MAIL AND RAIL 

From

50 Years On The Klamath

by John C. Boyle

During 1911 mail was delivered to Camp Ward No.3 via Thrall. The Southern Pacific passenger trains north and south which carried mail cars would not stop at Thrall as a regular stop, but they would stop by flag to let passengers on and off. In case of nonstop, the mail sack would be kicked off from the side door of the mail car. For picking up mail there was a pipe stand alongside of the track to which the outgoing sack would be attached and an arm operated from the inside of the mail car would reach out and hook the sack as it went by. The operation was satisfactory for letters, but disastrous for packages.

The motor cars on the Klamath Lake Railroad Company would deliver mail along the river to Fall Creek, Klamath Springs Station and Pokegama. The Thrall post office was in the old Laird ranch home.

When the power company took over operations of the railroad in 1912, it ceased to operate as a common carrier. The question of liability in handling mail, persons and packages resulted in requiring a signed complete release from claims for damage and other requirements. There was no charge and regular trips were scheduled at least once a week.

The word "Copco" was officially recognized on July 30, 1914 , the day that Postmaster General Albert S. Burleson appointed the postmaster for a post office at " Wards Canyon ," construction camp. Klamath River Plants No. 1 and No.2 became Copco No. 1 and No.2.

Although California-Oregon Power Company was incorporated December 15, 1911 , the first letters of the company's name were not recognized as one word until this post office was created.

The word was easy to remember and rapidly came into general use in Northern California and Southern Oregon . In speaking of electric service, it was Copco dams, Copco power lines, Copco offices, but most of all Copco employees. It became well known that in case of fire, floods, accidents or any emergency, the quickest way to get action was to call COPCO.

The announcement that a postmaster was appointed reads like a diploma from a college of higher learning even though it was only a Fourth Class office. All the red tape involved in keeping records, stamps, money orders, etc. took time. Compensation for operating this post office was the amount obtained by cancellation of stamps on outgoing mail. Later application was made to establish a rural route from Hornbrook to Copco via wagon road. The company then discontinued all transportation by rail except for its own business.

One of the perplexing problems during 1910 and 1911 in constructing a major power development at Wards Canyon was economical transportation of material and supplies. The Southern Pacific Railroad had adequate stations at Hornbrook and Ager and sidings at Klamathon and Thrall. The Klamath Lake Railroad was operating between Thrall and Pokegama as a common carrier until May 1912 with a flag stop at Klamath Hot Springs Station about one mile from the construction camp.

Exhaustive studies of the cost of delivering freight by teams, motor vehicles or railroads were made. It was rumored that the KLRR would soon stop operations and sell its railroad steel and equipment.

All freight via Thrall for the construction camp was unloaded at the Klamath Hot Springs station at $.25 per l00 pounds for less than carloads and $.15 per 100 pounds for carload lots.

            During the common carrier time, the schedules were very uncertain. They were subject to the whims of the manager, E. T. Abbott, who ruled with an iron hand and bestowed his wrath on those who disagreed with him.

The regular train between Thrall and Pokegama consisted generally of one engine, 14 flat cars and caboose, which was about the uphill limit for the engine on the 3 and 4 percent grades. Downhill, 14 cars loaded with lumber were easily handled.

The train crew, Joe Frizell, engineer, Tony Burgess, brakeman, and Pete Frulen, fireman, did many things to give good service.

During the spring of 1912, notice was given that the railroad was for sale. The S.E.P.&L. Company then negotiated a lease on 13 miles of track between Thrall and Klamath Hot Springs stations at $500.00 per month having in mind operating it at least during the transportation of heavy powerhouse equipment to Copco No. 1 plant. The balance of the rails, about 13 miles of track between Pokegama to Klamath Hot Springs station, was torn up and shipped to a hydroelectric project being constructed in southern California .

The 13 miles leased by S.E.P &L. Co. was in miserable condition. Consequently it was used very little until it was purchased in the spring of 1914 for $35,000.00 and turned over to the construction organization at Copco No.1. It was properly maintained throughout the construction of both Klamath River developments No.1 and No.2. A new location of about 4800 feet long was made from Sloans Field to No. 1 Klamath River construction camp. A spur track was extended by a double switchback of 10% grade to the powerhouse at No. 1 plant and later a line extended over the Klamath River to the No.2 powerhouse.

0. R. (Ollie) Brothers was the section crew. He and his family lived in the railroad station- house at the steel bridge crossing of the Klamath River . Once in a while he would have his son work with him.

He had a motor car with a single-cylinder air-cooled engine and hand-operated handlebars. To this was attached a small flat car in which he hauled ties, tools and miscellaneous equipment. Ollie worked from place to place where the railroad track most needed repairs.

Old 3-spot, a 45-ton rod engine purchased with the railroad, required considerable track maintenance. Its front and back drivers were 10 feet 6 inches center to center and often spread the rails in the sharp curves. Time lost putting the engine back on the rails resulted in the sale of 3-spot and the purchase of a Shay engine (25 ton) from the Mt. Tamaelpias Railroad. Along with the Shay engine came William (Pop) Thomas who took over operations of the rail transportation problem until the rush was over at Copco No. 1 dam and powerhouse. The Shay could handle two minimum carloads of 30,000 pounds each on the 4% grades, but no more. So "Pop" Thomas doubled up by pushing two carloads ahead and hauling two carloads behind the engine. He would uncouple at the bottom of each grade and make two trips, thus increasing the daily delivery of freight.

One day in January 1917 the Shay engine with a gondola loaded with scroll case for the Copco No. 1 powerhouse started backing down to unload. When it got to the 10% grade it started gaining momentum. The engineer became confused and jumped off, followed by the fireman and the brakeman, leaving the engine and car to take their own course.