The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1910-09-13
Take Care of the Fires.

there are hundreds of men who will
hurry to the woods 70 enjoy the de-
lights of the tonic fall. There are
thousands to whom the whirr of the
rising bird is as sweet music IA
grand opera is to It's most eager de
voices, and there are just as many
to whom the tang of the autumn air
is sweeter than wine: and TO wuom
the CLINT of sunlight ON the leaf
matted ground; tue fleeing glimpse
of tie blue sby through grey clouds;
the swirl of water in mountain
stream are much better known and
more beloved pictures than the
rarest canvass of the greatest paint
Ell. There is delight in the lure
OF the woods that stirs n mans soul
and heart to n delirium of delight
and enjoyment beyond any other
cause of pleasure. The woods are
the home of true nature lovers, and
in their depths real men rejoice.
The woods are the friend of man,
and man owes something to the
woods. To the carlessness IF men
groat forests owe their destruction.
In the northwest. there have been
raging terrific fires that have de-
stroyed tremendous areas of forests,
many hundreds of lives. and devas-
tailed tracts of land so great that
the extent OF the damage can hard
ly be conceived. These fires were
probably started by the carelesseess
of woodmen, who failed to take
proper precautions with fires. There
have been accusations Of incendiarv
canses for the confiagration, but
the charges have not been sub
stantiated, and IN the absence of
proof, and basing the argument on
antecedent probability and the ex-
perience of those who have investi-
gated the causes Of forest fires. it is
more than probable that these fires
were caused by campers or lumber
men, who We're neglectful OF the
precautions which should be obseiv-
ed IN the woods and which men
owe to the forest.
The careless dropping Of a match.
the neglect to see that an about to-
be abandoned campfire is thorough
ly extinguished, may at any tlme be
The cause of fearful loss of forest
property and life The forest con-
migration is a fearful thing. 1t is
easy to start and almost impossible
to stop The neglect of a moments
care may be the cause of the de-
struchon Of the work of centuries.
and the tEoughtless act of second
may destroy millions IN wealth.
Here in West Virginia our forests
are one of our principal assets
From them comes not only a great
portion of our wealth in the lumber
that they produce, but they are the
conservers of the streams that beau
tify and make fertile our soil In
the hands of the men who go into
the woods, their keeping is to a
great extent placed. To the care
of tn g camper the wealth Of the
forest Is entrusted. The care
which the woNdsmen and the hunt.
ers exercise in taking care Of their
fires Is tremendously important.
Think, you men Who are going to
partake Of the hunters feast of the
fall. what your thoughts would be
if after YOU had left the woods.
tremendous loss of forests ana life
should be associated in your minds
with neglected camp FIRE or
match ce1elessly thrown into the
leaves Would not your conscience
writhe with the agony of self re-
proach, which IBIS memory would
bring to You? Enjoy the Autumn
woods: that rs your right and your
delight, but do your part TO take
care Of the woods. In a Western
paper, under the title Haunted"
thee appears terror stricken man,
called "the careless camper. At.
him Nrc pointed scores Of accusing
hands, the hands Of the hundreds
who persisted IL the tremendous fires.
Lest you fDd your rest and sleep
disturbed by like phantoms- when
you 60 into the exGnguish
your camp fires, take care of your
matches The man to whose door
con be traced a tremendous disaster
is Il criminal, because undiscovered.