Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-30
MAINE | IN! FORESTS.
Annual Report Of Commits
sionsI Ring Of 0rono.
Facts and Figures Relative 10
Fire Protection System.
Forest Fire Loss Very Small Dur
Ing the Past Year.


Maine contains upwards of 10000
900 acres Of wild land, intersected in
every direction by railroads, it's forests
teemlng Witls game hunted by thou
sands of spOrtsmen, the ground prac-
tcally covered with litter and refuse
lett from logging operations, all of
when combine to make the dangerous
conditions necessary for a contiagra-
ton, which under favorable conditions
would exceed that of any fire in the
west says Commissioner Edgar E.
hing of OroEO in the annual forestry
report just filed with the Governor
and Council
The proper conservation OF our for
ests is a subject for deep thought and
the exercise Of our best Judgment"
says MIR. Ring. up to recent years
forest fires were allowed to burn I'M
til extinguished by. rain or the Win
ter SHOWS. AS result large per-
centage of our forests at some time
nave been burned over, entailing loss
almost incalculable. The ground in
most of our forests is covered with
depth. in various stages of decompos-
ton, and camp fires built upon this
ground are particularly dangerous, as
the soil burns and it is difficult to ex-
tinguish the fire. Ground fires have
been known to burn for months and
defy all efforts to extinguish until
there was Il heavy fall of snow Such
fires will sometimes travel beneath
the surface for considerable distances
and break cut in fresh places several
days after one thinks it has been ell
tirely subdued.
The recent destructive fires which
have occurred in the primeval forests
of Washington, Minnesota and Mon
tana, destroying many millions of
property and hundreds of human lives,
demonstrate the necessity of 4 thor
ough system of fire protection in our
own state.
The New Forest Fire Law.
"The forest fire law enacted by the
last Legislature was a long step to-
ward the conservation of our forests
by protecting them from fire. We
Know the principles of the law are
correct because we have tried them
generally admitted that it hardly needs
mentioning. Putting out fires already
started is better than letting their
burr. but. as the real foundation of
protective system. it is about like
lowering the lifeboat after the shr
has struck. Patrol is better thar
fighting. because the incipient spark
or camp fire can be extinguislled be-
fore it becomes a forest fire that has
to be fought. One patrolman can stop
a hundred incipient fires cheaper thar
one hundred men can stop one large
fire
Results in forest protection are
most truly measured. not by the num-
Der of fires extinguished but by the
absence of fire at all.
"Another feature of the law is that
the small assessment upon the land
owners makes it cO-Operative. Just
as the Individual cannot maintain {.
properly organized and equipped fire
department to look after his city prop
erty as we'll alone as through joining
with the community, neither can he
do SO in protecting forest property
If one patrolman can cover the ian''
each to hire man. If a fire starts
and threatens several tracts. it is bet.
ter to share the expense of putting il
out. The sale value of timberland il.
any region is increased by public
knowledge that those interested Their
unite in supporting progressive pre-
tective methods.
again this law has been the means
of compelling the nonresident owner
the small owner who is unable to EN-
pIoy anyone alone. and the non-pro-
gressve owners who would otherWis'
do nothing, to contribute their share
towards the general cost. and the pub
lie take far more kindly to the en-
forcement of fire laws by the stat
than to similar activity on The part
of the individual owner. against whom
a prejudice might exist.
"Our forest wealth is mainly COM
munity wealth. All the owner can ge
out of them is the stumpage value
>The people get everything else. On
every acre of land destroyed by fire
the citizens OF this stat. who are no.
land owners bear at least rs per cent
of the direct loss and sustain serious
III JURY " tlt'I. lutUit 'e''S's '''N t-O'
its.
"The care of our forests involves
greater responsibility than is ordinar-
lily realized. and this work cannot be
too Thoroughly performed -
The Forestry District Idea.
Commissioner Ring is enthusiastic in
his commentator of the Maine for
estry district idea, put into force by
the 7ith Legislature, under which the
land owners of Aroostook. Franklin.
Hancock, oxford. Penobscot. Piscata-
nu;s, Somerset and Washington coun-
ties are annually assessed one and one
half mills. dn 1909 and 1910. $63,945.4H
for fire patrols.
Concerning the fire patrol ana look
out system. Mr. Ring says: "One OF
the first Things attempted and carried
ont under the conditions made pos
sble by creating the Maine forestry
district. was the enlargement of the
nairol and lockout system.
Eight years ago when the first law
was passed looking to the protection
of Names forests a goodly number OF
fire wardens. were appointed and s.
g. ~ DosSihie during the dry an