had donated
to the Museum. The mattress has now been
installed in the crib, and our display is more
complete. Sometimes it is amazing to see
what can be done with a little effort and the
generosity of certain people. Thank you,
Popular Mattress Factory and “Viggy.”
As summer draws nearer, we notice an increase in the number of visitors who stop by
the Museum, and the variety of places they
come from. Last month we had visitors from
seventeen different states and four foreign
countries. We also had thirty first-graders
visit us from Alamogordo, which was an interesting experience. They were very curious. Not too shabby for a small museum in a
small mountain village!
The Museum is open to visitors on Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from 10am
to 4pm, and on Sunday from 1pm to 4pm. It
is closed on Wednesday and Thursday. Admission charge is $2.00 for adults and $0.50
for children. Come visit us and see some of
the displays that have been recently installed
and the older ones that have been modified.
If you should have any questions about the
Museum, call us at (505) 682-2932. We hope
that you will come by and visit our historical
Museum.
The Pioneer Story of
William E. Kimbrell
During the Great Depression from
1936 to 1940 there was a WPA Writers’
Project which paid local authors to interview
older local citizens and then write up a report
(called a “manuscript”) of each interview so that oral histories of pioneers would be collected and preserved.
Edith L. Crawford of Carrizozo worked for this Project, and on August 9, 1936 she interviewed William E. Kimbrell of Carrizozo. The manuscript she wrote after her interview is
now archived at the Library of Congress. Here is her report of what Mr. Kimbrell (who was 61
years old in 1936) told her.
I was born at Picacho, Lincoln County, New Mexico, on July 16, 1877, and have lived all of my life
in Lincoln County. I attended the public schools near home and for one term of nine months I went
to the New Mexico Military Institute, at Roswell.
I was the youngest son of George and Paulita (Romero) Kimbrell. My father was born in Huntsville, Arkansas, March 31, 1842. He went to Colorado with the Pike’s Peak Crowd in 1859, with
two of his friends. They traveled by freight wagons, and paid for their board and transportation by
doing odd jobs for the freighters. He got sick while working in Colorado and in 1860 he left there
to come to New Mexico. He came on an ox train and landed in Las Vegas.
He did any kind of work he was able to do there until he regained his health. He left there in
1863 and came to Fort Stanton and worked there for a while as a government scout. In 1864 he
squatted on a place on the Chaves Flats, about twelve miles east of Lincoln where he farmed and
raised cattle. He raised lots of corn and freighted it to Fort Stanton by ox team and sold it for ten
dollars a “fanega” (which was one hundred and fifty pounds).
The Indians stole all his cattle but his oxen and he had to do all of his farm work and plowing
with his oxen. He married my mother in 1864. My mother’s people came from Manzano, but I do
not remember the date. My father and mother lived on the Chaves Flats until 1877 when they
moved to Picacho, and homesteaded on one hundred and sixty acres. He lived on this place until
he died on March 25, 1924.
He had lived in Lincoln County sixty-one years at the time of his death. He served as Justice of
the Peace in his precinct for a great many years. He was elected sheriff of Lincoln County and took
oath of office on January 1, 1879 and served until December 31, 1880. He succeeded George W.
Peppin, who was appointed by the County Commissioners in 1878 to fill out the unexpired term of
William Brady, who was killed by Billy the Kid.
The Lincoln County War was just about over when Father went in office, but it was during his
term that Billy the Kid came in and surrendered. Father never took sides with either faction
during the war. He ran against Pat Garrett for sheriff in November, 1880 and Pat Garrett defeated
him by one hundred and forty votes. There were
only five hundred votes cast in this election.
I was married to Virginia Romero on January
1,
1904. We have nine children, six girls and
Company, Inc.
three boys, all living in Lincoln County at this
time.
I have been County Clerk of Lincoln County,
serving for two terms (eight years) from January 1, 1905 to December 31, 1908. I was Probate Judge for two terms, from January 1, 1915
NAME BRAND CARPETS
to December 31, 1919, and was County Asses- FREE ESTIMATES sor for two terms, from January 1, 1931 to DePROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION
cember 31, 1934. I have served as Deputy
County Assessor for the past four years. I still
Residental, Kitchen & Commercial
own the old homestead at Picacho that my father filed on in 1877, and call it home, as I live
Carpet and Flooring
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To read more manuscripts, point your browser
Monday - Friday 9am to 6pm
to: http://rs6.loc.gov/ammem/wpaintro/
nmcat.html
and for more about the history of little-known
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Penasco Pioneers, Part VI - Names on a Map
by Jim Mason, Sunspot
Just north of the old Davis Ranch house on the Sunspot highway and across the road from
the spring that is the highest source of the upper Penasco River sits a little red shack at the
mouth of a small dry canyon. The little shack was built by Tommy, younger brother of Bill
Davis, as a place to stay in the Summers while he worked on the ranch with Bill. The little
canyon in question is identified on the maps as Fenimore Canyon. In the other direction, just
south of the ranch house, Atkinson Canyon cuts west and farther down the valley, after it
bends east another dry canyon named Schofield cuts north and quickly plays out. Where do
these names come from?
In the 1910 census of High Rolls NM (Precinct 6, Otero County) we can find the family of
J.R. Fennimore in hh (household) 51. The Davis ranch of course was not even a ranch in
1910 and by the lack of entries in the census, apparently it wasn’t yet a logging camp either
(logging at the time had been stopped on federal lands). J.R.’s family includes his wife
Fannie and seven children.
The next place after Fennimore is that of Spast Schofield, a widower of seventy-three living
alone presumably in the canyon of that name. I cannot but pause at the sort of will that
would enable one to live so isolated a life at that age and yet no doubt on a clear Spring night
in those mountains Mr. Schofield’s answer would be “why not?”.
The census information reveals a little of the path that brought the Fennimores to the
Penasco. The oldest child listed (Nellie) was born in Texas in 1893. The next three were
born in Oklahoma in 1895 (James), 1898 (Nettie) and 1899 (Thomas). Then in 1903 they
were in California where a fifth child (Dora) was born. The children from 1908 on (Virginia
and Dell) were born in New Mexico so the family had been here for at least two years.
It also shows that J.R., or James Roney as we happen to know he was named, was born in
Nebraska in 1862-3, that Fannie was born in Louisiana in 1872-3 and that they had been
married for nineteen years. This brief glimpse, a snapshot in time, is about all we can get of
the family from the census but we can observe something about the neighborhood.
The list begins with William Mauldin, grandfather of the World War II cartoonist. In hh 2
is Edgar Cadwallader, long associated with High Rolls and apples; both men are in their
sixties. In hh 16 was Simon Kotsky, High Rolls storekeeper. Evidently the census taker
began pretty close to the village. Further down the list (or up the mountain) are John and
Lola Waldrip, hh 28, newly married daughter and son-in-law of Shelby Davis over in Wills
Canyon. More newlyweds, Charles and Lettie Hudman, are in hh 47, and in hh 48 is D.R.
Atkinson. People moved a lot in those days but pretty close to this time Atkinson must have
been in the canyon that bears his name. He was forty-three years old at the time.
From the order of names it appears the route followed by the census taker may have been
up Haynes Canyon, then south along the rim to the present intersection of Upper Penasco
and Sunspot highway, after which he backtracked to go down Russia and Cox canyons. The
old road, I am told, went by Camp Russia, then over the ridge to Pierce and Cox canyons. The
remainder of the list, Charles Bonnell, hh 56, Henry Tally, hh 63, Alice Hudman, hh 66, a
widow of sixty-three (the Hudman home place was in Pierce Canyon), and J.T. Thomason,
hh70, were along that route.
Charles and Gracie Bonnell had only recently (1909) come back to New Mexico (OCPFH,
v.1,p.36) and it seems reasonable to place them in Russia where Gracie’s recently widowed
mother lived. With them were his brother Frank and sister-in-law Lulu (See OCPFH, vol 2, p
47), just married. Frank would later go to work for the Forest Service and Charles for the
Myers Co in Cloudcroft. Tally and Thomason were farther down Cox Canyon. The Thomason
place today belongs to Frank Bonnell’s daughter Carrie (Green) who at 83 still lives on it and
still ranches. About the Tallys we will say more in a minute.
SOME FENIMORE HISTORY
An old picture shows James Roney with a girl about 4, said to be Nellie, and other family
members (men) in a tent house of the style used in Oro Grande. However if it is Nellie the
picture would have been taken in 1897, a time when they appear to have still been in OK, and
according to grandson Ray Fenimore of Alamogordo they were never in Oro Grande.
Family information relates that the family went for a time to California, a move that is
confirmed by the birth there of daughter Dora in 1903. It is said they didn’t remain there
long but returned in a year or two. Perhaps it was from California that they came to New
Mexico.
They were in New Mexico at least by 1907 for in that year they were farming south of
Alamagordo when James recieved a bullet wound in the leg in a dispute over water (as I
described in an earlier article).
James Roney was a man of small stature and not of gentle temperment. He had thick black
hair which he is said to have cut twice a year with sheep shears. He is remembered as not
fond of children although daughter Nellie (Davis) was always fond of him and he of her. His
second son, Thomas, would leave home as a teen after a whipping and never came back,
eventually making a career in the thing.
A story is told of them making a trip to Arkansas and returning in two wagons pulled by
spans of mules when daughters Virginia and Nancy Dell were young teens, the two girls
driving one of the wagons while their father drove the other. This had to be after 1920 and
13
James Otto the oldest son was in Bisbee AZ
working for the railroad. Ray Fenimore,
James Otto’s son, says his grandfather
owned the place in Fenimore Canyon twice
and built two houses there, living west of
Alamogordo in the interim. Lora Fenimore,
Ray’s mother, told me that they came back
in 1925 and built the house in Fenimore
Canyon. Evidently this was the second following their return from Arkansas and the
first was around 1910.
LORA FENIMORE
I had the privilege to meet Lora Fenimore not long
before she died at age 96. She was born Lora Ferris in
1903 in a railroad camp where the highway now passes
the ski lodge in Snow Canyon. She said her earliest
memory was about 1908 when they lived in Snow Canyon. When she was four
her father had typhoid fever and was taken to the hospital in Alamogordo. He had been
declared well enough to go home and the family went early in the morning to meet train in
Cloudcroft but he was not on it. They later learned the bad news; he had died the night
before after he was fed the wrong meal in hospital (typhoid disrupts the digestive system and
requires a very special diet).
About two years later Lora’s mother died and Lora and her brother were orphans. They
were then raised by various family members in the area including aunt and uncle, Henry and
Maggie Tally mentioned above. They hadn’t seen the end of typhoid fever because in 1915 it
hit the Tally family (OCPFH, v.1, p.436) and they probably lived temporarily elsewhere but it
was the Tallys that she remembered raising her.
After she was grown Lora went to Bisbee Arizona to work and there met James Otto. They
were married on Jan 8, 1920. The couple returned to the Penasco eight years later and
bought the farm in Fenimore Canyon from his parents who then moved to Cloudcroft. There
they lived until James Roney’s death in 1935. In addition to farming James Otto would
become the mail carrier on the Upper Penasco, using a buckboard in Summer and sleigh in
Winter to make his rounds.
June in Cloudcroft
National Trails Day June 3
10k walk in beautiful surroundings call 682-3040
Cloudcroft Concert June 3
Patriotic music on the High School Football Field
Western Roundup Weekend June 9-11
Western Parade, Pie Auction, BBQ Dinner
wear your western attire!!
Railroad Days Train Display June 10
10am-5pm at the Cloudcroft Middle School
Street Dance June 10
for all ages 7pm -11pm on Burro Avenue
Lumberjack Contest June 10-11
all day at Zennith Park
Melodrama June 10-11
7:30pm at the Open Air Pavillion
Flag Day Ceremony and Parade June 14th
5pm on Burro Avenue
Bluegrass Festival June 23-25
Music all day for the whole family at the open air pavillion
Contact the Chamber for more information 682-2733
14
Oliver Lee Continued
point, someone had fired a shot from somewhere in front of him. The bullet had slammed
into his forehead, passing all the way through,
killing him instantly. His legs were still crossed
when the body was found.
The assassin’s tracks were plainly visible. He
was tracked over to the Tularosa Canyon, and
then the trail disappeared. However, according
to historian C.L. Sonnichsen, the killer’s horse
ran into a Spanish bayonet (cactus) at some
point, leaving a chunk of its hide dangling. The
piece of hide was later fitted into a spot on
Walter Good’s horse. And yes, Walter was most
definitely related to John Good. He was his son.
At any rate, Walter Good was generally assumed to have been the killer who murdered
George McDonald. To Oliver Lee and his friends,
this made Good a walking dead man. Lee had
the bullet that had killed George recovered and
wore it on his watch chain as a reminder.
Walter Good’s wife was the last person to see
Walter alive. On August 14, 1888, Good left his
home to ride over to Perry Altman’s place to
recover one of his horses that had wandered
over there. According to Altman, Good never
arrived.
The next day a search party of some 50 men
began looking in earnest, but without success,
for the missing man.
When John Good heard that Oliver Lee and
two of his compadres were at Altmans’ place the
night before Walter had set out to recover this
missing horse, he rapidly came to the conclusion that the story about the horse had been a
ruse to lure Walter to his death. Good was raging, anxious for revenge.
At about this time, the Rio Grande Republican commented that “such a reign of terror has
not been known since the Lincoln County War.”
Well, ok, maybe the newspaper was over-reacting a trifle, but it does give a good impression
of the concern that the citizens felt at the time.
John Good offered a $300.00 reward for his
son, either alive or dead, and an additional
$1,000.00 for the arrest and conviction of his
killers. Good was a realist who held no illusions about his son’s fate at this point.
