Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-07-16
The forest area of the United States,

The forest area Of the United States,
exclusive of Alaska, approXimates 5OO,-
600, 900 acres. Though seven-tenths of
this forest area lies ON the Atlantic side
of the continent, and though the prairie
States contain but 4 per cent. of forest
growth, the subject of forest fires is
none the less one of vital interest to the
Northwest, because this section still
possesses the one great source of sup
ply Of the most valuable of all timber
white pine. The annual cut Of white
pine is estimated at 1000 million feet,
board measure. This is triple the
amount of lumber obtained from any
other tree, and it's relation to the total
output may be seen from the fact that
the entire cut of conifers and hard
woods together is 10000 million feet.
Pennsylvania and New England, which
formerly supplied the white pine for
the country, are exhausted, and the
principal sources Of supply are now
Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota,
with some small tracts of virgin white
pine forests in Michigan. In the forest
fires Of 1894 Minnesota alone lost $12,-
100000 worth of this precious and
dwindling supply. Other States an
nually lose amounts exceeding 81 ,0O0,-
600, and the total annual loss, accord
ing to Mr.. Fernow, far exceeds $780,
100000. Destructive forest fires have
already begun their work this year in
the Allegheny region. When it is re-
fho4 @ha ~ WI
on forest products stand easily second
in capital and men employed-after
agriculture-and that their output ex-
ceeds our mining products by more
than so per cent, the sweeping effects
Of these accommodating fire losses must
be apparent to all. Main, Minnesota,
and Wisconsin have recently led the
way in adopting preventive measures.
The Minnesota law, which is as good
as any yet formulated in this country,
constitutes the State Auditor Forest
Commissioner for the State, with a
salaried deputy to be known as chief
fire warden. The supervisors of towns,
mayors of cities, and presidents of viii
lage councils are made local fire war
dens, and power is given to press into
service in emergencies any able-bodied
man. A fine of 500 for carelessly set
ting fire to forests is wisely
increased to $500 in case where the act
is done maliciously. The Wisconsin
law is similar, except that the chief
clerk of the land Office is forest war
den. These measures are good as far
as they go. But they do not go far
enough. 1t is true that a strong public
opinion in forest regions will prove the
most summary extinguisher of fires.
But in default of that Canada has dis
covered the most effective system. The
Province of Ontario has a system Of
mounted patrols or fire rangers, who,
from May to September, placard the
towns and hamlets, educate the people
by rigid watchfulness, and employ as
sistance when fires break out. Owing
to this service Ontario escaped last
summer with scarcely any loss, though
it was the driest season known for
years. For 100000 annually Michigan
or Wisconsin or Minnesota could not
only maintain such a patrol, but could
take the additional precaution of burn
ing the tinder-like debris left on all
lands from which the timber. has re-
Gently been cut. The ultimate saving
would mount high into the millions and
benefit the nation at large.