The Springfield herald., 1908-02-14
THE BUREAU
OF FORESTRY
FIFTY-sIx NEW FORESTS PLACED
IN ITS CHARGE LAST
YEAR.
NO EXTENSIVE FIRES
FORESTER PINcHoT'S REPORT
TELLS OF THE WORK DONE
AND PLANNED.

Washington.-ln his annual report
for the last year Chief Forester Clifford
Plnchot said:
AT the end of the last fisc,il year all
the national forests in the United
States and Alaska were under organ
lied administration. They comprise 1s3
administrative units, under the super
vision 1l6 officers in charge. Fifty
six new forests were put under admin
istration during the year.
The local administrative and protec-
tive force on the national forests on
June 80, 1907, was 90 supervisors, Il
deputy supervisors, 639 rangers and
AGA guards. Each field officer engaged
In patrol covered on the average 1872
236 acres.
Aid in technical matters was given
to supervisors by twenty-five forest as
sistants and ten planting assistants.
The transfer to the local Offices OF
administrative details formerly han
died in Washington, together with the
routine work arising from the larger
use of forest resources made 1t neces-
sary to increase the number c, clerks
in the offices of supervisors from six
to twentynine.
Protective measures against forest
fires on the national forests were
highly effective, says the report. The
area burned over in the calendar year
1906 was restricted to 115,4lG acres
less than n acreg in 10000, as against
26 for the preceding year. The num-
bers of fires reported was 1,133 and
the average burned area less than 1O2
acres. The estimated value of the tim
ber destroyed was s76,lS3. as against
$l0l,2S2 for the preceding year The
cost of fighting fires, exclusive OF the
salaries of forest officers, was $S,16S.
This small damage from fires, many OF
which were started from lightning and
other unavoidable causes, in immense
stretches of mountain country, Is evil
dence, continues the report, that the
measures adopted for detecting and ex-
tinguishing fires on the national forests
are efficient. 1t Is certain, Mr.. Pin
chot adds, that loss by fire can be vir-
tually eliminated II appropriations for
the forests provide adequate means of
communication and sufficient protec'
tive force.
Tho national forests will be redis.
trictcd during the year 1908 with a
view TO their more economical admin.
istration and to making the headquar-
ters more accessible to users. This re-
districtiny will involve the creation of
many new administrative units. The
forests will be divided by water sheds
and natural boundaries, rather than by
legal subdivisions
The work planned included the con-
struction of over $500 miles of tele-
phone line, 5000 miles of trail. 200
miles of road, $50 bridges, 500 miles of
drift and boundary fences and 500 cab
ins and barns. The large number of
forests upon which the work will be
carried On simultaneously will make
necessary a large increase in the force
of supervising engineers.
A number of roads will be built in CO.
operation with states and counties. In
Idaho, for instance. $4,000 will be en-
pended in cooperation with the state
to build road from Boise to Atlanta,
and 5000 to open a wagon road from
Harpster to Elk City and to construct
the old and well known Salmon river
trail. About $4,000 Will be spent in re-
opening and repairing the Lolo military
trail, which many years ago made ac-
cessible country rich in possibilities,
and which will shorten the route be-
tween the eastern and western pOr-
tions of the state by many miles. Road
work in CO cooperation with counties will
be undertaken in Colorado, Oregon and
Idaho and possibly other states.
An annual statement was prepared
for the accounting officers of the treas
ury showing receipts from sales OF
products on the different national for
ests. This statement is used by the
secretary of the treasury in determin-
ing the ten per cent. required by law
to be deducted and turned over to the
states and territories in which the for
ests are situated for the benefit of pub
lie schools and public roads.
The amounts to be paid to the states
and territories, as shown by the state
ment are as follows: