Grand Canyon's Long-Eared Taxi

"Yup."

"Well, which is the father and which is the mother?"

"Donkey's the father, mare's the mother."

"What if it's the other way around?"

"You get a hinny. No durn good."

"Are mules sterile?"

"Yup."

"But, are they are they normal do they do they ?

"Yup."

Generations of writers have been working on this subject. It even got into politics once. Back in 1871, Ignatius Donelly in addressing the Minnesota Legislature. released this gem: "The Democratic Party is like the mule, without pride of ancestry or hope of posterity."

The mule's calm, unruffled demeanor, his bland acceptance of his lot with no visible expression of annoyance or delight, worries the dudes, but the guides hasten to explain that the mule likes it that way. He is completely a creature of habit; so much so that he is often unhappy if placed in the lead of a dude string instead of being the caboose or vice versa. This extends to all he does.

On the trail, there are the previously mentioned nineteen rest stops. The mules go their trainers one better, and have established another half-dozen restroom stops along the trail. This is one of the most peculiar sights in the canyon as a string of mules all stop and all wait their turn, one by one, to walk ahead to a certain spot in the trail, relieve themselves and go on. One such spot developed near the trail head last year and all efforts to break down its use or move its location were futile. Park Service crews even hauled all the dirt away once and replaced it with clean, fresh dirt, but it continued to be the restroom stop, used daily, while the mule passengers looked about at the heavenly bodies or gazed solemnly far off into the Canyon.

The guides, of course, have quite a line of conversation that goes with the mule trip. One of the most common questions at the head of the trail, John Bradley reports, is "Have you a real gentle mule for me?" To this the guide is apt to reply solemnly, "No ma'am, I'm right sorry, but we just sent the last gentle mule down with the last party. If you ain't ever rode before, why we'll just give you a mule that ain't ever been rode before either, an' you can start right out together."

Even the most obtuse catch on about this time and relax a bit.

Another common bit of advice the guide may hand out deals with hanging on. "Just you hang right on to that saddle horn, lady," he will advise the frightened female from Poughkeepsie. "Just you hang right onto it. an' pull hard. If you pull it off, just hand it to me an' I'll put it back on for you."

(Please turn to page twenty-six)

A Chapter on Lumbering

The Arizona story would not be complete without a chapter on lumbering, for within Arizona's borders is located one of the largest Ponderosa Pine forests in the nation. This multimillion acre forest lies in a belt reaching from the Arizona-Nevada border diagonally down across the state into southwestern New Mexico. The timber industry within this area involves many lumber companies, hundreds of miles of special roadways, huge power generating plants, railroads, and many other enterprises.

A model sample of modern lumbering practices at their best and perhaps most picturesque is exemplified by the Southwest Lumber Mills operations on the Apache Indian Reservation in the White Mountains of Arizona. This includes both the fine modern mill at McNary and the point of timber procurement around Arizona's newest town of Maverick, 67 miles away. The story can best be told in terms of modern methods, for not only is the industry highly mechanized in this area with up-to-the-minute machinery and equipment but also here as on other public or reservation lands modern methods of forestry management and reforestation are federally regulated. Gone are the days when forests were slashed wholesale into destruction as has happened in some lumbering sections of the country. With the full cooperation of the lumber companies, government experts now inspect the forests ahead of the loggers to select and mark each and every tree that may and should be cut. All standing dead trees and snags are singled out for removal as they are constant fire hazards. Only a percentage of the mature trees are marked for harvesting assuring that plenty of seed trees remain as well as retaining the maximum amount of necessary cover for the water shed. Trees, like any other crop when ripe and mature, are ready to be harvested so that the younger trees may have room to grow. It is estimated that it will take approximately 25 years to harvest the mature trees surrounding Maverick, cutting 40 to 50 million feet of logs yearly. By then it will be time to start all over again.

the younger trees may have room to grow. It is estimated that it will take approximately 25 years to harvest the mature trees surrounding Maverick, cutting 40 to 50 million feet of logs yearly. By then it will be time to start all over again.

To gain access to this timber it is necessary for a full time crew to construct and maintain fifty miles of new road each year in the Maverick area alone. These roads are invaluable in fire control and are open for public enjoyment.

All timber harvested in the vicinity of Maverick is transported to McNary over the 67 miles of company owned, standard broad guage Apache Railroad. The 1000 hp radio equipped Fairbanks-Morse diesel locomotive powered trains, covering approximately 85,000 railroad miles each year, not only haul supplies to Maverick and return with a long string of log loaded cars but extending north to Holbrook they also provide a rail outlet for the livestock and farming industries of Navajo county. Even sightseeing excursions are occasionally conducted since this railroad winds through one of the wildest, most beautiful areas in the state.

An air of friendly relations exists among the workers and between the workers and management at Maverick and McNary. From the cutting of the tree in the forest to the final loading of the freight cars with processed lumber, every operation is swiftly and efficiently handled. This is essential if approximately six to eight hundred employees are to produce the hour's capacity of 25 to 30 thousand board feet, enough to build at least two five room houses per hour or five thousand houses per year.

Following is a step by step photo essay on the Arizona lumber industry from the forest to the processed lumber shipping docks as practised at Southwestern Lumber Mills: