The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-21

only possible way to control these fires
Is to prevent them-that is, attack the
fire at it's inception
1t is at this point where the telephone
gets In its work and has demonstrated
itself as an important factor as a ma
ohine OF salvation. As means of pre-
venting fires and to discover those which
nave not gained any amount of head
way, thousands of men have been en-
pioyed annually by the government as
rangers and patrolmen. They are as
signed to districts which they are called
upon to PATROL but the work of this
patrol system did not really become effec-
tive until the telephone was introduced
AS the condition presents itself TODAY n
forest ranger leaves his cabin in some Sc
Guided valley to patrol the territory al
lotted to him. His trails are well kept.
MS telephone is In order, with call boxes
arranged every few miles along the path
and fire lanes and at observation tow
ers. He reaches spot where party
OIL prospectors or others have been camp
ing and have left their camp fire without
extinguishing 1t. Since their departure
and prior to the appearance of the ranger.
the fire has extended along the ground
m the dry forest carpet and assumed pro-
portions too great for him to handle
alone, though his efforts may be sufficient
to check the flames for short period
The ranger can either remain and fight
the fire alone and wait for the arrival
of other rangers, who have been attract
ed by the smoke, or he can ride to the
nearest telephone box and send out an
emergency call.
Before the days of the telephone the
ranger after discovering blaze, was
compelled to ride to the nearest settle
ment. which might have been one or
two days ride, to obtain assistance. Dur
ing his absence the fire would get be-
yond human control and he and the men
at his command were practically helpless.
The use of the telephone on the foresk
reserves is not suppositional nor merely
contingent matter. The officials ~ the
forestry bureau contend that its trial has
been practical and it has been proven by
time to be invaluable.
The forest fire problem in tb;s co,,+r
is rendered exceedingly complex bv the
diversity of natural conditions on the one
mana, and on the other by artificial diff
ferences OF ownership and control Va
nations In climate, In Typography, and
consequently in forest types, are nowhere
SO great except perhaps in India. More
over, the dual political authority places
" iSuSi al alongside or a
number of state administrations vet
leaves individual ownership without i'm
portant restriction, which aggravates
natural obstacles that stand in the way
of thorough and uniform management
Severe fires are not rare and spasmodic
occurrence. They constitute a perennial
event SO regular that two fire seasons are
recognized each year-in the spring in
the east and In the fall in the west. The
last fires severe enough to- have historic
interest occurred in the North Atlantic
states in the spring of 1908, when the loss
was about s5001,Go0 In the autumn of
1902 fire occurred in the states of WASH
ingtcn and Oregon with a loss of $4,000
600 and IS lives. In the fall of 1894 fires
In Minnesota caused loss of 500 lives and
s25 600. 900; in Michigan. in the autumn
of 1881, not less than $50 persons persisted
1860 square miles of forests were burned.
while the property loss exclusive of tim
Der, was more than 100000. decade
previous an autumn fire in Wisconsin
swept over 1000 square miles and caused
the death Of 1900 persons.