The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-01-24
LUMBER | ] soon
WILL |B|'|E|'N'|||.P|ElD|
OU|T |||N|sTAI'E
Unless There lis Conservation
and Protection Of the For
ests lin the State.

F CEIARIEsTCN, w Va Jan. 23.-
The conservation OF West Virginia
forests has Become one OF the prln-
cipal problems confronting tha iAgis-
lature. No other resource In this
state has been DESTROYED 50 rapidly
as have the forests through fires and
lack Of attention and protectl Ion. This
fact seems to be appreciated by the
governor of t1eI state who discusses
the matter. in his message to the les.
isy..s tilre. He points out that the for
eats which onves covered almost the
et..ire length and breadth Of the state
and which reprssentcd in value as
y ej IS quality and ,iixe soan 1t'fl
lao greatest forest areas in the world
las dwindled from fifteen and tl,rcc.
tocrths millions OF forest acreas 10
less than one anl !. hs.ll millions. Tile
governor urges hat the laws In re-
gard to the forests Of .de state si.oultl
be strengthened ny revision SO that
fscrs are and pt,tee,i. 4 viii be il
sycked for that part which stili re-
mains and so that, the greatest
amount Of cooperation can be, had
with the federal government. in keep
Ing with the provisions of tho Weeks
Iaaw. He directs attention to the fact
that In the past the state has been
receiving no little financial support
for the forest service ny being, able
to cooperate lin "a way satisfactory to
the federal government. During the
year, sos, the governor declares,
previous to the passage of the for
estry law, 5,s97 ,5525 was lost In the
state for that year from forest:Sfires
alone The amount Of money which
has been saved by the operation Of
the forestry law would be more than
sufi1ctent to run the state government
since the laws enactment.
In accordance with the governors
recommend attons and am awakened
public sentiment II is proposed to
strengthen the law 30 as to protect
the forests. An effort will be made
to amend the law SO as to require all
counties to pay uniform rate OF 81. so
per day to those who fight fires but
in order to relieve the county Of the
time consumed in verifying claims
OF that nature, all such. claims will
have to he audited by the state war
den or forester and then 1t will be-
come mandatory when so certified for
the county to pay such claims at the
next regular terpi The. lawswill prob
aply ne drawn SO as to permit in
ddyiduals or associations to pay those
who fight fire Immediately after the
ftre Is over, the county reimburstng
those who do that. In order to in-
sure greater protection OF the forests
the willtlll or malicious setting on fire
Of the forests will be. made equally
as culpable as arson. In short, any
person, or corporation. who wilfully
OF dnaHciously or with intent sets on
tire any woodland shall be deemed
guilty OF a felony instead of mis-
demeanor, as Is now the case, with a
punishment OF from one to five years
IN the penNentiary. Carelessness or
negligence In setting out fires are to
be considered misdemeanors. 1t is
also believed that 1t would be ,conduc-i
I've to the better protection of the for
ests II the law provides that a man
cannot start q fire in the brush or
woods on his own land without first
seeing that there is no danger of me
nre escaping to adjoining property
ana that II such fire does escape to
adjoining property it will be prima
fac1e evidence that the. proper care
mas not been exercised and will con-
stttute grounds for civil action.
In order to more properly care for
the timber and forests OF the state It
IS proposed to have a state forester
whose training, experience and educa-
ton shall equip him to discharge the
duties Of the office efficiently and that
he shall be appointed by the state
warden solely with regard to fitness.
Another provision which it Is beliey-
ed would be wise to incorporate in
the laws is clause permitting those
who have waste lands to present such
lands to the state for purposes Of re-
forestation. h 4.
Unless steps are taken to guard
against forest fires, there will soon be
no timber left in West Virginia tor
fires have done very great damage as
pointed out by the governor.
1aa~sNRAsa