NEGLEY
Red River County - Texas Forest Service
February 5, 1937: "Work is scheduled to be resumed this week on the construction of a steel lookout tower in the fire protection zone established in the forest belt north of Clarksville by the Texas Forestry Service.
Excavations already have been completed for the concrete foundation.
The tower will be 100 feet high with a glass-enclosed room at the top where a watchman will be quartered while on duty. W.J. Leatherwood has been named as patrolman for the area.
The tower will be one of several given to this section of the State." (Bonham Daily Favorite)
Excavations already have been completed for the concrete foundation.
The tower will be 100 feet high with a glass-enclosed room at the top where a watchman will be quartered while on duty. W.J. Leatherwood has been named as patrolman for the area.
The tower will be one of several given to this section of the State." (Bonham Daily Favorite)
February 17, 1937: "A steel lookout tower for fire protection in the timber belt 10 miles north of here (Clarksville) will be completed this week. Installation of bannisters on steps leading to the top was all that remained to be done. The tower is 110 feet high.
W.J. Leatherwood has been employed as watchman and Hugh Sheppard as relief man.
Phone lines also are to be established in the zone, officials said.
The protection area was designated by the Texas Forestry Service is one of several established recently in this section of the state. A similar tower is to be located in Bowie county." (The Paris News)
August 15, 1954: "Here on top of Red River County, Mrs. Juanita Westbrook has the 'lonesomest' job anywhere.
She's officially titled radio operator in the Negley Fire Lookout Tower operated north of Clarksville by the State Forestry Service. She watches and reports fires from her perch atop majestic pines alongside Highway 37." (The Paris News)
November 18, 1954: "Mrs. Juanita Westbrook believes she has the loneliest job in the world.
She's a forest fire spotter -- guardian of 58,000 acres in northeastern Texas.
Few persons will brave the 126 steps to her lookout tower. The climb makes them dizzy. Most of those who start give up about halfway to the top.
Mrs. Westbrook traverses the steps at least three times a day. Her house is just a few hundred yards away. Since February, 1953, when she took over the tower, she has been off duty only two months.
She has spent so much time looking at fires that she can tell the difference at a glance between a 'legal' and an 'illegal' fire. A 'legal' fire is one set by a rancher to burn brush.
An 'illegal' fire, she explained is one set deliberately or accidentally. This type is the destructive one, and is the kind Mrs. Westbrook must spot early." (Chronicle Telegram - Elyra, Ohio)
January 23, 1966: "Jerry Westbrook is crew leader for the Negley crew area and fire lookout tower which serves the northern portion of Red River County. He is assisted by Crewman George White." (The Paris News)