Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-05-29
Maine and n. H. For.
eStry Forces in Unison

At this season of the year and in fact
| throughout the summer months when the
! protective forces of the Maine Forestry
| District are in action, the State forestry
! department is continually facing and
| solving varied and complex problems To
| the end that the solution may bring add
| ed protection to Names vast forests from
the ravages of fires.
| 1t is very interesting to note the marx
ed changes which appear in the same
territory in the course of succession
of years. For instance, a tract may be
heavily timbered and finally is cut, leav-
ing a certain amount of debris which
dries quickly, and in a very short time
a dangerous fire trap exists where for
merly stood a dense growth with it's nat
ural moisture.
AS lumber operations materially change
fire risks and conditions, SO do roads,
dams and the like which are continually
being built change the nature of the
country and existing condition To meet
these ever-changing conditions, with al
ways in view an increase of emciency of
the protective system, is oftentimes a
very difficult task and with the COM
partively small fund in proportion to the
number Of acres to protect. fine figuring
is necessary and a dollar spent in this
proposition must at least bring in return
one hundred cents worth of value
There is always available to the State
forestry department the advice and inti-
mate knowledge of local conditions in the
territories of the various chief wardens
and on any changes, they are invariably
consulted.
Since the inception Of the Maine For
estry District in 1909, and even before that
time. the internal workings of the pro-
tective unit have been steadily brought
to state of greater perfection from year
TO year. Comparatively nothing, however.
has been done in conjunction with sim
liar organizations Of Maine bordering
country.
The state Of New Hampshire maintains
fire patrol similar to that of Maine and
there are various towns in the former
state which overlook Maine territory.
Likewise, there are several towns in
Western Maine which command a view
of New Hampshire territory.
A conference Of New Hampshire fire
Wardens held recently at Concord
took up the matter for discussion and
while no definite action was taken, the
proceedings Of the conference were re-
ported to the Maine department by
the Forest Service of the United States
department OF agriculture. The matter
has been taken up with State Forester
r. {. Hlrst of New Hampshire with
view OF ascertaining the names Of
the towns In Maine that are covered
by New Hampshire towns. With a list
OF the fire wardens in the possession of
the watchmen of both states and
means or communication established,
good and valuable cooperation could
be establlshed between the two states
AS another evidence Of get-to-
gether of Maine and New Hampshire
interests, the two states will employ
jointly two men the coming season in
patrol work on the Magalloway riv-
er and New lake watershed in the up-
per part Of Oxford county and extend
ing into New Hampshire in the vicin-
ity Of Pittsburg. This was made pos
sible by a conference between W. H.
Morrison Of Gorham, n. H., secretary
Of the New Hampshire Timberland AS
Peaslee of Upton, representing the
Maine department.
One of these wardens will patrol
the valley Of the Little Magalloway
river both in Maine and in New
and the other will look
after the valley of Big Brook, Mead /!
ow brook and Hammond brook, which !
would cover both Maine and New |
David York Of Magallo- |
way plantation and Charles Goodwin
II Berlin, n. H., are the wardens Sc
ected in this cooperative scheme.
Another instance Of outside coop