Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-06-25

where by means OF loohou
on a high peak, who locates in
cipient fires by means Of map ano
telephones their exact location to va
rious ranger stations, hundreds Of
thousands of acres Of fine timber
lands are made immune from the
scourge that threatens the nations
lumber resources, says a writer IN the
New York Tribune. ~
The national forests Of the Black
Hills have been the scene Of mat1y
disastrous fires In recent years. Fhe
country is sparsely settled, and it; Is
difficult to get sufficient help to; light
q fire that has gained any headwag
On that account the forest service has
been bending every energy to-. caatHr:fh
fires in their incipiency. llt4.:gI
The first step toward solving .thetfte
problem was the selection offs Look,
out station. A station was established
on Harvey peak, the highest; btAat3,,tp
Harvey National forest. at All 'A}titas
of 7.242 feet above the sea leHeE, s,ffale
peak itself is barren rock;.ii FROM
which clear view can be ShAdfxtsh
ssevery side. The approXinateaf eFass5i
area which can be seen from the look
nut station is 100000 acres, and it is
estimated that the amount OF stand
lng timber In this area is 100000,
600 feet. The radius of circle which
can be covered from any lookout sta.
hn
raphy OF the surrounding country.
:. the weather conditions and the ,condi
/ tion Of the atmosphere Fires have
:, been definitely located from the Har
. ney lookout station twenty-five miles
distant. Some Of the area thus GOV
cred is in the Black hills forest and
some is outside national forest bound
aries.
Useful Maps and Phone System.
Telephone connection is maintained
between the lookout station and vari
Gus ranger stations In the national
forests. Ir fact. without an adequate
system OF telephone lines the lookout
station would be Of little value. But
after sighting the smoke Of a distant
fire the lookout steps to the tele
phone box on top of the barren peal
and Is soon In communication with the
nearest ranger station.
To describe the exact location of 8
fire. even when it is sighted from the
peak afforded a pretty problem. In
most cases the smoke from the fire
would not be visible TO the rangers.
The rolling hills, covered with the
heavy growth Of timber, effectually
shut off all signs OF distant fires Il
would not do to depend entirely OIL
general Instructions. as there are few
trails through the forest. The exact
location must be described If an effec.
tive fight was to be made against the
fire.
The solution was worked out by pro
vidng the forest officials with maps.
On sighting fire the man at the look
out station figures out It's exact loca-
tioa on the map Of the forest. He
then telephones the location to the
chief ranger, who Is familiar with all
knows instantly how he can best reach
the fire
On receiving q fire warning from
the man at the lookout station, With
the map location Of the blaze, the
fire fighting force departs for the
scene of the fire. armed with shovelg,
axes and other fire fighting parapher-
MALTA The effectiveness Of this plan
was shown last summer in a unique
way. The lookout deserted a column
OF smoke arising from certain par
OF the forest and called up headquar-
tiers. describing the location OIL tie
man. The fire fighters were rubbed
to the scene of the Are IN wagons and
found ittin a gully only few hundred
yards from a ranch house. Yet sc
We'll screened was the smoks from
those atsthe ranch house that i: laE
not been; seen there. and the fa.nacL
wers amazed when fire fighting 2=av.
descended on the ranch with the .rE;.-
nation that a. fire threatened, iss &-a.s.
ton almost at tho very doo- os rs
faHmhehse:
:! Great Saving at Small Cess.
Besides being connected with Us 90
hcs ct. the former supervisor and Etgt
tho various ranger stations in tbs G,s,
est the Tarney forest lookout is $50
coanscted with the ranger stat.,55as III
the Black: hills forest. 4 sheiEs, &
constructed at the top of the pasx N
q s.tths The lookout: The ga Il.
nseS' sorsst>, areaS l:E::->
ids eHt his wants are vel! Sc
Ss4d sEi He has tent At lbs -.e3