Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-10-15
AND CONGREGATIONS ARE
AVOlDABLE IN NEARLY ALL
CASES.
r FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PRO-
TECTS ITS RESERVES IN A
SYSTEMATIC MANNER.
FEDERAL

sources than the great forest fires
which have been so widely distribut
ed throughout the country and have
played such havoc this summer. Ii
is doubtful if the losses for the year
1908 will ever be fully known, but a
conservative estimate by DR.. w. J.
MCGEE, erosion expert, United States
department Of agriculture, places the
aggregate loss in all parts of the
country during these months Of con,
hagration at 100000 a day.
In nearly every instance, probably
in every instance, these devastating
fires might have been prevented if
the various states had provided an
adequate number Of men to patrol the
woods and arrest all such fires in
their incipiency, and if lumbermen
and other users of the forest were
careful to dispose of brush after log
ging so as to prevent the spread OF
fires.
Uncle Sam has had a lot of work
to do on his national forests in the
fire-fghting line this year, but his
work has shown good results Elk
elusive of the salaries of forest Off
GERS, the work of putting down fires
on the national forests for the year
has GDst the government $4,000.
This means protecting approximately
168,000,000 acres. The value of the
climber destroyed will not be known
until the fire reports are made at
the end of the year, though it is es-
timated that it will be larger than
last year. But it will be insignifi-
cant when compared with the appall-
ing fire losses outside of the national
forests on unprotected areas, or with
the destruction which would have
come to the timber in the national
forests had they not been protected.
These results have come through
the increased efficiency of fire patrol
and methods of fighting fire and
through the cooperation of settlers
and users of forests who understand
that the forests are their property
and that a loss from fire is a person
al one. By posting fire notices and
giving advice the government has Sc
cured cooperation from the outside,
which may be said to be as important
an agency in reducing the loss from
forest fires as is the perfection of
machinery for fighting these fires.
After timber is cut, the regulations
require brush to be compactly piled at
a safe distance from living trees.
Sometimes this brush is burned under
direction of a Forest officer; but even
if it is allowed to stand, no fire that
starts finds fuel by which it can spread.
The national forests are constantly
patrolled by a picked force Of rangers
and guards. The present summer
force of such rangers and gua'ds,
whose main duty is fire patrol, is l.
351 men; the average area that each
is required to protect is 121 sos acres
It is fully understood that this area is
altogether too large, and just as
soon as funds are available to permit
of the employment of a large force OF
men the area will be reduced.
In order to provide rapid means of
travel between the various parts of
the national forests and to facilitate
the massing Of large forces of men to
fight fire. as we'll as to furnish van
tage points from which the fires may
be fought successfully, 160 miles of
road and $500 miles of trail were
built during the last fiscal year. In
several cases frebreakers from Is to
100 feet in width have been con-
structed, from which all timber and
material is removed, to
furnish obstacles to the spread of fire.
or straight lines Of defense in fight
ing the fire once started. Several
miles of such fre-breakers now exist
on the national forests in southern
California, where it is especially inn
portant that the forest cover on the
watersheds of important irrigation
streams be protected.
Telephone lines have been con-
connecting ranger stations
with the Headquarters of the fores+, IN
order that fires may be reported and
promptly extinguishea. During the
fiscal year ending June 30 1903, g.,
500 miles of telephone line were con-
in the national forests.
Just as rapidly as possible, each ma
tional forest is supplied with shoVels,
axes. and other tools, which are dis
tributed over the forests and cabins.
and tool boxes are placed to 80
times, according to the experts But
taking the minimum of 100000
horsepower. its rental at $40 per
horsepower per year would amount TO
an annual return of s2S,000,000. Wa
ter power is much cheaper than fuel
power and will become more and more
so as the available supply Of fuel is
depleted. This means that the de-
mand for water power viii increase.
These southern business men foresee
4 great manufacturing future for their
section and are determined to instill
heir ideas into the minds Of others.
They point out also that the useful |
ness Of these rivers can be increased
not only for manufacturing, but for
The improvement OF |
he lumber business and Of the allied |
of turpentining has also re-
,eived much attention from them. In |
some states, they say there are very |
.;nh s..orifr rhinh might L