Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland.
Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous
trails, fighting the many enemies of nature.
This is the job of the guardian of the forest, Ranger Bill.
Pouring rain, freezing cold, blistering heat, snow, floods, bears, rattlesnakes, mountain
lions.
Yes, all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done.
I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed against the earth's sweet flowing breast.
A tree that looks at God all day and lifts her leafy arms to pray.
A tree that may in summer wear a nest of robins in her hair.
Upon whose bosom snow is lain, who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree.
Hi there boys and girls.
Didn't expect me to start off with a poem today, did you?
Well when the poet Joyce Kilmer wrote, Only God Can Make a Tree, he made a profound statement.
A tree is a wonderful creation made by the Lord's hand and we use trees for a great
many purposes.
Trees are one of our most valuable assets and much is done by us to preserve them until
the time that they are ready to be cut down.
Then we leave seeding trees to start the forest anew.
We have tree farms where we grow thousands upon thousands of trees to reforest areas
that have been cut for timber and the byproducts of wood.
Believe me, out our way you see plenty of action if and when we find our trees in danger.
Well our story today can have no better title than The Falling Giants.
Boy oh boy dad, it sure is nice of you to bring me up here to see the giant pines.
Well I'm glad to do it Mike.
I wish that we could take more trips like this together.
I really like them man, big pines.
I think they're terrific.
How old do you think they are?
Oh that's hard to say son.
Say there's some kind of an exhibit along the road ahead.
Let's stop and take a look.
Well dad, it must be about these trees.
It is about the trees.
How to tell their age.
Boy this is neat.
Yes this is a fine exhibit.
Some of these trees have been here for over a hundred years.
Yeah, there's a couple of seeding trees that are older than that.
Boy these are something.
Yes son, these trees are one of America's most valuable assets.
They're worth millions upon millions of dollars.
Can we walk down and look closer at them?
Well I guess so.
If I don't see any signs it's say we can't.
Here comes a ranger.
Let's ask him.
Good idea.
Howdy fellas.
Hi ranger.
How do you do?
Say ranger is it alright if we walk down among these pines?
Sure is.
That's what they're here for, just to admire.
Thanks a lot.
You're welcome.
Hey, where are you from?
Central City.
I know you wasn't from around here.
By the way, don't strike any matches around the trees.
Oh we wouldn't do that.
We've seen what fire can do to trees.
I wish everybody felt that way.
Say, you haven't got any candy or food in your car have you?
No we haven't.
Why, have you got a taste for some?
Nope, but the bears around here have.
They tear your car to pieces trying to get at it.
Well, enjoy yourselves.
What was that?
I don't know exactly, but it sounded like one of these big trees took a fall on his
face.
What are you going to do?
Help me look.
Can we come too?
Sure, if you like to move fast.
Want me to take the wheel now Brian?
Yeah, maybe you better Keith.
Something getting kind of sleepy.
There's a good shoulder ahead by those giant pines.
Yeah, I'll stop there.
Really good to hit the hay.
Brian, that tree's going to fall.
What?
You're joking.
Hey look out!
Look at that.
Yeah, it's a good thing we got out of there and the faster we did we'd have been killed
for sure.
It fell right across the cab.
Let's get out of here before more come down.
You said it.
We've got to find some way to tell our rangers.
What's wrong with this tree ranger?
I don't know Mike, you can call me stumpy.
You mean the tree just fell over for no reason at all?
Yep, that's what it looks like to me.
This is the first time I've seen this happen.
I've been in these forests a long time.
Wow, do you think more will fall over just like this one?
Well, I hope not.
I'm not going to stay around to find out.
Come on, let's get while the getting's good.
Well, you're not just going to forget about this, are you stumpy?
I'll say I'm not.
As soon as I get back to my patrol car I'm going to radio Bill, my boss, and get him
out here right something like, if not sooner.
This stumpy must have flipped his lid.
How could a big pine tree fall over like a tent pin for no reason?
I don't know pal.
I'll admit it sounds crazy, but it must be so.
You're right.
The old timers pull off a lot of tricks, but money doesn't joke about the trees.
Right.
Hey, look at those two men waving us down.
What's the matter fellas?
Boy, are we glad you came along.
Tree fell on the cab of our truck and crusted like a sponge cake.
Dead.
I'll say it dead.
Where's your truck?
Back up the road about half a mile and a half.
Okay, hop in.
We'll take a look.
Where's the tree old timer?
Someone inside the stand about a block.
Who are these fellas?
Hitchhikers?
No, a tree fell across the cab of their truck and crusted.
