Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-11-18
FOREST RANGERS
Do IMPORTANT WORK
Season Unusually Dry---375
Fires Put Out and Great
Loss Prevented

That excellent service was rendered
the state and yfotection afforded the
timber wealth of same by the forest
patrol service during the past year,
when the longest drought period in over
80 years was experienced and the
menace to the forests by fire was cor
respondingly increased, is shown by
data compiled by State Forester Elliott
from field reports, which shows that,
of the 3,972la days the So fire wardens
were employed during the year ending
September 30, 1914, S69l5 days were
devoted to the actual fighting of fires
and the investigation Of fires and AGA
days were devoted to improvement
work upon their respective ranges, such
as building roads, trails and establish
ing telephone lines and stations in the
Businesses Of the forests.
Record Of Work.
Another example Of prompt and eff
ficient service on the part of the corps
of fire wardens is given in the same
statistical data which shows that a
total of 266 fires were discovered by
the forest patrolman and of these a
total of 1856 were extinguished by them
without outside assistance. An aggre-
gate total of 179 fires were also ex-
tinguished by the patrol with outside
assistance. The total number Of fires
extinguished was 375, and Of these 81
were discovered and reported by Other
than fire wardens but the fire wardens
assisted in putting them out. In fact
according to these field reports, prac
tically every minute Of the time that Is
charged up to the state by the fire
wardens is devoted to some duty OF
other either in fighting or investigating
fires or in work calculated 70 improve
the efficiency Of the service.
General Government Helps.
Realizing that the best way Of safe
guarding the forests of the state, botl
within and without the forest reserves
for the forest fire is no respector Of
persons or dividing lines, is through th'
cooperation Of the government, stat'
and private owners of timber lands thu
government contributes literally to tn,
fire fighting funds of the state annual
ly. Congress last spring set aside {
fund of 100000 for fire-fighting pur
poses to be expended in all state
wherein forest reserves are establishe,
and this fund is drawn upon and pal,
to the several states in equal amount
to the funds expended by the stat,
governments in forest protection, TIL
outside limit Of the amount to be al
lowed any state is $4,000 and ever,
year since the year 1911 the state o
OREGON has secured the maximum allow
ance.
This forest fire fighting fund is pro
vided for under the act of Congress
known as the Week 3 law and tn
money is available from this fund upo
three express conditions: That the fir
protection must be confined to foreste
watersheds Of navigable streams; tina
the state must have provided by law TO
system Of forest fire protection, an
that the federal expenditures in an
state must not exceed in any fisca
year the amount appropriated by tn
state for the same purpose.
Law Broadly Construed.
The department Of the interior, how
ever, is very liberal in its Interpretation
of the condition which provides that tn
"protection must be confined to fol
ested watersheds Of navigable streams
as the authorities have extended th
watersed area Of the navigable stream
of Oregon to include the drainage are
Of almest all Of smaller streams whic
empty into the Columbia and william
ette rivers and this gives the fore'
patrol service Of the state a very larg
latitude in which to receive benefit
from the government funds. stat
Forester Elliott is well pleased with th
record that has been made by his TO
est rangers the past year and feels tina
under the great disadvantages undo
which they labored, such as prolonge
drought, prevailing high winds, etc
they have reduced the fire losses to III
minimum.