The Republican journal., 1910-02-10
HOW TELEPHONES CHECK FIRES.
Results of One Years Work in The For
ests of New York State.

CctS vi 1NSU 1Oin StoASs
New York State finds that the first
year under its new regulations for the
protection of its forest land has been a
profitable one. Facts and figures that
have just been published show an enor-
nous increase in efficiency for the year
1909; they demonstrate that the meas
ures adopted to safeguard the wooded
area of the Adirondacks and Catskills
have been instrumental in saving to the
State many large tracts Of precious
woodland.
The forest, fish and game commission
err, James S. Whipple, gives some inter-
estipg figures in his report for last year.
During 1908, with 131 towns under the
jurisdiction of the State, the loss from
fire amounted to 1914, O0O In 1909, with
the new laws in effect, the loss was only
$25, 1O1. Last year there were $50 fires,
burning over II, 967 acres; the year pre-
vious there had been 700 fires, burning
over $4,000 acres. In other words,
with more than twice as much territory
to care for there was an increase in eff
cheney, based on the number of fires, of
$50 per cent, and an increase in eficien-
cy, based on the number of acres burned,
of no less than 1903 per cent.
The new State laws provided, among
JULIET CilltlSS, lO1 a pdlu H1C pdtIOl dllu
for the construction of observation sta
lions on mountain tops, together with
telephone lines through the forests, con-
Meeting up these stations. Watchmen
stationed at these heights sweep the en-
tire forest fire section with telescopes,
and at the least sign of smoke their tele-
phones bring them into immediate COM
munication with the nearest settlement.
The telephone method is the one gener-
ally accepted for checking the spread of
dangerous blazes. Through it aid is
brought to the spot within very short
time after the start of the fire. Many
hours would be lost if messengers were
dispatched.
Extensive systems of telephones for
fire protection are found in the national
forests of the far west. They form part
of the scheme OF precaution used in the
woods of northern Maine. New Hamp
shire has plans which involve consider
able expenditure to safeguard its White
Mountain district in this manner and
the State of Massachusetts, is consider
ing the plan for its wooded sections.
Last year New York purchased from the
Western Electric Company, manufac-
ments and line material for systems ex-
tending to the tops Of Mount Hillayr,
Mount Hunter, Balsam Lake Mountain,
Whiteface, Mount Morris, West Noun
tain, Snowy Mountain and Gore Noun
tain. At the crest of Whiteface the tele
phone station is placed at an altitude of
nearly 5000 feet. /
Speaking of the results of the first
year, Mr.. Whipple says, in his report:
"Many times, if the old system had
been in use, large CONGREGATIONS would
have ensued The point is to get at the
fire when it starts.
This is one of the chief arguments for
the telephones in the forests.
The prominence of the conservation
question at the present time makes Com
missioner Whipple's statements of more
than usual interest. In his lectures and
writings the State forester has been
pleading for a more general recognition
of the value of New Y ork S forest lands. |
The water power developedin this State, |
and dependent upon the forests for its |
maintenance, he declares, is about 27 per
cent of all that developed in the United
States. And then, to emphasize the need
of more adequate conservation, he makes
the statement that it requires fifteen
acres of woodland to supply the paper
for single Sunday edition of a certain
New York newspaper.
The State has done remarkably well in
its first year of organized protection.
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