The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-11

| men and monarchs of the districts over
which they have Jurisdiction. Over a GER
ia, tam N, number OF rangers there Is the
ficer and to whom they are responsible
for tho care OF their districts.
When the emergency in the form of n
good or there IS likely TO be trouble with
those higher up. fire that started an
hour ago may be worked around and
turned back upon Itself by a lone man in
the wilderness, but II 1t has burned a
day IL may defy the energies OF all the
men that can be recruited and lap up
timber TO the value OF millions of dollars.
He must pit science, energy. judgment
and pluck against the incipieut fire. 1t
is his task to be worked out In the soli-
tude and he IS responsible for its solu-
non. 1t Is for the quick work OF stopping
the fire when II Is first started that he
is maintained and upon him depends
losses OF such, size that many men at the
helm OF great enterprises would quail at
assuming them.
Lookout Post Important.
During the past year the lookout post
mas grown In Importance In the ranger
work, There are dozens OF points in the
Rockies where lone ranger maintains
his post throughout the season of fire
danger, scans faithfully the thousands OF
square miles OF timber land that lie all
about him for the danger sign and, see
region who watch for his alarms and
read his code. If one fire appears on his
mountain side it means that II fire is
raging In a certain district; two fires
mean another thing. and three yet an
other. Even the old Indian method of
smotheriDg n fire under a blanket on "a
still day and releasing intermittent rings
of smoke Is often resorted to in this
work. All the tricks OF the man alone
in the great solitude who wants to send
a message 10 his distant fellows are
brought into play.
But usually the ranger rides many
miles every day usually taking the pack
horse and supplies with him He knows
where are the best places TO make camp
that he may maintain his vigil. Sooner
or later his summons comes He knows
that the smoke he sees Is not a patch
OF fog against mountain side for his
are experienced eyes He knows wbeth-
er the smoke is five or twenty miles away
and the speed at which he dare ride his
pony 10 get there quickest and still not
OF another dash for endorsements if
this is found necessary.
Arriving at the scene of activity he
measures his powers against tho con-
nagration and determines whether or not
one man Will he able to handle IT, His
Judgment must be sure and quick, for
SO many more hours the start OF the
increased force, And If he leaves il and
runs for help when 1t might have been
possible 10 stamp II out alone he stll
gives ii hours of unrestralnt In which To-
gather force.
The small battle of one man against
an inctpleHl IRE is usually more intense
than that OF many men against a larger
fire, but less spectacular He fights 1t
back Inch by inch or II drives him back
He retreats doGgedy and only when
shown that his task Is beyond the power
Of a single man. Then the re-enforcc-
ments are called in and tho fight begins
on u larger scale
Fighting the Flames.
firo that creeps along tho ground
may be beaten back with pine boughs or
fresh dirt may be shoveled along the ad-
vance guard. The attack must be syste-
matiZed and the whole advance line
turned back or tho victory is only tenn
porary. When tho flames are raging In
the tall timber a lane must be made
through il at some point ahead and the
fire turned back, The ranger Knowing
the forest under his care Will select some
points of vantage ahead Of the flames. !
road bisecting forest may offer a
starting point for the fight as may a |
stream or tongue OF swamp. II these |
are not present he will select n thin |
place In the forest and run lane |
through. On tho side of this toward the |
fire dirt is piled with the shovels and |
sometimes dynamite is placed In the |
ground and greaL- -auanllte the damp