Something mighty peculiar going on around here.
Right.
Are these two visitors?
Yep.
They stopped to look at the trees.
This is Mike and his paw.
The name is Leonard Smith, Mr. Jefferson.
Mr. Smith, will you take these two men to Naughty Pine with you right away?
I'd be glad to.
Well, can't we stay around and find out what's going on?
I'm sorry, it's too risky.
Now get going.
My car's right over here.
Now you let us know what's wrong.
Sure.
Don't send a tow truck, because this area's going to be closed until it's considered safe
again.
Oh, okay.
Let's go, Mr. Smith.
Well, Sonny, now what?
Yeah.
Where do we go from here?
You say there's no apparent reason for the tree you looked at to fall, old timer?
Nope.
None that I could see, Sonny.
None at all.
Maybe we should go back and look at the other one, too.
We will in due time, Henry.
The first thing is to seal off this area before someone gets killed.
Stumpy, you go down the road about two miles and block it off.
Henry will take you there in the car.
Henry, you can take me up the road first to where the tree fell on the truck.
Okay.
Let's go.
Sonny, you go down the road about two miles and block it off.
Sopher and catfish.
Look at the cab.
Why, it's flattened like a pancake.
You said it, youngster.
Paul Bunyan really stepped on it.
Man, are those guys fortunate to be alive.
I'll say they are.
Now, you understand what you're to do, huh, pal?
I'm to go back to headquarters and send out a dozen rangers to seal off the area.
And then bring out the equipment truck.
Right.
And don't forget to drop the old timer off where I said.
Okay.
I'll get going.
Okay, sir.
What's the matter, Ranger?
Now, this road is closed, driver.
What?
Since when?
Since I got here about ten minutes ago.
Now, see here, Ranger, who do you think you are closing off this highway just like that?
Just because you're wearing a law badge doesn't give you the right to abuse us citizens.
This bus has a schedule to meet and we got places to go and things to do.
And I don't see who you think you are to stand there and say we can't go down this road.
You Rangers get mighty uppity to my way of thinking.
Will you glance down the road about a hundred yards and tell me what you see?
Why, it looks like a giant pine fall went crush the cab of that truck.
Bless my soul if it isn't.
Another tree has fallen down at the visitor's stop.
That's why you can't go through here with this busload of people.
I'm awful sorry, Ranger.
My husband always tells me I got a big mouth.
I'm beginning to think he's right.
You'll have to turn around here on this wide shoulder, driver.
Go back to Route 97 and take it into Naughty Pine.
Sure.
Say, what's making the trees fall?
I don't know.
That's where the danger is.
Who knows what tree will be next?
You can turn around right here.
Yes, sir.
Thank you, Lord, for keeping the trees here standing straight up.
Well, that busload of people were parked here.
How are you and that mule of yours at Gertrude getting along, Luke?
Well, now he's tolerable, Stumpy.
You're right, tolerable, in fact.
I reckon you are.
Looks like you've been eating three squares a day.
Yep.
Tell you, Stumpy, prospecting for uranium is a sight better paying than scratching for
gold.
It's fine.
Where are you headed for?
All around straight up mountain country.
Thought I'd cut through the big pines and save me and Gertrude some walking.
Well, Luke, I'm afraid I'm going to have to disappoint you.
How come?
Woo, please, say, where's them rangers going in such an old-fashioned hurry?
Somebody rob a bank?
Nope.
They're going to where Bill's at and get orders.
This area is closed off.
Not to old Luke's days.
Old Luke or young Luke makes no difference.
Them big pines is falling down for no reason at all.
Of course, if they hit you on the head, you old otter, it wouldn't hurt you none, but
they might hurt Gertrude.
No, go on.
No use of sulking.
Those are mortars.
There ain't nobody going to get in here.
Some days I just don't pay for a fella to open his eyes and sign up.
Come on, Gertrude, the extra walk will hurt my feet more than your own.
See you later, Stumpy.
Okay, Luke.
I'm going to go.
Stay on the little beaver trail until you get to the three forks.
And if a tree even looks like it's leaning too far over, run like the devil himself would after ya!
That's right, operator. Morton Stengard.
Yes, yes, I'll wait.
Grey Wolf? Yes, Bill? And the ground crew's here yet?
Ah, trucks just pull up now.
Tell Stompy to take one crew and have them tear open the tree that fell in the forest.
You take another, and a winch truck, and get the tree off the truck.
Tow the truck out of danger, and call Bill Nolan, and tell him to tow it into town.
