Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-10-05

"lookouts" of the forest protection
force. Day and night they scan the
distant horizon with strong glasses.
for traces of smoke or reflected
flames. In the woods, from srch an
eminence. a fire may be seen for
miles. and the first traces of it may
be detected by these lookouts long
before 1t would be observed from a
rangers cabin much closer to the
scene
Suppose the Waterman sees the
smoke of fire in the distance, per.
haps fifty miles away. For all prac.
tical purposes the lookouts are help
less. To cover that fifty miles in GER
tain parts of the Montana and Idaho
woods may require from four to six
days; and when they arrive at the
fire 1t has grown TO proportions that
defy their efforts.
Men and Money Needed.
II is to cope with such conditions
that the forest service is asking for
more men and better organization Of
the forests. At present the men on
the hilltop stations use methods as
primitive as those of the Indians to
flash the news of forest fire to dis.
tant stations where help can be Sc.
cured Often there is no telephone
at the mountain lookout station; or
no telephone connection to other
points where rangers and fire ward
ems are supposed to be on duty.
Smoke signals such as the Indians
used. made with blanket over a
smoldering fire. or pillars OF smoke
or fame from a number of fires, con-
stitute the methods of communica-
ton used by many of the forest ranger
stations, and with which all OF the
men In the woods are expected to be
familiar.
The heliograph. flashing the light
of the sun: flag signals such as are
used in the army. and other systems
Of signaling, also are used. In some
places where a small settlement ex-
lists near the fire lookout, unique
means of summoning aid is used. A
small windmill is erected at the look
out station. equipped with a revolv.
ing ball in which mirrors are set al
every angle. The Waterman who dis
covers traces OF a distant fire, sets
his windmill in motion IL the day is
bright. and departs at once for the
scene of the fire, secure in the knowl-
edge that the signal will call to his
aid every man VINO sees the flashing
uirrors.
To get rid of the fire causes is the
first lesson taught the forest guard
ians. and the end toward which the
forest service Is constantly working.
The origins OF fires in the woods are
Sparks from locomotives. sparks
from sawmills and donkey engines
used i'm forest operations. camp fires
not properly safeguarded or extin.
guished, the burning of brush to clear
land the burning of grass to i'm.
prove pasturage, carelessness of
smokers and hunters. incendiarism
and lightning.
From the last there can be little
protection except equipment to fight
the flames as soon as they make
their appearance From every other
cause, however. the standing forests
Of America can be fairly well pro
tected with proper equipment and
funds.
Ways Of Fighting 5lazes.
TIE fremen of the woods learn
that the night is the best time for
At. a.tt 1,ho J,v,,, ,ir rntard. ~,
progress of the blaze. A fire that will
sweep ten or twelve miles in the day
time will eat its way slowly at night,
when there is little breeze and the
air is heavy Then the fire fighters
attack 1t with all the energy they
possess. and often bring It within con.
troll
The forest fire will burn up hill with
such rapdity that no strategy OF the
fire fighters can cope with 1t. Sweep
ing from the bottom of canyon. OF
the foot of a hill. it rushes up the
slope like a hot blaze up a chimney
carrying the fire to the top in an in
credibly short time. Once at the sum
nit OF the hill. the fire burns more
slowly descending the other side. and
the fire fighters have an opportunity
TO dig trenches. cut fire lines and pre-
pare other defeuses TO head it on and
stop it.
On dry and sandy soils, on southern
and western slopes. where the grouaC
+ ard trees are dry and warm, the for
/ est guardians know they may expec
/ the worst havoc of the fire Abov,
/ all things. the character Of the httei
/ on the ground determines the charac
+ ter and severity of fire
The source Of the greatest danger
/ to forests is the presence Of dry tops
/ and piles of brush left by lumbermet
and by the windfalls of heavy storms
/ They constitute standing menac,
I from fires. and their disposal is one o
I the things which the forest rangers
/ are instructed to demand and to hell
bring about When more thorough
/ patrol OF the forests is achieved. 4
/ is asserted that the chief dangers o
{ fire win be done away with.
Latest Mine Horror.
The Doctor-Of course. II the opera
tors in the anthracite and bItuminou