First of Lumber - The Lone Ranger (12-13-43)

Original Air Date: December 13, 1943
Host: Andrew Rhynes
Show: The Lone Ranger
Phone: (707) 98 OTRDW (6-8739)

Stars:
• Brace Beemer (Lone Ranger)
• John Todd (Tonto)
Writer:
• Fran Striker
Producer:
• George W. Trendle
Music:
• Ben Bonnell

Exit music from: Roundup on the Prairie by Aaron Kenny https://bit.ly/3kTj0kK

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
M. Welcome to the Old TimeRadio Westerns. I'm your host Andrew Rhines
and let's get into this episode.This episode is going to be the Lone
Ranger. Original Ardie is December thirteenth, nineteen forty three, and the title

(00:24):
is First of Lumber. Let's getinto it, and I hope you enjoy.
I'm Silber, a fiery horse witha speed of light, a cloud

(00:50):
of dust, and a hearty higosilver. A lone ranger. Arnold Gerson,

(02:31):
whose wealth reached out to develop thevast resources of the far West,
decided to strike at the heart ofthe Barbary Coast. In an effort to
stamp out the viciousness. Geerson soughtfor and found the Lone Ranger. This
masked rider of mystery, though reluctantto leave the plains and mountains of the
cattle country and to the call,and smashed the forces of evil in the

(02:52):
Barbary Coast. His work in SanFrancisco finished, Toto and the mask Man
headed north for the gold fields andthe land of Big Timber. Return with
us now to those thrilling days ofyesteryear, from out of the past,
from the thundering hoof beats of thegreat horse Silver, The Lone Ranger rides
again. Arnold Jeerson sat on hislibrary. He read the Lone Ranger's letter

(03:37):
twice and sat thinking about it ashis mother entered, Oh lord, how
long does it take you to reada letter? You said you'd be right
out and play casino with me.I'm sorry, mother, I've been thinking
about the things a lone Ranger said. This letter came from him, from
the Lone Ranger, My sakes alive. What's he say? Where is he?

(03:58):
Really? He's a long way northof here. He sent this by
a man he met who was travelingsouth. Is he still in the gold
field? Oh? He's in thelumber region by this time. He is
what in ton gets are doing there? Really thinks there's some trouble. Oh
dear, I do hope he won'tmix into trouble in a lumber camp.
In my younger days, I knewlumber camps. Your father was interested in

(04:21):
lumber for a time. Yes,I know. I've known all kinds of
lumberman, from the general kingpin downto the swampers. They're a hard lot.
A lone Ranger met a cooksh h, what about him? Really had
to get out of the camp.The men got up and walk the table.
I've seen that happen too. Whenthe crew don't like the food,

(04:43):
they get up. The men walkup and down the length of the table,
kicking off the dishes and the food. That means Cookie has to clear
out in a hurry. Crumb.He doesn't like to have the dishes all
smashed. Crummy. Also the bunkhouse with the grubs, dish tow what's
the long way? You say hello? Read part of his letter to your
mother. He'll go ahead, don't. And I were riding from the gold

(05:06):
fields and heading south. We weregoing through woods, and the dense underbrush
and big trees made it slow travel. Scout and Silver had to pick their
way. We heard a stream ofwater and thought we'd find it and rest
the water. We didn't know therewas a camp anywhere near until we came
to a clearing. There was oneman there. He leaped to his feet

(05:29):
and raised his hands. He actedas though he expected to be shot on
the sight. Oh no, mister, Plea, don't shoot me. Don't
do it. I won't make notrouble. All I ask just to be
allowed to get away. That's allI'm not going to shoot you. Your
hands done, let mask. You'rean outlaw killer Zeke sent you. I
know that. But if you'll justlet me go, you can tell him

(05:50):
you killed me any one never,no different, big fellow, Just a
minute, please, I'll be afraidof me. This master doesn't mean I'm
an outlaw. Didn't you come fromCinnamon River? No, but you came
from north to here, not asfar north as Cinnamon River. That's up
in the Timber Country. I knowit is. I don't know. I
came from Plaster City, can't.Oh, Oh, your Indian friend.

