The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-06-13
Northern Idaho Forests.

ing telephone lines and erecting permanent bridges
in the Bitter Root national forests of Idaho, where
3S6O96O Of the 4,55285O in the preserves are
within what is known as 'the panhandle of the Gem
State" Major Frank A. Fem, supervisor, has
charge of the work in this vast forest, where big
game abounds, and which is practically unknown,
except to a few sturdy trappers and woodsmen 1t
will require five years to complete the work, at total
cost of 900 to 100000.
James Stuart half-breed Nez Perez Indian, is
chief surveyor on the forest He has of red
men, members of the Nez Perez tribe. They were
trained at Carlisle university or at the government
schools in the northwest Stuart is acknowledged
to be one of the best surveyors in Idaho. He made
the original survey for the Nez Perez Indian reser
vation and his work was so satisfactory it ulti
matey accepted by the United State government and
state and county officials
Trails are being cut through the forest SO that
the rangers can protect the timber resources. The
main trails are along the natural water levels OF the
Middle Fork of the Clearwater and Seway rivers to
the Montana state line When these have been
built the work of constructing the lateral trails will
begin These lonesome mountain paths the
scenes of labor to protect the reserve from fire.
Lateral trails will be constructed across divides, the
object being. to keep high ground to permit the
ranger to obtain an unobstructed view of his patrol
While the lateral trails comparatively 1nexpen-
sive the main paths are often blasted through the
hardest lava rock.
At frequent and accessible points in the forest
Portable cabins for lonely rangers will be built.
Here the patroman will store his provisions Near
at hand are lookouts where the range rider may
get view of the forest for miles around through
binoculars The ranger, like the city fireman. is al
ways on the lookout The faint blue line of smoke
means fire, and it foreshadows destruction of the
forest. The rangers have instructions to start i'm
mediately for the of the blaze as they
in at1On1 c Oi1yep 70 fine
distance, or circumstances
Less than 400 acres of land were burned over last
season, and not than 1000 feet of timber
destroyed by the flames What threatened to de-
velop into the most damaging fire of the season was
snufed by four rangers within four hours after dis
covery The blaze had start in Mountain Meadow,
and was sighted by ranger from his lookout thirty
miles away The guard the dull streak of
smoke, turned his horse in the direction did three
others, and arrived on the scene to assist in ex-
tlnguishng the flames. The forest patrolled
and protected at cost of trihe more than half
cent acre during the season of 1907.
Bachelors are few among the employees of the
forest service for the that after few years
in the work the constant loneliness grows on the
sturdy fellows and it falls to their lot to seek means
Of destroying it. The work in pairs and threes
In the event of injury to lone ranger he might per-
sh before aid could reach him. By working to-
gether, the men are protected. The most dangerous
wound to which ranger is exposed is the slash of
lis heavy AK used in trimming timber and cutting
rails The men have library, maintained by the
but prefer the literature forest culture
The patrolmen and rangers begin their work in
uy and ride the range until the latter part of Octo-
er, when SHOWS begin to the mountain timber,
protecting it from fires The greatest danger of fire
ONES from electric storms which frequent in the
1gher attitudes during the late summer and early
all months. Major Fem says that campers and
ravelers through the limits are no longer
esponS1ble for forest fires through careessness or
eglect to extinguish the embers on breaking camp
Fifteen thousand sheep and 10000 cattle over
lie ranges, and yet there is little grazing land in the
eserve. The stockmen apply to Major Fem for