The Ely miner., 1923-04-20
PROTECTION WEEK
FOR OUR FORESTS.
WEEK OF APRIL 22 TO 2S PRO
CLAIMED BY PRESIDENT
HARDING.

President Harding has proclaimed
April 22-28, Forest Protection
Week., and all the people of the
United States are requested to give
special thought to the close assoeia-
ton of the forests and the welfare
of the Nation.
In this part of Minnesota, For
est Protection Week" should include
the entire fire season. Here, if
anywhere in the United States, we
should realize the danger of forest
fires. Our last conflagrations were
as recent as five years ago. when
Cloquet and other towns burned
and even Duluth seemed threatened.
With these terrible disasters still
fresh in the minds of most people,
it is almost unbelievable that some
Minnesotans will continue to he
careless with fire or allow others to
do so.
Over ninety-nine forest fires out
of every hundred in Minnesota are
caused by some human agency. One
fire in every three hundred is
caused by lightning in this state.
We cannot prevent lightning fires.
All others are called imam caused
fires and can be prevented. Mime
sofa is fortunate in regard to
lightning fires. In Colorado and
Wyoming over sixteen per cent and
in Nebraska and South Dakota over
fifty-three per cent of the forest
fires are started by lightning. The
statistics cover five year period
1916 to 1920 inclusive.
1t is not enough that a man
obey the fire laws. He should in.
sist that others be careful with fire
and assist the State and Federal
Services in preventing violations
when possible, and in prosecuting
them, when they cannot be prevent.
ed.
The welfare of Northern Mime
sofa is very directly associated with
timber. The income to the state
from harvesting forest products
logs, pulp wood, poles, posts, ties
and mining timber is enormous in
itself. Our largest industry, and
the finest of its kind in the world
is iron mining. How long could
the mines run without timber?
This newspaper you are reading
is made of wood pulp. You may
go to Cloquet Minnesota and watch
them make it. Every minute OF
your life is made pleasanter by the
use of wood. You sit in wooden
chair, read your newspaper or book
printed on wood-pulp paper, BY
light, the current for which is car
ried to you over wires supported BY
wooden poles, and you may be for
tunate enough to afford woot
fire. 1t is not necessary and almos
endless to mention all the ways il
which our lives are affected b!
wood. Just this to consider: TIL,
poles for a power transmission lin,
in northern Minnesota are beini
shipped in at a cost of So per run
ming foot-ffty-fv foot poles cos
$110 apiece.
Many people from other state
consider Northern Minnesota's Wild
erness Country merely as play
ground. The economic aspect o
timber growing does not interes
them so much. The recent oppos
ton to roads in the Superior Ma
tional Forest was an example. Blu
are they looking for campground
on burned over, treeless wastes
Note that their letters for informs
tion invariably mention localities i
"big timber" for summer hom
sites, camp grounds, canoe trip.
etc.
Does a hunter like to "mak
camp" where there is not even on
tree to lean against, while he sit
around the camp fire after suppel
smokes his pipe, and tells "whoI
pers"? Does a fisherman like t
"pitch" his tent in the broiling, hG
sun, where no protecting trees wi
break the wind or afford shelte
during rain?
You ask them!
Even a lowly motorist will par
his car in the shade of pine |
save the varnish.