CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
ROUND TOP
.
February 10, 1925: "A second fire watch tower will rise in the Berkeley hills to protect residents of the college city and the entire eastbay from a repetition of September 1923.
The new tower, similar to the one now functioning on Grizzly peak, will be located on Round Top, the second highest point in the Berkeley hills. Plans for the new tower were disclosed at a recent meeting of the Contra Costa hills fire protection committee held at the office of E.L. LaVeagn, extensive landowner in the Orinda Park district." (Oakland Tribune)
October 14, 1925: "Unless Oakland and Piedmont add financial to their moral support of the state forestry department, the state will withdraw its forest fire fighting aid in the Eastbay.
This was made known today by Emanuel Fritz, secretary of the California section of the Society of American Foresters and assistant professor of forestry at the University of California, following a conference with M.B. Pratt, state forester.
According to Fritz, the state forester is dissatisfied with the co-operation of the Eastbay communities, particularly Oakland and Piedmont, and is likely to withdraw his support on the ground that forest fighting funds should come from the treasuries of the cities endangered.
"The state now furnishes this region with a district ranger who is charged with the duty of suppressing forest and grass fires," said Fritz. "The state also pays part of the salary of the Grizzly Peak lookout observer. Obviously these two men are an insufficient force, and the single lookout station is inadequate to give the Eastbay cities proper protection.
:Money is urgently needed by the Contra Costa hills fire protection committee to defray the cost of actual fire fighting, for half the salary of the lookout, for the installation on Round Top mountain of another lookout station, the building of fire trails and the purchase of equipment. Such funds should come from the treasuries of the cities and larger property owners." (Oakland Tribune)
