The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-12-04
CHESTERFIELD TO
PROTECT FORESTS

Chesterfield is the first county in the
State to accept the offer of the State
| forester of financial assistance from
| tine government i'll fire protection
measures on November 20 the board
/ of supervisors voted Sl50 to he used
lin Chesterfield County in 1916 In pay
ing one-half the salary of forest
patrolman during the four driest
months next year. the other half to
! be paid by the United States govern
ment. This is the first step in the
building up OF n thorough forest-fire
protective system by cooperation be-
tween the United States Department
of Agriculture. the State forester and
the county supervisors. The patrol
man Is expected to accomplish a great
ideal OF good and at a trifling expense
compared to the value of the timber
young growth. fences, etc, saved from
destruction by fire.
The PatrOiman's Duties.
The patrolman will be required to
provide his own horse and buggy. and
1t will be his first duty to drive all
over his county, talking with every
body about the forest fire question
showing them the danger of careless
ness with fire. Many forest fires are
due to nothing but thoughtlessness on
the part, of the people who would not
Wiilfully injure a neighbor, and such
people only need to have the matter
brought to their attention. And those
people who do not own any tim her
land and take no care with fire be-
cause they don't care what happens
as long as IT does not happen to them
are much more apt to act Hike decent
citizens If they know that there Is an
officer on the job. whose duty II In
to investigate the cause OF every for
est fire, without fear or favor. and
to attempt to secure the conviction
of the guilty party, the enemy Of the
people The patrolman will also take
charge of fighting any forest fire that
he finds, trying TO get it out with as
little damage as possible, although,
of course. enc man trying to cover
whole county cannot be expected to be
right on the spot whenever a fire
breaks out. The patrolman will not
be an outsider but a resident of the
county, familiar with nre-fishting. and
with the roads and trails and widely
acquainted in the county He Will be
appointed by the State forester on the
of the county super
ivisors and other people directly inter-
lested, and will be paid for his whole
time during the four driest months In
the year probably two or three
months in the spring and one or two
months IN the fall. The experiences
of other State. which have adopted
fire protection systems shows that
ca pable and conscientious men can be
secured for this work. because the 20.
i.sttion is an honorable one and they
know that their work Is making their
community better place to live In.
81 900 Per Year Now Available From
tho Government
There is now available $4,000 per
Iyear from the United States govern
jment FOR this work. This makes pos
tsihle. the employment OF one patrols
man In each of thirteen counties for
four months per year. The govern
ment has offered. however. to spend
81, 500 per year in Virginia IN this
work, If the State Legislature will
provide an equal sum for fire protec-
tion purposes.
Any one wishing an allotment for
To- patrofman in his county should take
the matter up at once with the State
forester at Charlottesville Va, who
has pamphlet for free distribution
describing the plan.