July 20, 2023 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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Steam leaves the Woods
n May 1956, the Simpson
Lookout magazine includ-
ed the following story:
“I’m the Three-Spot,
named after William Shorter,
one of the early Simpson
engineers. I’m 30 years old,
and as steam lokies go, that
makes me a grandfather.
Steam is going out, step—
ping aside“ for the diesels.
Simpson has used lokies
like me since the nineties,
but diesels are running the
Simpson rails now. I’m just
an old fellow puffing a lot of
memories.
They had me run out to
Camp Govey during the
March snows to get some
Cats. Snow was too deep to
log in the mountains, and the
Cats needed a ride to the flat
lands. So they picked me over
a diesel to go get the Cats.
Truth is, I think the diesel
didn’t want to get its wheels
cold.
One thing I like about
Cats, even if they are diesel
kin, is they help themselves.
They don’t have to be lifted
on the flat cars — they run
themselves right up there.
Coming to this little tres—
tle, I sure smoked the crows
out of the trees. Must be ‘
what made the crows black,
old smoking lokies like me.
I also really liked crossing
Vance Creek bridge, 346
feet above the creek. Noth-
ing down there but fish look-
ing up, watching for Cinders.
HISTORY
. AT A GLANCE
Those Cats really had to
hang on — what a splash
they would have made,
spilled from Vance Creek
Bridge!
I talk too much. That’s the
trouble with us old lokies. We
like to let off steam. While I
take a drink and a little rest,
I’ll just add that we hope,
when the day comes that
steam is gone from the Simp-
son railroad, you’ll remember
us. We weren’t fancy built or
slicked up like the diesels,
but we worked hard and we
pulled in the logs that kept
the town and the mills going
for 60 years.”
An article in the August
1958 Lookout began, “Steam
at last has left the woods.” In
July, Simpson had removed
its last steam donkey from
Camp Grisdale and replaced
it with a bright yellow diesel-
operated machine. Bob Ste-
venson, who had grown up
in Simpson logging camps
and began operating a steam
What’s your tsetse
Let us help you ach
Peninsula
NIUN‘
(‘RIDUYU
‘Annual Percentage Yield (APY) Dwtdends we computed on the actual amount
in the account and are pald quarterly, Them are substantial penalties
for eany Withdrawal of cerlificate funds. Early withdrawal of certificate
lands is sublecl to a penalty oi one half of the interest that would be
earned
over the original term ol the certificate. The penalty is calculated on me
amount withdrawn Fees can reduce the earnings on your account. Mmunum
balance to open share certificate/CD ls $500. Membevship ehgibdrty
IQQUWBd. Terms, restrictions and conditions apply Federally insured by NCUA
360.426.1601
pcfcuorg
donkey at the age of 17, said
about the passing of steam,
“It’s just like seeing an old
friend leave. I’ve never run
anything but steam. It’s been
my bread and butter all my
life and I’m sorry to see it go.”
In September 1958, the
Simpson Logging Co. said
“Farewell to Steam” in an
official excursion from Shel-
ton to Camp Grisdale, which
was celebrating its 10th an—
niversary. Instead of log cars,
the steam locomotive Benja-
min Snider, also known as
the Nine-Spot, pulled three
Northern Pacific passenger
cars filled with 250 guests
making a last nostalgic trip.
I Jan Parker is a research-
cr for the Mason County His:
torical Museum. She’s at par]:-
eijfll‘hctcrom. IVIembcrs/iip in,
Thursday, July 20, 2023 Shelton-Mason County Journal — Page 7
Top, the 3 Spot William Shorter. Above, Simpson Steam
Donkey. Photos courtesy of Mason County Historical Museum
will receive a free copy oft/1e
boo/e “Shelton, the irst Cen—
tury Plus Ten."
the Mason County Historical
Society is $25 pcryear. For
a. limited time, new members
bows-iload'forsxcwa. ,
& lNSTANT rewards!