Oliver Lee and his supporters rode down to
El Paso and bought enough ammunition to kill
everyone in Tularosa, Alamogordo, and La Luz.
This was probably a wise decision, because
about two weeks after his disappearance, Walter
Good, or rather what the coyotes had left of him,
was found in the White Sands.
When the party that had found the body stated
back to La Luz, they ran smack into what they
always claimed was an ambush, but actually may
have been just a chance meeting.
Oliver Lee, in the company of half a dozen of
his supporters, had fortified themselves behind
a ditch bank. The two groups fired on each other
immediately and for some time, but the only
casualties were a couple of horses.
After Walter Good’s burial, a coroner’s jury
was impaneled and they found that Walter Good
had come to his death at the hands of Jim Cooper, Oliver Lee, Tom Tucker, and Cherokee Bill
Kellam. Early in October, all four of them, along
with Perry Altman, were indicted by the grand
jury. A.J. Fountain of Mesilla was appointed as
prosecutor.
Albert Jennings Fountain was a Republican
who was close to the Hispanic community; two
facts that did not sit well with the Democratic
and anti-Hispanic Texans. It was the beginning
of a protracted feud that would simmer between
Fountain and Oliver Lee until 1896 when the
Tularosa Basin was rocked by another tragedy
... but I’m getting ahead of myself.
In the end, John Good had had enough. The
loss of his son, coupled with the stress of a feud,
was simply too much for him. In December, he
sold his holdings and moved on, never to return. Oliver Lee, victorious by default, was still
a long way from the end of his troubles.
As time passed, Lee acquired more property
and prestige. Many of his former associates,
such as Jim Cooper and Perry Altman, moved
on. Nettie Fry, who was supposed to marry
George McDonald, married a new friend of
Oliver’s. His name was Bill McNew and his father had a farm where modern-day Cloudcroft
stands. McNew was destined to figure prominently in still more unpleasantness in which
Oliver was to become involved.
In February of 1893, Lee and McNew trailed
two rustlers, Charley Rhodius and Matt Coffelt,
by name, who were driving some stolen Lee stock
to Mexico. Lee and McNew caught up with the
two Ne’er-do-wells just north of El Paso and
ordered them to surrender. Neither Rhodius
nor Coffelt was inclined to do so.
Rhodius did find the time to get one wild shot
off in Lee’s direction before the coolheaded Lee
blasted him out of the saddle with a borrowed
rifle. As Rhodius was crashing to the ground,
his partner, Coffelt, opened fire. Turning slightly
in his saddle and aiming carefully as Coffelt’s
bullets whizzed around him, Lee fired again.
In less time than it takes to tell it, the two rustlers lay dead on the ground.
Lee and McNew continued into El Paso where
they turned themselves in to the authorities and
were promptly released.
In fairness, it should be pointed out that many
men in that time and place “swung a wide loop,”
which is to say that they weren’t too particular
about the brands that the cattle they were rounding up carried.
By this time, Lee, who was one of southeastern New Mexico’s leading cattlemen, was a force
to be reckoned with, but even he could not stop
the rumors that proliferated more and more that
he and his men were being a tad hypocritical in
shooting rustlers. Many felt that Lee and his
men themselves were guilty of that particular
crime.
These suspicions were destined to haunt Lee
through the turn of the century. But these suspicions were nothing next to the rumors that
swirled around Oliver Lee in connection with
what happened to Albert Jennings Fountain and
his 8-year old son.
Rumors persisted into the 1890’s that Oliver
Lee was a ruthless man, a dangerous man, a cow
thief, and a man who wouldn’t hesitate to commit murder to protect his holdings.
In many cases, the same can be said about
most of the old-time cattlemen. But when A.J.
Fountain and his son, Henry, disappeared in the
White Sands in 1896, many people felt that Lee
was responsible. It wasn’t so much the disappearance of Fountain himself that people found
troubling. It was the disappearance of his 8year old son that was bothersome. In the 19th
century, generally speaking, even the baddest
of the bad men left the women and children
alone. The very idea that a child had been murdered was more than anyone could tolerate.
The times they were a-changin’. It is interesting to note that the 20th century was looming
just around the corner with its mass murders,
death camps, and other horrors waiting in the
wings.
But in 1896, to most people, the murder of a
child was unthinkable. Consequently, when A.J.
Fountain went to Lincoln to testify in court
against many accused rustlers, one of who was
Oliver Lee; he brought his son along. Fountain
felt that bringing the boy along was a sort of
insurance policy against any foul play befalling
him on the journey to and from Lincoln. Ten
years before, his ploy may have worked and
thwarted any attempts on his life. But the socalled “modern” world with its so-called
“progress” was about to make a liar out of him.
The Fountains’ trip to Lincoln was uneventful.
Traveling by buggy, the father and son stopped
at the homes of many friends along the way;
people who had grown close to Fountain during
his many years as a public servant and newspaperman in New Mexico.
On the last day of the hearings, Fountain was
standing near the courthouse doors when a man
- never identified - pressed a note into his hand.
It read, “if you drop this, we will be your friends.
If you go on with it, you will never reach home
alive.” Fountain chose to disregard the message. It was his first mistake.
The Fountains left Lincoln of the frigid afternoon of January 30, 1896, and stopped the first
night at Blazer’s Mill (scene of a spectacular
gunfight during the Lincoln County War, some
18 years earlier), on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. Dr. Joseph Blazer and A.J. Fountain
had been friends for years and they spent a convivial evening together. Blazer later recalled
that when the subject of the cattle rustling cases
in Lincoln came up, Fountain commented that
“We have enough evidence to convict, if they
don’t make away with me or my witnesses.”
The more Fountain talked, the more Blazer
became concerned and gradually, alarmed. He
suggested that the Fountains let a couple of
Mescalero friends come along as guards, but
Fountain refused, commenting that “No, I think
I can take care of any emergency that may arise.”
That was his second mistake.
Down the road a way, near modern-day Bent,
an elderly Apache friend of Fountain’s was waiting with a small pinto horse. The old man
wanted to show his gratitude for a service that
Fountain had done for him, and presented Fountain with the horse. Fountain tried to refuse,
but the Mescalero finally convinced him to take
it “for the children.” With the pony tied behind
the buckboard, A.J. and little Henry Fountain
continued down the road toward Tularosa.
It was shortly after they left the old man that
the Fountains noticed that they had company:
two, perhaps, three men were following them
at a distance. Fountain kept a wary eye on them
all the way into Tularosa, at which point the
mysterious riders veered off and disappeared
in the foothills.
The Fountains, man and boy, spent that night
with friends in La Luz, about nine miles further
down the road past Tularosa, toward White
Sands. Neither knew it, of course, but it was
their last night on earth.
On Saturday, February 1, 1896, the Fountains
began the last lap of their journey home. It was
the lap that would take them across the desolate White Sands. Even back in 1896, the White
Sands was known as a place where people
tended to simply vanish.
The day was frigid. The man and boy kept a
lap robe, Indian blanket, and quilt draped across
themselves for warmth, but even those articles
couldn’t keep the howling wind out. It is reasonable to assume that little Henry was longing
to be at the family home in Las Cruces, where
they had moved to from Mesilla, where he knew
he would be warm and safe.
About noon, the pair had their lunch at a place
called Pellman’s Well on the edge of the White
Sands. After feeding and watering the horses,
the Fountains ventured out into that desolate
region. A couple of hours later, they met
Tularosa mailman, Santos Alvarado.
Alvarado had seen the horsemen ahead of the
Fountains and had seen them leave the trail at a
gallop when they saw him. Both Fountain and
Alvarado agreed that this was highly suspicious
behavior. Nevertheless, the Fountains continued further into the White Sands.
A little later, the Fountains met Saturnino
Barela, Las Cruces mailman, on the trail. He
and A.J. Fountain had an interesting conversation: “Those three men ahead. Do you know
who they are?” asked Fountain. No, I didn’t get
near enough to recognize them. They turned
out when they saw us,” replied Barela. Fountain told Barela that, “They’ve been traveling in
front of us for miles, I am afraid they are going
to attack us.” When Barela asked Fountain why
he didn’t turn back, Fountain shook his head
and replied, “No, I have to be in Las Cruces tonight. I’ll push along and take my chances.”
It was Fountain’s final mistake. He and his
little boy headed toward Chalk Hill, three miles
distant. They were never seen again - alive or
dead.
Saturnino Barela, the mailman, was deeply
concerned for the Fountains. Like many Hispanics in New Mexico, he was quite fond of A.J.
Fountain, who was married to an Hispanic
woman and was frequently the Hispanic’s champion in the often-prejudiced Anglo courts.
The next day, when Barela headed back toward Las Cruces, he made a point of watching
for signs that Fountain and his son had passed
through the White Sands uneventfully. His hopes
were in vain.
Just past Chalk Hill, a White Sands landmark,
he found that Fountain’s buggy had left the trail.
He followed the tracks for 30 or 40 yards until
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the buggy tracks were clearly intercepted by the
tracks of several horsemen. Fearing the worst,
Barela went for help.
Albert Fountain, A.J.’s eldest son, upon hearing of the disappearance of his father and little
brother, seemed to lose his sanity. Despite the
fact that it was nearly dark, he and a couple of
friends took off at a gallop for the place where
the buggy left the trail. About an hour later, a
dozen or so men who had taken the time to pack
provisions followed him.
There were many clues, but none of them gave
anyone cause for hope that the missing pair were
still alive. First, they found that a man had been
hiding behind a bush just off the trail. As they
followed the buggy tracks, they began to deduce
even more. Their theory was that the man behind the bush had held the Fountains up while
the three mysterious horsemen had ridden in
and surrounded the buggy.
At this point, all of the tracks had moved a
hundred yards or so off the trail. The posse
took note of the fact that the led horse, the one
that was a gift, had been shying around behind
the buggy as though frightened. At this point,
the group appeared to have stopped for a time
as the tracks seemed to indicate that the horses
had been standing around stamping their
hooves. There were also a number of cigarette
papers scattered about. Most discouraging of
all, there was the blood. Blood was spattered
over an area nearly six feet across, and there
was a patch a few inches wide where it had
soaked down more than a foot into the sand.
After a time, the posse put it together: they
figured that Fountain had been shot at the place
where the buggy first stopped, they figured that
Fountain had been thrown from the buggy where
they found the blood. There was sign that a
blanket had been spread out next to where they
found the stain and that something heavy had
been placed upon it. They felt that they had
figured correctly, as to what had happened to
A.J. Fountain, but they were all afraid to figure
what had happened to the little boy.
The grim posse pressed on, following the
tracks of the buggy. Later that day, they found
it, about 12 miles from Chalk Hill.
The killers had been thorough, virtually all of
Fountain’s paperwork had disappeared. His
rifle, his dagger, his Indian blanket, and the lap
robe - all vanished. Curiously, the threatening
note that Fountain had received in Lincoln was
still in the buggy. But that was all.
And Albert Fountain kept staring back in the
direction of Dog Canyon, where Oliver Lee made
his home.
As the distraught posse searched what was
clearly a crime scene for clues to the disappearance of A.J. Fountain and his eight-year-old son,
Henry, they found many tracks. Among them
were the tracks of a child that seemed to be running away from the campfire. On closer inspection, they found that the tracks were made by
only one shoe.
At this point, they figured, probably correctly,
that little Henry was already dead when these
tracks were made, and that the tracks were made
to confuse or mislead the pursuers.
They pushed on, following the tracks that, by
this time, seemed to be leading straight toward
Oliver Lee’s Dog Canyon ranch. However, when
they were just a few miles from Dog Canyon, a
herd of Lee’s cattle was pushed right across the
trail, forever obliterating the tracks. Friends of
the Fountains always felt that this was done deliberately.
Probably no one will ever know, but at the
time, many theorized that the bodies of the
Fountains were hidden somewhere up in the
Sacramento Mountains, never to be found.
Eventually, one of the Old West’s most famous
lawmen stepped in and took charge of the investigation - Pat Garrett.
Gradually, the famed killer of Billy the Kid
became obsessed with the Fountain murder case.
Oliver Lee, in turn, recruited well-known lawyer, Albert Bacon Fall, to his camp. Fall would
become nationally famous in the 1920’s over the
“Teapot Dome Scandal,” but at this point in time,
he was known simply as a slick lawyer.
In time, Oliver Lee, Bill McNew, and Jim
Gilliland were charged with murdering the Fountains. The charges were made somewhat prematurely, though, and Fall moved that the prisoners be released on grounds of insufficient
evidence. Lee and Gilliland were released, but
McNew was not granted bond. He was held in
jail for nearly a year.
At this juncture, fearing that the same thing
might happen to him that happened to McNew,
should the courts (and Garrett) get another
chance, Lee began living like a fugitive. He never
stayed in one place too long. Pat Garrett felt
that as long as Lee was acting like a fugitive, he
might as well treat him like one.
In July 1898, Garrett received word that Lee
and Gilliland were holed up at a place called
Wildy Well, near modern-day Orogrande. Organizing a posse, Garrett hurried to that place,
hoping to catch his quarry unawares. No such
luck.
Arriving just before daylight on July 13, the
posse - Garrett, Jose Espalin, Clint Llewellyn,
Bill Williams, and Kent Kearney of La Luz - dismounted as quietly as possible and drew their
weapons.
Going to the main house, Garrett, gun drawn,
slid as silently as he could into the darkened
room. It is difficult to imagine that thoughts of
his confrontation with Billy the Kid some 17
years earlier in similar circumstances did not
pass through his mind.
Seeing two figures sleeping in the bed, Garrett
crept up and, jabbing the barrel of his pistol
into the side of the form nearest him, commanded in a loud whisper that the sleeping man
throw up his hands. The man did, and, to
Garrett’s surprise (and embarrassment), it
turned out to be one of Oliver Lee’s cowhands
named Madison. The form in the bed next to
him turned out to be Mrs. Madison, who was
rather badly frightened by this intrusion.
