El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-11-17
F0RESTERS BID
ELPAS0 G00DB BYE
Fire Protection Discussion
Most Important Feature
of Conference

The Forest supervisors conference
came to an end Friday afternoon Many
Of the foresters left on morning trains,
and BY night all will have gone back
to the1= stations At the closing general
session. resolutions were passed ex-
pressing the foresters' appreciation OF
the welcome given them by the mayor
and the hospitality offOTded them by
the chamber OF commerce Of FL PaSO.
In reviewing the conference, district
forester Ringland said. THE confer
ence has been a success in every way.
The biggest accomplishment OF the
year brought out IN the meetings has
been the improved efficiency OF the
fire protection service throughout the
national forests IN this district.
This marked advance is due to bet
ter organization Of the fire fighting
force, improved methods Of fire fight
ing, a better developed detailed fire
plan for each forest. and improved or
ganiZatiOn Of fire patrols and COmmu-
nioatiOn between patrols.
This communication Is by a system
Of telephone stations throughout the
forests, both overhead and underground
wires being installed. and each ranger
and patrol being equipped with port
able telephones In the Arizona and
New Mexico forests, q new portable
phone was adopted last year, which
weighs, case and all, only 10 pounds,
is assembled in a flat case easily car
ried. and may be used for ordinary COM
municatiOn over light weight wire
Hangers Garry Phones.
With the phones, each ranger car
ries a subsidiary phone equipment. in
a ground rod, which has a point sim
lar to bayonet by thrusting this in
the ground to the underground wire
and connecting the phone, the forester
has immediate communication with the
lookout station OF the fire camps. for
as far as 80 miles. A light line con-
necter is also carried which can be
thrown over the overhead wire and in
slant connection established. Over SIT
miles Of telephone wire was laid in the
past year making g total of esq miles
OF telephone wire IN use.
This improved apparatus has given
excellent results IN exiting gushing fires
that started through New Mexico and
Arizona, at a smaller cost than here
tofOre
There were unusually few fires in
this section the past year. largely due
to the rains through the spring. the
most dangerous fire season
The constantly growing public sen
dment IN favor Of the forest service
work, and a better understanding Of
the purpose OF the service has been OF
great assistance to the 1oreSters, the
public taking. greater precautions
about camp fires and cooperating with
the foresters in watching and extin-
New Trails BuIIc.
Other features OF great value are
trails. Over ia miles of new trails were
made IN the past year. making q total I
enable the fire patrol TO get with I
greater speed to the different lookout 4
stations and fire camps, and save a ire {
fires.
TT Is claimed that the fire that 4
swept over the northwest a year ago,
could have been extinEuished in two
lays, had there been trails leading to I
the burning area. So much time was ,
lost IN getting 10 the fire that It had I
got beyond control by the time the fire
fighters arrived
"A new iron telephone has been IN
stalled through the New Mexico and Z
Arizona forests. This is almost indie
itrucuble, being fume, water and acid
proof