East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-06-18

Il. l.. Marvin, VINO mas returned
from northern Idaho, where he went
to attend the meeting OF the timber
owners about Coeur d'Alene city
who net to organize for the purpose
of formulating plans for protecting
the forests from fires this summer,
reports a very enthusiastic meeting,
to the Boise Statesman.
The meeting was a joint gathering
OF the Coeur d'Alene Fire Protective
association and n committee from the
Clearwater Fire Protective associa-
tion. State Land Commissioner C. J..
Munson was present representing the
state and Mr.. Marvin arrived before
the meeting was over. Governor
Gooding expected to attend but was
unable to get there on account Of
washouts on the railway at that time.
The firms represented at the meet
ing were the William Howard Land e.
Lumber company, the Occur d'Alene
Lumber company, the Edward Rut-
ledge Timber company, the Menasha
Woodenware company, the McGol-
drick Lumber company, the Stack &c
Lumber company, the B. r. Lewis
lumber company, the Empire Mill
company, the Shevln-Clark Timber
company and the Musser Lumber
company.
The object of the meeting was to
formulate plans for the protection of
timber belonging to individual owners
and to the state according to sugges-
tions outlined and advocated by Gov
ernor Gooding. The necessity for some
organized effort in this direction was
shown from the results of fire fight
ing last year when the state and the
individual owners were both put to
great expense in fighting the fires.
Much Of that expense might have been
saved by systematical campaign
such as will be in force this year.
The associations now formed are
for the protection of all timber lands
located along the Clearwater. st. Joe,
Coeur d'Alene and St Maries rivers
and in those districts 1t is roughly es-
timsted the state of Idaho owns about
100000 acres of timber lands which
are valued. conservatively. estimated,
at s5.00O,00O. 1t is estimated that
prior to 1905 the annual losses by
fire to the state of Idaho in those sec
tions aggregated close to 100000.
The plan adopted at the meeting
in Coeur d'Alene city was to divide
the territory covered by the two pro-
tective associations into districts, each
district to have two patrolmen. These
patrolmen will first cut trails and es-
tablish camps. They will patrol their |
districts daily. Each patrolman will
carry with him implements for fire
fighting. such as a shovel, axe and |
grub hoe. for the purpose of checking |
any incipient fires, and in handy |
places in each district will be cached
tools for use in emergencies.
The patrolmen will be deputized as
game wardens with the power to make
arrests when necessary and they are
to be selected for their competency.
These men must all be experienced
woodmen, whether hired for the state
or for the associations.
The ratrolmen will be under the
direct supervision of the superintend-
ents selected by the associations. The
Coeur d'Alene association has selected
A. C. Wonderleich of st. Maries, as
and the Clearwater as
sociation has chosen as superintendent
Theodore Fohl of Orofino. The ter
ritory covered by the Clearwater as
sociation will he divided into eight
districts and of the Coeur d'Alene as
sociation into 10 to II districts. In
this plan of protection the state will
cooperate with the associations and
Idaho will furnish its pro rata number
Of patrclmen based upon its acreage
as compared with the acreage of the
members of the associations. It Is re-
ported that the Northern Pacific rail-
way will also cooperate with the pro-
moters OF this plan.
There will soon be associations of a
similar nature formed In other parts
Of the state. The timber men are
very enthusiastic concerning the mat
ter and the plan is a winner for the
state It insures vigilant watchfulness
and is saving to expense over meth
DDS previously adopted. An associa-
tion Will be formed soon in the Pend
O'Reille and Kootenai districts, where
the state owns a body of timber COW
aring about $4,000 acres and where
1 large number of lumber firms are
Interested.