The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-03
Wyoming Congressman Points
Out Mistakes of Former For
ester During His Regime.
NO PROTECTION FROM THE
FIRES ON THE RESERVES
Present Policy Better, He Says,
but There Is Still Room for
Improvement.
Special to The Tribune.

Special to The Tribune.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2.-Representa-
tive Mondell addressed the house today
during the consideration of the agricul-
tural appropriation bill relative to the
forest reserves and particularly. In an
swer to a criticism made of himself and
Senators Reyburn and Carter by former
Forester Pinchot, who said last summer
that they were in a degree responsible
for the destructive forest fires because
they had opposed the appropriations for
the protection of forests.
Mr.. Mondell said that these attacks
were entirely unwarrantcd and without
justification as no western member had
ever opposed appropriations for the pro-
lection of the forests, but on the con-
trary had objected TO and criticised the
cxtrava CANT expenditures Of forestry
service funds for purposes In no way
connected with the protection of FOR
ests such as carrying on propaganda
10 popularze the forest service, EN-.
ploying a large number of high salaried
officials whose services could be we'll
dispensed with and by maintaining an
exceedingly expensive system under
winch purely clctiCdl esPepuituieo 60 iSi
exceeded the actual outlay for the sal
aries of rangers.
No Fire Protection,
Mr.. MondeIl called attention to the
fact that very small proportion of
the appropriation for forest reserves
has been used for purposes in the re,
serves calculated to prevent the spread
of fires. j., said that while many miles
of trails had been cut and some tele-
phone lines had been established, meas
ures for fire prevention had been. neg,
lected. Cutting and clearing OF broad
fire lines sufficient to stop the onward
rush OF great fires had been almost en-
| tirely neglected with the result that n
! fire once started under high wind
could only be checked after it had ex
| h-usted itself by consuming tho for
ests as far as they extenced in the dl
rection of the wind
Mr.. Mondell declared that grazing Is
one of the very best methods Of insurlne
against the spread of forest fires. He
called attention 10 the fact that nearly
all of the forests have frequent open
areas of parks covered with reeds and
grasses, nffording splendid pasture fol
grazing animals, and although il is true
! that Il great number of animals nave
been grazed on the reserves 1T is also
true that on many Of tho reserves grass
has been allowed TO grow rank and die
on the ground, thus affordiug the mean:
Of carrying fires from one body of tim
Der To another across the open space,
He stated that the number Of horses
and cattle grazcd on the reserves II
the United States amounted TO onl!
one to every 10 acres and that the
number Of sheep grazing on the re
serves amounted TO but one to every
twenty-five acres,
Not only has the failure to properly
utilize the grasses on the reserves lee
TO the spread Of fires, but it has als'
shortened the meat supply Of the coun
try by depriving stockmen and flock
masters of the use Of large grazing
areas. MI Mondell insisted prope1
! Continued on Page Two.