Cy/yxo/y IF ME If OR CTEF E. I A II STURIEVANP, Park Naturalist Mar ah 25 „ 1895 - BShruary 2Q FRED JOHNSON, park Ranger October 25, So 18^3 - February 20, 1J2J Hleseare two friends whose let their memory he, now Under the grave Koz.J. * * *" lives were undivi.ded they have glided .Shelly. no. 8 TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF TEE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARI Vol* 8 28, 1929 No* 3 GRAND CANYON NATURE NOTES FEBRUARY This Bulletin is issued monthly fen" the purpose of firing informatics to those interested in the natural history and scientific features of the Grand Canyon National park. Additional copies of obtained free of charge by those who can make use these Bulletins may he of them, by addressing the Superintendent, Grand Canyon National Park, Brand Canyon, Arizona. M« R« Ti Hot son, Superintendent. -» Park Naturalist. — CUR SORROW Friends of the National, park service and of Grand Canyon National park will be shocked and grieved to learn of the untimely death by drown¬ ing of Glen E« Sturdevant, park Naturalist, and Fred Johnson, park Ranger. This irretrievable loss occurred on the morning of February 20 when, in company with Chief Ranger James p. Brooks, sturdevant and Johnson were re¬ turning from a ten day trip in the Canyon, the object of which was the collection of specimens of scientific interest, securing data on Canyon flora and fauna, search for pre-historic ruins and other objects of archeological interest as well as a general exploration of some of the unknown regions of the canyon. While breaking camp s&lves on the fact that, that morning the boys had been congratulating them although they had beon in some rather dangerous places, the trip had been completed without the slightest accident and they now had only to go on out, the expectation being that they would --each home that afternoon, in crossing the Colorado River, however, their boat was caught in an eddy and Johnson was thrown in to the water. Brooke immediate jumped overboard to Ms rescue, but failed to reach him and was himself swept downstream in to the rapids, in tiro meantime the boat containing Sturdevant was also caught in the rapids and Brooks in the water, most of the timo being drawn below the surfaci by bhe undercurrent, saw nc more of him. Row Brooks ever escaped ho does not know,, but be finally found him¬ self cast ashore more dead than alive. When he regained consciousness hestill had to wait for some timo before gaining sufficient strength to drag himself from the water and was completely numb from the effects of the icy cold stream. He spent two hours in a vain endeavor to find some trace of his comrades then climbed to the Tontc plateau en. to. river, made his way to the Kaibab suspension bi-iigc. to headquarters. n-uti side at-a r-f the Iliad up the trail immediately upon receipt of Brooks® report one searching party was night, two other parties (Brooks hoing a member of one) left the next mqrning at five o*clock and still a fourth party was on the river by 3-3O Thursday afternoon. A boat at Hermit Creek was manned Thursday sent down that night, and started . upstream at daybreak Friday morning. The "boat crew can- sisted of four men who found the "body of Glen Sturdevant Friday afternoon at- a point about two. miles "below Horn CTreek rapids, in which the accident The searth for John3cmi! * - - M. R. Tillotson. * GLEN ERNEST STURPEVANT Glen Ernest sturdevant was born in Laceyville, Pennsylvania, March 25, attended public schools in Pennsylvania and later at Santa Ana, California. After several years' work at the University of California, he graduated from the University of Arizona. At the time of hos death he was engaged as Park Naturalist for the United States N ational p ark Service in Grand Canyon National Park. His appointment to that service having "been made May l6, 1325. 1855- The official records of the War Department state that he enlisted first at Santa Ana, California, on August 30» 1515» Company L, Infantry, California National Guard. Ho was mustered'into Federal Service on JUne 23, 1916 and mustered out on November 11, 1916* He was again inducted for fi; ~7 -TPed&raX-service September 2Q, IPl^ at Towanda, Pennsylvania, and assigned to Oo-rtpany H of the 31/lk Infantry.. On August 25, 19l8.he was honorably dis¬ charged in order to accept 0. commission as second he received lieutenant, infantry, which August 26, 1518. He was then honorably discharged at Camp .Jackson, South Carolina on April 28, on igiSJ. » with two sturdevant married December was children. Glen ."