The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-02-08
CAUSE AND PREVENTION
OF THE BIG FOREST FIRES
Prominent Hibbing Citizen Discusses Problem i'm
Able and Deeply Interesting Manner-some
Startling Facts and Figures Presented.


ern Minnesota Development associa-
ton, held at Grand Rapids last week,
Mr. A. P. Siiliman, a prominent citi-
Zen of Hibbing, and a pioneer On the
Mesaba range, read paper on the
cause, effect and prevention Of forest
fires.
This literally and figuratively is
burning subject. It should interest
every taxpayer in the state. The Rip
saw already has given considerable
space to the subject. It is desired
that full and free discussion of the
subject be had. The columns of this
paper are open to all sides, slants and
angles of the most important matter.
Mr.. Siliiman's paper was as fol-
lows, viz.
Prevention of Forest Fires.
The first Of a series of recent great
forest fires in the state of Minnesota
occurred in Virginia in 1898, in which
the town was practically destroyed.
Succeeding this fire, came the Hinck-
ley fire in 1894, in which 418 people
lost their lives. The next great fire
occurred On September 4, 1908, at
which time the village of Chisholm
was destroyed with no direct loss of
life, though the exposure involved
subsequently caused the death Of sew
u, 1910, we had the fire which de-
'stroyed the towns of Beaudette and
Spooner and devastated the surround
ing country, entailing a large loss of
property and the sacrifice of 80 lives.
The last and recent fire was that of
October IL and IL, 1918, which
burned over an area of $50, 900 acres,
in which the towns Of Cloquet and
Moose Lake were wiped out, causing
a property loss of over $50,0O0,000
and over 500 useful lives.
Extent of the Forest.
The timbered area of Minnesota in
cludes approximately $1,000, 900
acres. The value of the timber prod
ucts, alone, thereon amounts to over
$500,000,000. From this timbered
area, up to July 81, 1918, the state
revenue alone, from the timber cut
therefrom was $10,197,89490,
which went for the benefit Of the en-
tire state, the money going lagrely to
the university and school fund. The
total yearly value of the forest cut"
including private ownership as we'll
as the State of Minnesota, amounts
to over forty million dollars. In view
of these facts the question naturally
arises: What is the loss through for
est fires to the state and citizens of
Minnesota, and can this loss be pre-
vented?
Ravagesaof Forest Fires?
Briefly reviewing the loss of life,
1t is probably we'll within the facts
TO state that, during the last Is years
over 1000 lives have been needlessly
sacrificed. The loss of property dur
ing the past rs years has been stu
Eendous and can never be accurately.
determined, but some idea can be OBJ
tailed of what it is, when We take
into consideration the loss of prop
erty during the year 1918. which is
estimated at $4,000 900, and the loss
Of property during tho year 1905,
which, very conservative:y, has been
estimated at s2,003,633, this being
the year in which tina Chisholm fire
occurred. It Is probably safe to say
that there was at least as great a
yearly loss during the years 1898,
1894 and 1910 as in the year 1905.
making total property less in the
past Is years upwards of $58,000,-
600. This loss does not take INFO
consideration the vaiue of growing
trees on the cut-over lands, nor dots
it take into consideration the loss of
soil which is burned up during the
forest fires; nor does it take into &C.
count the fact that, during the heavy
rain storms after the timber has been
cut, the run-off is so much greater
that portion of the best soil is
washed into the rivers to obstruct
navigation and turn the land into a
barren waste.
Subject of Reforestation.
Anyone who has travelled over the
forest portions Of the State of Min
nesota must have noticex the young
growing trees, both pines and decid-
nous trees, which cover the forest
floor; he must have noticed the car
ISl VI lOEeSC SOIL WHICH uOuTlSuSS
and sustains them; but when the SUBJ
Ject of demonstration is discussed and
plans are advocated to reseed and re-
plant the areas which have been cut
over, the question naturally arises:
Why not protect this ground that
is already seeded, planted and sus-
tanning thrifty trees before going to
the expense of doing all this work
which nature has done gratuitously
everywhere throughout the forest
country?
To sum up the discussion of loss
through forest fires, we might say we
know of direct loss in the past
twenty-five years of property alone
OF S5S,000,000. We know of loss of
vast areas of young growing trees on
cut-over lands which can be estimat-
ed at 100000 per year Ito say
nothing of the loss of soil through
impoverishment and denudation),
making total property loss through
forest fires Of property during the
past twenty-five years amounting to
sS3,000,000.
How Forest Fires Occur.