Mumbling apologies, Garrett backed out of the
room. Just as he was approaching the rest of
his men where they had waited for him, they
spied a young boy who seemed to be motioning
to someone on the roof. Garrett got the idea.
Going back into the bedroom where the stillstartled Madisons were reclining, Pat ordered
Madison to go upstairs and tell Lee and Gilliland
to surrender. Madison replied that he had no
idea where his employer or Gilliland were at
that time.
Posting Llewellyn to guard the Madisons,
Garrett sent Williams over to take cover behind
a galvanized water tank some little distance from
the house. Then Pat and Kent Kearney began
climbing up onto the roof. The next couple of
minutes became, shall we say, lively.
As their heads cleared the rooftop, Garrett
called out for Lee and Gilliland, apparently still
asleep, to surrender. Kearney seems to have
taken this as a signal to open fire, which he
promptly did. Lee and Gilliland, who were waking up very fast indeed, grabbed their weapons
and returned fire. Lee fired at Garrett’s tall form,
and Pat jumped down from the rooftop so
quickly that Lee thought he had hit him. Kearney
chose, bravely, but unwisely, to stand and fight.
He traded shots with both Lee and Gilliland at
very close range until bullets from both men’s
guns cut him down. Kearney dropped, groaning, to the ground. The other posse members
dragged him into a wagon shed where they had
all taken cover.
Now it was a standoff. After a few minutes,
Lee called down from the rooftop; “You are a
Hell of a lot of bastards to shoot at a man when
he is asleep.”
At this point, the conversation seems to have
taken that odd personal note between lawmen
and their prey that was exclusive to the Old West;
“Are any of you hurt?” asked a hopeful Garrett
from inside the shed. “No,” replied Lee, “but
you’ve got yourself into a Hell of a close place.”
“I know it,” responded Garrett, “how are we
going to get away from here?”
Lee’s response was to send a couple of bullets
whizzing into the shed. Garrett’s next remark
caused Lee to burst out laughing. Garrett said,
“You’d better surrender.”
“Pat, don’t you think we’ve got the best of it?”
asked Lee.
“Don’t you think I know it?” replied Garrett.
Lee thought for a moment and then said, “I
wouldn’t surrender to you anyway. I know you
intend to kill me. You’ve said so, plenty of
times.” Garrett was offended. “That’s a lie,
Oliver. You’ll be perfectly safe in my hands.”
Oliver Lee knew he was in a good position
and decided to make the most of it. “We’ve got
you where we want you and we don’t have to
surrender. You pull off and give us a little time
and we’ll promise not to shoot any of you when
you get out from shelter.” Garrett remained
unconvinced. “I doubt that,” he replied. “When
I give my word,” Oliver Lee said, “I keep it.”
In the end, Pat Garrett had no choice but to
trust Oliver Lee. One by one, he and his men
left their cover and headed for their horses,
dragging the wounded Kearney with them.
Oliver Lee had one final parting verbal shot
to make: “Now, Pat,” he yelled, “I suppose you’ll
go away and tell lies about this fight.”
“No,” responded the disgusted Garrett, “I’ll
tell it just as it happened.” And he did, too.
The next day, about 4:30 in the afternoon, Kent
Kearney succumbed to his wounds in
Alamogordo. Oliver Lee later remarked that
Kearney was “the bravest man in that crowd.”
And, as historian, C.L. Sonnichsen so accurately
pointed out, “that was no
mean tribute.”
In the end, the killers of
A.J. and little Henry Fountain were never brought to
justice, and their bodies
were never found. Oliver
Lee went on to success and
respectability as a state
legislator and lived long
enough to hear of the attack on Pearl Harbor in
PO Box
1941.
Pat Garrett, it is said, never gave up
the search for the killers of the Foun- 15
tains, apparently never even considering any
suspects other than Lee, McNew, and Gilliland.
There are even those who think that Garrett’s
own murder in 1908 was related to his involvement in the Fountain murder case. Of course,
at this late date, it is doubtful that the truth will
ever come to light in what eventually became
New Mexico’s most famous, unsolved murder
mystery.
There is however, an undocumented postscript
to the case. Jim Gilliland lived well into this
century, and according to at least one wellknown historian, old Jim never, in his later
years, had the slightest hesitation about talking
of his involvement in the Fountain murders.
According to this story, when asked about the
Fountains, the elderly Gilliland would burst out
laughing. “Har, har, har,” he would chortle.
“That son-of-a-bitch jumped like a toad when
the bullet hit him.” Then his laughter would be
replaced by huge tears that would stream down
his face when he thought of little Henry. At that
point, Gilliland would confess that they had cut
the little boy’s throat.
If this story is true, it seems to finally solve
the Fountain murder case. But is it true? The
fact is, frustrating as it may be, we’ll never really know.
“The cruelest lies are often told in silence.”
Robert Louis Stevenson
If you have enjoyed this article or any other
articles by Drew Gomber, you may purchase his
current book, “Lincoln County Wars: Heroes &
Villains,” by sending $12.95 plus $2.95 s/h to
BANDILLO PUBLISHING CO., PO Box 595,
Terlingua, TX 79852.
Mr. Gomber’s 2nd book, “Past Tense: American Souls,” is currently being compiled. Volume One should be in print this fall. To reserve a copy, please send a SASE to the above
address and we will put you on our mailing
list. Please visit our websites at www.bandillo.com & www.texaswritersweb.com.
New Mexico 2000
Special Olympics
State Summer Games
June 2-4 in Albuquerque
Santa Fe Sports Fest
August 18-19 in Santa Fe
For more complete information call:
1-800-371-5525
or 505-856-0342
www.ocec-inc.com
Office
505-682-2521
Outage Assistance
1-800-548-4660
227 - Cloudcroft, NM 88317
16
Setting Pen to Paper - Letters from Our Readers and Guest Editorials
Blueprint for the Destruction of Rural America
a Guest Editorial by J. Zane Walley
I reckon that I must be thickheaded. Long have I resisted the theory
that our government was truly executing a plan to destroy rural America, to push people
from the land and to bar all industry based on natural resources. The true wealth of a nation
lies in the earth, and that natural wealth has given us the minerals and food and fuel to
become the strongest power that the world has ever witnessed. This land birthed a strong
and independent people who labored in the soil and forests and factories for a better standard of living and fought and won wars in support of the principles established by our
founding fathers.
And now, is all this to be annihilated? Is our government deliberately driving rural Americans into the Gulag of the cities?
For the past six years I have visited with working ranchers and farmers in all corners of
America. I have broken bread with them, slept in their beds, built fences, rode good horses
and helped at shearing time. I’ve heard their stories and have done my honest best to write
them true. Without exception, the stories are unerringly the same. Those years and tens of
thousands of miles may simply be summed up in one sentence: “Hard working people,
constantly betrayed and pressured by their government.”
I believe there is a strategy for the destruction of rural America. Pieces of the destruction
plan are there for all to see, but they are skillfully obscured by politically astute terms like
biodiversity, conservation easements, clean water, wolf reintroduction, consensus, friendly
condemnation, world trade and in all cases, by shrewdly written government documents.
We have become a people governed by agencies, not elected officials. This rule by fiat, by
regulation, is difficult to discern because the rules are written in virtual secrecy by a select
group of political appointees who are not accountable to the citizens.
Other political appointees vigorously enforce the regulatory agency decrees, not laws, with
their judicial power in the federal court system. What we labor under is a handpicked
collection of paladins forcing their views on others. It is the legacy of communism.
The non-elected deputies of the administration are aided by hugely wealthy non-profit
organizations, which are lavishly rewarded by government grants for their participation in
helping demolish the economy of rural America. The rich foundations in turn, fund groups
that can only be described as “Eco-Guerillas” to do to the dirty deeds so their corporate
images remain unsoiled.
The tools used to depopulate rural America seem innocuous until they are placed into a
semblance of order, then an image for destruction emerges that is undeniable. The “tools”
in the below list are by no means complete because regulatory agencies are generating more
of them at a furious pace. This list catalogs the primary culprits.
- THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT: 1100-plus listed endangered plants, insects and animals.
It is responsible for the death of the timber industry and many other resource based enterprises.
- THE CLEAN WATER ACT AND CLEAN WATER ACTION PLAN: Allows regulatory agencies complete control of America’s water and much private and public land.
- EMPOWERMENT OF THE EPA: Over regulation by this agency is so rampant that many industries are simply forced out of America. Now the EPA has set its sights on controlling agriculture and timber.
- PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND AFFLUENT NON-PROFIT ENVIRONMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS: These foundations are used as fronts to distribute untraceable litigation
and operational funds to organizations that diligently work to list more endangered species
and file lawsuits to protect them. They also covertly act as real estate agencies for the government by purchasing land and property rights such as conservation easements.
- FEDERALIZATION OF THE MAJOR MEDIA: To attend a White House press briefing, journalists must be federally certified. The “talking heads” that are the major source of news for
80% of America simply orate the party line.
- MEMBERSHIP IN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION: Guarantees that prices paid for
American products remain so low that agriculture is forced out of business.
- THE “GREENING” OF FEDERAL AGENCIES: Appointments and promotions in federal regulatory and judicial positions are based on an applicant’s history of and enthusiasm for adopting and using the tools described in this article.
This crush of actions against rural America would appear to be certain victory for the
federal government, but they have overstepped their authority and have so energetically and
stringently enforced these regulations that resistance is building at a startling rate. Even
liberal politicians are beginning to revolt. Recently Senator Rockefeller of West Virginia,
after fighting to keep the coal mining industry from being totally shut down by the Clean
Water Action Plan, stated, “Looks like the war on the West is moving East.” Amen Senator!
All rural people in America must stand together to resist the destruction of their lives by a
government gone berserk.
J. Zane Walley is the editor of the Paragon Powerhouse, the monthly newsletter of the
Paragon Foundation, a national constitutional property rights group based in Alamogordo,
NM. The Powerhouse may be obtained by calling 1-877-847-3443 toll-free.
Consequences of Failure
As the absolute catastrophe of the Cerro Grande Fire and the tragedy of the people of Los
Alamos and White Rock continues to unfold. Many people are calling in to the radio stations
and pointing the finger at the one man that is deemed responsible for the decision for implementing the controlled burn that began the fire.
The responsibility for this tragedy actually rests on the shoulders of the federal government, environmental extremists, and their far-out land management policies.
For years, warnings that forests in the southwest are diseased tinderboxes have been ignored, yet the agencies in charge of composing and implementing land management decisions continue to listen to environmental extremists who advocate a (no harvest) policy of
timber and sometimes even firewood. Even Judges listen to these idiots.
These land agencies were mandated by congress to provide for a sustainable yield of timber and no longer abide by that mandate. The waste in the Bandelier is outrageous.
The trees that lay on the ground in New Mexico’s forest and the wealth that is being wasted
in the name of environmentalism is appalling.
Is the evacuation of the townspeople of Los Alamos and White Rock any less tragic than
other losses that have occurred over the same policies?
When thousands and thousands of people lost their homes and jobs in the late 80s and
early 90s where was the outcry? Was it any less tragic that a complete industry and the people
it supported lost their homes and jobs. Many families suffered, children saw their parents
divorce when the stress go too bad many had to turn to welfare.
When timber harvest in the United States ceased, thousands of families were displaced. Not
only were they displaced, they were bad mouthed as land rapists and the killers of endangered species. No one had sympathy for these people, no one stood up for them and no one
helped them. Just as no one has sympathy for any other group of people displaced by bad
land management policy.
This fire is a direct consequence idiotic federal land management policies. No one man can
or should, shoulder the blame for this. If a scapegoat is found to load responsibility on, the
condition of our forests will never be corrected. In fact, correction of the situation may now
be impossible.
The Cerro Fire was the direct result of 50 years of no burn policy nearly 15 years of no
timber harvest, and massive fuel build up. This cannot be corrected by a few controlled
burns when conditions are right. The people must be allowed to thin and harvest and clean
these forests. If not the results of the Bandelier Fire will only be the beginning.
Now the federal agencies have been mandated through executive order to close roads in all
the national forests in the US. Access to timber and fire wood and grazing and recreational
areas will be severely limited after this policy in fully enforced. There is ambivalence over
this plan too.
The Cerro Fire is only the beginning of the fire season and Los Alamos is not the only
community that is endangered. Other tinderboxes in New Mexico include Silver City, Pinos
Altos, Mimbres, Glenwood. The whole east and west sides of the Sandia’s, Cloudcroft, Lincoln
all the communities in Northern New Mexico anywhere there is a National Park or a National
Forest. All of our natural resources are now endangered, mostly due to lawsuits filed over
endangered species protection.
Will endangered species supposedly so severely affected by logging be any less affected by
catastrophes like the Cerro Grande fire?
Loosing Los Alamos is a terrible tragedy for the people who had homes there, It is a catastrophe for the resources of New Mexico. It is a blow to National security. It is a hassle to all
the wonderful people that are donating time, money and labor to doing what they can for the
victims.
It is time for everyone to wake up and take
back land management. Time to stop this wave
Village of Cloudcroft
of protectionism and abandonment of natural resources. The consequences of protecFire Restrictions
tionism are deadly and this is a terrible way
Due to extreme fire conditions, a Level
to learn that.
One restriction has now been put into efAll of our prayers and sympathies are difect for the Village of Cloudcroft.
rected to the victims of this terrible inferno.
