The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-27

State Fire Warden Gen. G. c. An
drews has completed his annual report
and turned it over to the state auditor
for publication. 1t contains many in
teresting features. According to the
report there were during the past
year fifty-five fires, which burned
nearly $4,000 acres of timber, consti-
tuting damage of about $4,000. There
were also fifteen prairie fires, which
burned 6,120 acres, inflicting a dam
age of $2,40O.
There were nineteen prosecutions
and seven convictions for carelessly
causing forest fires.
Gen. Andrews writes at some length
of the possibilities of forestry in this
ating a popular sentiment in favor of
forestry He says
Immense Possibilities.
at is estimated that there are, in
scattered localities, and principally in
Northern Minnesota, 100000 acres Of
waste sandy, hilly or rocky land that
is only fit for bearing pine forest.
Hence, if the states were now to begin
to plant that land with pine at the
rate of $1,000 acres per year, the whole
would in eighty years become a we'll
petually thereafter 675,000,000 feet
board measure annually. The net an
nual revenue to the state would be
just what this amount of CTS, 100000
feet would, at such future time, be
worth, standing. 1t might be $3,0OO,0OO
or more. What a great endowment
this would be for the state. Besides
yielding a splendid revenue from
waste lands, which otherwise would
every year become more barren and
useless, it would afford steady labor
for thousands of people, and, among
indirect benefits, it would tend to
beautify our landscape, modify the
temperature, fertilize the soil, and re-
plenish the water supply. Very few
states, indeed, have the natural re-
sources for such a great work. Indi-
viduals will not, and cannot, wait
eighty years for q crop of timber to
grow, and if our waste lands are to
be utilized the state must undertake
the enterprise"
A considerable portion of the report
deals with the Morris bill for the open
ing of the Chippewa indian reserVa-
ton, which is considered to be great
thing for forestry. There is a discus
sion of e-planting bOuntieS, StatlS-
tics of European forestry, and an essay
on "a Forest Working Plan" by the
eminent forester, DR.. William Schlich.
Loss by Carelessness.
Gen. Andrews says, in speaking of
the careless causing of forest fires:
1.-The careless causing of a forest or
prairie fire which injuries or endangers
the property of another is an offense
punishable by a fine not exceeding
500, or by Imprisonment in the county
Jail not exceeding three months. To
set fire in dry and dangerous wealth
err for whatever purpose, without the
means of controlling it, is carelessness
within the meaning of the law. The
degree of caution to be employed de-
ponds upon the probability of danger.
Where a persons sets a fire in dry
weather, in the midst or near a wide
area of dry material, there is great
probability that it will spread and en-
danger other property. The precau-
tions, therefore, must be great. A per-
son who sets fire in dry weather,
whether to clear land or otherwise,
must do it in such a careful way that
it will not endanger the property of
another, or he must suffer the conse-
quenceS. The careful man will pile his
brush and dig or scrapeaa break around
it, he will burn no more at time than
he can control. The careless man is
the one who does not take proper pre-
cautions; he undertakes 10 do too
much, and does not have nor apply,
proper means for preventing his fire
from spreading"