The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1928-06-14
Western Maryland Forests.


cumberland on its mountains, hills, and
ridges, comprising sixty-two per cent
of all the land in that county.
This and other interesting data, es-
pecially forest fire protection, has
been compiled by District Forester c.
Cyril Klein, with headquarters in
Cumberland, in his report to the State
Forester and the Allegany County
Commissioners. Mr.. Klein is being
transferred June Is to College Park,
to take charge of the State tree nur-
sery.
Wardens Guard Wooded Areas.
The Western Maryland forestry
district comprises Garrett, Allegany,
Washington and Frederick counties,
with total of STATES acres of tim
berland.
Over 200 fire wardens, Of which 81
are in Allegany county with eight
lookout towers and "smoke chasers"
are constantly on watch to combat
destructive fire losses in the woods.
In former years, little attention was
paid to the annual devastation and
loss by forest fires, but with the dis
appearance by cutting in lumber op-
erations, of tremendous stands OF
timber, the need of organized work
against fire losses and reforestation
nnppSSltU
With the assignment of Mr.. Klein
as District Forester, in Western
Maryland, twenty-three additional
fire wardens were appointed, and two
"smoke chasers," one in eastern and
one in Western Allegany county, were
assigned to lookout duty. From 1922
Mr.. Klein has been in charge OF
forestry work east of Prince George
county line in central Maryland.
Railroad Fire Hazard Act
The work of forest fire protection
has been greatly aided by the passage
of the Railroad Fire Hazard Act in
1924" This law requires the rail-
roads to clear up for distance of
100 feet measured horizontally from
the outer rail, when such tracks that
go through any wood or forest land
within the State.
Through cooperation of the rail-
roads, the location and inspection OF
these strips or "hazards" has required
the travel by speeder or motor car
of over 1000 miles over various rail-
roads in the district. The strips were
located, mapped and permission Sc
cured from the owner to clear it by
the Forestry Department. The rail
lines have done the actual cleaning.
Ninety-six per cent of the strips
that have been located were cleared
this spring. 1t is interesting to note
the success of this law, since S5 per
cent of the railroad fires reported i'll
Western Maryland this spring, were
on the remaining five per cent OF
"hazards" that were not properly
cleared of all infamable material.
Reforestation A Major Work
Reforestation has been one OF the
major activities in the district. A
total of 10000 trees have been plant
ed this spring. 1900 were planted
on Shriver hill, Cumberland, by the
Bow Scouts under the auspices OF the
Cumberland Monarch Club. A recent
inspection of the trees planted shows
a survival of SO per cent at this time.
Manv of the trees have made
growth of four inches since planted.
It is planned to continue this work
this fall.
County Forest Fire Loss
There have been reported in Allie
gany county during the spring fire
season up to the present time, seventy
fires, which burned over 1886 acres
and cost the county $1,068.40 to bring
them under control. One half Of this
amount will be refunded to the county
by the State. While the fires this
year were larger than last year, 1927
was very damp season and there
was practically no fire danger as far
as climatic conditions are concerned.
The spring of 1928 was about equal
to the spring of 1926, when 14,235
acres of land were burned over as
compared to 1886 acres in 1928. The
size of the average fire in 1926 was
1925 acres compared to AZ acres in
1928. (The size of the average fire
is the best way to judge the success
of a fire organization, and these COM
parsons show the improvement since
1920 The cost of the suppressing
the fire in Allegany county was ST.
639.O7 in 1926 as compared to $1,061.-
40 in the spring of 1928 up to the
present time.
To carry out this work, secure co.
operation from hunters, picnic par
ties and land owners, in the Western
Maryland district, sign posts have
been erected every two miles over
800 miles of State Road. These signs
are 16 &c inches and are made by
the towermen during damp and rainy
weather and erected by the Distric.
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