&&■> E. 23, 1^23 1° Eileen pourcade, who Junior, and Tyiter Eugg survive him* Stu-dovant*s work naturalist and as a scientist was parti¬ cularly noteworthy. Ho initiated the grand canyon nature notes which itexve been regularly issued each month and which are eagerly looked for by many nature lovers throughout the entire country. His nature walks, camp fire and museum lectures have continually been a source of inspiration and pleasure to thousands of Park visitors. It was always a great source of as a satisfaction to Mr. srurdovant to be able to create in others in the works of nature and a desire for nature an interest study. Through his research activities along many lines, particularly those geology and paleontology, he had made many contributions to various scientific publications and to the cause of science in genera. Ey such noted scientists as Dr, John c, MSrrian of the Carnegie institution, David white of tiio ecological Survey, pr® Charles Gilmore of the Smithsonian Institute and by many others of equal rank, M r® sturdevant was rapidly becoming known as an authority. of Fis friends were all those who had ever known him, even casually, lis loss is one that will be keenly felt and forever mourned not only by the members of his family, his many friends and as¬ sociates aria his follow officers in the national park service, but a.lso by the entire world of science to which he had made so many valuable contri¬ butions and in which he had such a brilliant future® enemies were lis none, FRED JCEIEOH Fred Johnson was born in zanab, Utah, October 25, His educa¬ schools of his heme town, upon the completion of which he engaged in the various agricultural, cattle, raising and general ourtaineering activities which later fitted him so admirably for hiw work as a Park tion was received in the Hanger. Although he- war was under the of twenty-one at the time/was declared, he offered his 3ervic.es to his country and was sent to training; quarters at a university in Utah, from which he was honorably discharged in Septem¬ ber, 1318. Fred age Johnson was married on April 26, 1926 to Georgia Ott of Dallas, Texas, who with one daughter, John, survives him. His domestic life was proverbial throughout the entire community for its beauty and devotion. Johnson*s first connection with the National Park Service was in November, 1323; when he was employed as a laborer* He later served in various capacities, as sub~foreman and foreman in charge of construction crews, until he was regularly appointed as Park Hanger on II ay l8, 1925, just two 'ays after the appointment of Glen E. Sturdevant» r» 2?Ted Johnson was a man among men. His bravery, manliness and interest in his work was a source of the greatest inspiration to his fellow officers and associates. His cheerfulness at all times together with his keen sense of humcr helped to make life more worth living for all who knew him. Fred was acknowledged to be one of the most valuable members of the force, and at the time of his death was in line for promotion to even greater responsi¬ bilities. His friends were legion and he never had an enemy. m the natural course of events someone will he appointed to fill the vacancy caused by his untimely end, but in reality no one will ever be found to take §"red?s place on the. force, in the community and in the hearts of those who-have•always loved him. FAWNS ARRIVEF3CM KAXBAB By Sturdevant En order that the visitor to Grand Canyon National ^.rk may he assure® semi—tame herd of Rocky Mountain Hule deers the jeblicy acopted by the National Park service a little over a year ago of bringing fawns from the Kalbab to the south side of the Grand Canyon was again fol¬ lowed this season.. E'arly in February fawns from the Kafba.b were shipped by truck as they were a year ago last fall, to be released at Grand: Canyon vil¬ lager The story of their capture, domestication and later shipment jto area... needing, restocking is one of extreme interest to the nature lover. of chance to a see a The fawns were received from Mr. chas. Hoaton of Heaton^s Ranch, Moocasin, Jaibah Indian Reservation on the Kaibah plateau near the north boundary of .zona and it might be well to state the method used by nr. Heaton and others who make a business of capturing wild fawnn. OSie where these deer are most plentiful are in the Kaibah National united States Forest Service supervises the capture of wild Upon application to the office of the Forest Supervisor at areas Forest and. the fawns. Kanaii, permit may be granted ti> capture a certain number of fawns in a deaig-' noted', area. The Forest Service guarantees the permittee % sale by November 15th for each fawn raised with a price of around $25*00 for bucks and ft)«00'' for does. Efforts are made to capturo fawns four or five dayu eld since it. ■Utah, a has been found that at this age they are easier to catch and they raepoxvl better to captivity. The permittee attempts to capture his-Quo "ha between June 15 and July 15* The method employed by the permittee in capturing fawns is rather unique. practically impossible for a man to run down a fawn oven at this ten¬ der age, so he goes to his assigned area with a few trained