The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1908-04-18


Civil Service Commission when fnaI
| judgment is rendered.
The duties of the rangers and su.
pervisors are numerous. They hear
complaints, and settle difficulties
whenever possible without applying
to the main office at Washington,
They sell timber, grant permits to
cut down trees for the development
of mining claims and for domestic
uses. They give permission to Craze
limited number of cattle and sheep.
to build fences, to use the land nee
essary for the erection of stores,
residences and hotels, for the con-
struction of wagon roads, trails, ca
mails, reservoirs, telephone lines. etc.
They must guard against fires, and
see that all the uses of the forests
resources are made within the law.
This matter is sometimes difficult in
country where men are proverbi-
ally short on temper and quick on
the trigger.
The first day of the examination
will be given to educational tests.
and 1t Is safe to predict mat many
a COW puncher, who will shine In the
field examination, will emerge from
the first days trial with ink stained
fingers and eyes full of despair.
The second day the horses will be
brought out, and at an early hour,
the forestry expert in the lead, they
will hit the trail for the tall timber
where the real test will begin. Here
the contestants will be given axes
and will have a chance to show their
skill In cutting and scaling timber.
They will then be given work in fol-
lowing blind trails, for the man who
rides the range must be able to read
the wilderness signs like book. A
long hard ride thru the mountains.
testing the endurance of the men
on rough riding, will probably end
the days work except, Of course,
pitching camp, and notes will be
made Of the manner in which each
man makes fires and prepares his
resting place.
The third day the accuracy of the
men will be tested in judging dis
tances. This Is the most important
part of the work, as a forest ranger
is often required to estimate dis
tances with no other facility than his
eye or the length of his stride
Another important accomplishment
which the ranger must possess is
that or packing, and usually a small
pack animal is brought out and each
candidate told to go ahead in his
turn and show what he can do In the
way of putting a load on the horses
back. 1t Is a revelation to an East
ener to witness the dexterity with
which the average ranger puts on the
blanket, the little pack saddle. and
then stores away the bags of feed,
the tarpaulin, the shovel and ak. and
ties the whole with the diamond
hitch. This hitch is one that can be
loosened with single pull at the rope
1t never slips, and when it is cor
rectly thrown ON a we'll packed ami
NAL the load cannot be bucked of. A
little compass work and a few tests
In the saddle will complete the exam
nation, and many of the contestants
vii depart for their homes on horse
back hundreds Of miles across moun-
tains and plains.
The papers in the examination
Will all be forwarded to Washington.
together with the reports of the ex-
perts on field work, and the success
[ul men Will be assigned to the re-
serves that are in particular need of
rangers, altho 1t is the aim of the
Department to keep each man as
near home as possible.
Hundreds of applicants have filed
satisfactory papers with the Civil
Service Commission, and even now
hey are quietly gathering for the
est. They are bronzed, hardy look
ng young fellows for the most part,
'anchers' sons and ex-cowboys, who
ire gravely wondering what the
'schoolhouse work" of the first day
Will consist of, but there are some
'road shouldered college graduates
90. who have decided that a life in
he open is what they most desire,
md they are in for some surprises
lnless they have had considerable
experience in roughing it in the
Vest.
The typical man In this service is
Dung, enthusiastic, and thoroly in
owe with his work, and 1t is from
he ranks of such men, who are