Evening journal., 1909-09-24
MUCH DAMAGE
BY FOREST FIRES
Estimated Losses to Date
Figured at 500, 900, 900
by Government Official

WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept. o.
Forest fires are causing considerable
damage in many parts of the country
at present. 1t will be several months
before the total destruction is known.
for the fire season has considerable
time to run. In figuring out this
years losses, it viii be natural to
make comparison with losses for last
year which, according to Treadwell
Cleveland, Jr.. in the Year Book of the
Department of Agriculture, will cause
1908 10 be long remembered.
"A dry season, combined with what
seemed to be even more than the usual
indifference toward small fires which
might easily have been extinguished
at the start" says Mr.. Cleveland,
caused destructive conhagrations in
practically every State, with losses ag-
gregating S1OO000,0O0. In comparison
with the havoc wrought elsewhere,
the damage done to National Forests
was exceedingly slight. Had fires
ragged within the forests as they did
outside they would have destroyed
timber worth $50. 1000 O0O-enough to run
the Forest Service for six years. More
over il is practically certain that most
II not all of the damage which was
/ done might have been prevented had
the forests been fully manned"
Finally. the estimates of loss made
by the Service on National Forests are
particularly searching, and take full
account of the injury done to young
| growth. Commonly. estimates of loss
| from forest fires are based upon the
damage done to standing timber and
to property; they do not reckon the
usually far greater loss in injury or
destruction of young growing stock"
The methods by which the govern
ment keeps down the fire losses on the
National Forests include:
Constant and systematic patrol by
picked forces Of rangers and guards.
The construction of roads. trails. and
| telephone lines. which facilitate the
massing of large fire-fighting forces.
The construction of fire lines which,
in some Instances, check the spread of
fire without human help
The equipment of the forests with
fire-fighting tools and other supplies
necessary in fighting fires. The sup
plies of tools ays kept at convenient
points at all times, in order to have
them easily accessible to forest officers,
in case fires break out.
Cooperation with railroads, timber
land owners, and settlers in fire pro-
lection. in this way making il possible
TO protect both the lands of the COM
panies and the Forest Service at a
much smaller cost to the government
than would be the case were the Ma
tional Forest lands alone protected by
the local officers.
Just as the practice of forestry is
important in the movement for the
conservation Of all natural resources.
so is the protection of the forests from
fires important in the furtherance of
rational forest work. In fact, forestry
In many instances means nothing more
than conservative numbering and the
prevention Of forest fires. Uncle Sam
realizes that only through the wis,
use and care OF the forests will 1t bl
possible to make natural timberlanC
permanently productive. The practice
of forestry does not mean abbreviat
ing the use Of the land. Instead
conservative numbering and protection
of the young growth from fire vii
bring about a steadily increasing use
for with cultivation and care the yiel,
of the forest increases and the pro
duct improves in the same way tina
the value of the farm increases unde
proper system of management.