The Greeley tribune., 1908-12-23
STATES INTEREST
in U. 5. FORESTS
IMPROVEMENTS COST ses, s,ooo. 90

IMPROVEMENTS COST ses, 600, 90
ElGhteen National Forests In st.t. -,
Colorado.
Coiofsdo has natural interest in
that pert of the report of the secre-
tary OF agriculture which is devot-
ed to permanent improvements on
the governments national forests.
Such work as the construction of
miles OF trail and roads, telephone
lines. drift and pasture fences,
ranger houses and barns, has open
ed up and improved many square
miles OF territory in the eighteen ma
tionai forests in the state, and for
these and similar purposes $685.
70O.S6 was spent during the last
hscai year, ending June 80, 1908.
Two hundred sixty-five and one
fourth miles of trail and 42h " miles
of road were built, SIT miles of tel
ephone line were strung, and the for
est ranges were improved by the
construction of SLY miles of drift
fence and 93& miles of pasture
fence. During the year forty-nine
houses to be used for ranger quar-
tiers, and seventeen barns for rang
ers' horses, were built, seven bridges
were constructed, seven watering
places on the range were improved,
and various miscellaneous improve
ments were made. In speaking of
the permanent Improvement work on
all the national forests, the secre-
tary of agriculture has the following
to say in his annual report:
The agricultural appropriation
act Of 1908 included an item of
$6OO,OOo. which was made available
for permanent improvement work on
the national forests. The object OF
this work is to help open up the for
ests to more use and provide means
for their better and more econom-
ical Drotection. through the suppl,
let neans Of communication ans
ttramlpAstZtion, well-located fiel,
quarters, Are lines. fences to assis
in the handling of stock and water
ing places. These Improvements ar
essentially investments of capital
which add greatly to the value ant
usefulness of the forests.
THE work completed during th'
year included 3,400 miles of trails
5000 miles OF telephone line, 1Ot
miles ofwagon road, forty miles o
fire line. $50 bridges. $50 cabins ant
barns, and 500 miles of pasture anG
drift fences. In addition to the sun
provided by the special improvement
fund over 100000 from the gen,
eral fund of the service was turned
from current expenses to defray the
cost of this work, but much of the
work planned and urgently needed
could not be carried out because
there was nothing with which to pay
for IT,
Detailed estimates covering total
of s2,O0O,O00 for permanent inn
provements. which it is desired to
complete in 1909 were submitted
to the congress. They showed for
the entire amount exactly what it
was proposed to undertake on each
national forest and at what cost. The
amount provided by the appropria-
ton was 100000. For 1910 esti-
mates will again be submitted for
permanent improvements, the cost
Of which aggregate $974.9S1. These
estimates are the result of specihc
and fully itemized plans, which are
on file in the forest service. They
are in no sense request for lump
sum, the spending of which remains
to be planned in detail after appro-
priation 10 made 1t is of urgent I'M
portance that this work should be
provided for.
Though the construction of per-
manent improvements entails the
need of provision for their mainten-
ance, the added efficiency of the FOR
ests as economic resources secured
through these Improvements richis
repays the cost. With the nationai
forests, as with many other re-
sources, their returns depend on the
extent to which development taxes
place through judicious outlays OF
capital. II the land Is not to remain
a wilderness. 1t must be made service
able to the needs Of civilized men oy
constructive expenditures.
Election Day at kcrsey.
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