We can’t forget that they aren’t the only refuIt shall be unlawful during a
gees of failed policy. Why was there so much
Level One Condition outside of
ambivalence about the bad land management
a fully enclosed per manent
that allowed this fire to become the inferno
structure, camp trailer or mobile
it is.
home, to build, maintain, attend
from Laura Schneberger
Winston, NM
or use a fire, campfire, charcoal
broiler or grill producing an open
flame.
It shall be unlawful to smoke
except in a vehicle or fully enclosed building.
A Better Solution To Forest Preservation
A couple of years ago I read a report by the Forest Service stating that, before humans
started interfering in forest preservation, nature kept the forests to an ideal, healthy population of fifty to sixty trees per acre, by the simple method of uncontrolled burning. Due to
man’s interference, our forests are now forced to support 1500 to 2000 trees per acre. The
Forest Service wants to return the forests to a healthy population.
Their solution: If a fire is due to natural cause (lightning), let it burn itself out. The result:
Wildfire, much valuable timber is lost. Hundreds of their precious Mexican Spotted Owls
may be killed, not to mention deer and other forest denizens and possible loss of homes
and/or human lives, and many so-called endangered plant species. Just maybe a few healthy
trees might survive, or maybe not. Case in point: The “planned fire” at Bandelier National
Monument, which, to date may still be burning. Monday’s paper said 5000 acres, so far. Do
we want this kind of devastation?
My solution: Allow responsible logging firms to go in and thin out the forests to fifty or
sixty, or even one or two hundred trees per acre. Good loggers are not stupid. They know
how to thin a forest without stripping it. Result: The timber would serve useful purposes
(home-building, etc.), the Spotted Owls would move into healthy trees without losing their
lives, deer and other forest creatures would be spared. There would be no loss of homes or
human lives and the endangered plants would have a healthy environment to live in. This
would also help save our valuable water (fewer trees drinking it up). Which solution sounds
best? You decide!
May 15, 2000
In view of the recent spate of forest fires, most of which are still burning, it would seem this
letter is too late to serve any practical purpose but it would be interesting to see an accounting, by the Forest Service, as to about how many forest denizens have lost their lives to date
(deer, small animals, endangered plants and Mexican Spotted Owls), not to mention homes
destroyed and human injuries. We can only thank god nobody has been killed, yet. This
tally, plus the thousands of acres of timber is what could have been saved by sensibly thinning the forests months or years ago. Thinning the forests would also cut down on fuel wood
and make it much easier to contain and control fires, something that has been amply demonstrated in the past few days. Now, can we see some real action by our conscientious forest
guardians?
Tom Banks - Timberon, New Mexico
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
It Was a Hard Decision to Make
I would like to tell you how extremely hard it was for the board of education to have to
make the decision to close the Timberon School.
The decisions that the board makes are not always popular with our constituency, but must
be made for the good of the students in the entire district. You have charged our board with
making just such decisions and having to justify them to all’s satisfaction. Although some
will try to use our budget numbers against us, please believe me when I say we have your
children and our district’s best interests at heart.
We must give the teachers the largest salary increase we can, even with our declining enrollment. We must hire new educators to
replace those who have moved on. We must
maintain a reasonable cash balance to deal
with emergencies that have and will befall our
district.
Our district has distinguished itself statewide, not only with test scores, but with our
student’s overall character. These accomplishments could
not be achieved without parental and community support such
as the people in Timberon exhibit. I hope some of our
district’s critics had the chance to visit the Timberon school
and to enjoy the children’s talents and their many accomplishments as the board and I have. Perhaps if they had,
they would have realized how very hard our vote truly was.
Should you have any questions about the budget, or anything we can help clarify, please call our new Superintendent - Mrs. Glena Goodwin - at 505-682-2361.
Allen L. Henry, 505-687-2070
Member of the Cloudcroft Board of Education
(505) 437-2200 Alamogordo
With Grateful Hearts
17
Where do we begin to say thank you to all the people who have helped our community through the Scott Able fire? There is always the chance someone will be missed. I am
including just a few of the stories I have heard personally.
Thanks to the firefighters! Our own volunteers from all the mountain communities and to
the bus loads, truckloads and pilot crews that came with the various state and federal agencies. You were all great and we appreciate your hard work and willingness to help us.
Thanks to the Weed Cafe. You held us all together. “Give me your tired, hungry masses” fits
as your motto. You fed us more than food. All your staff and helpers were there for us with
a smile and a hug. And we have heard it from people all over the mountain and beyond. God
Bless You!
Thank you IGA, Albertsons, Wal-Mart and others who sent food and products for both the
Café and the community.
Thank you UPS for delivering all the gifts from those merchants who collected donations.
Thanks to the sweet lady who donated her Bronco to the men on the water trucks and sent
them home cooked meals and boxed dinners from the Cafe.
James and Melinda Flemming thank Debbie and Gary Stone for taking food to them while
they worked their dozer on the fire.
Mike Nivison, Cloudcroft Village Administrator, we thank you for all the work and effort
you gave us for supplies and help. And also to Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd far rounding up supplies.
Thanks go to Lester & Debra Rinderknecht for organizing the rooms in the new gym for the
new pantry and clothes closet appropriately called the Weed-Mart; directing the weekend
crew and developing the volunteer program for the community.
Thank you Prentice Blansit for lending the community the metal shelving for Weed-Mart.
And to Remick Ham and his crew who built all the pantry shelves and wall racks for the
clothing.
Jack and Becky Smith and their great crew from Cloudcroft came both Saturday and Sunday
to sort all the clothing donations in both gyms. Their labor of love was a great encouragement.
The Boy Scout Troop 239 from Alamogordo chose to help the community of Weed instead of
taking a weekend camping trip. With their Scout Master Wes Oberling and support team they
cleaned the new gym floor, hauled tons of boxes to the dumpster and pitched in wherever
they were needed. One of their leaders, Judy Redpath, single-handedly vacuumed every
single room in the new gym.
Special thanks from the fire victims go to The Red Cross team and FEMA workers. We
appreciate the special attention you gave to each family.
Sincere thanks go to Debbie and Gary Stone from many, many of the fire fighters who came
to the Cafe tired, dirty and very hungry after long hours on fire lines. They were overwhelmed by your love and attention.
Thanks go to the County Road Crew who gave special attention to our roads. You kept the
roads watered down and even bladed on Sunday.
Thanks to two teams of fire crew that came to our home and removed trees next to our
house that continued to be a threat in the days following the initial fire up Seep Canyon.
And to the Forest Service crew who came later to clear all the debris. These great folks are
part of a program called Rehab and they have begun the task of replanting the burned areas
with seed and vegetation.
There are many other special people who have been helping us like Merle Smith who made
desserts for the Cafe and all the host families who opened their homes to us who evacuated.
We can’t thank you enough for all the love and care you have given us. You have truly blessed
our lives.
Earl & Sallie Johnson - Weed, New Mexico
TIMBERON
Masonic Lodge Scramble
18
The Timberon Masonic Lodge, Mountain Top Daylight Lodge #81 AF & AM, is presently
without a home. A lot has been prepared, and funds are currently being raised for a Lodge
building.
The main source of income for the building and scholarship fund is the Masonic Charity
Golf Scramble, held every year at the Timberon Golf Course.
MASONIC CHARITY SCRAMBLE
- Four person scramble and more-
JULY 2ND (4TH of July Weekend)
Shotgun start at 9am on the
TIMBERON GOLF COURSE
ENTRY FEE IS $40 (includes Green Fees & Cart)
Call 505-987-2260 (Pro Shop) for more information
Prizes will be items that are donated by supporters of the Masonic Lodge and the benevolent work they do. There are usually enough donations for everyone that enters the tournament to get something for their effort! During the next couple of months the Lodge will be
accepting donations (money, gift certificates,
or merchandise) from area merchants and
individuals. To make a donation call Dick
Dysart at 505-987-2458 or this newspaper
Below is a list of events on the Timberon toll free at 1-877-987-2561.
Entries in the tournament will be on a first
Golf Course for the year 2000 season. This
come
basis as there are limited spots availlist will be updated as things change.
able. Teams will be made at the start of the
THE TIMBERON GOLF COURSE
tournament by handicap or average score.
Group entries will be accepted, but are disMay 26
“Nite Lite” Tournament
couraged. Call the Pro Shop at 505-987-2260
May 27
Couples Scramble
to enter.
July 1
“Nite Lite” Tournament
1st Annual Memorial Day Couples Scramble in Timberon over the holidays.
2000 Mountain Golf
Tournament Schedule
July 2
July 28-30
Aug 12
Sept 2
Sept 30 - Oct 1
Masonic Scramble
Thorp Memorial Classic
“Nite Lite” Tournament
Lions Club Scramble
Cloudcroft / Timberon
The Lodge “Hal Nenninger”
Memorial Tournament
June 3 - June 4
Play either day or both
Call the Timberon Pro Shop for more info
at 505-987-2260.
June 3 - Individual Play
June 4 - Scramble Play
THE CLOUDCROFT LODGE GOLF COURSE
June 3 - 4
Call (505) 682-2098 or (800) 395-6343
Hal Nenninger Memorial
Proceeds go to the Hal Nenninger
Scholarship Fund given to a graduating
senior at Cloudcroft High School.
Call the Cloudcroft Lodge golf shop for info
at (505) 682-2098 or 800-395-6343.
High Country Bar & Grill
Re-opens Under New Management
The management this year at the High Country is James and Marie Bourguet, with the Chief
Bartender being Jackie Cain.
You may know James and Marie from the
Timberline Restaurant. Don’t worry, they are
still running the Timberline in the Timberon
Lodge - the High Country, according to James,
is just an additional way for him and Marie
to extend their commitment to serving the
community of Timberon.
The Chief Bartender, Jackie Cain, is new to
the mountain. She came here from
Hillsborro, New Mexico, where she worked
Bartender, Jackie Cain, hard at work.
at the S Bar X.
You will notice some differences at the High Country, like the pool table being gone. James
says they are trying to create a “sports lounge” atmosphere, a place where you can bring your
family.
High Country will serve the usual liquor, as
well as appetizers and sandwiches. There are
no set operating hours at this time, but you
can expect there to be abbreviated opening
2 Days of Intensive
hours during the weekdays and a noon opening time on weekends. To find out more call
Personalized
505-987-2580.
PERFORMANCE
GOLF SCHOOLS
Golf 2000
Green Fees - fees do not include sales tax
9 Holes
$11.00
18 Holes
$15.50
Twilight
$ 6.50
Junior
$ 6.50
- play after 5pm / 9 hole limit
- 17 yrs and under / daily
Little One
- 10 years and under w / adult
FREE
For More Information and Event Schedules call
505-987-2260
owned and operated by the Community of Timberon
Cart Fees - valid drivers license req. - no exceptions
9 Holes
extra rider - 2 riders per cart
18 Holes
extra rider - 2 riders per cart
$8.00
$13.50
$11.00
$ 16.50
Memberships - good 1 year, tax not included
Individual
$192.50
Family
$302.50
covers all green frees for ind.
covers all green fees for immediate family
includes husband, wife. and any children under 18
Guest
TIMBERON
$110.00
limit 2 per day “must be staying at members
Timberon residence” - no commercial appl.
Trail Fees - charge for use of private cart on course per year
$192.50 - 1st cart, $96.00 - add. carts / same owner
Golf Instruction
by
Herb Wimberly
PGA Professional
Dr. Charlie Blanchard
Performance Psychologist
Guest PGA Professional Teachers
IMPROVE your full swing with all clubs
IMPROVE your short game and putting
IMPROVE your mental toughness skills
IMPROVE your scoring and enjoyment
and
REALLY, REALLY
LEARN THE GAME!
The Links at Sierra Blanca
Ruidoso, June 24 & 25
for information call 505-521-1725
Email [email protected]
Cloudcroft High School
CLASS OF 2000
Elisha Deann Amburgey
Brian Meredith Anderson
Kenneth Richard Barry
Melissa Guadalupe Booky
Michael Shawn Bowen
Melanie Anne Bowling
Leah Todd Brown
Mandy Harriet Chico
Penni Nicole Corder
Jacob Robert Daniels
Shane Allen Downey
Christopher David Elliot
William Dean Farmer
Brendan Patrick Ford
Arianna Gadaldi
Graham Gaines Gilbreath
Timothy Edward Hare
Millisa Anne Hass
Michael Earl Hitchcock
Wesley Robert Hoosler
Desiree Dawn Kingston
Jesica Brooke Kirk
Mary Jane Lowe
Candice Marie Mack
Jonathan Paul Mancillas
Grace Maureen Marshall
g
n
o
C
Gregory Allen McGraw
Cheryl April Monfette Valedictorian
Verna Elizabeth Muncy
Justin Daniel Munoz
John Byron Phillips IV
Nolene Faye Pollard
Jeanene Lavon Pollard
Amanda Sue Pope
Dustin Tyler Porch
David Ray Quick
Tiffany Cathleen Rockstead
Jason Hugh Rogers Valedictorian
Phunnee Saeyee
Della Rose Ann Samford
Sarah Marie Schauer
Zhandos Shaikenov
Erika Dawn Sims
Samantha Christine Singleton
Autumn Paige Smaga
Amber Rose Spears
Thomas Thorp
Sara Jane Varbel Salutatorian
Jessica Lynn Virden
Jerramy Thomas Wilber
Lee Eric Young
s
n
o
i
t
a
l
u
t
ra
School News Continued
teacher and one teacher’s aid (approximately
$64,000).
Despite Timberon Resident, Danelle Ross’s
eloquent plea to the Board to “give us one
more year,” the Board voted unanimously to
close the Timberon School.
Lane estimated that the School District will
carry approximately $277,000 of budget surplus into the 2000-2001 school year, called
“Cash Balance”. The Cash Balance funds are
the aggregate of all past years’ budget surpluses. These funds are “Restricted Funds”
meaning they can only be spent on non-recurring expenditures such as one-time equipment purchases or special one-time maintenance projects. For example, Cash Balance,
or Restricted Funds were used in the purchase
of the $214,000, 40-acre tract of land near
Lost Lodge on Highway 130.
