February 1, 1961

Dear Board Member:

You recall, of course, that the Board authorized the Meany Committee to lease a snow tractor for the 1961 ski season to provide transportation to Meany in lieu of the discontinued N.P.R.R. passenger train. The terms of the rental contract are: Rental $480 per month, including sales tag; 30% of this ($144) to apply on purchase; Purchase price $4800, including sales tax. Stating this differently, out of each month’s rental, $336 will not apply on purchase. Thus, if decision is made to purchase, there will be considerable money advantage to the Mountaineers if decision is made soon.

Your Committee originally intended to report on the snow tractor operation in time for the March Board meeting; by this time experience with the operation, it was thought, should lead to sure conclusions as to desirability of exercising the purchase option.

However, experience to the end of January has been so successful (details will follow) that your Committee would like to recommend purchase now, in order to save the $336 per month not applicable to purchase.

We present observations and statistics on the success of the operation to the end of January, 1961:

DATA TABLE NOT SHOWN

(1) Comparison is for Christmas vacation and four weekends in January for both the 1960 and 1961 seasons. (2) 1960 was year of highest attendance up to now. (3) Total excludes 38 overnight and 45 daily who attended during two early-December weekends this season, since Meany Hut did not operate on these same weekends in previous season.

DATA TABLE NOT SHOWN

(1) Comparison covers Christmas vacation and four weekends in January, same for both seasons. (2) Light Sunday lunch ($0.50) being served this season instead of Sunday dinner ($1.00) served last season. (3) Excludes the $0.25 surcharge added to tow fee this year to help pay for tractor.

DATA TABLE NOT SHOWN

(1) Income projection based on 1.20 x (1960 Overnight) plus 2.50 x (1960 Daily). These increase factors are less than the actual increase factors to end of January. (2) Rent to February 10 is $870 less 30% applicable to purchase. (3) Amortization of $4800 purchase price in five years. (4) Eight barrels of gas; (twelve purchased, but four of these will remain for next year. (5) Miscellaneous includes: Benches, Tarp, Tools, Tachometer, Ski Rack, Road Drag, Gas Dump, Rope, etc. Most of this will not have to be repeated.

DATA TABLE NOT SHOWN

MAXIMUM PASSENGER CAPACITY OF TRACTOR PER TRIP

ITEM Original Estimate Actual Experience Increase Factor
Up the hill. last 1/4 mile 15 persons 53 persons 3.5 x
From hut out to road 30 86 2.9
Riders on tractor 10 23 2.3
Tow behind on skis 20 66 3.3

As a result of capacity being so much higher than estimated, the number of scheduled trips necessary to service the Hut has been reduced from eight to five per weekend. This is a significant saving in the amount of driving time and the amount of fuel required.

MECHANICAL CONDITION OF TRACTOR

Contract requirement was for Symington to furnish tractor “rebuilt to new condition.” During the rebuilding process, the tractor was inspected several times weekly in the shop by Torn Van Devanter and Walt Little. The opinion of these inspectors was that Symington fulfilled his contract in every respect. As finally delivered:

During the rental period to date the tractor has proved to be A-1 in all mechanical respects, and its power and performance have considerably exceeded expectations, as previously described. There has been no difficulty with cold weather starting; motor used no detectable amount of crankcase oil; motor does not overheat; hull and assembly show no defects.

Gasoline consumption is about 3.3 gallons per hour, instead of the 4 gallons per hour originally estimated.

We estimate the life of the machine as 15 years (the second-hand tow engine has already lasted that long), and the life of the tracks as 5 years, before replacement will be needed.

A similar tractor purchased new, would cost approximately $7500, including sales tax.

Tractor has been operated by a special section of the Meany Hut Committee, headed by Tom Van Devanter. Drivers are carefully trained. No untrained drivers are permitted. Drivers are compensated the same as other Committee members, receiving a portion of hut fees free, amount depending on amount of service. It has not been found necessary to pay drivers an hourly wage.

If purchased, the tractor will be stored during the summer in the space underneath the present tow house, and immobilized by removal of certain essential motor parts. A tractor road to this location already exists. In the winter, arrangements will be made for storage at Rustic Inn; which, according to its owner, will be reopened next Season.

The purchase price of the tractor is $4800, including sales tax. The following is quoted from our letter of March 28, 1960 to the Board, “In the first 31 years of Meany’s history, the Mountaineers have invested $7928 in the lodge and tow facilities. Over this same period of time the Hut has paid back to the Club an excess of income over direct expense in the amount of $12,842.” This is $4914 more than invested.

Because the statistics were not available in time, this matter was not submitted to the Properties Division at its regular meeting. Hartcel Hobbs, head of Properties suggested that if this letter was sent directly to all Board members from the Meany Committee, he would undertake to secure a recommendation from the Properties Division in time for the February 9 Board Meeting.

Sincerely,

MEANY HUT COMMITTEE

Harvey Mahalko, Chairman (Composed and compiled by Walt Little)

Original document