(06:12):
Yes, he leaves silver, takehorses to stream, let him drink.
Thanks, So I tell her,come silver. You get on then,
zeke Vincent didn't send you to getme. Well, I never heard of
him. I've been traveling night andday, getting away as fast as I
could. I don't want no trouble. I ain't nothing but a hasher.
That's what the cooking a lumber campis called. I am a cookie and

(06:35):
a darn good run. I neverin my fifteen years a cooking had the
man walked the table till zeke Vincentgot him to do it. He wanted
me fired. Why he wanted meto get fired, so I'd have to
go away. He knew I'd beall alone in the big timber. Then
he'd get a chance to kill me. None the wiser. Night and day
I've been traveling. I got nobush dail and dain't easy for a man

(06:58):
my age to travel on foot.What did you do to zeke? Vincent
had a blame thing? What's hisjob? He's been everything. He was
a swamper and a four up driverand a skid woman. Then for a
long time he was a cruiser,but he got hurt, and since then
he's been a pencil pusher. Hemean he works in the office. That's
right. He got his leg hurtin the fall. Maybe you're mistaken about

(07:20):
him. He might have no intentionof killing you. I ain't mistaken.
I know Zee Vincent. He's adownright dangerous man. I don't never forget
how mad he was. His nosewas tight to day. He found me
asleep outside the office window. Thoughthe was going to run a knife into
me. That's because you were sleeping. It wasn't because I was sleeping.
It was because I was there justoutside the open window. He'd been talking

(07:43):
to someone inside and thought I overheardwhat was said? What was said?
I don't know, I swear togoodness, I don't know. He came
out and saw me. Then hekicked me and started yelping that I had
been snooping on him. He raiseda gosh awful holla bloo. Who was
he talking to? I don't know. Didn't hear much of anything at all?
What did you hear? I guessit wasn't anything at all. I

(08:05):
told Zeka didn't hear anything, buthe wouldn't believe me. He tried to
get me fired. Then when thatdidn't work, he got up and walked
the table. Rest of the menfollowed him, and that done it.
I was through. If it hadn'tbeen that, I traveled faster than Zeke
could with that blumlegga, I'd havebeen caught for sure. Clem, you

(08:28):
did hear something, didn't you?No, Well, here, it wasn't
anything at all. Zeke told someoneto give Hickory Jones one more chance.
He said, if Hickory didn't sell, he'd wish he had. It was
Hickory Jones. He owns a valuablestandard redwood on decided the Cinnamon River.
Cinnamon River. That's quite a distancenorth. Yeah, it divides Hickory Jones

(08:54):
land and the land of the LumberSyndicate. Hickory is a hard man to
deal with. Is he cutting histimber? No, and he won't let
anyone else cut it. Clem Talland I are going to camp here with
you for a little while, ifyou don't mind. Clam was willing forest
to camp with him. I couldn'tlearn much more about zeke Vincent or Hickory

(09:16):
Jones, but I'm going to gonorth to Cinnamon Creek and investigate. Clam
will take this letter to the nearestpost office, mister Gerson, and by
the time you read it, Tantoand I will be near Hickory Jones.

(09:46):
This Hickory Jones, Clam, Ithink it is Tato. I think Cinnamon
River is just beyond this forest.I suppose to be an open valley on
each side of the river. Oh, down the houses in that valley.
He smells smoke boat, I'm notlike forest fire, smoke black can small
fire. Hello, Look through there, Oh, open valley and the house

(10:11):
that's where the smoke's coming from,Hickory Jones house. That's good. We
see him plenty soon him. Yourpolicing trees. I got the horses,
derk, I got him covered.I watched him come up with one of
them's masked. Don't resist, mister, I've got the drop on you and
me too. What's the idea ofthe mask? We're not resisting? Is

(10:33):
here his private timber? Mister,maybe you knew that when you came here.
I'm on my way to see HickoryJones. This is his land,
isn't it it is? And you'resure going to see Hickory Jones right straight
ahead. Go to the house anddon't go fast. I order say.
We ain't lay a hand on anyoneunless they try to resist. Come on,
Silver, get him up, scone, get out of this. Is

(11:05):
Hickory Jones, that's my name.Where'd you get him? Jack? He
and the redskin was coming out ofthe timber on this side. Where'd you
come from the south? All theway through my timber? Yes, I
got gods on patrol on all sidesof the timber. What did you do
to my gods? We saw noneuntil these two men stopped us. Sure
we saw no guards on the southedge of the timber. I'll make him

(11:26):
tell the truth, boss chances Jack, shut up the man is telling the
truth. I know a line andknow the truth. Maybe the gods mischief,
but they shouldn't have is dangerous.He told us he was coming here
to speak to you, boss,and able to buy my timber, taint
for sale and taint for cutting.Is that clear? Yes, quite clear.
I don't need the cash, andI won't have those trees cut.

