The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-12-02

v v ton against fire, with
minimum OF cNpcndi.
turp. the forest service has decided
TO establish on the most advantageous
points of the national forests in the
wc-' series Of lookout stations from
which news OF the breaking out OF
forest fires can be tClophOncd to for
est officials
Since all OF these stations Will com
muuG view of the country tor miles
around, the work OF detecting and eN
tiugishirG fires in their inripirncy
Will. by this plan, De greatly eNpe.
durd with the result that many thou.
sands OF dollars worth OF valuable
timber will be saved annually
In most of the national forest states
the climate is very dry, and the rain
fall light Conditions, therefore, are
remarkably favorable for the spread
Of fire and extraordinary diligence Is
necessary In patrolirE dangerous
areas. TO administer the vast area
included in the national forests. ap.
proximatcly l95,000,OOO acres. the
government has about liOO men in
the field II each man could he used
for nrc patrol. he would have to
cover approximately $4,000 acres
As matter OF fact, however, the vol
ume of business ON the national for.
osts has grown TO such proportions
that less than twenty-five per cent. nf
the force Is valuable. This makes f.
necessary to spread an average mans
service over nearly -four times $4,000
acres, decreasing fire protection far
below the point OF safety in many
cases.
In the face Of this, however. fire
losses on the national forests are kept
nj a point whore they are trivial when
compared with the damage which
would be caused were the lands con
iaincd in the national forests unpro
tcctcd.
4 lookout station has been cstab
lished on Shutcyr peak in the high
Eicrras, for the purpose OF watching
for any fires which might occur in the
mountains This peak has an cleva.
ton OF S.S5S feet and the observer
commands view of a large portion of
Tuolumnc MADEIRA and Fresno cUun
ties. In California.
A cabin constructed at the top Of
the mountain and telephone In.
stalled, connects with the forest su.
pcrvisor's Office in the valley and the
various ranger stations on the ST.
ezra forest The observer is equipped
with powerful field glasses and when
"A fire Is discovered news Is instantly
telephoned to the nearest ranger.
During the short time the station
has been maintained its usefulness has
twice been demonstrated By the dis.
covery of fires in remote localities
These were readily eXtinguishcd be.
fore they could gain dangerous head.
way, thus saving valuable timber and
forage which might otherwise have
been devastated had not the fires been
discovered in their inciplcncy
The forest service Is planning to es.
tublish several other similar stations
in the Sicrras which will virtually
command the entire range OF noun
tains and In this manner remove the
necessity for constant patrol on the
part of the rangers scattered through.
out the hills Much of the rangers
time can now be devoted to trail and
other Improvement work without in.
terfering with their availability for
lighting fires. and the nervous strain
under which many Of the men labored
when constantly patroling has been
materially reduced. The telephone on