Bellemont, Wing Mountain Area: FR 518, 222A

 Bellemont, Wing Mountain Area: FR 518, 222A

I had the opportunity to explore the area near Wing Mountain, near Bellemont, Arizona. According to historical records, the Saginaw focused on logging out this area just prior to shutting down the Bellemont Line, circa 1929. This would mean that any remnants of their activity are nearing the century mark. Despite the age, I would expect that there would still be some evidence of their presence, and I was not disappointed. 

As far as artifacts and such, they are protected by law and must remain in place. This location is near Flagstaff and Bellemont, so any such items have long disappeared. Again, leave things where you find them. 

Wing Mountain Area is located to the northeast of Bellemont. This area is bordered by Fort Valley on the east. There are a number of forest roads that access this area; our focus is FR518 and 222A.

Forest Road 518 is the main road that I use to access the area. From early maps, and the evidence that still exists, this road is on or near one of the lines of the Saginaw. I decided to explore FR222A, which proceeds down Volunteer Wash, passing Johnson Tank. 

From Johnson Tank south, I found clear evidence of the grade, as can be seen in the images. 

The grade located between the tank and the road.

very clear grade in a cut, near the tank

Looking up the creek bed towards the tank

Ties are embedded in the original grade.

The grade continues through the cut down the creek bed.

I will revisit the area, this time with my maps, and will follow the grade further along the road. It is possible that it parts from the road and continues down the wash. 

Further investigation will reveal the truth. 

Given all of the evidence that I have gathered, I have marked where I believe where the grade ran. This is by no means comprehensive, as there a number of side roads that indicate spurs ran off the main to reach distant timber stands. I also theorize that the grade circled back to the Bellemont area, where the railhead with the Santa Fe was established. There are also grades running through Fort Valley, which are now covered by new homes. 

There are indicators, such as a lost section of roadbed that I will soon rediscover, that the line once extended to A-1 Mountain area. However, this can be confused with the lines out of Flagstaff that had extensive operations that overlapped this location. 

Saginaw and Manistee: Images

 Saginaw and Manistee: Images 

I continually search for images related to the Saginaw and Manistee, the town of Williams, and other related historical points of interest. I use a camera to capture these images, due to the fact that I am too cheap to purchase a new scanner-copier. I also attempt to verify if the copyrights are still valid on the images, and with purchased copies I want to make sure that you will buy from the seller, as they try to make a living off of those images. If there are any issues with their use, please let me know so that I can modify and or remove them. 

"11497 Rounding Up a Herd; COPR: Detroit Photographic Company." I would place the timeframe about 1890-1910. 

This is an interesting image in that it is colorized, and that it captures one of the herds being moved from one pasture to another. The location could very well be above the Verde Valley, or the Perkinsville Area. There is a ravine or tank named after the cattle drives in this area. This image gives the viewer an idea as to how many cattle once grazed the Verde Valley and were moved in the summer months to higher pastures in the high country above the Mogollon Rim. Herds numbering in the tens of thousands, including the separate movement of sheep, were driven through some five main routes to greener pastures. 

There are other Blogs that cover this more extensively, however it is significant to note this because of the importance of this industry to the prosperity of the towns of Williams, Flagstaff and everything in between. 

Eventually this industry faced hard times due to infectious diseases, severe overgrazing, and the changing lifestyles of society at large. Today, herds are more manageable and transported by truck. Nevertheless, they still provide a service by reducing the overabundance of fuel for forest fires by grazing on the grasslands on public land. 

And beef is just plain tasty and nutritious. 

Postcard labeled "Arizona Lumber and Timber Company- Flagstaff, Arizona."

Unknown printer or date. Additional note places timeframe in circa 1910.

These early images provide a wealth of information for the discerning eye. This one in particular caught my attention; although a Flagstaff area operation, this represents the typical logging train of that era. There are six log cars, which would be about the average for a loaded train out on the forest spur tracks. The loader is a typical design, and as I have addressed on prior postings, it rode on rails mounted on the cars. As the cars were loaded, the loader was winched to the next car, and it was repeated until the empties were filled with fresh logs for the mill. The logs were of typical twelve-foot length (if I remember it from my early research; just can't remember everything as I get older.)

The engine number is at present undiscernible but was usually a used locomotive purchased second hand from another company. It appears to date from the 1800s, as fluted domes and other niceties were common for that era. Rod-type engines were used to move the cars to and from the woods on the main part of the rail line, as it was usually flatter and to some degree better built. geared engines ruled the spurs and more difficult terrain. 

 There are brake wheels on each car, however no indication of air brake cylinders. It appears to me that they are using link and pin couplers, which narrows the image to no later than 1915 or so. I covered the coupler saga in the North Chalender postings. 

 

Reported to be the ATSF Roundhouse in Williams, Arizona. Image rights owned by Author, who owns the original negative. Yes, you can use this, provided that you credit this Blog and the Author "Arizona Woods Walker."

Someday I will do more research on the Atlantic and Pacific, and the ATSF (Santa Fe) in Williams. 

"Hauling Logs on Big Wheel. Flagstaff, Arizona. Published by Marlar Drug Company. The Albertype Company, Brooklyn NY."

This is a typical representation of the Big Wheel logging cart/wagons used in the area until about 1920. This example has seen better days, as a number of items are missing from the wagon. The horses do reflect the high level of care that was provided by the owners. This image appears to be a well-staged example of what it was like to haul logs from the woods. The operation of these wagons is further discussed in other postings on this blog. 

A partial section of an image purchased from Timedetective, a seller on Ebay. 

The full image can be purchased from the seller which is entitled "Logging Train on Log Railroad Bridge, Maine-Historic Photo Print." 

The image is used as a historical reference only. The construction of the wood trestle is very similar to the Saginaw trestle located at Hardy Hill. This image reveals two important points: this construction technique, although primitive by today's standards, was used throughout the logging industry in the early 1900s; and reveals more details as to how the trestle was built at Hardy Hill.

 Very simple, more than likely a bit scary to cross, yet it served its purpose. The company would have used a great deal of timber in its construction, which was left behind when the logging was completed. 

Dinosaurs at the Rock Shop in Holbrook, Arizona. A great place to visit, both the town and the shop. 

I believe that the old town located near the depot and the courthouse has some of the best-preserved buildings, in their original state, of the old west in the area. Please visit the courthouse museum.