Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-09-28
Gent supervision most of the unneces

describe the penalties. The four Ian
guages are used because many Italians
are at work on the railroads and more
Mexicans are adrift all over the west.
Watch for lneipient Fires.
All over the forest reserves are
lookout stations. In the fiat country
they consist of platforms in the tops
OF high trees. approached by ladders
If there are no tall trees towers are
erected. In the mountainous coun-
try any high peak or crag will do.
From these lookouts the keen eyed
rangers and guards. provided with the
best long distance glasses, keep a
constant watch over the territory as
signed to them. From one to another
they signal In various ways. Where
ever 1t is possible the telephone is
used. In the wilder regions more
primitive methods must need be en-
ployed.
Among the most effective is the old
fire system, the system used by the
Picts of Scotland, the system the
white men OF Europe found the red
men of America using when they first
struck the shores of the western hem.
isphere.
At time when fire signals are not
needed the rangers and guards build
little brush piles all over their terri.
tory. Placed about 100 feet apart,
they are ready to burn at moments
notice. A regular code of signals pre-,
walls. The number of brush fires burn,
ing at the same time conveys the sig.
nal. One fire means forest fire on
the west of certain mountain. Two
fires mean one to the east, and SO on.
Where there are no brush fire sig
mails the simple Indian system of a
small fire and blanket serves the
purpose Of Uncle Sans forest guar
dams. The small fire Is started. Then
wet grass or earth is used to deaden
1t and make the smoke heavy. Over
the fire blanket Is thrown to hold
the smoke down. When the blanket
is released solid pun of smoke goes
skyward. Again the blanket is ap-
piled and quickly removed. Up goes
another puff of smoke.
Other methods are the heliograph-
a windmill with small mirrors at
tached to its wheels, which flash the
signal of fire. and. In some cases.
the flag system of the army signal
corps.
Best of all, however. is the tele.
phone. Since 1906 the forest service
has built 1850 miles of telephone line,
and Is extending them as rapidly az
congress appropriates the money.
In report on the forest fire Ques-
tion Chief Forester Graves says 1t ia
impossible to give specific rule for
the number Of men required to pro
tect tracts of different sizes, although
he supports Mr.. Pinchot In saying that
the forest service il undermined.
In some cases a single man has to
watch tract Of 1000 acres. More
men are required In fiat regions. as in
the mountain regions a single man
may. by climbing to high peak, and
there pitching his camp. keep guard
over vast territory.
: The fire fighting crews Of the for
est service are well organized. One
man is always in charge. All know
their business. The first rule is to
get there as quickly as possible. Then
organization counts. A well organized
small crew can do more work in an
hour than an ordinary gang of able
bodied men. we'll intentioned but ig-
norant, could accomplish in twenty
four
Hand-to-hand Conflict.
In most cases the battle between
the rangers and the IRE Is hand-to-
hand conflict Using coats. slickers,
gunny-sacks. or whatever they have,
Uncle Sans guardians go after the
fire as though 1t were den Of snakes,
and beat 1t out. Dirt. II 1t is loose.
may be dug up and thrown on the
fire.
Sometimes water Is absolutely nee.
essary. Often 1t has to be brought
from distance. and must be used
economically. A little water is thrown
on the ground to deaden the fire, and
then beating begins. The forest
guards know that the most effective
way to use water is by means of
hand sprays. These little pumps throw
water from twenty to thirty feet. and
by them the water can be placed
where 1t will do the most good.
Whore 1t Is possible chemicals are
used: but they are not feasible in the
remote places. II the IRE cannot be
checked quickly light trenches are
dug ahead of it in its direct limo Of
march and the fight is made over
these trenches,
So much for the ordinary surface
fires. They are handled with COM
parative ease If caught in time. The
great danger lies In what are known
as crown fires. They are the fires
which move along the tops Of the
trees.
Naturally they move more rapidly
because of the air that fans them.
Also they jump distances, while sur
face fire creeps slowly and steadily
along. Backfiring is usually required
to head of a crown fire. This sys-
tenn is effective on level ground, but
a crown fire running through the
mountains is almost impossible to
check. even by the most skilful back.
firing.
The crown fires were responsible
for the great damage recently done in
Idaho. They got ahead of the guards
and rangers, passed beyond all human
control and took their tribute in life
and property.
After all. the handling of ordinary
forest fires is a simple question. 1t
il one of an organized force sufficient
ly large. The increase of the present
flre-fighting force is apt to receive at
tention at the hands of congress in
the near future.
ceived many compliments. MY inter-
prefer told me that all the spectators
declared was made to wear such cos
t,,rr