New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-10
FOR FOREST PROTECTION.
Observation Toocers on Mountain
Tops in Mains.

Bangor Me-. Feb. o (spsciaD.-The system Of
forest protection which is being maintained through
the state land agents Office and the large timber
land owners OF the state IS constantly being ex-
tended and made more valuable every year by the
building OF mountain observatories. The
observatories already located on Squaw Mountain.
Attean Mountain and Mount Bigelow have been
the means of saving millions OF dollars worth Of
standing timber from being destroyed by fire.
The stations mentioned established where
they protect the timber land around the head
waters of the KennebeC River. They have already
demonstrated their value, and every one Of them
has a record of fires discovered and checked to
It's credit They were started as an experiment
the first having been installed at SGnaw Mountain
nigan, Of Waterville. for the Holhngsworth &
Whitney Co., OF Winslow.
The system is now being extended to take in the
country east and north or Moosehead Lake. 10
this end stations have been located on Spencer and
Whitecap mountains. Spencer Mountain Is about
ten miles from Spencer Bay, on the east shore OF
Moosehead Lake The observatory IS placed on
the top of the mountain, which Is about three thou
sand feet above the sea level The man at TINS
station has view of some two hundred thousand
acres Of timber land in the Moosehead and Penob-
scot watersheds
The station on Whtecap Mountain, which is
about ten miles north of the Katahdin Iron Works,
was installed by ]. l. Chapman, Of Milo. White
cap is not high of the other mountains
which stations located. but it rises abruptly
out of comparative sea Of forest In the north-
ship Z, Range 10. and the station commands view
of three hundred thousand acres Of timber
land on the headwaterS OF the Penobscot and the
kennebeC.
This station is connected by telephone with
Charles RandalIs camps at Roach Pond, and Is
connected with Greenve by the MooSehead Tele-
phone COmpany's line, 1t from this range
that the fire in Township A. Range H. near Craw-
ford Pond. was discovered about two months ago
and reported to Greenvllle. A gang of were
sent to the fire and checked it. The high wind
Sunday August Il, started the fire again. and again
the station reported 1t and sent to fight it,
The station IS in charge OF Emery Getcheh, of
Milo, who has a camp less than mile from the
top of the mountain. with telephone In the camp
and also near the highest peak
These mountain observatories becoming a
great factor in the protection OF the Maine forests.
The expense of installing the stations IS not great.
averaging about $3.50. All of the stations are
equipped with the most approved range finders. and
with Typographical chart of all the country that
can be seen. II the the station sights the
smoke OF forest fire his territory he locate
its distance by means of the range finders. and by
means of the typographical map tell with
markable accuracy where the fire is When lie
telephones OF his discovery to the nearest
point from which men be scnt he tell the
in charge OF the fire fighters the location OF
the fire closely that time Is lost In getting to
land in the state which is not protected by these
stations, but the time is not far distant when
every elevation commanding a view Of forest coun-
try will be topped with signal station for the dis
covery and location OF forest nres.