SUGAR BUSH HILL (RAT LAKE)
Wisconsin - Forest County - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
March 4, 1939: "The sit-down strike of Clyde H. Spencer today went into its third day, with the town of Lincoln chairman more or less comfortably ensconced in the eight-foot cubicle atop the 110-foot forest fire lookout tower on Sugarbush hill.
The 35-year old Spencer climbed to his perch Thursday, announcing he would 'stay until Easter' if necessary. He said he was using the sit down to convince the state conservation commission it should open fire lanes leading to Forest county lakes.
The temperature was around 30 degrees last night, so Spencer did not suffer much from cold. But he has trouble keeping his feet warm. The wind whistles up through the cracks in the floor, he explained." (Ironwood Daily Globe)
The 35-year old Spencer climbed to his perch Thursday, announcing he would 'stay until Easter' if necessary. He said he was using the sit down to convince the state conservation commission it should open fire lanes leading to Forest county lakes.
The temperature was around 30 degrees last night, so Spencer did not suffer much from cold. But he has trouble keeping his feet warm. The wind whistles up through the cracks in the floor, he explained." (Ironwood Daily Globe)
March 6, 1939: "Citizens of Crandon were aroused today to the point of saying "something ought to be done" about the sitdown strike of Clyde H. Spencer, who began his fifth day perched in the eight-foot cubicle atop a 110-foot fire lookout tower on Sugar Bush Hill.
There was talk here of calling a mass meeting and sending a delegation to ask the commission to take action.
Although snow fell most of last night, the temperature today was above the freezing point. Spencer has a gasoline heater, a radio set and newspaper in his temporary home. Relatives bring him food, and except for wind whistling through the cracks in the floor, he says he is getting along fine." (Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune)
March 7, 1939: "Edgar Gravitter, Crandon supervisor, climbed the 110-foot fire tower on Sugar Bush Hill today in an attempt to dissuade Clyde H. Spencer from his sit-down strike atop the tower.
Gravitter planned to use the cold weather as an argument, and to suggest that Spencer, 35-year-old chairman of Lincoln township, to go the Madison to ask the conservation commission to open fire lanes leading to Forest county lakes.
Spencer climbed the tower last Thursday, declaring he would "stay until Easter" if necessary to convince the commission it should reopen the lanes to the public. He had a gasoline heater and a radio set brought to his temporary home--the eight-foot cubicle at the peak of the tower--and arranged to have relatives bring him food." (Oshkosh Daily Northwestern)
March 14, 1939: "Clyde H. Spencer ended his 11-day sitdown atop a 110-foot fire tower late yesterday in order to discuss with Gov. Heil at Rhinelander last night the closing of fire lanes to Forest County Lakes.
Spencer, 35-year-old chairman of the town of Lincoln, climbed the lofty tower on Sugar Bush Hill March 2 to dramatize his plea that fire lanes be reopened by the State Conservation Commission.
With 11 days' growth of whiskers on his chin, Spencer descended from his perch at 4:05 p.m." (Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune)(Mo)
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