In the Special Budget meeting of the School
Board on Monday, May 22nd, Lane explained
that the budget for the year 2000-2001 is
based upon this year’s (1999-2000) enrollment and facilities. As a result, the Cloudcroft
School District will receive approximately
School Board voted to give a 5% across-theboard increase next year to all School District Employees, teachers, aids, staff, administrative, etc. Each 1% across-the-board salary increase for all employees adds up to
approximately $23,000 per year based on
Lane’s projections.
Resignations during the month of May included the resignation of Eddie Coleman,
Cloudcroft High School Principal who is currently on paid administrative leave; and the
19
resignation of Donna McGee, Curriculum
Coordinator. Both positions are included in
the budget for the coming school year.
The State of New Mexico Legislature appropriated $303,000 to the Cloudcroft School
District in its Special Session this spring for
the purpose of replacing the roof on the
Cloudcroft High School. This amount, when
added to the amount of a similar appropriation received last year of $224,000 adds up
to a grand total of $527,000. The School
Board decided to replace the high school
gravel roof with a metal roof, including adequate snow guards and heating tape to prevent snow from dumping in the bus lane.
Plans are to begin work on the replacement
of the roof this summer and will continue into
the Fall.
The Board appointed a Building Committee of nine teachers and staff members plus
three community members to make input to
the Board. The Building Committee had it first
meeting on May 9th with Architect Scott
Stafford who walked them through all the
buildings and grounds on the Cloudcroft High
School campus in preparation for the remodel.
The Cloudcroft Board of Education meets
at the Cloudcroft High School at 7:00p.m. on
the first Tuesday and the third Monday of each
month. All meetings are open to the public
and the public is encouraged to attend. For
information on schedule changes and special
meetings, contact the Superintendent’s Office:
505-682-2361.
Over the Years - The Lodge at Cloudcroft
Originally constructed in 1899 by the
Alamogordo and Sacramento Mountain Railway as a by-product of the railroad’s search
for timber and railway ties, the resort of
Cloudcroft became an immediately successful mountain retreat... a cool reprieve to thousands of overheated Texans. (Remember that
New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arizona were not
states at the time.) Owned and operated by
the railroad, the resort’s initial building was
a pavilion (now the Pavilion, a Bed and Break-
fast at The Lodge with reception and ballroom.)
As the actual log-constructed Lodge neared
completion in 1899, an article in the Albuquerque Journal-Democrat reported, “This
beautiful building will be known as
Cloudcroft Lodge and its interior will be furnished with a lavish hand, yet in keeping with
the character of the place. Fireplaces, with
wide, hungry mouths, will sparkle, crackle
and dart forth welcome tongues of flame to
On the Golf Links - Cloudcroft 1901 (Museum Photo)
hundreds of merry
guests, who will find a
new pleasure in life
during the long, sultry
summer.”
In 1908, the El Paso
and Southwestern Railroad System, the
resort’s new owner, advertised that the hotel, restaurant, dancing pavilion, tennis court, golf links, bowling alley,
billiard parlor, burro trips and children’s
playground were accessible for weekend rates
of $3.00 round trip. Lodge rates were $12.50
and up per week.
On June 13, 1909, a disastrous fire destroyed The Lodge. But by 1911 The Lodge
had been rebuilt and reopened on its current, more scenic site. Since then it has undergone numerous renovations, but the initial appearance remains almost unchanged.
Over the history of The Lodge, thousands
of Southwestern families have called The
Lodge and Cloudcroft their second home. The
Lodge has entertained and hosted hundreds
of politicians, artists, entertainers and business leaders, including such notables as Poncho Villa, Judy Garland and Clark Gable. Gilbert Roland was known to frequent The
Lodge. Both U.S. and Mexican government
officials have long visited the historic hotel.
Military leaders, scientists and astronauts
from all over the world have made The Lodge
a retreat during their visits to White Sands
Missile Range, Holloman AFB and Fort Bliss.
And, in fact, the most famous hotelier in the
world was once associated with The Lodge;
Conrad Hilton managed it in the 1930’s.
In January of 1992 the historic Lodge was
repurchased by the Great Inn of the Rockies,
Inc., a small privately held corporation that
aspires to own and operate small resort hotels and country inns in the Rocky Mountain
Region. The Great Inns of the Rockies previously owned The Lodge from 1986 to 1990.
Today The Lodge continues in the tradition
of friendliness, hospitality, outstanding food
and unique lodging.
20
Fire Department - May in Review
TIMBERON
from Donna
The month of May has been HOT, DRY and
May 24th the forest was closed. You may
EXCITING. Our fire season has not started come into Timberon, but no camping, stopyet, but on May 11th a large plume of smoke ping or hiking in the National Forest.
was seen near Scott Able Canyon. Timberon’s
The TVFD wishes to thank everyone who
worse fear was upon us, Forest Fire!
made donates to the department during the
The TVFD responded to Scott Able 4-H fire.
Camp. Otero 6 - Don Harris - risked a lot to
On a happier note - the Timberon Little
help access the fire, which had moved “run- Theater presented two very funny plays writning wild” towards Sacramento, Weed and ten by Sid “Cowboy” Benson. Timberon is so
beyond.
blessed by the talent in our small town. Hope
The forestry and all the fire departments you came by and had a chance to see it.
in the region responded, from as far away as
The pool is open with a rise in admission,
Carlsbad. People were evacuated and many $1.50 a person per day now, but still a good
homes were lost. No lives were lost, with the clean deal. The upper lake is also open for
exception of a pilot and passenger in Alamo fishing.
Canyon. We share their loss.
The Timberon Chapel has found a Pastor.
On May 21st the Timberon Fire Department Praise the Lord! Please come by and meet
was released, the fire 100% contained. As of the Pastor and his wife. Sunday school is
now the Forestry Service is still working on 4:45am and Sunday service is 11:00am.
Be safe and careful this year, it’s SUPER dry!
the “hot spots.”
Timberon School Play
TIMBERON
On May 17th the Timberon Elementary School put on an “end of the year” play that also
turned into a goodbye program for long-time teacher Jean Green, who is retiring, and the
school itself, which is closing.
The play, “Timberon Summer” was adapted from A Play
in a Day “Forever Summer” by
Michael and Jill Gallena. The
script and lyrics were put together by Betty Watson, Jean
green, Deana Sofolo and the
students.
The actors were as follows
- Teacher Miss. Libbey played
by Libbey Goss, students
played by Ed Kulesza, Sean Ross, Meaghan Vaughan, E.J. De Los Santos, Dakota Love, Nicole
Ross, Mitch Goss, Diana Harris and John Vaughan. Of course we can’t forget Denise Corder
at piano and parent helper Patty Harris.
Some of Mrs. Green’s
old students showed up to
wish her a happy retirement. There were presents
and refreshments, a very
emotional but good time in
the Community Center.
*
Hope you didn’t miss this one - it is a “shoe-in” for the Cutest Program of the Year Award!
High Rolls
Cherry Festival
Local Cherries
This Year
Saturday June 17th and Sunday June 18th
at the High Rolls Community Center
Sponsored by the High Rolls Mountain Park Lions Club
Another Fire - The Flemings
PINON
from John G. Gordon Sr.
Nancy and I went out to James Flemings today. I think he needs the award for most dedicated attendee at the Consensus meetings. He lives 50 miles one way from Cloudcroft. It
takes one hour and fifteen minutes to get there.
He seems to be recovering well. It was one week ago today, 4AM, that the family lost their
home and possessions to the fire. They are thankful indeed that the family was spared. They
lost two terriers in the fire.
They were lucky to escape with their bed clothes on. He remembers watching his sons fight
the fire with garden hoses until the pressure dropped because of open lines in the house.
One son was barefoot and the other had hastily pulled his boot on. Neither had more than
underwear for clothes. In 30 minutes it was ALL over.
Today, he had a small circle of friends out there. Yesterday they removed the remains of
their home and the storage shed that burned with it. They were doing the earthwork in
preparation for a double wide they will start looking for this week.
As usual, the insurance is nice, but very short of replacement. Between the amount they
will get for the home and the amount they will get for possessions, it will fall considerably
short of enough to replace the roof over their head. They are living across the road from the
home site with James’ Mother. Six is a lot to add to the household, but knowing these tight
knit rural families, there will be no complaints.
From two local churches, the Weed churches, Mayhill churches, and some Cloudcroft
churches, they have clothes on their backs and food. Material possessions are piling up in
several folks garages out there, beds, dressers, tables, chairs, and kitchen stuff. They are
being blessed by the outpouring of generosity. Seems everyone has something they can live
without to help them out.
They have an immediate need for supplemental funds to try to purchase a new residence. We talked about site building with an
old fashion ‘barn’ raising. We talked about a
metal building and other solutions to the
need. Distance makes site building so much
Photo taken while in the service.
more expensive. James has figured the most
economical solution will be a used double
wide. Maybe even a new one. If they can find
one at the price they can cover.
You can help! A special account has been
(we do windows)
set up to help cover some of the expenses:
Sacramento
Services
House Watch
House Cleaning
Grounds Keeping
The James Fleming Special Account
C/O Western Bank
P. O. Box 194
Cloudcroft, NM 88317
Yard Work
Reasonable Rates
I asked the bank how he would know who
sent money and that apparently, in cases like
this, is not taken care of, the money is just
deposited in the account. If you can mail a
check and don’t care if it is acknowledged or
not, send it to the bank. Otherwise, James’
address is:
James Fleming
P. O. Box 68
Pinon, NM 88344
Any help will certainly
be appreciated.
987-2435
In Business for over 10 years
References will be
provided upon request
Cafe Deja Vu
1612 Sacramento Drive, Timberon
Serving Breakfast and Lunch
Open 7am
Closed Wednesday and Thursday
“To Go” Available
505-987-2636
ASPEN CO. CONSTRUCTION
-George Corder-
PO Box 143 T
imberon
Timberon
imberon,, NM 88350
Fax 505-987-2374
NM LIC # 30323
Phone 505-987-2372
WEED
CAFE
Great Food - Crafts
Family Atmosphere
Open Monday - Saturday
7:30am to 2:00pm
Breakfast and Lunch
DAILY SPECIALS
Friday / Saturday Evenings
6:00pm to 7:30pm
Dinner Specials with
Live Entertainment
Private Parties Welcome
Bear Mountain Realty
19 Weed Road, Weed, NM 88354
1-800-501-0289 or 1-505-687-2458
www.bearmountainrealty.com
Fax (505)687-2599
Here are some great properties/homes. Contact any of the agents listed
below for more information. (Some may have been sold - other listings added)
-Very special lot in Robin Hood, so reasonably priced you will think you stole it! 7,500.
-10 acres in Cox Canyon. Penasco River runs through it, open meadow and tall pines.
Backs up to National Forest, level building sites. $7,500 per acre.
-9 acres in Agua Chiquita Canyon. Has fixer-upper cabin, good buy $50,000.
-21 acres near Weed, fenced, backs National Forest. $6,000 per acre.
-LOOK, property with the Agua Chiquita running through it. 10 acres of dreamland, fish
for trout. Reduced to $60,000.
-10 acres on Hwy 130. Penasco runs through property. Electric borders property. Backs
to National Forest. Only $7,500 per acre with water rights.
-280 acres valley land. Small house and cabin. Good horse or cattle property. $3,000
per acre, near Weed.
-157 acres near Weed. Community water and has well also. Small fixer-upper house,
easy access, electric and phone. $3,000 per acre.
-Hay Canyon, 2 lots with A-frame cabin. Large work shop. $45,000 (Extra 3rd $4,500).
-Home in Mayhill. 3 bedroom, 1.25 baths, on dead end street. Single car carport, large
workshop or storage. $64,700.
-81 acres, 1000 sqft home, stream, springs. Backs National Forest. $6,000 per acre.
-Two tracts (The Ranch) 8.5 acres each. Great subdivision, only $57,500 per tract.
-Lot in Lost Lodge, close to Cloudcroft, affordable at $3,000.
-New listings in Twin Forks, 3 lots at $16,500.
-38 prime acres near Camp of the Tall Pines turnoff, lots of flat land, backs National
Forest, year-round access off paved road, electricity. $5,000 per acre.
-110 acres near Weed, $3,000 per acre, beautiful tall pines, good building sites. Perfect
Y2K retreat.
-83.574 acres near Pinon, $95,450.
-Chippaway Park steal, lovely wooded corner lot priced so low you must hurry! $6,000.
-5 lots in Timberon on river. Only $5,000 each.
-Hay Canyon Cabin, Storage, 3 Lots, 1076 sqft. $60,000.
-Hay Canyon, Pinehurst #2, Blk 3 - Lot 4, Cabin 1090 sqft. Converted Garage Apt. 667
sqft. Decks - $65,900.
-Weed, 2 acres, 5 bedroom, 1 1/2 baths, approx. 2323 sqft. - 4 out buildings, spring $99,500.
-Silver Cloud - #22 Silver Cloud, two lots, 1243 sqft. home, 3 bedroom, 2 bath - $75,000.
This is only a partial list, for more properties and information contact us!
Leonard Schuessler - Owner/Broker Pat Scott - Sales Associate
TIMBERON
The Little Theater
21
On May 27th the Timberon Little Theater put on a western double-feature in the Community
Center, featuring two short melodramas by Sidney M. “Sid” Benson.
