Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-04
VALUED At MILLIONS
Forest Reserves Estimated to
Be Worth ST, 400, 900, 900.
COVER AN IMMENSE AREA
Heavy Loss From Fire Suffered An
nually.
MANY TRAILS SHOULD BE CUT
Permanent Improvements Desired
A New occupation-Gen. Wilson's
Recollections Of Houston.
COVER AN IMMENSE AREl
MANY TRAILS SHOULD BE CUT
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
Mr. Clifford Pinchot, in charge Of the for
estry bureau of the Agricultural Depart
ment estimates that the forest reserves OF
the United States. which already contain
127. 100000 acres, or about 100000 square
miles. are worth 81 400, 600. 900, and that the
standing timber upon them is worth $780,
OOO, 600. These reserves have an area equiv
alent to that Of New England. New York,
Delaware. New Jersey Pennsylvania, Mary
land, Virginia and the District of Columbia
combined. He expects not only to make the
forest service self-supportng, but to make
an annual income of 100000 year for
the public treasury by selling the dead and
down timber and cutting out that which Is
ripe and should be removed. This money,
after paying the expense of maintenance,
II is proposed to divide between the federal
treasury and the states in which the forest
reserves are located In 1903 the revenue
from timber sold, the permits for grazing
and other sources amounted to $o9,0Oo; IN
1906 it was $763, 533, and in 1907 1t will PROD
ably amount to something over million
dollars Nor are these the only possible
sources of revenue to the government from
the forest reserves. 1t Is proposed to sell
tries at the rate of seventy-fve cents per
horse power per year, and that should prlng
an additional income Of several million dol
lars
bureau of the Agricultural Department Will
become self-sustaining by tie year l9l1.
Last year more than a million dollars was
appropriated for its support: and TINS year
about 100000, a reduction of 100000. The
requirements will decrease more rapidly In
the future as soon as the bureau completes
its organization and builds system OF
roads trails and bridges by which interior
of the forests may be reached. At present
it Is impossible to get at much of the dead
and down timber, and enormous losses from
fire and wastage take place for that reason
every year.
Congress Asked for 100000.
Secretary Wilson and Mr.. Pinchot asked
Congress to advance the bureau Of forestry
the sum of 100000, of which 100000
could be available this year for the purpose
OF making permanent improvements in Or
der to realize upon the wealth that lies la
tent in the forest reserve and, at the same
time to protect it from injury and destruc-
ton. The longer these improvements are put
off the more the government will lose If
the necessary facilities can be provided at
once, q great deal Of valuable timber can
be saved and sold and the money turned
into the treasury. Mr.. Pinchot promised that
the entire 100000 asked for will be re-
turned with interest within ten years II
\ Congress will permit him to provide these
| facilities. The situa ton of the government
| is similar to that of a man who has large
| tract of idle property that would pay him
handsome dividends by the expenditure of a
little money in Improvements. The govern
ment owns this vast empire Of forests,
which, at the lowest estimate, might be
made to pay a revenue of 100000 a year.
but II is first necessary to provide means to
| make it accessible.
| The committee on agriculture recommend
| ed an appropriation of 81, 4OG, O0O for the cur
| rent year, and it was granted by the House
| of Representatives. The money is wanted
for permanent improvements, and the most
| imperative need Is trails to enable the for
| esters and rangers to get over the ground
| rapidly to stop fires. 1t is absolutely neces-
| sary that they should have quick access to
| every part of a reserve, and 81 100000 is
! asked for that purpose. BY this means sew
| eral times that amount of money could be
saved every year by preventing fires.
| Heavy Annual Loss.
The government loses twelve or fifteen
million dollars annually from that cause,
and the greater part Of 1t could be saved
If the facilities were provided If our re-
serves, which are the most extensive and
| the most valuable of any nation in the
world, were maintained on the Prussian
| basis We would have 1,JOO supervisors and
| 117,OO0 rangers employed for their protec-
| ton, instead of 80 supervisors and 800 rang
| ers, as at present. Our rangers are expect
| ed to cover an area of 100000 acres each,
| and each supervisor territory of 1,413,00O
| acres. Their task is made the more difficult
! because there are few trails no telegraph
| or telephone lines, no bridges and passage
| throughout the forests generally is OBJ
| structed by fallen timber and underground
| so that in many cases 1t is necessary for
the rangers to travel long distances to
| reach fires that are burning nearby
| The fact that the ground is covered with
| dead and dry timber and brush makes the
/ fires more destructive las we'll as more fire.
quent and more difficult to put out. Where
| the ground Is clear it is considered an ad-
| vantage to have 1t burned over every year
| or so. The ashes fertilize the soil and the
| fire keeps down the useless underbrush
which robs the trees Of the nourishment
| they are entitled to. A large part of the
fallen timber is valuable and can be uti-
| liZed 1t is now sold to the highest bidder
! in sections as large as they want. The
| contractors are usually lumbermen in the
vicinity. They are required to build roads
| and practically clear the ground within the
| limits of their contract, so as to remove
| the greatest danger of fire. They are also
| allowed to cut a certain amount of standing
| timber which should be cleared away for
| the benefit of the other trees. The super
visors and rangers go through the forest,
mark the trees that can be cut and then
| let the lumbermen go In and work under
| the supervision of inspectors. All Of the
| proceeds from the sale Of this timber go
| into the treasury as a special fund and can
] be used for the protection and Improvement
| of the forests in addition to the regular
| appropriations. During the year 1903 the
| receipts were over $3.50. 600 from this source,
| chiefly in Montana. eWyoming and Arizona.
The money is wanted this year to build
/ cabins for the use Of the rangers; fences
| to keep out stock; telephone lines so that
| the rangers at the different stations can
| communicate with each other; fire lines and
| bitches to prevent the spread OF fire; bridges
| over canyons and deep streams In order to
economic travel and for tools implements
and other necessary material. There ought
| to be thousands Of miles of horseback trails
through each of the forest reserves.
A New Occupation.
| new occupation has sprung up in New
| Uo.r, x,,hiol v,,;0ht Ia prOdf hiv fpfyo5,oo>l