Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-10-14
FORESTS And CITIES.
THEY MAY BE SAVED FROM DEsTRUC.
TON BY FIRE.
A Sacramentan's Observations Among
Burning Observation-Disclosures the
Chief Cause of Destruction.

1 SIeI cause Destruction,
| EDS. REooRD-UNIoN Fire in our tim.
Der lands of late on this coast has been SO
| frequent that the breaking out in a new
! locality causes little or no excitement to the
populace of this State. although when the
losses are taken into consideration, proba-
bly, 100000 will not equalize the damage
done at present, which undoubtedly is
largely increased when the future is taken
into account. Having camped near Sisson,
Siskiyou county, in the month of August,
the undersigned could not avoid seeing
how some of these forest fires may origin
ate. 1t would be rash, however, to attrib-
ute all to one cause. Some may be actual
criminality, but the most must be assigned
to carelessness and negligence to carry ont
certain duties that civilized man ought to
perform, which the lovers of the land
should compel him to.
At the locality chosen there were already
several tents, with families, and half mile
distant in another part of the Meadows.
the Chico Guard were camped, making
quite village. On the Meadows are large
pines, In groves, and the soil is black and
turf-like.
During our stay and three or four DAYS
after the tent was erected, a family arrived
| and re-took their old camp-site thew left
several weeks before, and thew remained
about week and broke camp again. and
before they left burnt every rag and vestiye
| of paper. Before retiring that night several
buckets OF water were poured over the fire.
as the ground apparently was ignited, but
| the following day the smoke still issued
from 1t and 1t became necessary to subdue
the fire by the aid of number of buckets
of water. There is quite breeze the most
of the time at these elevations, and the
slightest spark can be famed into flame.
II this, then, is the method generally
adopted by campers as they move from
place to place, it is no wonder that fires
| occur at 80 many localities. Subsequently
deeper investigations were made, and it was
found where the pines grow farther into
| the woods there is from one to two feet of
| accumulation of needles, or leaflets from
the trees, forming perfect network, some.
what like felt. Unlike the fiat leaves from
| other trees, they form compact mass by
| pressure and then decompose These
| needles fall in every direction, and preci selv
In way the camper would start his fire
with small twigs, :. E, plenty Of air spaces
are left for the oxygen of the air to com bine
| with the carbon of the fuel. Let fire once
get into this dry network, with the high
| wind they have there almost constantly at
those elevations, and it will continue to
burn, despite the Forestry Commissioners
appointed by the State and National Gov
ernments to meet aud reside in large cities
to form plans against ii.
Thprp lnna tItipc bara r
water is met with for miles; at another
there is ditch after ditch, but even there
the fire must be fought to extinguish it if
once started. Only heavy rain can grad
ually subdue such fires. MANY men of
knowledge, and those who look beyond
our present age, deplore the wanton de-
struction OF our forests in the higher eleya-
ton; and is this vandalism to be continued
without any hindrance by the State or ma.
ton? Great values are DESTROYED direct,
not even taking into account what man has
wrought, which includes the damage to
railroads and the very hemming IN of
traffic that bind us to other States and coun-
tries.
1t must be apparent that a closer and
more combined watch is necessary to save
our timber lands from destruction. Every
county ought to have numerous guardians
TO warn and arrest persons who violate
the rules OF the forest. Every farmer or
resident located or surrounded by forest
ought to be empowered by law to arrest or
in such case protect his property. 1t wouId
reflect most heinous crime to think that
only vlclousness causes the most of the
fires. 1t must rather be laid at tb door of
carelessness OF the campers, and frequently
OF hunters; therefore warnings verbally
delivered to these people would have a
good effect. If, as report will have it, the
sheep men play some part in creating by
this method new pastures, then some ex-
ample ought to be made. In such a case
the method of producing mutton and wool
becomes an exceedingly expensive affair to
State or natlon-a sort of sacrifice of
precious thing for an inferior one,
In cities, at least, it may be admitted
some benefit is caused when some rookeries
burn down and have to be rebuilt by mod
erD and safe buildings, but in the burning
of forests only very few can indirectly be
benefited. In cities much can be accom-
plished to diminish fires and that is by
prevention, and being prepared in eyery
respect to subdue the flames at the begin
ming. As to the prevention of fires in
large cities why should there not be per-
soDs appointed who are empowered to ex-
anime the buildings of manufacturers who
use combustible material in their labor?
This may include theaters storage of VIOLA.
tile hydro-carbons-in fact. any industry
or merchentable ware where fire turks and
may ignite by spontaneous combustion. a
case frequently taking place, even on board
of ships.
The destruction by steam to property and
life has certainly become less when well
qualified inspectors are appointed to look
into the safety of boilers. 1t would have
the same effect if persons of sufficient in
telligence were authorized to look into the
danger pointed out. AS in the forest fires.
the most danger lies in carelessness. A
stable and shop where combuslibles are
found in every direction, may be looked
upon as doomed, sooner or later, if the
kind OF matches We use in the United
States generally are found, or scattered on
every shelf. OF couse, the scrupulously
carrying out by such persons of the duty
imposed upon them is an absolute necessity
or catastrophies may occur like those of
Belgia. Millions OF dollars went up in smoke
and carbonic acid alone on this coast this
year. Is there an intelligent person wao
will not admit that by proper management
before the fires occurred, the losses could
not have been diminished at many local.
tiles?
Even right here in Sacramento, with a
large river flowing Oh our front, let US not
rest with bands in our laps until the city is
sufficiently protected against fire in every
respect. The taxpayer who opposes fire
protection certainly saves at the wrong end.
Sacramento, at the present period, cannot
go crab.like. Water must be extended as
the city grows, unless we intend to have
setback. If the taxes of our people are 10
be diminished from fire and water protec-
ton, it will become very expensive affair
some future day most assuredly.
JOHN EIrRL.