The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1921-07-30
FORMER EUREKA GIRL
WINS CONTEST PRIZE

j. w. Ebert, formerly of Eureka
and Palisade. but now living with his
family at Richfeld. Idaho, sends the
Sentinel the following article written
by his daughter. Miss Nevada, q ma
tive born Eureka County girl. who
recently competed in an essay con-
test there. The Introductory para
graph is explanatory of the contest
and of Miss Ebert winning the cash
prig-;
In the recent prize essay contest
in which the u. s. Forest Service Of
fered a series of prizes for essays
from boys and girls on Fire Pre-
vention," Miss Nevada b. Ebert Of
Richfield was awarded the ten dollar
cash prize for the best essay written
by those between IL and 10 years of
age. Miss Ebert is IL years Of age.
The following is her prize essay:
One of the great problems Of our
country to-day is the protection OF
forests from fire. Unless fires are
prevented soon the resources OF our
forests, the timber. forage. water. and
game will disappear, and the land
will become desolate waste.
The protection OF forestssis one OF
the all-important duties Of the citi-
zens. The Increase OF visitors to the
forests for recreation purposes has
greatly intensified the natural hazard.
The presence OF our vast natural
resources has resulted In an attitude
of indifference as to the possibility OF
their exhaustation. Most fires are
caused by carelessness Of the very
persons who are most anxious to see
the forests preserved. Camp fires
should be built on rock from which
all infiammable materials have been
removed. When they have served
their purpose they must be thorough
ly extinguished. Fire to burn brush
or refuse must be started only when
the weather conditions are safe and
sufficient men are available to con-
troll them.
The economic loss in the past record
has been terrific one. and II re-
peated must result only in stagnation
of Industrial and civic development.
and direct injury to every Idahoan OF
whatever station in life. Thus 1t is
the duty of every citizen to preserve
the forests that these conditions may
not exist.
In addition to the many lives sac
rificed and timber lost, homes and
crops, frequently unprotected by in
surance, are devastated. But the
yearly losses by forest fires alone are
sufficiently serious in themselves, for
the timber supply is being cut and de-
stroyed four times as fast as 1t Is
being renewed. Trees that have re-
quired from so to 100 years to ma
ture are razed in few hours and un-
fortunately canot be replaced in any
shorter time than that required by
nature.
Thus in destroying forests we are
not only damaging the present, but
we are literally burning up the flu
ture.
The "man-made" forest fires can be
eliminated from our forests In Idaho
simply through realization on our
part of every citizen that his person
al welfare is concerned. Therefore.
he should be sure that responsibility
for forest fire can never be charged
against him; take 1t upon himself to
urge similar caution upon fellow citi-
zens and visitors from other sections;
cooperate with authorities in enfcrc-
ing the laws against carelessly or will
fully causing forest fires
In the administration of forests 1t
must be clearly borne in mind that all
land is to be devoted to its most pro-
ductive use for the permanent good
of the whole people. Only with the
aid and cooperation of the citizens
can we preserve our forests. and thus
safeguard the future of our timber
using industries. protect the water
sheds of our streams. and maintain
uninjured the play ground of our peo-
pie. We hope that every citizen will
do all that in his power to further the
protection of our forests as a matter
of public welfare
sAGEHEN SEASON OPENS
NEXT MONDAY, AUG.