PENNSYLVANIA LOOKOUTS
BRUSH MOUNTAIN
Blair County
November 29, 1922: "Seven members of the Blair County Alpine club visited the Brush mountain fire tower on Sunday. The tower is about completed, except the glass in the cabin at the top. The tower is 2500 feet above sea level." (Altoona Mirror)
December 1, 1922: "The forestry department recently erected a fire tower on the highest point on Brush mountain at the kettle which is plainly visible from town. Many persons who saw the tower from town and were not aware that a fire tower has been erected, thought it was a monument as the sun flashing on the galvanized cabin at the top gives it the appearance of polished marble or other fine stone. This tower will be a valuable aid in locating forest fires, as it overlooks a vast territory of forest lands." (The Altoona Mirror)
July 22, 1924: "$25.00 Reward for information leading to arrest and conviction of the parties who broke into the Brush Mountain Fire Tower Cabin." (Altoona Mirror)
July 30, 1924: "Christopher Kyle, a Brush Mountain young man, killed a rattlesnake of unusual size on Sunday, when taking a stroll on the mountain. The snake was discovered near the fire tower on the Kettle side and was dispatched with a well-directed stone. The reptile had fifteen rattles and Christ says it was the longest snake of the kind he has ever seen, rattlers as a rule not attaining any great length. This is the second rattle snake Christ has killed this year, the first one also being seen on Brush Mountain." (Altoona Tribune)
November 3, 1924: "Fanned by high winds, a forest fire late yesterday afternoon broke out at the foot of Brush Mountain just east of Sixteenth street and by midnight last night had raced to the summit of the ridge. It was still beyond control early this morning.
More than 150 acres of young timberland had been burned over by midnight and the fire line at that time stretched a distance of two and a half miles on all sides. The flames were heading steadily eastward in the direction of the steel fire tower at the top of the mountain.
70 men were fighting the fire at midnight and 30 more were being gathered about Altoona and Hollidaysburg to help check the flames." (Altoona Tribune)
April 15, 1925: "Boys, members of hiking parties traveling over the mountain sections in the vicinity of Altoona, are causing a great damage to the young timber according to reports made today by forest wardens and fire wardens who have visited in practically every section of the county during the past few weeks.
The wardens report that boys are using hatchets to chop down small trees for no apparent reason other than to exercise in chopping the trees. One of the wardens, on a walk from the fire tower on Brush mountain to the Kettle road yesterday, found a large number of trees cut right along the trail.
Announcement is made today by the wardens that all boys caught in the woods carrying hatchets will be relieved of the instruments. The wardens explain that there is no necessity for anyone to carry a hatchet on a hike, Boys Scouts can use the hatchets when a scoutmaster is along to supervise its use," (Altoona Mirror)
March 30, 1927: "The state department of forests and waters in 1923 erected a 60 foot steel fire tower on Brush mountain northeast of this city (Altoona). Near its base was erected a steel cabin for the forest ranger. A ranger is kept on the job there during the fire period which usually is April and May, October and November.
This ranger keeps a close watch on the surrounding country, is in touch with fire wardens by telephone and in a general way safeguards the property of the public. He also has on hand, at all times, literature concerning conservation and educational matters pertaining to reforestation and forest fire fighting.
It is a matter of sincere regret, then, to think that any person would be low and mean enough to go there, in the absence of the ranger, and destroy what the state has built up. On a number of occasions, men or boys or both, have visited the place and did inestimable damage to the tower, the cabin and the trees.
The fire tower and the cabin are anything but targets for rifle practice, yet some people think it a great 'joke' to put a bullet through. Not only have both the cabin and the tower and the observation station on the tower been 'shot up' but they have been rifled and otherwise destroyed.
Several arrests have been made. The last ones arrested, three boys, were hailed before a magistrate and a fine and costs levied each, amounting to $17.88. That was paid with a good deal of effort on the part of the parents of the offenders but it is a safe bet they not do the same thing again." (Altoona Mirror)
July 5, 1927: "Charles Kouse of East End, Altoona was given a hearing before Justice of the Peace John K. Shoenfelt of Duncansville, charged by the district fire warden with the defacing of state property at the Brush mountain fire tower, the latter part of last week. He was adjudged guilty of the charge and a fine of $10 with the costs of prosecution, was imposed. It was alleged that Kouse cut his name and other markings on the fire tower in violation of the law." (The Altoona Mirror)
October 7, 1925: "Brush mountain lookout tower will be manned not later than Oct. 15 by Forest Fire Warden Theo Chamberlin of Holidaysburg. A close watch will be kept for fires and any that occur will be promptly reported to the nearest warden." (Altoona Mirror)
April 15, 1939: "Jesse D. Brandt of East Bell avenue has been assigned to the Brush mountain fire tower. He is the proprietor of a gasoline station at Greenwood." (Altoona Mirror)
March 27, 1945: "One fire tower will not be in service because vandals have badly damaged it, Mr. Wilt reported. It is the one on Brush mountain where it will be necessary to assign a patrolman this year instead. To avoid similar damage to other towers, Mr. Wilt announced that summary prosecution is in store for anyone caught defacing or destroying them." (Altoona Mirror)