The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-01-17
Gee Workers
Accomplish Much In
Forest Improvements
Evan Kelley, Regional Forester, Gives
Much Data Covering 1884 Activities
In Region No. |.


Much Data Covering 1884 Activities
In Region No. l.
| This newspaper is in receipt of a
letter from Major Evan. w. Kelley OF
Missoula, regional forester of Region l,
which gives much interesting informa-
ton regarding CCC work in the district
during the past year, Excerpts from the
letter follow:
The Emergency Conservation Work
! program is approaching its second an
| niversary. 1t is gratifying to us of the
forest service to look back in perspec-
tive over the months which have
elapsed since its inception by Presi-
dental order. and to realize that the
program has been on the whole highly
successful and that there are some very
tangible results to show for the money
expended The social benefits derived
from giving jobs and training to some
100000 boys who would otherwise be
unemployed are generally realized The
economic value of the actual work ac-
complished is not SO apparent, perhaps,
to those living away from the forests
as to those Of us who are directly con-
cerned with their administration.
A year ago wrote you telling what
had been accomplished by the boys on
the national forests during the first
summer You evidenced so much inter
est in the matter that it has occurred
to me that you would like to have a
resume of the accomplishments for the
ensuing months Therefore, I have list
ed below some of the major items in
the program on the national forests and
other forest lands of the region carried
out from November |, 1888, to Septam-
Der 30, 1884
Roads. New construction, 696 miles:
maintenance on existing roads, 1.510
miles. These roads were mostly of the
class designated as truck trails
secondary roads chiefly valuable for
administrative and forest protection
purposes Much of the road work done
in the winter months was in heavy
rock where the men could work TO
advantage, even in unfavorable weather,
Bridges: SO constructed Many of
these were large, steel structures. The
boys learned lot in working on them.
Telephone Lines. $40 miles. This in
cludes both standard forest pole lines,
as well as lines strung from trees
Clearing. TOO acres of pasture land
for wintering forest service pack stock
Fences: s. miles, range fences, en-
closures at administrative sites, etc.
| Blister Ruest Control. 2500OO acres.
This meant the grubbing out or spray
ribes-currants and gooseberries, which
are hosts to one stage of the rust. This
was part of an intensive program to
protect the valuable white pine stands
of the Inland Empire.
Fire Fighting: The boys rendered
valuable service in meeting one of the
worst fire situations since the disastrous
sunlher of 1910 Outstanding were two
+1nobile units kept in camp west of Mis-
soula for instant dispatch to western
Montana and northern Idaho fires. The
boys in these units gained reputation
for efficiency in the hard game of fire
fighting which might be enved by
seasoned veterans. And considering
their inexperience the general run Of
CCC boys made very creditable
showing in fire fighting on large going
fires.
In addition to working on these
major projects. the bows erected many
lookout houses, buildings at ranger
stations, improved airplane landing
fields, laid water mains, improved
many public campgrounds, cleared pro-
lection strips along roadways, planted
trees on lands denuded by fire, weedec
and transplanted young trees in fores
nurseries, grubbed out poisonous plant.
from range lands, eradicated prairi,
dogs and ground squirrels, helped IL
landscaping projects, constructed dog
ems of reservoirs for conserving waite
ON eastern Montana ranges, built dam
as means of erosion control, etc. Thu
list is still far from complete, but vii
serve to indicate the scope and variet,
Of the work in which the boys wer
< engaged.
I The training Of the boys in the lab
, oratory Of honest toll Md the buildin
: Of them into useful citizens is the funda
! mental idea underlying the Emergenc
e Conservation Work Program. arm gla
a to say that this ideaAis bearing frui
I The experience gainedNby many OF tn
. boys is enabling thenNto obtain ioh
: in the industries. Hundreds have bee
G SO employed Boys shelving particula
$ ability or interest in aSspecial line !
n work are given, as far ak possible, or
d proximity to develop undkr the leader
n ship Of older, experienceA men Man
CONTINUED on uaQk a