East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-02-12

In his annual report for the last
year, Chief Forester Clifford Pinchot
said: At the end of the last
fiscal year all the national forests in
the United States and Alaska were
under organized administration. They
comprise 1873 administrative units,
under the supervision Of 116 officers
in charge. Fifty-six new forests|were
put under administration during the
year.
The local administrative and pro-
tective force on the national forests
on June 80, 1907. were So supervisors,
IL deputy supervisors, 639 rangers and
AGA guards. Each field officer en-
gagged in patrol covered on the aver
age 1925 acres. Aid In technical
matters was given to supervisors by
25 forest assistants and 10 planting
assistants
The transfer to the local officers of
administrative details formerly han
died in Washington, together with the
routine work arising from the larger
use of forest resources, made it ne
cessary to increase the number of
clerks in the offices of supervisors
from 6 to 29.
Protective measures against forest
fires on the national forests were
highly effective. The area burned
over in the calendar year 1906 was
restricted to 115,416 acres-less than
~ acres in 10000, as against 26 for
the preceding year. The number of
fires reported was 1888 and the aver
age burned area less than 102 acres.
The estimator value of the timber de-
stroyed was $76,1S3, as against $101,-
2S2 for the preceding year. The cost
of fighting fires, exclusive of the sal
aries of forest officers was sS76S.
This small damage from fires, many
of which were started from lightning
and other unavoidable causes, in i'm
mense stretches of mountain country,
is evidence that the measures adopt
ed for detecting and extinguishing
fires on the national forests are eff
cient, 1t is certain that loss by fire
can be virtually eliminated If appro-
prations for the forests provide ade-
quate means of communication and
sufficient protective force.
viii Redistrict Forests.
The national forests will be redis-
tricted during the year 1908 with a
view to their more economical ad-
and to making the head
quarters more accessible to users.
This redistricting will involve the
creation of many new administrative
units. The forests will be divided by
watersheds and natural boundaries,
rather ahan by legal subdivisions.
The work planned included the
of over $500 miles of
telephone lines, 800 miles of trail,
200 miles of road. $50 bridges, 500 |
cabins and barns. The large number !
Of forests upon which the work will |
be carried on simultaneously will |
make large increase in the force OF
engineers necessary.
A number of roads will be built in
cooperation with states and counties.
I'm Idaho, for instance, $4,000 will be
expended in cooperation with the
state to build road from Boise to
Atlanta. and $4,000 to open wagon
road from Harpster to Elk City and to
reconstruct the old and well-known
Salmon river trail, About $4,000 will
be spent in reopening and repairing
he Lolo military trail, which many
Years ago made accessible a country
rich in possibilities. and which will
shorten the route between the eastern
and western portions of the state by
many miles. Road work in co-opera-