The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-09-11

NJ mat when a forest fire IL fairly
started and with weather and
other conditions favorluE 10. II is beyond
The power or man 20 stop o.. the govern
ments method OF dealing with fires In
its vast domains. particularly In the
wiiCs Of the west. is 10 prevent them as
Tar as possible. In this connection the
old ndarc about an ounce OF pre-
vcution bcing worth pound or cure -
particularly impressive.
That nothing but heavy rains and the
decrease or winds VIII check forest
fire when DO has gained great Roadway
a. evident from the fires which recently
have been raging through the west
That forest fires are not more frequent
and more disastrous is due 20 the never
crariuE diligence of the forestry service
OF the department 81 agriculture In pre-
venting fires while in an iucipicut stage
from spreading. Ev means or an cffi-
Cicut patrol system. small fires are
quickly detected. and unless the ele-
mcut. are too strongly Tn their favor.
they are eNtluguishcd by the rangers
before they spread to any great extent.
Hud before any particular damage re-
rulto.
chief Forester Graves contends that
the principles 81 fighting forest fires
arc essentially the same as those rec
ogniyed fn fighting fires I'm cities. lie
consider or chief importance the quick
arrival OF fire fighters 90 the fires. an
adequate force. proper equipment. n
proper organization OF the fighting
Grew and ekill iu attacking the flames
Just re fu n city. the efficiency or n fire
service depends largely on the equip
urcnf. so also iu forest fire work 10 rs
essential that the fighters be furnished
with proper tools and other equipment
EauIprneut Of FIrc Fighters
The implements needed for fighting
forest fires vary under different con-
ditiou7. Whenever dirt can be USED.
the men are provided with long-hand-
a.. aa.H nHrH .HNa Ian X
cts are provided and. whore possible.
bucket pumps. Under mOst-Coudttona.
81 ir considered dcEira BILE 20 have mat
fucke and iron rayes. and there should
aTwaya hc axes TO aid in clearing the
brush by cutting down timber and old
tops.
There are three classes Of fires; sur
rarr fires. ground fires and crown
fires. Surface fires burn the layer or
Dr. leaves and other litter. dry grass
brush and small trees. Ground fires
occur where the mineral soil BE- COW
cred with a deep accumulation or EeEe-
table mold. These. on account or the
ucafv character 81 the mineral burn
more slowly than surface fires Crown
~t-ce are those which burn through the
crowns OF fHe trees. and inNarlapll
start from surface fires.
The damage done by forest fires Is
varied Some Of the results are. Death
90 standing trees. injury 20 trees that
ore not killed. injury 90 soil. reduction
81 the rate or growth or TIE Standing
trees. and lcsscuinE the reproduction
or trees.
Careless smokers and car.pers leaving
1iEhfcf camrfircs are the principal
causes OF forest fires. Sparks from
locomotives and rawmillq often oriEi-
nate hI1zce. Tn many instances. serious
fires have been known 20 have origin
ntcd from iuceudiarism and lightning
in tho case or the recent western fires.
fne forest service has been advised that
much o. the spread is due 20 iucendiar-
Ism.
Adequate Fire Patrol.
chief Forester Graves believes that
tbe organization Or AZ adequate forest
patrol for protection denotes the estah-
ifzhment 81 such conditions that the
chance Of fire are reduced 20 mini
mum Among the measures variously
used 20 accomplish this are the disposal
~ slash" or debris from logging opera
fions. tho development OF roads. trails
aud fire lines. and the esta blishment
uf lookout stations and telephone lines
20 o. frequently the case that the sub
nrdinatee OF the federal departments
fu Washington Judge the ability and
strength OF their respective department
icads-thc cabinet officcrs-bv their
r~oclfvitics for rushing through appro-
priatious for salary Increases and for
the purchase Of furniture and supplies
Although 90 is twenty-five years since
Eru amin Brewster. or Pcnu1yl Vanta.
was attorney general. hts name is we'll
mcuf o. Justice today. although many
attorney generals since HIS time have
rome and E1nc. and nrc practically Tor
Tottcn simply because Mr.. Brewster
was successful In buying handsome
furniture. and In obtaining increased
salaries for his clerks and assistants
when B.cwst r. rcfittcd tho depart
meut offices shortly after ne assumed
office. he created somewhat 81 n scnsa-
ff0u fn departmental circles by spending
ON enormous sum for furniture. Such
desks. bookcases. rugs and easy chairs
and the like had never before been seer
there and Attorney General Brewster
laughed orr an criticism by a7yinE ID
believed in dignity and comfort. Thai
Tho government got ifs moneys wortl
fu most or the purchases la evident from
the fact that some OF the furniture 9,
being used in the department today
strong on Furniture.
Postmaster General Hitchcock is rap
f1fy acquiring the reputation or Brew
rfcr=that i1. MS far as furniture goes
Since becoming postmaster general. h'
las practically refitted the offices OF