(11:50):
Trying to get the government take overthis land and protect the redwood giants number
and interests don't see I the eyewith me. You hire guards to protect
the trees you want to give tothe government. That's why I want the
government to take him. I'd liketo have someone else paying those guards.
Cost money, yes, but Ican't think of anything more worth while.
Why do you wear that mask becausethat's yours. You can seal my face

(12:13):
straight enough answer to a straight question. You're coming here to see me?
Yes? Why you know someone namedzeke Vincent? Yes, he works for
the syndicate in the big camp onthe north of Cinnamon River. Friend of
yours. Oh, I don't knowhim. He's bad, no good.
As he tried to buy your land. No one hadn't better throw him off,
had anyone tried to buy it?Why he asked, I'm out a

(12:35):
cook from the syndicate camp. Heoverheard part of a conversation. One of
the men who talked was zeke Vincent. Yeah, there was unknown man by
the name of daniher Do Danner.I told him it wasn't for sale.
He wanted to buy it for thesyndicate. Oh yes or no? He
said he was buying it for himself. He lied he wasn't. Did he
make any threats? He said there'dbeen a long dry spell, it was

(12:58):
dangerous timber fire would clean me out. I'd do well to sell while I
had the chance. He meant thatas a threat. I know how he
meant it. That's why I've gotguards. How much help do you have
in case of fire started? Themen that work across the river would come
and fight it. I'd be ahundred men here no time, as fast
as they get across the bridge.No good lumber man will let a fire

(13:20):
go, even if it ain't histimber. Do you want to ask me
any more questions? Jones? I'dlike your name, but if you're mashed,
you wouldn't give it. Where areyou going from here? I want
to find Dennah Jacker. Where didhe go after leaving me across the river,
probably with the men in the syndicatecamp. And that's where I'm going.
And look here. Yes I didn'tsell out. See, but there's

(13:43):
men who have men who've had tosell out to that syndicate. What happened
if they refused trouble? Sometimes onething, sometimes another. Mules got pison
and died, flumes got smashed,cable snapped, machinery broke down, trees
fell wrong, and hurt people,one thing after another to make you only
realize you'd be better off to sellto the syndicate. I'm glad you came

(14:05):
here. You're needed bad. Whatdo you mean, boys, how do
you mean he's needed? Jack?Your foolish man's riding a white stadion,
calls it silver. Came from Southyhere. He just done some work in
the goldfields. Before that, itwas the Barbary coast. This is the
Lone Ranger, a man we readabout. I'm all right or wrong.
I thought you suspected that. Getthis syndicate, it's bad. Get it.

(14:28):
You'll have the everlasting gratitude of everytimber owner between here and the Canada
border. The curtain falls on thefirst act of our lone ranger story.

(14:48):
Before the next exciting scenes, pleasepermit us to pause for just a few
moments now to continue our story.A long ranger and Toto rode beside cinema

(15:58):
river a turbine stream, both wideand deep, spanned by a bridge.
It isn't long since this river filledthe whole valley. Tunno that right that
way? Not many trees near water'shead lay means something else too. What
that well of Hickory's timber burn takea very high wind to jump the fire

(16:18):
to the timber home to the syndicate. Heavy high wind, the syndicate timber
would be comparatively safe. Ah.What we do when we get to syndicate
camp? What a farm dena here? Zeke vincent oh ridge back of us?
Now we on syndicate lamb Yes,I can see part of the camp
halfway up the side of that hill. How to bridge go off? Look

(16:42):
at it to try and blow upto nick Bears falling like rain corn silver,
a blast at both ends the bridgethrough heavy timbers, heavy planks,
and rails high to the end.A masked man of Totto were barely able
to avoid the rain of massive sections. The heavy bridge. Then when the

(17:03):
last had fallen, Boto that metover there. He's riding to the camp
and me see and we want him. Come on, sus, count right
up for I wrote you back rightshot, right up. I'll call you
if you come here over that kindof shooting. You're open. I'll make
the toss. Let me go,take this rope off me, let me

(17:30):
go. You're y murderers along.I'll get you for this. You can't
blow up bridges and get away withit. The bridge I want to talk
to you about. Come on,we're going to that lumber camp. That
suits me just fine. There's noplace i'd sooner go. It'll be your
word. Word of a mask managainst Zeke. Vincent a long ranger to

(17:51):
Zeke the camp and met the superintendentBill Barton. Man to my office.
All three of you and me stayout time watch horse. That's right,
tell her, he said, wecan say, my friend will guard the
horses. Mister Barton, think Vincentand I will go inside with you.
Ahead, Vincent man, come onwith stener. Hey, Bill, that

(18:11):
critter flowed off the bridge over CinnamonRiver. We had the exclusion all the
way up here. Yeah, themaster Barton, I had just crossed the
bridge when I heard the blast.It would have been caught if we'd been
a few seconds earlier, after fewhad been an inch shorter. You denay
fixing the blast man? Yes,of course I do. I saw that
man riding away from the water's edgesome distance upstream, and would after him

