Mystery man cleans up North Dam

A civic minded man made a big contribution of labor Saturday, helping to clean up the top of North Dam after Fourth of July fireworks the night before.

But no one knows who he is.

The young man, say Bureau of Reclamation officials, was walking by the mess left by private individuals lighting off fireworks from the top of the earthen dam that holds back Banks Lake when he decided that just wasn't right.

He had gathered most of the refuse into piles to make it easier to clean up, and hauled some to a dumpster at North Dam Park by hand.

The top of the dam has become a favorite place for locals to set off their fireworks, leading to what many describe as a spectacular display. Local fire officials don't discourage it, noting that the area makes it easier to contain fire danger.

Last year, it took a bureau crew of several workers all day to clean up the mess, hauling several truck loads off the dam. This year, the young man had much of the trash piled up, easing their workload.

Anyone who knows who the good citizen is can contact The Star at 633-1350 or star@grandcoulee.com.