New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-03
FIRE WATCHMEN AL0FT
Observers from Towers Are to
Guard Bay State Forests.

BY system of towers on high places
and telephone connections the Massa chu-
sets State Forestry Department. aided by
the federal government, is to fight fores.
fires in the future
This system has been outlined in the of
fee Of the department. is partly installed
and will go into operation to-day in certain
sections. 1t Is the first result OF legislation
enacted this year appropriating $4,000 for
the purpose. Immediately after the appro-
priauon became available State Forester
Rane took the proposition UP with the fed
eral government and has received assur-
ances OF cooperation In establishing and
maintaining the system west Of Nashua
River.
The object is to establish an outlook over
the whole state for the detection Of forest
fires at the start and set the machinery
| in motion for fighting them. NJ. c. Hutch
| ms, OF New York, who was engaged by
| State Forester Rane TO take charge OF
the forest fire situation in Massachusetts,
has visited all the high hills and noun
tains in the state with Mr.. Rane. and they
have selected about a dozen places for
observation towers
In most instances the towers are there
already, having been erected for other pur-
poses, but one or two will have to be
erected especially for forest fire stations
An observer will be stationed In each
tower, to be on duty every day during the
dangerous season looking for fires. Men
are to be selected for these posts who are
familiar with the locality, so that they can
tell at a glance where the fires are and can
telephone to the fire warden in abe section
and give him directions for reaching the
| fire.
Two of these observation towers have
been placed in commission. One is on Mount
Wachusett, in charge of J. II. Allen. OF
Princeton; the second is on Mount Tom
and the third is at Great Blue Hill. The
| other mountain tops selected for observa-
| ton stations are Mount Grace, Mount
| Greylock, October Mount, at Pittsheld;
Mount Everett, in the town of Washington;
Bald Pate Hill, mountain In Blackstone
and Shelburne Falls. and Bourne HILL IN
Sandwich. Plymouth has had an observa-
| ton station for some years
In selecting these stations Mr.. Rane and
Mr. Hutchins allowed a range of fifteen
| 10 twenty miles to each one, finding that
| they could easily see that distance From
| some of the points they could see mucn
| further, and with that number of stations
| it is possible TO cover the whole state with
| the eye
! On Greylock Mountain there is an iron
| tower, about fifty feet high. on Wachusett
Mount and Mount Tom they have arrange
ments for the use Of the observation tow
ers on the hotels. At Shelburne Falls there
is a stone tower sixty-three feet high. A
| new tower is TO be built on Mount Grace
especially for fire observation.
| Telephones are to be installed at once
| On ali the mountains where there is none
| at present
| AS d part Of this system all the IRE war
| dens I'm the state, or their deputies, Will
| have TO be provided with telephones 50
that they can be reached from the obser-
| walton towers. 1t is planned also TO nave
their telephone numbers advertised, so that
Automobiles passing through may Know
! low TO reach them If they see any hres.-
| Boston Evening Transcript.