The first melodrama “Missing Combination”, or “Rotten
Rhyme”, featured Dawn Howard as Pretty Pauline - pretty
young blonde, Ray Wilson as Speedy Gonzalez - Mexican
bank teller with an attitude, Sid Benson as Uncle Albert
Oaklay - gentleman rancher, Thelma Hanson as Fanny Mae
Oaklay - typical housewife of the period, Mitch Goss as
Wee Willy Wilkins - energetic
youth, Bud Simpson as Shady
Sam Shade - typical dastardly villain, Euel Ross as
Handsome Harold Hart - stalwart hero, Larry Hanson as Sheriff Pete Peterson - western lawman, and Dave Ayers as Big
Daddy Morebucks - western gentleman banker.
The second melodrama “Let’s Find the Mine”, or “Grandpa,
Grandpa, Where are You”, featured Tammy Wolf as Cookie Cutter - middle aged café owner, Laura Corder as Pretty Polly
Anna - beautiful very young woman, Bud Simpson as Weasel
Willy Willingly - sneaky culprit type, Jason Wolf as Cunning Cal Culpritson - downright
nasty villain, Larry Hanson as Sheriff Ivan Irons - cowboy sheriff, Euel Ross as Deputy
Archie Armstrong - stalwart hero,
Donna Gray as Jeannie Gadabout middle aged spinster, Thelma Hanson
as Lois Lipps - middle aged spinster,
and Dave Ayers as Nuggets Nance - a
dapper miner.
These were very funny old-time productions with a lot of “booing” and
“hissing” at the villains. If you couldn’t
make it, you really missed out on a lot
of fun!
TIMBERON
Chapel Has New Pastor
The new Pastor of the Timberon Chapel is Cecil Thomas. He found out about the need of a
Pastor in the Timberon Chapel in a conference in Albuquerque in January. Mr. Thomas was
then contacted by Max Egan in April and he
came down here as a supply Pastor for a
weekend. Three weeks later he came down
again “in view of a call.” This is a preliminary step to being called in as a Pastor for a
church. Now he is here permanently as of
May 14th.
Cecil Thomas and his wife, Barbara, are
from Spartanburg, South Carolina - where he
served as a Chaplain in the Army Reserves
for 12 years and concurrently as a Chaplain
for the Department of Corrections for 11
years.
He and his wife moved to this area for health
reasons, a drier climate. They were in
Tucumcari for 7 months before coming to
Timberon.
When asked how he likes it here, he replied - “Well, it’s dry. We came to this area
for my wife’s health and dry climate, but not
this dry.”
Pastor Thomas invites any and all to call
on him that are in need. He has always been
a nondenominational Pastor, and intends to
keep it that way in the Timberon Chapel. This
is his plan, even though he says he is historically Baptist.
It is good to have a Pastor again in the
Chapel!
Pastor Cecil Thomas
22
Community Notes
SUNSPOT
Fire/Water Issues
Moving Sale
Rex Hunter
As we enter into another dry, hot spring, I
need to emphasize a couple of important
points.
First, the fire danger is extremely high. The
Forest Service has issued a notice prohibiting any open fires. You may use your
barbeque pit but no bonfires. Please, let’s
observe these rules.
Second, although our water source remains
good, the 2 or 3 years of drought that we’ve
suffered may eventually have an impact. Conserve water whenever possible. For example,
it’s best to water your yards late in the day.
Your cooperation in these two very important issues will be appreciated by your neighbors.
Lin’s Residence - 3045 Coronal Loop
1. Children’s clothes - Clothes, Winter jackets, Snow boots
2. Cookwares, dishes, tea set,
3. Cross-country skies - 2 adult sizes, 1 children sizes,
and many other things...
Alamogordo Astronomy Club
from Brian Armstrong
The Alamogordo Astronomy Club will be
meeting on June 23rd at 7pm in the Hubbard
Space Science Education Building. This is
right across the street from the Space Center.
This month’s topic will be on Archaeoastronomy. There will be refreshments and an
observing session, weather permitting, after
the club meeting.
Visit
the Sunspot
Solar Observatory
The Weed Café Needs Our Support
by Judy Bunn
WEED
For Nine Days, the folks at the Weed Cafe, Debbie and Gary Stone, have generously fed
everyone who walked through their doors free of charge. This includes Firefighters, burnedout families, evacuees, law enforcement officials, volunteers and friends and neighbors.
This was done out of the kindness of their hearts. Their kitchen and wait staff even stayed
on to serve these people even though the Stones told them that they could not afford to pay
them, since they were not taking in any money.
To Debbie and Gary and their wonderful staff, I thank you for your generosity. You sling a
good burrito and a great BBQ sandwich! But words are not enough.
Debbie and Gary won’t ask for federal dollars to make up for the money they lost during
the Scott Able Fire. “That just isn’t why we did it,” Debbie explained to me.
So, it’s up to all of us to double up on patronizing the Weed Cafe, double up on our tips,
and to do anything we can think of to help the Stones recoup their losses. And, besides, the
food is GREAT!
Do Cooperatives
Still Matter?
You’ve probably seen the numbers: one percent of
the population now controls 40 percent of the wealth in the nation. That’s twice the
amount of 20 years ago. Not since the gilded age of the robber barons in the 1890s have
we seen so much wealth in the hands of so few.
The mergers and acquisitions of telecommunications reflect this trend toward consolidation, this idea of bigger being better. Indeed, after the dust settles, there appears to be
four giants left: AT&T, Bell Atlantic, SBC Communications, and MCI WorldCom. All say
they have consolidated and absorbed other companies so they can offer most efficiently
local and long distance, as well as full-service data and voice offerings.
So in this “big box” world, are co-ops, particularly telephone cooperatives, still relevant?
Actually, co-ops have never been stronger or more important to the overall well being
of the economy and to the members they serve. According to the National Cooperative
Business Association, cooperatives market about 30 percent of farmers’ products in this
country. Co-ops are involved in power, housing, insurance, health care, finance, and
hardware. More than 100 million Americans are involved in cooperatives.
As for Dell Telephone, we may be smaller than the Telco giants, but that’s to our advantage. Bigger is not necessarily better. We’re more nimble; we can make decisions more
quickly. Our technology and services surpass those offered in most urban areas. We did
not dally, for example, when we saw your need for local Internet access. Dell Telephone
made the significant investment to get the Internet into the homes, businesses, and
schools. Our commitment is to you, the members. Yes, the bottom line is important, but
your needs and the needs of the communities we serve come first.
Dell Telephone Cooperative is only as strong as its members!
DELL TELEPHONE
COOPERATIVE, INC .
Meeting all your telecommunications needs
Riverside Condominiums
and Retreat
in Timberon, New Mexico
1-800-289-3665
or local
987-2553
Email - [email protected] Web - www.mountaintimes.net / timberon
P.O. BOX 678
DELL CITY, TX 79837
(915) 964-2352
Nights & Holidays (915) 964-2500
Trouble - 611
SERVING THE TIMBERON AREA
The Lions Club
TIMBERON
by Tom Banks
I guess I’m beginning to sound like a broken record, but it sure would be nice to see a
few more familiar (and unfamiliar) faces at
our regular meetings on the second and
fourth Thursdays at 6:30 P.M. in the Lions
Den. For your reference, meetings this month
(May) are on the 11th and 25th. Meetings
for June are on the 8th and 22nd. Please
mark the dates on your calendar and make
every effort to attend. Hope we see you there.
It’s very difficult to hold a meeting with only
twenty percent or fewer members in attendance. We’ve had our election of officers for
2000 to 2001. Tom Cook is our new president and all other positions remain the same,
except, I am the vice-president. We would
like to have enough members attending so
we can elect some fresh new officers next year.
How about it? Wouldn’t you like to be president? Visitors are always cordially welcome.
We are still having good turnouts for the
Lions Bingo games. There is always a lot of
fun and laughter going on. Come on down
and add your voice to the rest. You don’t know
what you’re missing. Games are held every
Saturday night at 7:00 P.M. unless announced
differently. Give us a try. Everyone is welcome. IT’S GREAT TO BE A LION; WE SERVE!
Get the activities of your community organization in the paper, call 505-987-2561!
The Library
TIMBERON
by Grace Meyers
Liz Archuleta has volunteered to hold a
Last month I said there was another computer promised. Well, it arrived. George and story hour for your little ones this summer.
Liz DeLong sent it from Phoenix. These great It started May 31st and will continue to be on
people are always sending us something - we Wednesdays from 11:30am to 12:30pm. This
appreciate it all.
is for children ages 4 through 7. Call her at
TCAG donated a generous amount of money 987-2553 so she’ll know how many to expect.
to the Library. With it we bought two com- We appreciate this Liz.
puter desks and two office chairs. We got
Remember Watership Down? We finally
them for such a good price, we’re now look- have it, so you can enjoy it again. Traveller;
ing for a decent office desk. None of us can by Richard Adams, the same author, is writreally get our knees under the table we’ve ten from the viewpoint of Gen. Robert
been using for years and it does make for E. Lee’s horse. This is a great story
uncomfortable working conditions. Thank too. In the same tradition are
you TCAG - this gift came at a most oppor- two books by Brian Jacques.
tune time.
Nellie Spence donated sevThanks also to Sid Benson - yet again - for eral adult-child related
assembling all these things for us.
books concerning many
We’ve had more books come in. Mary Kay problems such as shame,
Irwin brought a big box with some really good abuse, fear, attention-deficit
titles. Olin McGill gave us a bage of myster- disorder, divorce, eating disies, including a new Patricia Cornwell. Some orders and others. Helpful
of them we already have. These are good ones books, these.
and are for sale.
We recently acquired The
Court
Jester starring Danny
TIMBERON
Kaye.
This is a side-splitter
THANK YOU
the
whole
family can enjoy.
The Census Enumerators that were
Hard
Rain
is
not for the famassigned to the Timberon area want
ily, but it is fast action.
to express their gratitude to Dave
Don’t forget our Annual
Ayers at the fire department and Linda
Love of the water department for their
Book Sale. It will be after the
assistance in determining which
Parade on July 2nd.
Sacramento Energy
23
T H E
P R O P A N E
C O M P A N Y
WE would like to thank all the men and women that
fought the Scott Able Fire. If it was not for people like
you, more homes and property would have been lost.
THANK YOU!
Due to the dry forest, there are
restrictions on charcoal fires
and open fires, so to be able to
enjoy the summer and cooking
out season purchase a new
BROILMASTER
GAS GRILL
at discount savings.
For information call
TIMBERON: 505-987-2365 505-987-2441 (Fax)
SACRAMENTO/WEED AREA: 505-687-3345 (Phone/Fax)
(Email) [email protected]
John Bompart, Sales Manager
Bill Norkunas, Associate
505-987-2300
Visit our website at www.bluewater-cloudcroft.com
Featured Home in Timberon
homes in the area are seasonal.
1,500 sq.ft. A-Frame on 1/2 acre with tall Ponderosa pines. Has 2 bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths, wood
burning stove, Jenn-aire range, loft, on a corner
lot. Most furniture will stay. Owner will finance.
You really need to see this place!
$70,000
Professional Service with a Personal Touch
Timberon Fire Department protecting the 4-H Camp during the Scott Able fire.
RE/MAX Blue Water Real Estate has three offices - one in Cloudcroft, one in High Rolls, and one to serve the people of Timberon.
TIMBERON
TimberonWater District Meeting
General Manager’s Report
by Debbie Goss (Draft of Minutes)
A meeting of the Timberon Water & Sanitation District Board of Directors was held on May
20, 2000 at 10:00 AM in the community center. Board members present were Jack Deaton,
Colleen Gillmouthe, Ray Lago and Mary Fran Seidl. Fred Willis was absent.
OLD BUSINESS Operating expenses for the 2000/2001 budget
are the same as last year and the paving of the lodge parking lot
has been removed from the budget that was approved unanimously with Resolution 99/00013. The tax levy will also be kept
at the 1999/2000 rate of $25.116 per $1,000.00 property value.
NEW BUSINESS The Consumer Confidence Report has been released. It includes results for water
tests conducted during 1999.
Due to a growth pattern concentrated in Units 7, 8 and 9, Dell Telephone needs to relocate their CO
Jean Campbell
building from Chaucer Drive to an
Dell Telephone
area near Rio Pinar and Pioneer. The
Board agreed to lease a piece of unplatted land to Dell Telephone for a small fee as well as two telephone lines provided to
the District at the filtration plant free of charge.
DIRECTOR’S REMARKS Ray Lago noted that the park restrooms
Jean Yarger
need painting and the tennis courts need repair again.
Airstrip concerns
AGENDA REQUEST Jean Yarger who lives in Airfield Unit One
presented a list of concerns regarding the airstrip resurfacing project.
AUDIENCE REMARKS Ed Crandall requested that the Board send a letter to the owners of
pitbulls off Sacramento Drive asking that they be restrained better.
Betty Reece presented plans for the Board’s consideration to expand the library.
Jack Deaton requested an executive session to discuss limited personnel issues pursuant
to NMSA Section 10-15-1 (H)(2). An executive session was held and only personnel issues
were discussed.
SPECIAL MEETING
TIMBERON
The water flow at Carissa Springs has reduced from 350 to 400 GPM in 1995 to a
present flow of 135 to 150 GPM. This is a
TWSD’s General Manager
critical reduction to our water supply. One
Answers Your Questions
problem associated with the reduced flow is
that the filtration plant must be run 14 to 16
QUESTION: What is the Golf Course doing
hours a day to pump the same amount of
to preserve water?
water that it previously took only 8 hours to
pump. The pump must cycle much more ofANSWER: During the off season, the crew
ten which will wear out the pump quicker.
rewired the automatic watering satellites
Scott recommended that the Board implewhich place the tees, fairways and greens
ment Phase II of the Water Conservation
on to separate operating systems. During
Policy. The surcharge baseline will be 9,000
the month of March, tests were made by
gallons. After the baseline it will cost the
pressurizing the sprinkler system. Leaks
customer an additional $1.00 per 1000 galwere detected and repaired. April’s water
lons of water used. Indoor use of water
usage was reduced by 28 percent compared
should be minimized, watering lawns and
to the month of March.
washing cars is restricted to one day a week.
