The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-11-11
WEST VIRGINIA
FOREST SHOULD
Be PROTECTED
Better from Fire, Says Bulletin
Of the Fire Protective
Association.

ELkINS, Nov. 1.-THE farmer,
the small land owner and the hunter
have as much at stake in the pro-
lection and conservation of the for
Iests of the state as those who are
actively engaged In developing large
tracts of timber. There has been IN
the past, through lack Of proper or
ganization and through the failure
of the public as well as the individu-
al land owners to exercise proper
vigilance very heavy loss in prop
erty values through the destruction
by fire Of large areas Of timber. The
loss SO sustained has not only actu-
ally destroyed present values but has
retarded in many heavily wooded
sections good deal Of the second
growth timber which In time would
have proved even more valuable
than the timber now being marketed.
Realization of the fact that such
losses not only were hurting one OF
the states principal industries but
actually meant losses to communi-
ties and to the state in the loss OF
values. brought about a movement
which has for its object the better
care of the forests Of the state.
Government Interested.
The national government mot only
by the purchase OF large tracts OF
timber in this and other states but
by financial assistance under the
Weeks law first took cognizance OF
the Importance OF protecting the for
ests of the nation. West Virginia
was one Of the states which Joined
the national government in the effort
to protect and conserve the forests
by meeting the federal government
half way with an appropriation Of
$4,000 which is used In establish
ing lookout stations. patrol routes
and in actively fighting fires. The
Central West Virginia Fire Protective
Association in order to make the or.
ganization more effective Is raising
another $4,000. In short, there Ia
an organized effort where heretofore
there has been none to combat the
ravages Of flames. Heretofore, for
est fires have ragged without resist
ance, entailing tremendous loss.
simply because the means available
for checking such flames and guard
ing against their rapid spread were
so insignificant that 1T was found
to cope with the situation.
Benefits Are Felt.
The benefit Of such organized eff
fort has been felt this year In the
reduced number Of fires and in the
area to which fires have been limit
ed by corps Of men employed for
the sole purpose Of preventing fires,
Of spreading the alarm and OF direct
ing all fire fighting. The small land
owner and timber owner has ben
Gifted with the owner OF large tracts.
The farmer has been protected from
fires which spreading over wooded
areas frequently wreak serious dam
age upon HIS homestead. Game has
been protected and the hunter has
not found the Inhabitants OF the
forest driven away by fires, The ex-
ercise OF greater care on the part or
the individual in the use Of
matches and flre arms and camp
fires has been accomplished because
these engaged in this effort to protect
and conserve the forests have waken-
ed people generally to a realization
OF the Importance of the matter.
But to make the work Of fire pro-
lection more effective a greater
membership is needed. The protec-
ton furnished at the cost Of one
cent is so necessary that small prop
erty owners have not hesitated to en-
roll themselves as members and Sec
retary-Treasurer George w. Wilson,
OF Wilde1l, reports d rapidly intreas-
ing membership and consequently q
greater area OF protected land, all Of
which means a good deal to the state
and to It's citizens.