Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-08-02

ests on such head waters and there
are greater fire risks. We shall use
every bit Of the sum allotted to us by
the federal government" ~
The cooperative agreement under
which the federal government gives
aid to the state of Minnesota is made
possible by the terms Of the Weeks
law, which was passed by congress last
winter.
Provisions Of Law.
This law, besides providing for the
purchase by the national government
Of lands on the head waters of navi-
gable rivers for the purpose Of Great
ing national forests to protect these
rivers, carried also an appropriation of
100000 which the, secretary of agri-
culture might expend in order to pro-
tect from fire, in cooperation with
the states, similar lands in state or
private ownership. It was provided in
the law that expenditures by the fed
eral government in any state should
not exceed the amount spent by the
state itself in the cooperative work
Other states which have signed SINH
lar cooperative agreements with the
government are Maine, New Hamp-
shire, Vermont, New Jersey, and Wis.
consin.
The secretary of agriculture con.
cluded that the most effective way to
use the money available would be by
requiring, as a preliminary to enter
Ing into an agreement with any state
for cooperative fire protection, that
the state authorities should submit a
definite plan showing in detail exactly
what it was proposed to do. With these
plans were required maps showing
areas to which protection would be
given. All plans submitted are care
fully examined by the department of
agriculture, to see both that the area
to be protected is actually forested
land on the headwaters of navigable
streams and that the plan Of protection
proposed is we'll conceived and thor
oughly practical. with an organized
and effective system Of administration
by capable state officers. It was de.
cided for the present year that the
amount spent in any one state by the
national government should be limit.
ed to $4,000.
Funds Go to Patroimen.
The funds of the federal government
will be used solely for paying patrol.
men. The state officials select these
patrolmen, subject to the approval of
the department of agriculture. The
maps submitted to the federal govern.
ment show where each of these patrol.
men will be located, the approximate
routes OF patrol. and all matters neces-
sary to a clear understanding of the
the location Of lookout points, tele
phone communications, railroad pa,
trolls, location of state forest fire ward
ems and other officials, and the like
In short, the basic idea is that Of
ficient fire protection can be given only
by the development of carefully
worked out, well manned, and capab1y
offcered scheme, which studies the sit
uation beforehand and makes provision
for the most effective disposal and use
Of the available forces, with view
both to preventing fires from gettine
started and concentrating upon them
quickly If they do get started. In the
national forests Of the West, where the
fires must often be fought at Ions
distance from base of supplies, a fur
Their consideration often of great i'm
portance, Is how to provision the forces
which are on the fire line. perhaps 70,