Prior to Timberon entering Phase ll of
Watering must be done between 8pm and 8am.
the Water Conservation Policy, the Golf
Scott will also shut down lake #3 at the golf
Course had already discontinued watering
course to reduce evaporation of stored wathe tee’s and fairway’s. On occasion, in orter. Braziel Drilling has begun test drilling
der not to allow the grasses to die comfor a well.
pletely, water will be allowed, but only limGolf Course water usage has been reduced
ited amounts and times.
by 22% between March and April. Only the
Golf Course green’s represent a large ingreens are being watered with a minimal
vestment for the whole community, (apamount of water.
proximately $65,000 to $75,000 per
Colleen Gillmouthe moved to declare Phase
green). If the grass is allowed to die, so
II water conservation measures in effect imwill the future of the Golf Course. The
mediately with the surcharge assessment begreen’s will continue to be watered, but
ginning after the June billing cycle which reonly limited amounts and times.
flects May water usage. Ray Lago seconded
the motion and it passed unanimously.
by Gary Scott (for month of May)
ADMINISTRATION Debbie Goss, Administra- The Department of Labor sponsors the protion Manager and Linda Love, attended the gram and provides all funding. Mr. David
Fifth Annual New Mexico Infrastructure Fi- Lowe will work 25 hours a week and will be
nance Conference in Albuquerque. The two assigned to work with Timberon maintenance
day workshop and presentations cover tele- crews.
communications, transportation, utilities,
With the possibility of having to evacuate
prioritizing infrastructure needs, financial Timberon due to the fires, backups of all
assistance to communities and special dis- Timberon computer programs were made and
tricts for water projects, rural utilities and critical files were stored in the Maintenance
business lending programs. Mrs. Goss at- Building which is constructed of steel.
tended a special training program in grant MAINTENANCE The Swimming pool was prewriting for federal and state dollars. Finan- pared for the June opening. Carpet was incial experts from six federal agencies and six stalled in the Pro shop vestibule and men’s
state agencies plus state legislators were the restroom. We Aerorated all nine golf course
instructors for the workshops.
greens with sand applied to three greens.
A special Timberon Board of Directors Eight water meters were installed and seven
meeting was held to review and discuss the meters were disconnected. Three meter leaks
2000/2001 annual budget. Capital projects were repaired.
which were approved were:
• Resurface airstrip
$10,000
• Lake attendant shed $ 2,000
• Pave maint. lot
$ 8,000
• Golf cart storage shed $20,000
• Fence maint. yard
$7,000
• 15 ft. mower
$14,500
• Maint. vehicle lift
$5,000
• Well development
$50,000
• Oil burner/heater
$4,500
• Proshop bldg. eaves $3,000
• Lodge exterior
$7,000
• Paint main water tank $13,000
• 1O/ 15K generator
$4,500
Drilling a test hole below the Springs for backOnly one Timberon youth applied for and up water. First try went down 500’, dry. The secwas accepted into the Youth Work Program. ond try went down 70’, 100+ gallons a minute.
24
ASK THE DISTRICT
Due to space restrictions and problems caused by the fire - the following series and
articles are not here but will return again next month CONSERVATION EASEMENTS
100YEARS BACK
MOUNTAIN TREE SERIES
and some others that were planned for this issue!
Roberts Realty
Your “Home Town” Full Service Real Estate Agency.
FEATURED PROPERTY
(T9-161-063) 3 / 4 Bedroom, 1 1/2 Bath 2,600 sqft Home with 292 sqft of Deck.
Master Bedroom with a 14’ x 6’ adjoining Deck. Propane Central heat. Two
Wood-burning Stoves and Ceiling Fans throughout the Home. This 4-level Home
is Located on .664 acres on a Cul-de-sac, with a FANTASTIC Mountain View and
privacy.
Offered by Roberts Realty
PO Box 1, Timberon, NM
Phone 505-987-2440
$158,600
RUBY ROBER
TS, BROKER
OBERTS
YOUR “HOME TOWN” FULL SERVICE REAL ESTATE AGENCY.
Weed / Sacramento
Events
SUNDAY, JUNE 18TH
*Father’s Day
EVERY MONDAY
*Community Breakfast Club at the Weed Cafe.
EVERY TUESDAY
*Kid’s Club.
EVERY FRIDAY
*Special Menu and Music at the Weed Cafe
from 6 to 7:30pm.
EVERY SATURDAY
*Men’s Bible Study starts in the Weed Cafe at
7:30am with one of Debbie’s great breakfasts.
*Special Menu and Music at the Weed Cafe
from 6 to 7:30pm.
OTHER EVENTS COMING SOON
*The Annual Blue Grass Festival is planned
for July 14 - 16th.
*There will be a fiddlin’ contest this summer
to raise money for the community center, details to come later.
*The BIG event of the summer - The Weed
Reunion on August 26th.
Cloudcroft Events
SATURDAY, JUNE 3RD
*National Trails Day - 10k walk in beautiful
surroundings. Visit with Smokey Bear, have a
light snack and spend time with friends. For
more info contact Tom Springer at 505-6823040.
*Cloudcroft Community Concert - With the
Alamogordo Community Concert Band,
Cloudcroft Football field, times TBA.
FRIDAY, JUNE 9TH
*Western Round-Up - BBQ, Pie Auction, Academy of Ballet performance in Zenith Park.
SATURDAY, JUNE 10TH
*Western Round-Up Parade - 10am on Burro
Avenue.
*Railroad Days Train Display - 10am to 5pm
at Cloudcroft Middle School.
*Street Dance - 7-10pm for all ages on Burro
Avenue.
SUNDAY, JUNE 11TH
*Lumberjack Contest - Zenith Park, times TBA.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14TH
*Flag Day Parade - 5pm on Burro Avenue.
JUNE 23RD TO 25TH
CHURCH SCHEDULE
*Bluegrass Festival - Musicians jam in Zenith
Park on Friday evening, all day Saturday, and
Sunday morning.
WEED BAPTIST CHURCH
*Adult Bible Study - 2pm / Youth Meetings 7pm every Wednesday .
*Sunday School at 10:00 AM / Worship every
Sunday at 11:00 AM.
ADD YOUR CHURCH CALL 505-987-2561
*Art Workshops - Nationally known artists instruct at all levels in watercolor, oil, drawing, pastel, wood carving, stone sculpture,
creative writing and Ukrainian eggs.
Children’s mixed media classes weekly.
ALL THE MONTH
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
To add an event - contact Sallie Johnson
Phone: 505-687-2624 Fax: 505-687-2625
High Rolls/Mountain Park
Rural BookMobile Schedule
July 11, 2000
*Cherry Festival - Sat. June 17 & Sun. June 18
High Rolls Grocery
Cloudcroft OCEC
Mayhill Post Office
Weed Post Office
Pinon Store
8:15 to 9:30
10:00 to 11:15
11:45 to 12:45
1:15 to 2:30
3:15 to 4:45
Sunspot Events
Events
CHURCH SCHEDULE
COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST
Dr. Lowell Swisher is our minister. We have
an 8:30 and 11:00 service on Sundays at the
church in Haynes Canyon. Come visit us.
We’re a dynamic little church.
TIMBERON
FRIDAY, JUNE 2ND
*4:15 PM — June Community Meeting. The
4th of July celebration planning will be done
at this meeting.
SATURDAY, JUNE 10TH
*9:00 AM — Tentative, Road Cleanup.
Let us know what is going on by calling
the paper toll free at 1-877-987-2561.
Forest Events
- June 3, Volksmarch, sponsored by the
Holloman Sun Runners (Bob Turner)
- June 10-11, 3-D Archery Tournament at
the Old Heliport, sponsored by Wapiti 3-D
Archery (Virgil House Jr.)
- June 23-25, 3-D Archery Tournament at
Mule Canyon, sponsored by the Berrendo
Bowmen (Randy Vigil)
Th
th ank
e D yo
on u f
ati or
on all
s!
A Fire Story
from Don Vanlandingham, Cloudcroft Online
When Otero County Sheriff’s Office deputies
told Alton Posey that he and his wife would have
to leave their home because a fire was coming
their direction on Thursday, May 11th, he said
his wife would be leaving, but he was staying to
fight Mother Nature for his home.
The Scott Able Fire had been kindled only
minutes before and it was obvious it was going
to be a significant blaze. The winds were high
and the forest was dry. The fire would own the
forest and everything in its path.
Everything, that is, but Alton Posey. Alton is a
lifelong resident of these mountains. He has
had extensive fire fighting experience, so it
wasn’t out of ignorance that he decided to risk
his life to save his home in Agua Chaquita Canyon, near Weed, New Mexico. He told his wife
just before she left that he would be fine.
He loaded his dog “Ugly Baby” into his pickup
and pledged to his wife that “he and Ugly would
jump in that truck and get the hell out of there
at the first sign of danger.” Alton had second
thoughts, though, and just before his wife
pulled out of the drive, he loaded Ugly Baby in
with her to be evacuated.
Even with Posey’s experience with past fires,
he was taken totally by surprise by the speed at
which this fire traveled toward his home. Winds,
whipped by the flames, reached an estimated
100 mph. Posey used a garden hose, filling
buckets and washing down his out buildings
first. They were the first to be threatened by
the conflagration. Suddenly, realizing the fire
had completely surrounded him, he knew his
only hope for survival was to beat the forest
fire.
“Alton had two things in his favor” said Pat
Boss, spokesman for the National Forest Service. “His house was isolated from the heaviest
stand of trees a little, and he didn’t know the
meaning of the word “quit.”
From sundown until 3:30 am Friday morning, armed only with a small garden hose and
buckets, Posey held back the flames. At one
point, as he came around the corner of his barn,
he was knocked flat by a deer running for safety.
On two other occasions, the flames and smoke
became so thick that he was forced to lay flat
on the ground in an attempt to find breathable
air.
“Every once in a while the smoke and flames
would break and I would catch a glimpse of
that big moon over head. It was so big and
bright that night. Just seeing it kept me going
when I thought I was beat.” While the Scott
Able Fire would cause misery and destruction
for a whole week before being contained, Alton
Posey’s battle with the blaze began and was over
in the first 6 to 8 hours of the fire’s life. 6 to 8
very hellish hours.
Alton Posey and his wife and Ugly Baby now
have house guests. Two families from neighboring homes that burned down. When we left
Posey this afternoon, he was back to business
as usual, trying to talk Otero County Electric
officials out of some damaged utility poles they
had replaced.
“I could really use them around my place” he
said. Because Alton Posey wouldn’t quit, he still
has that “place.”
Timberon Events
25
SATURDAY, JUNE 2ND
*Masons meet at 11am in the Lodge.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14TH
*Zeta Beta meets in the Timberon Lodge.
THURSDAY, JUNE 15TH
*Timberon Extension Club in the Timberon
Lodge.
SATURDAY, JUNE 17TH
*Timberon Water District’s Monthly meeting
at 10 AM in the Timberon Lodge.
SUNDAY, JUNE 18TH
*Father’s Day.
EVERY SATURDAY
*Lions Club Bingo in the Lodge.
TO ADD AN EVENT - CALL 987-2561.
CHURCH SCHEDULE
Hope Christian Fellowship
*Youth Group meets Friday at 7pm, Lodge.
*Church Service at 10:00AM, Rocky Trail.
*Bible study every Thursday at 7pm.
Timberon Chapel
*Bible Study / Service every Wednesday at 6PM.
*Sunday School at 9:45 AM / Service at 11:00
AM every Sunday .
LIBRARY
Smith Memorial Library is open:
Mon & Wed 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Fridays 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Saturdays 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
SENIOR VAN
The Senior Citizen’s Van leaves the
Timberon Lodge parking lot promptly a 8:30
AM every Tuesday morning for Alamogordo.
The van leaves Alamogordo at approximately
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM for the return trip to
Timberon.
Mayhill Events
Call and let us know what is going on!
505-987-2561 or toll free
1-877-987-2561
THE TRADING POST - CLASSIFIED SECTION
26
ITEMS FOR SALE
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
PETS & SUPPLIES
COME VISIT THE BLUE STONE
MOUNTAIN CABIN FOR SALE
GUARD DOG TRAINING SLEEVE
We buy, sell, or will trade for silver and
gold coins.
Come see our large selection of Southwest,
Indian, gold, and estate jewelry!
505-437-9828
1117 S. White Sands Blvd.
Alamogordo, New Mexico
---------------------------------------------------
1252 sq.ft. Double Wide Cameo priced in
the Mid-Fifties, located at 136 Winter St.,
Timberon, New Mexico - Covered deck, two
out buildings, .69 acre lot near Golf Course,
swimming, fishing and the Lincoln National
Forest.
Owner Selling - Priced to sell - Contact
Buddy Cobb or Randy Deavers at (505)8242347, (915)755-6363, (505)987-2573.
for sale - German made, Excellent condition - $75.00 Timberon 987-2558.
----------------------------------------------------
TROYBILT CHIPPER/SHREDDER
for sale - Like new - only 20 hours run time.
Cost over $900, will sell for $450.
For information, call 505-687-3457.
---------------------------------------------------
TIRES FOR SALE
Slightly used snow tires: (2) 175-70x13 tires
w/rims, (1) 175-70x13 tires w/o rims, (4) Continental 175-70x14 tires, (1) Monac Steel
Belted radial tire 175-70x14.
Also have an ‘81 Subaru available cheap for
parts.