Then tear the tree apart, so Mort can have a sample when he gets here.
Right away, Bill.
Hello, Bill?
Hold on, Mort. Grey Wolf?
Here, Bill.
Tell the other two crews to stand by, ready to move out at any time.
I tell them.
Alright, go ahead, Mort. Sorry for the delay.
You go ahead. It's your nickel.
Oh, yeah, that's right. I did call you, Mort.
How soon can you get here with your mobile lab?
Well, that depends on how urgent it is. I'm already working on a problem for Colonel Anders.
Well, we've got pine trees falling down for no apparent reason.
You don't say. That's urgent enough for me, alright. I'll be out there early this evening.
Fine. I'll clear it with Colonel Anders to take you off the hook.
I'll appreciate that, Bill. See you later.
We've got the map spread out on the table, Bill.
Okay, Henry. Mike? Mike?
Yes, Bill?
I'll leave the sides of the tent up in case we have to get out of here in a hurry.
Sure, Bill, sure. I forgot this tent isn't made of steel.
Fellas, I'm Gordon Payne from the Daily Herald.
Well, howdy. We're the two truck drivers, and this is Mr. Smith and his son, Mike.
How do you do?
How do you do, Mr. Smith? How about your story?
Well, sure. We'll tell you about the truck, and Mr. Smith can tell you his experience.
Well, the Ranger Stumpy Jenkins said that, as far as he could tell, the tree had no reason to topple over, Mr. Payne.
Thanks, fellas. I'm going to call this in and then go out there. This sounds like a big one.
I don't think you'll get through.
Oh, no? Why not?
There have been Rangers cars and trucks piling through there all day.
They ain't got that place sealed tighter than a tire in a rim.
Well, they'll have to let me in. I'm the press.
Tom, you've got to let me pass.
Sorry, Gordy. No can do.
Ah, now is that any way to treat a buddy? I've done a lot of stories on you, fellas. Good ones, too.
Well, then you should know better than to ask. When Bill says, keep him out, well, that's just exactly what he means.
See, Tom, let's see if you can stop this guy. He's Wes Krip Kaine, the lumber millionaire.
Where's Bill Jefferson, Ranger?
Well, about two miles up the road in the heart of the trouble, sir.
Eh, it's a foolish question, I guess. He's always in the thick of it. Open up the roadblock and I'll drive through.
Can't do that.
What? You know who I am.
What was that?
Another tree went down. That's why you can't go in there.
All right, can't you contact your boss? I want to talk to him.
Bill has got millions tied up in trees and I want to know what's going on.
You might as well call him, Tom. Here comes Todd Jackson from the Department of Interior.
I guess so. Looks like these trees have made enough noise to be heard in Washington.
Bill, another one just went down.
Okay, Henry, put a red pin on the map.
Sure.
What's it look like, Mark?
Bill, absolutely nothing.
You can't find anything on those specimens?
That's right. I've made slides from these samples and put them under the high-powered microscope.
All I can see is healthy wood fibers.
Well, how do you like that?
No disease, no bugs, bacteria.
And yet they fall over like something's broken their backs.
Perhaps you'd like me to go out to the actual spot and take a look.
Yeah, but it'll be risky.
I'm game.
I'll get you a steel helmet. We'll get started.
Right.
Henry, answer the radio. Come on, Mark.
Bill.
Yes, pal?
It's Tom.
Hold it, Mark. What's he want?
He says Mr. Cain and Mr. Jackson and the press want to see you.
Well, tell them in about an hour.
They want to come in.
No, absolutely no.
How about the governor?
Same answer. One of these trees can kill him just as easy as anyone else.
Sorry, gentlemen. The boss says no.
Well, we might just as well sit down then, gentlemen.
Bill Jefferson means what he says.
The governor, how can he say that to you?
That's what I want to know, too, Philip.
Winthrop, Gordon, when a man's trying to do a good job and you know he's capable,
and knows far more than any of us do about the problem,
I say the best way we can help is by being patient.
Obviously, Bill hasn't found the answer yet, or he'd tell us.
Now, let's not make his job any more difficult than it is already.
Thank you, Governor. It's mighty generous of you.
Not at all, Thomas. I'm not walking under any fallen trees.
Hey, that was close.
And how? Let's get out of here.
Right. What's so funny?
This?
Are you sure one of these giants hasn't hit you on the head?
No. You know, Mark, we're never too old or too experienced to run up against something new.
You mean like this?
Yeah, like this. You know, I have the unusual desire to run around this forest
and push on all the trees to see how many of them will fall down.
