The Late Bob-I er, Ira Spring Vs Harvey Manning

[johndavidjr]

(edited for my stupid confusion re. dis guy's name)

 

Was re-reading about falling-out of 40-year friendship of these two Great NW Fossils in 2002, the year before Spring died. I think he was born in 1918...Manning felt that Spring was too open to compromise in conservation efforts. One notes Spring's support for Dosewallops road reconstruction. His general view of trails & access was reportedly that crowds of hikers create a constituencey for wilderness preservation. Manning agreed obviously but at least claims to have greater concern with the latter. I grew up with Manning's "Freedom" and can highly recommend his memoir of both childhood & hiking as middle-aged person, "Walking The Beach To Bellingham." From middle 1980s perspective, the book is obsessed with how things had changed around the Sound in a decade. I wonder if Spring's endorsement of Dosewallops was a specific factor in their disagreement.

 

(I'm sure Spring would be disturbed to note the links on "brinnonprosperity.org" mentioned elsewhere on this board. THey include several think-tanks & legal action groups of the right wing, (Not James Watt/Gail Norton?) There is also the site of a well-known timber industry spokesman, & looks like even a few lunatics with atmospheric science opinions & air of general hostility. These people are helping???

Edited May 25, 2004 by johndavidjr

[crazyjizzy]

I'm sure that Bob Spring will be saddened to learn that he died. He is alive and well in Bellingham.

[Fairweather]

 

"East-coast John" continues his uneducated rants about wilderness preservation here in the PNW.

[johndavidjr]

I'd be interested in a brief summary, Dr. Fairweather, of the latter chapters of Beckey's most recent work. The chapters concerning post WWII history of NCascades. That looked like the best part, but unfortunately I lost my copy while making connection at O'Hare.

Edited May 26, 2004 by johndavidjr

[Fairweather]

I'll see if I can find my copy, but first I must report your anti-real estate writings to the Tri-Lateral Commission, The Builderburgers, The Masons, and my local Remax agent. They will be most interested in your attitude, my paranoid friend.

 

The Dose is ripe for the taking! And only you stand in our way!! Mwwwa ha ha ha ha...

[olyclimber]

I would like a nice 20 acre riverside plot on the Dose. I want in on the conspiracy.

[johndavidjr]

I haven't been clear in my comments on Dosewallips road repair, partly because the issue has several aspects that are nearly unrelated. But I think the Manning/Spring dispute, as stupid and bitter as it was, is highly relevant.

 

First there's "brinnonprosperity.org" which really is driven by real estate interests and is at best distasteful, especially because of their multiple links to "james watt" type organizations of the hard right.

 

Then there's minor point about the 80 acres that are privately owned beyond the Dose washout. I assume you can't build a casino, or whatever the wildest dreams of "brinnonprosperity.org" might be for those acres. But it seems quite likely that the value of this land would be greatly enhanced if you could at least drive a nice motor home (or two) there.

 

As for precedents, well, it it goes without saying that climbers & hikers favor this road repair, then the line gets drawn on preservation further back up the hill. (See Havey Mann's general views.)

 

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Edited May 26, 2004 by johndavidjr