Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-04-06

e%%t~ ANNNNy SG0AtASS W lQIIl
cooperative Association known
as the Upper South Branch Fire
Protective Association. A SIGHT
for lookout station has already
been selected on Spruce Knob
in Pendleton County, at an alti-
tude of 1850 feet which COM
mands fine view Of all the sur
rounding territory. A lookout
station will be built by the State
and equipped with telephone
communication which viii be
put in charge Of a Federal Look
out Waterman.
An effort is also being made
to organize the timberland own
ers in Boone, Fayette and Ra-
leigh counties for hte purpose of
extending State and Govern
nent aid. The cooperative sys-
tenn win then be extended thru
the other Southern countless to
the border Of Kentucky.
AMOUNT SAVED BY FOR
EST PROTECTION.
In 1908, when no organized
effort for fire protection existed.
the State suffered a loss of APP
proximately $4,000, 100000 from
q total of TO fires. AS Il COM
parison, from records compiled
by the State for 1915, we find
the number Of fires occurring in
the State as $50, with loss of
only $1S4,221.00. This is re-
duction of about one half in the
number of fires for these two
years and a saving over 1900
per cent. in the totals of damage
done Both were average years
Of danger.
The causes Of the fires for
1918, expressed in percentage,
are approximately as follows
seventeen per cent. were caused
by railroads, the largest individ-
ual destructive factor with
which we must contend; six per
cent. by numbering operations;
twenty-one per cent. are direct
ly due to carelessness in brush
burning, something entirely
within human agencies to avoid
four per cent. were due to cam
pers; ten per cent. were attri-
buted to incendiarism; five per
cent. being due to miscellaneous
causes, lightning causing one
fire, and thirty-eight per cent. Of
the fires were reported as cause
unknown.
| HOW FIRES EFFECT OUR
TIMBER.
Briefly, timber is damaged in
three ways; by producing fire
scars through which worms en-
ter; oy opening a passage thru
the bark and sapwood for rots
to enter the heartwood; by
weakening threes with hollow
butts till either they burn down,
die from fire girdling or are
blown down by strong winds. "A
fire even light, does injure timber
and cause actual money losses.
Noticeable effects are the killing
Of young growth, the destruc-
ton of the layers Of leaves and
mulch and the fire scars left on
the trees Of all ages.
I Lumbermen and others know
well the tremendous losses due
to pin worms, flag worms, soak
and butt rot. Practically all Of
\ these are due to fire scars on the
bases OF trees. Even though
the fire occurred fifty to one
hundred years ago and all signs
Are hidden by later growth, dur
ing the period of healing over,
from three to five years, depend
ing upon tn severity Of the burn,
fungi and worms entered the
tree and started their destruc-
ton and in the case OF rot are
'still working to destroy the tim
! Der.
! Little punches of leaves and
trash at the tase of trees, if dry
and then set afre, produce suf-
ficient heat to cook and kill the
living bark and sapwood for
several square inches in the butt.
The injury, though slight, may
continue throughout the life of
The tree and finally cause its
death. Spores of seeds of the
tiny fungus which causes rot,
fall on the exposed spots, sprout
during damp weather and grow
into the heart, causing rot, dote
! or soak in the tree. The small
fire scar usually does heal over
and in few years, no exterior
..yiIa,4oa IF thn if1itlpsxy 10 caol7 h,1f