The Springfield herald. (Springfield, Baca County, Colo.) 1887-1919, 1913-01-17

decay of litter previously accumulated.
away.
The timber region covered by the
Arkansas national forest in the state
of Arkansas presents conditions al.
most identical with those of the
southern Appalachians, and It is ID
teresting to learn of the difficulties
encountered in that preserve in car
ing for the timber, and in some Of the
new methods and contrivances that
have already proved their worth in
that section or have been recommend
ed for early trial.
Let US then make our difficult way
up the forest covered side of one of
the highest peaks in the forest pre-
serve in Arkansas. Perched on the
topmost point of land is a big. square
range-hnder signal tower. 1t is built
of rough boards. covered with sheet
iron. The tower itself is about twelve
feet square at the base. and lean-to
addition covers the same area. In the
lean-to the wife of the range finder is
busy mixing Gavin pone" and prepar-
ing brace of rabbits for the family
meal. Two young children playing
about the steps of the tower are gNz-
ing with childish admiration at their
father, who has Just assembled the
tower to examine more closely dis
tant column OF smoke that has Just at
tracted his attention.
Placing a Fire.
He stands on the top of the rude
structure, which ends In a truncated
pyramid surmounted by a platform
about five feet square. He leans
against the low railing to steady him
self as he gazes at the distant signal
of fire through powerful field glass.
The smoke is miles away, but wheth-
er seven miles or double that number
it is impossible for him to tell. for as
he chances up at the weather vane
poised over his head he sees that the
wind Is blowing almost directly to-
ward him and stretching out the smoke
in long trail over the tree tops.
He hurries down to the open deck
that separates the top of the tower
proper from the truncated pyramid
above. Here he takes his place in a
sighting hood" something like a
big box or beach chair with one side
open. It Is mounted on a swivel. and
as he sits down he can swing 1t to any
point of the compass. Secured to the
inside of the hood at his right are the
maps of the forest, blocked on into
squares, with the points Of the COM
pass plainly marked. Fastened to the
other side is telephone, which gives
him almost immediate communication
with the other signal towers in other
parts of the forest. some Of them 40
or SO miles away.
AS he sits in the hood he is sur
rounded by series of 144 vertical
wires, arranged In complete circle.
exactly two and one-half degrees
apart In the exact center of the sight
ing hood is self-winding plumb bob.
The ranger draws down this plumb
bob, and, facing the distant smoke.
lines It up successfully with the two
wires between which the smoke ap-
pears. Each OF the wires Is numbered,
and by quick reference to the map at
his side the ranger can tell at once the
limits of the smoke area to the right
or left.
ne Cilmps uhSehy poCh " 'He up VI
the tower and there signals to the
nearest station. by means of hello
graph mounted on small tripod. his
observations regarding the location
of the fire. The men In the other sta
lions are already as busy as he has
been, and soon he gets return informa-
ton as to their observations. Their
lines of vision. of course, when direct
ed toward the smoke, cross his at wide
angles, and by tabulating the results
he quickly determines the exact limits
of the area covered by the thickest of
the smoke.
1 mipht snend It An enternrisinp