From: Brad Eells Subject: Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry General Orders – April 1952
Found after wall paneling was removed, tacked in the framing at the Boucher Hill Lookout bathroom was a sheet of paper with a handwritten note:
Boucher L.O. Relief Room
Re-Modeled
March 2, 1964
With Hammer, Dull Saw and Jap. Nails
N.P. Tibbs FFF
W.S. Mardock FFTD
Warners Station
Snowed Here Today
Not sure what the “Jap.” reference might be but the Firefighters may have been WWII veterans.
The other side of the paper also contained a treasure. A copy with “Boucher” penciled on it of the Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry General Orders dated April 1952.
This document is an outstanding early period find along with a 1952 dated log book found in the rafters by the contractor. The original document will be presented to and preserved by State Parks. I was able to scan the document and reproduce it. “General Orders” are attached for your information.
Enjoy!
Brad Eells,
San Diego – Riverside Chapter Chair
Cal Fire Liaison
Forest Fire Lookout Association, Inc.
661-747-5517
Palomar Mountain News 
I believe that they were talking about Japanese nails, back in the day when you were pounding nails, and they would bend, you would say, Damn japanese nails.
On the name W.S. Mardock, there was a CDF employee known as Bill Mardock.
By: Wes Ruise on April 11, 2011
at 5:03 pm
Very interesting. I’m not saying I know for sure what this means, but…
Nowadays people associate Japanese products with high quality. But back in the ’50s and into the ’60s “Japanese” meant cheap and shoddy. Plus I notice that the reference “Jap. nails” is juxtaposed with “Dull Saw.” I suspect that the writers were going on record to cover their butts for posterity, saying that the structure was cobbled together with crummy tools and inferior hardware. I could be wrong…
By: Rick Barclay on April 10, 2011
at 2:46 am