No one got this one!! A near tour bus vs log truck collision is the answer for Clearwater History Trivia #669, a special feature to celebrate the history and heritage of Clearwater Country. Join in the discovery! Monday: A tour bus Wednesday: A loaded log truck Thursday: Cecil Andrus Friday: To Camp 6 Saturday: A narrow one-lane road Monday: A flagman was stationed Tuesday: Bertha Hill Wednesday: Log truck lost its brakes Thursday: The driver turned his truck into the canyon. Friday: Then he bailed out. Saturday: 15-20 feet from the lead bus Monday: Thank you letters were sent. Tuesday: Runaway speed Wednesday: The truck was practically destroyed. Thursday: Members of Congress Friday: Land Board Members Saturday: Tax Commission Monday: Legislators from the Resource Committee Tuesday: Red Manfull was the lead bus driver Wednesday: The log truck driver came through the wreck in fine shape. Thursday: Truck practically destroyed In his book, White Pines and Fires, A.B. Curtis recounts a story about an inspection trip that involved about 100 guests including Land Board members, Tax Commission people, Legislators from the Resource Committee and etc., most particularly Cecil Andrus who at the time was a candidate for governor. Three large buses with several private cars following were headed up Bertha Hill after stops for some discussions along the way. They had just crossed the upper fork of Alder Creek and were starting up the long, narrow road up the hill to old Camp 6. There was about a mile of road with no place to pass. Ahead of the procession, Curtis had placed a flagman at the top of the hill to stop anyone going down. It became a very serious matter when the flagman was unable to stop a fully loaded logging truck coming down against the tour group. The log truck driver had lost his brakes and could not stop. As the truck's speed picked up on the downhill grade, he knew something had to be done, but the procession coming up did not know the log truck was coming down thinking that the pilot truck had stopped all downhill traffic. Rounding the curve at runaway speed, the log truck driver suddenly saw the lead bus on the way up. There was no room to pass. Red Manfull was the driver of the lead bus. It became evident that a crash was eminent and seemed there was nothing that could be done to prevent it. The log truck driver chose to turn his truck into the canyon and rolled out as the truck went over the edge just 15-20 feet from the lead bus. The log truck was practically destroyed and logs strewn all down the side of the canyon. Manfull stopped the bus as quickly as he could and everyone ran to see what had happened to the brave log truck driver. Curtis said he came through the crash in fine shape. Andrus asked the name of the truck driver and bus driver, then sent them letters praising their brave actions. Sponsored by:
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