Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-01-23
FEDERAL FORESTS
Commissioner Herman Says Six Tim
ber Reservations Were Estab-
lished During Year.
WORK OF FOREST PATROL
Of Two Hundred and T~hirty-two Fires
Started On Public Reserves Last Year
Only Nine Proved Seriously
Destructive.

ing June 80, 1899, are the following:
During the year six new reservations
have been created, in addition to effect
ing certain changes in the areas of three
of the existing reserves, making, at the
date of the report, thirty-six forest res
ervations, embracing an estimated area
of As, 021, 500 acres.
The result of the first years effort al
%patrolling the reserves is shown to have
clearly demonstrated the efficiency of
the forest force in protecting the re-
serves from destruction by fire.
In addition to the numerous camp and
other small fires which were found left
burning and We're put out by the ran-
gers, there We're specifically reported,
by reserves, nearly 1000 fires which
| were discovered and extinguished with
comparatively small loss.
1t is shown that of the 232 reported
| fires which had gained considerable
Roadway when discovered (several OF
] them being SO large as to require eX-
traordinary effort to e%xtinguish, but
nine became important fires; and that,
practically, but three of these, by rea-
son of high winds, got beyond the tenn
porary control of the forest force; and
that they were eXtinguished before the
have inevitably resulted had it not been
for the forest service.
The report devotes considerable space
to the imperative need for the enact
ment of a fire law of more comprehen-
sive provisions to properly protect the
timber on the public domain.
In doing so, it points out that the av-
erage yearly reported loss from forest
fires is stated to have been estimated at
not less than 500, 900, 900 for the United
States; which is but a 1.-THE of the ac-
tual loss.
Careful study is stated to have been
made of the subject Of sheep grazing
within forest reservations, as present
ed from every side, Through exhaustive
official examinations and reports, and
petitions and reports from wool grow
ers associations, fruit growers, water
associations, public men and other citi
lowed in portions of certain Of the re-
serves when it was found that the pro-
lection and improvement of the forests
and the water supply of the citizens
would not be adversely affected by the
presence of the sheep; while, whenever
it was satisfactorily shown that sheep
would work an injury to the reserves
the forest superintendent We're ad-
vised that they must not be allowed
therein.
1t Is pointed out that legislation is
needed to remedy the evil arising from
the fact that railroad and lumber com-
panies, owning large tracts Of lands
Within the limits of forest reservations,
are making selections, under the act for
the administration OF such reserves (act
of June 20, 1897, 80 statute, 34-36), of
valuable unsurveyed timber lands else
where, using, as a basis therefor, lands
which have been denuded of their tim
Der, and thus become practically stump
wastes, of little or no value for any pur-
pose.
Attention is called to the fact that
large portions Of the forests clothing
the public lands are still without need
ed protection, only fragments having
been gathered under the protection of
forestry legislation by setting them
apart as reservations, leaving extern
sive forested areas still subject to IN
checked ravages by fire and to increased
inroads upon their resources by lum-
bering operations.
Liberal appropriations are urged not
only to provide for an adequate admin
istration of the reservations already es-
t%ablished, but to enable the land office
to push forward with rapidity the work
of examining the forest lands which yet
remain unreserved, and also to provide
sufficient protection for such as are not
of a character to be withdrawn for for
est purposes.
The report concludes with the follow
Ing statement: while the great para
mount benefits derived from a national
forestry system in the way of forest
preservation and water conservation
are necessarily beyond computation, yet
one of the minor advantages resulting
therefrom, viz, a revenue to the govern
ment, is appreciable; and 1t is interest
ing to note that the receipts from this
source last year, as above reported, ag-
gregated 1928, 500. sc.
This amount, as compared with the
total mount of appropriations expend-
ed during the year in connection with
public timber, 1885, 900, shows that the
forest service, even i'm its present early
stage of development, and la]boring I'M
der many and serious disadvantages
which cripple it's efforts to a large ex-
tent, has already proved largely self
supporting.
with amended legislation, as urged
above, and appropriations proportioned
to the needs of the service, 1t is evident
that the administration of u forested
lands can be made to yield a large rev.
enue to the government.
THE past years work has been in the
nature Of demonstration. 1t has demon
strated the possibilities of the service,
with a clear offsetting Of Its needs at
the hands of congress, in respect to both
legislation and appropriations.
Il think 1t Important that congress
should recognize that the experimental
stage of this work has passed, and that
it now remains to develop it. But sat-
isfactory development cannot be ac-l
complished so long as this office has to
operate under many of the present laws
respecting public timber, and has also
TO contend with strattened means"
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