The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-20
FIRES RI IN FORESTS
Improvements In Protective Service
Are Suggested.
REoRGANIzING THE TIMBER FORCE
Commissioner Shows Forests May Be
Better-Preserved If Congress-
Grants More Money.

Better-Preserved If Congress-
Grants More Money.
FROM The Journal Bureau, Room, IS Post
1si1din0, Washts,0ton.
Washington, Jan. 2O.-Land Commits
sioner Hermann in his request for an in
crease in the appropriation for the for
est reserve service for the current year
from 100000 to 100000, says the APP
preparation at his disposal has been in
sufficient and has been used almost en-
ttrely for protection OF the forest re-
serves against fires. He says
In addition to what may be cassed as tenn
porary measures for the preservation OF the
forest reseryes-placing force OF rangers in
each OF them-permanent improvements oil
Importance could be accomplished with the
sum asked for. Among them are:
Ftrst-Complete blocking out or surveying
Of all forest reserves. This work will be done
by the forest force. beginning with those
parts where the greatest amount OF business
demands the most attention. so far nothing
OF this kind has been attempted.
notwithstanding or estimating timber
ahead OF actual purchase, so that there may
be no longer delay when applications are
made therefor.
Third--Opening ways OF communication.
Though something OF this kind has been done
different results in others, the reserves as a
whole, are largely inaccessible areas, and all
patrol work is proportionately difficult and
unsatisfactory.
Among the changes in the regular bust
ness the department has decided that no
timber applications will be considered in
the future where a proper location and
satisfactory marking and measuring is not
assured. This alone, with the constantly
increasing demand for timber In aud about
most OF the reserves, will require at least
one-fOurth more men-men of experience
in timber busiress-and will mean that
these men will be held not merely for
two months In summer. since it is largely
in the winter season that the timber
business Is carried on.
Timber Force Reorganization.
1t is proposed with the additional
amount asked for to reorganize the tim
Der force into superintendent, supervi-
sors, inspectors, head rangers, rangers,
three classes, for the employment OF seal
ers and for the purchase of instruments
and tools, with a reservat ton of $4,000
as an emergency fund for fires. The work
of the superintendents aud supervisors
will be largely the same as that per-
formed in the past. Four inspectors to be
appointed will move wherever assigned TO
duty. The lack Of competent inspection
in the past has encouraged fraud, accord
ing to the commissioner, involving serious
loss to the government and the most care
less, wanton destruction Of timber in To-
Calities where need for the material eX-
lists now and is constantly growing.
The grading of rangers into three classes
is intended to secure better work by pros
pect OF promotion. Higher salaries will
Re paid, based en- the fact that in many
localities they have been undergrad. For
instance, a ranger in the Black Hills is
t1I 10 al LOTT ,,1lnl
ing Sundays, and he is also expected to
keep at least one horse, and usually two
horses, 500 a month; while the min
ing companies in the same locality pay
over $50 to an ordinary laborer, who has
no further responsibility nor horses to
keep; has fixed abode, and his Sundays
free. Rangers Of Glass l are TO be paid $50
month. Glasses and are to contain
the ordinary rangers. They will be pail
$75 and $50 month, respectively. They
will assist in timber surveys, blocking ont
cutting areas, measuring, marking out
and scaling Of timber, and also in lay
ing out and construction of trails and kin
dred work. To avoid inefficient measure
ment it is proposed to employ competent
scalers wherever necessary.
Babcock, Fletcher and Tariff.
Members of the house who oppose the
Babcock bill profess to find cause for Joy
the Philippine tariff bill recently. They
profess to find some Inconsistency be-
tween that vote and the bill which Mr..
Babcock has introduced to place certain
OF the products of steel on the free list.
Congressman Fletcher does not regard
with favor the proposition to put Cuban
rider on the Philippine tariff bill. Should
the senate attach rider to the bill be-
fore passing it, Mr.. Fletcher may be
counted as one of the house members to
oppose passing the Dill in the amended
form.
The arguments advanced by those per-
sons who favor tariff concessions with
Cuba and very ingenious. They say thai
by making certain tariff concessions now
annexation can be postponed indefinitely
while to refuse them would bring Cuba
to this government as an applicant fol
admission to the union instanter. 'And
them ask these friends of Cuba, where
will those people be who now oppose the
proposed concessions? Sugar and to-
bacco, which, with the concession, will be
admitted under a reduced tariff, vii
come to the continent free, and the very
things which are now feared will be
brought about in their worst form"
Growth of Beet Sugar Industry.
The department of agriculture finds tina
the beet sugar industry in the United
States has doubled twelve times since
1892, in which year there We're six fac
tories, with an annual output of 1900
tons. The advance year by year IA:
been steady, and it is estimated by de-
partment experts that the crop for 1901:
will amount to 100000 tons, there beins
now thirty-nine factories in the country
In 1892 this industry was carried on onl.
west of the Mississippi river, three 0
the six factories then in operation bein!
in California, two in Nebraska, and on
in Utah. The recent census shows tina
in 1900 the number Of factories in Cali
fornia had increased to eight, in Nebraska
to three, and In Utah to four. Besides
the industry had been taken up with vary
ing degrees OF success in nine othe
states; ten factories were in operation II
Michigan, now the leading beet suga
state of the country; three had been es
tablished in New York and Colorado, each
and single factories in Ohio, Illinois, Min
nesota, New Mexico, Oregon and Washing
ton The capital invested in this IN
dustry in 1900 was, in round, numbers
$21, 900, 900.
w. w. Jermane.