Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-10-11
AS TO FOREST FIRES.
INTERESTING DISCUSSION OF THEIR
PREVENTION.
The Confederation of Methods of
Preventing q Recurrence Of Any
thing Like the Hinclkley Calamity,
Takes a Wide Range

The meeting at the rooms Of the ST. Paul
Commercial club yesterday to consider mea-
sures for the prevention Of destructive for
est fires and the preservation CT the forest
resources Of the state was not as we'll at
tended as 1t was expected 1t would be. or as
the Importance Of the subject demanded.
Nevertheless there was fair representation
from the commercial organizations of tie
Twin Cities, with q few from other por.
tons of the state, and the papers read and
discussion INDUCED In brought out q great
deal of valuable information on the cues
ton.
The meeting was called to order at 1890
by president Footner, Of the Commercial
club, who presided. After the reading of
number Of letters from those to whom
invitations had been sent, but who were
OF st. Paul presented the first paper of the
day ON the subject: "Alinnesotas Duty in
Regard to Forestry"
Gen. Andrews' Paper.
After calling attention to the fact that
other states give more attention to forestry
than this state does, the writer referred to
the the awful t% forest fire that recently swept
and suggested that the eyes of the people
OF these older staes were turned Oh Mime
sofa to see what would be done to prevent
anticipate that the present meeting could
do more than awaken an interest that might
str the he coming legislature to effective act,
lon. The state owned 1.269.OOO acres of
forest lands, and there were %, OOOOOO acres
IN all within the borders of the state; and
although the best timber had been cut, yet
II what was left were properly cared for, it
would be rich and permanent resource,
affording remunerative labor for many thou
sands sand, Of people He then quoted extensively
Grant and Prof. Alexander Winchell Of
Michigan. who were engaged in making
geological surveys in Minnesota, to show
the terrible damage these forest fires did to
Gen. andrews next called attention to the
method the government formerly adopted
what it could at auction and whatever re,
manned being disposed Of at $1.25 an acre.
, Continuing he said: This was very good
practice. The principal pine land operators
had an understanding that they We're not to
bid against one another The public sale
over, the extensive operators or their agents
would appear at the land office and buy all
they wanted at S1.25 an acre. To comprehend
the Wrongfulness OF such proceeding, we
must remember that some pine timber land
is worth $500 an acre. After this system
went out of practice, there was no way
Of acquiring timber lands except under the
homestead and presumption laws. These
laws apply solely to lands intended to be
used for agriculture, and it is the common
belief that under them much valuable timber
i1Ai,! OcCu StSNlulIeO 4iduuulcutlS.
IAN act of congress passed two years ago
allows one person to buy 1GO acres of TIM
Der land la, and no more at 81 80 an acre. IL
! for speculation. simply 100 acres of timber
| land is not sufficient to warrant one in
going into the lumber business, and the
. intended to enable large operators to obtain
the land at second hand and much below its
value. This is the view which the present
commissioner of the land office takes Of it
In his DnnnGI 1902 Hn declares
that the operation of the law is pernicious.
Business Methods Recommended.
"He recommends that the lands be en-
amined and that none be sold for less than
companies dispose Of their lands. 1t seems
singular that the general government should
not dispose of Its timber land on equally
tention to this. branch Of the subject to
show how rapidly and .prodigiously the gov
eminent is parting with its timber lands,
have neglected our forest interests.
Attention was then called to the European
method Of protecting forests by dividing
who patrol certain sections to see that the
forest laws are enforced and, as far as pos
sible, prevent and extinguish fires. This,
he maintained results in making the forests
more attractive. greatly lcssening the risk
of destructive fires and maintaining con-
slant supply Of timber He did IL, not ante
for long time to come. but he desired to
see start made. He then gave q brief
KeM Hr and Sans Those of the
first named state, which are the most I'm
portant, empower commission to make
feEests Awaken Interest in forestry in the
public schools, compel railroad companies to
cut anu remove all grass and brush from
provide their locomotives with spark ar
resterS The commission is also required to
post warnings against the setting of forest
Gen. Barrett followed with an exhaustive
paper on THE Prevention of Forest Fires
and the Conservation Of Our Water, Sys-
pared by the forestry association and sub
mitted to the legislature, two years ago;
This bill he said. embodied in general
Canada. New York, Pennsylvania and
Maine. but the senate committee reported
e I was nd draw went on o the nes
suggested in Gen. Andrews, paper as the
essential features of the New York law.
Gen. Barrett further advocated the con-
agement for tree raising on the pralrles;
congressional and state legislation to de.
forests at the sources of the principal rivers
and on all non agr icutural and non-mineral
lands: the extension of the forest bounty
commission. and the introduction Of practi-
cal forestry into the educational curriculum;
Many very pertinent questions We're raised
minute discussion which followed this paper
There seemed to be two conflicting theories
rs OF the best means of protection against
forest fires. One was the clearing of the
debris after the timber was removed. thus
leaving nothing but the standing timber to
spread the fire. and the other theory was
the dividing Of forests into sections by the
cutting of wide openings like roadways
through them: The advocates of the first
theory maintained that a fire of any magni-
tude would jump over any openings that
might be made. while the advocates Of the
second theory maintained that the burning
necessary to clear away the debris would
destroy the young timber. Both sides
agreed on some things. principal among
which were the necessity for more stringent
laws for the punishment Of those who
start fires and take no means of preventing
them from spreading. Nnl better means, of
enforcing these laws-S0me kind Of a patrol
system.
The Reservoirs.
Mai. Jones said: 1.-The great reservoirs Of
The Mississippi are successfully accomplish
in. the work for which they were designed.
In this. the dryest year on record. they are
delivering into the river during Il period OF
ninety days, about 300 cubic feet per Sec
ond in excess Of what would otherwise be
running. This is equivalent to about 1.4?5.-
UOO, 900 gallons per day. They are insuring
a good navigable river from st. Paul to
Lake PENN and 0re creating the anomaly