The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-09
LANES THRoUGn pUBLIo WOODS.
Congressman Shnrroth's Plan for Lessen
Ing the RnxnEe. OF Forest FIres.

WASHINGTON, May s.-The project of Mr..
Shafroth for diminishing tho destruction
caused by fires on wooded nublic lands, which
has Just been favorably reported, is not wholly
new, 1t having been introduced into the last
Congress. But II has the advantage now of more
mature consideration, and is also said to have
been approved by the American Forestry AS
ISOLATION. The careful study of 1t by the
House Committee on Public Lands has also
led to n division Of the project into two parts.
making, In fact, two bills of 1t, dealing with
two different features of forest preservation.
so that differences Of opinion on either need
not affect the other.
The one which is perhaps the more novel and
more widely interesting is that which author
ICES the Secretary of tho Interior to have paths
or avenues LOCO feet wide cut through the
public forests. a: intervals OF five or ten miles.
The object is to limit Tho spread of fires that
may occur. the theory being that they will be
checked by these breaks. As the case stands
now, they may burn for twenty or thirty miles
without being checked, and the question is
whether II IL not of great public advantage TO
reduce. that maximum amount OF destruction.
II possible, to perhaps a half or n fourth.
may. be involved in come doubt. Ono is
whether the scheme itself Is well founded. on
principle. The device of burning tracts in
advance of prairie fires and others where grass
is concerned is familiar, but whether in a for
sst of tall trees, aiaztns in a high wind; the
checked by a path. only 200 feet wide. is q
matter TO be considered by those who are best
informed. 1t Is also not II case of burning out
a lane 1000 feet wide. but that of telling the
trees and carrying them away and presumably
considerable underground would either be left
or would spring UP, without constant and cost.
~ annual attention. and tbs might carry the
fire across the swath, after all.
Again, Mr., Shatro.h's project evidently in
wolves considerable expense in any case. It.
provides for the sale of such timber as may be
cut, or rathe. for the sale of the trees at
public auction. the purchaser to take them
away and clear the broad path. How
thoroughly this would 10 done. SO as to stop u
forest fire even II continuing through the
woods without high winds. is n question. But,
In addition. it Is evident that some lanes would
lie so far from railroads or means II river
TRANSFORMATION that no one would accept the
labor for the mere value OF the trees. Hence
Mr.. ShafrOth proposes an appropriation of
S5OO,OOO to carry out the provisions of his bill.
Hence we may look for opposition TO this
bill. rs it proposes to pay so high II sum for
guarding against contingencies. still, II evil
IDENTIFY has friends among those interested in
forest protection, who think II would be use
full in guarding against the extreme ravages
the views on the subject of the new Forest
Commission. OF whi,h Prof. Sargent Il Chair.
man. after 1t has taken up the general subject
OF forest protection. II Is probable that in
some forests the privilege Of cuttin. the lanes
could be sold, and the experiment might per-
haps he tried on them. thereby involving no
expense. II, also, military or other guards
for the forest reservations should be estab-
llshed, the objection arising from the covering
OF the swaths with new growth, capable of
carrying fire. would be lessened.