Oh, man, your roof leaks.
You got any better answer?
No. I guess your roof doesn't leak.
Maybe I'm going to wish it did before this is over.
Well, since we can't find any bugs pushing over the trees
and diseases making them tired of standing, what next?
I guess I'll have to go down and talk to the big cannons.
I hope they'll not roar too loud when I tell them I haven't any answers.
That's it, gentlemen.
I haven't been able to find out the cause of this unusual phenomenon.
You haven't, eh? Well, you'd better.
I've got millions signed up in trees and I want an answer.
I'll probably wake up in the morning and find all my trees laying on the ground.
I rather doubt that, Mr. Cain.
It appears that this condition is confined to this immediate area.
But you don't know, do you?
That's right. I don't.
Well, you'd better have an answer soon, Bill.
The Secretary of Interior is quite disturbed by this.
He's worried that it's a new disease that could sweep forests all over the country.
Well, would you prefer that I lie and tell you some drummed-up tale
about gremlins pushing over the trees?
Gentlemen, Bill's right.
Let's not panic because we haven't found the answers sticking out of our pockets.
That may very well be for you to say, Philip.
It's not your money that's invested in timber.
Winthrop, that's a very unkind remark.
I'm interested in not only your timber,
but in the timber owned by other people in this state.
In fact, I'm very much concerned about every tree in the state.
They're our basic and essential natural resources.
Perhaps you're right.
But I want some answers, and I want them soon.
Gentlemen, I'll have the answers within 24 hours,
or else I'll resign from my post as Chief Ranger.
Bill, what's the sense of staying up any more tonight?
That's the fifth one so far tonight.
Bill, you're dog-tired.
You'll get sick going on without sleep.
Perhaps.
I'll be sicker if I don't find the answer to this.
I know.
Henry, get one of those large battery lights, will you?
I want to have one more look at the trees.
If I don't find anything, I'll turn in and try it again in the morning.
Why are you digging around the broken roots?
Maybe I'll find something.
Well, it's awfully peculiar that the anchor roots and the tap roots gave way.
The hair roots are still in good shape.
Yeah, I know. That's why I'm digging.
Is it a root infection that eats away the main roots that hold the tree?
Could be.
Hey, why can't I dig too instead of standing around here shivering?
Yeah, that's a good idea.
Stand around on the other side, Henry.
It's light enough for both of us.
Sure.
Step across this stump hole.
It's too far to walk around.
Hey, Bill, help me!
Sure.
What happened, Henry?
There's a fire under here!
Give me a hand.
Come on.
There you are.
Boy, it sure popped on.
Oh, boy, I burned my ankle.
How could you burn your ankle?
Here, let me see.
Don't blame me. Here, take a look.
Let me look here.
Oh, boy.
Great Scott! You did burn your ankle.
Come on, let's get back to camp.
Here, I'll carry you.
I can walk.
What's the matter with you?
You glad I got burned?
Henry, look where your foot went through the shallow earth.
What?
It's burning under there, like a peat bog fire.
Sure it is.
Why didn't I think of that before?
It's a root fire.
It burns down deep.
We've never had this before.
What a way to find it.
Come on, pal.
Let's spread the word and get the boys busy fighting the fire.
Bill, what are those men doing with those long rods?
Why are they driving them down at an angle next to the trunk and roots?
That long rod has a thermometer on the end of it, Mr. Cain.
We can tell if there's a fire in the roots.
This really is rare, isn't it, Bill?
Yes, Governor, it's very rare.
It's a very rare thing.
How does it start?
Well, lightning could do it.
A strong bolt drives into the ground, and the soil is of a peat-like composition.
Strange thing about it is that the fire spreads underground,
and it can go undetected for months.
But this one is even more weird, because usually the fires can find trees in the immediate area
of the first one to have a root fire.
Well, then it could be freakish enough to be more than one fire, eh, Bill?
That's right, Gordon.
This area is noted for receiving heavy bolts of lightning, not into the trees, but into the ground.
How can they put it out?
Well, that's not easy.
Every tree will have to be tested in this area,
and then we'll have to rip up the ground with chiseled plows
and flood the underground area with thousands of gallons of water.
It'll take time, a lot of time.
I know you'll handle that part all right, Bill.
Thank you for finding the answer.
Yes, many thanks, Bill.
Gentlemen, don't thank me. Thank Henry.
He's the one that got the hot foot.
Perhaps we should call this story Henry's Hot Foot instead of the Falling Giants.
Well, see you next week for more Adventure with Ranger Bill!
.