Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-27
FINDING FOREST FIRE
Simple Device Originated by
D. w. Adams.
REPLACES OLD METHOD
Tree Branches and Shovels Likely to
Be Discarded in Favor of More
Scientific Equipment.

! ARRANGEMENTS have been completed by
| which the special information of d. w.
| Adams as to surveys and general topo-
graphical conditions in North Carolina.
! his home state, will be utilized in con-
nection with the work of securing lands
as forest reservation in the southern APP
palachians. Mr.. Adams is a civil engi-
neer as well as forestry expert and
has had long association with various
branches of service on these lines. His
practical experience has been of value in
! experimenting the work of colleges in
preparing young men for the forest serv-
| ice and he is mentioned by Prof. Record
of Yale in the National Forestry Mag
azine as having done some important
thinking on original lines in the matter
LOT fire fighting.
| The forest fires which have caused
such enormous losses have been the sub
ject of especial study by Mr.. Adams and
| he has inaugurated methods which lend
| far more hopeful aspect to this serious
problem than it has ever before pre-
sented. During his recent service as SUI
| pervisor of the Arkansas forest he found
| that one source of difficulty was the in
| difference of many of the residents to the
| importance Of preserving their own as
| well as governmental interests in timber
! values and he speedily organized an as
| SOcldtlOn WHICH contributed DOIn personal
attention and funds to the prevention
| of fires.
! This association is now a well estab-
Eshed and effectual organization. His
retirement from the Arkansas reservation
| with view to assOciating himself with
the Appalachian work caused a number
of petitions to be circulated with view
| to his retention at that post. This trib-
ute is rather unusual, as settlers in for
est lands are often lacking in sympa thetic
lf,ny han Of yyh Ia
government is carrying on.
Improved Methods Adopted.
His f1re-fighting methods in Arkansas
superseded the tree branch with which
ground fires were beaten back, and
the shovel. with which fresh earth
was thrown up to check the burn
ing. Until recently these primitive
implements. of less real Importance than
the prompt courage of the men who
welded them, were the best that could
be brought to bear, and the Department
of Agriculture issued careful and COM
prehensive instructions as to their use.
Fires were located by rangers, whose tire
less vigils did not always suffice for the
discovery of blaze before it had made
the Roadway which enabled it to spread
not only along the ground, but by means
of burning twigs and leaves dropped from
overhead.
Fire location was the first step which
Mr.. Adams took up, and the result is
device of singular simplicity, which has
attracted the attention of experts in such
matters both in this country and in
Europe. 1t consists of a series of signal
towers, at distances which permit inter-
comm unicatOn and at heights which COM
mand a survey Of extensive area. Each
of these towers is completely surrounded
with vertical wires of filaments, equi-
distant, and each numbered. When
1
now become a being of fixed habtation,
takes his station at the center of the
tower, notes the wire which intercepts
the line OF vision between himself and
the fire and communicates its number to
headquarters Another ranger does the
same thing. and from different point of
view. and also communicates the number
by telephone, Telegraph, lantern or flag
signal
At headquarters a map on which the
extensions of all sight lines from the
center of each tower across each wire
are prolonged is consulted. The intersec-
ton of the two lines instantly and pre-
cisely locates the fire, and all loss of
time in reaching it is thus avoided. A
direct route to known objective point
is substituted for a method which was
necessarily more or less in the nature of
exploration.
Fighting the Fire.
HAVING located the HTe, DO you go to
work with the tree branch and the
shovel?' asked a Star reporter.
you are neglecting other features OF
the equipment commented Mr.. Adams
with smile IF there is stream near
by buckets may be made to render i'm
portant service, and a wet bag vigorously
handled has more than once obviated
serious loss But the methods of extin-
guishment by chemical apparatus can be
employed in the woods as we'll as in cit
les, and it Is now possible for a forest
reservation to send on horseback from
headquarters we'll equipped apparatus
which will throw continuous and pow
erful stream Of either water or carbOnic
acid gas. The forest ranger becomes a
fireman in the real sense Of the word,
and, judging from results attained in the
Arkansas forest. to which l donated a
full equipment. the tree branch may be
left to mature on its native trunk and
the shovel consigned to its ordinary
peaceful pursuit.