Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-10-01


You'd comprehension.
1t is interesting at this particular
time to note that the national conscr-
walton commission appointed by Pres
ident Roosevelt is trying to find out
what IT costs the country to fight
fires. Tho geological survey, which
Of inquiry for the commission IL send
ing out letters TO city officials all
over tho country asking for data on
the additional cost of city water sup
plies for fire protection beyond what
Is necessary for domestic use. This
information Will be combined with
other statistics of a similar nature to
throw light on the general topic OF
the conservation of life and property
through the prevention of fires. for
the use OF the commission when it
meets here In December Tor prepare Its
report for President Roosevelt
The fact that the Investigations OF
tho commission have reached a point
where such detailed Information Is be-
ing sought is an Indication of the sub
stantial progress of It's preliminary
work. For time, perhaps, the men
who undertook to prepare an inven-
tory of the country's present natura
wealth and the outlook for the future
feared that the task was going TO
in time to submit to the first fun
meeting of the commission. December
/. But they say now there Is no
doubt that they viii place in the
hands of the commission a practically
complete inventory upon which that
body can base It's further studies and
recommendations.
The city nre-nghting system inves-
tigation Is part of n general study OF
The commission is compiling an i'm
mense amount of accurate informa-
ton concerning the nature and extent
of loss of life and property from fires,
tho cost OF insurance, water systems
and fire departments, and tho posi-
bility of preventing fire through the
use Of fire-resisting building materials
and of fire prooing systems, and the
desirabil!ty of changes in building
systems. The letters which are going
out now ask for figure, on the total
cost OF each city's present distribute
laid and the number of hydrants. and
the cost of tho water used. They ask
further for an estimate of the cost
Of the system and materials that
would be required II tho necessity
for fire service were omitted and
only n domestic supply were needed.
Such cities as have a separate high
pressure fire system or contemplate
installing ono. can give actual figures
OF the cost Of fighting fires; for others
the expense can be deduced with toll
cradle accuracy.
In the meantime the terrible work
| of the flames which have burned over
and destroyed hundreds OF thousands
OF acres of timber and property 20
the value OF millions in the Lake
States and other sections Of the coun-
| try. recalls to memory other great
forest fires which have attained his
| toric importance.
one of the earliest of these was the
great Miramichi fire OF 1925. 1t be-
gan Its greatest destruction about
one o'clock In the afternoon OF Octo-
| Der seventh OF that year. at a place
about sixty miles above the town Of
Newcastle, on the Miramichi river. II
New Brunswick. Before ten O'Clock
at night 1t was twenty miles belo"
Newcastle. In nine hours It had de
stroyed belt of forest thirty mile.
| long and twenty-five miles wide
Over more than two and one-hai
| million 0CrcS, almost every lNlnE
thing was killed. Even the fish were
afterwards found dead in heaps on TIT
river banks. Five hundred and nine
" buildings were burned. and a mum
Der OF towns. including Newcastle
Chatham, and Douglastown, were de
stroycd. Ono hundred and sixty per
sons persisted. and nearly a thousan'
head OF stock. The loss from the MI
ramichi fire Is estimated at $4,000
not including the value of the timber
| In the majority of such forest FIRE
as this the destruction Of the timbe
Is moro serious loss, by far. thai
that of tho cattle md buildings, 70
II carries with 1t the impoverishmen
Of n whole region for tens or eve
hundreds of years afterwards, Tn
loss OF the stumpage value OF tn
timber at the time OF the fire Is bu
small part OF the damage to tn
ne!ghborhood. The wages that woul
to the Value Of the produce that woul
have been earned In numbering. adde
to the value OF the produce tina
would have been purchased to suppl
the lumber camps. and the taxes tina
would have been devoted to roads an
other public improvements. furnish