(18:32):
blame he had broke my back byroping me. Vincent has been with us
a long time, and take hisword against the mass man's. I see,
you'll handle me your guns of massNcent? Where denniher? What?
How do't you know about I?I don't know anyone by that name.
He's a man you talk to whenyou discussed making Hickory Jones Elly's land.
What's his he? I don't knowwhat he's talking about. Marton, maybe

(18:56):
you're in this too, I don'tknow. You know it was? Have
you ever heard of a man calledAnnahr? He told Joan to be aware
of a fire if he refused tosell. John wasn't concerned about the fire
because he knew all the men inthis camp would be on a hand to
fight it. The bridge has beenblown up now those men can't cost the
river to fight a fire. Yousee, Zee guy I met, old

(19:18):
clem. What do you have tosay about this? Chances are he told
it straight. But one thing.He's the one in cohooks with Tannaher,
not me. Then why did Ihave to chase you after the blast?
I told you a minute to goto surrender your mask and gun. I'll
keep my gun. Oh you won'to my hand? We would go to
shoot. I'm going to do morethan that. I'm going to get the
men together and tell them what's happened. You're two one sided. All the

(19:41):
laborers can't be that way. Putdown the time where you are fire,
timber fire, timber fire, fireand timbered already fire side the river.
Hello, come with me. We'regoing to take a chance. Come back
here, come back. He's backof it, Bill, he's in cohooks
with Schemer in me that gun here? What was the show? We can't

(20:11):
do a thing that mast Mather justleft here. Destroyed the bridge, destroyed
it. I've seen it. Hebought it up, dot it to keep
us from going to fight the fire. There's not a thing we can do
about it. Ruld Hickory tunes hisland is doomed. He'll be revenged.
Boy's mast Man's trap by the river. I'll pay a hundred dollars in cash.

(20:32):
The man that brings him back heredidn't rely keep the mass man.
That's fine, Heckory Jones have beentelling Jack and Turk about the Lone Ranger
and his exploits. Someone like thatman's been needed around here for a long
time, a mighty long time.He'll get to the bottom of things and

(20:55):
do something about it. Hickory,who do you think is behind the lumber
Syndicate? It don't matter who's backI give it. Chances are some big
money man in San Francisco is apar behind the syndicate. What can the
Lone Ranger you do about it?I don't know what would you said he
could do about the Barbary Coast.I wouldn't have known where to start cleaning
that place of the Lone Ranger,did it? Hey, jerk, open
that door. It's better Jack Doris, seems like I smelled smoke, man,

(21:18):
I got a wood fire in thekitchen. That's more than that.
I do smell it. It's strong, I get it. Boys. If
that tanner hurts Tennantam across the riveryesterday, there's a timber fire somewhere here
comes one of the guards, ridinglike a fool. It's hard timber,
it's the red woods. That's whatit is to get to the bridge.
Take the best horse. Tell themen of the syndicate camp. We got
a fire here. Tiepoo. Sothe boys are fighting, but we need

(21:45):
more. We've got to cut andstart a back fire. We need man
hurry, jerk kill, Come on, you come with me, Jack,
they've got to fight his best.We candle hell, come kick cring.
His men raced into the woods towardthe upper increasing Okin presently saw the flames.
Great giants were blazing, shooting flamesas high as a man could see.
A handful of men who worked forHickory. Was a pitifully small and

(22:07):
helpless roof against so powerful an enemyas timber fire. Cut over there,
Get that tree down. We've gotthe clear path. Why don't some of
the others get here. They've hadtime and swing those flames. Get those
trees down. Hold it, boss, stamp clear if it one's followed over
him, you know, use here. You can't get the trees down in

(22:29):
time. Move back this way,follow me. We've got to get a
gap. Cut. Where's jerk anda syndicate man. Why don't they come?
The men fought suffocation and exhaustion.They struggled to drop trees and slow
the fire until it could be broughtunder control. They fall a losing battle.
Each minute it became more obvious thatwithout help they couldn't go on.
Danger increased as a chance that theymight be trapped by the flames, but

(22:53):
their love for fine trees gave themsuper human endurance. Hickory was everywhere,
swinging a heavy axe with titanic fightit. We won't quit. Fight it.
Boys. His hair was sings,his face was black with soot,
but on he fought with ax andsaw. Then here's Dirk Acquire. The
others were the boys from the camp. They coming, Boss Jack Hickory.

