The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1906-12-21
WOULD COMPEL LOGGERS
\ TO BURN "SLASHINGS. :"
Northome Commercial Club Desires Aid
In Passing Bill at Coming Session
of Legislature.

Northome, MINI, Dec. 90
During the warm, dry months Of
last summer and fall, the set.
tiers of Northern Itasca county
were menanced many times by
forest fires and many a home
steader could not sleep at night
for fear his little ell would be
wiped out by the ''destroying
element" in the form of forest
fire. The Commercial club OF
Northmore has heard many of
the complaints from these set
tiers, which we're in many cases
accompanied by the suggestion
that if the slashings and dry tops
left from logging operations,
we're burned underproper super
vision, the danger from fire would
be greatly lessened. The mem
bers of the Commercial club
discussed the matter Informally
several times, and now it has
been decided to appeal to the
legislature for the enactment of
a law compelling the men cutting
pine in the state to burn their
slashings at the time the logging
is done. With this end in view
the club has prepared a letter
and a copy of the proposed pet
ition to the Legislature. The
petition is as follows:
Whereas, there is in Northern
Minnesota constantly increas-
ing accum ulation of tree tops,
linn bs anh refuse from logging
operations; and an increase ir
in the number of actual settlers
on the forest farms, isolated
from one another, and with little
hope of escape in case of a gen.
eral confagration; and an in
crease in the number of villages,
and valuation in property, ex-
posed to destruction by forest
fires; and viewing with great
alarm this ever presentenenan ce
from the irreslstib BILE fire demon,
and wishing to avoid the disas-
trous results and suffering that
would be incurred by a REPETITION
of the great Hinckley fire of 1894
in this state; therefore, the un
dersiged, residents of
Minnesota, respectfully petition
the legislature for the passage OF
a law substantially in the follow
ing form:
An act to provide for the re-
moval or burning of slashings,
limbs, tops and refuse on any
lands in the state of Minnesota,
and to punish for failure or neg,
lect to do so.
Section 1. Any person, firm
or corporation who shall cut, or
cause to be cut for commercial
purposes, any logs, railroad
cross-ties, cedar poles, pulp
wood, firewood or other tim Der,
on any land in this state shall,
before the Is of May next ensu
ing, burn or remove the slashiugs,
limbs, tops, and refuse, in such
manner as to prevent danger
to timber left standing, and
other property, and in so doing
shall be responsible for the ex-
ercise of reasonable care.
"Sectlon 2 Any person, firm
or corporation who violates any
of the provisions of the act shall
be guilty of q misdemeanor, and
shall, upon conviction, thereof, b.
punished by fine of not less
than $40, nor more than $lO0
and costs of prosecution, or be
imprisoned in the county Jail fo1
not less than thirty days, mol
more than ninety days"
| The scheme of burning tht
slashings and refuse left ove1
from logging operations has beer
successfully tried on the Chip
pewa reservation, it being re
quirement Of the provisions o
the Morris law under which tht
timber on the reserve was sold
The Pioneer is informed tina
the burning has been easily done
on the reserve, and that the cos
for the work has not been ove7
fifte el cents per thousand addi