El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-10-07
FRANK g. CARPENTERS LETTER

out OF the SCARED pine tree into
hole. cut at the foot Of the trunk,
called box This cutting, year after
year soon kills the tree NOW, IN
place Of the box, tin trOughs are fast
ened below the scars, and a clay Jar
catches the gum.
Uncle Sans scientists say that there
is an enormous amount Of turpentine in
the refuse of the saWmills Of the
south and that this might be saved,
yielding about 100000 gallons a
year or value OF more than 10000
Our National Forests.
The chief work Of the forestry bu-
reau. however, is taking care OF the
national forests These are of enOr-
nous extent and they are growing in
million acres In round numbers they
are about equal to eight states as big
as Kentucky or Virginia; and they have
more than 500 billion board feet Of
merchantable timber. At this estimate
they contain about one tenth Of the
board walk foot wide from here to
the woods which covered the Z. S.
at the time 1t began to be settled; and
going back to our hOmely comparison,
contain enough lumber to make a
board walk a foot wide from here to
the sun.
The value Of these government wood
lands cannot be overestimated. Clifford
PinchOt once said they were worth
more than $4,000, 100000. and that the
standing timber upon them is worth
close to 81, 600. 600, 600. He said that the
forests ought to eventually bring In
an income Of about S6,OO0.000 a year
by cutting only the ripe and dead and
down timber, and at the same time
yield some additional revenue from the
lands used for grazing
These forests viii grow in value and
In the amount Of wood which they con-
tain, so that when our private forests
are cut away they viii give US the
lumber Of the future In addition. they
control the sources Of our rivers and
are the basis of the water supply Of
those regions. 1t is also estimated that
the waterfalls in the woods are equal
TO $1,000, 600 horsepower They will
sometimes be harnessed, on leases made
by the government and will thereby
add TO the revenue.
The New Forest Patrol
The forestry men tell me that the
work Of patroling Uncle Sans woods
Is being rapidly extended So far
about 5000 miles OF roads and 10000
miles OF trails have been cut Fire
lines are being built and a system Of
telephone lines has been put uD. con-
Meeting the ranger headquarters with
the lookout stations
Each Of the forests is divided up
into districts about six miles square.
and every district is In charge Of a
ranger, VINO goes to his post in May
ana STAYS until the rains begin in Oc-
LoDeE- Inese rangers carry their own
supplies, comprising a tent rifle and
plenty of ammunition and food. AT
present there are about 1900 men who
act as rangers, and there are forest
guards numbering $50. There are also
hunters and trappers. making alto
geIher- corps of about $500 men in
actlVe charge Of the national forests.
ogU scientists and clerks, who are en-
plOyed here in Washington and at the
district headquarters.
The number Of men in charge Of the
rs G# nj p
now Jnere IS only one man for every
lvO,OoU acres, whereas Prussia keeps a
man Tor every 100 acres, and Baden
one for every $50 acres.
Twenty-Five Million Dollars in g-,ol~o
. me lack of men was evident In the
Ilres or last year. They occurred at
lne end Of the drOuth beginning in
June and reaching their climax in
100000 for protecting the woods. but
lnls was not enough. and although the
war department aided by sending
troops and the railroad companies.
lumber companies and private individ-
uals also coOperated. the fires spread
over an area of more than 5000 600
acres and killed something like Z 600
ryv,vgV rect OF merchantable timber
ne damages are said to have been over
$z5,0OO.000 and the costs of FIGHTING
100000 man 90
Altogether there were 1000 different
Ilres IN the national forests last year
and most Of them were extinFufshed
hy the Forest rangers. The greatest fire
occurred In northern Idaho. where
within "A hours after starting. there
We're practically continuous flames for
over 100 miles. In these fires rs OF the
oLIlclals Of the forestry service were
killed and large number injured
Some of the fires came from lightning.
others from campfires. and some from
the locomotives Of the trains which
went through the woods
Uncle Sam, Iumberman
Uncle sam is now cutting consider
able lumber in the national forests
The amount cut last year was more
than 100000. 900 feet board measure.
much Of it being sold on the stump at
SPA per 1000 feet Such receipts are
rapidly apDroXimating $4,000. 900 per
anuum and they promise to be one of
the incOme-bringing branches Of the