New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-12
THAT PAYS
Minimizing Forest Fires in the
Northwest at Slight Cost.

.ornia 10 Northern MOhldhd' AHoS pc"
.roI unfortunately twenty million acres,
oontsjning perhaps 10000, 100000 feet of
.s-,ber The number of men employed
ties with the hazard of the season, but
!. 1912 they included about $50 regular
a,rolmen besides the shifting fire.
srh,ers used when needed. In 1910 one
ISobo association alone had $50 OF these
e. tho field, says THE Worlds Work"
rbe private expenditure varies CORE
snondingly. being about 10000 In 1872,
one of the wettest, and therefore one or
the easiest, years yet experienced. and
s0O0O in 1910. the worst year. Even at
,ho minimum Of $4,000, this expenditure
means a cost Of about a cent an acre
for the entire area guarded, although,
since by no means all owners contribute,
the average minimum cost to members on
their holdings is usually two cents or
more. The hazard also varies greatly
with forest types, so that though one as
sociation may get off with half cent
an acre others may need three, five or
o,obt cents an acre. Assessments are al
wavs uniform on all members of any one
natrol: a Weyerhaeuser or railroad hold
ing OF 10000 acres pays the same rate
that a settler does upon his l6o-acre
claim. Each has an equal vote in asso-
citation affairs.
The efficiency Of the plan has been re-
narkable. Last year the area Of mer-
charitable timber burned over was only
ug0 acres, or one-sixteenth OF l per
Cd nd fha tim
her actually destroyed beyond use was
only about 100000 feet or one-seven-
tieth of l per cent. In 1910 the worst
FIRE year in American history, when re-
ports of losses Of life and property filled
The papers for weeks, the private pa
trolmen extinguished nearly six thousand
fires and kept the entire private loss in
the three hardest hit states Of Idaho,
Washington and oregon down to less
than one-quarter OF i per cent. Once
serious deterrent 10 forest investment
or settlement, and said TO destroy as
much Western timber as was utilized,
fire is now regarded as dangerous only
when ignored, and il is practically avoid
able al an expenditure that Is insignif1-
cant when compared with the values in
sured.
The Western Forestry and Conservation
Association is an allied organization
whose functions are everything in con-
nection with forest preservation except
field work II organizes new patrols
keeps all its constituents advised of new
methods and developments; fosters the
use of oil-burning and sparkless engines;
helps TO frame and TO pass forest leg1s-
lation and advises how 10 make the most
of il: watches the courts to learn what
criminal sections are weak and what eVl-
dence is effective; represents the locals
at conventions and elsewhere; improves
opportunities to bring private, state ana
federal agencies together; and. above all
carries on a systematic educative cam
paign directed at lumbermen ana the
public alike.
I, employs every feasible modern pup
ucity device. Schools. newspapers DO
tells and depots, churches, womens CLUBS
. telepbone directories, store counters anu
nblic official desks-these are but SOME
~ the mediums through which II reaches
the public with DuIeliiS' VI -
med stickers and cartoons oealne
forest ills and their remedles. II 9
trihutes match boxes that caution
that matches cannot think, foloihs P'p0
,,re that develop the growth OF NV
with each fold. and check book mo''oes
that remind recipients that timber man
novro,Is II publishes a fiction story
.ai,a5 ..rbe Ambitious Tree"-carryins
tree though all IT'S struggles from seeo
TO maturity. like Hans Christian Amer
sons "Tin soldier''-that has been Ieao
by 10000 school children .o,d
The annual forest fire conference hei'
by the Western Forestry and conserve,
ton Association are attended Dy expo :.
from throughout the United states ane
Canada. The topics are restricted .
technical phases of protective worn, ca
perts in each are chosen TO present 'iei'