The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-10-21
FOREST FIRE QUESTION.
State Forester 8eSley Gives Some Elk
Cellent ADVICE.

The forest fire question in Garrett
county is more serious than in any 9TH
er county of the State. Last year it is
estimated that at least 30, 900 acres of
woodland were burned over, together
with fences and buildings, amounting to
loss of Sl20,0O0 Yet, notwithstand-
ing this tremendous loss, there is a gen
eral feeling Of indifference or helpless
ness in regard to forest fires
Our forest fire laws are sufficiently
severe to meet the situation. and the
only reason that fires exist at all is that
public sentiment is not sufficiently
aroused against this annual depreda-
ton Of one of the greatest resources
that the county possesses.
When the landowners and people
generally realize the value OF timber,
the absolute need OF protecting the
young growth, if the forest is ever to
be renewed, this viii cease just rs 9TH
er praventabIe evils will vanish under an
aroused pubic protest.
To be sure there would be an occa-
sional ire started by some cara less per-
son, but it would be 50 quickly checked
that the damage would re slight
OF the forty or more fires reported in
the county last year, it was impossible
to secure IN d single case sufficient evil
dence to fix the responsibility where it
belonged and punish The guilty parties
There fore, ~nile We have the machinery
for handling forest fires after they oc-
cur, the ADMINISTRATION Of the fire pro-
lection system IS tnwarted in not being
able to reach the person responsible for
the fire, and thereby exercise greater
preventive Most of the land
owners realize that if fires are checked
new growth of timber will rapidly
cover the cut-over lands and insure
new crop. There are abundant evil
dences of this along the road sides
where fires have been checked for
number of years and the young growth
has been permitted to develop without
injury.
There is no county in the State where
the proportion of valuable species in
the forests is so largely represented as
in Garrett county, and, furthermore,
! even on mountain slopes and ridges the
timber growth is rapid. There can be
No Jn1thT tbot - nhaolroI -,
forests of Garrett county will respond
quickly and insure for the years to
come good supply of timber, a COM
modify that is becoming so scarce as to
command price that will make it pay
better than any other crop on mountain
lands.
Under present conditions, where a
fire Is likely to sweep over the forest
and kill all of the young growth that
has started there is little inducement TO
encourage a second growth and the
lands consequently are worthless, so
far as production is concerned, and it is
! the hope of the landowner that a pur-
chaser may come along to take them off
his hands.
That the railroads and logging COM
| panies can set fire to the woods with
impunity is because the landowners do
not assert their rights under the forest
laws and require them to give reason
able protection.
That every Individual or corporation
| that carelessly, negligently or willfully,
maliciously, sets on fire or causes to set
on fire any woods, brush. etc, not his
own shall be guilty of misdemeanor, "
and subject to fine and imprisonment
and also for the damage caused oy the
fire If such persons were held strictly
accountable for the damage that they
cause IN careless way, they would at
once remove the cause of danger as far
as possible.
The State Forester is anxious to have
the laws enforced but must have the
assistance and cooperation of the land
owners to secure their enforcement.
He is at all times ready to act upon
authoritative information concerning
fires and urges every landowner to ac-
quaint himself with the forest laws and
to protect his property against this
enormous loss.
F. w. BEsLEY,
State Forester.