The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-14
TALKS OF TIMBER
Cousin of HI. III. Welty WASH
ingtOn State Forester.
Looks After 100000 Acres of
Big Trees.
STOPPING EARLY DAY WASTE
Prevent and Check Destructive
Forest Fires.
No Need to WOrry-PIenty of
Lumber Is Left.
STOPPING EARLY DAY WASTE

]. R. Welty, chief of the Washing
ton state forestry department, and also
state senator from Washington, who
is visiting his cousin, H H. Welty of
1912 Western avenue, president of the
Central Retail Lumber Co., and vice
president of the Noll-Welty Wholesale
Lumber Co., told a visitor today inter-
esting facts about the forestry work
in the state of Washington. He has
been chief forester of the state ever
since the department was created.
Like his Topeka cousin. he is a self
made man. He went to Washington
about 80 years ago, 'cruised' or meas
ured timber for the government for
several years. A big forest fire
/ several years ago called attention to
the need of a forestry department and
this was created in that state, Mr..
Welty was thought the best man for
the head of the new department He
has charge of 100000 acres of tim
Der land.
He explained how the government
protects against fires. He also
brought out the facts that the waste
of timber in the early days by cut
ting only the best of the tree and leav-
ing the rest standing was because lack
of railway facilities then made the
freight rates so high that it paid only
to cut and ship the best.
Reason for Early Day Waste.
When 1 first came to the state the
waste of the forests which we hear de-
cried so much was due to lack of rail-
road facilities said Mr.. WeIty this
afternoon. THE transportation cost
so much then because of the meagre
shipping facilities, that it paid to send
out only the timber that brought the
highest price. On that account a man
would cut his logs, above the pitch
line that is the lower part which was
of smaller value for building purposes
on account of the pitch found therein.
He would saw only the part of the
%rA hot - -
lumber and leave the rest stand.
Now timber owners and loggerS
have learned the value of conserVa-
ton. Besides now several trunk lines
run through our state and the cost of
transportation is much lower than in
the early days. Thus nearly all of the
tree is now used where formerly only
a part was cut.
This year we cut 100000 acres in
the state. But don't worry. We have
plenty left. We have 100000 acres
of timber land, besides an immense
government reserve If a.C0O.0U acres.
believe, in our own state of Wash
ington alone.
County Fire Wardens.
ITO take care of all this, the state,
government, the United States govern
ment and private ttmbered land owners
cooperate. Each county in the tim
bered district, the northwest part OF
the state, is supervised by a fire war
den, who is on duty from June to Oc- |
tober- This is the dry season when fires
are especially liable to start. The |
county fire warden receives 81 a day. |
He Is authorized to hire as many patrol |
men as he needs to look over his terri. |
tory. Part of the duties of these men I
are to post notices of the state fire |
law, including the prohibiting campers |
and loggers from leaving camp fires |
chief causes of conflagra- |
tons. About IA 900 of such notices were |
L. IL
the wardens, who work under me, to
get acquainted with the farmers, get
their good will and their cooperation
in preventing and fighting fires.
1.-The majority of fires are ground |
fires that is the underbrush and |
Heading off the flames by digging
from two to four feet wide is
the usual means of checking the con-
Fires in the tops IF the trees. or
top or crown fires, are more destruc-
started. the fires travels about twenty
miles an hour and the damage is of
great extent
1.-THE same ditching method only on
a larger scale, is used to fight these
top fires. However, as the tops of the
trees in our state are usually about
l5O feet from the ground, you will easily
see, that flames would have to get a
terrific Roadway to cause a crown
fire. Usually in the fire season, a force
IF sixty-five wardens and aids are
enough.
THE timber owners also help. They
nave an organization called the Wash
ngton Forest Fire Association The
members own or control about $500, 900
acres. Timber is valued, in the
or as it stands from fifty
cents to 81 per thousand feet; and a
good average is 100000 feet in $50
acres.
Prosperity Raises Price of Lumber.
Washington produces great Quanti-
les of yellow pine and fir, with some
spruce, the last growing near the Pa
,ific coast. The price of lumber there
ike all over the country has increa sed
thirty per cent in the last six months
owing to prosperity. That is when
lines are good, farmers and others
build more houses and the increase in
demand sends up the price.
Besides the domestic trade, Wash
ngton exports at least four billion feet
# lumber to foreign countries every
rear. Large mills work night and day
"a awning for foreign trade only. And 1t
night be said that lumber and mill men
ire anxiously waiting the opening of
he Panama canal, as water rates are
ess than railroad rates and the canal
will offer another water way way to
he world.
IIcE EnR GATIINIAKE