505-682-2754
-------------------------------------------------------
PRO-SPORT 2000
ROWING MACHINE
Low mileage, paid $150 for it. Will consider
any offer. Call Jim Mason in Sunspot.
INTERNET
VISIT THIS WEB SITE
--------------------------------------------
LOT FOR SALE
1 acre in Timberon - Lot 37. Blk 78, Unit 7
Call 505-624-2175
Ask for Roger
---------------------------------------------------
FOR SALE BY OWNER
3 Bedroom Modular home and 9 1/4 acres
on the Upper Rio Penasco, Vacant, Owner
Financing.
GOLF COURSE LOT
ITEMS WANTED
HOUSE FOR SALE BY OWNER
1/2 acre in Timberon - Flat terrain, Nice
pines, All utilities present, Storage shed.
84 Pawhuska Drive
$10,000
$40,000
Call 505-987-2555
---------------------------------------------------
Call (505) 987-2209 or (979) 542-7333
---------------------------------------------------
TO BE MOVED
Will consider any reasonable offer.
915-581-6209
Located at 355 Pounds Rd. in Timberon
RE/MAX Blue Water / Timberon office will
have a key to show the interior.
$20,000
Call (505) 987-2209 or (979) 542-7333
REAL ESTATE WANTED
MOUNTAIN LAND OR A CABIN
http://www.huntel.com/~artpike/
Mountain Times
PO BO
X 190, TIMBER
ON
BOX
TIMBERON
ON,, NM 88350
Classified ads (up to 30 words and 1 photo) are free to subscribers. Non-subscribers
pay $5.00 for up to 30 words and 10 cents for each additional word. Photos are an additional $1.00 and a SASE is required if you want the photo returned. All payments for
classifieds must be made in advance each month before the ad runs - you won’t be billed.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
NAME: __________________________________________________
ADDRESS: _______________________________________________
CITY: ___________________________________________________
STATE: __________________________ ZIP: ___________________
Send your check to Mountain Times, PO Box 190, Timberon, NM 88350
or you can call Toll Free 1-877-987-2561 with a Credit Card number.
30’ GULFSTREAM FOR SALE
For Sale by Owner in Timberon, Nice Location. Has Garage, Storage Sheds, Water and
Electric on .502 acres.
$75,000
$15,000 Down, Balance over 15 years at
$590.85 a month. Call (505) 682-7910.
---------------------------------------------------In Timberon - 3 Bedroom, 1 1/2 Bath, Covered Deck on 2 Sides, on 1 acre, Secluded,
Quiet, Near Hunting, Some Furniture.
FOR SALE
A-Frame Cabin and Contents
AUTOS / RVS FOR SALE
Self-Contained 1994 30' Gulfstream Motor
Home, CHEV 454 engine - excellent power at
9000 feet, 5KW GEN - two point remote start/
stop, A/C, Furnace, U-Wave, Coffee maker, TV,
GAS/ELEC (Not 12V) Refrigerator, Cruise control, powered step, driver-side door, awning
(faded but intact), map lights, All in good
working condition. Extras: Storage Space, two
catalytic heaters (Quiet), Recent Tires,
Brakes, Furnace service, thermostat. Excellent condition inside and out, Book: $37,500,
will take $34K. (505) 434 0457
See at Sunspot, NM or call for showing.
LOT FOR SALE
New Mexico Wanderings About little-known
and lesser -known places with over 1,700
photos and 800 pages
THE TRADING POST
CLASSIFIED FORM
FIBERGLASS WHELPING BOX
- with lips to prevent crushing. Over $300
neew - will sell for $70.00 Call 987-2561.
I will buy land, or cabin, around Cloudcroft,
in valley or in mountains, if it meets my criteria. Must be owner financed with flexible
terms, under $50,000.
Serious inquiries only
Quick response and closing
Email: [email protected] or ibuy
[email protected]
Address: R. Barton, 6300B. Hwy 290 W.,
Austin, TX 78735
Home 830-825-3209 Work 512-288-9273
Fax 512-288-9272
RENTALS
HOUSE FOR RENT
(the old Roseborrough place)
2 Bedroom - Completely Furnished - $75 a
day - Special Weekly and Monthly Rates Available. Contact Patty Harris @ 505-987-2210
----------------------------------------------------
OFFICE or RETAIL SPACE
Available in Roberts Realty building - good
location, Downtown Timberon.
For Information Call
1-888-441-6630
BEADED PURSES
Looking for old beaded purses. If you have
one you would like to sell call 987-2561.
SERVICES
HOUSEKEEPING &
WINDOW WASHING
Lizzy Archuleta in Timberon, hourly rates
505-987-2339
References Available!
---------------------------------------------------
WINDOW WASHING
BY ST.CLAIR
Residential - Commercial
“BIG or SMALL - WE DO IT ALL”
For a free estimate, please call James or
Barbara at 505-682-7519 (leave message)
MISCELLANEOUS
AIKIDO ANYONE?
I work at APO and live in 3081 at Sunspot.
I am looking for people interested, and hopefully experienced, in Aikido. I am a student
of Aikido and hope to find at least one other
for training purposes. In addition, I am looking for a cello teacher, should anyone here
on sight play and care to teach... Thanks.
Camron Hastings
ABOUT THIS
PUBLICATION
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
APRIL
27
Weather Summary
by Doug Gilliam
The Mountain Times is a multicommunity
newspaper that covers Sunspot, Weed, Sacramento, Timberon, Cloudcroft, Mayhill,
High Rolls, Mountain Park, Pinon and the
Lincoln National Forest. The Publishers and
Editors are J.J. & Kim Duckett; with writers
Brian Armstrong in Sunspot, The gang at
the Weed Cafe and Sallie Johnson in Sacramento/Weed, Karen Hare in Mayhill, Paul
Haney in High Rolls/Mountain Park, and
Judy Bunn in Cloudcroft. News and information from the Lincoln National Forest is
coordinated by Denise and Andrea, and
most of the wildlife stories come from Ben
Hanson. The news, stories, history and
events in the Sacramento Mountains of New
Mexico are published monthly by Mountain
Times Publications - P.O. Box 190, Timberon,
New Mexico 88350.
You can contact the paper with an ad, news
story, or to request a subscription in one of
the following ways -
TOLL FREE
1-877-987-2561
IN TIMBERON
987-2561
FAX
505-987-2330
EMAIL
[email protected]
WEBSITE
http://www.mountaintimes.net
SUNSPOT
Snowfall:
April total
Normal
99-2000 Seasonal total
Normal
0.50"
3.66"
31.30"
76.91"
Precipitation:
April total
Normal
2000 Total
Normal
0.30"
0.53"
1.70"
5.35"
Temperature:
High/Date
Low/Date
Average High
Average Low
72 / 26th
24 / 1st
61.10
39.06
April Records:
Snowfall
Precipitation
High Temperature
Low Temperature
33.00" / 1983
3.03" / 1997
79 / 1965
5 /1973
Happening in June at
the Flickinger Center
The answers to last month’s puzzle!
Help keep us informed on what is happening in the area. In addition to current
events, we are interested in history, pictures,
etc... deadline is the 20th. We are always
looking for new writers and will be more
than happy to discuss any ideas you might
Have your crossword puzzle featured here - just send
have for an article or series in the paper.
in the words and clues of your choice and we will design
Letters from readers must arrive by the
and publish it here, giving you all the creative credits!
20th of the month (deadline) with your
name, address and phone number. All letters are the writer’s opinion
and may not reflect the opinFor the news, stories and history of the Sacramento Mountains ion of this paper. Letters are Timberon, Sunspot, Weed, Sacramento, Mayhill, High Rolls, Mountain Park and Cloudcroft.
subject to editing for length,
grammar and its worthiness of
You need to subscribe to the
publication. Responses to
PO BO
X 190, TIMBER
ON
BOX
TIMBERON
ON,, NM 88350
your letter will be solicited
from the subject, if appropri( ) $12.00 (12 ISSUES, BULK RATE)
( ) $30.00 (12 ISSUES, FIRST CLASS)
ate.
( ) NEW SUBSCRIPTION ( ) RENEWAL
We have reasonable rates on
NAME:
_________________________________________________
advertising. Ads will be deADDRESS: ______________________________________________
signed for you free of charge
if you provide the wording and
CITY: __________________________________________________
any special graphics or logos.
STATE: __________________________ ZIP: __________________
Of course pre-designed ads
are also accepted.
Send your check to Mountain Times, PO Box 190, Timberon, NM 88350
A subscription for One year,
or use your credit card:
Twelve issues, is $12.00 by
CC#_________________________________________________EXP - ___/___
Bulk Mail. For those who want
SIGNATURE: _____________________________PHONE________________
faster delivery, First Class is
Sometimes it's easier to call Toll Free 1-877-987-2561
available for $30.00 a year.
June 9th and 10th
Miss New Mexico Scholarship
Pageant at 7:30pm.
June 10th
Mike Pritchard’s Blue Thunder
and Lightning Horns - a Tailgate
Jazz+ Series, held at the Space
Center Hall of Fame at 8:00pm.
June 24th
Creole Dixieland Jass Band - a
Tailgate Jazz+ Series, held at the
Space Center Hall of Fame at
8:00pm.
June’s Artist of the Month is Edna
Walker.
For more info - call (505) 437-2202.
Mountain Times
We are Looking for Writers!
You don’t have to be a professional writer or reporter,
just a regular person. We concentrate on events, activities,
history, photos, and stories from all over the mountain.
The paper can’t pay anything, but will let the whole world
know it’s your work! If you are interested in hearing more
- call 505-987-2561 or toll free 1-877-987-2561.
28
Road 244
to Ruidoso
US 70
to Ruidoso
Highway 54
to Carrizozo
Holloman Air Base
US 70 to
Las Cruces
Cloudcroft
US 82
aved
Paved
-P
Mayhill
Mountain P
ark
Park
Lin
col
nN
ati
on Sacramento Weed
al
Sunspot
For
est
BULK RATE
US POSTAGE
Alamogordo
US 82
-P
aved
Paved
PAID
High Rolls
CLOUDCROFT, NM
PERMIT NO. 7
Tularosa
US 82
to Artesia
Road 130
-P
aved
Paved
Westside Road
For
est Road 90 - Dirt
orest
Seldomly Maintained
Scenic Byway
6563 - P
aved
Paved
Road 24
-P
aved
Paved
Road 521 - Dirt
Periodically Maintained
Bug Scuffle
US 54
Road 24
-P
aved
Paved
MAP OF THE
SACRAMENTO
MOUNTAINS
N
W
For
est Road 537 - Dirt
orest
Frequently Maintained
Timberon
S
Pinon
Road 537 - Dirt
Frequently Maintained
E
Museum
Photo
Road 24 to Dunken
then Highway 82
McGregor Range
Road 506 - Dirt
Periodically Maintained
US 54
aso
Paso
to El P
Review of Threatened and Endangered
Species in New Mexico Available
from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
The draft biennial review of species listed
as threatened or endangered under New
Mexico’s Wildlife Conservation Act is now
available. Public comment on the draft recommendations to uplist species from threatened to endangered, or to downlist from endangered to threatened, will be accepted
through July 31, 2000. You may view the complete document on the Web by visiting
www.gmfsh.state.nm.us or writing the Department of Game and Fish.
A public repository for comments on the
draft biennial review will be established at
the Department’s Laboratory facility in Santa
Fe. Comments may be submitted by contacting the Department of Game and Fish at the
following address: NMDGF, Conservation Services Division, P.O. Box 25112, Santa Fe, NM,
87504; by phone at (505) 827-9904; or via
e-mail at [email protected]/
A total of 118 species and subspecies are
on the 2000 list of threatened and endangered New Mexico wildlife. An additional 7
species of mammals has been listed as restricted to facilitate control of traffic in federally protected species within New Mexico.
A species is endangered if it is in jeopardy of
extinction or extirpation from the state; a
species is threatened if it is likely to become
endangered within the foreseeable future
throughout all or a significant portion of its
range in New Mexico. Only species native to
New Mexico are listed.
Since the 1998 Biennial Review, 1 species
has been added to the state list of threatened
and endangered species. The gray-banded
kingsnake was listed as endangered based on
State Game Commission action taken in March
2000. This is a medium-sized colubrid snake
found in the United States from the Balcones
Escarpment of the Edward’s Plateau in central Texas westward through Trans-Pecos
Texas to the Hueco Mountains in El Paso
County. In New Mexico, it is known only from
Eddy County where it occurs in the southern
end of the Guadalupe Mountains.
This is the first species that has been added
to the state list since 1991. Since that time, 4
species have been removed from the list: 2
because they are now extinct, and 2 because
they are no longer considered native species.
The State of New Mexico has lost, and continues to lose, its wildlife diversity. Seventysix species have been extirpated from one or
more counties, including five which are now
confirmed to be extinct, and 15 others which
have been extirpated from the State (but continued to exist elsewhere).
THE
TIMBERLINE
restaurant
in the timber
on l
odge / Community Building
timberon
lodge
Hours
Wednesday thru Saturday
11:00 am to 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Sunday
ic
us
11:00 am to 3:00 pm
m
in r s
Closed Monday and Tuesday
a
t ke
n
f r Frid
ou m a
om ay
m
6p Ni
m gh
to ts
8p
Catering Available - In House & Pick Up
m
505-987-2527
Specials from 5 to 8pm - Thursday thru Saturday
Thursday Chicken Parmesian
Friday Hand breaded Deep Fried Catfish
Saturday Steak and Shrimp
Sunday Lunch - Southern Fried Chicken Breast (11-3pm)
In Celebration of Father’s Day
ams - Rum raisin s
auce $7.95
yams
sa
ham and y
Sunday, June 18th
Please make reservations
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR SUMMER HELP!