The Ordway new era., 1910-09-09
Protecting tho Forests

|
tens OF protection against fire In the
national forests OF the far west and
northwest. The disasters Of this
summer point to the fact that more
safeguards must be thrown about the
wooded areas of the cOuntry II repe-
tition OF the recent Ares Is to be avoid.
ed.
For it Is q fact that years fires
burn away more Of the precious wood.
lands than would be taken to supply
the timber needs Of the country for
quite few years. Added to this, and
even more urgent AS Il reason for ac-
tiou, Is the enormous loss of life and
property In a fire like that Of this sum-
mer.
In some cases In the national for
ests, according to Chief Forester
Henry c. Graves, a single ranger has
the responsibility Of looking after
more than 100000 acres during the
dry season. In the forests OF Ger
many one guard is kept for every 100
acres, 10 one case even US few as $50
acres.
The national forests OF the United
States now include almost zoo, OOO. 0OO
acres Of land and to look after these a
force of 5000 men is employed. This
Is recognized totally inadequate for
the heavy demands, and each dry
spell brings its quota Of disastrous
fires to bear out this fact more strong
ly.
In the measures that have already
been taken to protect the forests from
are, the telephone has played a very
important part. This part Is describ-
ed In a recent Washington dispatch to
number Of daily newspapers under
the heading "Thousands OF Dollars
Saved the Government by Telephone"
In the following words:
In protecting the forest reserves OF
the United States from fire the tele-
phone has become an instrumept Of
salvation, and there are many cases
on record In the forestry bureau where
this modern appliance has saved in-
Vulnerable lives and manv hundred
thousand dollars worth OF timber.
Experience has taught the officials
10 charge Of the forestry bureau that
1t Is almost out OF the question TO cope
with forest tires after they have been
fully started. When they get good
start and have favorable conditions.
such rs brisk breeze aud dry wealth
er, the flames sweep through the for
est and over the surrounding country
without meeting any great resistance.
Therefore, the officials Of the bureau
have determined that the only possi-
BILE way to control these fires Is To pre-
vent them-that Is, attack the tire ut
its inception
1t Is at this point where the tele-
phone gets In its work and has demon
stratcd itself as an important factor
as a machine OF salvation. As a
means OF preventing fires and to dis
cover those which have not gained
any amount Of headway, thousands OF
men have been employed annually by
the governments as rangers and patrol.
men. They are assigned to districts
which they are called on to patrol. but
the work OF this patrol system did not
really become affective until the tele.
phone was introduced.
As the condition presents itself to-
day, a forest ranger leaves his cabin 10
some secluded valley to patrol the
territory allotted to him. His trails
are we'll kept, his telephone is In or
der, with call boxes arranged every
few miles along the path and fire lanes,
and at observation towers. He reach.
es spot where party OF prospectors
or others have been camping and have
left their camp fire without ex.
tinguishing 1t. Since their departure
aud prior to the appearance Of the
ranger the fire has extended along the
ground in the dry forest carpet and
assumed proportions too great for him
to handle alone, though his efforts
may be sufficient to check the flames
for short period. The ranger can
remain and fight the fre alone aud
wait for the arrival OF other rangers
who have been attracted by the
smoke, or he can ride TO the nearest
telc phone box and send out an cmer-
gency call.
Before the days OF the telephone
the ranger, after discovering the blaze
was compelled to ride to the nearest
settlement, which might have been
one or two days ride to obtain, assis.
tancc. During his absence the fire
would get beyond human control and
and he and the men at his command
were practically helpless. The use of
the telephone on the forest reserves is
MT !, ,,unnnsifinnul ,u I,r mn rclv cnnfin.