(23:17):
They can't make it, can't makeit. White os bridges gone. Someone
took the whole bridge down. There'sno sign it. But the men can't
cross the river. They could trail, they can't swim in that curt No
man alive could cross that river atthis time of the year. They don't
take your horsh out of here andcome back. We'll fight this thing with
what men we've got to that inthe meantime, the lone ranging Potto reached

(23:38):
the bank of Cinnamon River. Cut. There's one chance for men they got
across the river to fight that fire. How that I'm going to cross with
silver and carry one end of arope. Hurry, give me a rope.
Yeah, two robes tad together willreach there. You hold one in.
He's happy. Bad to your saddle. If any horse can cross this

(23:59):
river, Silver's the one to doit. Then come this way, come
on runner after us. Tell themto grab the rope and pull themselves across
the river. Come on, Silver, you can make it. Come on,
big pillow. And we struggling againstthe redging current. Silver flot towards
the south shore, while the lumbermancame up on the run. Cock you

(24:22):
you can't you wait? Hey,you well that streams getting the feet,
don't you'll listen? Listen him notto type fire him take rope to other
shore. You grab rope, gofight flire. Hey, is that what
he's doing. He's carrying a rope. Yes, here's a betty Redskins got
one into it. He can't makeit. Look at that currans leave him
along. Boy, Hey, listenhere, Richie Zike said the mask man

(24:48):
blew up the bridge. Zike,lie, why mask man risk life to
help get you over water? Ifhim fellow who blow a bridge, he's
making it. He's gonna make you. Come on, mask man, get
that rope over ashes. I canfight that fire. Come on, mess
man, we're flying. He's breadedhorse against the rope. Me ready,

(25:10):
Then listen to me. Man who'scard the fires? Somewhere in the forest.
They ever tell her he's on Joeside of the river. If you
find him, home him come onover here. But I can't go on.

(25:36):
I can understand. I need twoHickory, come on in. We
can't give up. If you menwant to quick, go ahead. I'll
fight these flames. Shall they lickme? Two of Hickory's men had already
fallen to the ground, unconscious frommoutter exhaustion. Those who remain fought valiantly,
but the flames kept spreading with eachpassing moment. Hickory knew he was
beaten, but he kept on witheverything in his command. He felt himself

(25:59):
grow weaker. The forest seemed togo in circles about him. Gotta keep
fighting. His iron will kept himgoing a little longer. Then the great
wave of giddiness assailed him. Hefelled himself, falling, falling, and
then all right, higree, haveyou take him to your saddle, Get
him out of here. He gothim fighting. You've done your part.
You kept the claims done enough sothey can still be brought under control.
You've to lone range. Her horsesbrought us ahead of the others. Listen,

(26:23):
I'm good. Men from the syndicatecamp are coming. They can't cross
the river. Of the bridges acrossthe river. They're here. Pick that
tree. You can't pick that manas the best woods one of the Redwood
region. They'll save your timberland.They'll save it for the future generations.
To look at him, marble.Can't the men come out of the forest.

(26:55):
No, I are all over.It was a lone ranger. He
did it. I don't know how, but he got those men to me
him. Come now, I'll tellto come with him. What about my
man Jack Dirk and all other fellowssleeping bend. I'm all right, only
tiring you, all right, youbet, I'm all right. You shaved
the biggest trees in the world.I want you to identify someone. Bang

(27:18):
him in, Get in there,all right, in all right, don't
shove gan her you fire set andskunk. I'm not admitting the thing.
Some of the men found him inthe timber. We we're just about to
start another fire. I'll fix thatday. We'll take care of him.
Maybe when he gets through talking,we'll have zeke Vincent to jail with him.
I guess we're stuck on this sidetill we can build another bridge.

(27:41):
Jachary men, Hey, don't knowhow I can repair for shaving those trees.
We didn't save him for you.We saved him because we can't stand
seeing fine trees burn. We'll dealwith Dana Her and with zeke Vincent too.
That mash man, Hey, wheredo you go? And outside of
the engine, he's an old ranger. The story you have just heard is

(29:45):
a copyrighted feature of The Lone RangerIncorporate. This has been a presentation of

(30:08):
OTR Westerns dot Com and we hopeyou enjoyed. Please take some time to
like and rate our shows in yourfavorite podcast application. Follow us on Facebook
by going to OTR Westerns dot comslash Facebook. Join in the conversation by
going to OTR Westerns dot Com slashDiscord and don't forget to send us an
email. Podcast at OTR Westerns dotcom. This episode's copyright under the attribution

(30:32):
non Commercial Sharelight copyright. For moreinformation, go to OTR Westerns dot com
slash copyright, Have it Right Day, and again, thanks for listening. The b