The Springfield herald., 1912-05-17

where by means of lookout
on high peak. who locates in
cipient fires by means of map and
telephones their exact location to va
rious ranger stations. hundreds of
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 many
disastrous fires In recent years. The
country is sparsely settled. and 1t is
difficult to get sufficient help to fight
fire that has gained any headway.
On that account the forest service has
been bending every energy to catch
fires In their incipiency.
The first step toward solving the fire
problem was the selection of look
out station. A station was established
on Harney peak. the highest point in
Harvey National forest. at an altitude
OF 7,242 feet above the sea level. The
peak itself is barren rock. from
which a clear view can be had on
every side. The approximate forest
area which can be seen from the look
out station is 100000 acres, and it is
estimated that the amount of stand
ing timber In this area is 100000
600 feet. The radius of a circle which
can be covered from any lookout sta
tion depends entirely upon the topog-
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 COW
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. In 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 peak
and is soon in communication with the
nearest ranger station.
To describe the exact location of q
fire, even when 1t is sighted from the
peak. afforded 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. 1t
would not do to depend entirely on
general Instructions as there are few
lie ba
location must be described II an efrec.
tive fight was to be made against the
fire.
The solution was worked out by pro-
viding the forest officials with maps.
On sighting a fire the man at the look
out station figures out its exact loca-
tion on the map of the forest. He
then telephones the location to the
chief ranger. who Is. familiar with all
the roads and trails in the forest and
knows instantly how he can best reach
the fire.
On receiving 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 shovels,
axes and other fire fighting parapher-
MALTA The effectiveness of this plan
was shown last summer in a unique
way. The lookout deserted column
of smoke arising from certain part
of the forest and called up headquar-
ters, describing the location on the
map. The fire fighters were rushed
to the scene of the fire In wagons and
found 1t In gully only few hundred
yards from a ranch house Yet SO
well screened was the smoke from
those at the ranch house that 1t had
not been seen there. and the farmers
were amazed when fire fighting crew
descended on the ranch with the ipfor
nation that a fire threatened destruc-
ton almost at the very door of the
farmhouse
Great Saving at Small Cost.
Besides being connected with the OF.
fee of the former supervisor and with
the various ranger stations in the for.
est, the Tarney forest lookout is also
connected with the ranger stations on
the Black hills forest. shelter is
constructed at the top OF the peak for
the use of the lookout. The guardian
OF this immense forest area lives a
lonely life. but his wants are well pro-
vided for. He has tent at the base
OF the spire OF rock which forms the
top of the peak. All his supplies and
water have to be carried to him. He
gets a salary of SIS month. but is
required to pay for his own supplies
and the transportation Of the same
Transportation of forest service equip
ment to and from the station is fur
nished. but that expense for a season
does not exceed $25 1t is difficult to
estimate the amount OF money saved
by the establishment of this perma-
ncnt lookout but the sum is very
great The only other feasible method
CT patrol would be to select number
of less important peaks and establish
lookout stations on them.