The San Francisco call., 1898-07-22
FOREST ARSON.

THE dryness of the mountains this summer has
 contributed to the spread of the most destruc-
 tive forest fires that have ever wasted one of Californias most valuable resources. From Folsom to Forest Hill these fires have ragged in great semi circle that embraces millions of acres of hrst-class timber and other millions on which grew promising young forest the timber resource of the future. To the northward of this the process of has been at work but nothing has been said about it all, except when rancher has lost stock and build ings or miner woodchopper has lost his corded wood. These losses that mentioned are but the smallest fraction of the total sacrifice of the wealth The soil being dry, the fire has not only de- sroyed the standing timber and the chaparral which is the nurse of young timber but has followed the roots into the ground and baked the crust of the earth leaving 1t as barren ot tree germs as the hard floor of brickyard.
 It is safe to say that before the autumn rains quench these conlagratons the loss to the State will equal the years product of gold from her mines. If common calamity should stop every quartz and placer mine in the State for year. and stop the years output of gold, men would groan over the misfortune But after all it would be the loss of years product only. The gold would be left in the gravel and the lodges for future development Not so when fire sweeps the forest It destroys the wealth that nature has been storing for century and cuts of the crop for century to come by destroying the forest producing capacity of the soil, which is baked into barrenness
 The cause of it is criminal carelessness, rule Campers and hunters herders and shepherds go into the mountains and use fire without thought of the consequences of letting it get beyond their control They move on from the nights camp leaving its fire to shoulder and spread There way of i'm pressing them with the gravity of forest arson They see the mighty flames they have kinded and the pitt ful destruction they have wrought without emotion of remorse regret.
 It is time to put a stop to this crime, Hundreds of thousands of dollars spent in our cities in policing them to prevent the robbery of houses banks and stores Yet all the losses by burglary in ten years if there were no police, would not equal the waste of one summer week by mountain fires
 The Legislature should provide for the of our forests before it is too late. It is not task of n surmountabe difficulty. Many roads lead from the valleys to the foothills. Fewer reads lead from the foothills into the mountains. mounted patrol should be maintained on every mountain road These patrols should be mountain men, the dregs of city politics They should be armed and determined Two on each forty miles of each mountain road should patrol half of it every day They should have authority to register every camping party and all herdsmen and shepherds they pass the patrol sta ton get their itinerary direct their camping location caution and instruct them about fires and arrest them for defiance or neglect These patrols should be n- teigent enough to make stated reports of what has occurred on their beats the of all parties that have passed in or out and the object of their pres ence in the mountains When fire starts every one responsible for camp fire its origin should be halted and held for inquiry, and when guilt is fixed