The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-10-05
DIR. Smiths Interview.
Continued from page one

much the available resources and
limits in that degree the possibilities
of industrial development. When
you protect the forests to the north
of US, you protect the whole Kenne-
bee Valley"
How will the Kennebec Valley
| Protective Association join on to the
work already being done by the
State?" was asked. First of all the
declared purpose of the new organi
zation is to supplement the State
forest fire system, wherever the
means or agencies employed by the
State may be found inadequate,
therefore, to answer your question
am obliged to express an opinion
as to the adequacy of the State sys-
tom. The record of the past season
affords all too good starting point
for sober thought The State had as
sessed special tax of one and a half
mills per year for the purpose
OF protecting the timberlands, tax
which ! understand was not opposed
by the timberland owners because of
their desire to do all possible to safe
guard their property. The organiza-
ton of state and district fire wardens
had been effected and fire watches
and patrols appointed, but before the
tWn laruar
bee head waters had started, early in
the summer, apparently most of the
available state funds had been ex-
hausted. Indeed, the patrols had
been discharged, those putting out of
commission an important branch of
the tire-fghting service. In the case
of the Enchanted district, the patrol
lad been taken off only week or so
before the disastrous fire started on
July Bird Had the state been able to
continue into the summer the patrol
service. it would have resulted In
ttat one locality in the saving of an
area of forest aggregating more than
10000 acres in two or three town
ships, since the place where lightning
started that fire was close to the line
of patrol. Or, to take the case of the
ether big fire, after an annual special
fire-tax of over two hundred dollars
has been paid on single town, even
a corporation needs to be fairly
philosophic to stand its heavy loss.
realizing as it does that the state
withdrew its protection just before
the fire started. Nor is this the
whole of the story. Although the state
had its skeleton organization for
fighting such a fire, it soon developed
that the sinews of war were lacking,
and that neither funds nor credit
we're available on the part of the
state. Against such odds the fight
was made and it is worthy of note
that among the men who are bach
of the new association are those who
manned and financed that fight. To-
day, claims for labor and supplies
that have been made against the state
to the amount of about $4,000 in the
case of the Enchanted fire and sew
eral times that amount on account
of the Frenchtown fire, have been
temporarily met by timberland own
ers, pending a state appropriation
sufficient n than In,
the state system was found adequate
neither in protecting against the
starting of such fires nor in fighting
them when the flames had got the
start Moreover, had not heavy rains
made the woods unusually wet at
this time, we would be facing the
hunting season with its dangerous
camp-fires without any protection
against more forest fres, other than
what the landowners might organize
to meet the emergency"
ITO what do you attribute this
failure on the part of the state and
how can the now organization be
more effectve2" was the next ques-
ton.
Il think We must admit that any
governmental organization how
ever carefully the appointments
may be made has inherent
V weaknesses as compared with
a local association OF interested
parties. The state system fell down
this year first on account of made
quate funds and second, by reason of
the usual limitations of organization
and red-tape. Under the present ar
rangement, it seems to me that the
state officials are powerless to rem
edy this first and most vital defect
until there is another Legislature to
appropriate the needed funds, ant
forest-fres do not wait upon legis-
iatures. Nor. under such a system
of separation of the administrative
officers from the power to appropriate
money, is the states credit at all
good when it comes to hiring day
laborers or buying supplies. Con
trast with this, the power residing in
the new associations board of five
II. g