dogs. Upon spotting a fawn of the desired ago the dogs are released and the chase is on. Ordinarily this is of short duration since the fawns tire easily and are then pushed down by the dogs, which hold them under their paws, without attempting to hurt them in any way, until the permittee arrives. The animals are then placed in crates or in darkened compartments on a truck. Within twenty-four hours the animals are brought to the ranch and during this poriod they are given water but no food. It is there At the ranch they are placed in pens darkened with canvas, unless is taken the precaution of darkening the crates on the trucks and the pens at the destination the fawns oftentimes fight die. When placed in the pens the fawns arc given warm, captivity until they fresh cow* s milk week they are accustomed to man and will ta^'e diluted with water. Within a small quantities of other food. Bran and oatmeal are added to the menu and within a remarkably short time the fawns become accustomed to their new surroundings and to contact with human beings, loose in a small fenced area to browse on soon they may be turned natural feed. This latest shipment of fawns was brought to the South Rim by two trucks trip by way of the new peers Ferry bridge and arrived here on February 6, after having been thirty-four hours on the road. The ori¬ ginal shipment consisted of ton fawns. One failed to survive the trip, but the other nine arrived in splendid shape and are objects of the greatest which made the interest to our South Rim visitors. BEATER AT PHANTOM RANCH By G. E« Sturdovant about the Beaver, buffalo, and gold are called the throe major factors that brought an early development of the west. The beaver and buffal-c suffered from inroads of civilization to the extent that fears of extermination were There is a record of beavor trappers having visited the Grand Canyon as early as l8a&. After most of the beaver wore removed from tho tributaries of the Colorado tho few survivors attempted to perpetuate their once kind. voiced. That they succeeded is evidenced by finding colonies in several of tho streams within tho park, and at one place they ere a menace to man's efforts to reclaim a portion of the de3ort wastes. When phantom Ranch was established in 1^22 near tho mouth of Bright Angel creek, the site was covered with cactus, cats clew, mescal, and a rank growth of arrow wood, and willow, m time this waste land was trans¬ formed into a veritable garden spot, small areas bordering the stream were cleared of rocks and native plants and tho rich alluvial soil now prcdhcos shade and fruit trees and vegetables to appease the desires of the numerous visitors who annually visit "the deepest down camp in the world." The long rows of cottonwood shade trees thrived exceedingly, retaining their verdure in this sub—tropical climate the greater part of the year. Recently, h owe vox-„ aorne pas-sing boaver _j3ens£d- -th,e;Lr proximity to the ystreaa end whether it was food or material for a dam that he desired, he began gnawing away on a tree acme six inches, in diameter. Morning found the tree nearly severed from its he.se, A slight breeze during the day-ac¬ complished the unfinished work of the beaver. Some remedial measure was necessary even in a wild life sanctuary. After consulting the U. S» Biological Survey it was decided to pur¬ a. live beaver trap. As soon as the trap arrives it is planned to trap the heaver at Phantom Ranch - carry then in gunny sacks up the stream, and release thorn in the vicinity of Cottonwood where felled cottonwoods, heaver gnawing3 and occasionally a don conveys to the Park visitor- the presence of those constructive engineers* chase FAVORABLE SNOW CONDITIONS Since there and range is a direct relationship between winter precipitation conditions for the following summer park officers are quite optimistic as to an abundance of feed for the liaibab deer herd next season. Snowfall throughout the park has been uniformly heavy .all season; especially on the Forth Rim, There, at the present time, the snow on the ground at approximately sixty-four inches, Cn the. flats helo'^the average depth is about ore foot greater, and heavy snows Bright Angel Ranger station have been uniform over measures the entire Kaibah plateau region. does not last so long on the South Rim as it does on the ether side Canyon, and although the average depth on the south side at the pre¬ sent time is only about six or eight inches the total snow fall for the season on the South Rim to date has amounted to 51*4 inches. The same con¬ dition of heavy snows is reported generally throughout the State, especially on the headwaters of streams feeding the larger reservoirs*. Cattlemen*) Snow of the agriculturists dependent upon irrigation and the business interests of the State in general are therefore quite encouraged as to the outlook for the coming se-ason.